What home gym equipment do you have?

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guitarguy
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What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by guitarguy »

Until recently, my "home gym" included an open space in the basement, a tv, a few workout DVDs, and the wife's set of purple 5lb dumbells. After completing a round of Insanity, along with a few other cardio type workout DVD programs, I'm working on starting up a new routine that's more focused on bodyweight strength training exercises and circuits.

We also have a really cool chair that I've found great use for. It was left by the previous owners when we bought our house in 2009 and until recently I hadn't even thought to use it. The high arm rests are wonderful for dips and stuff.

So far I've purchased:

- a pullup bar (boglehead style...made of 1" pipe and slung over the basement I-beam...very cost efficient 8-) ) for pullups, chinups, etc.
- a set of workout rings (for inverted rows, among other things)


I'm thinking of adding a set of ~20lb dumbells to use primarily for shoulder workouts since it's a little tough to work these with just bodyweight. Could definitely also use them for weighted squats and lots of other things too.

Just curious how many others work out like this, and what essential equipment you use.

Also curious if there are any specific websites or books with workout programs of this type that are useful.

Happy pushups guys. :happy

EDIT: AND GALS! :mrgreen:
Last edited by guitarguy on Mon Apr 29, 2013 11:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
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bengal22
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by bengal22 »

I go to the local Y and use their Precor Lifting stations. Plus I use the treadmill and stationary bike. All I have at home is a stationary bike and a lawn mower.
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leonard
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by leonard »

For bodyweight:

1. Blast Straps (attached to Power Rack). This are great for bodyweight workouts.
2. Dip/Leg Raise Station.
3. 45 degree Back Raise.
4. Glute Ham Raise. The best piece of equipment for Hamstring and "Posterior Chain" work.
5. Multi Grip and "Fat Grip" Pull Up Bar (on Power Rack).

For Resistance Training:

1. Power Rack - with multiple bars.
2. PowerBlocks. The best dumbbells for home workout period. Watch Craigslist for deals.
3. Workout Bench - flat/incline.
4. Lat Pulldown and Low Row pulley machine.

For Cardio: Rower

Most of this stuff was purchased on Craigslist at a pretty good discount from retail.
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Blues
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Blues »

I have a lot of weight training equipment in my home gym which is probably not of much interest to you...but insofar as hitting your shoulders a bit more, you can also elevate your feet when doing your pushups and change your hand spacing.

Also, if you can find your way toward building or purchasing a true dipping station, you'll have a great upper body exercise to use in conjunction with your pushups and chins. You'll be able to add weight with a belt as you get stronger.
leonard
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by leonard »

Blues wrote:I have a lot of weight training equipment in my home gym which is probably not of much interest to you...but insofar as hitting your shoulders a bit more, you can also elevate your feet when doing your pushups and change your hand spacing.

Also, if you can find your way toward building or purchasing a true dipping station, you'll have a great upper body exercise to use in conjunction with your pushups and chins. You'll be able to add weight with a belt as you get stronger.
Great point. A weight belt or even better a weight vest are good ways to add resistance on dips and all bodyweight exercises. However, at that point, it is not truly bodyweight. Depends on how strictly you want to adhere to using your own bodyweight only.
Leonard | | Market Timing: Do you seriously think you can predict the future? What else do the voices tell you? | | If employees weren't taking jobs with bad 401k's, bad 401k's wouldn't exist.
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Blues
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Blues »

Thanks, Leonard. A vest or backpack definitely works well for certain applications, but once you start adding any significant weight, (on dips for example), you have to ensure first that you fit between the bars properly and that the added weight does not upset your balance by pulling you forward or back or by placing undue stress in the wrong place.

The good thing about a dedicated weight belt is that the weight hangs directly below your hips and between your legs. This makes it easier to both stand up and get in position without some of the drawbacks possible with other methods.

The main thing, however, is to just get those workouts in regularly. (I got mine done about an hour ago.) :sharebeer
leonard
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by leonard »

Blues wrote:Thanks, Leonard. A vest or backpack definitely works well for certain applications, but once you start adding any significant weight, (on dips for example), you have to ensure first that you fit between the bars properly and that the added weight does not upset your balance by pulling you forward or back or by placing undue stress in the wrong place.

