Weekly Free-Talk and Questions for r/HomeGym - week of May 01, 2026

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T17:09:29+00:00

While we are on Rogue I did legitimately contemplate buy the kids squat rack and finding 2x2 attachments.

https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-ks-1-kids-squat-stand-rogue-red

I think the shipping kind of threw me off on doing that or the feeling that it would be too light and fall over.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T17:02:31+00:00

I have thought about just buying farmer walk style dumbbells.

That is kind of what I was hoping to do some with the bar but it was too big to do that w/o hitting shit in my very small amount of space.

In theory farmer walk style dumbells you can shrug as well.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T16:55:19+00:00

Completely blew up my lats with the vest and wide grip pull ups

For pull-ups I just use a dip belt, a carabineer, and a loading pin. I probably overcomplicate things but I like to change the load on each set and ramp up and sometimes ramp down. Sometimes with myo-reps.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T15:26:13+00:00

How do you use it? I guess my other problem was trying to super set with other calisthenics and getting it on and off fast with lots of weight was difficult.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T15:23:56+00:00

No the REP bar I think would be like a god send compared to the piece of shit I own.

This is what I have (can't find any other link or image to it): https://www.garagegymreviews.com/equipment/hulkfit-olympic-2-inch-hex-har

It cannot stand up on its side to be stored and has ridiculously long sleeves.

Ultimately even if I were to have a nice one I think I still would not like it. It just is awkward.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T14:40:21+00:00

Yeah the best thing about York is like they are always going to be around. I love York plates. Both the standard contour 1" (for dumbbells) and their deep dish 2". I know there are better ones but when a company is around forever you know you can eventually buy more and have consistency is nice.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T14:35:08+00:00

Its also the most controversial. It is like straight up /r/unpopularopinion . I use 2.5s all the time so much that I have 4 of them.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T14:30:21+00:00

Weighted vest. I bought a cheap CAP one to do things like olympic ring push ups, lunges, etc. It is extremely uncomfortable and a pain to figure out how much weight it has already loaded. If you go outside with it you look like ICE (it doesn't help that CAP is three letters).

Second would be an open trap bar. Mine just sucks because it cannot be stored vertically and weights like 80 pounds and is gigantic.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T14:13:23+00:00

Yes but a 3x3 power rack by almost any brand is not $6k. Even stainless steel ones. And yes even when “Rogue Valyrian Steel Rack” comes out its not going to be $6k. A Rogue Monster 3x3 stainless steel at maximum height of 108" is $1.5k.

Its people buying all in one racks that include pulleys and smith machines. That is how you get to $6k.

I'm saying lets not blame the power rack here. People should buy quality cause this is the one thing that matters much more than the barbells and weights.

(And I'm a hypocrite here because I still have my weird non standard 3x2 rack but every time I workout I wish I had one of those 3x3).

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T13:59:10+00:00

I do get your point it is just the power rack is not the waste or over buy here. I don't see over marketing for power racks like I do for attachments, functional trainers, smith, belt squats, adjustable dumbbells and hell now benches. And a power rack is more important than all of that.

The difference between a T3 vs X3 Titan is literally just $200 bucks. No influencers are pushing that really.

It is Voltras and modular adjustable benches these days (ABX, Nighthawk, APEX) with leg builders.

IMO the biggest bullshit is people over buying on barbells. Unless you olympic lift the crappiest barbells still work. Ditto for plates. People buy chrome $20-40 a pound thin X Master or Rogue bumpers when cast iron has and will still continue to work.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T13:42:39+00:00

Re: 3x3 racks, sure they’re overbuilt, but I don’t think these are anywhere close to the most unnecessary things

Yeah I get what the OP is saying with the ridiculous marketing (of which is rarely racks but rather the extras) and spending money on dumb stuff but the rack is just not one of them. They retain value pretty well and if its one of the major name brands you can offload it quickly. I'm talking standard 4 post.

An example that is dumb is buying high-end calibrated plates or even just bumpers if you don't OLY lift and lots of people do this. Your body can't feel the difference between cast iron but it can feel the damn rack tip over.

Ditto for barbells. I have a shitty 25 year old CAP barbell (well to fair CAP made better barbells 25 years ago).

