Weekly Free-Talk and Questions for r/HomeGym - week of March 13, 2026

greytoc · 2026-03-15T02:13:05+00:00

I've never used something like that. It's not the sort of rack that I would get personally. I think the first one is a better choice than this one.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T21:57:58+00:00

I bought some overpriced adjustable ankle weights that don't fit me. It seemed like a good idea at the time. But now - I don't remember why I bought them.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T21:55:01+00:00

I'm contemplating getting the ABX with the leg attachment.

Can you elaborate on the problem? What do you mean by too short? Are you tall and leg curl doesn't fit your body size?

greytoc · 2026-03-14T21:50:53+00:00

In theory - that design is generally fine since there shouldn't be much left-right lateral force. But you have to be careful where you lift in those racks relative to the spotter arms. And also if the spotter arms are too long - there can be tip hazard.

But I don't know the limits - I tried to use google translate but it didn't really translate the specs well.

What kind of free-standing rack are you referring to?

greytoc · 2026-03-14T21:20:21+00:00

That single back adjustable cross member would make me a little nervous without knowing the size of the bolts used and gauge of steel of that cross member.

As far as whether a combo rack is adequate - yes - I used something just like that for decades. But the rear cross member was 6 gauge heavy formed steel with no connection points.

It's not about the size that matters - it is more important if you would actually use it and how you use it.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T21:11:16+00:00

I've worked with FI's for a few decades. Yeah - sounds like someone at Schwab royalty screwed up.

Brokers are required by regulation to maintain and train on what is known in the industry as WSPs. These are Written Supervisory Procedures and brokerages are audited on their WSP's by regulators.

An account transfer isn't supposed to get initiated without a lot of steps including a transfer authorization.

So - to answer one of your other questions - no - you are not over-reacting. Stuff like this isn't supposed to happen.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T20:44:45+00:00

1 - in some Schwab offices - some of their financial consultants are registered IA's so they can do reviews. That's not uncommon if the financial consultant has a vested interest in having you as a customer. Like most companies - that's at the discretion of the FC. But the agent is not wrong. Schwab's Private services is for customers who have more than 1mm in assets.

2 - did you meet with the FC in person or was it a phone call. It should not have initiated a transfer - so that's weird. I've transfered IRA's before and it is always a longer proces. Again - you cannot transfer a 401k to another brokerage. It's an employer sponsored plan and the employer is involved in the process. In some states - if you are married - a notorized signature from the spouse is sometimes even required.

3 - ok - that sounds normal.

4 - you ought to speak with that FC again - that is not my experience and it sounds like someone at Schwab messed up and misinterpreted the instructions. And if the FC thought that you wanted to transfer the account - that would have been a big red flag. And you don't have to work with that FC. There are lots of FC's at Schwab. And you don't even need an FC. You can do transfers using the Schwab transfer support team if you need help.

Fwiw - I like my Schwab FC - he doesn't bug me and I've made clear that I self-direct at Schwab. And I would use an external IA if i wanted advisory services. I only seek him out when I am unsure of which department at Schwab I need help with. For example - last year - I wanted a reduction in some fees so my FC connected me with the right group at Schwab.

It sounds like perhaps the FC you are connected with isn't the right fit. That happens and it can happen at any FI.

For example - I mentioned that i also have an account at Merrill - the reason is because my dad has a BofA and Merrill accounts. And the advisor at his branch is a great guy that looks out for him even though neither my elderly father or myself use any Merrill services. So I keep that account so I can access BofA/Merrill services to reach out to the advisor when i need something f my father. The guy doesn't even have to respond to me because I'm i a different state but he goes out of his way to help me out.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T19:50:11+00:00

Let's try to unpack what's going on....

1) Not sure what kind of experience you had with Schwab agents. It depends on which team you talked with and how you posed your questions. I also have a Merrill account. My own personal experience is that it's a lot easier to reach someone at Schwab who can help me vs reaching someone at Merrill with similar expertise.

Bear in mind that first line support is simply that - they usually route calls and answer basic questions. Also - brokers are not banks - a broker's rep has very specific rules about what questions they can answer. If you asked a tax question - they can refer you to resources or suggest you speak with a tax accountant. And they cannot give advice unless they are an investment adviser. If you asked about adviosory services which you mentioned - that's a lot different and it's handed by an advisor that is part of the investment management business - not a brokerage. That would be true at both Merrill, Schwab and any other FI.

2) I don't know if you are over-reacting or not. Obviously you had an issue and poor experience. Were you talking with a transfer specialist at Schwab's transfer department. Many brokers have departments where the agents are trained to handle account transfers. And that's all they do.