The good thing about a dedicated weight belt is that the weight hangs directly below your hips and between your legs. This makes it easier to both stand up and get in position without some of the drawbacks possible with other methods.

The main thing, however, is to just get those workouts in regularly. (I got mine done about an hour ago.) :sharebeer
Completely with you on a good weight belt for dips. I use the "Spud Inc" Belt Squat Belt for Weighted Dips. Wide and distributes the weight a bit more than narrower dip belts. Works great.

One thing that can make loading up weights on a weight belt easier is a "loading pin" - essentially a tube you can slide the weights over and then attach the weights to the belt with a chain and carabiner. You can buy them. Or, I just made mine with $10 worth of pipe and an eyelet from the hardware store.
Leonard | | Market Timing: Do you seriously think you can predict the future? What else do the voices tell you? | | If employees weren't taking jobs with bad 401k's, bad 401k's wouldn't exist.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by KyleAAA »

Powerblocks or some other adjustable dumbbell set. Having only 20 lbs dumbbells does limit you somewhat.

A kettlebell.

Maybe a medicine ball.

That's really all you need.
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Blues
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Blues »

KyleAAA wrote:Powerblocks or some other adjustable dumbbell set. Having only 20 lbs dumbbells does limit you somewhat.

A kettlebell.

Maybe a medicine ball.

That's really all you need.
I've got the adjusatble PowerBlocks (125# each) which I purchased sometime back in the 90's. They were pretty expensive back then so I can only imagine what they are going for now. Might be something worth looking for in the classifieds.
MP173
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by MP173 »

I have two kettlebells (20 and 25 pounds), a resistance band, and bike.

During the winter I go to the YMCA and use their stationary bike. Now that spring has arrived, I bike outdoors.

Pushups are added to this.

Ed
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beyou
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by beyou »

Old Bowflex, few light dumbells for shoulder raises, eliptical for low impact cardio.
Most recent buy is a roller for muscle massage.

Have not been adding to this as I prefer to go outside to a gym,
but when the weather is bad and I want to or need to stay home, nice
to have a few options around the house. That and learning proper body weight exercises
is enough to supplement my gym routine. Could not do all I want at home instead of the gym,
I use LOTS of different equipment at the gym for variety. Not a matter of what's best,
a matter of having variety, which is hard to replicate at home unless you have lots of space.
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climber2020
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by climber2020 »

I have a simple weight bench with an adjustable back that I got at Walmart 20 years ago for around $40.

Also two free weight dumbbell bars (the short ones that are about 16 inches long) and about 150 pounds in free weights ranging from 2.5 pound plates to 10 pound plates. As needed, I buy more 10 pound plates.

I don't have any equipment for legs - I pretty much stick with one leg squats and running up steep hills a few times a week.
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mclvngr
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by mclvngr »

Bob dummy for punching & kicking
Treadmill - Landice, with iPad attached for movies or music
Rowing machine - Concept 2
Bench
Dumbbells
Medicine balls
Jump rope
SPG8
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by SPG8 »

climber2020 wrote:I don't have any equipment for legs - I pretty much stick with one leg squats and running up steep hills a few times a week.
Dumbbell squat
Stiff leg dumbbell deadlift

For the squat I rest the dumbbells on my shoulders and try to get parallel to activate posterior chain, and the stiff leg deadlift seems to compliment that squat. When I tried to squat with weights hanging at side and a more standard deadlift with the dumbbells, they seemed to be way too similar. Then again, what do I know?
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Toons
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Toons »

Free weights And a treadmill :happy
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stoptothink
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by stoptothink »

I have about $5k of stuff taking up space in my GFs garage, which I have accumulated over the past decade. Until I decide exactly what I am going to do with my living situation(currently renting), it'll stay there and I'll continue to use the gym.

