Cheap home gym complete!

[Canucks3322]

Just wanted to share my home setup for those of you wanting to get away from the gym bullshit (outrageous fees, being too lazy to go there, douchebags and attention whore chicks, waiting for machines, using germ infested equipment, the list goes on)...

Body by Jake Tower 200 (200lb total resistance cables that attach to door), on sale at Walmart, $150 bucks, stationary bicycle on sale from Canadian Tire, $125, chin-up bar (attaches to door), on sale at Winners, $20 bucks....my basic home gym is complete! GOODBYE $75 a month gym membership fee forever!!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Some of you hardcore gym goers who are into getting huge or being in professional sports level shape might scoff at this setup...yea I know resistance cables are only one type of resistance to train your muscles....but it's perfect for someone like me who is just looking to maintain a lean, athletic, healthy body...now I just need a kick ass blender to help get my diet up to speed!

[tobypaddock]

not all gyms are 75 a month... I pay much less and get much more than you will ever get with that home set up.

but if your happy with it then good on you i guess.



also, if you're too lazy to get up and get your ass to the gym, having it sitting in your basement wont make it any easier on you to go, and i highly expect it will collect dust after a few weeks/months

[Laoz]

Originally posted by tobypaddock




also, if you're too lazy to get up and get your ass to the gym, having it sitting in your basement wont make it any easier on you to go, and i highly expect it will collect dust after a few weeks/months

pwnd

[Canucks3322]

Originally posted by tobypaddock
not all gyms are 75 a month... I pay much less and get much more than you will ever get with that home set up.

but if your happy with it then good on you i guess.



also, if you're too lazy to get up and get your ass to the gym, having it sitting in your basement wont make it any easier on you to go, and i highly expect it will collect dust after a few weeks/months

First of all, I live downtown, so yea, all the gyms down here are around the same price, I know this because I worked in sales for World Health Club a couple of years ago. The other WHC's are 50 bucks and I don't know about you, but I'm not jogging to Northhill mall in -20 degree weather....unless you were talking about being too lazy to get in my car and drive to gym...which just proves my theory on douchebags at the gym I was referring to. Do you also make sure you wear a fresh lookin outfit and do your hair before you go?

And no, it won't collect dust, like I said in my original post, I keep in shape and have been a regular gym goer since I was 16 (only because I never researched home equipment options).

Do you work in sales or something?

I said in my post that I was wanting to maintain a lean, athletic, healthy body....get real, I can do all that with my cheap set up at home, there is absolutely no reason for me to join a gym anymore. Please tell me, what else do I need in terms of equipment that is offered at your precious gym? You pay way less? What do you pay? 50 bucks? 40 bucks? Even if you are into "gettin huge" or doing professional athlete training, you can get everything you need at home for cheaper (squat rack, barbells, plates, bench), that's all I'm saying. I guess this would actually be an anti-gym thread. :drama:

[J-hop]

thanks for the thread! Although I like to go out to the gym (nice to get out of the house and change gears), I would like to set up something for myself at home as it would be nice on -30 days not to have to scrape the ice off the car, drive for 10mins in the freezing cold only to have to do that again an hour and a half later and with wet hair to boot!!

I would like to hear what other people have set up at home as well. I am looking into a heavy bag set up in the garage (as I kickbox a bit) and maybe a dumbbell set to start off.


how is the chin up bar, I've always wondered if those damage the door frame at all, have you noticed anything like that?

[Canucks3322]

^ I've bought dumbells before, the plates back then like 5 years ago were around 40 cents a lb...pretty cheap...you can also get cheap ass workout benches at Walmart...

If you're into really heavy lifting though, I'd go to a real fitness store and get their strong and sturdier benches and pay a bit more though. Same goes for squat racks...

The chin up bar won't damage your door, I'm no engineer but there are so many brands out there and they use the same simple design, it's physics, it won't damage your door.

Back around boxing day I saw 1500 dollar treadmills sell for 600-700 bucks! :eek: ...Sears and Canadian Tire, there's always people selling these things on Kijiji too...

[max_boost]

Originally posted by J-hop

I would like to hear what other people have set up at home as well.

http://www.members.shaw.ca/samtang310/Power%20Rack.jpg

:thumbsup:

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Canucks3322

....unless you were talking about being too lazy to get in my car and drive to gym...which just proves my theory on douchebags at the gym I was referring to. Do you also make sure you wear a fresh lookin outfit and do your hair before you go?

What do you pay? 50 bucks? 40 bucks? :

Does this mean I'm also a douchebag because I drive to the gym? Oh, and I pay $28.50.

