OT: Home Gym, what do YOU have? Options

[RAR]

I have an Ironmaster machine, but free weights are a must for maximum strength. Get metal plates, not plastic. Buy used is good advice. The main thing is to get something that you will continue to do, and that will keep the boredom to a minimum. Some people are gym people, some are home gym people. DOING LESS ON A REGULAR BASIS (20 mins.) IS BETTER THAN LONG WORKOUTS EVERY SO OFTEN. A rack to safely hold a squat bar is about all you need. If you want a bench for bench pressing then get a combo bench with wide distance between uprights. Pushups are a good exercise, as are chinups, as are one leg no weight squats and calf raises if you can do them. There are some SEAL workout videos that will get you in shape without weights.

[Cap'n Krusty]

The Cap'n just carries antique stoves and cast iron bathtubs around.................................................. The Cap'n

[Scott Carlberg]

lets see if I can do this, without Quoting...

Membership: Nah, not for me, I agree with Jenny, don't think I'd go, and withOUT self-confidence/esteem, the gym is NOT the place to go, trust me.

Tennis: I LOVE playing tennis, but the friends I have locally do not like the game, but I think it's a great workout. I've also been playing Volleyball, hell for that matter I also....
Run, walk the dog, ride my bike & jumprope.
But, I want to LoSE some weight, and at 41yrs, umm, young(?) I realize I should prolly start lifting some weights to lose some lbs & to tone up.

Rowing Machine etc: btdt, yrs ago I had a Nordic Track, I did use it, but it became quite boring, it actuallly became more of a chair for when a friend & I used to........


anyway, thanks for replying, a BIG thing I can do is shut the DAMN tv off, and get off my arse.

I want to be able to fit into a GT3 seat someday, doubtful, but everyone needs goals, right

have a good day.

[Mueller]

Membership: Nah, not for me, I agree with Jenny, don't think I'd go, and withOUT self-confidence/esteem, the gym is NOT the place to go, trust me.

funny you mention that....believe it or not, I felt the same way...in fact I bought a workout bench so that I could get in better shape at home before I went to the gym that I had just gotten a membership for !!!!

How screwed up in the head is that??? LOL

I'm still not in the physical shape I'd like to be, but now when I go to the gym, I don't give a sh!t what people think, there will always be someone in better or worse shape than myself at the gym.........

If you want, you can borrow my weight bench and some of my free weights to see if it's something you want to invest in. The bench does come apart so getting it into you 914 shouldn't be too big of a deal....besides, I could use the space in my garage, hahahaha

[fly]

Hi Scott,

I have a Weider universal gym that I am not useing. It has all the stuff.
I was going to sell it for 250.00.

If you want it, you can have it for 50 bucks.

It also works well for hanging clothes to dry.

fly@pacbell.net

[dflesburg]

I have a pair of running shoes and some running clothes...

I run 60-80 miles a week, but I am a Boston Marathon Qualifier and have run Chicago in 3:20:01

Four years ago I smoked and drank and weighed 243.

Now I weigh between 175 and 180. My goal is 165.

I do 100 sit ups every morning and 20-30 curls with a 55lb curl bar.

Thats it. Lots of running.

(IMG:http://www.longshipconsulting.com/valhalla/foot_pics/af02_1.jpg)

[red914]

i might be able to run a 3:20 marathon if the finish line was at the WingDome, with a platter of 50 hotwings and a pitcher of Mac-n-Jack waiting for me... but then, maybe i'd just drive, or catch a ride with Dino! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/chowtime.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

really, that shows impressive drive. a couple years ago i was on track something like that. i have since lost the focus, and am easily distracted by the house, the car, the kids. if only i was being distracted by the hotwings...

kudos to you! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smilie_pokal.gif) seriously, check out www.stewsmith.com it is petty sensible exercise stuff. no weird things, just work.

[Mueller]

RUN Forrest, RUN !!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

damn, pretty impressive, I'll be happy to stay @ 200lbs....I just want to move the weight around so it'll work for me, not against me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[soloracer]

Interesting thread. The funny thing is I went to the gym to gain weight. At 6' 1" and weighing 155-160 lbs for the last 17 years I wanted to beef up to the 180-190 range. I just have a hard time putting weight on. For a full year I ate what I wanted, sat on the sofa and basically did nothing. The result - I lost 5 lbs and had no energy to do anything. So I started going to the gym with a friend of mine but I really don't "enjoy" it and as such find it hard to convince myself to go. I love playing sports and find it easy to get motivated to head out of the house to play a little hockey, volleyball, squash, etc. but for some reason I just find it mind numbingly boring to be lifting weights. The motivation to do "one more rep than before" just isn't there. I think I'm going to check out the Stew Smith site to see what is there. A friend of mine and I are having a race to see who makes it to 180 lbs first. He has to lose 20 lbs and I have to gain 20. He seems to think it will be easier for me. I think otherwise. Anyone have suggestions for competitive activities that also build muscle size and strength?

