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max_boost
11-27-2008, 07:06 PM
The gyms are getting really busy and I'm just getting lazy hitting the gym. I have a cardio machine at home and I plant it in front of the TV so I'm actually doing a lot of cardio right now. 1 hour, 5X a week.

Can you guys recommend a good home gym that has most of the features I would utilize?

And no, not the BowFlex. :facepalm:

Thanks!

GQBalla
11-27-2008, 07:18 PM
P90x
:D

Oldskool
11-27-2008, 07:25 PM
Originally posted by max_boost


And no, not the BowFlex. :facepalm:



I only have experiance with the bowflex, and I was about to say that you shouldn't get one haha.

maybe go down to fitness depot and take a look at some different machines, then do some research?

A790
11-27-2008, 11:54 PM
sorry in advance for any spelling or grammatical errors, I'm on my iPhone.

Look into a free motion machine as opposed to an isolation machine. This will allow you to use your supporting muscles and provide a more rounded and functional workout.

kutt3r
11-28-2008, 10:07 AM
How much room do you have and how much do you want to spend...?

Simple/Cheap, get kettle/dumbells and an adjustable bench.

More complex get a rack/bench/barbell

It is my personal opinion that free weights are better for functional strength, unless you are really trying to isolate...

I will try to get picks up of the in progress home gym this weekend... getting the treadmill in and hopefully the mats down and the punching bag bought...

Still trying to find the rack that I want...

max_boost
11-28-2008, 10:17 AM
I have quite a bit of room in the basement. I live in one of those infills on a 25X120 so the basement is long and narrow.

I guess I'm willing to spend up to $3K for a good system. I know I'll use it so it's not an issue. The gyms are just getting so busy right now. I'm just not a fan working out in those settings.

I'm not looking to isolate any specific body part, just a solid well rounded machine. I was planning to go check out Fitness Depot or Apple Fitness but thought I would ask you guys first.

JAYMEZ
11-28-2008, 10:19 AM
^^ Gyms will be busy till Mid Jan.. Then they will die down again!! I dunno if I could justify having a home gym.. Ive used my friends bowflex and seems pretty useful if you are dedicated.

max_boost
11-28-2008, 10:28 AM
I still have a gym membership so I'll be going back haha

At least this way I have no excuse about not working out. Too much cardio is making me skinny. Need some muscles to back it up. LOL

JVR1
11-28-2008, 10:52 AM
i've had one of these for almost 3 years and it works great.

http://www.powertecfitness.com/product.php?id=2

design is like the hammer strength machines at talisman. the pulley's aren't the best but they still do the job. there's a safety pin that i use as a spotter for bench when i want to increase weight. only thing that's noticeably different is since it's a leverage machine you probably lose about 10-15% so if you load say 200lbs, it's really about 180.

dr_jared88
11-28-2008, 11:00 AM
^ That's exactly what I was going to recommend. I don't own one, but will soon.

max_boost
11-28-2008, 11:59 AM
Originally posted by JVR1
i've had one of these for almost 3 years and it works great.

http://www.powertecfitness.com/product.php?id=2

design is like the hammer strength machines at talisman. the pulley's aren't the best but they still do the job. there's a safety pin that i use as a spotter for bench when i want to increase weight. only thing that's noticeably different is since it's a leverage machine you probably lose about 10-15% so if you load say 200lbs, it's really about 180.

Where can you buy that?

JordanLotoski
11-28-2008, 12:03 PM
this is what i have in my home gym...its pretty awesome....sure i dont use it as much as i like but when i do its all i need for a great workout...it all folds up into a nice clean package...most people think its a tanning bed when folded up

http://www.fitnessdepot.ca/shop/stores/1/Torque-Fitness-F5-P733C13.aspx

JVR1
11-28-2008, 12:11 PM
Originally posted by max_boost


Where can you buy that?

Go Mango used to be the primary reseller but i think they lost it,
pretty sure its with physique fitness on blackfoot now.

4bier
11-28-2008, 12:29 PM
try powerblocks and a comfy bench or ball

mwmhong
11-28-2008, 09:10 PM
http://members.shaw.ca/mwmhong/IMG_0077.JPG


Forget the 'machines', just get a power cage, incline/decline/flat bench with olympic bars and plates. Dip station, ab bench are optional.....

Fitness Depot has some decent stuff for the price, Canadian-made Northern Lights equipment and Chinese-made bars and plates. :rofl:

For the floor, you can get horse-stall mats from a place called Bar-T-5 (http://www.bart5trailers.com/). Bring a van. :)


Total cost was around (???) $2K a few years ago.

