Home workouts and motivation

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js2012
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Joined: Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:13 pm

Home workouts and motivation

Post by js2012 »

Right now, I spend $47 a month for a gym membership and $140 a month for a Masters Swim Team. I also recently restarted doing yoga and would like to take one class a week to help get restarted.

The overall problem is I'm bored of the gym and have trouble making the swim team practices so the unlimited pool sessions rarely get used.

I'm considering putting the gym membership on hold for five months and using the time to run outside, buy a few workout videos and swim on the weekends. My two problems: 1) getting motivated for the gym/working out 2) not having access to weights at home

Does anyone have success with working out at home with relatively few weights and a small space? Do you have workout videos (I'm definitely not a beginner so am looking for challenging workouts)? How do you stay motivated (I enjoy having a swim coach give me workouts because when I swim on my own, I tend to get bored and slack off)?

I guess I'm looking for some strategies to save money and increase my fitness and maybe reignite my passion for healthy eating and working out (coincidentally, when I workout, I naturally eat better so I need to probably start there).
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fetch5482
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by fetch5482 »

In the same boat & looking for motivation while my pre-diabetic condition gets worse.. I don't enjoy playing sports or running or any physical activities, so "do what you enjoy" advice does not help me. Whatever I do, I will need to go a bit out of my way, go outside my comfort zone, and do it despite not enjoying..

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gatorman
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by gatorman »

walletless wrote:In the same boat & looking for motivation while my pre-diabetic condition gets worse.. I don't enjoy playing sports or running or any physical activities, so "do what you enjoy" advice does not help me. Whatever I do, I will need to go a bit out of my way, go outside my comfort zone, and do it despite not enjoying..

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TP81
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by TP81 »

I was bored with the gym also. About 4 years ago my wife and I decided we would try CrossFit for a few months. 3 years later we opened our own CrossFit box. Joining a box will definitley help with motivation and boredom. Not so much the wallet though. Another option is to order some basic equipment for the garage. You can do pretty much any workout in a 10x10 space, minus running and the like. This is what we did after a year and a half of going to a box. You can follow the programming on http://crossfit.com this will require equipment or make up your own workouts. The lingo takes some time to understand but it's not that difficult.


This link is workouts to do with no/minimal equipment

http://thetravelingwod.com

Hope this helps
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Toons
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Toons »

I hop on my bicycle and pedal up and down the street for about 30 minutes,,then go to the shed and lift weights :happy
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Atilla
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Atilla »

I've always been extremely bored with gyms and exercising inside. Can't stand it and won't do it.

So...I run outside with weights. Try jogging an hour a day with a 10 pound barbell in each hand. That will crap you out like you won't believe. Do it when it's zero degrees outside and now you're talking. Throw in some stretching, sit ups and pushups and you'll be good to go. And some reverse curls with a 30# barbell.

A few years ago my then 60-ish year old dad was pre-diabetic. He started eating lots of vegetables and taking very long walks/bike rides. He's 6' tall, 160 pounds now and wears 32" waist pants at 70 years old. He says 20% of his calorie intake each day is the 3 beers he has each night with his cronies at the Old Guys Table at Cutter's Bar.
Last edited by Atilla on Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Topic Author
js2012
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by js2012 »

Thank you for the suggestions so far. Running will be fine now that winter is winding down but I'm also thinking about what to do next winter or when it's raining.

Are there any workout videos that anyone also uses? What are some strategies to keep motivated (do you commit on a calendar, have set days)?

Thanks!
dad2000
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by dad2000 »

I also hate working out indoors, but with the harsh winter, haven't had much of a choice.

You can actually get a pretty decent workout indoors without a lot of equipment.

I bought a core ball ($9) to work the midsection.
You can get a lot done using loop resistance bands ($10-15) around wrists, knees, feet, etc.
I do lots with my own body weight (think planks, push ups, etc.)
I do have 3 sets of dumbells for everything else that requires weights.

