So as you know from my last post I ordered a home GHR from Orlando Barbell.  They said on the website that it would take like 2 months to ship, but I had it like 2 days later.  I was on my way outside to chat up the ladies and my doorman was like, “Uh, there is this MASSIVE box here for you.”  Needless to say I was very happy it arrived so soon.

The next day I set it up, and the thing is really solidly built.  It weighs a lot, mostly because the foot-plate is solid diamond-patterned steel.  It has the same construction as a commercial piece, and in fact is probably better made then a lot of commercial GHRs.

If I was looking for things to complain about, I would say that maybe the foot-rollers could have been built from the same material as the the thigh-bolsters, and that the thigh-bolsters could be a little softer.  I know that the thigh bolsters must be firm, but my bones push into them as I am not very “meaty.”

This isn’t to say that the thigh bolsters are poorly made.  Oh no!  They are better quality then most commercial GHRs you will see at a gym.

But these are lame-ass complaints.  Not only is this the ONLY home GHR on the market that is really a GHR (The one from Watson Custom Strength technically isn’t due to the fact it isolates the ham strings), but it is built to – and in many cases exceeds, commercial standards.

(This is not a diss on Watson Custom Strength which makes some incredible equipment.  Even their home GHR is impressive, it just is technically a different movement.)

So the next day I set the Orlando Barbell home GHR up to give the GHRs a try, and doing my first rep I heard this massive “BOOM!”  Apparently even though I only weigh 180 lbs., I am over 6′ so I need counter-weights to hold down the ass-end of the GHR.  I didn’t think they would be necessary.  So I was a bit disappointed, but whatever.

I went on craigslist looking for someone dumping 45 lb. plates and I found this gym – the most bad ass gym in NJ getting rid of a ton of GPI urethane plates.  The owner was selling them for $25/each.  Since one of my friends wanted to drive out to NJ from Manhattan to see the opening of Total Rekall, it was a done deal!  I bought two of them.

Anyway, this gym is so insane, they have 250lb. dumbbells and like 20 different types of leg presses… it reminds me of Bev Frances’ Powerhouse Gym in Long Island crossed with the long-gone Johnny Lats Gym off Union Square.  These fuckers have everything and call themselves the “Disneyland of gyms” or some shit and even have a turn-style to enter!  Like it was a damned amusement park!  And to be honest, it IS like an amusement park and all these machines are rides!  They had such exotic, long-lost and amazing machines and I just wandered the monster floor playing with them.  I am not sure why I like gym equipment so much.  It’s like I love the equipment more then actually using it! lol

So… I have my counter-weights and next week when I train legs I will break out my home GHR and get to work.  I say “break out” because the thing breaks down into three pieces for easy storage.