-About 500lbs. of bumper plates and 1 olympic bar
-Power rack with built-in pull-up bar
-C2 rower
-Bicycle trainer, I can put my road bike on in 5sec any time
-A few tires, ranging from ~50 to ~500lbs.
-A predator sled
-homemade adjustable plyo box
-homemade drop box
-Various KBs
-Countless implements such as jimmy-rigged TRX, rings, akrowheels, bands, dip/pull-up belt, sledgehammer, wheelbarrow, bosu, giant leather medicine ball

DBs are going to be the greatest cost, you can easily spend a few grand on DBs alone and they take up a lot of space. If you just have to have DBs(which I don't), get adjustable. Also, a decent bench can be really expensive but is barely used. I don't see the point in having one at all. If I could have one more piece of equipment, it would be a GHD but they simply aren't worth the cost (to me).
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guitarguy
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by guitarguy »

Thanks for all the replies!

I think I'm going to pick up sets of 10lb and 20lb dumbbells. A friend of a friend will send them my way for $30 total. Not too bad from what I can find on used dumbbell prices. As much as I'd love a nice set of adjustable ones, at least right now, I don't want to spend the $$. These should get me by OK.

I also will probably spring $5 for a nice jump rope!! Thanks to whoever mentioned that. Haven't jumped rope in a good while! :beer


I really enjoy working out at home vs. going to a gym. I've done that before, but I find I'm getting a much better total body workout doing bodyweight circuits as opposed to isolating muscle groups, etc. Especially core stuff. With bodyweight moves you're using your core constantly. My days of wanting to go to the gym and bench & squat heavy weights are just gone. I'm hoping that a good mix of these bodyweight workouts combined with continuing my normal walking and jogging (and most importantly, continuing to eat pretty well) will be enough to step up another level in overall fitness.
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G12
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by G12 »

Dumbbell pairs of 15s, 25s, 35s, 45s & 60s. A bench, a bike, sold the treadmill. Start clean and pressing some 45's and you will notice shoulder improvement quickly. I wish I had room for a Smith machine, it's a lot safer when working out by yourself.
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Blues
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Blues »

G12 wrote:Dumbbell pairs of 15s, 25s, 35s, 45s & 60s. A bench, a bike, sold the treadmill. Start clean and pressing some 45's and you will notice shoulder improvement quickly. I wish I had room for a Smith machine, it's a lot safer when working out by yourself.
I think you'd be safer with a good power rack. I've known several folks over the years who had issues resulting from the straight line tracking that a Smith machine forces you into. (Especially on squats.) Maybe they've improved 'em since I last used one.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by climber2020 »

One problem with the non-interchangeable dumbbell sets (i.e. what you find at most gyms) is that unless you buy all of them, working out smaller muscles may be problematic. With small muscle exercises like one arm tricep presses and shoulder raises, even a 2 to 3 pound increase in weight makes a huge difference in the number of reps one can bust out. So if you only have 10s, 20s, and 30s for instance, I'm not sure how a person can ramp up the weight as time goes on since you can't realistically jump straight from a 10 to a 20.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Retread »

NordicTrac ski machine, rowing machine and treadmill.
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reisner
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by reisner »

I just bought a pair of 2 lb Indian clubs from Revolution Clubs. And they have truly revolutionized my upper-body fitness routine. Check out this old-fashioned piece of equipment on YouTube. Great for strength, endurance, flexibility all at once. If you are not in shape the one-pounders might be better. No matter how fit you are, I would begin with anything above two pounds. I had to work up to five minutes without a break.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by mhalley »

You mentioned bodyweight training, you might check out You are Your Own Gym

http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Your-Own- ... ur+own+gym

Or convict conditioning

http://www.amazon.com/Convict-Condition ... nditioning

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bottomfisher
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by bottomfisher »

Treadmill, rowing maching, bench, dumbbells up to 60 lbs, curlbar with plates. Purchased kettlebells 1 month ago but haven't started routine yet. And small park across street so fat dog can exercise too
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runner9
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by runner9 »

guitarguy wrote:
- a pullup bar (boglehead style...made of 1" pipe and slung over the basement I-beam...very cost efficient 8-) ) for pullups, chinups, etc.
Please explain. I have a steel i-beam across the center of the basement. Are you talking about the same or wooden i beams instead of solid 2x8s running 16 or 24 inches apart? If the former, how does this look?

