Comments on: The inexpensive home gym – part 1

By: RNagami

RNagami — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 17:13:34 +0000

You mention writings by Pavel, which is what I was thinking through the whole first half of the article . Combining a workout based on squat/dead/bench/press with Pavel’s extras results in what I think would be very functional strength coming quite quickly. By extras I mean things like his breathing techniques, irradiation, etc.

But really, in my experience most people don’t go to the gym to get strong, they go to the gym to look good (in fact, most girls I know are quite adamant about staying weak), and when comparing a squat/dead/bench/press/row workout to a chain gym, the speed that happens is just no comparison (I have no timeline to compare against a functional strength program). Personally I went from scrawny to filled out in just about 3 months, and I doubt it would have happened so quickly on a BW style workout.

Just so everyone knows, $4000 is a highly inflated price, I just built my own power rack set up for around $1000 (with a high quality bar 3x the cost of the one specced)

By: Dee at Home

Dee at Home — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:56:05 +0000

Well, my home gym consists of an elliptical machine, weights and a ball.

It may not be fancy but I think it gets the job done.. I just crank up my favorite show and go!

dee

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:33:15 +0000

One of my biggest expenses is a gym and I see a big reason to keep it: it gets me out of the house. I have downtime from work for several months at a time, and I would just be cooped up in my apartment if it weren’t for the gym, since I don’t eat out a lot, never go to concerts, sporting events, or movies.

I imagine when one is retired having a gym to go to 3-4x a week gives you some structure and forces you to go out into the city, instead of just staying at home. This can be done frugally if you have a municipal gym or YMCA; here in NYC, the city runs public gyms that cost $100/yr. to join.

By: db3

db3 — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:23:18 +0000

The ab wheel is a piece of equipment that seems to fit in to the ERE philosophy and “low tech, high concept”. Also known as the Evil Wheel! A standing rollout using the wheel is very difficult, the wheel itself lasts a long time and costs about $10.

Jim Bathurst’s BeastSkills website has tutorials for the ab rollout and other difficult bodyweight exercises that require minimal equipment.

By: FreeMoneyWisdom

FreeMoneyWisdom — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 02:05:27 +0000

I am thinking about going to a more basic gym — my gym is far too expensive…and I don’t even need all the amenities. I would be all in favor for a home gym, but I do prefer going somewhere. It gives me extra motivation. One day when I make more and have a house I hope to have a room devoted to my lifting addiction.

By: eu_us

eu_us — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:33:04 +0000

Until about a few months I owned lots of little workout items, for each group of muscles, but I sold most of them.I only kept resistance bands, a yoga ball and arm/legs weights. Pretty much that’s all I need. Resistance bands are great, you can work out all your muscle. They are inexpensive and light, can travel with them.
I also just bought a sand bag, 40 lbs. I think it’s a great item to workout with.
As for free workouts: run, climb a hill, rollerblading, ride a bike, use a chair or run on your own stairs..if you live in a house.

By: Dragline

Dragline — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:03:55 +0000

The best equipment for you is the equipment you will actually use. Try not to buy anything before trying it first.

I like the kettlebells, too.

By: bigato

bigato — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 01:29:50 +0000

This is one of the reasons wrestling and brazilian jiu jitsu training is so much better than going to the gym to get fit.

By: Jason L.

Jason L. — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 23:37:34 +0000

I work at a gym and find most of the equipment useless personally. If I had to choose the most versatile piece of equipment I would say the kettlebell is it. It allows for functional strength and can be used to workout every part of your body. for the nicest RKC ones you’re looking at roughly $100 + shipping, but it’s an iron ball with a handle so no reason it shouldn’t last forever.

By: Jacob

Jacob — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:45:30 +0000

@ canadian – what, you haven’t heard of those needle and thread mills? Okay, I fixed it. Thanks!

By: Canadian

Canadian — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 15:06:52 +0000

I think you mean “treadmill”, not “threadmill”.

I have a stationary bicycle but I think it’s a good choice for me because I cycle so much in the summer. It keeps me in good “cycling shape” in the off season.

By: MillionDollarJourney

MillionDollarJourney — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:02:49 +0000

Thanks for the mention. As you said, a home gym has to suit the people that are going to use it. I spec’ed a gym that is similar to the exercises that I do in my gym.

Great post.

By: Farmwife

Farmwife — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:45:34 +0000

LOL — this makes me laugh because my husband was saying he wanted a weight set. I told him, you just moved 4 tons of hay by hand — why would you need a weight set???

I always say if anyone wants a workout, they are more than welcome to come over and visit! Winter workouts take the form of shoveling snow, dragging bales of hay into the barn and throwing them into the feeders, hauling water by hand, and shoveling more snow.

Springtime you get to dig out the acre of garden beds and plant, rake a couple acres of yard of winter debris, build fence, bottle feed a million baby animals, clean the winter barnpack out by hand,and wrestle everything that needs to be disbudded and castrated.

Anyhow, you get the picture — odd thing is, I actually do have a treadmill I inherited. I kinda like it on snowy nasty days