• Last Updated:
  • May 19th, 2019 7:02 pm
Tags:
Jr. Member
Feb 7, 2010
150 posts
71 upvotes
Toronto

..

.
Last edited by reyoasian on Dec 26th, 2021 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
22 replies
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
How much are you willing to spend. You want high quality, go Rogue. Bells of steel is a Canadian company and I’ve used some of their stuff which is good quality. Otherwise, treadmill factory and places like that are the same regardless of the name.
Sr. Member
Nov 22, 2009
981 posts
1445 upvotes
Toronto
What's your budget?

For the power rack, I would hit up Powerbody Fitness in Mississauga and ask if they can remake the XTC Fitness Econ rack for you. I believe it used to be sold for $500-600. If budget is no concern, they have a bunch of other high quality, more expensive options.

If you are doing oly lifting, you will probably want to buy a specialty bar. I'm not too familiar with oly bars, so I can't make a recommendation on that end but if you are looking for a powerlifting bar, I'd recommend the CAP "The Beast" from Amazon. It is $165 and will last you until 4-5 plates. My gym currently has Amstaff and Northern Lights bumper plates and they are made in China, still smell like nasty rubber and the centre metal ring that sits on the barbell is starting to break off from a bunch of the plates, so I cannot recommend those at all. If you are adamant on bumper plates, get Rogues, otherwise buy used plates off Kijiji and aim for 50c/lb or lower. Expand your search beyond the GTA to find some great deals.

Adjustable bench, again I'm fond of the Kijiji route.
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
flaris wrote: What's your budget?

For the power rack, I would hit up Powerbody Fitness in Mississauga and ask if they can remake the XTC Fitness Econ rack for you. I believe it used to be sold for $500-600. If budget is no concern, they have a bunch of other high quality, more expensive options.

If you are doing oly lifting, you will probably want to buy a specialty bar. I'm not too familiar with oly bars, so I can't make a recommendation on that end but if you are looking for a powerlifting bar, I'd recommend the CAP "The Beast" from Amazon. It is $165 and will last you until 4-5 plates. My gym currently has Amstaff and Northern Lights bumper plates and they are made in China, still smell like nasty rubber and the centre metal ring that sits on the barbell is starting to break off from a bunch of the plates, so I cannot recommend those at all. If you are adamant on bumper plates, get Rogues, otherwise buy used plates off Kijiji and aim for 50c/lb or lower. Expand your search beyond the GTA to find some great deals.

Adjustable bench, again I'm fond of the Kijiji route.
You’re going to be hard pressed to find bumper plates in decent shape for that cheap.
Sr. Member
Nov 22, 2009
981 posts
1445 upvotes
Toronto
Dark Phoenix wrote: You’re going to be hard pressed to find bumper plates in decent shape for that cheap.
Miscommunication on my part - I meant to convey that Rogues should be the go to for bumper plates but otherwise, find non-bumpers on Kijiji for 50c/lb or less.
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
flaris wrote: Miscommunication on my part - I meant to convey that Rogues should be the go to for bumper plates but otherwise, find non-bumpers on Kijiji for 50c/lb or less.
Fair enough; that being said, in my area near Red Deer/Calgary I am finding it hard to find plates anywhere near that, they normally want closer to a dollar each.
Banned
User avatar
Nov 28, 2016
22791 posts
3321 upvotes
Out west
I did this, and had a home gym for 20 years because I had the room. It wasnt a massive layout, but it worked. Had a treadmill as well.

Recent move I had to get rid of all my weights and the treadmill it just due to house layout and as well, lack of use. Treadmill was used a lot in the winter when it was dark at night, since we lived out of the city when its dark, its pitch black

This is just my advice, take it as you want. I like not having the home gym and I actually joined a gym. Mind you its a basic gym, and its only costing me $10 every two weeks anyway. Cardio I can do myself anywhere, bike ride, jogging, hiking. Im there for the free weights and some things I could never do home alone without a squat rack, etc

I have worked out more in the last two months with weight training then I actually did the last few years at home. Maybe its just me, but its time to myself and I go right after work. Sure we say we will work out at home, and Im sure a big percentage does. But if you get home, then do some things, eat supper, wash dishes, or whatever, will you want to work out. Doing it before you go home, the motivation is there, its done with.

