Home Gym Help (Carpet)

[skagen5555]

I'm starting on Stronglifts 5x5 and just bought a power rack. I'm planning on putting this in a bedroom with carpet. I was going to protect the carpet by buying the rubber mats.

1. Will rubber mats help protect my carpet and me (slipping during squats?)
2. Is the powerline ppr200x a good power rack? (that's the one i got, it'll be on the 2nd floor and i don't need the weights to come crashing through the floor cause the safety pins sucks)
3. Is Cap Barbell a good brand to buy an olympic 300lb barbell set?

Thanks in advance.

 

[skace]

My 90lb dumbbells on the 2nd floor scare me, I can't imagine having 300lbs waiting to crash through. Sorry, good luck

 

[skagen5555]

My 90lb dumbbells on the 2nd floor scare me, I can't imagine having 300lbs waiting to crash through. Sorry, good luck

Well, my main concern was teh quality of the power rack I got and was wondering if it's good enough to avoid things crashing to the floor with the safety pins.

 

[alkemyst]

First I am assuming this not in an apartment...if so you are asking for trouble.

It may work on a second floor if the the place is waterbed safe. I'd still be really worried loading up much more than 300 or so pounds on the rack and ever dropping 300lbs even. Ground floor is the way to go unless the house was engineered for a fitness room on the second floor.

That said. If the bedroom isn't humungous why not just replace the carpet with mat? It's not that expensive to recarpet later on a single room. If you are going power rack it's going to be best on a flatter surface. Your carpet will be crushed where the rack sits anyway.

Weights and bars really aren't so different, shop price....if the bar is crappy then just upgrade to a better bar later one.

I know a few that spent big money on true olympic calibrated weights...they tend to shop more than they are lifting though .

 

[alkemyst]

IRT to the rack...it's not a terrible rack...It's not a rack I'd trust with 500lbs + though.

For most it would suit them their entire lifting lives.

Depends on your goals. I'd say on a 2nd floor though it's not going to be the weakest link.

 

[skagen5555]

IRT to the rack...it's not a terrible rack...It's not a rack I'd trust with 500lbs + though.

For most it would suit them their entire lifting lives.

Depends on your goals. I'd say on a 2nd floor though it's not going to be the weakest link.

Thanks for the help. I'm probably not going to ever exceed 300 lbs i don't think. If i'm squatting 500 that'd be scary.

As far as the 2nd floor, i own the townhouse. I really don't have room in the garage cause of 2 cars and there's no suitable area downstairs because it's where the living room and everyhting else is. It would look pretty unsightly.

I hope my upstairs can handle a really fat man so i hope 300 lbs plus the power rack will be okay or is that logic flawed?

 

[alkemyst]

300lbs + the rack you'd be ok. Going higher (500lbs+) not so much.

The logic though is your are talking not just 300lbs, but 300lbs + your weight + the rack weight. Also the impact is going to be much harder and pinpoint if you drop the bar than a man's foot coming down.

At 300lbs though I'd say you'd be ok save possible drywall cracks downstairs if you are a dropper.

Your carpet is going to be ruined more than likely by the rack anyway, so I'd just put a better floor down. Rubber matting goes a long way in quieting things down + a more stable surface to stand on.

I had a low rack and bench in an apartment (old old apartment) when I was in my 20's. The plaster below me was fucked and I really didn't drop weights much.

I had about 300-400lbs in weight.

 

[brikis98]

1. Will rubber mats help protect my carpet and me (slipping during squats?)

What kind of carpet? Thick and shaggy or really low? If it is the former, it'll be pretty squishy (which is not great for stability and leg drive) and will eventually be flattened by the weights. Also, depending on how your house is built, I'd be a bit worried about having a lot of weight up on the second floor. Any house should withstand 300lbs, but the forces will be quite a bit more when you do something like deadlift. Oh, and for the record, most average sized males can get their deadlift and squat over 300lbs after a year or two of training (see strength standards). Olympic style lifts (such as the power clean) would probably be out of the question entirely as they involve actually dropping the weight from shoulder height. Anywhere else in the house you could set this up - basement, driveway, garage? Otherwise, you may want to consider a DIY olympic platform to distribute the force more evenly.