Thanks!
texasdiver
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by texasdiver »

I have a Concept 2 Rowing Machine. My wife has a treadmill and an elliptical. When I can I workout cycling....either a road circuit or mountain bike circuit near my house.

I don't bother with weights and haven't since I quit playing football 30 years ago in HS. I have a body type that tends towards beefy so working out is more a matter of cardio and peeling off calories around the waist. I have big enough arms, legs, and chest as it is without intentionally bulking them up more. The rowing machine and cycling gives me plenty of strength and tone.

Since having kids I've let the gym membership expire. I just don't have time to get away to a gym. Easier to snatch workouts at home when the kids are in bed.
TRC
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by TRC »

Bowflex selectech dumbells, pull-up bar, and p90x. 3 years running. Best shape of my life.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by gator15 »

Must admit. I really splurged on my home gym spending a few thousand but I have no regrets. I have a cycle ops 200 for bike training. I have precor elliptical, power blocks and a vector cable machine. It wasn't a New Years resolution purchase. I use to work out at the gym 4 days a week but my job doesn't allow the time to go to the gym anymore. As a result I bought my own gym and use it 5 days a week. One of my better purchases.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by S&L1940 »

A really neat piece of equipment is the Nustep machine
http://www.amazon.com/Nustep-TRS-4000-R ... B001EWHWZE
called a recumbent or seated elliptical trainer they run from $500 (not Nustep) to near $5000 for the branded item.

The wife started using one for her physical therapy sessions after major surgery and our community just put one unit in our fitness center. We are going to need more because of folks abandoning the regular elliptical and treadmill units for this versatile exercise machine.

The key to any exercise regimen is sticking with the program. That is the value that infomercials like Insanity and P90X routines offer - motivation. For me the thing that works best is having the space to set out my equipment and work my program. If you have to keep pulling stuff out of closets and garage hideaways, you will tend to pass up a session. And then the days go by without working out.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Mudpuppy »

At home, I just have a stationary bike, hand weights (1lb, 2lb, 5lb pairs), a hard foam roller, and a floor mat. All were purchased as part of my at-home PT after various injuries and are just used for maintaining muscle tone. If I want anything more intense, there's a gym membership discount through work and the gym is only a couple of blocks away.

Edit: And for any more intense weight training, I'd want to be in a gym with spotters, just in case a muscle goes out or other issues arise. But then, my muscles pull very easily, so I'm cautious in those areas.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Pacific »

reisner wrote:I just bought a pair of 2 lb Indian clubs from Revolution Clubs. And they have truly revolutionized my upper-body fitness routine. Check out this old-fashioned piece of equipment on YouTube. Great for strength, endurance, flexibility all at once. If you are not in shape the one-pounders might be better. No matter how fit you are, I would begin with anything above two pounds. I had to work up to five minutes without a break.
Do you mean this one???
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkFtaw9LB6I

:D
Cunobelinus
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Cunobelinus »

guitarguy wrote: I'm thinking of adding a set of ~20lb dumbells to use primarily for shoulder workouts since it's a little tough to work these with just bodyweight. Could definitely also use them for weighted squats and lots of other things too.

Just curious how many others work out like this, and what essential equipment you use.

Also curious if there are any specific websites or books with workout programs of this type that are useful.

Happy pushups guys. :happy

EDIT: AND GALS! :mrgreen:
I think you have all you need with your basement set up -- no dumbbells needed. If you find that doing pushups with your feet on top of the furniture isn't cutting it for a shoulder workout, just backup to a wall and place your feet higher and higher on that until you're doing completely vertical handstand pushups (balancing with the wall). If you can't do a handstand pushup just yet, just use the wall to help you into a handstand and do repetitions of holding yourself in that pose.

