My $100.00 Home Gym

[SoonerAviator]

I've actually done the same routine for the past... ten years? Longer than that. Minimum 1 hour of cardio on the elliptical (I prefer the Precor AMT) or stationary bike followed by:

Chest press, shoulder press and curls, or their dumbbell equivalents (I have a bad back, so I'm using more machines these days) on push days, and:

Ab crunches, pull-downs, reverse flies and weighted rows on alternating pull days. All three sets, 12x10x10 reps, increasing weight.

I don't power bench anymore. I weigh a little over 170 lbs. In my best shape I could bench three plates (315 lbs) and crank out ten reps of 225 like they were nothing. Can't touch that now. I do enough bike riding and cardio I don't bother with leg exercises.

Yeah I could probably do a better program, but it works.

I ran about the same routine through college and for several years after. I was weighing around 200-205, could max 3 plates, but only did it once. I usually ran 3mi/day as well. Today I'm at 225lbs and couldn't bench 3 plates if my life depended on it, lol.

 

[CC268]

Yea some folks prefer to do their own thing and that's fine, I just thought I would toss my 2 cents in. If you have something your happy with that is all that matters.

 

[mscard88]

I'm older so my Doc says to take it easy on weights. So be careful when you get older. Same with running, miss it but she said no no!

 

[steingar]

This really is all you need (and some more plates of course). Now...this will still cost you a pretty penny. If your lucky you can find nice equipment on Craigslist for under $1000 (power rack, quality powerlifting barbell, bench, plates). New, a nice setup from Rogue will cost you ~$2500+. Unfortunately I am in a condo, so a home gym isn't viable for me. But when I own a home I will without a doubt be getting a nice setup like this.

In general, machines are a waste. You can only do so much and you certainly aren't going to see the results that you would by doing the big five compound lifts. Now I understand that may not be viable for the older folks to be deadlifting, squatting, etc. In that case, then machines are acceptable IMO.


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I'm a pretty big of free weights, but not done alone. Good way to get seriously hurt. I don't life without a spotter. Then again, I haven't lifted in a long, long time. I miss it, too.

 

[CC268]

I'm a pretty big of free weights, but not done alone. Good way to get seriously hurt. I don't life without a scooter. Then again, I haven't lifted in a long, long time. I miss it, too.

I do understand your point, but with a Power Rack it is done safely - in fact in many cases it is safer than a spotter. That is what the safety bars are for (assuming you position them at the right level). I am not lifting anywhere near what Medhi lifts (gentleman in the video), but at those weights you essentially need two spotters (especially for bench).

fast forward to 2:10 seconds.

 

[SoonerAviator]

Yea Titan makes nice stuff too. As long as it isn't junk. People have actually died from ****ty power racks that had safety pins fail, crappy benches fail, etc. Rogue is definitely overpriced, but it sure is cool stuff!

The nice thing about Rogue, although a bit overpriced, is that they have a TON of accessories you can add-on to their rack systems. You can spend almost as much on the add-ons as you do for the rack itself!

 

[CC268]

The nice thing about Rogue, although a bit overpriced, is that they have a TON of accessories you can add-on to their rack systems. You can spend almost as much on the add-ons as you do for the rack itself!

Yea haha...sometimes I like to go on their site and build up a nice garage setup, and then I add it to my cart and see the price

Like I said though, you can get a really nice setup for ballpark of $3000 which isn't all that bad.

 

[Clark1961]

Free weights? Machines? Programs? WTF.

Go work floors on an old school drilling rig and eat three or four squares a day. In 6 months you'll have plenty of muscle mass and know how to use it to move things (and people) around. Of course the down side is that a minor appendage or two might be reshaped or perhaps missing.

 

[Ted]

Take a job working as manual labor and you'll never have to work-out a day in your life...

True to some degree. I was a mechanic in college and by the 3rd summer my arms were noticeably more muscular than they were at the start. But the guys there in their 30s there were muscular, but all had pot bellies.

 

[CC268]

Free weights? Machines? Programs? WTF.

Go work floors on an old school drilling rig and eat three or four squares a day. In 6 months you'll have plenty of muscle mass and know how to use it to move things (and people) around. Of course the down side is that a minor appendage or two might be reshaped or perhaps missing.

If I do both will I be super jacked?

 

[Clark1961]

If I do both will I be super jacked?

I dunno anyone who had the energy to do both. I suppose you could with the right diet. We ate a lot as it was but can't say it was the best for being ripped. Lots of meat-n-taters and everything that could be fried was. And of course we got hamburgers and cold cuts at midnight. I was fine until I moved from crew to admin...