I've tried the home workout thing myself, and just couldn't keep motivated. I'd get distracted too easily. When I'm at the gym, there's only one thing to do... work out.

Good luck to you though, maybe you're more motivated than myself.

[tobypaddock]

Originally posted by Canucks3322
unless you were talking about being too lazy to get in my car and drive to gym...which just proves my theory on douchebags at the gym I was referring to. Do you also make sure you wear a fresh lookin outfit and do your hair before you go?

so if i drive to the gym that proves your theory on douchebags at the gym??:english:

uh, why do u care about if i do my hair or what i wear weirdo? i wear a hat and my gym gear (sometimes shorts, sometimes sweats)


Originally posted by Canucks3322
Do you work in sales or something?

no


Originally posted by Canucks3322
You pay way less? What do you pay? 50 bucks? 40 bucks?

$22/bi-weekly

[Canucks3322]

^ I apologize for that comment, I got a little mad cuz he called me lazy lol, you know how beyond is lol :drama:

[chathamf]

I've been picking away at a decent home setup the last couple years. Just pick up stuff used/on sale for the most part.

So far I've been a few different benches (one had a setup for doing squats, but with no safety features at all, so I never really used it.

I picked up about 300lb's in weights. I've got 2.5-25 in dumb bells so far, still picking away at these, I use the shitty things where you can put weights on it yourself for heavier weights. Want to get some powerblocks though.

I got a 100lb heavy bag, built an awesome chinup bar based on a design I seen online. I ordered the resistence bands from Beachbody which are super high quality. They don't compare to free weights, but are still pretty useful. I got them because I was doing P90x last year and couldn't afford all the dumb bells.

I just recently picked up a Smith machine off Kijiji for 200 bucks. Now I don't want to hear about how they suck and all this shit from the pro weight lifters. It is a great machine for doing squats and benches and whatnot by yourself. Don't get all the stabilizer muscles, but you still get a good workout.

I also have a treadmill and a recumbent bike.

I find with the setup I can do whatever I need to get a good workout, but I still do miss going to the gym as they have tons of different stuff and it's just nice to get out of your house. I don't have a workout buddy at the moment though so I like to use my home setup.

[Canucks3322]

tobypaddock...well if you pay 40 bucks a month and it works for you then fine...but me personally, I'm working on my finances and I need to save the money per month, but I also want to stay in shape...so this works for me.

[C_Dave45]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Does this mean I'm also a douchebag because I drive to the gym? Oh, and I pay $28.50.

I've tried the home workout thing myself, and just couldn't keep motivated. I'd get distracted too easily. When I'm at the gym, there's only one thing to do... work out.

Good luck to you though, maybe you're more motivated than myself.

x2. Guess I'm a douche too lol. Seriously, I've NEVER met anyone who's been able to continue working out at home. Get back to us in a year. I have a similar setup to Max's...but still, I need the gym. I enjoy the gym! I find with both home and gym, I don't miss my workouts.

[Canucks3322]

Originally posted by max_boost


http://www.members.shaw.ca/samtang310/Power%20Rack.jpg

:thumbsup:

I'll buy that off ya when I get a house in a couple years haha

[Canucks3322]

Well....if some of you actually need to go to a place called "the gym" to have any motivation, then continue, lol...

I dunno, it's the same thing when I see people in the gym in the middle of summer running an hour on the treadmill....GO FUCKING OUTSIDE!!!

[J-hop]

Originally posted by Canucks3322

The chin up bar won't damage your door, I'm no engineer but there are so many brands out there and they use the same simple design, it's physics, it won't damage your door.


cool yea just from looking at ones in the store I wasn't sure how safe on the trim around the frame it would be (should have clarified) but sounds like it would be just fine.

max that is a pretty sick setup!!

[tobypaddock]

Originally posted by Canucks3322
tobypaddock...well if you pay 40 bucks a month and it works for you then fine...but me personally, I'm working on my finances and I need to save the money per month, but I also want to stay in shape...so this works for me.

fair 'nuff, but if you need to save money make it about that, not about the "douchebags" and "whores" that go to the gym. no need to be so offended, i just see people do this all the time, buy a bowflew or whatever cause "in the long run its cheaper than a gym" and it just sits and collects dust as they get fat.

[Canucks3322]

Originally posted by tobypaddock


fair 'nuff, but if you need to save money make it about that, not about the "douchebags" and "whores" that go to the gym. no need to be so offended, i just see people do this all the time, buy a bowflew or whatever cause "in the long run its cheaper than a gym" and it just sits and collects dust as they get fat.

