I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but there a ton of new bumper plates hitting the market that claim to be made in the USA. Companies like Rogue Fitness, Sorinex, Wright’s, Fringe Sport, and more now have their own branded version of the recycled, crumb rubber bumper plate. What’s the deal with that? [...]
Equipment Guides
Welcome to the Garage Gym’s Olympic Barbell Review and Shopping Guide. If you happen to be in the market for a quality weightlifting bar, power bar, WOD bar, or a general-purpose bar, then you’ve come to the right place. If you’re interested in learning the basics of barbell construction, then again, you’ve come to the [...]
If you’re serious about training at home, then you’re going to want some form of power rack or squat stand in your garage gym in order to get the most out of your workouts. You’ll need somewhere to rack the bar for overhead presses and squats, and you’ll also want access to safety spotters so [...]
Every holiday season I keep a list of all the important Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales, and this is that list. As the information on those sales becomes available I will update this article. I will also frequently have non-holiday sales listed here as well. Bookmark this page, as the URL does not change from year [...]
It has been five years since the publication of my original weight bench shopping guide, and although I’ve managed to keep that article updated and current I thought it was time to start over. So here is version two. Flat Utility Benches Adjustable Incline Benches Most recent additions: Rogue Monster 2.0, Rep AB-5200 Adjustable Flat [...]
I get asked time and time and time again about the various trap bar options out there, so I figured that it was finally time to put something together for those of you who who happen to be in the market. Here it is! My [long overdue] hex and trap bar shopping guide. I hope [...]
Between Rogue, Spud Inc, and all the smaller equipment manufacturers, there appears to be no shortage of tricep straps, ropes, and grips to choose from. There are products made from actual rope, leather, nylon, and even plastic. There is also no shortage of ways to add a pulley system to your garage gym these days. [...]
Are you in need of some new bumper plates for your garage gym, CrossFit gym, or Olympic training center but you don’t know which brand or even which type of bumpers to buy? Well you have come to the right place! Whether you are just getting started and buying your very first bumper plate set, [...]
If your programming is centered around the bench press, squat, and deadlift and you have been chasing bigger and bigger numbers in these three lifts training session after training session, then regardless of whether you ever intend to compete or not you are basically a powerlifter. Well how’d you like to train at home rather [...]
With bumper plate options more than covered across the Internet (here included), I figured it was time to tackle the options for standard weight plates, coated plates, and powerlifting discs. In this guide I’ll cover multiple styles, numerous brands, and offer up enough product examples for you to be able to evaluate any brand or [...]
In an effort to control the length and size of my original barbell buyers guide, I’ve decided to create a separate guide for powerlifting bars. In this way I can cover a larger variety of bars and offer more information about each individual bar. If you would like a refresher course on the basics of [...]
Eleiko recently announced the NxG Collection; the newest generation of world-class Eleiko barbells. This extensive guide is my attempt to consolidate all there is to know about both the NxG Collection, and the entire Eleiko barbell line-up. In this guide I will go over the changes and upgrades have been made to the Eleiko barbell [...]
About a year back I published a positive review for the Spud Inc Econo Lat & Tricep Pulley. I praised it for its ease of use, versatility, and low price. I even went so far as to refer to it as one of the best garage gym accessories on the market for under $100. Well you will be happy to [...]
With the increasing popularity of Vulcan Strength’s barbells, and the seemingly boundless expansion of their bar collection, it seemed about time for a comprehensive buyer’s guide. This is that guide. Your questions, comments, thoughts, and personal feedback is welcome in the comments section below, as your opinions are just as important as mine; if not more [...]
What shoes do you deadlift in? Do you have actual deadlift shoes, or do you pull in regular sneakers? Perhaps you use your Oly shoes, or maybe you just pull barefoot. Does it even matter? It does matter! You should be just as concerned with what shoes that you’re wearing when deadlifting as you are when [...]
