Need advice on what equipment to buy

[tdockweiler]

I just moved into a new apartment a week ago. A year and a half ago I was 287lbs and bought the Bowflex and went down to 196lbs. Sure it's good for losing weight but not gaining muscle. I never ever regret paying the $999 for it.

I lost my job and had to sell my bowflex. Things got worse and I was forced to live with my mother for awhile. That's when things got worse. Stopped weight training, err using my Bowflex and went up to 220lbs or so in a year. I know it's an excuse but with no job I couldn't afford to get a gym membership and had no room for ANY equipment. I tried using a recliner as a bench but that didn't work out that well!

I now have money and need some advice on what type of setup to get. I was honestly thinking of getting a Crossbow or Bowflex again. $500 is super cheap and I don't need huge muscles really. It does the job, just not very well. I'm pretty wimpy and with the Bowflex i'll probably stay that way.

I was considering a Power Rack/Cage and a utility bench. The only problem is that I live in an apartment and that'd take up my entire bedroom. Moving that thing to another apartment would be pure hell.

Marcy and Gold's Gym has a pretty good Olympic Bench for under $149. Then another $100-$150 for a barbell and weights. Would this look to be good enough for now?:

http://www.dunhamssports.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1396107&cp&searchId=10367153812&keywords=gold%27s+gym&parentPage=search

This is one that looks pretty good to me:
http://dsp.imageg.net/graphics/product_images/p824304dt.jpg

The only problem is that the bench can't be removed easily. I saw that thing at a local store for only $269! I'd like to stay under $500 for everything including the barbell and plates.

Sorry, I realize this has problem been asked millions of times!

I've just seen dozens of items to possibly but don't know what to get. The X800 Crossbow Platinum is looking pretty nice. I know you hate to hear that so hopefully you can convince me not to go with that and suggest something else!

Thanks.

 

[Akateros]

If money is tight, I suggest you check out whatever your neighbourhood has for a Pennysaver or Trader paper, classifieds, and garage sales. Amazing, the amount of very decent gym equipment that gets dusty in basements for years until someone gets sick of it and chucks it to the curb.

I went for a long time with an adjustable bench and a very simple basic rack, a (used) Olympic bar, a set of dumbbell handles and a bunch of plates. Before the bench, I used a very sturdy, ugly garage-sale coffee table thing as a bench.

Was it MetalV Player-- someone made himself all the gym he needs out of a kids' swing set and a trashed car seat. Even the Mighty Arnold talks of training with lumps of concrete in his youth.

Point being, you don't need a Crossbow Platinum. You need, basically, something heavy to lift, and the dedication to be lifting it regularly. Anything can be adjusted, adapted, or changed to suit whatever equipment you have.

The other option, if you now have 500 dollars, is simply to join a gym at this point. There are at least a couple of gyms round here that offer month-to-month memberships for $30 or $40 (Canadian) a month, sometimes less round the start of the university term. I'm sure you've got the same. There you are. All the equipment you need.

 

[JoeR.]

Nothing you could buy for 500$ would equal a gym membership.

 

[tdockweiler]

The Gym

I had a gym membership for a few months but unfortunately I quit going. The problem with me is that I just couldn't get into that routine of driving 10-15 minutes to the gym whenever I wanted to work out. The nice thing about the Bowflex or owning freeweights is that I could do it instantly. No needing to get into the car. For the 1st year of weight training, 75% of the time I trained just a few hours before going to bed at home. If I was busy all day i'd have no excuse..I couldn't say "well, the gym is closed". I'd be forcing myself to do a workout at 2am.

Sure maybe I just need to discipline myself more in order to get to the gym more often. I absolutely HATED going to the gym. It was always packed and I had to always wait to use the equipment I wanted. Sure, sounds like an excuse and I guess it is. I probably just picked the wrong gym I think. They almost never give away trial memberships around here, only at the super expensive ones near big colleges.

I just find it convenient to be able to work out in my own home and in private. I think alot of people prefer it that way.

Money isn't too tight now. I can go as high at $1000, but prefer to keep it under $500. I figure $500 can buy you a lot these days.

I don't know..maybe i'll just see how a standard Olympic Bench goes. Most of them have leg and preacher curl attachments. Should be good enough for awhile possibly.

My goal for now is just to get down to 8-10% BF and maybe stay at or around 200-220. Meaning gain some muscle, but not get huge muscles. I'd just like to get my bodyfat low and gain enough strength to run longer distances. Right now I probably couldn't run a mile without passing out. Hell, I can't even do more than 25 pushups and probably can't do a single pullup. Pretty bad I know!

Since i've never really used much else other than the Bowflex for extended periods of time, maybe i'll start with a bench and a barbell. Once I gain some strength and muscle i'll upgrade to something else if I need to. Sounds like a plan.

That Gold's Gym bench + power rack(?) for $269 sure does look tempting though! It'll just take up a lot of room in my 750 square foot apartment.

 

[Rich46yo]

If you buy any machine first look in the used classafieds of the newspaper. A lot of folks buy a machine and after two weeks its a hat rack. They then sell them cheap...........take care.............Rich

 

[Chris52686]

"This is one that looks pretty good to me:
http://dsp.imageg.net/graphics/prod...s/p824304dt.jpg"

This is what i have, it's a great machine and allows you to lift heavy weights without a spotter thanks to the self spotter feature, i would highly reccomend it.

 

[Premiere]

http://dsp.imageg.net/graphics/prod...s/p824304dt.jpg

that's the exact one i have also! i love it! very nice! has a self spotter which is great, the bench inclines and declines, the whole bench is removable so u can just have the rack to squat ... i love it!

i'm with chris on this one ... buy it!