[red914]

find a local rugby club!

[campbellcj]

We have an expensive-as-all-hell LifeCycle that I have only ridden twice so far (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

My wife uses it but I have not mustered up the energy & time yet...

Fortunately by some miracle I have been able to hold my weight steady and feel pretty healthy for almost 15 years without a ton of exercise. I will get back in the saddle one of these days anyhow, as I know it would be good for me. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

[red914]

I have a pair of running shoes and some running clothes...

I run 60-80 miles a week, but I am a Boston Marathon Qualifier and have run Chicago in 3:20:01

Four years ago I smoked and drank and weighed 243.

Now I weigh between 175 and 180. My goal is 165.

I do 100 sit ups every morning and 20-30 curls with a 55lb curl bar.

Thats it. Lots of running.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) that does it: i am starting running again. he's right, you know; there really is nothing like it.

thanks for the motivation!

[Scott Carlberg]

Hi Scott,

I have a Weider universal gym that I am not useing. It has all the stuff.
I was going to sell it for 250.00.

If you want it, you can have it for 50 bucks.

It also works well for hanging clothes to dry.

fly@pacbell.net

Fly,
you've got mail.



Scott

[jridder]

>Anyone have suggestions for competitive activities that also build muscle size and strength?

Nope. Lifting weights is the best. I play basketball and was always getting muscled out inside. I started off about a year and a half ago at 6'1" 160. I had a bit of a layoff last year when I tore my soulder and had surgery. Even with that I'm up to 175. I go twice a week for about 60-90 minutes each time.

I'm not into running and find it incredibly boring. I found that lifting weights is different since it requires more concentration. It's also easier to get motivated when you start seeing some results.

[Scott Carlberg]

I play tennis on two travel teams,

Tell me more about that, won't you?

[fiid]

Get a road bike. Ride it to LA. (or just start doing some 30 mile rides.).

[96conv]

Funny that I'm in the process of buying another coat rack for my office so this thread is timely. I had a Soloflex years ago and used it on occasion. It worked great as advertised and built up my shoulders and chest quite well. However, I got tired of it and stopped all together so I sold it. I had a NordicTrack that I hardly used becuase I fell off the thing once and hit my chin on the pad. I gave that away to Goodwill after having spent $300 on the thing. I sold my Olympic weights and rack system recently because it took up too much room in my office, plus you really need a spotter to lift safely. My wife and I joined the gym and went religiously but have sinced let our membership lapse. So now I'm looking at the Crossbow and will probably buy one used. Way cheaper than the Bowflex and probably just as effective. My advice is, buy equipment if you really think you're going to use it but don't spend too much because, most likely, you're going to sell it at a loss. Calisthenics, etc is great but can get tiresome for me. Running, IMO, is the best cardio exercise but my knees can't take the trauma anymore so I walk...a lot.

[cooltimes]

I walk sometimes but not nearly enough. I also have a 25 speed mountain bike that gets me around a 3.4 mile track twice aweek. Everyone else calls it our neighborhood.
I am 5'6" and 180 lbs. and am finding it very difficult to lose weight. The reason must be because I am old (68, but hit 69 in 2 weeks). I still do karate in the garage and den but any kicks I do are just barely off the ground. Only the smurfs are at risk.
All the ideas and goal to be fit are great that I have seen, but no one mentioned eating beyond the hot wings. Is there any reasonable satisfactory diet that any of you older but fit teeners do. Please share in this interesting thread. I wanna live to be at least 91 and 4 months.

Cooley

[SpecialK]

42yrs, 6' - 237lbs. and need to get back down to about 210-215. The only exercise (besides work) I get is out in the garage everytime I work on the 914.

Lay down.. crawl under the car...damn, I forgot the 15mm socket...crawl out...sit-up...one handed spin/rotation to the standing position...get tool...lay down again...crawl under the car again....damn, I need an extension....crawl out (repeat for 3 sets of 10).

Actually, I got (health nut) my wife one of those "Total Gym" type cable/slider things, she friggin' loves it. I have to admit it looks like fun, but I'll stick to my 12 oz. curls, lots of reps. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[fiid]

I am not an older teener, but I did have a lot of success by following an Atkins-ish South beach-ish diet. Basically - stop eating potatoes, rice, and bread, and lay off beer and sweet stuff, and see if that helps. If you can add some exercise, that will help too. The Carb thing is real, but so is the fat thing - the net result is basically that you need to restrict your CALORIC intake. (which is basically carbs + fat, but they give you calories on the box anyway).

I started the year at about 195lbs. I got down to about 175lbs by dieting in the manner above, along with doing a couple of bike rides adn a couple of infrequent trips to the gym. During the AIDS ride I stayed at about 175 - I think I lost fat and gained muscle - which just about evened out. After the ride was done I got down to about 172, but now I am a little over 180 (have been eating all kinds of carb-laden shit just recently, esp. ice cream.

I have never managed to sustainably lose any weight whatsoever before this year, not for lack of trying.