Home Gym - Custom Made Training Bench for Powerlifter

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1

Hello coaches and members,

As some of you may know, I train at home in an apartment, I don’t have a garage gym; instead I’ve the following. I try to minimize what I have cause I don’t have place to store. I try to hide my home gym once I finish my workout session so it doesn’t make a mess.

  1. Custom made power rack (two sturdy adjustable poles)
  2. Training bench (foldable and adjustable)
  3. Door-way pull up bar
  4. Two car stationary jacks, height is adjustable (I use it as a replacement of racks)
  5. Olympic bar plus weights, total of 140kg
  6. Extra Olympic plates (2 x 15kg, 4 x 10 kg)
  7. Standard bar plus weights, total of 50kg
  8. Two standard threaded dumbbell rods
  9. Bands, rope, etc.

As my main goal is powerlifting, I don’t think I need something else, please correct me if I’m wrong. My main problem now is the bench!!!

I’m progressing into bench press (running Jim’s 5/3/1) but now my weightlifting bench will limit my progress as it is cheap-commercial brand. If I’m benching 100kg plus my weight; that’s about 170kg on the bench. I’m very worry about the bench since it started to give strange sounds during bench pressing like clicking, and creaking and became unstable. It is very dangerous to train on it.

I’ve searched local sports shops but couldn’t find suitable one, all are for ab work only and cardio. I could found one bench with power rack attached to it and it is not foldable so it wont suit my apartment.

I was thinking to have my own custom-made bench. It will cost me more than ready one, but at least it will fit my needs. Now what are the specs of the Olympic bench? I mean height, width, maximum load, etc.? What I must concern when designing my own one before handling the workshop drawing to the workshop? btw I’m mechanical engineer and I will do the drawing and design by myself.

Also, what are missing in my home gym? what items are necessary and are not listed above to improve it?

It is an open discussion for home gym ideas and experience from other members.

Thanks a lot and forgive my poor language as English is my second language.

2

EliteFTS has a whole bunch of bench’s, have you checked there?

EliteFTS
Rogue Fitness

3

I’ve used the Elite FTS flat bench and it’s great, but does not fold. If you could make something foldable that is as solid and stable, hats off to you!

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@anon50325502 Unfortunately EliteFTS and Rogue Fitness products are not available where I live right now. I checked shipping fees for international orders and it will be huge.

5

Sorry to hear that. They make good products. Good luck finding a solution.

6

Get a flat bench with the gripper pad from Elite FTS and boost one end with plates for incline or decline.

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You know what would be extremely useful is a collar that can attach chains or buckets to it so you can increase the load with water, sand, or even rocks, without dishing out extra cash for the plates. The nature of the load will really increase the difficulty of the lifts too. If I had my own home id be buying one of those. And… a sandbag is really good to own.

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