No weight bench or barbells required.
basspond
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by basspond »

I just have a set of dumb bells and a treadmill. Workouts can be boring and hard to get motivated. My best luck has been doing it first thing when I get up. But I just train to maintain, not to be a world class athlete.
adam1712
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by adam1712 »

It's not for everybody, but I started playing video games while riding an exercise bike. It's made a big difference for me in terms of not slowing down on days when I'm less motivated.
Pugs135
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Pugs135 »

My wife bought the Shawn t. Insanity max 30 DVDs. It is bodyweight workouts that we do in a very small room. The workout lasts 30 minutes and are very challenging. All u need is the DVDs no weights or other tools. i would highly recommend these DVDs.
lightheir
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by lightheir »

Seriously, the only way I can motivate to train hard is to sign up for races. I'll never come close to winning the things, but knowing that you'll be going all out and getting a time to compare to your old ones is pretty darn good motivation to keep up the workouts. Since you swim, triathlons would be a fun way to keep your fitness going.
IPer
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by IPer »

I have a generally rigorous physical practice I do at home. Right now you caught me procrastinating to go do it! The mind plays tricks
on me every single day which range from laziness to excuses to pain in various places and so forth. Once I start the exercise excuses
are reduced by about 85%. 35 minutes into it almost no more excuses or issues as the benefits unfold. It is so so easy to *listen* to the
excuses and miss a practice. It took me about 6 months to be able to reasonably deal with this though it still gets me. To me, at this
time, there is nothing better than completing a practice, earlier in the morning the better.

Oh, one thing to beware of: The cumulative time and effort of your exercise produce the results, not any specific point, this may help
you to get through it. This ALSO may help you to be lazy within an exercise day, don't let it! You need to give as much concentration
as you can in order to a) reduce possibility of injuries and b) maximize potential benefits.
Read the Wiki Wiki !
livesoft
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by livesoft »

js2012 wrote:Does anyone have success with working out at home with relatively few weights and a small space?
I workout in my master bathroom which is rather large. When I'm not using them, I put the dumbbells in the unused jacuzzi. I have a $20 bar for pull-ups in one of 7 doors in the bathroom. The way to stay motivated is to announce on the forum what great oatmeal abs you have. Then the fear of someone actually seeing you one day keeps you working on those abs every single day.

Also you have to announce how many pull-ups you can do in that other thread. (Note to rayout, in that other thread, not in this thread! :) )

For a link to links: viewtopic.php?p=2329834#p2329834
Last edited by livesoft on Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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rayout
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by rayout »

I just have a basic routine of pull-ups (5 reps of 5, different grips positions), hangs, 50 squats, 50 push ups mixed with planks and other floor exercises that I try to do each day. Now that it is nice outside I will be adding some cardio work and long walks to build endurance for a mud run coming up in May. I will also be taking a couple swim classes per week to get me up to snuff for the water portions of the race.

I picked up a punch card for my park district gym in January, 2014. $70 for 10 visits. I've used it three times. I don't think I'd find much value in a gym membership :)

Most of my weightloss was due to diet and not exercise. I did low carb for a while and that dovetailed into the paleo diet. Worked great for me.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ has a free bodyweight workout guide with progressions if you sign up for their newsletter. However, I find the website very commercialized now and don't visit it much more.
gator15
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by gator15 »

I created a home gym in my basement which has all the equipment I need to get a good workout. I enjoy working out in my basement as I tend to do it while watching TV. The problem was I wasn't pushing myself like I should. Once I was a member of 24 Hour Fitness but I cancelled my membership due to the boredom of my workouts.
I now continue to workout in my home gym but i have a membership with UFC Gym. I don't go there for the mixed martial arts training. I go there for the daily cardio/circuit training. They have an instructor and he or she pushes you for an hour. As a result of the many classes I've attended I recently completed a rigorous physical course for my job. It doesn't have to be a UFC Gym. Someone mentioned Crossfit. Their gyms are great too. Each of the classes are challenging and far from boring. They also get you in great shape. The price is also not too bad when you compare to hiring a personal trainer.
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oneleaf
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by oneleaf »

My gym shut down and I had to start doing my own workouts at home. I have done it in the past, and have stayed pretty faithful to it and got in really good shape. I think a pullup bar is necessary. After that, it really depends on what type of training you want to do. If you do not want to get a lot of weights, then you may want to look into suspension trainers. You can hang them off your pullup bar and it gives you a lot of great exercises. TRX, Lifeline, and (my favorite) Rogue gym rings are great options.