The most gym equipment I've ever had was a pull-up bar and my backpack filled with books, or more recently, my backpack with some diving lead weight inside. I have never had the desire to look big or be able to lift really heavy things. I have found that in terms of "lifting weights," bodyweight (plus a few pounds if desired) is all I've ever needed to remain competitive in road races, trail runs, and triathlons (and maintain my "beach bod"). Even whilst pole-vaulting in my younger years, I shunned weights and found you can do some really challenging routines with just a climbing rope.

I suppose it might help if you stated what your goal is too.

For general fitness, I eschew weights in favor bodyweight exercises. If it's too easy/boring/whatever, add in plyometrics. Or try doing some exercises on a pilates ball -- 20 pushups on a pilates ball is not easy (hands on pilates ball, feet off the floor and level with your hands).
Topic Author
guitarguy
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by guitarguy »

runner9 wrote:
guitarguy wrote:
- a pullup bar (boglehead style...made of 1" pipe and slung over the basement I-beam...very cost efficient 8-) ) for pullups, chinups, etc.
Please explain. I have a steel i-beam across the center of the basement. Are you talking about the same or wooden i beams instead of solid 2x8s running 16 or 24 inches apart? If the former, how does this look?

Thanks!
Sure. Steel i-beam. Easy as cake to do, really. Only downside is depending on your ceiling height (mine is only 7') and how tall you are, you'll need to tuck your legs to hang free. But it's better than nothing.

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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by lauren_knows »

Right after we bought our townhouse (about 5 years ago), I decided that I wanted to build out the basement as a home gym, so that I wouldn't have to worry about a gym membership ever again.

- Power Rack
- Bench
- Homemade Lifting platform (plywood center with rubber matted sides for the impact of weights)
- 35lb and 45lb olympic barbell
- 260lbs worth of olympic bumper plates
- 180lbs worth of iron plates
- Powerblocks adjustable dumbells
- 1 pood and 1.5 pood kettlebells
- Homemade pipe pull-up bar
- Various pull-up assistance bands

For cardio, I go on bike rides.

I bought this all at variable times, some new some used, I think for under $1500. If you think a gym membership would cost more than $25/mo, it's already paid itself off, and should theoretically last pretty much forever.

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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Jazztonight »

guitarguy wrote:Thanks for all the replies!
I think I'm going to pick up sets of 10lb and 20lb dumbbells. A friend of a friend will send them my way for $30 total. Not too bad from what I can find on used dumbbell prices. As much as I'd love a nice set of adjustable ones, at least right now, I don't want to spend the $$. These should get me by OK.

I also will probably spring $5 for a nice jump rope!! Thanks to whoever mentioned that. Haven't jumped rope in a good while! :beer

I really enjoy working out at home vs. going to a gym. I've done that before, but I find I'm getting a much better total body workout doing bodyweight circuits as opposed to isolating muscle groups, etc. Especially core stuff. With bodyweight moves you're using your core constantly. My days of wanting to go to the gym and bench & squat heavy weights are just gone. I'm hoping that a good mix of these bodyweight workouts combined with continuing my normal walking and jogging (and most importantly, continuing to eat pretty well) will be enough to step up another level in overall fitness.
Hi Guitarguy,

I'm with you! pull-up bar plus some 8, 10, 15, and 20 lb. dumbbells and a floor mat--these are quite sufficient for a great workout.

Be careful with the jump rope--you can screw up your knees very quickly; it took a long time for me to recover.

It took me six months to work up to ten pull-ups. Now I typically do 8 sets of 5-8 wide grip pull-ups in my 3 X week workouts.

