Home Gym vs. Paying Gym

[R5D2]

What do you guys use? I'd like to setup a basic home gym rather than have to sign up to some local health club so what would you say are the basics?

I've got access to a gym at uni but it's mostly machines. I break up on Friday for Easter break, so I'm without a gym for 3 weeks. I'd like to find somewhere to train but all the gyms want you to sign up for 12 months and I'll be leaving in less than 6. The other option is the local leisure centre, but their setups are usually pretty basic.

I have a set of basic dumbells so I could go for a dumbell based program for 3 weeks, but I've only 2 more weeks after Easter of Uni anyway so I need to sort something out.

 

[howardalex]

I'd sign up for a spit + sawdust freeweights gym if I were you but if you must:

a) kettlebells - I really wanna give this ago, they are the shizzle
b) big ass adjustable dumbells - you can work all of your upper body with them, don't under-estimate them
c) spend loads on a bench, bar, loads of weights and...of course...a squat rack

 

[donjuanjovi]

I've got a bench, power rack, and a few other tid bits at home. But I go to my college gym simply because they have more equipment.
Except with squats! I refuse to do squats with a damn smith machine.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

If I were to build a home gym...

Squat Rack, and olympic barbell
Moveable Bench with incline option
DBs from 10-100lbs
About 500lbs in barbell weights
Pullup/Dip station
Speakers
Chalk

Maybe even some bumper plates and a platform...

To me, a home gym would be much better than a "paying" gym. Your own music, no excuses about driving, or money or whatever, no waiting, no distractions, immediate PWO nutrition etc.

 

[Mjazz]

yea man, one day, Im gonna have the best home gym.

 

[organizedconfusion]

definetly a power cage with adjusable self spotting racks, an adjustable bench, olympic barbell with 500 lbs. pull up/dip station and i am set!

but all i have right now is a barbell 350 lbs. and a pull up bar..really all i need right now!The cool thing about working out at home is you can basicly just workout,eat and sleep ..get swole like a mug!! lol

 

[blinkwatt]

Screw a home gym,I pick up half my women in the gym,LOL. A home gym would be nice and Skilla_ Staz has a nice list but it's going to be costly upfront to buy all those. 500 in barbell weights is alot,just buy 4 45's,2 25's,4 10's,4 5's,2 2.5's & 2 1.25's. There are advantages to going to a gym though;you dont have to worry about dropping weights and breaking/cracking a floor,if you go super late at night you dont have to clean up your weights ,the scenery ,you meet alot of people when you become a 'regular'. For me personally I know I would not be where Iam today if it weren't for the people I met in the gym. Don't underestimate how much asking questions can help you, here is an example;you see someone with a tricep like you want,you go up to him and ask him about their tricep workout,they show you,you listen,you practice what they show you,1 month later BAM your tricep starts growing. Whatever route you go I'm sure you will be fine as long as you diet and lift every day your scheduled to lift.

Good Luck!

 

[organizedconfusion]

about $700 gets alot :wave:
power cage and barbell set about 350lbs. :woo:

 

[nonchalant]

Yeah, the best thing about paying gyms are the HB's all over the place.

Also it's nice to use really first class equiptment, and most gyms yoga, self defense, massage therapy, personal training, etc.

I had a home gym but for some reason I tended to use it a lot less than now when I go to a pay gym. After a while I just gave up and it became an eye sore. Then I joined a pay gym, and I haven't had a problem with motivation.

 

[organizedconfusion]

One of the best ways to gain alot of mass IMO is working out at home..eat,sleep,workout,eat,sleep,workout,repeat...and of course,school or work!! lol
But i do tend to miss the enviroment of the gym!

 

[Falcon]

It would be nice to have a home gym. Some of the things that annoy me with public gyms:

1. Having to wait to use something. This happens A LOT when the gym is crowded obviously. I will sometimes go late at night to avoid this.

2. Walking in and feeling the hot sweaty air. It's worse if there is a smell. Also, I swear, sometimes when it's stuffy it effects my performance.

3. I'm not a clean freak, but seeing huge sweat spots on machines and benches can be gross. Also, being in the gym when there is a virus going around isn't fun.

4. I try not to be anti-social, but the gym is really my quiet time. I reflect on a lot of things which usually will pump me up to lift. I will usually get this mean tunnel vision face because I really try to focus on what I am doing. I block out all the people and distractions.

There's probably more but these are the main things that come to mind. Having a home gym would eliminate all of these.

 

[John_Galt]

What do you guys use? I'd like to setup a basic home gym rather than have to sign up to some local health club so what would you say are the basics?

