The unique feature of a lever curl bar is that it modifies the strength curve of a curl so that the top portion of the movement, which would be the easiest part in a traditional set up (e.g. with a barbell), still remains challenging, and hence keeps your biceps engaged. As a result of this, you can get a crazy pump using the lever curl bar. Also, because the strength curve created by this bar is more challenging, you'll be able to use about 1/2 of your normal curling weight. The build quality of the bar is what you'd come to expect from Gorilla Strength Equipment. David and his family do a fantastic job in creating gym equipment that are robust and can take a beating. Despite this, I'm docking couple of stars from "Value" because biceps training isn't a priority for me. I like to rotate this into my arm training when curls with a normal ez bar becomes stale. It helps to add a new stimulus to keep training fresh and fun. Also, if you already have access to a preacher curl bench, or a preacher pad (e.g. AbMat's), you're going to get nearly all the biceps gains that you can hope to get from using this bar.

This is a good budget-friendly landmine attachment that can attach securely to your rack. After using the "plug into a plate" version for a while, and having the landmine pull out during some movements (e.g. heavy rows, rotational work), I decided to look for a type that can secure onto a rack. There are more expensive options, but this has served me well. While it is not "overbuilt," it is built just right for the purposes of a home gym. I have no fear that it will break on me or fail during an exercise. (I've had 200 lbs loaded on the other end of this landmine and have had no issues.) For those who care about keeping their landmine barbell sleeves free from scratches (!), it has a plastic insert (at least in the olympic-sized hole) designed to do just that. It also has a 1" hole for those who happen to have a standard barbell around. I've docked a star on build quality only because the aforementioned plastic insert has managed to slip out on me over time. (But I fixed the issue by supergluing it back in.) If you're tired of the "pull out" problem, this could be an economical fix.

The usual ab rollers you see people use are those cheap plastic ones, and I've owned one in the past. It nearly broke on me when, in a moment of foolish display of bravura, I tried to do a standing rollout. That lead me down the road of trying to find a more robust ab roller. Then I found this model on Amazon. What caught my eye was its stated weight capacity of 880 lbs. I don't know whether that's true or not, but what I can say for sure is that this thing feels "overbuilt" (a favorite buzz word of Rogue owners). It is made of steel, not plastic, and it rolls smoothly (it is advertised as having steel bearings, and given the feel of it in use, I believe the claim). Also, its wheel is dense rubber with a wide footprint, which makes the movement more stable and secure. Just about the only thing I don't like about it is the soft foam that covers the handles. I would have preferred a knurled steel handle. The foam eventually broke loose and I replaced it with athletic tape.

This is an iconic grip implement, for sure, and used around the world in grip contests. But unless you're a grip athlete, or someone who's trying to "certify" with Ironmind, I would look elsewhere for a fat rotating handle.

I bought the first generation Titan safety straps, but they were recalled due to a safety risk (I recall seeing a YouTube video of a guy dropping a loaded barbell onto it and the straps breaking!). Soon after that incident, I received an email from Titan telling me to stop using the safety straps, and that they will send me a new and improved version. I waited with bated breath for several months, but then it finally came in the mail - the early version of this safety strap. My first impression upon seeing it was that it is much beefier in construction than the original in terms of the stitching and the strap thickness. I've used these straps for over 10 years now with no issue. I've done heavyish (550 lbs or so) rack pulls off of them with no issues. (Soon after its release, Titan put out a drop test video in which the improved straps survived an 800 lb+ drop from about two feet.) My only complaint was that my rack has 1" holes, whereas these straps were made for 5/8" holes. But I've added spacers, which solved that problem. I don't care that these straps bear the name of "Titan," rather than bougier name brands like "Rogue" or "Sorinex." I feel completely safe when using these safety straps and would recommend them wholeheartedly to others.

I bought this bench used from Craigslist years ago when I was just starting to build my home gym. The seller was a commercial gym owner who was upgrading his benches to models that he deemed to be more user-friendly to the general gym goer. For one thing, this bench is heavy and that can make it hard to move around for the average women or beginner. Also, this bench utilizes the old pop-pin style of adjusting its angles, and someone who has been accustomed to the currently fashionable and easier ladder-style adjustment system may find it cumbersome to use. Furthermore, this bench neither declines nor does it store vertically. Finally, its padding is both "mid" in terms of firmness and grippiness. Reflecting on the above points, I'm amazed at how much adjustable bench technology has advanced since this bench was in production! So, who might find this bench worth purchasing? Someone who's a connoisseur of classic 'hardcore" gym equipment might find it of value. Also, anyone who's looking for a solid adjustable bench - who's lucky enough to find it for a decent price on the secondhand market! - and doesn't deem ladder system adjustment, and vertical storage to be non-negotiables in their benches may find it worthwhile. It is built like a tank and designed to support whatever loads the mastodons of ages past attempted to hoist off of their chest - back in the days "when men were men" (The Bugez).

No guy who lifts weights wants to look like a "pencil-neck geek," and one of the best ways to add girth to one's neck is to train it directly. One of the best exercises to achieve that end is the good ole' lying plate curls, which is done while holding a plate on one's forehead, usually with a towel or a beanie to lessen the discomfort. But that discomfort creates friction for doing the exercise, and it easily gets skipped. That's where Kensui's ez neck comes in: it reduces the friction for doing weighted neck curls. It has an ergonomic design and a comfortable pad that makes doing neck curls a breeze. And because it has a loading pin, one can progress naturally as one gets stronger. With the "old school" way of doing the exercise, one would have to hold bigger and bigger plates, and micro-loading (e.g. going from 10 lbs to 20 lbs) becomes an issue. It's made out of the same nylon fiberglass material that their popular neutral grip pull up handles are and therefore should last a long time. Its value will be dependent on how much one prioritizes neck training, and how cumbersome one finds alternative ways of doing neck curls. I am docking a star under performance because while it is great for neck curls, I find it less so for next extensions. I find it more awkward to set up for that movement, e.g. while lying prone on a bench. For that, I find the traditional neck harness to be superior.

I got this for my wif....nah, to be honest, I got it for myself. But only because it was second hand on Craigslist for $10 - I couldn't pass it up at that price. I have used it primarily for push ups and planks (both flat side up), and also for balance training, e.g. try to balance on one leg (ball side up) - for "ankle mobility" or whatnot. I don't feel so bad about having one in my wanna be "old school/hardcore" gym after seeing Jujimufu's video about "What makes a hardcore gym?" and seeing that some bona fide hardcore gyms - including Eric Bugenhagen's Rat's Nest - had one. I don't use it much these days, and it basically just lives at the far end of my gym, behind the leg press. But it does help to keep the "functional fitness" naysayers off my back.