Good luck, man! When I moved 3 months ago, I quit my old gym (which is now too far out of the way) and decided to start working out at home, on a trial basis, before signing up at a new gym (even though there is a large one quite nearby, where all of my roommates have memberships).
I have a really dinky set-up in my basement right now - a crappy bench that's supposed to incline but is missing the part that allows it to do that, a shitty bar, and a couple of mis-matched dumbell bars with barely enough plates (if I want 2x 20lb dumbells, I have make one with 2x 10lb plates and the other with 4x 5lb plates, to give you an idea) and no foam padding on the floor... and that's it. I knew I might not be able to get a great workout with it, but I thought it would suffice for trial purposes, before investing in a more serious home gym.
I STILL like that better than going to the gym. Sometimes the eye candy in the gym / locker room is nice, and of course there's always equipment there that I'll never have at home (including a sauna!)... but that hardly makes up for the cost, the required year-long contract, often waiting for equipment, dealing with inconsiderate douchebags who don't give a shit about anyone else who works out in the same gym, having to travel to and from the gym, and having to remember to bring a towel and toiletries and shower flip-flops and gym clothes and my workout routines and current lifting weights, and a water bottle, and all that crap (I forget SOMETHING at least once a month, and that's freakin' annoying).
I don't feel any less motivated, and in fact I work out more regularly because I don't have to get up as early to get in a workout before work (which I prefer), and if I decide to work out after work, it seems less of an obstacle because I can come home and not have to leave again to go to the gym. I can post my workouts right by the equipment and leave them there, track my progress on a chart on the wall, and if I forget anything, I can just go get it between sets.
And in truth, I feel like I have managed - with some creativity and plenty of referring to exrx.net - to put together decent routines for almost everything. The thing I was most worried about was legs, but I feel I'm getting as good a workout now as I used to at the gym - without traditional squats, large amounts of weight, or fancy equipment. The only thing I have NOT been able to do on my equipment is find something to replace lat pull-downs... and in truth a pull-up bar would have sufficed for the time being, had I been so inclined.
So, based on my couple of months of trial, I think I shall very soon be purchasing some equipment to get myself more properly set up at home. I'll be interested to hear how yours comes together and how much it costs and etc. I recommend getting a large mirror in there - I use the door in my shower because I don't have one. That is all!
Well, that is quite the detailed reply. So thanks :D
I have a really dinky set-up in my basement right now - a crappy bench that's supposed to incline but is missing the part that allows it to do that, a shitty bar, and a couple of mis-matched dumbell bars with barely enough plates (if I want 2x 20lb dumbells, I have make one with 2x 10lb plates and the other with 4x 5lb plates, to give you an idea) and no foam padding on the floor... and that's it. I knew I might not be able to get a great workout with it, but I thought it would suffice for trial purposes, before investing in a more serious home gym.
I guess depending on the results you want and the exercises to do them, will depend on the kind of equipment you have. Back when I was in shape in those pictures I posted here on MF, it was because my trainer put me through a lot of different exercises - some free weights, some machines, some plyometrics - but the majority of it was plyometrics and body weight stuff. It was all geared to strength and endurance (warrior training basically), but I've moved on from that and am now in the market to start putting on muscle more than building strength and endurance for striking and grappling.
With that being said, I really didn't need a lot of equipment to gain the results that I wanted, and from a visual stand point, I was also happy with what I had and did put on some muscle while I was doing it. So if I was to get back into it, I could probably achieve the same results with the non machine/free weight half of my routines and use what you have at your place when it came to the weights, but maybe with a little extra.
But if you want to workout more for muscle, then I would agree with you that you could use some more/better equipment from the sounds of it :)
I STILL like that better than going to the gym. Sometimes the eye candy in the gym / locker room is nice, and of course there's always equipment there that I'll never have at home (including a sauna!)... but that hardly makes up for the cost, the required year-long contract, often waiting for equipment, dealing with inconsiderate douchebags who don't give a shit about anyone else who works out in the same gym, having to travel to and from the gym, and having to remember to bring a towel and toiletries and shower flip-flops and gym clothes and my workout routines and current lifting weights, and a water bottle, and all that crap (I forget SOMETHING at least once a month, and that's freakin' annoying).
Preach on dear sister Branwyn! :D
I agree strongly with the d-bags comment. Especially the ones who like to turn going to the gym into a circus/comedy fest at other peoples' expense who're just trying to improve themselves. Don't even get me started on the level of homophobia inspired, strength in numbers, homophobia that crops up from time to time; in the gym and the locker room. That's another reason I lost interest in going.
I don't feel any less motivated, and in fact I work out more regularly because I don't have to get up as early to get in a workout before work (which I prefer), and if I decide to work out after work, it seems less of an obstacle because I can come home and not have to leave again to go to the gym. I can post my workouts right by the equipment and leave them there, track my progress on a chart on the wall, and if I forget anything, I can just go get it between sets.