In your original post, you asked about websites. This is the one I love. It's entertaining and includes a lot of nutritional info, and it's free. The guy is a character, but he's honest and straightforward, and has a large following of younger people (i'm 66). There are many videos on how to do specific exercises correctly and safely. Warning:Scooby is not for everyone!

http://scoobysworkshop.com/

Take care of your body, and it will take care of you.
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Nietzsche
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by camaro327 »

New Balance 846.
lightheir
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by lightheir »

I'm a pretty serious endurance athlete, so my go-to indispensables which are NOT cheap:
- Treadmill (Sole F80)
- Bike Trainer (makes your bike into a stationary bike)
- Computer/DVD setups for each

And for strength, even though I used to be a power type lifter in my youth, I'm now more for maintenance (weirdly I look almost the same muscle mass size, thanks to aging)
- Bodylastics resistance bands - they offer a LOT of resistance for strength training. Can get biceps, triceps, back, pecs, a lot, and it's safe, lightweight and costs very little. Takes some practice and discipline to use them regularly but once you're on the program, it's very good.
- Pushups (mostly 1-armed), handstand pushups, and dips are the bulk of my core strength movements.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

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Banana
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Banana »

I know you mentioned Kettlebells, and I would highly recommend them in lieu of dumbells. Ive been using just one 35lb kettlebell ever since I got back from Iraq years ago. Same one. I have that and a pull-up bar and its all I've ever needed. Very versatile piece of equipment.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by pingo »

leonard wrote:A weight belt or even better a weight vest are good ways to add resistance on dips and all bodyweight exercises. However, at that point, it is not truly bodyweight. Depends on how strictly you want to adhere to using your own bodyweight only.
For weighted dips, I used to just grab a 50 lb dumbbell and lock it between my legs just above the knees. It was fast and worked great without the need for extra stuff.

To increase resistance for pushups I'd lower a dumbbell behind my head and position it on my upper spine just below the neck and do pushups while balancing the dumbbell on my back. Or I'd balance one or two 45 lb weight plates on my back while doing pushups. Be warned that when increasing pushup resistance like that, you must be very warmed up. Increase weight very slowly over time (don't rush it) to avoid injury.

Rather than use Traditional Pushup handles, I prefer something like an 8 lb hex bell. Traditional Pushup handles raise your hands off the floor high enough to reduce resistance for you chest.
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by stoptothink »

pingo wrote:
leonard wrote: To increase resistance for pushups I'd lower a dumbbell behind my head and position it on my upper spine just below the neck and do pushups while balancing the dumbbell on my back. Or I'd balance one or two 45 lb weight plates on my back while doing pushups. Be warned that when increasing pushup resistance like that, you must be very warmed up. Increase weight very slowly over time (don't rush it) to avoid injury.
How do you manage to put 2 plates on your back for pushups, by yourself? I have zero issues placing one, it is virtually impossible to place another while balancing the first. I have to ask someone to place any further weight. Kind of odd, but a very good friend of mine broke the Guiness world record for distance riding a bike backwards nonstop and got me sort of interested for a while in breaking a few exercise records, principally heaviest weighted pushup and number of squats standing on a stability ball in 1min. The record for weighted pushup is like 285lbs; the load isn't the problem, it is finding a way to balance the load.
AnesBH
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by AnesBH »

Our home gym...

Image

Image
minesweep
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by minesweep »

Peck Deck
Hack Slide/Standing Calf Raise
Seated Calf Machine
Flat Bench
Preacher Curl Bench
Incline/Decline Bench
Leg Press
Lat Pulldown machine. I can do seated rows with it too. Also,use Judson Torso Straps for seated rows
Power Rack
Led Extension/Thigh Curl Machine
Bent-Over Rowing Machine
Roman Chair/Hyper Extension Bench
Solid Dumbells – 70’s, 60’s, 50’s, 45’s, 40’s, 35’s, 30’s, 25’s, 20’s
1,000 lbs. steel plates
NordicTrac ski machine
Dipping Bars
Chinning Bar
Free Standing Squat stands
Speed Bag
Weight Belt for Dips
Cambered curling bar and cambered triceps bar w/rotating sleeve for lat machine use

I began lifting at age 19. I’m 68 today and still use most of the equipment today. Use lower weight amounts and number of sets. Some of the equipment I bought 45 years ago.

Mike
Time is your friend; impulse is your enemy - John Bogle | Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others, it's cheaper! - John Bogle
S&L1940
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Location: South Florida

Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by S&L1940 »

AnesBH wrote:Our home gym...

