Home Gym anyone?

[Randum]

Ok heres the situation-I'm a swimmer as many of you know, I need to lift to stay in shape for my season starting in the fall, I'm not working at the YMCA this summer and the membership fees are insane for just using weights, occasional pool (which i can swim elsewhere for free)
anyhow I need a weight system that allows lat pulldown, and bench and rowing if possible, the more the better but so far I found these; In college currently, so funds are not huge.
(considered bowflex, but its pretty expensive for what you get..)
anyhow
the Gold's Gym XR38 Bench

Phoenix PowerPro Olympic Bench

Thoughts? Concerns? Anyone have something they use?? Also how much do a set of free weights cost then? I know nothing about this stuff.
Price is like 150-200 on those two units

 

[Looney]

Doesn't your college have a gym?

 

[GasX]

How about some running shoes and a pull-up bar?

 

[cheapgoose]

Originally posted by: Looney
Doesn't your college have a gym?

that's what I thought. anyway, i went to walmart, picked up a bench, dumbells and some extra weights. It's cheap. I thought about buying a Bowflex from craigslist but it's too big for my apt.

 

[PawNtheSandman]

Bowflex is horrible. When you work a muscle, the expansion AND contraction build the muscle. Bowflex uses the rubber bows to provide resistance. Your muscles will get worked out only on the expansion. When the muscle contracts, the resistance gets lighter, thus you are not getting a full workout.

Do a search. There was a thread yesterday about a guy wanting to build a home gym.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: PawNtheSandman
Bowflex is horrible. When you work a muscle, the expansion AND contraction build the muscle. Bowflex uses the rubber bows to provide resistance. Your muscles will get worked out only on the expansion. When the muscle contracts, the resistance gets lighter, thus you are not getting a full workout.

Do a search. There was a thread yesterday about a guy wanting to build a home gym.

Have you used a bowflex? You can work the negative with it. It's fairly light at the the very beginning, but resistance ramps up as you get closer to full contraction. Just like free weights push back down on you, the rods are fighting to pull back up. Go to your local home fitness store and slap 2 50 pound power rods on each side and do 5 reps of bench while working the negative on the downside.

Then come back here and tell me what you said above.

 

[Koing]

I would just get a bench, squat stand and a barbell + weights.

You can do upright rows

If you want to do rows where you sit and row like you would on a boat put the weights under the bench and put the bench on some weights or blocks so it is raised. Now you lie face first on the bench and you can do rows that way.

Do pull ups off a tree or something. Working it off a tree would build better grip also for your hand, no that you need it but it is good to have. You can wrap a towel around a tree and use that to do pull ups on also.

Koing

 

[NTB]

How much are you looking at spending? building a decent home gym is likely to cost you nearly as much as joining the neighborhood gym. I personally find it hard to stay motivated with a home gym, too. I'd rather have somewhere to go, and get out of the house for a while.

Nate

 

[purbeast0]

Originally posted by: NTB
How much are you looking at spending? building a decent home gym is likely to cost you nearly as much as joining the neighborhood gym. I personally find it hard to stay motivated with a home gym, too. I'd rather have somewhere to go, and get out of the house for a while.

Nate

seconded. everyone i know who gets stuff to use at home never even end up using it after a week or so.

 

[tami]

maybe one of the 70 posts in this thread will help you out

 

[Randum]

thanks guys! I have a great gym at school, but i am home for the summer-and the Y around here, I'm mainly a swimmer and its not my favorite thing to go mingle with the meatheads at the gym, they spend more time in front of the 100 mirrors than working out. Honestly IM more motivated working out at home, i do all my dryland things minus weights from my basement, biking outside, running etc.

Didnt think about the walmart alternative...thanks!

 

[DainBramaged]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

Originally posted by: PawNtheSandman
Bowflex is horrible. When you work a muscle, the expansion AND contraction build the muscle. Bowflex uses the rubber bows to provide resistance. Your muscles will get worked out only on the expansion. When the muscle contracts, the resistance gets lighter, thus you are not getting a full workout.

Do a search. There was a thread yesterday about a guy wanting to build a home gym.

Have you used a bowflex? You can work the negative with it. It's fairly light at the the very beginning, but resistance ramps up as you get closer to full contraction. Just like free weights push back down on you, the rods are fighting to pull back up. Go to your local home fitness store and slap 2 50 pound power rods on each side and do 5 reps of bench while working the negative on the downside.

Then come back here and tell me what you said above.

Thanks for saving me the time.

 

[TheChort]

i'll sell you mine