Tell Me What To Do Next

Annual Newsletter Survey, REP Leg Dev Video, and More

Joseph Gray
June 25, 2026

GML - REP Stuff, VOLTRA Expert Ep 2, Annual Survey
Community - All In Ones
GGC - Stickers For Fall and Training
r/HomeGym - Rorman Strength & Rack Attachments

Links throughout may include Affiliate Links. These help fund the Newsletter, Website, Garage Gym Competition, Videos and more at no expense to you.

Gray Matter Lifting

REP Leg Developer Review

Last time I had the written one, here is the video for ya.

VOLTRA Expert Episode 2

I got a chance to chat with Dan of Live Kinetically for Episode 2 of the VOLTRA Podcast. This was an awesome chat, because Dan works with Gen Pop people, Athletes, and even 77 year old ladies crushing dozens of pull-ups.

When I get done with a chat and I’m rethinking a ton of stuff in my own training, my daughters training, friends training… you get the idea… I think its a great chat.

I’ll be tinkering with a lot of what Dan shared here in my next block of training, and making some updates to the VOLTRA Resources Spreadsheet I created after Episode 1 with Coach Kassem. Stay tuned for that.

Annual Survey

Once a year I like to send out a survey, exclusively to YOU on the newsletter, to get some details around how things are going and what we should do next. That time has come! This will ask about companies, products, and more that you’d like to me take a look at. Partner with for the GGC and r/HomeGym, HomeGymCon specs, and more.

Again, this is an exclusive opportunity for YOU to help steer the direction here. In previous years I’ve used this information to gather a number of pieces of equipment, start projects, add sponsors, new discount codes, add training tips, coaches, and more.

Thank you for being here, and if you have the time to complete the survey, I truly appreciate it.

Equipment For Sale

My mom’s neighbor is going through cancer treatment, so they are looking to sell some of his gym equipment. He has a FLEX Leg Press and a Nautilus Nitro Shoulder Press, including a bunch of plates that are included. I asked my dude Jonathan of GarageGymHypertrophy for a price as commercial pieces aren’t my expertise currently. He said $3k per, but open for a package deal or offer. If anyone is looking for these, or knows someone who would be, contact me and I’ll make the connection.

REP Gear On The Way - Adjustable Dumbbell Showdown Back On

I just got confirmation that I am receiving some new REP Fitness gear. Most notably for right now are the REP x PEPPINs alongside their dumbbell cart. A few months back REP said they were only partnering on Cardio equipment, so I put the Adjustable Dumbbell Showdown on hold. Now I’ve got the Powerblocks, NUOBELLS, PEPPINs, and Ironmasters available to me. I’ve got an ongoing chat with the MX Select team as well, which I think would round out the best adjustable dumbbell options for the showdown. So yeah, that project is in the works again!

Whats New In The Community?

Legion G9 Hybrid Gym

As a dude who likes his accessory movements, but has no space for a lot of the typical machines, I’ve always been intrigued by these all in one gyms. The problem is typically the limited weight stacks, poor ratios, and a “jack of all trades” mindset.

I asked Prime a few years back to tackle this project. Nothing yet, but I think it would be cool.

Now my brain says, what if we had one of these powered by a VOLTRA? You’d have 200+lbs of resistance, custom strength curve manipulation, the ability to load and unload like all the fancy machines in the commercial gym… you could get away from a bench leg developer, from jammer arms, from various VOLTRA mounts giving you high and low pulley orientations, and much more.

This feels like what we are trying to replicate with all of the hacks and attachments, but in a much more set-up optimized fashion.

Fingers crossed we see this happen, because I think this has a LOT of potential if done correctly. The above is the Legion G9, which is a rebuild of an old TuffStuff model.

Iron Bull Strength Closing Shop (Maybe?)

I got an inside note this week that Iron Bull Strength would be closing down shop on their equipment production. If you take a look at their website, they don’t even list equipment for purchase anymore. This comes from an inside source at the company, and follows several months of ZERO Social Media posts from the team. In chats with Frank (the CEO) earlier this year, they were struggling with Tariffs, Hiring of Qualified Employees, and the general frustrations of scaling a new business and keeping it all in house. This is unfortunate, because Iron Bull had some awesome ideas in the works, but I also understand the struggle.

Merch

Newsletter subscribers get Merch at a 10% discount, the biggest discount I can give ya. Thanks for being here and doing what you do, so I can do what I do.

You just need this code: FAM9731a60

Discount Codes

Remember that these discount codes are active all year round for you to save some cash and support what I do.

Garage Gym Competition

Because we did our Pies for the 2026 Spring Stickers, I thought it made sense to do our Swords for the Fall. Here is the Fall sticker design, which will be printed by Plate Snacks.

