New Equipment

Hey All,
just got a few questions for you all and hope you can help me out.

1. I got a quote from Orbit Fitness in Perth, $924 for rubber hex dumbells 5kg - 35kg any good ?

2. I have read alot of reviews on MM vs Powertec, alot r goin towards MM. However I am interested in Powertec as its only 2.10m and dont want to restrict my pull ups. Any big problems with Powertec ? I know it weighs 100kg and I weigh 103, but if the rack has weights loaded onto it, it shouldnet matter when doin pull ups right ?

3. Quote I got from Sams Fitness was $1800 for Powertec Rack, Utility Bench, Hyperextension/Roman chair and weight tree ? Is this a good deal ?

Any feedback would be great.

Thanks all

1. Dumbbells sound fine. I prefer the prostyle though and I'd get them up to 50kg. I also wouldnt say dumbbells are an essential gym item if you're on the cheap.

2. If you're looking at the lighter powertec you may as well look at the lighter muscle motion. I'd really recommend the commercial model though - consider the space a weights tree will take up.

3. Its not bad, but for $1500 you could probably get a light MM, commercial flat bench and 180kg of plates which would probably be better.

Just on hyperextensions - I wouldnt worry. The one you looking at isnt as nice to use as those in most gyms (a 45 degree back raise) and theres a lot of barbell stuff you can do to work your lower back if you have problems anyway (along with squats and deadlifts, stiff legs, RDLs and good mornings).

If you're looking for a traditional gym set up I'd set it up based on the free weights section of any commercial gym:
- Priority list A: Power rack, olympic barbell set, flat bench
- Priority list B: EZ bar curl, incline bench, dumbbells (in that order)

With that you can do 95% of the productive exercises you could do in any normal gym.

Reply

Oliver thanks for the reply.

Im only goin for the hex dbells because the price is good compared to commercial dbells, and also i do alot of floor ex's like manmakers, burpees to cleans, snatches etc and obviously the shape of them helps to be level on the floor.

I had a look at a lighter MM rack and do like, but the only thing holding me back is the height restriction for pull ups. the room is 2.4m, and the rack is 2.2m, plus rubber flooring, and the tiling i alredy have, its not gonna give me a lot of room for my head.

will take the hyextension comment and def think twice about getting it, there sure is alot of ex's you can do with a barbell.

Yeh weights tree will take up some spave but the room its goin in, is pretty big 4m x 5m.

I was lucky to find a rich bloke in Perth having a garage sale, and picked up pretty new Aus BB weights and a Black Nitride bar for $600.

What do you think about doin pull ups on the Powertec, I weigh 103, do u think there will be a big problem ?

Thanks

Awesome score on the weights.

I still prefer the muscle motion racks though, even the lighter one. Remember that you can always flip the pull up bar around so that its facing down.

Also with the weights tree being built into the commercial rack unloading is faster than with the separate weights tree. as someone short on time thats a feature I really like.

Me personally - I wouldn't worry about dumbbells. If anything a set of kettlebells would be more up your alley.

Id love a rack of dumbells 2.5-50kg+ but unless your rich I'd just get adjustables, a little annoying to change weights but waaaaay cheaper.

I have adjustables to 50kg. They loosen though and annoy the shit out of me, but its not too bad because I'm not a dumbbell person (I use them occasionally for side laterals and dumbbell bench press, thats about it). A fixed set is really nice if you use them regularly and can afford it though.

Yeh I have not thought of flipping the pull up upside down, will have a look at it. I have been doin crossfit for the last 12months and have collected quite a bit of pro kbs. 2 x 16 and 20, 1 x 24, 28 and 32.
But now that im back lifting weights I do enjoy using Dbells.

Appreciate all your comments fellaz.

Thanks

With the exception of the dumbbell bench press I cant think of anything you can do with dumbbells that you cant with kettlebells. I'd keep your money.

Why don't you get a set of olympic dumbbells so you can use your weights from your barbell too, just a lot more 5kgs. Before you mention the loose thing Oliver, mine when i tighten it are perfectly fine.

Edit: atm i think i can go to around 60kg or maybe 65kg, you could go a lot more if you grab thinner 5kg plates later down the track. I use my DB's for rows.

Kapow - in honesty I havent had experience with them but the bore holes of olympic sleeves are designed for movement so things wont be terribly tight either. Also, I think you'd really struggle to get more than 40kg on one if you're using rubber 5kgs. If you're using metal 10's that is fine though, I think markos can get up to 90kg on this.

Yeah i know what you mean. I have the handles from gymdirect, and the plates are from littleblokefitness and i can get 60kg on it. As for movement, i only do single DB rows with them, and if i push the plates together rightly with the collars, doesn't even move a centimeter. Thats my experience with them.

If you got really thin 5kg plates, i reckon you could go with 7-8x5kgs each side which = 74kg/84kgs incl the handle.

Wouldn't 10's reduce the range of motion, they are pretty big for a DB lol.

Edit: sorry Oliver, just re-read your post, by bore movement do you mean the weight handles spin around? If so it hasn't been an issue with me, i also sometimes do some single overhead stuff.

Metal 10's are only a little bigger than rubber 5's.

Nah I meant actual plate movement, i dont see the deal with rotating collars. I believe you but I'm still all skeptical hippo...

idk. I really wouldn't mind a fixed set myself, but strength training doesnt really warrant it especially if you've already got kettlebells.

Yeah i would agree with grabbing fixed set, just grab the DB and your set to go, on the other hand adjustables do get annoying, but its a fair bit of $$ lol.

I personally need the DB's because i have a condition, otherwise i don't think i would of got it along with my other stuff, would of just done barbell rows obviously.

It just depends if you need it or not, and each to their own.

You will know why you need rotating collars when you try out a pair Oliver lol. And as i said, no plate movement for me

Yeah. I pretty much squat, bench and deadlift with a handful of basic compounds (chins, rows, overheads, skull crushers and the occasional good morning) so I've never really needed them. If I was bodybuilding though they'd come in handy for a couple of isolation movements (side laterals, dumbbell benching and flyes).