JAYMEZ
11-28-2008, 09:12 PM
^^ Nice setup man , that would be sweet.

A790
11-28-2008, 09:23 PM
I'd recommend a NLFT (http://www.fitnessdepot.ca/shop/stores/1/Northern-Lights-Functional-Trainer-P702C65.aspx). $1,000 cheaper than the other popular functional trainer, and since it has two separate weight stacks (150lbs each) you have more than enough weight.

You can do just about everything on this, plus you can throw in a medicine or bosu ball for some core training.

mwmhong
11-28-2008, 09:45 PM
Originally posted by JAYMEZ
^^ Nice setup man , that would be sweet.


^Thanks.

Also, since I have time to kill......

I cannot stress this enough, do your research, make sure you have the space, enough ceiling height for pullups, enough floor space to be able to load weights.
Bring a tape measure to the showroom if you have to.

As for the cage, I went with the Northern Lights from Fitness Depot as opposed to the Powertec (Go Mango) and Parabody (Apple?) because:

[list=1]
Front-to-back space was adequate. Interior room to 'maneuver' was 2 ft/24 inches. The Parabody brand was 26 IIRC and the Powertec was 22 IIRC. Inches can make a huge difference (less banging around)
Pop-pin adjustment on the safety bars and weight hooks. The Parabody has this too, but the Powertec has 'skewers' that you have to pull all the way out and push in to adjust. Major pain-in-the-ass.
The people selling the Parabody wanted over $100 just for a pair of dip handles that attached to the rack. WTF? You can get a stand-alone unit (if you have the space) for a similar price!
Northern Lights has the height numbers 'laser cut' into the metal. Very nice! The others use paint/decals.
[/list=1]


Fitness Depot also has the lowest $$$/lb for weights in town.

They can also deliver/set up the equipment for you too if you like. Make sure you double check the tightness if the assembly, I found some loose stuff. :confused:


But.......unless things have changed, their weight mats SUCK. Stay away! Go use the real mats for horses, they will last forever and come in various sizes and thicknesses. (up to an inch thick IIRC).
You can drop 300+ pounds on these no-problem. :thumbsup:

You will probably need help moving those mats, very heavy and awkward, scuffed up some walls. :banghead:

JMaj7
11-29-2008, 01:29 PM
iPhone warning. Excuse mistakes please.

I'm cheap so I just got a $70 dollar bench from Walmart (adjustable w/ a curl attachment), a bar, adjustable dumbells, a Swiss ball, a medicine ball, a chin up bar, lots of free weights and a skip rope.

Chest day was primarily bench press on all three settings (incline), dumbell flys and weighted bench dips or some sort of explosive push ups

Back day was pull ups ( reg/wide until fatigue) with a medicine ball bw ur knees when I got strong enough, bent over rows w/ the bar with a towel (where one side of the is loaded with weights and the other is held down with a dumbell) and single armed bent over rows with a dumbell.

Shoulder day was military press (variated grip on alternating weeks), some compound shoulder/rotater cuff exercises and a clean and jerk to finish. Jackknife push ups help too.

For legs, jumping sumo squats (upper and lower), one legged step downs and weighted lunges or front squads.

The Swiss ball and the medicine ball served well for core day and Cardio was a lotta skipping and basketball.

I guess what I'm trying to get across is that you can substitute pricey equipment with some creativity.

+1 on PX90!!

I'm at MRC now so my set up is a secondary option

bball2
11-29-2008, 08:34 PM
Originally posted by mwmhong
--picture of home gym--

Forget the 'machines', just get a power cage, incline/decline/flat bench with olympic bars and plates. Dip station, ab bench are optional.....

Fitness Depot has some decent stuff for the price, Canadian-made Northern Lights equipment and Chinese-made bars and plates. :rofl:

For the floor, you can get horse-stall mats from a place called Bar-T-5 (http://www.bart5trailers.com/). Bring a van. :)


Total cost was around (???) $2K a few years ago. [/B]

Awesome setup, I was going to recommend something similar. A solid power cage, decent bench, set of Olympic bars / weights, and a set of dumbbells.

kamakurakid
12-16-2008, 10:56 PM
Originally posted by JAYMEZ
^^ Gyms will be busy till Mid Jan.. Then they will die down again!! I dunno if I could justify having a home gym.. Ive used my friends bowflex and seems pretty useful if you are dedicated.


My gym is dead, well at 7AM it is. Could be the 17C temps the owner keeps it at. Pro Bodies is the name, I am waiting for the place to go under. The owner has not put a cent into the building or machines, etc since Trudeau was in power. Well almost.