If interested in weights, but do not want a set of barbell weights and/or dumbbells, you can get an excellent workout with a couple of kettlebells. I personally can get a ton of great training out of 35 lb, a 44 lb, and 53 lb kettlebell. These 3 give me great training for swings, clean and presses, front squats, snatches, turkish getups, floor presses, shoulder presses, one armed rows. I often pick up two kettlebells (different weight in each hand since I only have one of each weight) and get uneven workouts and then switch hands to balance out. This allows you to do two handed exercises without needing to buy pairs. Reduces cost and storage space.

The nice thing about kettlebell technique is you can do a lot without needing heavy duty equipment like a squat rack. For instance, learning how to clean heavy kettlebells (get them into position from the ground using your hips) make it possible to get into position to press overhead or do front squats. These exercises, in barbell form, need squat racks to do it. So 3 big kettlebells, for me, can take the place of some serious barbell/dumbbell exercise. In the past, I have been into the more traditional barbell type exercises (and want to find another gym someday to do them), but I find I can reasonably maintain the strength I want with the 3 kettlebells.
Topic Author
js2012
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by js2012 »

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'm looking forward to saving some money and changing up my routine.

Right now, I'm thinking that some dumbbells, a kettelball and maybe a video or two will start me off well. I already have yoga equipment and stretch cords.

Keep the ideas coming!
IPer
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by IPer »

rayout wrote:I just have a basic routine of pull-ups (5 reps of 5, different grips positions), hangs, 50 squats, 50 push ups mixed with planks and other floor exercises that I try to do each day. Now that it is nice outside I will be adding some cardio work and long walks to build endurance for a mud run coming up in May. I will also be taking a couple swim classes per week to get me up to snuff for the water portions of the race.

I picked up a punch card for my park district gym in January, 2014. $70 for 10 visits. I've used it three times. I don't think I'd find much value in a gym membership :)

Most of my weightloss was due to diet and not exercise. I did low carb for a while and that dovetailed into the paleo diet. Worked great for me.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ has a free bodyweight workout guide with progressions if you sign up for their newsletter. However, I find the website very commercialized now and don't visit it much more.
rayout do u have any good pdf's on this you care to share?
Read the Wiki Wiki !
supersharpie
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by supersharpie »

I bought an elliptical in 10/2013 for $600. Since then I have been "running" about 63 miles a week. I watch travel and food shows which takes my mind off the monotony of the physical activity. My motivation is that I spent about eight years of my childhood as a "fat kid," lost about 80 pounds fifteen years ago and vowed never to be overweight again. So far I have not let myself down :D

My other, related, motivation? I love food and exercising this much allows me to consume an extra 5000+ calories a week without gaining weight.
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Kalo
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Kalo »

For weights, I have dumb bells and a bench in my den. You can do quite a few exercises with that, and it takes up very little space. For lower body, I just rely on walking. My knees can't take weight machines anyway. I also have an exercise bike which I should ride more but I don't seem to do it.

Good luck on your efforts. I sympathize with the motivation thing. That's the crux for me. Well, that plus injury. I tend to get nagging injuries if I work out too hard. So of course I don't work out too hard. But then I still get stiff occasionally anyway. I'm too old now to care all that much about it, but I do want to keep at it for my health. Weight training is a large piece of the weight loss puzzle in my opinion since it can increase resting metabolism. Plus I enjoy the endorphin boost it gives.

Kalo
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randomguy
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by randomguy »

js2012 wrote:Thank you for the suggestions so far. Running will be fine now that winter is winding down but I'm also thinking about what to do next winter or when it's raining.

Are there any workout videos that anyone also uses? What are some strategies to keep motivated (do you commit on a calendar, have set days)?