Rest assured, fellow beyonder, I know what I'm doing by finally quitting the gym haha....:thumbsup: So far I don't miss it, I find it great that I can put on whatever music I want too at home and watch whatever tv.....some people also really just don't have time to go to the gym, which is also reason to have some sort of a setup at home.

Btw...I live in a tiny one bedroom condo that's the reason why I went with such a minimal setup...when I move to a house I'd be getting actually weights and stuff and squat rack and bench press

[max_boost]

I guess I'm one of those rare guys who works out at home religiously but that's me.

I work out at all hours of the day, sometimes morning, sometimes afternoon, sometimes at mid night lol

Nothing beats putting on my chucks, going downstairs, blast the music and start squatting and making noises on the heavy sets haha

But hey, do whatever works for you. Stay strong. Don't be weak!

[tobypaddock]

Originally posted by Canucks3322
I dunno, it's the same thing when I see people in the gym in the middle of summer running an hour on the treadmill....GO FUCKING OUTSIDE!!!

i dont know what it is but i cant run outside, put me on a treadmill and i can run forever, outside just doesnt do it for me unless im running with my dog...:dunno:

[Muji]

I have 4 kettlebells, a yoga mat and skipping rope. For the kettlebell workout I use a couple of good DVDs and for the yoga Kest or Yee DVDs. Cardio is skipping and running in the non winter seasons.

A treadmill would be nice, looking for one now.

I do kettlebell workouts three times a week and yoga twice a week, cardio four times a week. Rather minimal I know, the yoga is actually harder than the weights. I would challenge anyone to do a 60-90 minute yoga workout, you find out how old school weight lifting makes one tight.

Said piss off to the awful gym I was going to and now keep $40 a month in my pocket.

[TurboMedic]

I would like a nice compact stack setup, I have a smaller house......I would definitely do more if I had the gear

[C_Dave45]

Suggestion for home stuff; Go used. For almost everything you can find tons of it on Kijiji that is doing nothing but collecting dust.
Treadmills, machines, even free weights. Twice the quality and half the price of store bought stuff.

My dumbbells have the "spring-lock" collars just like the Olympic bar so quick changes are easy. from 10 - 105 lbs.


http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o312/CalgaryDave/IMG_0172.jpg


Then a cage setup with high & low pulley, lat machine (never use) and separate decline - military bench. Got all my Olympic plates for around .50/lb.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o312/CalgaryDave/pic-2355.jpg

[duaner]

These were taken just over a year ago. Please forgive my wife's mess. lol That's what happens when I have to share my space with laundry, storage and furnace. Sucks a lot.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/5858/img0089bv.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5531/img0090be.jpg
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/3361/img0091bd.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/2361/img0092b.jpg
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/7849/img0093b.jpg

There are a few other things not in there like the exercise ball, Bosu ball, balance cushions and wobble board. And a couple of 50lb plates.

I was contemplating expanding on the dumbbells but at 50lb+ they start getting expensive. I would love olympic weights and a power/squat rack but as anyone can see, I have no room for anything. At 6'4" with the bottom of the floor joists at 7'5", I have no overhead room either.

I think I will try and get into some sort of shape and get some passes for SLC at the end of Feb. There and/or a gym in Riverbend in March when my company moves offices.

[chathamf]

Originally posted by duaner
These were taken just over a year ago. Please forgive my wife's mess. lol That's what happens when I have to share my space with laundry, storage and furnace. Sucks a lot.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/5858/img0089bv.jpg
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/5531/img0090be.jpg
http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/3361/img0091bd.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/2361/img0092b.jpg
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/7849/img0093b.jpg

There are a few other things not in there like the exercise ball, Bosu ball, balance cushions and wobble board. And a couple of 50lb plates.

I was contemplating expanding on the dumbbells but at 50lb+ they start getting expensive. I would love olympic weights and a power/squat rack but as anyone can see, I have no room for anything. At 6'4" with the bottom of the floor joists at 7'5", I have no overhead room either.

I think I will try and get into some sort of shape and get some passes for SLC at the end of Feb. There and/or a gym in Riverbend in March when my company moves offices.

Pimpin' home gym man, that is pretty sweet.

[cjay^]

Yeah getting a membership at Goodlife was a terrible decision on my part. Instead of spending my money on that membership, I could have got an adjustable bench (incline, flat, decline, shoulder press), preacher curl, some ez bars and a pull up bar, and made similar progress (minus legs I guess, racks are $$$, could still hit the lats with wide grip pullups and DB rows).