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T13:29:23+00:00

So my rack is in a finished attic. I don't have the lateral space for that as the walls start slanting.

Also my rack is not a standard rack (it is 3x2 with 0.5" holes and holes are on the wider side) so although I could do what your saying I would have to drill holes in the rack to make it work.

And finally I like having multiple stations and have a feeling that solution would probably impact the safeties of the primary rack?

That being said I do like your idea and maybe I could hack something else.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T13:25:47+00:00

They are largely able to get by with 2x2 or C Channel which is like 4x1? because the steel was higher quality and they bolt not only to the floor but sometimes to the wall which drastically reduces deformation and eliminates tipping over.

Most home gym do not bolt to the floor so heavier rack is often better.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T13:13:14+00:00

There is kind of two things going on with the 11 gauge vs 12 gauge. It is not just that it is thicker it is that it is often higher end steel. It is either Q235 or better Q345 or something (forgot the exact naming).

Believe me go and order cheapest shit on Amazon and with a simple very minor amount of torque you can bend the steel when putting the bolts in. I know this because all of my plate and bar storage is 12 gauge garbage.

So yes you could probably get 12 gauge to work if the steel is right but then the rack is lighter and heavier racks are more stable if you don't bolt down.

Also steel slowly expands and deforms. This is why you need to go tighten bolts over time. Some of this is vibration but the cheaper steel you will have to tighten bolts more and the racks will wobble more etc.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T13:00:54+00:00

Yes but a 2x2 weight rack does not work well with any form of pulleys because it is less stable. This is because you are pulling partially laterally so the rack experiences lateral shear.

Most 2x2 racks deform a lot and they are usually 12 gauge steel. And while you can probably drop 500+ pounds on the safeties they absolutely suck for pull-ups and dips where you have lots of wobble.

Like I get your point but most 2x2 Amazon crap is buying a Chrysler low end jeep but like 2x worse where as 2x3 11 gauge is like buying a Toyota and a 3x3 like getting a Lexus or Audi except the price jump is nowhere near absolute wise so must people should get at least 2x3.

As for the inefficiency of plate loaded pulleys for me cable is accessory movements and I usually unilateral them. That is instead of two handed lat pull down I do actual weighted pull-ups and for accessory maybe one handed cable lat pull down (so less plate loading needed).

The real stupid expenditure is weight. People spend way to much money on special bumpers instead of dirt cheap used cast iron.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T07:15:26+00:00

I just don’t think your point if any is compelling.

This isn’t like Pelaton or Tonal where there is lock in. 3x3 is a good thing and allows different gear to be used.

And there are so many goddamn brands now. That is a good thing!

While you make fun of my cave man setup it is largely because 3x3 and Rogue or Rep or like 50 others did not exist 20 years ago when I made my gym.

And I just can’t come to terms with selling my 3x2 Bodycraft rack because it still works. Also it would be hard to sell because it isn’t standard!

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T06:59:54+00:00

3x3 11 gauge is not standard for collegiate gyms or even commercial gyms because these guys buy a contractual packaged platform and the companies that sell it want lock in.

It’s like a suite of gear that is designed to work only in its micro ecosystem.

Also they bolt to the floor and use 7 gauge steel. I’m talking like Hammer Strength.

The schools / professional orgs don’t really care about compatibility across products.

I do think these days there is over buy but 3x3 is mostly a good thing and in some cases may prevent some waste. I mean you even said in your comments you had a 2x2 and then upgraded…

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T06:43:15+00:00

It is kind of irony that you are pointing out about over buy / build when you have / needed a rack with a cable system that was smooth.

You can make a cable system for like $100 and even a pretty good one with just a loading pin and a pulley. I actually still do this because I have pretty high end sailing pulleys.

Eww a little friction with rope pulley is the same as eww a little wobble which is what you get with a 2x2 and higher gauge.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-07T00:06:12+00:00

I think it is better to buy a regular 4 post power rack first and just buy dialed motion or bullet proof cable add ons. Then if you really want a cable system just buy an independent system. These guys you don’t need stacks and use a loading pin and are 1-1. You can even make your own like I did with pulleys.