Thanks!
What does winter have to do with it? Unless it is like -10 or so running outside isn't a big deal. After the first 10 or 15 mins you will be sweating and unzipping the jacket to let out the heat. It is a heck of a lot more pleasant to go for a run when it is 20 versus 85. Rain is even less of an issue. I can't think of a single track practice that was ever missed in 8+ years because of rain or cold and this was living in the midwest and the north east where having school canceled because of poor weather was pretty normal event. If you want to exercise you will. If you want to find excuses not to, you will.
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dm200
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by dm200 »

For me - going to the gym almost every day is actually motivating - and I have been doing that for almost 4 years now (am in my late 60's). [Avtually one of 3 different county gyms - open at slightly different times different days, going to one most of the time].

These are County gyms - and the discounted cost for over 62 is $127 per YEAR. I am not into swimming, so no pool is NO problem. At less than $11 per MONTH (includes towel service and showers) - a true bargain (of course my taxes help pay for the facility, whether I use it or not). One gym (the one I use most) has a 1/ mile indoor track. I alternate about 4 or 5 different aerobic exercises - and the equipment is higher quality than home equipment. If I stop liking one machine, there are a lot of others. One change I made 2 or 3 years ago is to dress in exercise clothes and take regular clothes with me - then sower and dress for the day after exercise at the gym each morning (or almost every morning).
ThankYouJack
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by ThankYouJack »

js2012 wrote:
Does anyone have success with working out at home with relatively few weights and a small space? Do you have workout videos (I'm definitely not a beginner so am looking for challenging workouts)? How do you stay motivated (I enjoy having a swim coach give me workouts because when I swim on my own, I tend to get bored and slack off)?
P90X is awesome and just requires a pull-up bar and I used a couple adjustable adjustable dumbbells that I bought for about $100. I did it for about a month and followed the nutrition plan and had amazing results. But it will absolutely kick your butt. It requires a decent amount of athleticism and strength (things like clapping push-ups and one armed push-ups), so I wouldn't recommend it for most people. It also takes a ton of motivation to do it for 90 days straight, so if you're looking for extra motivation to work out, it's probably not a good fit.

But the days are getting warmer and the nights are getting longer, why limit to yourself to a small space inside? Variation is key for me. I would say run, bike (road and mountain), hike, swim, walk, rock climb, find a small child and lift them up and down. There's a billion things more fun than lifting weights.
IPer
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by IPer »

ThankYouJack wrote:
js2012 wrote:
Does anyone have success with working out at home with relatively few weights and a small space? Do you have workout videos (I'm definitely not a beginner so am looking for challenging workouts)? How do you stay motivated (I enjoy having a swim coach give me workouts because when I swim on my own, I tend to get bored and slack off)?
P90X is awesome and just requires a pull-up bar and I used a couple adjustable adjustable dumbbells that I bought for about $100. I did it for about a month and followed the nutrition plan and had amazing results. But it will absolutely kick your butt. It requires a decent amount of athleticism and strength (things like clapping push-ups and one armed push-ups), so I wouldn't recommend it for most people. It also takes a ton of motivation to do it for 90 days straight, so if you're looking for extra motivation to work out, it's probably not a good fit.

But the days are getting warmer and the nights are getting longer, why limit to yourself to a small space inside? Variation is key for me. I would say run, bike (road and mountain), hike, swim, walk, rock climb, find a small child and lift them up and down. There's a billion things more fun than lifting weights.
P90 without the X should be sufficient for most, no bar required.
Read the Wiki Wiki !
kirent
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by kirent »

TP81 wrote:I was bored with the gym also. About 4 years ago my wife and I decided we would try CrossFit for a few months. 3 years later we opened our own CrossFit box. Joining a box will definitley help with motivation and boredom. Not so much the wallet though. Another option is to order some basic equipment for the garage. You can do pretty much any workout in a 10x10 space, minus running and the like. This is what we did after a year and a half of going to a box. You can follow the programming on http://crossfit.com this will require equipment or make up your own workouts. The lingo takes some time to understand but it's not that difficult.


This link is workouts to do with no/minimal equipment

http://thetravelingwod.com

Hope this helps
I feel a lot of the motivation to go to Crossfit is from the community and the people you workout with though. Sure, you can do the workouts from crossfit.com but I feel they would be boring like any other exercise without a community there to challenge and motivate you.
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Bacchus01
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Bacchus01 »

I'll second P90X. P90X3 is great for those without as much time, or not as intense.