Image

Image
And all I do is work the the Total Gym from Chuck Norris
I feel so emasculated. I finally - after 12 years - got beyond looking like Chrissie Brinkley and the closest I have come to having Norris' build is when I grew a beard.

Biking, swimming, tennis; I know my fitness capabilities. 56 years ago I registered for the draft at 185 lbs and I still fluctuate at +-190 (6'3"). Judging from the responses, I am glad I stay away from the beach so you guys can not kick sand in my face...
Don't it always seem to go * That you don't know what you've got * Till it's gone
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kenyan
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by kenyan »

Haven't been using mine much lately due to my new routine of skipping a lunch hour/eating at my desk and lifting at the on-site (free) gym. I used a Bowflex XTL for a while, but eventually sold it and switched to a dumbbell workout using Powerblocks. My home gym now consists of said dumbbells, an adjustable bench, a door frame pull-up bar, an Ab Dolly, and a Sole Fitness elliptical machine.
Retirement investing is a marathon.
pingo
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by pingo »

stoptothink wrote:
pingo wrote:
leonard wrote: To increase resistance for pushups I'd lower a dumbbell behind my head and position it on my upper spine just below the neck and do pushups while balancing the dumbbell on my back. Or I'd balance one or two 45 lb weight plates on my back while doing pushups. Be warned that when increasing pushup resistance like that, you must be very warmed up. Increase weight very slowly over time (don't rush it) to avoid injury.
How do you manage to put 2 plates on your back for pushups, by yourself? I have zero issues placing one, it is virtually impossible to place another while balancing the first. I have to ask someone to place any further weight. Kind of odd, but a very good friend of mine broke the Guiness world record for distance riding a bike backwards nonstop and got me sort of interested for a while in breaking a few exercise records, principally heaviest weighted pushup and number of squats standing on a stability ball in 1min. The record for weighted pushup is like 285lbs; the load isn't the problem, it is finding a way to balance the load.
Let me (ahem!) clarify. I regularly used a dumbbell or a single 45 lb plate. The last time I worked out was circa 2009 and in that very workout I managed to put the two 45-ers on my back for pushups. On that occasion it simply occurred to me that I could do it after I had already had a very good chest/back workout. Doing those pushups made it the most exhilarating workout ever because I felt so cool...

...and for the life of me I can't remember what I did to get them on my back. I'd have tried to figure it out again before posting, but I don't have the plates. (I was at a gym.)

Sadly, I got an injury from the experience. My collar bone just wasn't the same where it attaches to the manubrium. That's why I said to work up to it very slowly. It turned out that my muscles handled the weight just fine, but my joints weren't ready. I haven't worked out since because of other health issues. :(
pingo
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by pingo »

I'm seeing a lot of PowerBlocks here. What, no love for IronMaster Quick-Lock Dumbbells?

They're not nearly as quick to change, but they don't feel any different than gym dumbbells. Just curious.
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steve roy
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by steve roy »

Two plastic chairs (with arms) out on the patio, for bar dips.

Everything else happens at the local gym. Thirty-two years ago I got a membership for $50 per year forever, and I've still cough up the $50 every September.
Fallible
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Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Fallible »

One heavily used Schwinn stationary bike I bought used in 1994. :happy
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Blues
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Location: Blue Ridge Mtns

Re: What home gym equipment do you have?

Post by Blues »

pingo wrote:I'm seeing a lot of PowerBlocks here. What, no love for IronMaster Quick-Lock Dumbbells?

They're not nearly as quick to change, but they don't feel any different than gym dumbbells. Just curious.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I've had my PowerBlocks for somewhere around 15 years. I don't think there was any competing product around going back that far and they're still going strong. They are definitely built for a lifetime of work and I couldn't be happier with the ease of use. (Plus I use magnetic weights for micro-loads as needed. You'll see them on the floor to the side of the PowerBlocks in the images I posted.)

I do, however, have a SuperBench from IronMaster and it's served me well now for several years. The many available incline adjustments are literally a snap and are very stable. Great investment if you use any kind of inclined movements.
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