I just like the idea of being able to work out at home. It's just way more convenient and gives you fewer excuses for not working out. Shit, somedays I'd be up at 1am or whatever and just have an urge to lift but the gym was closed (not 24/7) or I was too lazy to go.

For those of us where getting huge isn't a top priority, but being healthy and having a good physique is important, I think a home gym is perfect.

[scboss]

Originally posted by cjay^
Yeah getting a membership at Goodlife was a terrible decision on my part. Instead of spending my money on that membership, I could have got an adjustable bench (incline, flat, decline, shoulder press), preacher curl, some ez bars and a pull up bar, and made similar progress (minus legs I guess, racks are $$$, could still hit the lats with wide grip pullups and DB rows).

I just like the idea of being able to work out at home. It's just way more convenient and gives you fewer excuses for not working out. Shit, somedays I'd be up at 1am or whatever and just have an urge to lift but the gym was closed (not 24/7) or I was too lazy to go.

For those of us where getting huge isn't a top priority, but being healthy and having a good physique is important, I think a home gym is perfect.

IMO for just gaining functional strength your legs are where its at and unless you have a cage or a squat rack its useless. If thats the case you might as well just get a pull up bar and do all body weight stuff. You should have got a membership at a 24 hr gym so you can go whenever, but if you get the urge to lift at 1 am you have not been going all the time anyways. :dunno:

[duaner]

Originally posted by chathamf


Pimpin' home gym man, that is pretty sweet.
Yeah, it does okay when I actually work out. lol

The thing with working out at home is that it is too easy to become distracted by other things going on--good movie or show on tv, Flames games, phone calls, Internet--and it isn't as motivating working out alone, for me anyway. What I like about the gym is that it's a place where everyone there is there to workout, for the most part. I find it motivating watching other people work out, pushing big weight around and wanting to push myself to be like them.

Of course the trade off is that it can be hard to even get motivated to go to the gym when it's freaking cold out, or whatever.

That is why I think I will stop building the home gym and get some passes to SLC so I can do legs and barbell presses. Then the times I don't make it to the gym, I can still do a decent workout at home.

Btw, the Torque Fitness F5 is only on loan from some family that have moved out of the country. I'll miss it if/when they move back and decide they want it back.

[cjay^]

Originally posted by warcaster


IMO for just gaining functional strength your legs are where its at and unless you have a cage or a squat rack its useless. If thats the case you might as well just get a pull up bar and do all body weight stuff. You should have got a membership at a 24 hr gym so you can go whenever, but if you get the urge to lift at 1 am you have not been going all the time anyways. :dunno:


I agree, a bench and a pull up bar would definitely suffice for my goals in the short term, however legs are important to me just because nobody respects chicken legs (well, and mostly because it's functional strength as you said haha). After I get a bench, a squat rack is for sure in order.

Yeah I just picked Goodlife because its close to where I live, and relatively inexpensive, plus the facilities were quite nice. Of course a couple weeks after I cancel, they make it 24 hours...

[scboss]

Originally posted by cjay^



I agree, a bench and a pull up bar would definitely suffice for my goals in the short term, however legs are important to me just because nobody respects chicken legs (well, and mostly because it's functional strength as you said haha). After I get a bench, a squat rack is for sure in order.

Yeah I just picked Goodlife because its close to where I live, and relatively inexpensive, plus the facilities were quite nice. Of course a couple weeks after I cancel, they make it 24 hours...


You should at least get a Olympic bar with some weight and do deadlifts and power cleans. You dont really need a squat rack do jumping squats with just the bar and very light weight then heavy deads and cleans.
For me the gym is better just because im more motivated when im there, its like im there to do a job with no distractions.

[A790]

Originally posted by cjay^



I agree, a bench and a pull up bar would definitely suffice for my goals in the short term, however legs are important to me just because nobody respects chicken legs (well, and mostly because it's functional strength as you said haha). After I get a bench, a squat rack is for sure in order.

Yeah I just picked Goodlife because its close to where I live, and relatively inexpensive, plus the facilities were quite nice. Of course a couple weeks after I cancel, they make it 24 hours...
If you have dumbbells you could incorporate those into some basic leg exercises. For functional strength that should suffice until you can afford a squat rack.

[msommers]

We recently picked up some gym stuff for downstairs and I have to say I absolutely love it, especially because everyone I know that goes to the gym fucking hates it right now because of how busy it is.