However, none of these will work without the right diet. You HAVE to do both.
TP81
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by TP81 »

Kettlebells are a great tool. They are small and many movements can be done with them. Really the best exercise program is the one you will do. Craigslist is a good place to check for equipment, especially in the coming months as the New Years resolutions fade away.

[/quote]I feel a lot of the motivation to go to Crossfit is from the community and the people you workout with though. Sure, you can do the workouts from crossfit.com but I feel they would be boring like any other exercise without a community there to challenge and motivate you.[/quote]

This is absolutely true. However, I spent a year and a half on my own. I found that the different workouts everyday kept it interesting enough to keep me motivated.
zadie
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by zadie »

Insanity DVDs and the other resources from BeachBody. 30-45 minutes high intensity aerobic activity. Great workouts, even for someone who is in decent shape
mjb
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by mjb »

P90 and P90X3

You probably want P90X3 if you are in really good shape. As a former college athlete, I can say it is a balanced and intense workout.
Tecktser
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Tecktser »

I find that running with a group keeps me motivated. Three days a week I run with a running group and we run no matter the weather unless there is too much ice or lightning. The other days I run midday at work with whoever happens to show up. Once or twice a week I do strength training at home which is pretty boring and I have trouble staying motivated. I also sign up for 2-3 race ranging in distance from 10 miles to full marathon. Occasionally we talk investing while running.
krannerd
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by krannerd »

oneleaf wrote:My gym shut down and I had to start doing my own workouts at home. I have done it in the past, and have stayed pretty faithful to it and got in really good shape. I think a pullup bar is necessary. After that, it really depends on what type of training you want to do. If you do not want to get a lot of weights, then you may want to look into suspension trainers. You can hang them off your pullup bar and it gives you a lot of great exercises. TRX, Lifeline, and (my favorite) Rogue gym rings are great options.

If interested in weights, but do not want a set of barbell weights and/or dumbbells, you can get an excellent workout with a couple of kettlebells. I personally can get a ton of great training out of 35 lb, a 44 lb, and 53 lb kettlebell. These 3 give me great training for swings, clean and presses, front squats, snatches, turkish getups, floor presses, shoulder presses, one armed rows. I often pick up two kettlebells (different weight in each hand since I only have one of each weight) and get uneven workouts and then switch hands to balance out. This allows you to do two handed exercises without needing to buy pairs. Reduces cost and storage space.

The nice thing about kettlebell technique is you can do a lot without needing heavy duty equipment like a squat rack. For instance, learning how to clean heavy kettlebells (get them into position from the ground using your hips) make it possible to get into position to press overhead or do front squats. These exercises, in barbell form, need squat racks to do it. So 3 big kettlebells, for me, can take the place of some serious barbell/dumbbell exercise. In the past, I have been into the more traditional barbell type exercises (and want to find another gym someday to do them), but I find I can reasonably maintain the strength I want with the 3 kettlebells.
I also use kettlebells...take a class 1-2x a week and work at home for 1-2x a week. I find that they are effective, fun and don't require a lot of space.
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mbk734
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by mbk734 »

Strong lifts 5x5 is a good beginner weightlifting program. If you like it you can move to Mad Cow 5x5.
http://stronglifts.com/5x5/
You increase your weight slightly every time you work out. The main exercises are squats, bench press, dead lift, row, and military press. You can also add dips and pull ups. Lifting weights can be fun with some music and a partner. Add in some sprints afterwards and you've got a solid workout.