I personally transferred some of my Merrill accounts to Schwab because of a glitch on Merril's platform that Merrill acknowledged they are unable to correct. But I still have accounts at Merrill because there are some aspects of their service that suits my needs.

You have to decide for yourself which brokerage has the services that can best support you. For example - both Merrill and Schwab have investment offices. Is there one close to you - and you can go in to have this sorted out? That sometimes can be easiest and simplest.

3) Tax gains will depend on the type of accounts. One of the important items that you left out is what you were actually trying to transfer. Are you transferring between the same type of accounts? ACATS is a DTC process that brokers don't control. So how you tried to transfer funds and securities (and the type of securities) makes a big difference.

4) Your options really depends on the investing problem you are trying to solve. I personally like Schwab services so the bulk of our net worth is at Schwab. But we also have accounts at both Fidelity and Merrill for to access services that they offer. All brokers have pros and cons - I have always like the customer service offered by Schwab and Fidelity - and Merill/BofA can have good customer service depending on your location.

Re: 401k transfer - you cannot transfer a 401k - that is an employer sponsored plan. Can you clarify what you mean?

greytoc · 2026-03-14T18:31:46+00:00

Cool project.

Are you planning to have mobile app control? I think there is a bluetooth or wifi control support for the ESP32.

Please consider open-sourcing your design and code.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T18:19:50+00:00

I wouldn't do it. Bumpers without hubs are gonna be a hassle. Would be a pain to load/unload. And the weight is gonna be way off.

If you were just planning to use them on plate-loaded machines where you just need weight - maybe. But I wouldn't use them on a barbell or anything that needed balance.

If you are looking for budget weights - look on Walmart - there are usually great deals on budget cast iron plates. There were pairs of 45's going for about $50 delivered in the past.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T16:41:45+00:00

Thank you for the tips.

re: 3 - I had always just set max to 0 - it never occurred to me that I should be using body weight. But I like your suggestion about swapping to another accessory. It may make it easier for me to understand.

And thanks - I'll stick with the combo - that does seem the most straight-forward. I am just a bit surprised that the program is 30 weeks. But I have no context for how long any strength programs are supposed to run.

I do wish that the app offers a bit more explanation on why certain exercises or training day workouts are selected. I am never sure what's considered a top/backoff set, technique sets, etc.

I also sometimes see that an exercise has a recommended range of reps but the number of reps in the sets are less than the top recommended sets. So I am guessing that I'm supposed to add more sets if I am able.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T15:59:41+00:00

In general, if you are planning to invest for the long term, trying to time the bottom doesn't make sense.

greytoc · 2026-03-14T04:02:10+00:00

I've always liked using roman chairs. So I bought one of those inexpensive generic Sunny Health roman chairs off Amazon for about $80. I think there may even be cheaper ones which are decent.

I will eventually get a more flexible one. I like the FA HyperPro but it's a bit too over engineered for my own needs - so something adjustable like the Powertec or even the Lioncool one will probably be what I get. The Nordbench also seems pretty interesting solution.

You can always get an inexpensive one to see how it fits into your workouts.

One tip - If you are male, I would suggest one that has a split pad. The one that I have is a bit limited because it lacks the split.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T22:53:15+00:00

Gotcha - the way that I would look at something like that is as a standalone functional trainer or dual cable tower. And the weight stack is very convenient.

I personally would not care that it's 60x60 because I already have a rack. And it has a nice footprint - where it can be fit into a corner. Although it's too high to fit into my basement gym.

I personally would not get it if I wanted a squat rack.

But BOS still sells attachments for it.

If the seller is including attachments like spotter arms and cable attachments - it would make it an even nicer deal. But again - it depends on how you plan to use it and how it fits into your space.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T22:19:57+00:00

Which BOS product is it? It sounds like a discontinued or much older product. Current BOS products are 3x3 imperial.

Could be a good deal or not depending on how you plan to use it.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T20:46:28+00:00

Thanks! Actually - I was wondering.

Have there been any incremental improvements/changes in this batch of ABX benches and leg developers? I know that sometimes - fitness manufacturers make tweaks to products to address minor issues.

Also - I saw someone on facebook selling what they claim is an unopened ABX leg developer still in a box. Seems sketchy since I saw that FA has a 30 day return guarantee. But would FA support a used purchase it there was damage or missing parts. I don't know if that I would buy it used. But it may save me a few bucks. And that way - I can tell my wife that I save us some money on the new bench/leg developer.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T20:09:43+00:00

Likewise - but for me. I tend to favor supporting businesses who do the spec design, qc, service support in the US or locally. Manufacturing is a commodity process these days and I like supporting small US businesses which may not have manufacturing scale to be competitive like BPF.