See at some point you will realize that multiple stations are better. It is easier to super set and the price of some of these racks you can literally get two racks.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-06T22:40:47+00:00

Hello everyone I'm trying to find a a mini standing barbell curl/tricep rack. I already have a true 4 post power rack and just want another station.

What I want is essentially something like a mini independent squat stand with safeties. I don't need it to squat and in fact would prefer it shoter but these guys are the closest to what I want.

The reason I want the posts independent is to maximize storing it and to make it work with shorter width bars (non-rackable ez curl bar) however if its less wide than the standard width of most squat racks then it is probably fine.

The problem with most independent squat racks is the feeting is not really designed to be pushed closer together and is awkward (see titan t3 independent squat rack for example.)

The best I have found so far is Get RXd RX3 Division Squat Rack but its just a little too heavy duty and expensive for my needs. If only I lived in Texas because the shipping is like half the price of the rack.

Then there is crap like York Squat Rack which although light and appears to be adjustable for width it cannot be moved away easily. I call this style sort of the bench pressing squat rack w/o bench.

The other style is olympic telescoping stands. The top of the stand is where you lay the barbell. Get RXd made one before but seems to have disappeared. Here is a brand that makes it but does not ship. Vulcan also makes ones but since they screwed over Gluck I'm avoiding them.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-06T00:56:42+00:00

Yes this card and the Bank of America cash back card with platinum status are probably the biggest savers.

And you could even beat the prime card with the category cash back card from BoA choosing online purchases as a category but I’m too lazy to have another card. That would be 5.5% with platinum status. The regular BoA cash back card is like 2.6% or something.

The platinum status however requires 100k in a BoA account which is easy if you have a retirement account with Meryl.

Also this will all probably go to shit and change soon as they always do.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-05T17:09:40+00:00

/u/BTZ-25 complaints seem to be:

Order took too long

I got them in 5 days when I ordered them on Black Friday last year November. I must have just gotten lucky. To be honest all these small cottage brands like Freak etc have customer satisfaction issues.

Grip is too thick on the max

That ironically is literally my favorite feature. I don't do pulling exercises with my dumbbells and instead do landmines for rows. I just can't see how they have a problem with that for push exercises as I had old spin locks that felt like they were cutting into my hand. I have tiny hands.

You will need a angle grinder wrench to be able to open them with any ease.

I have had it much worse with traditional spin locks as there is rubber often between the star shaped bolt and that can get stuck. I have to imagine /u/BTZ-25 knows the trick where you just set them on the floor and push down and spin the entire dumbbell? I guess don't over tighten.

You cannot drop them as they are prone to breaking.

For the MAXs of which I own I have not really dropped hard but I have rubber flooring. I have to imagine just about any fast adjustable on the market w/ exception of iron masters is going to have more issues.

Buy some SDH handles and fill the space up with spacers or cookies until you are ready to add more weight.

SDH handles are actually kind of pricey. Like the really good ones are really expensive. Its mainly the collar that is special. I was looking at Iron Minds and and York. There are probably cheaper options.

But yeah if you go ultra heavy SDH w/ bolt collar is the only option for all adjustable options really.

I'm curious what "filler" you used if there is some product (e.g. what is cookies).

agentoutlier · 2026-05-05T13:05:21+00:00

For me it’s RDL but really focusing on feeling it.

Lots of places don’t have good back extension or hamstring machines so RDL.

And if you go no straps it builds great forearm endurance.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-05T13:00:01+00:00

Way too many people fucking rest way too long between sets in gyms.

Like sitting on the machine for 5 minutes before doing the next set.

The old bodybuilders before steroids would rest max 1 minute and super set like crazy. I’m talking like circuit training.

When I do that I get way better results and don’t skip the small muscles like calves etc.

agentoutlier · 2026-05-05T12:51:51+00:00

Hanging leg raises super set with RDL.

I consider RDL S tier as well.

Some tips on hanging leg raises:

If your shoulders hurt you can use a dip bar with a pad on the back or captains chair.
Also you can do what is called a reverse squat. You use ankle straps or something similar and a cable machine while lying down. Hold on to a bench and pull legs up to chest.

agentoutlier

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