The days I would miss going to the gym were because I did not want to drive across town to the UofC, it had nothing to do with not feeling like working out. Now that excuse is gone. Come home, eat a small meal, work out then make a big meal. Especially in weather like this, no freezing your ass off either. No need for headphones, can throw the iPod on the dock and crank it up. The only aspect I miss? Girls in their yoga shorts.

We picked up a half rack w/ chin-up bar, olympic weights and adjustable bench. I'm thinking about getting some of those adjustable powerblock dumbells if I can find a used pair. I'll give it a couple weeks, they'll start showing up on Kijiji soon enough :D

[Mitsu3000gt]

I wish I had even 1/4 the motivation or attention span required to work out at home. I HAVE to be in a gym or I just get distracted. At least my gym is only a 3min drive from my house and has heated underground parking :D.

[soccernut]

I am gonna weigh in on this home vs Gym argument.

I have been training at home since October/2009 doing P90X. Since then I did P90X round 2, and got the Tony Horton one-on-one series and been mixing things up since then. All I have at home is dumbells, some free weights, bands, pull up bar, bench and barbell.

At my age right now (30) I have been working out at home religiously for the past year and a half (Minimum 4 times/week) and have been in the best shape EVER (looks and performance)

I love the convenience of working out at home, my son is near by and I can play with him as I work out. I don't have to deal with the negatives the OP mentioned.

I do like to go outside the house to work out from time to time to change "scenery". Those attention seeking "whores" are nice to look at once in a while. So I have taken advantage of some online deals (hot yoga is pretty challenging at times).

Some people do like to get out of the house to get motivated to work out, others don't. when you are at the gym, you can only work out. When you are at home, you can watch TV, eat, surf the net...etc.

IMO you should do whatever works for you and not judge everyone else's choice.

[JfuckinC]

I have tried the working out at home thing so much and i just cant get motiivated, i'd rather play xbox. Working out at the gym works for me because my buddies will make fun of me if i dont go :rofl: Plus they know a shit ton more than i do about lifting because they've all stuck with it for so long. (i'm literally the only one who hasn't! and i'm the biggest.. sad shame)

I do cardio at home though, just sit on the stationary bike and play xbox or watch tv..

[max_boost]

Do whatever works for you regardless if it's indoors or outdoors. Most importantly, get active, lift some weights and get your ass moving.

Say no to being fat haha

[ddduke]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I wish I had even 1/4 the motivation or attention span required to work out at home. I HAVE to be in a gym or I just get distracted. At least my gym is only a 3min drive from my house and has heated underground parking :D.

I don't have heated parking at my gym, but it's less then a 1 min drive away. But, I completely agree with you. It's like studying, I had to do it in a library. When I go to the gym, I know what I'm there for and for those 2 hours I'm in the zone and get shit done.

I even bought one of those multi purpose pull up bars and figured I'd use it at home when I was hung over, just so something was accomplished. But it's been collecting dust for months now.

[BMDUBS]

Damn it! Im torn on this. I work a job where between April and November I work roughly 60 hours a week. Motivation is next to impossible after a 13-14 hour work day so i am reluctant to get a gym membership. I also fall into the category of being easily distracted working out at home. I borrowed a buddies Powerblocks and incline/decline bench for a year and I think I used a total of 4-5 times. What to do what to do? I think I am more in need of personal discipline than the gym

:rofl:

Not to hijack but is there any gyms that go month to month??

[Disoblige]

Speaking of Home Gyms, I'm building my little set up right now.

However, I want a small bar to attach to the weights I have set up for seated row. Anyone have a bar (long or short) with an attachment hole in the center? :D

It would help me out a lot.

[ddduke]

Originally posted by BMDUBS
I think I am more in need of personal discipline

This...

The amount you work is really no excuse in my books, when I go up north during the winters I work 12hrs a day, 7 days a week and I still goto the gym for atleast an hour a night. What you have to do is make it part of your life style and then you'll find time to go.

Every gym has month to month, but usually it's $85-$100/month. Atleast golds, goodlife and WHC offer these, not sure about smaller gyms.

[lint]

Originally posted by Disoblige
Speaking of Home Gyms, I'm building my little set up right now.

However, I want a small bar to attach to the weights I have set up for seated row. Anyone have a bar (long or short) with an attachment hole in the center? :D

It would help me out a lot.

lat accessories are pretty cheap. You can get a triangle for $20 from fitness depot http://shop.fitnessdepot.ca/Deluxe-Chrome-Chinning-Triangle-P478.aspx

they don't have a short bar listed on the site, but you can call and ask. They most likely have something at one of the locations.