Workout equipment

**leg_press** · 09-09-2005, 12:09 PM

What's the best machine/ pieces of equipment for a home workout, where you have little space @ home and no garage? I've been told to look into 'Total Gym's' or 'Body Gyms', apparently a board with height adjustments and ropes with handles where ur body provides the resistance?

Any ideas?

**P-funk** · 09-09-2005, 12:10 PM

a barbell and some weights.

**leg_press** · 09-09-2005, 12:15 PM

Right ok, how can you bench n do seated rows without a bench?

**P-funk** · 09-09-2005, 12:16 PM

do bent over rows instead. Bench....either buy a bench.....or be a man and do standing overhead presses.

**leg_press** · 09-09-2005, 12:18 PM

Wat the heck is an overhead press? Would it be ok to do incline, decline, wide grip and narrow grip push ups? I guess I chinnin bar would help as well.

**P-funk** · 09-09-2005, 12:54 PM

aka
military press
standing shoulder press
classic press

just like it sounds. overhead press...the bar goes overhead.

**leg_press** · 09-09-2005, 12:55 PM

Never heard of any of those.

**P-funk** · 09-09-2005, 12:56 PM

they are the same thing! Just different names

Have you ever worked out before?

**kenwood** · 09-09-2005, 01:16 PM

lol.....omg

**Squaggleboggin** · 09-09-2005, 01:31 PM

Apparently not. Go to exrx.net and check out the links there. It has some good information and links to how to do many exericses. Stumptuous.com is another good site.

**CowPimp** · 09-09-2005, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by P-funk

a barbell and some weights.

Don't forget the adjustable rack for doing squats, or at least stands. A pullup bar is a nice cheap addition to a home gym as well.

**P-funk** · 09-09-2005, 08:49 PM

Originally Posted by CowPimp

Don't forget the adjustable rack for doing squats, or at least stands. A pullup bar is a nice cheap addition to a home gym as well.

don't even need the rack. Learn to clean and then just front squat. Like Brooks Kubik says "people always ask me "what things do I need to have a decent home gym." I say "A barbell and some bumper plates. You can do everything you need to do with that."

**CowPimp** · 09-09-2005, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by P-funk

don't even need the rack. Learn to clean and then just front squat. Like Brooks Kubik says "people always ask me "what things do I need to have a decent home gym." I say "A barbell and some bumper plates. You can do everything you need to do with that."

Fair enough. I like back squatting though. I think I would miss it. I mean, if it's not plausible, then Hell yeah. There are always BB hack squats too. I used to do those sometimes.

I also used to power clean the weight then jerk it overhead and set it on my shoulders. Kinda sketchy. Then I figured out that I could turn the stands on my bench around and raise them up to about shoulder level for makeshift squatting posts. Keep that trick in mind.

**leg_press** · 09-10-2005, 01:04 PM

What are your opinions on these 'total' and 'body' gyms?

**CowPimp** · 09-10-2005, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by leg_press

What are your opinions on these 'total' and 'body' gyms?

My opinion is that they are a waste of money. If you are interested in adding mass, then you should go with a gym membership, or some basic equipment like already stated. If you are interested in general fitness, then you would be fine just doing bodyweight movements, plyometrics, jogging, biking, etc.

**Mudge** · 09-10-2005, 01:24 PM

You've been here for 3 years, and dont know what an overhead press is or how people feel about Total Shitness gyms?

5 times the cost for a peice of shit? What is wrong with the simplicity of steel and iron? No hot babes telling you to buy it?

Slap a BMW insignia on a Honda and everyone would want it.

**CowPimp** · 09-10-2005, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Mudge

You've been here for 3 years, and dont know what an overhead press is or how people feel about Total Shitness gyms?

5 times the cost for a peice of shit? What is wrong with the simplicity of steel and iron? No hot babes telling you to buy it?

Slap a BMW insignia on a Honda and everyone would want it.

Haha. Mudge is the man.

**Squaggleboggin** · 09-10-2005, 02:46 PM

Are front squats generally as effective as back squats? For some reason it's like I have this fear of doing back squats. It's like the weight is going to kill me even though I have sawhorses set up and I do 100+ pounds more when I deadlift. It's definitely a mental thing, so I'm wondering if front squats would be a good alternative or if back squats really are better.

**CowPimp** · 09-10-2005, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by Squaggleboggin

Are front squats generally as effective as back squats? For some reason it's like I have this fear of doing back squats. It's like the weight is going to kill me even though I have sawhorses set up and I do 100+ pounds more when I deadlift. It's definitely a mental thing, so I'm wondering if front squats would be a good alternative or if back squats really are better.

I dunno that back squats are better. It just changes your center of gravity. As well, the stabilizer muscles are changed up a bit.