You will need a spotter if you're doing heavy weights or a power cage. A little pricy but it will save you if you're benching /squatting by yourself.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VLRVS ... h1_g200_i3

My Yogi Berra quote on a home gym: "After you buy everything you need, it's free."
Last edited by mbk734 on Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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carolinaman
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by carolinaman »

I am 70 years old and manage to stay fit with combination of elliptical, walking, swimming and weights. I do elliptical 3 days a week at Y along with weights. I walk other days, usually about 3 miles and do some exercises. I also do some swimming but have slacked off of that recently due to sore neck and back that are aggravated by my swimming. I jogged for 30 years until my knee and back gave out. I never liked to jog but I liked the results and disciplined myself to do it anyway. I think that discipline is the key to exercising and staying fit. Figure out what exercises you want to do, set schedules and routines for your workouts and stick with it. Once you slack off, it becomes more tempting to do it again. We are all creatures of habit, so once you set a schedule and start doing it, it often becomes habit forming. My .02 worth.
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fizxman
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by fizxman »

I too get bored working out which is why I do Focus T25 with Shaun T. Since they are only 25 minutes I don't get bored.

As far as motivation, I'll either do them with my fiance or think about how upset I'll be with myself if I don't workout.
scotthew
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by scotthew »

I'm slightly biased here, but I go with the running mixed in with swimming and biking. With the enormous amount of running groups and races out there, you can find multiple motivators to keep you on your feet, even in the winter! I like biking and swimming for the positive cross training benefits as well as additional social support. You could also buy a few kettlebells to get some strength training in, but I have a free gym at work so end up doing a quick free weights twice a week during lunch break.
4nursebee
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by 4nursebee »

I'm really feeling quite unfit and unmotivated reading of these workouts (and how many doors are in your bathrooms).
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Hayden
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Hayden »

I take inexpensive classes at the local community center. I find it essential to have the workout scheduled on my calendar. If the workout time is flexible, I will often find something else to do and skip the workout.
ponyboy
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by ponyboy »

What are your goals when it comes to working out?

Are you skinny and want a slender look? Then drop the gym membership, start running outdoors, get some dumbbells, you can even try workout routines such as p90x.

If you're want to look swole...then stick to the gym and start moving some real weight. Focus on compound exercises. Up your calories, carbs, and protein intake. Folow a Kelei routine...thats what im currently doing and seeing some great results. It also helps that im currently bulking.

It helps if you develop a routine and stick to it. I lift for 1.15 hours almost every day. I love it, its like an addiction. I feel so good after it. You push your body to the limit for 1ish hours...and the rest of the day you feel great.

The ones who complain that gym is boring would rather not exercise. They're looking for a magic pill to get them in shape. They arent mentally committed yet. Same goes for those who cant lose weight. If you want to...you will, trust me. Until you're ready its not going to happen. There's no one stopping you but yourself!
ThankYouJack
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by ThankYouJack »

ponyboy wrote:
Are you skinny and want a slender look? Then drop the gym membership, start running outdoors, get some dumbbells, you can even try workout routines such as p90x.

If you're want to look swole...then stick to the gym and start moving some real weight. Focus on compound exercises. Up your calories, carbs, and protein intake. Folow a Kelei routine...thats what im currently doing and seeing some great results. It also helps that im currently bulking.

It helps if you develop a routine and stick to it. I lift for 1.15 hours almost every day. I love it, its like an addiction. I feel so good after it. You push your body to the limit for 1ish hours...and the rest of the day you feel great.

The ones who complain that gym is boring would rather not exercise. They're looking for a magic pill to get them in shape. They arent mentally committed yet. Same goes for those who cant lose weight. If you want to...you will, trust me. Until you're ready its not going to happen. There's no one stopping you but yourself!


I believe P90X is more for a ripped look and not a slender look. It focusses on body composition more than loosing pounds or looking skinny. The “diet” with it is more of a nutrition plan where you can eat as much as you want and but need to eat very high ratios of protein compared to carbs and fat. The first couple weeks is sort of like a cross between a south beach diet and Atkins. The OP didn’t say his age, but I’m not sure that much protein (50% of caloric intake) is good for seniors or anyone long term. But that combined with the workouts (if you push yourself to the brink of passing out after each set) will make you shed fat and build muscle.

