"garage gym" - Fit at Midlife

Rep Fitness Barbells

December 22, 2021 Tim Comments Off

The Olympic Barbell is the primary tool of strength training – and Olympic lifting. With the 2″ sleeve diameter these bars accommodate the 18″ diameter Olympic plates. Olympic barbells are made for serious weight – and they are heavy – weighing 20 kilos or 45 lbs – usually. Shown above is the Sabre Bar from Rep Fitness. This is an example of a high-quality, but affordable Olympic weightlifting barbell. In this article, we’re going to review the barbells available from Rep Fitness: Basic Barbell from Rep Fitness The Basic Barbell from Rep Fitness is just what it claims to be. This is a no-frills Olympic-sized barbell. And it’s probably the cheapest bar you are going to find. But there are [Read more …]

Rep Fitness Power Racks

December 22, 2021 Tim Comments Off

Let’s look at power racks for your garage gym. A good power rack is a garage gym essential – because it lets you lift heavy weight safely. As a bonus, the best power racks let you do a whole lot of other exercises too. Shown above is the PR-4000 Squat Rack from Rep Fitness as an example. It is an exceptionally well-built product, and has all the essential features we look for in the best squat stand or rack for a garage gym. Better still, it has a lot of options for expansion – which is part of the fun of customizing your power rack. We’re going to highlight products from Rep Fitness. They make high-quality gear – at bargain [Read more …]

Rep Fitness Squat Racks

December 22, 2021 Tim Comments Off

The best garage gym or home gym needs a squat rack or power rack. Why? Because it’s the best option for versatile and safe training with heavy barbells and weights. But, a full power rack can be a big space commitment – especially if you need to keep a car (or two) in the garage. Squat stands, or squat racks, are a great space-saving option that works in many situations where a full power rack won’t. Shown here is the SR-4000 Squat Rack from Rep Fitness as an example. It is an exceptionally well-built product, and has all the essential features we look for in the best squat stand or rack for a garage gym. We’re going to highlight products [Read more …]

Heavy bench press on a flat bench with Olympic barbell.

Better Ways to Bench Press

December 22, 2021 Tim Comments Off

The flat bench press is an awesome exercise – it’s the proper way to build massive upper body strength in the triceps, pecs, and front deltoids. But performing the movement in the wrong way is hard on your shoulder joints – and possibly your elbows and wrists too. Add in the crazy amounts of weight you can bench – and you have a recipe for disaster. The solution is not to stop benching; rather to start benching smart. We’re going to review equipment and gear that offers you better ways to bench. Let’s take a closer look. Bench Press – Proper Form First of all, the form you use for benching has a lot to do with your ability to [Read more …]

Top 5 Reasons to use the Leg Press Machine

February 3, 2022 Tim Comments Off

The leg press machine catches a lot of flak. It’s considered an inferior exercise when compared to the squat and deadlift. But there’s a reason these machines are popular and you’ll find one in just about every gym. You might as well understand what it’s good for – and use it to your benefit. We’re going to discuss the top 5 reasons to use the leg press machine. We’ll highlight some of the things you can do with this model of leg press machine. Reason #1: Rehabilitation The legs constitute the largest muscles in the body. The quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes are a significant portion of your total muscular mass. How do you provide a strength building workout if you’ve [Read more …]

Rogue Boneyard Bar Review

April 6, 2020 Tim 4

We’re going to talk about one of the best kept secrets in quality gym equipment: the Rogue Fitness Boneyard Bars. Let me tell you how I got a great Rogue Fitness bearing bar for weightlifting – at a $270 discount. First of all, what is a boneyard bar? Boneyard bars are seconds quality Olympic barbells manufactured by Rogue Fitness that have simple cosmetic issues. Consequently, these bars are brand new, made in the USA, function just fine, but are available at a sizable discount. Before you search on craigslist, reddit, or fb marketplace for months at a time for the right thing – why not get a great bar brand new right from the source? Sure, a used barbell for [Read more …]

The American Barbell Power Bar has a shaft made from precision grade alloy steel

Best Powerlifting Barbell

December 22, 2021 Tim 1

Rogue Fitness now has the Kabuki Strength Duffalo Bar available. This specially curved bar reduces stress on the shoulders, biceps, and back, while enabling scapular retraction and superior joint centration. Let’s look at who makes the best powerlifting barbell. What’s a powerlifting barbell (Also called a power bar or power barbell)? It’s a tough, stiff Olympic sized barbell used for lifting big weight – think heavy squats, heavy deadlifts, and big bench presses. Shown here is the Rogue Ohio Power Bar – it is our top pick for best power bar. These bars are big so they can hold a lot of weight, but they also have some very important differences as compared to the type of Olympic barbell you [Read more …]

Concept2 SkiErg – Buyer’s Guide

June 2, 2020 Tim Comments Off

Let’s take a look at an innovative piece of endurance exercise equipment – the Concept2 SkiErg. This unique piece of equipment lets you get the health benefits of Nordic skiing exercise anytime, anywhere. Looking for SkiErg Black Friday deals? Concept 2 equipment is rarely on sale at discounted prices – even on Black Friday – your best bet is to look to minimize sales tax, or to find free shipping. In fact, Rogue has the SkiErg available as part of it’s “5 for $5” shipping deal right now – buy any 5 qualifying items and they all ship for only $5. This is the cheapest way to get a SkiErg. Is the SkiErg the right piece of exercise equipment for [Read more …]

REP AB-5000 Adjustable FID Bench - the best FID bench for home gym or garage gym.

REP AB-5000 ZERO GAP Adjustable Bench Review

December 22, 2021 Tim Comments Off

New for 2019, Rep Fitness has launched their latest product – the REP AB-5000 Zero Gap Adjustable Bench (Rep Fitness). This adjustable bench is our top pick for a full FID (Flat, Incline, Decline) bench for home and garage gyms. This article will serve as our comprehensive review of this versatile piece of strength equipment. Long term review update: This is a great bench – tough, versatile, incline adjustments are a breeze, and while it is a tad on the heavy side (because it is so beefy) it’s easy enough to move when you need to. It has worked out as well as I’d hoped – and I highly recommend this bench as the most robust, versatile heavy duty bench [Read more …]

Weight Bench Buyer’s Guide

December 22, 2021 Tim Comments Off

Let’s talk about weight benches, also sometimes called workout benches. We are also going to look at adjustable weight benches – because they are the most versatile. Having a stable, comfortable weight bench is an essential for a variety of exercises including the mighty bench press. And while it’s true that the bench press has fallen out of favor in recent years because it’s not a “functional exercise”, it’s still a huge mass and strength builder without equal. Take that, CrossFit. (Actually, recently the bench press made a rare appearance in a CrossFit WOD – so maybe they’ve come to their senses.) Let’s look at what makes the best weight bench – whether for your home gym, garage gym, or [Read more …]