And as well, the space it takes up, the cost of buying all this equipment, even used, for something you will use, honestly, how many hours per week?

And then you walk by it, didnt work out that day, feel like you failed because you bought the home gym and you didnt use it.

But thats just my opinion
Sr. Member
Nov 22, 2009
981 posts
1445 upvotes
Toronto
Dark Phoenix wrote: Fair enough; that being said, in my area near Red Deer/Calgary I am finding it hard to find plates anywhere near that, they normally want closer to a dollar each.
Yeah, non-Metropolitan areas may be a bit harder. I'm in the GTA and have gratefully sourced many cheap pieces from Kijiji.
WikkiWikki wrote: I did this, and had a home gym for 20 years because I had the room. It wasnt a massive layout, but it worked. Had a treadmill as well.

Recent move I had to get rid of all my weights and the treadmill it just due to house layout and as well, lack of use. Treadmill was used a lot in the winter when it was dark at night, since we lived out of the city when its dark, its pitch black

This is just my advice, take it as you want. I like not having the home gym and I actually joined a gym. Mind you its a basic gym, and its only costing me $10 every two weeks anyway. Cardio I can do myself anywhere, bike ride, jogging, hiking. Im there for the free weights and some things I could never do home alone without a squat rack, etc

I have worked out more in the last two months with weight training then I actually did the last few years at home. Maybe its just me, but its time to myself and I go right after work. Sure we say we will work out at home, and Im sure a big percentage does. But if you get home, then do some things, eat supper, wash dishes, or whatever, will you want to work out. Doing it before you go home, the motivation is there, its done with.

And as well, the space it takes up, the cost of buying all this equipment, even used, for something you will use, honestly, how many hours per week?

And then you walk by it, didnt work out that day, feel like you failed because you bought the home gym and you didnt use it.

But thats just my opinion
I'm in the same boat with WikkiWikki. I had a power rack setup with oly bar and weights. I sold it after I moved out of my parent's house and stopped lifting for about 2 years. The equipment that I had wasn't enough to get good accessory and isolation work in and I found that I would quit my workouts early because I was already in my house and could find any excuse I wanted. I have rejoined a gym this past March and have made a lot more progress in the past 2 months than I have in the 2-ish years with my homegym. I can almost hit my old PRs again.
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
flaris wrote: Yeah, non-Metropolitan areas may be a bit harder. I'm in the GTA and have gratefully sourced many cheap pieces from Kijiji.



I'm in the same boat with WikkiWikki. I had a power rack setup with oly bar and weights. I sold it after I moved out of my parent's house and stopped lifting for about 2 years. The equipment that I had wasn't enough to get good accessory and isolation work in and I found that I would quit my workouts early because I was already in my house and could find any excuse I wanted. I have rejoined a gym this past March and have made a lot more progress in the past 2 months than I have in the 2-ish years with my homegym. I can almost hit my old PRs again.
Where as I am a shift worker. I can wake up, eat go train and then pick up my kid from day care, cuts down some driving time to the next town over. As well, I set my own hours for the gym. Some days I am up at 4 and into the gym before work. That being said, I have invested a lot of money into my gym and continue to do so.
Banned
User avatar
Nov 28, 2016
22791 posts
3321 upvotes
Out west
Dark Phoenix wrote: Where as I am a shift worker. I can wake up, eat go train and then pick up my kid from day care, cuts down some driving time to the next town over. As well, I set my own hours for the gym. Some days I am up at 4 and into the gym before work. That being said, I have invested a lot of money into my gym and continue to do so.
My gyms 24 hours. Im not so nuts I need to do some at 3 am, shift workers I understand need that sort of access

Its what works for the person, sounds like your setup is used a lot and you get your moneys worth out of it

Myself, I like the space I now have not having these things, and as well my work outs are faster as Im not constantly changing plates on bars and dumbbells

All depends on location, I can be at my gym in 5 minutes after work. If I had a long commute each time, my tune would be different Im sure

I invested a lot to in mine, Treadmill was a write off, got I think $100 out of it. Weight set I made money. My setup was from Consumers Distributing, thats how old it was
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
WikkiWikki wrote: My gyms 24 hours. Im not so nuts I need to do some at 3 am, shift workers I understand need that sort of access

Its what works for the person, sounds like your setup is used a lot and you get your moneys worth out of it