I think the motivation is different for different people. I used to train a lot for football all growing up and throughout college. I was driven by competition (with other teams and my teammates), it was more fun working out with friends and as a team, we had strength and conditioning coaches who would track what you do and vary up the workouts quite a bit, when you're 18 years old it’s much to get gains and recover. Without the competition, I personally feel the gym routine can get boring quickly and I’d rather be outside getting a workout while getting fresh air and possibly more adrenaline depending on my activity. In general, I believe it’s much easier for people to workout who have been active their whole lives.
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White Coat Investor
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by White Coat Investor »

We have a pretty good set of free weights in the garage and a pull-up bar. It's less a money-saving technique than a time-saving one. I can get a good work-out in 20-45 minutes rather than a couple hours. There's no lost time driving.
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by tainted-meat »

Walk one hour per day, four to five days per week (more if the weather is nice and you feel well).

Too many people do workouts that are unsustainable long-term and they burn out.
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by leonard »

js2012 wrote:Does anyone have success with working out at home with relatively few weights and a small space? How do you stay motivated (I enjoy having a swim coach give me workouts because when I swim on my own, I tend to get bored and slack off)?
What is the actual size of the space that you have to devote (full time) to weight equipment? So, not talking about space that is dual use - like a space where you have to put all the weights and equipment "away" when the workout is done.

and, what sort of budget would you have for home equipment purchases?
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vv19
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by vv19 »

tainted-meat wrote:Walk one hour per day, four to five days per week (more if the weather is nice and you feel well).

Too many people do workouts that are unsustainable long-term and they burn out.
I always wondered if just brisk walking is enough exercise for most. I know it is much better than nothing, but do you really see any major health benefits?
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tainted-meat
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by tainted-meat »

jay22 wrote:
tainted-meat wrote:Walk one hour per day, four to five days per week (more if the weather is nice and you feel well).

Too many people do workouts that are unsustainable long-term and they burn out.
I always wondered if just brisk walking is enough exercise for most. I know it is much better than nothing, but do you really see any major health benefits?
It works well for my wife and me.

Like the financial world, there is a lot of fad marketing involved in the exercise world. The key is to be able to stick with a plan (much like investing). I don't know of many people who can stick to P90X except for the hardcore workout enthusiasts. Walking 1hr/day helps me sleep at night and all of my yearly tests come back positive. I do like to run from time to time, but I don't think it's necessary.

I'd say give it a try for 3 months and I'd be very surprised if you aren't pleased with the results.
vm27
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by vm27 »

Check out The Power 20 Method: http://power20method.com/

All the workouts are on their app, and they have a variety of apps you can download like:
Full Body (20 minute power workouts)
Beginners
Amazing abs
7 Minute workout
Better Butt

They even have apps for better sleep/meditation.
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Toons »

I'm going to hop on the bike now 8-)
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tylerdurden
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by tylerdurden »

I'll provide an additional vote for P90X, given the space and equipment restrictions. With just a pair of adjustable dumbbells and a chin-up bar, you can do a lot of work in a short period of time. And between the 3 P90X versions, there is enough to keep you relatively interested for a while. I didn't do everything as prescribed (there was no way I wanted to do the 1.5 hour yoga session), but kept the balance between workouts that they mention. And as others have alluded to, food intake is just as important (if not more) than the workouts themselves.

I used the original P90X to get back into the rhythm of working out, before going a bit further and building out a small home gym. I have tried sessions from the other two P90X versions as well.
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Rupert
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by Rupert »

jay22 wrote:
tainted-meat wrote:Walk one hour per day, four to five days per week (more if the weather is nice and you feel well).

Too many people do workouts that are unsustainable long-term and they burn out.
I always wondered if just brisk walking is enough exercise for most. I know it is much better than nothing, but do you really see any major health benefits?
If you're trying to control your weight, studies have shown running to be better than walking, even when walkers expend as much energy as runners. The reason why is not fully understood. But on other measures of health, walking has been determined to be as good, and sometimes better, for you than running. Walking is certainly easier on your joints. I know a lot of old runners with blown-out or newly-replaced knees.
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Re: Home workouts and motivation

Post by likegarden »

I do not need a Gym membership. I am a home owner and do all lawn mowing (walk behind) and landscaping myself, from end of March to the end of November. Some days I am several hours working outside. There is fresh air and sun, both you will not get in a gym. In winter I shovel snow, when it is too high I use a snow blower. In winter I also relax from my yard work during the other 3/4 of the year. Good regular cleaning of the house is also good for your body.
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