 

[CC268]

I dunno anyone who had the energy to do both. I suppose you could with the right diet. We ate a lot as it was but can't say it was the best for being ripped. Lots of meat-n-taters and everything that could be fried was. And of course we got hamburgers and cold cuts at midnight. I was fine until I moved from crew to admin...

My fiancee's dad has worked in Alaska on oil rigs for most his life. Think he is a drilling consultant now. He does chinups and pullups and stuff on the rig haha. He is 60 and is in really good shape and looks it, thats for sure.

 

[mscard88]

The nice thing about a TON of accessories you can add-on for the rack itself!

wow you can really get a rack?

 

[Clark1961]

My fiancee's dad has worked in Alaska on oil rigs for most his life. Think he is a drilling consultant now. He does chinups and pullups and stuff on the rig haha. He is 60 and is in really good shape and looks it, thats for sure.

Yeah the non-workers used the exercise equipment and walked/ran on the heli-deck. If ya mixed mud all day or were tripping then ya showered, ate and slept.

 

[texasag93]

Gotta work on those 12oz curls.

Work on the 12oz curls long enough and you can move up to 20oz.

 

[SoonerAviator]

wow you can really get a rack?

Some of the accessories make the rack bigger, or just add tassels.

 

[mscard88]

Some of the accessories make the rack bigger, or just add tassels.

how much for the tassles? wait, I may have some old ones from Cocoa Beach...

 

[BigBadLou]

Oh, man, what a disappointment. Yours looks like "city-people" gym. Ugh.
I thought you meant something more urban .... redneck ... you know ... Bud light style ...

 

[Clark1961]

Work on the 12oz curls long enough and you can move up to 20oz.

Light weight. Oilcans are where it's at.

 

[mscard88]

 

[RJM62]

Agree free weights are the best since they'll work more muscles, although machines do have their advantages for some exercises. Getting a few free weights would be a nice compliment to what Rich has, some dumb bells would be fine.

I have (and use) dumbbells.

Rich

 

[RJM62]

I am somewhat of a "workout program" snob for several reasons.

1. There are a lot of folks in the gym who have no idea what they are doing or why they are doing it
2. There are a ton of junk personal trainers out there who set their clients up with a typical split body routine (4-5 day). This is a waste of time.
3. Most folks spend way to much time on machines and isolation movements.

Unfortunately now a days people change programs like underwear. And there are so many programs out there that try to sell you some "secret" formula workout routine. It is all ********. I've seen some of the same people in my gym for the past two years, doing the same routine and lifting the same weight. Your body is lazy. Building muscle is the last thing on your body's to do list. You have to stress your body and progressively lift heavier if you are every going to build good muscle mass and strength.

If you truly want to build muscle mass and strength then go with legendary programs like StrongLifts or Mark Rippletoe's Starting Strength (there are many other variations of these that are fine as well). These are classic 5x5 or 3x5 programs. You only do the main compound lifts - barbell squat, bench, barbell row, overhead press, and deadlift. Starting Strength adds in Power Cleans. These programs are built upon progressively lifting heavier. Every time you go in the gym you add 5 more lbs to the lift. These programs work because they are no nonsense, simple programs that have worked for the past 100 years. Classics like Reg Park, Bill Pearl, Arnold, etc all did some form of 5x5 at some point. You don't need some fancy dancy 20 excercise workout 5 days a week. Any new lifter (or anyone that has not done some serious weight lifting in the past) should be doing a full body compound movement routine like 5x5. You have the bonus of "newbie gains" as your body responds very quickly when you stress it with these big compound movements. The beauty of these 5x5 programs like Stronglifts - they are 3 days a week.

As you become a more advanced lifter you move on from these programs as you plateau. This is where you benefit from split body routines or more advanced programs where your at a level that your body really does need more rest in between workouts (hence why you workout certain muscle groups on a certain day). But until you reach that point their is no reason to NOT do these full body compound lifts (and yes all 5 main compound lifts work your entire body if you are doing them with proper form).

I am naturally an ectomorph (skinny, lean, tall, "hardgainer"). I weighed 160 lbs forever, I am 6'1". I tried all sorts of typical split body routines. I saw results, but they weren't spectacular. Did a ton of reading and research and gave Stronglifts a shot. Now I am 195lbs (and no I am not anywhere close to fat or chubby). My strength and lifts have gone up significantly and I have yet to plateau. It is also a lot of fun as you are progressively lifting more weight everytime you are in the gym. You really see results and progression. StrongLifts 5x5 also has an amazing app for your phone that you can track everything on. It is dead simple.

TL;DR - Do a 5x5 program if you want to build muscle mass and strength. StrongLifts or Starting Strength.

Thanks, but I'm mainly interested in keeping my blood sugar under control. The doctor told me to add resistance to the aerobics, especially large muscle work. The leg press is one of the reasons I like the machine I bought.

