Gym Talk

This is a comprehensive review of the new Rep Fitness FB-5000 Competition Flat Bench; a relatively new bench that offers virtually unlimited load capacity on a lightweight, low-profile, foot-drive-friendly frame – and for a very attractive price. Introduction The FB-5000 was designed to be used in conjunction with the thick, grippy vinyl pads; pads like [...]

This is a review of the Powertec WorkBench Levergym System;  a multi-use, plate-loaded gym station designed to give a home gym owner with limited floor space and limited funds access to a large variety of machine-based resistance exercises. It features both a low and high pulley system, adjustable pressing arms, and an adjustable, detachable bench. [...]

This is a review of the Iron Company 5150 Olympic Weightlifting Bar; a new 20 kg, 28 mm, multi-purpose bar that has many premium features, a fair price, and specifications that rival some of today’s most popular mid-range Olympic and WOD bars. On paper this bar is definitely promising; offering us versatility, durability, and a [...]

This is a review of the Rubber Coated Hex Dumbbells by Rep Fitness, a new and improved version of that classic garage gym dumbbell that we all know and love; mostly because it is what most of us can afford. In this article I am going to discuss what makes the Rep version of this implement [...]

There have been a lot of new equipment releases this spring, and a great number of them are definitely worth sharing. Of course, there always seem to be more new products than I can fit into a single post, but I am going to share some of the more interesting releases with you. You know, [...]

This is the long-awaited review for Vulcan Strength’s new Stainless Steel Absolute Power Bar; the ridiculously strong, pleasantly aggressive, oxidation resistant beast that is literally 100% stainless steel – so long as you don’t count the end caps. One only has to look at the images of this bar to see that it’s a beautiful [...]

For the most part I try to keep the Garage Gyms Store pretty low key here on the main site. That is, I am not trying to cover this site with advertisements for my own products because I don’t want to distract from the content that really matters; all the equipment guides, product reviews, and other [...]

This article goes into an unnecessary amount of detail about the pros & cons of both paying for your shipping, and receiving “free shipping” on those heavy equipment products (power racks, large plate sets, benches, bars, packages, etc.) It is intended for those new to buying strength equipment, or anyone who thinks free shipping is [...]

This is a comprehensive review for the Strength Shop Bastard Power Bar, a mid-range bar that can be purchased both in the USA and in most of Europe from one of Strength Shop’s many domains. The Bastard Power Bar retails for US$275 but it can be found on sale fairly regularly (at least that is [...]

This is a review of Rep Fitness’ new rubber-coated Kilogram Change Plates. While not the most complicated of products to review, the lower pricing and high level of interest in these plates made them worth checking out more thoroughly. In this review I will cover the basic specifications of these plates, design features, and plate [...]

I want to take a look at the Arm Blaster, a strength training accessory that has made quite a comeback as of late. The Arm Blaster is a piece of curved aluminum about 24″ long and 4″ high that is designed to be worn around the neck when performing bicep curls. The Blaster keeps your [...]

Rogue has introduced five new Cerakote Athlete Bars; one Ohio Power Bar, two Ohio Bars, and two Bella Bars. They feature colorways specific to the very athlete they represent, and they include some artwork as well. Despite there being only one Ohio Power Bar (the ‘Thor’ Edition), there are two versions; a 20 kg and [...]

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 [...]

I bought something like 230 kilograms of the Rogue Calibrated Steel Plates back during the 2017 Black Friday sale, and aside from realizing almost immediately that I didn’t order quite enough weight I have been completely happy with this purchase. I wanted to take a couple minutes and write a short review on these plates [...]