2. Is the powerline ppr200x a good power rack? (that's the one i got, it'll be on the 2nd floor and i don't need the weights to come crashing through the floor cause the safety pins sucks)

I don't have personal experience with it, but it looks like it should be fine for your uses.

3. Is Cap Barbell a good brand to buy an olympic 300lb barbell set?

If all you do is the "slow lifts" (squat, bench, press, row, deadlift), it should be fine. If you ever do any sort of olympic style lift - for example, starting strength includes power cleans - then you'd want a different bar and bumper plates, as this set is most likely not going to tolerate repeated drops.

 

[wheresmybacon]

A power rack in a bedroom? What could possibly go wrong...

 

[skagen5555]

What kind of carpet? Thick and shaggy or really low? If it is the former, it'll be pretty squishy (which is not great for stability and leg drive) and will eventually be flattened by the weights. Also, depending on how your house is built, I'd be a bit worried about having a lot of weight up on the second floor. Any house should withstand 300lbs, but the forces will be quite a bit more when you do something like deadlift. Oh, and for the record, most average sized males can get their deadlift and squat over 300lbs after a year or two of training (see strength standards). Olympic style lifts (such as the power clean) would probably be out of the question entirely as they involve actually dropping the weight from shoulder height. Anywhere else in the house you could set this up - basement, driveway, garage? Otherwise, you may want to consider a DIY olympic platform to distribute the force more evenly.


I don't have personal experience with it, but it looks like it should be fine for your uses.


If all you do is the "slow lifts" (squat, bench, press, row, deadlift), it should be fine. If you ever do any sort of olympic style lift - for example, starting strength includes power cleans - then you'd want a different bar and bumper plates, as this set is most likely not going to tolerate repeated drops.

I have that shaggy burbur(sp?) carpet, that'll obviously be squished down. I wanted to get the rubber mats for better stability and prevent slipping.


Will the "safety pins" be able to handle the repeated drops of power cleans which would keep the weights from hitting the ground?

Garage is too small after 2 cars are in there. Preferably i'd like it in the garage, but it's not an option. I have a patio, but i like working out inside (crazy texas weather).

A power rack in a bedroom? What could possibly go wrong...

Some of us have to work with what we have. and i'm sure a power rack in a first floor bedroom wouldn't be so bad, so you might wanna rephrase to "A power rack in the 2nd floor bedroom...."

 

[alkemyst]

The safety pins on this kind of rack are not really made for repeated drops, they are meant to save your ass in a failed lift. I don't think that rack is big enough to do power cleans in either....

I don't know if many actually try to do power cleans in a rack. I can't see how it would work well. It would be loud as fuck though and your chances to get hit with the bar or worse goes way up.

 

[brikis98]

Will the "safety pins" be able to handle the repeated drops of power cleans which would keep the weights from hitting the ground?

You shouldn't do power cleans in a rack and safety rails won't help power cleans. Power cleans should be done in an open space - such as an oly platform - so that both the bar and your body have somewhere to fall in case of a missed rep. A rack would be too tight and restrictive for this. Moreover, power cleans go from the ground to your shoulders... so there wouldn't be anywhere you could setup the rails to intercept the bar that wouldn't get in the way of the lift itself. The rails are made for missed reps on slower lifts such as the squat and bench press: when you get stuck on those, you can just set the bar back down on the rack.

Garage is too small after 2 cars are in there. Preferably i'd like it in the garage, but it's not an option. I have a patio, but i like working out inside (crazy texas weather).

Do the cars have to be in the garage? And what kind of Texas weather are you talking about?

 

[skagen5555]

The cars, they dont HAVE to be, i think my wife prefers both our cars in there. You both have a good pont about cleans in the power rack.