Rich

 

[RJM62]

I'm a pretty big of free weights, but not done alone. Good way to get seriously hurt. I don't life without a spotter. Then again, I haven't lifted in a long, long time. I miss it, too.

I never cared for using free weights alone either, and I like the idea even less now that I'm older.

Rich

 

[Ted]

I'm not big on trying to build muscle or strength anymore, more just interested in being a bit more fit than I am and generally keeping my body moving. That whole "If you want to keep moving you have to keep moving." In college I was definitely a hardgainer and was trying to build more muscle (get away from the scrawny body type I was), and I'm sure the workout routines I did weren't optimal. Other problem with back then was eating enough to support my normal metabolism plus anything required to build muscle mass. A lot of people miss out on the food requirement of a workout routine when you're trying to build weight/muscle. Now that I'm a bit older (plus married to a woman who cooks very good and also very healthy food) the food requirement isn't so much of a deal, more just finding the time to actually put some workout in. Back in high school I was a fairly avid bicyclist but in New York that was just how you got around.

The horseback riding is a good general workout, especially posting.

Just depends on your goals. This is motivating me to try to get some dumbbells for workouts, although the primary time I'd have to do that would be in the evenings before bed - which is the wrong time to get the blood flowing. We've got free weights at work, though, so if I did a better job of going down to the gym during my lunch hour that'd be the best time to do it.

 

[mscard88]

Don't know your age Ted, I'm 69 and my Doc said to keep the weights light. As you age your muscles will atrophy if you don't push 'em a bit, so strength training is recommended. So I use 20# dumb bells and usually do 2 sets, maybe three. Walk almost everyday. Like doing yard work and gardening so that helps too.

 

[Ted]

Don't know your age Ted, I'm 69 and my Doc said to keep the weights light. As you age your muscles will atrophy if you don't push 'em a bit, so strength training is recommended. So I use 20# dumb bells and usually do 2 sets, maybe three. Walk almost everyday. Like doing yard work and gardening so that helps too.

I'm 33, so my body generally does what it's supposed to still. Plus I do a good amount of manual labor between doing virtually all of the repair work on the vehicles (cars, motorcycles, and some on the 414) and house/yard/tractor work. Your doc is right on about muscles atrophying and the benefits of strength training as you age, so I'm glad to hear that you're making the effort. My mom is a few years older than you and is the laziest person I know. Never pushed herself physically at all, and her goal in life was to keep her body perfectly preserved at old age. Well, she's succeeded. She has very few wrinkles and my hands are far more beat up than hers. But her body's deteriorated and muscles have completely atrophied. The woman can barely walk up a flight of stairs anymore and she can't stand straight up, she hunches over. My uncle (80) is in much worse shape - he can't even walk anymore. It's scary to see and I just don't get it - they've completely let themselves get this way. Mentally, they're bad too - if you don't keep thinking your brain will atrophy.

Meanwhile my dad is 88. Last time I went on a hike with him, I didn't have to slow down for him at all. He keeps moving. He also keeps thinking - his brain is sharp as a tack, hasn't lost it at all. Hopefully I can keep myself like him when I get to his age.

 

[mscard88]

You're a youngster and active Ted, normal for your age with a lot more activity going on. Yeah my wife is almost like your mom, but I do manage to get her moving some. You're correct, another thing my Doc asked me about after I had retired was, fine with the physical stuff, but she asked what are doing for your brain. I said, well, still flying and instructing some (do my flight physical w/ her), reading a lot, and learning guitar. She liked the guitar learning bit. So yeh, you have keep everything active. But I ain't getting up very high on ladders anymore, uh uh!

 

[Ted]

Music is good for keeping your brain in shape. I played pipe organ for 10 years. Might take it back up (and/or learn another instrument) when I get closer to retirement age. Probably also be when I do more instructing. Oh, and build a plane.

 

[CC268]

Thanks, but I'm mainly interested in keeping my blood sugar under control. The doctor told me to add resistance to the aerobics, especially large muscle work. The leg press is one of the reasons I like the machine I bought.

Rich

Yea I certainly didn't mean to make a big blanket statement that everyone should be doing some sort of 5x5 program. There are many factors involved with choosing what works for you.

 

[CC268]

I'm not big on trying to build muscle or strength anymore, more just interested in being a bit more fit than I am and generally keeping my body moving. That whole "If you want to keep moving you have to keep moving." In college I was definitely a hardgainer and was trying to build more muscle (get away from the scrawny body type I was), and I'm sure the workout routines I did weren't optimal. Other problem with back then was eating enough to support my normal metabolism plus anything required to build muscle mass. A lot of people miss out on the food requirement of a workout routine when you're trying to build weight/muscle. Now that I'm a bit older (plus married to a woman who cooks very good and also very healthy food) the food requirement isn't so much of a deal, more just finding the time to actually put some workout in. Back in high school I was a fairly avid bicyclist but in New York that was just how you got around.