I hear ya. I'm really looking forward to being in your position. Having your own home gym seems like it would be a nice little sanctuary. On top of that, you can put up your own artwork on the walls and play your OWN music. Not to mention, you can even work out naked! Something that definitely comes in handy if circumstance lends you to not have any clean gym clothes. Just make sure to do it clean and fresh though :D
And in truth, I feel like I have managed - with some creativity and plenty of referring to exrx.net - to put together decent routines for almost everything. The thing I was most worried about was legs, but I feel I'm getting as good a workout now as I used to at the gym - without traditional squats, large amounts of weight, or fancy equipment. The only thing I have NOT been able to do on my equipment is find something to replace lat pull-downs... and in truth a pull-up bar would have sufficed for the time being, had I been so inclined.
Maybe for your lat pull downs you could find a rafter or something and run some resistance bands over it and try pulling them down. Oh yeah, about getting better equipment and weights, the place I'm going to to buy most of my stuff, has a pretty large stock of gear and equipment and their prices are pretty descent.
For example, I just got 24 interlocking 2x2 foot foam floor tiles for $99.98 and they sell 300 lbs weight sets (plates and bar) for something like $280 bucks.
They're out in the Dufferin and Finch area and their equipment looks pretty good from what I've seen.
So, based on my couple of months of trial, I think I shall very soon be purchasing some equipment to get myself more properly set up at home. I'll be interested to hear how yours comes together and how much it costs and etc. I recommend getting a large mirror in there - I use the door in my shower because I don't have one. That is all!
I would recommend it, because the money you'd end up spending in the gym isn't an investment outside of the results you get from going there. At least with your own equipment, the money you put into it leaves you with something you can actually own :)
The music! I forgot about the abysmal crap that inevitably gets played at gyms... Gah! So horrible! I have actually cut a workout short because the music was so painfully awful! And I've never found headphones comfortable/convenient enough to work out with... so glad I don't have to deal with that anymore, too.
I'm actually working out for mass myself, though I'm at a point where I don't need a lot of weight just yet... only something like squats required more weight, and I'm doing one-legged squats with a fraction of the weight on dumbbells, and getting the same intensity of workout. Part of this trial was intended to see what equipment I could do without, and what equipment I would still need in order to get a full work-out... and at this point I'm thinking that two of those dial-a-weight dumbbells (the ones that go up to 90lbs each, I think made by BowFlex), an inclining bench, and some sort of cable-pull-down thing, will be all I need for a while. At $50/month or more for a gym membership, if you spend $600 on a gym and use it for a year, you've broken even... and after that you work out for free. :)
I am reminded that I should print out all of my workouts, and my schedule, and put up a chart on the wall, so I can track my progress right there.
I have a really dinky set-up in my basement right now - a crappy bench that's supposed to incline but is missing the part that allows it to do that, a shitty bar, and a couple of mis-matched dumbell bars with barely enough plates (if I want 2x 20lb dumbells, I have make one with 2x 10lb plates and the other with 4x 5lb plates, to give you an idea) and no foam padding on the floor... and that's it. I knew I might not be able to get a great workout with it, but I thought it would suffice for trial purposes, before investing in a more serious home gym.
I STILL like that better than going to the gym. Sometimes the eye candy in the gym / locker room is nice, and of course there's always equipment there that I'll never have at home (including a sauna!)... but that hardly makes up for the cost, the required year-long contract, often waiting for equipment, dealing with inconsiderate douchebags who don't give a shit about anyone else who works out in the same gym, having to travel to and from the gym, and having to remember to bring a towel and toiletries and shower flip-flops and gym clothes and my workout routines and current lifting weights, and a water bottle, and all that crap (I forget SOMETHING at least once a month, and that's freakin' annoying).
I don't feel any less motivated, and in fact I work out more regularly because I don't have to get up as early to get in a workout before work (which I prefer), and if I decide to work out after work, it seems less of an obstacle because I can come home and not have to leave again to go to the gym. I can post my workouts right by the equipment and leave them there, track my progress on a chart on the wall, and if I forget anything, I can just go get it between sets.
And in truth, I feel like I have managed - with some creativity and plenty of referring to exrx.net - to put together decent routines for almost everything. The thing I was most worried about was legs, but I feel I'm getting as good a workout now as I used to at the gym - without traditional squats, large amounts of weight, or fancy equipment. The only thing I have NOT been able to do on my equipment is find something to replace lat pull-downs... and in truth a pull-up bar would have sufficed for the time being, had I been so inclined.
So, based on my couple of months of trial, I think I shall very soon be purchasing some equipment to get myself more properly set up at home. I'll be interested to hear how yours comes together and how much it costs and etc. I recommend getting a large mirror in there - I use the door in my shower because I don't have one. That is all!
B.
