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FilthyMcNasty
07-17-2008, 04:32 PM
Anybody recommend a good home Gym?? Im looking into buying one.

A790
07-17-2008, 05:51 PM
http://www.fitnessdepot.ca/shop/stores/1/Northern-Lights-Functional-Trainer-P702C13.aspx

Allows you to train your core while you work out as opposed to just isolating various muscle groups. Two separate weight stacks also allow you to use a fair bit of resistance.

If $2,000 is too much, try this one: http://www.fitnessdepot.ca/shop/stores/1/Colorado-Home-Gym-150lb-Cast-Stack-P460C13.aspx. This one only has 150lbs of weight, but you can get an upgrade (50lbs) for liek $150. This one's around $1,500 with the upgrade. Has the capability of doing like 75 workouts.

Just, whatever you do, DO NOT get a Bowflex.

KRyn
07-17-2008, 05:59 PM
In all honesty don't get any kind of home gym system. They are all garbage! You can build (when I say build I mean acquire a few pieces of equipment) a home gym for much cheaper and it will be much more effective!

All you really need is an Olympic bench with weights/bar, a squat rack of some kind and maybe some free weights. With all of this you will be able to do a wide variety of exercises. If you are real keen you could also pick up an adjustable cable machine.

Ohh and don't forget a chinup/pull up bar.

BrknFngrs
07-17-2008, 07:04 PM
^^ Agreed. But at that point you may as well just get a cage of some kind. Search for something like a hammer strength power rack, you can do almost anything with those.

dj_rice
07-17-2008, 07:16 PM
http://www.kendyck.com/images/nautilus-nt-cc1.jpg


This is the one I have, I bought it at Costco a couple years back for $899, I seen it at Costco a month or 2 ago for $599, pretty much can do whatever exercises you want, squat, weight lifting, pullup/chin up bar, seated rows etc....

Trini
07-17-2008, 07:18 PM
^damn that is a decent price

dj_rice
07-17-2008, 07:22 PM
Originally posted by Trini
^damn that is a decent price


For all the exercises it can do, yes it is...ex...take out the chair, and you can do squat weight lifting, put back the chair and u can do bench press, on the left part near the bottom, there is this lil flap where u fold it up, put ur feet against it and can do seated rows, cuz the weight pulling thing adjusts to go up or down the column...etccc

ecstasy_civic
07-17-2008, 07:24 PM
Which Costco did you see this at?

dj_rice
07-17-2008, 07:27 PM
Originally posted by ecstasy_civic
Which Costco did you see this at?


Sunridge one, they usually have it in stock for a few months then take it off and put some new products on, cuz I didnt see it there last week...:dunno:

ecstasy_civic
07-17-2008, 07:30 PM
Ill keep my eyes open, thanks:thumbsup:

KRyn
07-17-2008, 07:37 PM
Nooo don't buy that! Are you serious never ever ever do squats or bench on a smith machine! So bad for you! I would never ever buy anything like that!

Well I guess if you are just trying to stay in shape okay that is fine for the average joe. But if you even take your lifting some what serious you should stay far away.

ecstasy_civic
07-17-2008, 07:47 PM
Originally posted by KRyn
Nooo don't buy that! Are you serious never ever ever do squats or bench on a smith machine! So bad for you! I would never ever buy anything like that!

Well I guess if you are just trying to stay in shape okay that is fine for the average joe. But if you even take your lifting some what serious you should stay far away.

Im glad you wouldnt buy anything like that, means I might be able to grab one:D

The last thing I need to do is put on anymore size;) , but I guess being the average joe and not being serious it'll work for me.:burnout:

In all seriousness, I have a hard time getting to the gym with a hectic schedule, this is just for maintaining where im at now.

b_t
07-17-2008, 09:16 PM
It won't even do that for you, a Smith rack locks the bar into a fixed range of motion.. so doing bench you will work barely any muscles at all, and doing squats, you throw your back out of alignment and risk injury. You'd do better just getting a normal squat rack, an Olympic bar, and some power blocks http://www.powerblock.com/

ecstasy_civic
07-17-2008, 09:36 PM
Ya, I understand how the smith machine works, I have a bench already. But I dont have everything else I can put in a compact space. My cardio stuff and bags limit my space.

