Gym tour

I started weightlifting this year and I love it. I followed the LIFTOFF: Couch to Barbell program in my basement gym with a set of dumbbells. Last month, I upgraded to a barbell.

The setup

The gym is in our basement, which has short (82”) ceilings. This meant that a full-sized rack would not fit. From research, Rogue’s squat stand seemed like it would meet my goals and would still be suitable for my (72”) height. And it has.

Equipment List

• Rogue SML-1 Squat Stand
• Rogue Monster Lite Safety Spotter Arms
• Rogue C-68S Bar
• Rogue HG 2.0 Bumper Plates - 230LB Set
• Rogue Change Plates - (1.25LB, 2.5LB, 5LBx2)

Equipment notes

Given the smaller space and that I’m working on upper body strength, I went with a short bar. The short bar gets its name from its shorter sleeves and weighs in at 25LBs. I’ve been happy with the quality, size, and weight of this bar. It fits me well.

At first, I didn’t get the 1.25LB change plates, but I bought them soon after. They have been instrumental in making sure that “weights go up” with each session. I ended up getting an additional set of 5LB change plates as well.

Before settling on the squat stand, I reviewed a lot of other solutions, including smart home gyms. Overall, I found them to be nearly double the price of traditional equipment and run the risk of turning into a brick if the company is no longer in business.

Other nice things

On the opposing wall, we have a TV; that side also has our array of dumbbells and kettlebells, our server rack, and the walking pad. We also installed a yoga hammock on the ceiling (we all love to lay in it). For softer lighting, we added a Kasa Smart LED light strip. For tracking workouts, I use Hevy.

I worked for several years with an amazing personal trainer, Marie, who taught me good form, that practice makes permanent, and that movement is medicine. While we all cannot have a Marie, Casey’s book is a close second. I cannot recommend LIFTOFF: Couch to Barbell enough. It gave me the guidance and confidence to rack a barbell, and to try to lift my husband (76”) off the ground.

While I mainly exercise at home, I do go to a weekly class. One thing that I learned after working from home for over ten years is that there is no replacement for the magic of togetherness.

I’m glad to have found weightlifting, it’s been a balm for my mind and body.