🏋️ This home gym cost $500,000

Do you ever think about how much easier life would have been for The Proclaimers if they invested in a car? Well, you’re definitely wondering about Nike’s new line of strength equipment, right? We tested their new offerings to deliver an in-depth review of the apparel giant’s foray into the equipment industry. We also have workouts, supplement reviews, and exercise guides today. Keep reading for all the goods.

What’s in today’s newsletter:

• Our review of Nike’s new strength equipment!

• A look at 4-time World’s Strongest Man Brian Shaw’s home gym.

• Our thoughts on Pure Protein powder.

Review

Does the Swoosh = Strength?

Nike just went ahead and did it: The billion-dollar apparel and footwear company entered the world of gym equipment with their new line of Nike Strength products. Available now are dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, squat cages, benches, and bumper plates.

But will Nike just do it for your strength training? After spending time with some of their new equipment, we’ll go over the broad strokes of the new training equipment, where it stands out, and where it misses the mark.

Home Gym Tour

World’s Strongest Gym

If anyone needs a half-million dollars worth of gym equipment at home, it’s probably Brian Shaw. As a professional strongman, Shaw needs to be strong (duh) and is accustomed to training with all sorts of odd implements — yokes, Atlas stones, deadlifts at different heights, sandbags, and more.

The man is also 6’8”, around 400 pounds, and has decades of training experience, meaning he’s probably pretty picky about the equipment he uses. In this fun virtual tour, Coop breaks down Shaw’s colossal home gym, which includes some very unique, curated pieces.

Train

Become an (At-Home) Iron Warrior

Training at home may be more limiting than a fully stocked commercial gym, but that doesn’t mean your gains must suffer.

GGR’s Lauren Strong, a certified personal trainer, reveals her 10 favorite weight training movements for at-home workouts. With just a few select pieces of equipment—dumbbells and a kettlebell—you can get a productive, full-body training session anytime. Read up and then get to work.

Review

Pure Protein Powder

A high-quality protein powder is a fitness supplement staple. And since brands know that, there are hundreds (thousands?) on the market. We’re on a mission to try as many as possible. So far, we’ve tested more than 70 protein powders, including a full tub of Pure Protein’s 100% Whey Protein Powder. Over several weeks, we mixed it with water, blended it into fruit smoothies, and stirred it into oatmeal, making notes about its taste, solubility, ingredients, and any side effects. 

In this Pure Protein Powder review, we’ll share our experience and everything we think you should know about the product (and the brand).

Quick Hits

Learn the Lateral Raise

• Weight plates aren’t just weight plates. Read our comparison of two of the industry’s top plates — REP Fitness vs. Rogue — to find out which the GGR team prefers.

• Is there a right time to take protein powder? We asked a Registered Dietitian.

• Lateral raises are a classic shoulder-building movement. Here’s a guide from a personal trainer on how to execute the movement properly.