Joined a workout place but confused

[Obliteraga]

So, I finally joined a workout place. It's not a regular gym, it's a rehab center that makes some side-money charging people fees to use their workout equipment.

There's lots of machines that focus on single exercises that work multiple groups, there's bikes, a pool, and a free weight area.

I don't know whether or not the free weight area is sufficient or not to do the range of lifting exercises that people on this forum do. I mean, you've got your standard dumbbells and barbells, but is there something more that I should be looking for? The fact that it's a rehab center instead of a regular gym has me worried.

I'm a complete and utter gym illiterate.

Can you guys tell me what equipment I should make sure this place has to do the full range of exercises that would satisfy anyone serious about working out?

 

[Obliteraga]

well, this place is pretty cheap and I suspect it's as good as a regular gym. If I had any clue about what to look for in a gym, I'd be able to answer that question myself.

Unfortunately, lingo even for certain exercises is still moon-language to me, so I'm a long ways off from being able to judge a workout area.

 

[EFFORT]

All you need is a power rack and around 300-400lbs of weight.

 

[I-tallionStallion]

first off...go monday, wed, friday only

second...higher volume, less reps...

Third....you do wayyyyyy too many situps and pushups...first off, do weighted crunches hitting all the different abbs. (not a 150 you psycho LOL more like 30-50) no more than twice a week too

ALSO

forget the pushups ENTIRELY!...those work your chest but are not weighted so you won't increase much from them (if you want to get big, stop doing them because your ruining your workout by breaking down the muscle too much, and not giving yourself time to heal). You already bench...no need for pushups at all...

fourth...if you want to get big quit it with the cardio, do ten minutes every time you work out (at the MAX amount of time), but thats it.

fifth...go read diesil's guide to bulking and all that other stickied stuff. short workouts high intensities. 3500 calories a day (healthy foods too)

thats a start, now do some research and figure out the rest

 

[mrRuckus]

first off, do weighted crunches hitting all the different abbs. (not a 150 you psycho LOL more like 30-50) no more than twice a week too

WHY do people insist on doing high rep abs? What is the rationale? What other muscle do people do 30-50 reps on? Abs are not special. 10-20 reps, heavy as can be.

 

[Omen]

A rehab center is TOTALLY different than a gym, and usually the equipment is NOT the same. May have a few depending on the place, but you have to remember REHAB. Starting people off slow, not to mention some of the machines you find there will only be in a rehab place and not normal gym.

I would suggest a gym. The YMCA, a 24hr, or something similar. If money is an issue, see what a college gym charges if you are not a student, or former. Sometimes the public can get decent prices at campus gyms.

If you cant do any of it, take what you spend on the rehab place (say its $40) a month, and invest in a squat rack and a bar with some weight.

Can you do EVERYTHING? No, but you can start until you can get to a gym.

I'd try hard for a real gym though versus a rehab place. Even if it means dishing out a few dollars more, because you can only get so far in a rehab place.