For 599 its not a bad deal.

rc2002
07-17-2008, 09:44 PM
The space savings is nice. But there's really no replacement for free weights. Universal machines don't help at all with stabilizer muscles.

Oz-
07-18-2008, 07:51 AM
With a squat/power rack that is all you basically need. Like everyone has already stated the smith machine blows, even doing a body weight squat allows you to engage more muscles then when using the smith machine for a squat.

Anyways, I think it was b_t that gave you a list. You can do that pretty much and maybe even consider getting olympic size dumbbell bars instead of the powerblocks.

This will allow you to reuse a lot of the smaller weights (1 1/4, 2.5, 5, 10 lbs). Consider getting a set of bands from ironwoody as well, don't bother with the cheap skinny ones from Sport Chek.

If you do decide to get a squat/power rack, look for the safety pin spacing to be small. A decent one will be about be 1.5 - 2 inch spacing.

Nice one from Elite FTS, their shipping rates are horrible so you are likely better suited to give someone local a try.

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=251&pid=1383

FilthyMcNasty
07-18-2008, 08:47 AM
I think im gonna hit up Costco, thats a smokin deal.

G-Suede
07-18-2008, 09:16 AM
I'm wondering, would the people claiming the smith machine to be garbage please elaborate on it's high implementation in DC training?

Thanks.

FilthyMcNasty
07-18-2008, 10:58 AM
I think the smith machine is awesome. Its definitely easier than barbell but you can stack lots of weight and still require no spotter.

b_t
07-18-2008, 11:20 AM
Originally posted by G-Suede
I'm wondering, would the people claiming the smith machine to be garbage please elaborate on it's high implementation in DC training?

Thanks.

DC training? I assume thats Doggcrapp... can't even view the program so I'm not going to bother.
With smith squats for instance, if you put your feet in the normal squat position (straight under you), you put a huge load on your knees. If you put your feet in front of you so you can get that 90 degree angle back at the bottom of the squat, you are putting an unnatural load on your lower back and that is something you never want to do.
Smith benches aren't quite as bad, but they hit a very small portion of your full chest and use no stabilizer muscles, so while you might see big gains on the smith machine, as soon as you go back to free weights, you will realize you have gained little real power as your stabilizer muscles are very weak.
It isn't like a smith machine will make your muscles peel off your bones, but they are a waste of time. The two exercises people most commonly use smiths for (squats and bench) are two exercises that are supposed to activate huge muscle groups, and on a smith machine, you are definitely not doing that. Anything on a smith is just a poor imitation of a real useful exercise.
You can be a champ like filthy mcnasty here and stack a huge amount of weight on a smith, but the guys doing free weight exercises will far outpace your gains and they would certainly have more useful power and muscle mass than the guys using machines all the time.

And as far as not needing a spotter goes... that's what a squat rack is for. You can use one for squats, and you can use it to save your ass on bench presses too especially if it has small increments for the safety stops. It makes a lot of noise if you drop the weight, sure, but it makes a huge difference in a home gym if you can do anything without worrying about dropping the weight on yourself.

Oz-
07-18-2008, 11:43 AM
Originally posted by G-Suede
I'm wondering, would the people claiming the smith machine to be garbage please elaborate on it's high implementation in DC training?

Thanks.

Dante has come out and said that he created the program with free weights in mind. Of course it doesn't always come out like that for some of his guys, since the rest/pause nature of it fatigues you to the limits and a spotter is needed on things like the incline press and reverse grip press.

Quote from Dante himself about machines and smith machines etc.


RH: Because of the rest/pause nature of DC training, there tends to be a good mix of machines in your programs. Do you believe that machines like those made by Hammer Strength can stimulate muscle growth as effectively as barbells and dumbbells?