Back squats should allow you to use more weight because it is easier to stabilize an equal amount of weight in a groove on your back as opposed to a "makeshift" groove on the front of your anterior delts. Therefore, the working musculature probably gets exposed to additional tension, which is always good for strength and hypertrophy. However, this is really just speculation on my part.

I would include both movements in your routine. Once your squat back, you'll never go forward, or some such catchy phrase...

**furion joe** · 09-10-2005, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by CowPimp

It just changes your center of gravity. As well, the stabilizer muscles are changed up a bit.

Back squats should allow you to use more weight because it is easier to stabilize an equal amount of weight in a groove on your back as opposed to a "makeshift" groove on the front of your anterior delts. Therefore, the working musculature probably gets exposed to additional tension, which is always good for strength and hypertrophy.

I have found this to be true...especially with the center of gravity. Back squats "feel" like a more natural movement to me than front squats do, allowing me to use heavier poundages while emphasizing good form.

**leg_press** · 09-11-2005, 05:56 AM

When I can get to the gym I love back squats and deadlifts. But when i workout @ home I am scared of injuring myself.

**CowPimp** · 09-11-2005, 12:52 PM

Originally Posted by leg_press

When I can get to the gym I love back squats and deadlifts. But when i workout @ home I am scared of injuring myself.

If you get stuck, then just dump the weight. I used to do that occasionally if I really had to when I worked out at home. It would freak my dad out. He would come and see if I hurt myself because it would shake the whole damned house.

**leg_press** · 09-11-2005, 01:01 PM

When I am doin bicep curls and I drop the weight if it's heavy and I can't lift anymore when my dad here's the 'thump' he shouts 'if you've broken the floor boards I'll break you'

**leg_press** · 09-11-2005, 01:02 PM

Where can I buy cost effective work out equipment, say a bench with leg extension, in the UK?

**Cold Iron** · 09-11-2005, 01:12 PM

you have to drop the weight when doing bicep curls? lol

Get yourself a power rack and a whack of free weights

**leg_press** · 09-11-2005, 01:15 PM

Well if it is heavy and I go to failure then yeah.

**CowPimp** · 09-11-2005, 04:39 PM

I don't know about in the UK, but you could try eBay. They usually have barely used/new equipment on there for real cheap. So many people buy exercise equipment and quit after a short time or never really start and then resell the stuff for bargain basement prices.

**LexusGS** · 09-11-2005, 04:43 PM

Do what I did, all i got is a bar with some weights and a simple bench, for around 200 dollars total. Could've been a lot cheaper if i got a used one. Anyways, I have seen much more progress made with this simple equipement, then when i went to the gym and trained with machines and such.

**leg_press** · 09-12-2005, 12:51 PM

That's true but if it's large you usually have to collect items yourself (ebay), and I don't have transport other than buses, and wouldn't be able to afford a taxi 1/2 way up the UK.

**squanto** · 09-13-2005, 12:20 AM

I worked out at home for years and made my best gains at home. You can't beat the convenience... and no excuses, "but mommy i dun feel like driving to da gyyymmmmm wahh".
If you want to work out at home, here is what I recommend:
Get a bench press set. Plain and simple. If you have the room and the money, get one with a little leg extension/leg curl on the end. If you have not enough room for that, just get a free standing bench without the barbell rack.

Next, adjustable dumbells are quite nice. It helps to get an olympic sized adjustable dumbell set, that way you can use the same weights for your barbell as your dumbells. Theyre a little harder to find, but worth it if you can find one.

Next, and cheapest of all, get a pull up bar. Even if you can just do one or two pullups, this is a great investment... they sell for under 20 bucks from what I remember. You just drill it into the walls of a doorway. If you can't do any pullups, save this buy for later.

I also think an E-Z-Curl bar is a great investment. They are those squiggly looking bars you see in the gym. While these are not completely necessary, they come in handy.

If you don't have enough room for the whole bench with the barbell rack, try to get an e-z-curl bar and use it on the plain bench. It's always nice to have 2 different barbells, plus the olympic bars are pretty large.

As far as your dad goes, see if he'll let you put a bench in the basement, so he doesn't hear it as much when the weight drops.

Don't bother with any crazy gadgets; "bowflex" and all those other machines are a complete waste of money. You will get better results with the equipment I showed you than you ever would with any ropey pulley thing.

I fit all the equipment I listed in about a 12 foot x 12 foot area of the basement of my old house. The best gains I ever made were in that little area, and I would probably still be working out there if I didn't have to move into an apartment.

To sum up:
Get a bench press. Get dumbells. Get a pullup bar.
Save the bowflex for doing kinky shit with women.

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