Myself, I like the space I now have not having these things, and as well my work outs are faster as Im not constantly changing plates on bars and dumbbells

All depends on location, I can be at my gym in 5 minutes after work. If I had a long commute each time, my tune would be different Im sure

I invested a lot to in mine, Treadmill was a write off, got I think $100 out of it. Weight set I made money. My setup was from Consumers Distributing, thats how old it was
And that's exactly it. It is what works. I still have a gym membership but the one i go to is 45 minutes highway driving, but it is a specialty gym that would cost thousands to mimic at home.
Banned
User avatar
Nov 28, 2016
22791 posts
3321 upvotes
Out west
Dark Phoenix wrote: And that's exactly it. It is what works. I still have a gym membership but the one i go to is 45 minutes highway driving, but it is a specialty gym that would cost thousands to mimic at home.
45 minutes, yes Id be the same. Mine was originally bought 23 years ago because the small town I moved to didnt have anything. Just kept it all these years because I had room

What makes a gym a specialty gym?
Deal Addict
User avatar
Dec 11, 2003
1418 posts
495 upvotes
Toronto
might as well just get a cloth hanger instead and save money as a lot of people eventually use them as cloth hanger. lol just j/k
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
WikkiWikki wrote: 45 minutes, yes Id be the same. Mine was originally bought 23 years ago because the small town I moved to didnt have anything. Just kept it all these years because I had room

What makes a gym a specialty gym?
The clientele its aimed towards. It's a powerlifting/strongman gym. It has a lot of specialty equipment that places like Goodlife/Golds/Fit4Less don't have. Its dirty and the music is loud.
Deal Fanatic
May 14, 2009
6759 posts
1499 upvotes
Try XTC Fitness. Years ago we bought our power rack and adjustable bench from them and pricing was decent. We even picked up some used mats that were previously used for some CF competition. I would've gotten stall mats if I couldn't get those mats at a discount. We bought a standard bar and set of plates, and later invested in more plates as well as on Ohio bar from Rogue. Hex rubber DBs were purchased via kijiji and we bought new York DBs with metal ends and fractional plates from a third party vendor. Accessories were found at Treadmill Factory, Fitness Avenue, and Fitness Depot.

Are you sure you need bumper plates? They're significantly more expensive than metal or rubberized plates and unless you're doing Oly lifts and have the right floor to drop the bar, you probably don't need to spend that much dough.
Banned
User avatar
Nov 28, 2016
22791 posts
3321 upvotes
Out west
Dark Phoenix wrote: The clientele its aimed towards. It's a powerlifting/strongman gym. It has a lot of specialty equipment that places like Goodlife/Golds/Fit4Less don't have. Its dirty and the music is loud.
Maybe thats what mine is to, there are no windows, very few machines, and a lot of iron. Which is fine, keeps the costs down. Its an old converted curling rink. The change rooms are stalls with curtains.
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
WikkiWikki wrote: Maybe thats what mine is to, there are no windows, very few machines, and a lot of iron. Which is fine, keeps the costs down. Its an old converted curling rink. The change rooms are stalls with curtains.
What’s the name of it?
Deal Addict
Sep 20, 2008
1605 posts
691 upvotes
Calgary
WikkiWikki wrote: I doubt you know Saskatchewan gyms
Is it Synergy?

I spent time living in Regina and am now in Alberta.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Aug 2, 2010
15196 posts
5016 upvotes
Here 'n There
reyoasian wrote: Hi all,

Gym membership ending soon and I'm planning to build a basic home gym and looking for options on retailers.

I've already checked out Treadmillfactory.ca, Fitnessavenue.ca, Amazon, and Costco.
Also done some lurking on Kijiji to hunt for some quality used equipment.

Any other recommended retailers?

I'm looking for the basics of:
- squat rack
- olympic barbell with bumper plates
- adjustable bench

Thanks in advance
I bought my barbells, dumbells and bench at an auction. The bench was one from Goodlife and I bought it for $250 but it retails for $1,200. You'll save a lot of money buying used on Craigslist, Kijiji or at an auction. People have good intentions execising but then quickly drop it. I bought my stuff about 5 years ago and the money and time I have saved over going to the gym is incredible, not to mention I can watch TV or listen to my own music rather than the crap they blast at the gym. that and my gym is never closed.

Top

Thread Information

There are currently 2 users viewing this thread. (0 members and 2 guests)