Equipment for Home Training Gym

I'm in the process of developing a plan for a home training gym. I have a carport worth of space in our garage. I can't find the exact dimensions I wrote down but the space is about 12-13 ft wide and 23ft long. The ceiling height is a few inches shy of 10 ft. My goal for this area is to be able to train, as opposed to just a home bouldering wall.

Currently the plan includes:

- Building one moon board

- Installing my fingerboard along with accompanying pulley system

- Installing my set of Metolius rock rings

- Purchasing extra holds for the moon board to use for systems training

This is my first home gym so I was hoping for some feedback from any home gym veterans about gear/routines/design approaches that have worked for them. Also if there is anything you've found to be a waste of time/money or pitfalls that I should watch out for, that would be much appreciated as well.

Thanks in advance for the advice,

Lee

I can't find the 'show us your woody' post anywhere, but finally all MP's can get the full detailed diagrams with instructions on how to build that home wall in the newest issue of Climbing, #320. Pgs 49-55 gives the Homewall Handbook on how to plan and build. It should be posted up here at MP somewhere as a reference by adm. I hope soon.

I have a Moon Board setup with the three sets of holds. Its great fun, if you boulder ~V4 and up. There are so many problems online for the current setup that you can leave it as is for a long time and track progress, both in terms of difficulty of problems as well in number per session (this wasn't true even a year ago, when each setup didn't have a high density of problems at a given level).

I have a similar height garage to you, and cut a few inches off the bottom of my foot board to fit. In hindsight, I should have cut a few inches off the top of the board, because there is room to spare above the last set of holds to the ceiling.

I'd warn that the majority of set problems tend to have powerful dynamic cruxes, so it often more like a recruitment workout if you are at your limit, and not so much like climbing on vertical terrain.

After training on the Moon Board for a while, I realized I needed some easier lower-angled terrain to shift to for lower-intensity higher-volume training once in a while, to avoid injury (and also to train at an angle that I was more likely to climb on outdoors). So that's something to consider including...

Woodchuck ATC wrote:I can't find the 'show us your woody' post anywhere,

Thanks ATC. I'll keep an eye out for that article, or maybe go pick up a copy for myself. I've looked through that thread you mentioned. I think maybe it's now called "what does your woody look like?". There are some really impressive walls out there. Including yours! I'm grateful for any input on the woody part of my training set-up but I was angling more towards literally off-the-wall type training implements (olympic rings, fingerboards, etc.). I don't think I'm at a level for campus boards or a HIT setup. I'll keep surfing the forums for inspiration and be sure to add another post to "what does your woody look like?" once it's all done.

SamJohnson wrote:I realized I needed some easier lower-angled terrain to shift to for lower-intensity higher-volume training once in a while, to avoid injury (and also to train at an angle that I was more likely to climb on outdoors). So that's something to consider including...

That sounds like some sound advice Sam. I'll be sure to get something at a bit less intense an angle included. Thanks for the input. Did you go with the school room holds as well for your moon board wall? If so, how many sets do you have? Thanks.

My two cents:
Can't go wrong with dips and pull-ups, a la Alex Lowe.

Lee H. wrote: Did you go with the school room holds as well for your moon board wall? If so, how many sets do you have? Thanks.

I started out with the black set B, but now have all three sets (the white set A, as well as the original holds).I would recommend picking up all three if your budget allows, but if you only pick up one or two sets to start with I think the order I got them in is best.

The original school room holds are mostly less than a pad deep crimps with thumb catches. The newer set A and B holds are mostly bigger, better value, and have better texture for use when it is hot and humid, and IMO are much better for the easier (V4-7ish) problems. I wouldn't recommend getting the original school room holds as the first/only set of holds unless you love dynoing between 1/2 pad crimps on a 40 degree overhang. As a mix with the bigger holds they are good (because not every hold on every problem is a 1/2 pad crimp), and the setup they have online now with all three sets (set A, B and the original holds) on the wall has a lot of good problems.

I love my moonboard. Get set A and B. It will easily triple the number of problems you can do. The original holds would be nice but are mostly used for problems 6B and up. I don't have much use for them....yet.

are your concerns only climbing with your home gym?

other than the olympic rings there hasn't been any talk about what your goals with a home gym are. If it's strictly climbing that's cool, I'm sure there are people more qualified than me to give you tips about climbing specific needs. If overall fitness are things being considered than you need to figure out what you really want from your gym and go from there. I could assist you in training implements for overall health and fitness but my newly beginning journey into climbing hasn't afforded me enough experience and knowledge on the single subject.

My experience has only been with team sport athletes and the general public looking to increase performance levels as an overall, or speed and power specific.

this is my first post on the forums :p

This is actually a very good idea and I love it so much. What about you getting a used gym equipment like this https://www.bestusedgymequipment.com/.. Don't you think it will be less stressful and more durable. Just my thought tho.

Exercise bands for shoulder recovery (internal and external rotation)

TRX (I's Y's T's and great core work) I like the flexibility rather than the rock rings. Having 1 point of contact rather than the two for the rings increases instability (makes it harder).

A great pull up bar with headroom. You can double this with the Rock Rings anchor.

I've enjoyed having a Bachar ladder. You probably won't need it with a Moonboard, but I used my old rope and some PVC. It really helps with overhang problems, and doesn't take the skin off like a moonboard.  

Built out a home gym just before Covid hit (lucky me)

Lessons:

• Moonboard is a great tool but is also easy to over-do unless your body is used to that type of bouldering (years of experience) - 3 for 3 on overuse injuries in my household, elbows and shoulders. Stick to 1-2 times a week for a long while.
• Warming up on the moonboard is possible but is a hassle. Removing the holds you never use and replacing with jugs, or traversing around with feet on the ground are two ideas. The best option is to build a nearby 15 deg wall and spray it with holds, if you have space. I hear the 2019 set is a bit easier on the fingers and has V3 problems so that might be worth looking into.
• Rock rings are useless, get olympic rings or TRX. A good pullup bar + TRX is priceless.
• Adjustable dumbbells are nice
• The tubular bands with crimped attachments on the ends instead of the flat ones that tear constantly + a few anchor points on the wall suits a lot of common PT needs. 
• A few cheap kitchen timers are nice to have 
• Speakers for psych
• If it's not air-conned, a couple box fans are nice too.
• Invite your friends.

I got some cable machine attachments (similar to these yorkbarbell.com/product-cat…) so I can use my hangboard weights and pulleys for other exercises (mostly one arm tricep pull downs). I also have a pully on the floor so I can redirect the weight and do cable curls. Also, maybe this is obvious, but get yourself a yoga mat so you have a soft surface for core workouts.