Squat rack in an apartment..crazy?

[newideas2013]

If I were to be quiet with the weights, not bang things around or make a bunch of noise, protect the floor and walls from damage, is there anything wrong with using a squat rack and Olympic weight set in an apartment? I just read the article about Barbells at Home and I love it - http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/05/17/get-rich-with-olympic-barbells/


But I'll be in an apartment for a few more years saving for a down payment. I've already cancelled my gym membership since I wasn't using it as much as I should have been, especially the weights. I think I was a bit intimidated coming back but i used to bench/squat and was very confident back then and I miss that feeling. I've long known that when I get a house I will buy an olympic weight set for the basement complete with squat rack (with pullup bar) and an adjustable bench.

What about putting all that in the spare bedroom of an apartment with a computer in the corner?

[kevin78]

It would be less of an issue if you are on the ground floor.  I've done it, of course it works best on concrete.

[TwoWheels]

I'm hoping to do exactly this when I move this summer. As long as you have space I don't see a problem (which is the challenge for me, since I'm trying to find something cheap near downtown Chicago that has enough space D: ) I'm trying to avoid a gym membership since it will be less convenient, cost way more in the long run, and I'd be paying for equipment I don't use (treadmills, various exercise machines). Plus I just don't trust gyms...I've been burned by their dishonest sales/billing tactics before.

[Eric]

Why not?  If you have the space, go for it.  Of course, you should also consider that it might save you money to pay for a gym membership and downgrade to a smaller cheaper rental.  Run the numbers, because if you only use the extra room for a workout room, you're probably paying more in rent than you would to use a gym.

Also, and I hope this goes without saying, but if you do end up buying the equipment to put in your apartment, buy used on Craigslist.  Never buy workout equipment new.  There's always tons of good used stuff around for a fraction of the new cost.

[TKE Super Dave]

For an apartment I would recommend getting some dumbbells and a bench which will allow you to do many of the same exercises but take up less room. Also less likely of a landlord vetoing the use of them.

http://spotmebro.com/home-gym-equipment/
Take a look at this article for suggestions on what you could include in the home gym. He gives a great list of what you should get for a home gym and what work outs you can do with the equipment he suggests. At the bottom he makes some good suggestions of what you should buy for your house.

[Emilyngh]

Husband has olympic weight set.   We live in a single family home, but when he's working out, downstairs it sounds like there's a herd of elephants banging and rolling around upstairs.

[newideas2013]

I think it might become a reality :)

I know noise is a major factor. I will have to lift quietly. I used to deadlift (raising barbell off the ground for repetitions) and thats an exercise some people are way too loud on, but you can also be whisper quiet depending how you choose to lift. Even squatting will have to carefully/softly re-rack the weights everytime, nobody wants to hear someone lifting weights on the 3rd floor of an apartment as it resonates through the building.

I wouldn't get a treadmill in an apartment myself, and the squat rack feels like its pushing it, but I could have a perfect workout studio with it. I will jsut lift quietly and not tell anyone. If they force me to get rid of it, so be it I can sell on craigslist, but no reason they should even see it anyways.

[jba302]

I have a squat rack in my apartment, but it is concrete floors so the floor integrity isn't an issue. I have looked into this a lot for home gyms.

What I have looked into for this for the floor is -
1. Pick a smaller room, and be closer to a wall instead of out in the middle. A room close to the kitchen (or the kitchen itself) can also benefit, the joists tend to be closer to handle all the big appliances.
2. Have the bar be perpendicular to the floor joists.
3. Put down 1" plywood, and then 1" of horse stall mats. That will protect your floor plenty from direct damage and will help distribute the weight among more joists (along and across) to prevent sagging.
4. Treat your lifting like you are in an apartment, not in a gym. You don't have to dump every deadlift or hard rack every squat. I have -ONE- loud set a week, the final big deadlift set. Nobody is going to bitch about 20 seconds of loud in the early afternoon once a week.

I would not oly lift on a second floor pretty much regardless, nor would I stack all the 45's in a corner, spread them out. There's a big difference in dynamic vs. static pressure, so while you can bring in 6 friends and test the floor you could still bow the floor over time with a loaded squat rack.

If you want to figure out if the floor can handle it, ask your landlord if you can put a big ass fish tank in your apartment. They might say no due to water risk, but if the floor can handle a substantial fish tank then you will be fine.

[Peter]

If you have a spare room or half a spare room, in an apartment, wouldn't it make more sense to move to a $100/month cheaper apartment and keep the gym membership, than continue paying for more housing than you need?

[GuitarStv]

I don't slam the weights when I lift.  It can be done.  You might want to get bumper plates, or at least rubber coated ones to limit clanking noises when doing stuff like cleans.  The deadlift is difficult to do quietly because it's a lot of weight and when you're pushing yourself you're more likely to set it down a little hard . . . but then again typically you're not doing it for huge numbers of reps.  Even when you fail lifts, it's usually possible to lower the weight to your safeties in a controlled manner.  You do have plans for some kind of safety catch, right?  I also second the idea to get some horse stall mats to protect your floor (and maybe absorb a little of the impact of setting your weights down.

If your apartment has a concrete floor on steel I-beams, I'm pretty sure that you would be fine structurally.  If it's built with lumber, that's opening a potential can of worms regarding flex/bending of the joists.

Weights are an investment.  Provided you're careful with your bar, they should last you for most of your lifetime.

[prodarwin]

Most of it has been covered... but remember when you pick up 300-500lbs deadlifting + your body weight, you could be putting 700+lbs ( plus the acceleration force due to lifting) on the floor in a relatively tiny spot.

I'm not gentle with weights, especially when doing cleans, snatches, etc, so it wouldn't work for me.  I have a concrete basement now, so I may get some equipment again.

[velocistar237]

Search the Crossfit and Starting Strength forums. You can build a platform several sheets of plywood thick to distribute the weight, one that you can disassemble and take with you. I recommend getting a separate stand and bench. Mine is an "olympic bench," where the rack and bench are connected, and I wish it took up less space.

Somewhat related :)
http://vimeo.com/channels/startingstrength/25531302