Sponsor Highlight

Juggernaut is our Presenting Sponsor for the Fall GGC. I have said this before, they do a HEAVY lift for us to keep this competition rolling. If you are looking for a new program, if you are considering trying a program for the first time, if you are not making progress and want to change that… JuggernautAI should probably be your next approach.

I ran it for 2 years and it helped me hit my best total to date. I learned a ton, and I’m only taking a break for the sake of testing and reviewing equipment. I need a little more control over my layout to do what I do. But I credit it with helping me learn a lot about volume, intensity, RPE ratings, and much more.

If you use code GGC, you’ll save on your subscription and support the competition as well.

How To Structure Your Training

Speaking of training, I poked our coaches with the topic of “How To Structure Your Training”.

Starting in July, I will be using Juggernaut AI and their powerbuilding or powerblock programs (still playing around with what will work best) to work on building strength and maintaining or gaining muscle size. The tricky part is I will be working on cutting weight till the end of September as I am putting together an article for the GGC on how to cut weight and maintain strength. I will follow the Juggernaut Ai program for the most part but will be incorporating heavy 5x5's to try to break through a deadlift plateau I seem to be stuck at. 5x5 training has worked well for me in the past, and I am interested to see how it will work along with Juggernaut. There is a possibility I will add burnout sets or small METCON's at the end of my lifting days to increase caloric burn.

I will be doing 3 days of lifts and 2 days of cardio/HIIT training. I had run 4 days of lifts with 2 cardio days in the past, but the physical demand of my training and my job (beef farmer) left me unable to properly recover. I have been running the 3/2 style for the past month, and it seems to be working well. This will put me right into the start of the Fall GGC, and we'll see how I have done in attaining my goals.

Christian Ernst

So I think when it comes to structuring your own training, it’s really important to give yourself something that’s a reasonable sustainable and reputable overtime.

Over the years learning from a Westside background, I typically do a four day split or usually it’s an upper lower alternating type week consisting of a max effort, a.k.a. heavy, lower rep less volume lower body day, which could be Squat focused most of the time followed by a max effort pressing day, which is usually Bench Press focused, but it could be a variation or an overhead impress if you’d like and then usually a day off and then a dynamic effort, lower body session which the goal is formed and forced production.

You’re gonna do a high amount of sets with little repetition, submaximal weights with maximum force usually, I’ll use bands or chain on this particular day and usually a dead lift variation if I’m feeling good, I might work a little bit heavier as well, but still the goal is form and speed. And then the final day depending on what my goal is if I’m focused on strict Curl, I’ll definitely do a dynamic work out there to work on my power.

If I’m doing more of a Powerlifting focused routine I’ll usually do more volume so that’s like you’re 5 x 5 3 x 8 those sorts of workouts were achieving a lot of work over the course of multiple sets with multiple reps.

Usually, each session will include one to two Barbell movements that will be hit hard and heavy, followed by 3 to 5 accessory movements with those movements focus on isolation more bodybuilding type work mind muscle connection. The primary Bravo exercise exercises I like to think of working the software of the body. You’re really trying to the nervous system and build skill learn to strain or learn to exert a lot of force quickly.

And then the isolation work the accessories are more of a bodybuilding focus. You’re essentially working here hardware building up the body gain more muscle and getting your body acclimated to more work overtime. Usually, this is weak point focus but it also can be the Muscle groups associated with the main lift trying to be worked.

John Gaglione

I train primarily as a powerlifter. My current coach is Matt Cronin (Cronin Strength). He's one of the founders of Powerlifting Now and is an excellent coach and person.

My training structure has been pretty consistent for the 3 years I've been with Matt. I train 4x per week normally, but shift to 3x per week during football season when I'm coaching and have way less time to train. Weekly lift frequency is Squat 2x, Bench 3x, and Deadlift 2x. We use block periodization and a top set - backdown model for most of the main lifts (sometimes I have straight sets it just depends on the context). My blocks are 4 weeks + deload.

Brad Armentor

r/HomeGym

Current Targeted Talk

We just opened up a chat on Rack Attachments. This should be interesting because Rack Attachments range from the basics to some EXTREME craziness. I’m excited to see what falls out of this one.

Upcoming AMA

Next up on the list for AMAs is Rorman Strength. This will be a good one as Rory is a cool dude. We met in person at HGC last year, and hes always been supportive of the GGC and more. I’ve got a set of his handles that should be getting some use with a new toy very soon.

One Last Thing…

We were on the news! This is Audrey’s new Ninja Gym - Lightning Ninja Academy. You can see Audrey on the Spider Wall, and use behind, and then me waving and clapping towards the end.

We are following the motto “Support Those That Support You”, as we actually emailed the local news to get them out there, and then showed up to support. Fingers crossed the business does well and Audrey has a permanent home here for her high flying activities.