T Nation

Home Gym Resurrection - What New Toy to Buy?

Bigger Stronger Leaner
#1

Finally getting my home gym back together from the in laws garage! So the wife and I discussed and I’m only allowed to get one new piece of equipment (small garage). All I have currently is:

Rogue Echo Squat Stand
Barbell + Bumpers (405 worth of weight total)
53lb KB & 88lb KB
Chin-Up Bar
Sandbag
Ab wheel
Jump Rope
Bands
Platform (4’x8’)

I don’t have any real goals right now, just maintaining and having fun. What do you guys think is a good addition that won’t take a huge footprint. I was thinking another bar possibly?

Safety Squat Bar
Trap Bar
Farmers Walk Handles
Log
Another barbell
Prowler/Sled
Axle
Dip Station

Any thoughts or input would be highly appreciated. Thanks!

EDIT: I don’t wanna buy more weights lol.

1 Like
#2

More weight haha

1 Like
#3

Of the list, prowler, then SSB. Lowest priority would be log or other barbell.

Axle and farmer’s handles are tied as far as mid-tier placing.

Trap bar and dip station low tier. I’m a big fan of dips too, but if you’re only allowed 1 toy, it’s too low on the list.

2 Likes
#4

Lol, I wish man. Too bad I’m content with just using 405 and pounding the reps.

I was thinking prowler or SSB too. Does your HOA say anything to you about pushing one in the road? I was thinking the same about dips. I have 2 saw horses and a few 2x4’s I can use to make a station that breaks down easily lol.

1 Like
#5

Nope. I DO try to be a good neighbor about it, and only do it on weekends (low traffic) in the afternoon (sound not bothering people). Being friendly helps as well.

#6

Awesome! Do you have one you’d recommend? I was looking at the rogue one and looks pretty solid. A bit pricey, but I figure it would last me the rest of my life.

#7

Something we have at my gym is a yoke that also doubles as farmers handles. That’s a pretty cool thing, plenty of functionality. And it doesn’t have to take a huge footprint for storage, if you remove the crossbar for storing it, an easy thing to do.

An axle can be purchased very inexpensively, so I like that from that standpoint. And it has plenty of functionality as well.

SSB’s are great. You already know that.

2 Likes
#8

If money is not a big deal, a versa climber is pretty awesome. Small foot print to boot

1 Like
#9

Only experience I have is with the prowler 2. It’s well built, except one of the bolts of the ski snapped off early in it’s life and elitefts never replied to my e-mail when I asked them if that was normal. Asked twice, never heard back, never bought a product from them since. That was after over a decade of being a loyal customer.

Still a great product though, company has just gone to crap.

1 Like
#10

Had a similar situation with my garage gym and bought a trap bar. Don’t regret it at all – great piece of equipment. Can’t wait to take it outside for some farmers walks when it gets warmer.

1 Like
#11

SSB, if you can only buy 1 thing then make it expensive lol

I think prowlers add good value to a home gym. Lots of options and you just get a leg pump that you can’t really replicate. I saw one you can turn into a wheel barrow and other funky tools. That would be a great bit of kit.

Other than that, I think storage is always a good option and a genesis jack (I have one in my gym bag) if you’re currently stuck in the dark ages loading your deadlifts.

1 Like
#12

I gotta be the only guy who ever thinks how much he’d love a calf machine at home -lol

S

4 Likes
#13

The bodybuilder in me would tell you to buy a cable station.

3 Likes
#14

You aren’t. A friend of mine actually has one, so he must have been thinking the same thing at some point too.

2 Likes
#15

Sadly… I have been put on a equipment spending freeze by my banker.

6 Likes
#16

SSB or a Yoke

2 Likes
#17

Involuntary external administration

2 Likes
#18

I hate to be the boring guy but I’d get a bench.

3 Likes
#19

Clearly, you need one of these bad boys:

image
E6DC5D26-BBA6-420E-A963-99A6858FD66A.jpeg700×889 29.9 KB

2 Likes
#20

It’s not on your list, but I love my swiss (football) bar.

3 Likes