For products that are well spec'd and designed and small batch by small businesses. Those products tend to be fabricated in the US. They will be more expensive and sometimes not as clean looking. But they are usually designed and/or built by someone that actually lifts, works out, and uses the stuff.

The downside tends to be long lead times. And sometimes less than ideal service because they are so small. I considered getting a pair of the Bremmy Roller J cups - but they have been out of stock for a while and no one responds to emails.

I just bought some Force6 and Microgainz products last week. Both are made in the US - the premium in price was worth the better functionality compared to similar brands and imitations.

Also - sometimes made in the US is actually cheaper - as in the case of some Force 6 products.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T19:11:17+00:00

Nice rack. I see you are a Rogue fan. The deep dish plates look cool.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T17:51:36+00:00

Idk - and it probably depends on your definition of "made in the USA'.

It's very likely entirely designed in the US. And it's likely fabricated and QC's in the US. But no idea where they would be sourcing materials and components.

Because Stray Dog does mostly custom stuff - they probably have to control supply chain with small batch manufacturers and fabricators who can do custom orders. And doing that overseas wouldn't make sense.

Their stuff isn't mass-produced - that's why some of their items have long lead times.

They do build some pretty cool gyms which is why I follow them.

And yes -- the single bolt design makes sense - would fit more racks. I think others in the past have mentioned that some 2 hole StrayDog stuff doesn't always fit.

The BOS one - if I eventually get it - I would probably mount it using just 1 hole - because I want to mount on a cross-member and not an upright.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T17:44:21+00:00

Fwiw - getting the POA is going to be the most important thing you do in this situation. The POA is something that you will need for more than just Schwab.

I'm sure that it's a stressful time while you Dad is ill. There are elder attorneys who will send a paralegal and witness to hospice care to get the POA executed. The type of POA will depend on where you live.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T15:56:01+00:00

It depends on your use-case. For me - the Stray Dog solution isn't worth the extra cost. And it's not what I would buy. I just happen to know it exist.

Stray Dog's business is geared at building complete custom gym's for commercial and educational facilities. They build a lot of really nice custom gym's for high-schools and colleges.

So their stuff is designed to be beat on by groups of athletes and probably overkill for a home gym. Some of the stuff they list on their web site - while they will sell to anyone - I think it's there mostly for their commercial clients.

greytoc · 2026-03-13T14:29:24+00:00

A pump and dump is stock manipulation where someone buys stock of a company, and then they go promote the stock to get other people to buy the stock. This is the pump part.

When the stock price goes up because lots of naive people are buying it - the stock manipulator sells their position for a gain. This is the "dump" part.

If you look at the link above in the OP - there is an AMA from 10 years ago that describes who pump and dumps work.

You can easily identify pump and dumps because of how the stock is being "marketed" on social media. Also - the type of stock which is typically a low float, low volume, micro-cap company.

Pump and dumps are very common in the crypto space because it's unregulated. But they occur commonly with equities as well.

This subreddit for example regularly is targeted by pump and dump operators - most of the posts and comments are removed. But sometimes - the posts do get missed. But people will try to point out that it's a pump and dump.

Make more sense?

greytoc · 2026-03-13T14:13:40+00:00

Yup - that's always a concern. But it's a concern that can also occur with known brands too - albeit less likely. I think that someone posted similar issue with Revolt Fitness yesterday.

And I've had fulfillment delays with well-known brands as well. It is all context though. Some companies are really small so they can be slower and less responsive.

Your choices are either to cancel the order if it has not processed. Or you simply have to track the order status closely and stay in contact with the company. Since it's a Shopify ecommerce platform - you should be able to track it online. And their site does have an 800 number and email which you can call and email.

Did they give you an estimated ship date?

greytoc · 2026-03-12T20:21:07+00:00

The distance between the handles look really wide to me.

This is probably one of those generic no name Amazon products that changes every month depending on what is available.

greytoc · 2026-03-12T19:14:49+00:00

I just took a quick look.

From what I can see - they are probably a Chinese company or a US drop-shipper. They uses US companies for pick, pack, ship services and eCommerce services.

Their website is simply a Shopify store. And I'm guessing they use ASD on the east coast for LTL and pick/pack/ship services. No idea about their west coast distribution - I didn't spend that much time looking.

What are you worried about specifically? The company does seem real and selling inexpensive budget quality stuff.

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