I've got access to a gym at uni but it's mostly machines. I break up on Friday for Easter break, so I'm without a gym for 3 weeks. I'd like to find somewhere to train but all the gyms want you to sign up for 12 months and I'll be leaving in less than 6. The other option is the local leisure centre, but their setups are usually pretty basic.

I have a set of basic dumbells so I could go for a dumbell based program for 3 weeks, but I've only 2 more weeks after Easter of Uni anyway so I need to sort something out.

Gym. There's just much more variety there, plus there's chicks in those nice tight yoga pants.

 

[frozenno1]

>bowflex< I'm done
Its really annoying at first and it doesn't boost your ego with big plates, but this baby is like a portable gym

 

[~attrACTION~]

I'm getting a power cage / rack and some weights. Having a home gym is much more convenient. Plus, you'll save lots of time and money.

 

[No.]

I'm going away working for most of the year and sort of taking a gym with me. Me and a mate bought a dip/chin station, plus I've got a flat bench ( no incline ), a bar, a couple of sets of dumbells and a bunch of weights (Gonna buy more as the year goes on). I don't expect to get massive cause work involves ALOT of cardio each day, but I'm hoping to be able to acheive a decent 'Spartan' sort of physique by the end of the year. Not really my end goal, but it should help me when I head oversea's

 

[TheManlyMan]

I've got a bench, power rack, and a few other tid bits at home. But I go to my college gym simply because they have more equipment.
Except with squats! I refuse to do squats with a damn smith machine.

I went to Powerhouse recently and I was suprised that the biggest guys there were using the machine and then I heard them laughing as I set my weights for a freeweight squat set. My 350 freeweight squad > your 600 machine crap. Especially considering my weight its approx 150-160. I come from a wrestling/brazilian Jiu Jitsu background so my weight constantly fluctuates.

 

[bigshot]

I've got a bench, power rack, and a few other tid bits at home. But I go to my college gym simply because they have more equipment.
Except with squats! I refuse to do squats with a damn smith machine.

whats wrong with using a smith machine to squat?

 

[Skilla_Staz]

It screws with your ROM.

It forces you to go in a straight line, and takes your core out of the whole equation. You don't have to keep yourself stable.

Also, when I squat, the bar doesn't go straight up and down. Theres definitely some variance either way.

Also..

Screw a home gym,I pick up half my women in the gym,LOL. A home gym would be nice and Skilla_ Staz has a nice list but it's going to be costly upfront to buy all those. 500 in barbell weights is alot,just buy 4 45's,2 25's,4 10's,4 5's,2 2.5's & 2 1.25's. There are advantages to going to a gym though;you dont have to worry about dropping weights and breaking/cracking a floor,if you go super late at night you dont have to clean up your weights ,the scenery ,you meet alot of people when you become a 'regular'. For me personally I know I would not be where Iam today if it weren't for the people I met in the gym. Don't underestimate how much asking questions can help you, here is an example;you see someone with a tricep like you want,you go up to him and ask him about their tricep workout,they show you,you listen,you practice what they show you,1 month later BAM your tricep starts growing. Whatever route you go I'm sure you will be fine as long as you diet and lift every day your scheduled to lift.

Good Luck!

There are better ways to go about it. IDK about you but the reason I lift is to get in there, get my **** done. I can meet people outside the gym. I can get lifting advice from people with "big triceps" outside the gym. I'm not going to take advice from some guy because he's got a nice pair of tris. For all I know, it's taken him his whole life to get those, through horrible training. Also, your muscles don't just BAM, start growing. Give them reason to, and they will grow.

Do research fellas. Don't just listen to guys in the gym.

I don't like talking when I lift. I don't like waiting when I lift. I don't like people, and I don't like gay music. Maybe that's just me, but I don't like fluffy, frilly, happy time gyms. Give me a gym where you get straight to the point, and I might join. None of those retarded machines, no middle aged men walking around staring at themselves and their 12" guns in the mirror, and absof*ckinglutely nobody stealing my f*cking squat rack. Sorry, makes me angry. Something about weight still on the bar screams, "Hey, somebody's using me!"


BTW, yes it would cost a lot. But if I had money to toss around, that would be my setup... I like to lift, and lift heavy, thats why the 500lbs was in there. Room to grow. My deads are easily in the 300s, so anything less than 400lbs wouldn't last me more than a few months.

 

[bigshot]

Skilla_Staz...i wish u were my personal trainer

 

[Kevin G]

I like my home gym. It took a little time to build, but it rules.

home gym pic