Any suggestion for alternative lifts to cleans so i can follow stronglifts as close as possible?

Texas weather, having it outside, one day it'll rain, the next day it'll be 100 and then followed by snow.

The olympic platform just looks like a large plank of wood. Is that really all it is?

 

[brikis98]

The cars, they dont HAVE to be, i think my wife prefers both our cars in there.

See if you can convince her otherwise. Most garages are perfect for gyms; bedrooms are not. Keeping your house safe and getting your body in shape is (IMO) more important than keeping some rain off your car.

Any suggestion for alternative lifts to cleans so i can follow stronglifts as close as possible?

The point of the power clean is to develop power: that is, the ability to apply force very quickly. It helps improve your vertical jump, sprinting, explosiveness and general athletic performance. Unfortunately, there aren't any great substitutes besides other olympic style lifts. Your best bet is probably to do box jumps, vertical jumps, broad jumps and (really short) sprints - that is, other high speed, explosive exercises. These other exercises make progressive loading difficult - it's much easier to add 5lbs to the bar than it is to add 1 inch to a jump - but they should still be pretty damn effective.

The olympic platform just looks like a large plank of wood. Is that really all it is?

It is generally several sheets of plywood with rubber matting on the sides. The rubber matting helps absorb the barbell (since that's where the plates hit) while the plywood in the middle serves as an incompressible and flat surface for your feet to push against.

 

[skagen5555]

It is generally several sheets of plywood with rubber matting on the sides. The rubber matting helps absorb the barbell (since that's where the plates hit) while the plywood in the middle serves as an incompressible and flat surface for your feet to push against.

Thanks for all the help!
With the rubber mats on the ground, does that hinder lifting? I'm no purist, but i heard not to use compressible sole shoes and to lift barefoot for "ultimate effectiveness". With the rubber mats, doesn't that act like a compressible sole even if i lift barefoot?

Right now, i'm leaning towards making a 'weight room' in the bedroom and doing box jumps. Here's hoping my weights and i don't go through the floor.

Btw, i'm 5'4 150. I have a belly, but not overall "fat" (lifted and played/still playing basketball regularly). WOuld stronglifts be good for toning up? I know abs are made in the kitchen, but will stronglifts get me where i want to be? Around 135-140 and toned? I play golf, so anything to accelerate my core and swing speed exercises are a plus!

 

[brikis98]

Thanks for all the help!
With the rubber mats on the ground, does that hinder lifting? I'm no purist, but i heard not to use compressible sole shoes and to lift barefoot for "ultimate effectiveness". With the rubber mats, doesn't that act like a compressible sole even if i lift barefoot?

It depends on the mat and the floor that it sits on. Horse stall mats on concrete are great. Squishy walmart rubber tiles on a carpet are terrible.

Btw, i'm 5'4 150. I have a belly, but not overall "fat" (lifted and played/still playing basketball regularly). WOuld stronglifts be good for toning up? I know abs are made in the kitchen, but will stronglifts get me where i want to be? Around 135-140 and toned? I play golf, so anything to accelerate my core and swing speed exercises are a plus!

Becoming "toned" and getting visible abs is primarily about having a low body fat percentage, which is controlled by your diet - check out the fat loss sticky. If you're a total novice to lifting, then you may see some beginner gains, increasing muscle mass and losing fat at the same time. Eventually, these will come to an end and you'll need to decide whether you want to bulk (gain weight by eating a caloric surplus) or cut (lose weight by eating a caloric deficit). Bulking adds muscle mass and gives the fastest strength gains - however, depending on genetics & diet, you'll probably gain some fat too (although many people look better anyway due to the increase in muscle mass). Cutting lets you shed the fat, but slows strength gains and may even decrease muscle mass. Alternating bulking and cutting cycles is the approach used by most people: for example, gain 20lbs of muscle and 15lbs of fat during a bulk and then burn off 15lbs of fat and 5lbs of muscle during a cut. Net result: 15lbs of extra muscle.