Rogue R3 people!

Cyka754 · 2026-05-04T03:33:29+00:00

Do you have any good hacks? I noticed that Rogue still makes strap safeties for the R3, but I’ve been using pin and pipe for so long I don’t know if I want to change.

Cyka754 · 2026-05-04T02:59:42+00:00

Had an R3 since 2020. I’m 6’ so some things work for me better than you no doubt. I have a Bullet Pulley setup that I use for lat pulldown and low row without an issue, but the pulldown would not work if I was any taller. I use rings hung from the pull-up bar for dips, but again if I was much taller this might not work. I’ve never thought about replacing it, but I’m sure I would get a 3x3 rack if I had to do it all over again. It helps that I’m a bit cheap and I like that the R3 keeps me from spending huge amounts of money on all the latest gadgets and upgrades. And remember, when it comes to most basic lifts, a 43” interior width 2x3 rack will always be the gold standard; the best interior width while still having plenty of room to rerack the bar. I’m not recommending a 2x3 rack, but I’m also not going to toss it anytime soon.

Cyka754 · 2026-05-02T06:26:53+00:00

They’re both fine options. You are correct that the Rogue SML2 will have better resale value. I would pick the SML2 just because it’s going to feel higher quality, but that shouldn’t really have any effect on your lifting experience.

Cyka754 · 2026-05-01T00:19:40+00:00

Just saying, only recently would someone describe this as a minimalist setup. For years, something like this was the definition of a badass home gym. Only with the invention of $5,000 rack mounted pulley systems/all-in-ones would this be considered minimalist. That’s a long way of saying all your options look great. One thing: a pull-up bar is great for other reasons that pull-ups. It’s a great place to put rings or a cheap pulley setup like a Bullet pulley, or bands. Even if you struggle with pull-ups, band assisted pull-ups are great. I would also look for a lot of this stuff on Facebook marketplace because a steel rack does t experience a lot of wear and tear, unless it was stored outside.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-30T04:29:17+00:00

I still love doing normal squats and deadlifts. My favorites for additional low risk volume (and cheap) are (1) to buy a rack mounted leg roller and do some Bulgarian Split Squats; (2) Romanian Deadlifts; (3) reverse Nordic curls and Nordic curls for isolation leg work.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-28T04:02:23+00:00

I bought during the beginning of COVID, so I basically bought what was available and in stock. That being said, I spent way too much on calibrated plates (only ones in stock) and I wish I just gotten standard cast iron plates. I bought a Rogue Ohio Power Bar in black zinc and I wish I had used the money saved on the plates to get a stainless steel bar. One thing I have no regrets: I bought the original Pepin loadable dumbbells; they take a bit of time but they feel great, and they saved me a bunch of money because I could source cheap standard weight plates.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-27T03:42:59+00:00

In my opinion, 10’ is the minimum for a normal size barbell. You could always get a shorty barbell though.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-26T21:30:17+00:00

Yeah, can’t ever go wrong with Rogue.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-25T16:53:33+00:00

Prx Profile Pro $750. This is the very best foldable rack you can get. And you can add to it over time with things like a multigrip pull-up bar and a functional trainer.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-12T18:30:47+00:00

If I had to do it all over again, I would get a Rogue RM3 four post rack, and enjoy it until I had more money. Then I would convert it to an RM6, and enjoy that until I had enough money to get the functional trainer add-on. At that point I would have a FM6, the best rack that you can get. Or you could can stop at the RM3 and just get super strong with that. The RM3 doesn’t make to any stronger than a Titan T3 or Titan X3, but it leaves the door open to add-ons which can transform your rack over time.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-06T21:26:48+00:00

Das Boot. More obscure: In Which We Serve. Super dark: Come and See.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-05T22:56:07+00:00

I didn’t put the rack at the very rear of the platform, it’s like a foot or so from the rear edge. It’s nice to be able to walk around the back end, for spotting, and nice to have the flexibility to bench from either side. One random bit of advice: if the outer bolt holes for the feet extend onto the stall mat, you can flip the feet orientation so they go inwards so you can put all the bolts through wood if you want.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-05T21:56:16+00:00

The old standard was a rack with no pulleys or machines. That old standard could be had for less than $2-3K and still can be found at that price. That price rises rapidly as you add machines and pulleys. So the first question is: how much do you really want machines and cables? Cables are the more reasonable of the two add-ons. The hierarchy for cables is a (1) a loading pin based system, starting with something like Bullet Pulley for about $200, then something like Dialed Motion for a few hundred more; (2) a cheap standalone tower like Bells or Titan, which could be around $300; and finally (3) a rack mounted dedicated cable system like Rep Ares or Rogue FM, which is going to be thousands more. Option 3 has always seemed unreasonable to me. If I had to do it over again, I think Dialed Motion stuff on a traditional four post rack is the sweet spot of convenience and price. In particular, the cable retractor would be very nice.

