This back extension is not quite commercial grade, but it is adequate for home use. The padding is thick and comfortable, but for the feet, I'd rather have a pad rather than a metal lip holding me down. I got a great deal on Facebook marketplace and only got rid of it to upgrade to a Body Masters commercial back extension.

This 141 lb sandbag represents a unique piece of strength history in my neck of the woods. The abbreviation "FSH" inscribed on it stands for "Fisher Strength and Health," which was the premier powerlifting gym in Santa Barbara. Its owner, Kevin Fisher, was a notable powerlifter and a dedicated gym owner. The gym thrived during the resurgence of raw powerlifting during the early 2000s. That was the time when Pete Rubish was going berserk in front of his parents' washer and dryer, when George Leeman was deadlifting 800+ lbs in his living room cheered on by his friend, when the Lilliebridges (Eric, Ernie, Ernie Jr.) were like the Gracie clan of raw powerlifting, and when Mark Bell assembled all those and other freaks (e.g. Stan Efferding, Dan Green, Brandon Lilly) together in an Avengers-like fashion in his "Backyard Meet of the Century" - you just had to be there! But that era passed and Kevin Fisher eventually retired, entrusting his beloved gym to a new owner. Perhaps through avarice or stupidity or both, the new owner ran the business into the ground by raising the price of membership (from $60 to $100 per month), but not upgrading the equipment. Members were understandably angry and they eventually left, and the gym closed permanently in 2024. Some of the memories and the good times had in the gym live on in pictures available online - and this yellow sandbag can be seen featured in one of them, peeking out near the dumbbell rack. I acquired the bag from a former trainer of FSH, who was moving out east in search of greener pastures. Although I'm primarily a barbell guy, I do train with it occasionally, when I want a new stimulus. At 141 lbs, it offers quite a challenge to my 180 lb self. But its true value to me, perhaps, lies in being a reminder that all good things eventually come to an end, and that we should enjoy the journey while it lasts.

This antique rower fell into my lap providentially when I was searching around on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for a used cardio machine. A college student listed it on Craigslist for free and added the note that the monitor was broken. Maybe because of that note, it went almost a week without being claimed. I took that as a sign and contacted the student to pick it up. I asked her about its history, and she said she was gifted it by an elderly neighbor from the past (I hope he's still alive!). When I asked how often it was maintained, she said he did zero maintenance on it and she did, too. All of its parts were original and functional - except for the monitor, which had given up the ghost some years ago. When I took it home, I gave it a good wipe down and treated the chains with 3-in-1 oil, but that was about it. I use it for "LISS" (low-intensity steady state) cardio while "zoning out in zone 2" watching YouTube videos (e.g. Massenomics podcast). Having been discontinued in 1993, it may not have the fancy features of current models of Concept 2 row ergs. But its various parts, including the broken monitor, can be upgraded, and I appreciate having that option if I ever choose to upgrade the machine. Its build quality is illustrated in its still being in working order (except for the monitor) despite its several owners' dereliction of maintenance duties. (I guess we built things to last when we were a proper country!) I've owned it for about a year and it still runs well. Some people might gawk at the machine's various wooden parts (e.g. the foot plate, the handle), but I think they add a cool retro vibe. My perception of its value is colored by my having acquired it for free. But I have seen this model for sale secondhand for under $100 dollars, and I think that would be well worth it.

I bought these years ago when they were sold through a different company, Dragon Door, and under a different name, Neuro Grips. Its leading champion was the strongman, Jon Bruney, who was built like a unit. I was doing a lot of calisthenics at the time and since regular push ups were too easy, I gave these a try. The first time using them was a humbling experience! It revealed to me how weak my wrists and hands were. I think I might have gotten one shaky rep. They definitely make the traditional push ups harder, and they make your hands, wrists, and forearms stronger in the specific movement pattern of the push up. Nonetheless, I think these are of somewhat limited value (at least for my purposes), because I didn't experience noticeable carryover to traditional barbell movements like the bench press. But if you train calisthenics often, and want a way to make push ups harder, they might be worth it to you. One important tip on using them: avoid hard surfaces that are relatively smooth (e.g. concrete or marble floors), on pain of faceplanting. The good 'ole horse stall mats work best for these, as they help to avoid slippage and allow the equipment to challenge you.

This is a competition deadlift bar from a Finnish company. When the website for this bar is translated into English, it says: "The SportKraft deadlift bar is the same size and features as the original Texas Deadlift bar. Of course, at a lower price!" Well, that's disputable on couple of points. First, the SportKraft's "Dead Lifter" is listed as 499 - 599 Euros (around 580 - 695 US dollars), while the Texas Deadlift Bar currently retails for $419 in Black Zinc. Second, the knurling on the SportKraft bar, while well done and grippy, is not nearly as aggressive as the Texas Deadlift Bar's. As such, I can't give this bar high marks in terms of value because there are other deadlift bars that are equally good at a lower price point. I'd recommend it only if you can find it at a significant discount. However, the build quality and performance of this bar is first-rate. I happened to acquire it at a drastically reduced price ($50!) from a gym equipment distributor who was going out of business and was trying to clear out inventory. As such, I am very satisfied with this bar and feel fortunate to own it.

Bought this secondhand from Facebook Marketplace and was pleasantly surprised at the build quality. It's a solid piece of equipment that is hefty enough to store your barbells without tipping over. The plastic inserts to protect your sleeves is a bonus.

I belong to the "weight is weight" camp and never sought out flashier plates at exorbitant prices. These can be bought cheap secondhand, which is what I did. Their main downside is build quality, where that includes the accuracy of the stated weights. I weighed and marked all of my plates so that I can load similar pairs.

The companion piece to the chrome ez curl bar delivered by the gym fairy. Mine is a basic one from CAP and its handles are a bit too narrow for my liking (feels like 25mm). The knurling is functional, not just decorative. Though made for triceps, I tend to use it more for biceps (hammer curls). I was going to give it the highest rating in terms of value, but I just checked the price and it went up considerably since I bought it. I paid about $30 for mine - but that was before tariffs skewed the price of gym equipment.