D: I would like to see everyone build a base and use free weights whenever possible. If someone has a training partner, there’s no worry at all using free weights with my methods. But sometimes my trainees don’t have a spotter, and in those cases I try to set them up on machines that they can “save” themselves on while going to the three failure points during a rest/pause set.

For example, it’s very easy to save yourself on a Smith-machine incline press at a failure point. You just turn the bar and latch the weight. I would hate to see one of my trainees doing free-weight barbell incline presses with a guillotine bar on his neck at failure, having no way to get out of it and not being able to scream for help. Regardless, a lot of people misconstrue this as a love for machines, when in actuality I’m trying to keep safety in mind for someone who does not have a spotter. It’s as simple as that. My choice would always be a free-weight exercise over a machine if it can be done safely.

And b_t hit the nail on the head again. Also for the guys that like to see the big numbers using the smith machine remember to subtract 45lbs from the weight you think you are lifting. A true smith machine bar should be weightless and simply need 1 finger to push down/up.

G-Suede
07-18-2008, 11:48 AM
I'm not actually looking for an opinion on whether it's effective or a waste of time because chances are very high that most here don't have the physique to back up the ridiculous claims being thrown around and are merely mirroring something they heard. As they say the proof is in the pudding. With the exception of one or two members (darkane being one) I have to laugh whenever I read some of the garbage strewn around as "fact".

My question, again, is why someone like Dante of DC training would rely on equipment that is a "waste of time" Hint: Because it isn't - at least not for upper body work for chest and shoulders.

KRyn
07-18-2008, 11:56 AM
Alright then G-Suede you keep doing all of your lifts with the Smith machine then, enjoy.

lint
07-18-2008, 11:57 AM
Originally posted by G-Suede
My question, again, is why someone like Dante of DC training would rely on equipment that is a "waste of time" Hint: Because it isn't - at least not for upper body work for chest and shoulders.

Waste of time might be a bit harsh, but it isn't the most effective workout you can do with your time. And a smith machine is better than the other isolation exercise machines out there.

But to answer your question, and he states it in the quote above, safety over effectiveness. Not everyone has a spotter.

G-Suede
07-18-2008, 11:58 AM
Oz-, thanks for the relevant post. I wholeheartedly agree that free weights generally yield better results. My training has run the gamut of bodybuilding, power lifting, maintenance, etc. and I find a lot of what is said on here is simply uninformed and unsubstantiated.

I'd rather see someone buy a machine, or use a smith, if that's their only reasonable option.

b_t
07-18-2008, 12:01 PM
Originally posted by G-Suede
I'm not actually looking for an opinion on whether it's effective or a waste of time because chances are very high that most here don't have the physique to back up the ridiculous claims being thrown around and are merely mirroring something they heard. As they say the proof is in the pudding. With the exception of one or two members (darkane being one) I have to laugh whenever I read some of the garbage strewn around as "fact".

My question, again, is why someone like Dante of DC training would rely on equipment that is a "waste of time" Hint: Because it isn't - at least not for upper body work for chest and shoulders.

Alright '08 - this isn't an opinion. Did you read Oz-'s post? Dante only recommends it if you can't do the free weight exercises with a spotter, because it will save your ass if you push yourself a bit too hard.
And I am just relaying it. I heard smiths are bad for your knees and back from a kinesiologist and read an article in Men's Health that backed that up. My family has a history of back and knee problems, so I don't do them.
It is common knowledge, or so I thought, that machines don't work your muscles in the same way free weights are and could be considered an easier replacement for free weights (which Dante's quote backs up). It is pretty easy to tell that machines are easier than free weights as well - you do subtract 45 pounds from anything you are doing on a smith machine, but it is actually more than that as the machine covers for your muscles that aren't up the task. You could go to a gym this afternoon and test your free bench and smith bench against each other and find out you can move 15-20 pounds more on the smith, or even better, do free squats and smith squats and see how huge the difference is.