The horseback riding is a good general workout, especially posting.

Just depends on your goals. This is motivating me to try to get some dumbbells for workouts, although the primary time I'd have to do that would be in the evenings before bed - which is the wrong time to get the blood flowing. We've got free weights at work, though, so if I did a better job of going down to the gym during my lunch hour that'd be the best time to do it.

Yea I totally to forgot to mention diet. Can't out train a bad diet. And yea...trying to eat 3000+ calories (eating good food, not McDonalds hamburgers) can definitely be a challenge. The way you look is more diet based then workout based for sure.

 

[Ted]

Yea I totally to forgot to mention diet. Can't out train a bad diet. And yea...trying to eat 3000+ calories (eating good food, not McDonalds hamburgers) can definitely be a challenge. The way you look is more diet based then workout based for sure.

For sure. When I was in college trying to do this it was very challenging to eat enough. I really had to plan my meals and it felt like I was eating all the time. It did work - I gained about 10 lbs of all muscle - but it was hard and took a while. Now I'm a bit heavier than I was in college, which has me at more of a healthy weight.

Just depends on your goals. A personal trailer can absolutely help if he/she is good. A lot of them aren't.

 

[gkainz]

Music is good for keeping your brain in shape. I played pipe organ for 10 years...

hardest instrument in the whole marching band!

 

[Ted]

hardest instrument in the whole marching band!

It was pretty hard to walk with, no doubt...

 

[jeremyk13]

My set up started off with a hangboard and a power rack. These pictures are from a few months ago, but I haven't added too much more to it, just moved stuff around.

 

[Bill]

We have a workout anytime just down the street from work, and they have a nice freeweight room with squat rack w/safety bars, smith machine, flat and inclined benches, etc. At $15.95/mo, it's not worth my time to put together a home gym.

 

[Mistake Not...]

For me it's the rent vs buy argument about a plane, only for gym equipment. I like having my own stuff, I know who's been on it, i know what's been done to it, it's always available and I don't have to be around other people when I use it.

 

[SoonerAviator]

We have a workout anytime just down the street from work, and they have a nice freeweight room with squat rack w/safety bars, smith machine, flat and inclined benches, etc. At $15.95/mo, it's not worth my time to put together a home gym.

Unfortunately, the closest place I have is 7-8 miles away in the wrong direction from anything else we visit, and it's $50/mo. for two of us. Everything else that might be similar in distance is a fancy "fitness lifestyle" kind of place where it's north of $120/mo for the wife and I. I'd love to just have a basic gym with free weights, maybe treadmills/elliptical for the wife, and a lap-swimming pool. It's tough to find around here unless you want to pay the big monthly fees so that you have access to zumba/pilates/personal trainers/juice bars/massages/spin classes/etc. which I would use none of.

 

[Anymouse]

For me it's the rent vs buy argument about a plane, only for gym equipment. I like having my own stuff, I know who's been on it, i know what's been done to it, it's always available and I don't have to be around other people when I use it.

It goes a tad deeper for me.

I know that if I got a gym membership (which in my case would require an hour or so drive), I would probably avidly go for the first couple of weeks, but then drop off when something comes up to interrupt the routine. Then I would dutifully pay my dues for the next few years, knowing that I'm going to get back into the routine next week. But next week will never come.

However, since I now have equipment in my house, I know that when I'm bored or simply just thinking of something, maybe even waiting for a response to a lame post I put on POA, I will go into that room with all that equipment and pump out a few reps. I may or may not keep up with a specific regimen, but the mere act of doing something anyway still helps. I might even buy another TV to put in there so I can binge watch stuff from Amazon Prime streaming while cruising on the treadmill.

 

[azblackbird]

Here's some great reading material for you guys who are looking to build that "perfect" body. Although it's somewhat dated material, it's still very relevant even by today's training standards. Personally, I workout 3 days a week and only spend approx. an hour on each workout. I do 15 minutes of intense cardio (rowing, elliptical/stair steppers, or spin bike) followed by 30 minutes of intense lifting using free weights and the Nautilus equipment, and then follow that with another 15 minutes of cool down cardio. Plus I still ride dirt bikes (not so much in the summer) and like to hike the hills or parks looking for gold or relics. All of that combined with a low fat high protein diet keeps me in somewhat decent shape. I'm 56 yrs. old. Stand 6'2" - weigh 225 lbs. have a 34" waist and BFP of 13%. It works for me... your mileage may vary.