My Strength Training Home Gym
Apr 28th, 2007 by Mehdi Tags: Home Gym, Strength Training
I bought a home gym in August 2004. Strength training at home has many benefits. You train when you want and like you want. You save time & money. If you’re disciplined and have the room, I urge you to buy a home gym.
Here’s an overview of my home gym.
Ok let’s see what we have here
- The Bodycraft Power Rack
- A loaded Power Bar
Next picture
- Chains
- Stones: I use these for Box Squats, Step-Ups, GPP,…
This is my A-plate Weight Stack loaded with 50mm plates
- 4 x 1,25kg
- 4 x 2,5kg
- 4 x 5kg
- 4 x 10kg
- 4 x 20kg (2 plates on the Power Bar in the previous picture)
- 4 x 25kg
A total of 255kg. Add the Power Bar to this & I can lift weights up to 275kg. 
A bench. Can be used incline. I don’t use it a lot.
The Broomstick. I use it for shoulder dislocations.
Acer Laptop, training journal & a Brita Pitcher.
Two Strength Training dumbbels weighing 6kg each. They can be loaded with 50mm plates.
My second Power Bar & various strength training tools
- A backpack.
- A leather belt. Rarely use it.
- Straps: I use them for spinal decompressions.
- Dip Bars for the Bodycraft Power Rack.
And the last picture, some more strength training tools.
- 2x Mini Bands (red)
- 2x Light Bands (purple)
- The Ivanko Super Gripper
Total price? Less than 2000€ (2800 US$). This equals a 4 year membership in the average gym. But without the hassle.
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I hear ya. Nobody’s hogging equipment, making rules, and you can wear whatever you want and do weird lifts. And when you’re done, you’re already home!
Indeed. You train at home too I’ve seen on your blog, so you already know the benefits
Great stuff Mehdi!! An own homegym is really relaxed. I like your website and articles very much! Read it all the time!
Awesome gym indeed. Feels like home.
Tnx for the motivation Ruben.
For a beginner wanting to follow your beginner workout and who has no equipment to start with, what would you recommend someone look for that may only have a few hundred bucks to spend on a bench and weights?
Shawn,
One barbell & 150kg (330lbs) plates will allow you to:
-Deadlift
-Overhead Press
-Row
-Squat (using the steinborn lift)
-Clean
For the Bench Press, you’ll need a bench. And a power rack is always nice to get the bar on your back easily on the squat & for safety on the Bench Press.
If you have the place: do it. Should you ever quit strength training, you can always sell it to someone else. It never loses value & the sport is hot.
Hi Mehdi,
Just thinking if those bands are from elitefts or some other.
Those are jumpstretch bands (original from jumpstretch). I didn’t buy them at elitefts (import tax/shipping would kill me). I bought them in Europe, equipment store in Finland: SSpower. Barbells & plates come from that store too.
I was thinking of getting stretch bands but unfortunately they are not available here and purchasing form elitefs is too costly due to shipping cost maybe some other bands will do..
I know some people use bike tubes as bands, never tried it but I heared it works.
Reminds me a lot of when I first started when I was 10 years old! I made my own bench, bought a used barbell set, and a bodybuilding book - Franco Columbo. Those were the good ‘ol days
Yeah back the basics is the way to go, you don’t need machines, just barbell & some plates
I noticed that you have some kind of mat or platform next to your power rack that you do your lifting on. I also noticed that in some of the videos on your website you just drop the weight when finished (I suppose mainly when you don’t complete the rep). Do you have any pointers on a platform or mat to use so as to not tear up the floor when weightlifting? Thanks.
Hi Tony. I’m using 3 layers plywoods. Rubber mats would be better or building your own platform would also work.
Mehdi, I just want to thank you for putting together a truly inspirational website. I found this page a week ago, and I can’t stop reading it. I am relatively new to fitness and have been running and lifting weights, but not strength training. After finding Stronglifts.com, I have decided to build my own gym in my garage. I wanted to know what bench I should get? Do you have a specific bench or two that you could recommend?