A7 released a fully certified 100% organic cotton line, and no other powerlifting brand has done it. I own all eight pieces. This article covers what those certifications mean and how each piece wears. It also covers where cotton beats synthetic training gear and where it doesn’t. Nobody Else in Strength Sports Is Doing This … Read more
The Force USA C20 is the most complete all-in-one trainer I’ve tested. It combines a 3×3 half rack, Smith machine, dual selectorized weight stacks, articulating functional trainer arms, center lat pulldown, low row, pull-up station, dip handles, landmine, plate storage, accessory storage, and optional add-ons into one large training system. I first tested the C20 … Read more
The GMWD Pendulum Squat Machine (PS01) is one of those pieces that is almost great. That is what makes it interesting. And it is also what makes it hard to recommend broadly. If you are in the right strength range, this is actually a very compelling budget pendulum squat machine. It delivers a legit pendulum … Read more
When most people think about upgrading their home gym, they focus on the big stuff first: the rack, the bench, the barbell, the adjustable dumbbells, the cable machine, and so on. Those are all very important, of course. But a lot of what makes a home gym feel easy to use, efficient, clean, and enjoyable … Read more
Most rack attachments are designed to make you stronger. The Oak Club basketball hoop, aka The Iron 3, is not that at all. But I absolutely love having it in my gym and think any home gym owner should at least consider one for theirs. The Iron 3 from Oak Club Mfg is a rack-mounted … Read more
If you’ve ever shopped for an air rower, you already know how this usually goes. Everything gets compared to the Concept2. It’s the benchmark, it’s everywhere, and for good reason. But it’s also expensive, and that price alone sends a lot of home gym owners looking for alternatives. That’s where the MERACH NovaRow R50 enters … Read more
If you’re trying to figure out what best Lock-Jaw barbell collars are for you, but you don’t want to read my full article, here’s the quick summary based on my real-world testing: Lock-Jaw barbell collars are some of the most widely used clamp-style collars in home and commercial gyms, and for good reason: Lock-Jaw essentially … Read more
Rack-mounted. Stainless steel. Aggressive knurling. Smooth, consistent rotation. That’s how I’d sum up the JD Gym Equipped Wrist Roller after months of use in my home gym. I truly believe this is the best rack-mounted wrist roller on the market, and undoubtedly the most refined one. That said, it does have a couple of quirks, … Read more
When it comes to building a serious home gym, you eventually hit a point where you want to add a dedicated machine for a specific muscle group. And for a lot of people, that means a leg press. But with most machines being bulky and taking up a ton of space, it can feel like … Read more
The Vulcan M-61 Multi-Bench is one of the best adjustable benches on the market and this article will tell you why. The M-61 has unmatched adjustability, looks beautiful and is extremely overbuilt. That said, it’s not perfect. And the price definitely puts it out of reach for the vast majority of home gym owners. But … Read more