I can only imagine the heating/lighting costs, not to mention when it rains the owner has 50 pails all over the place collecting water.

Will be a condo project on the next boom ramp-up or one big StarBucks....at that point I will not set foot on the property.

kamakurakid
12-16-2008, 10:59 PM
Originally posted by mwmhong
http://members.shaw.ca/mwmhong/IMG_0077.JPG


Forget the 'machines', just get a power cage, incline/decline/flat bench with olympic bars and plates. Dip station, ab bench are optional.....

Fitness Depot has some decent stuff for the price, Canadian-made Northern Lights equipment and Chinese-made bars and plates. :rofl:

For the floor, you can get horse-stall mats from a place called Bar-T-5 (http://www.bart5trailers.com/). Bring a van. :)


Total cost was around (???) $2K a few years ago.


Where are the Arnold posters???

If I had that set-up and a 50" plasma my wife can have the rest of the house.

Sweet, simple set-up.

Nix87
12-20-2008, 02:46 PM
One choice:

Chuck Norris endorsed total gym

http://www.home-gym-review.com/HV%20TotalGym1500Big.jpg:thumbsup:

flipstah
12-24-2008, 01:53 PM
Originally posted by GQBalla
P90x
:D

+1! I saw a prologue of it that came with the door gym that I bought and I must say, it's pretty epic!

lint
04-04-2009, 11:56 AM
Originally posted by mwmhong
http://members.shaw.ca/mwmhong/IMG_0077.JPG


Forget the 'machines', just get a power cage, incline/decline/flat bench with olympic bars and plates. Dip station, ab bench are optional.....

Fitness Depot has some decent stuff for the price, Canadian-made Northern Lights equipment and Chinese-made bars and plates. :rofl:

For the floor, you can get horse-stall mats from a place called Bar-T-5 (http://www.bart5trailers.com/). Bring a van. :)


Total cost was around (???) $2K a few years ago.

max_boost just stole your setup. waiting for him to post some pics

max_boost
04-04-2009, 04:35 PM
Originally posted by lint


max_boost just stole your setup. waiting for him to post some pics

That setup does look really familiar :D

Just waiting for you to come over and set it up and then I'll take pics! haha Thanks for checking everything out and loading it up into the truck. :thumbsup:

Unloading was a real bitch, damn I am weak :facepalm: :thumbsdow :rofl: No joke about those horse mats either, they were freaking heavy :nut: Luckily my friend was a lot stronger than I gave him credit for, he basically did 80% of the unloading and carried the mats into the house himself and down the stairs with no assistance! :eek:

Anyway, time to get lifting!! :whipped:

mwmhong
04-07-2009, 09:59 PM
Originally posted by lint


max_boost just stole your setup. waiting for him to post some pics

:eek: Can't wait to see! :drama:

Redlined_8000
04-07-2009, 10:26 PM
Originally posted by mwmhong
http://members.shaw.ca/mwmhong/IMG_0077.JPG


Forget the 'machines', just get a power cage, incline/decline/flat bench with olympic bars and plates. Dip station, ab bench are optional.....

Fitness Depot has some decent stuff for the price, Canadian-made Northern Lights equipment and Chinese-made bars and plates. :rofl:

For the floor, you can get horse-stall mats from a place called Bar-T-5 (http://www.bart5trailers.com/). Bring a van. :)


Total cost was around (???) $2K a few years ago.

^^ This is a really nice setup, and is all you really need. If you did want to invest in a home gym, this is it.

Brilliant!! :hitit:

lint
04-07-2009, 10:48 PM
while we're waiting for max to post some pics of my hard work, here's my set up for shits and giggles

power rack on home made lifting platform, bumper plates
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/1502/img0773w.th.jpg (http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0773w.jpg)

iron
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/8107/img0774h.th.jpg (http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0774h.jpg)

chalk stand made from my old manfrotto tripod legs
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3982/img0775u.th.jpg (http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img0775u.jpg)

got a bench too. and I just noticed, even in my own gym, I unload my bars at the end of every workout and put the weights neatly back where they belong

Trini
09-19-2009, 08:15 PM
Originally posted by JVR1
i've had one of these for almost 3 years and it works great.

http://www.powertecfitness.com/product.php?id=2

design is like the hammer strength machines at talisman. the pulley's aren't the best but they still do the job. there's a safety pin that i use as a spotter for bench when i want to increase weight. only thing that's noticeably different is since it's a leverage machine you probably lose about 10-15% so if you load say 200lbs, it's really about 180.

got one of these off Kijiji for $350 with around 300 pounds of weights.

http://i35.tinypic.com/2nnjpv.jpg