Reply
Well, that is quite the detailed reply. So thanks :D
I have a really dinky set-up in my basement right now - a crappy bench that's supposed to incline but is missing the part that allows it to do that, a shitty bar, and a couple of mis-matched dumbell bars with barely enough plates (if I want 2x 20lb dumbells, I have make one with 2x 10lb plates and the other with 4x 5lb plates, to give you an idea) and no foam padding on the floor... and that's it. I knew I might not be able to get a great workout with it, but I thought it would suffice for trial purposes, before investing in a more serious home gym.
I guess depending on the results you want and the exercises to do them, will depend on the kind of equipment you have. Back when I was in shape in those pictures I posted here on MF, it was because my trainer put me through a lot of different exercises - some free weights, some machines, some plyometrics - but the majority of it was plyometrics and body weight stuff. It was all geared to strength and endurance (warrior training basically), but I've moved on from that and am now in the market to start putting on muscle more than building strength and endurance for striking and grappling.
With that being said, I really didn't need a lot of equipment to gain the results that I wanted, and from a visual stand point, I was also happy with what I had and did put on some muscle while I was doing it. So if I was to get back into it, I could probably achieve the same results with the non machine/free weight half of my routines and use what you have at your place when it came to the weights, but maybe with a little extra.
But if you want to workout more for muscle, then I would agree with you that you could use some more/better equipment from the sounds of it :)
I STILL like that better than going to the gym. Sometimes the eye candy in the gym / locker room is nice, and of course there's always equipment there that I'll never have at home (including a sauna!)... but that hardly makes up for the cost, the required year-long contract, often waiting for equipment, dealing with inconsiderate douchebags who don't give a shit about anyone else who works out in the same gym, having to travel to and from the gym, and having to remember to bring a towel and toiletries and shower flip-flops and gym clothes and my workout routines and current lifting weights, and a water bottle, and all that crap (I forget SOMETHING at least once a month, and that's freakin' annoying).
Preach on dear sister Branwyn! :D
I agree strongly with the d-bags comment. Especially the ones who like to turn going to the gym into a circus/comedy fest at other peoples' expense who're just trying to improve themselves. Don't even get me started on the level of homophobia inspired, strength in numbers, homophobia that crops up from time to time; in the gym and the locker room. That's another reason I lost interest in going.
I don't feel any less motivated, and in fact I work out more regularly because I don't have to get up as early to get in a workout before work (which I prefer), and if I decide to work out after work, it seems less of an obstacle because I can come home and not have to leave again to go to the gym. I can post my workouts right by the equipment and leave them there, track my progress on a chart on the wall, and if I forget anything, I can just go get it between sets.
Reply
I hear ya. I'm really looking forward to being in your position. Having your own home gym seems like it would be a nice little sanctuary. On top of that, you can put up your own artwork on the walls and play your OWN music. Not to mention, you can even work out naked! Something that definitely comes in handy if circumstance lends you to not have any clean gym clothes. Just make sure to do it clean and fresh though :D
And in truth, I feel like I have managed - with some creativity and plenty of referring to exrx.net - to put together decent routines for almost everything. The thing I was most worried about was legs, but I feel I'm getting as good a workout now as I used to at the gym - without traditional squats, large amounts of weight, or fancy equipment. The only thing I have NOT been able to do on my equipment is find something to replace lat pull-downs... and in truth a pull-up bar would have sufficed for the time being, had I been so inclined.
Maybe for your lat pull downs you could find a rafter or something and run some resistance bands over it and try pulling them down. Oh yeah, about getting better equipment and weights, the place I'm going to to buy most of my stuff, has a pretty large stock of gear and equipment and their prices are pretty descent.
For example, I just got 24 interlocking 2x2 foot foam floor tiles for $99.98 and they sell 300 lbs weight sets (plates and bar) for something like $280 bucks.
http://fitnessavenue.ca/
They're out in the Dufferin and Finch area and their equipment looks pretty good from what I've seen.
So, based on my couple of months of trial, I think I shall very soon be purchasing some equipment to get myself more properly set up at home. I'll be interested to hear how yours comes together and how much it costs and etc. I recommend getting a large mirror in there - I use the door in my shower because I don't have one. That is all!
I would recommend it, because the money you'd end up spending in the gym isn't an investment outside of the results you get from going there. At least with your own equipment, the money you put into it leaves you with something you can actually own :)
Reply
I'm actually working out for mass myself, though I'm at a point where I don't need a lot of weight just yet... only something like squats required more weight, and I'm doing one-legged squats with a fraction of the weight on dumbbells, and getting the same intensity of workout. Part of this trial was intended to see what equipment I could do without, and what equipment I would still need in order to get a full work-out... and at this point I'm thinking that two of those dial-a-weight dumbbells (the ones that go up to 90lbs each, I think made by BowFlex), an inclining bench, and some sort of cable-pull-down thing, will be all I need for a while. At $50/month or more for a gym membership, if you spend $600 on a gym and use it for a year, you've broken even... and after that you work out for free. :)
I am reminded that I should print out all of my workouts, and my schedule, and put up a chart on the wall, so I can track my progress right there.
B.
Reply
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