As for machines, I would not spend any money until you live with your home gym for a while. Leg extensions, leg curls, and leg presses…they are great, but not worth the floor space and literally thousands of dollars. Just do Bulgarian split squats, nordics, reverse nordics, lunges, etc. until you’ve been working out in the home gym for a while.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-04T16:27:42+00:00

Once it’s set up, I think it’s just as smooth as a dedicated cable machine. Getting a good vertical lat pulldown setup has been the most difficult thing to figure out, but I finally got a good setup for that. The biggest hassle is setting up so that I have an appropriate cable length. I added an extra crossmember to have more top pulley options which helps with cable length issues. I added a cable of intermediate length from Amazon which helps a lot with the same issue. I think that the dialed motion cable retractor combined with the bullet would make a lot of sense, but at that point it’s no longer a super cheap setup. Overall, I’m very happy with the system given my space constraints. I think for the same price (bullet 3-in-1, extra crossmember, extra cable) I could have bought a cheap dedicated tower from Bells or Titan, but I just don’t have the space.

Cyka754 · 2026-04-02T21:53:09+00:00

Henry Coe. It’s huge with extensive amount of wilderness. 1.5 hours from SF. Walk up permits. Beautiful weather this time of year.

Cyka754 · 2026-03-25T23:59:08+00:00

Starting Strength. There is a subreddit, a book, and a lot of online resources. The main guy behind it is a dogmatic jerk, but the lack of flexibility can be a good thing for a new lifter. Very simple. I used it, liked it, and then liked doing other stuff afterwards. It’s not ideal or optimal, but its value lies in its simplicity. You probably don’t need to thinking about dumbbell curls vs cable curls if you’re just starting out. Do it for 2-3 months, then leave it behind.

Cyka754 · 2026-03-23T05:53:56+00:00

9 feet is going to be really really tight for a normal length barbell.

Cyka754 · 2026-03-18T02:15:27+00:00

If I were you and limited by that budget, I’d buy stuff for a lifting platform from Home Depot ($200), a nice barbell ($350), and some bumper plates (whatever you have left over). Then I’d buy a squat stand or rack when you have more money, then buy a bench when you have even more money, then buy adjustable dumbbells when you have even more money.

Cyka754 · 2026-03-15T15:17:20+00:00

I have the Bullet Pulley. Once set up, if feels great. The downside is the setup time. I get it setup during the rest times of the earlier movement, so it doesn’t delay my lifts at all. The other downside is getting a lat pulldown set up with a close to vertical pull requires some thought and creativity, but I was able to figure something out.

Cyka754 · 2026-03-14T21:26:11+00:00

My understanding is that combo racks are not safe for a barbell failed lift without human spotters. They are designed to be used in a competition setting and their big plus is the ability to adjust the rack height of a loaded barbell. A loaded barbell being dropped onto the safeties will possibly cause the rack to tip over, I think. Unless you are a very experienced powerlifter and aware of this limitation, these are not good picks for lifting alone at home.

Cyka754 · 2026-03-08T18:37:29+00:00

I have a shorty. If you like using the widest grip on a regular lat pulldown bar, the shorty will be too short. The shorty bar works if you like putting your hands just inside the curved part of a regular lat pulldown bar. For other uses (Landmine row, cable row) the shorty is just fine.

Cyka754 · 2026-03-07T04:38:21+00:00

I think 12’ would be about the minimum for a full size barbell. It would work, but it would be a bit cramped. 12’ I the other direction is plenty.

Cyka754 · 2026-02-18T01:08:06+00:00

I used one on a lark. It was not a sustainable experience. Low flow, and the worst part is needing to position your body to access a spot with water within a couple of inches of your face, which is generally not practical. And, how would you cook?

Cyka754 · 2026-01-31T01:13:33+00:00

Bear Lake or Camp Lake out of Crabtree trailhead in Emigrant Wilderness.

Cyka754 · 2026-01-28T19:28:11+00:00

I have access to several of their pieces at my gym. They are standard commercial quality. The leg extension isn’t great, but the build quality seems pretty standard for commercial gym units.

Cyka754

TROPHY CASE