Author Topic: Home Gym Equipment  (Read 2887 times)

Home Gym Equipment
« on: 18 November, 2020, 03:53:04 pm »
I've now found some space to fit in a modest home gym. Money isn't into professional gym equipment levels but I am still looking to get a few good pieces of equipment.  I've got cheap barbells and kettlebells. I've got a basic smart turbo which I can set up with my old road bike.

I'm wondering whether a basic weights bench,  basic multi gym or splash out on a concept 2 rower might be a good option.  It's likely only one of those or at most two.

I like the idea of concept 2 rower because i used to get good results from one back in my gym days. They're certainly more efficient for fitness than even a  bike on a turbo. My fitness requirements are fitness for health,  toning and for a wide range of outdoor activities nor just cycling.

Motivation is easier for me if I can leave the kit ready to use and I like using it. Also knowing how to use it efficiently helps,  I don't really know how you get the most out of kettlebells. I really can't get on with just weights based but multigyms appeal more.  Never had a simple weights bench and the safety aspect of overhead weights doesn't actually appeal. However weights and a decent bench or a multi gym exercises the muscle groups well . I'm not about to try and bulk up moreabout toning and strength for activities than bulk or weight lifting.

Anyway,  what's your suggestion? What do you have or use that you think is really worth having? No answer is wrong it's about ideas for my gym and hearing what others like, use or own gives me idea which is what I need.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #1 on: 18 November, 2020, 04:00:52 pm »
If I were to buy just one piece of equipment for a home gym it would be a cable machine.

Suspect those are expensive, so I'd go for a bench and free weights as substitute.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #2 on: 18 November, 2020, 04:10:35 pm »
Concept2 do a Bike erg semi smart trainer which I'm quite tempted by.

https://www.concept2.com/bikeerg/concept2-bikeerg

Except of course it won't be in stock until well after Covid is over.

The bit of home equipment that I seem to use the most is an elliptical trainer I got off Ebay - quite good if you have joint or back problems
“There is no point in using the word 'impossible' to describe something that has clearly happened.”
― Douglas Adams

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #3 on: 18 November, 2020, 04:42:01 pm »
I like the idea of the ski erg personally.  I will be especially inkinterested in a kayak erg if that ever gets designed.

I can't get on with cross trainers. The motion of the foot pads isn't far enough for my stride.  I'm 6'5" and I can't stay on those pads. Shame because my parents moved into a house and the previous owners left a really good one behind. They don't use it so if it suited I'd get it for free. It's as good as a professional gym would have too.

My height and stride length is the issue with treadmills.  Even gym ones I have the stride length that's roller to roller. One misstep by a cm and I'm hitting the front cover or on my tippytoes hanging onto the rear roller. Get it wrong and I'm off. Gym one's usually have a larger track length than home ones too.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #4 on: 18 November, 2020, 04:52:46 pm »
I have a deadlift frame as squat frames and bars struck me as dangerous on my own. Similarly I use resistance bands for upper body bench press equivalent for the same reasons. Then I have a cheap step box for single leg squats. The other piece of equipment is a vertical climber which takes minimal floor space to exercise effort ratio.

Chris S

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #5 on: 18 November, 2020, 05:09:09 pm »
We have installed a power rack in the garage, and we're both following Stronglifts 5x5.

Being an enclosed rack, I feel pretty safe with squatting and bench-pressing in it; these being the two exercises on SL that you can do serious harm to yourself if you fail badly. I'd previously tried SL at home without a rack, and squatting 50+ Kg without a safety net is pretty scary so I gave up. The rack is a game changer.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #6 on: 18 November, 2020, 05:28:37 pm »
Professional equipment is surprisingly cheap to rent. When we had a gym at work we were renting things like a £2k running machine for £35/month. If it's short term then it might be worth renting instead of buying.

6'2" square rugby playing nephew is in a house share at Uni with 5 other rugby mates. One of them has decided to stay back home with their parents because of the pandemic so the others have converted his room into a gym. You snooze you lose.
"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #7 on: 18 November, 2020, 05:42:25 pm »
If I were to buy just one piece of equipment for a home gym it would be a cable machine.

Suspect those are expensive, so I'd go for a bench and free weights as substitute.
Seems not too hard to make a DIY version. Instructions for a variety of types on Youtube.
Or if you have a rack or pull up bar, could just hang a pulley onto that. Or bolt it on the wall, or hang it from the ceiling etc.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #8 on: 18 November, 2020, 05:48:04 pm »
If I were to buy just one piece of equipment for a home gym it would be a cable machine.

Suspect those are expensive, so I'd go for a bench and free weights as substitute.
Seems not too hard to make a DIY version. Instructions for a variety of types on Youtube.
Or if you have a rack or pull up bar, could just hang a pulley onto that. Or bolt it on the wall, or hang it from the ceiling etc.

The thing about a decent cable machine is how adaptable it is, because you can slide the pulley up/down. Bicep curls? np, put it at the bottom. Tricep workout - move to the top. Pecs and abdomen? Shoulder height and do crossovers.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Davef

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #9 on: 18 November, 2020, 06:02:40 pm »
It depends whether you want it for cardio or strength or a bit of both.

I have a large collection built up over the years and go through phases of using different bits. The most recent major addition is an elliptical trainer I got in 2016. The oldest a concept 2 from last century.

I rarely do cardio indoors unless I have injured myself. For strength training I use free weights. I have a home made wooden box to step onto.

If I had to do it on a budget I would go free weights + turbo trainer.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #10 on: 18 November, 2020, 07:10:55 pm »
You can train with just bodyweight. Search Youtube for calisthenics. The only piece of equipment you would need is a pull-up bar.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #11 on: 18 November, 2020, 07:18:16 pm »
I’d probably go for an incline/decline bench and some free weights (dumbbells).  A Smith machine would be my luxury.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #12 on: 18 November, 2020, 07:38:55 pm »
You can train with just bodyweight. Search Youtube for calisthenics. The only piece of equipment you would need is a pull-up bar.
meh

You can only get so far with bodyweight. Just training with bodyweight is not going to seriously build your core back muscles (that needs deadlifts and squats).

You'll get toned, you'll get in good shape. You won't maximize your strength.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Davef

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #13 on: 18 November, 2020, 07:52:29 pm »
You can train with just bodyweight. Search Youtube for calisthenics. The only piece of equipment you would need is a pull-up bar.
Next thing you will be telling me I don’t need “eye of the tiger” at maximum volume.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #14 on: 18 November, 2020, 08:12:05 pm »
Next thing you will be telling me I don’t need “eye of the tiger” at maximum volume.

"Yes please" said Squirrel "biscuits are our favourite things."

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #15 on: 18 November, 2020, 09:02:58 pm »
I've got a tacx turbo, the base model with proper smart functions. Bought when I only had kitchen to use it in. It's not very noisy just it woke the lad up once. Two biggest issues were I couldn't switch it to 26" wheel use without undoing a couple of bolts to switch between 26" and 700 wheels. The second issue was having to dig it out and get the bike set up on it every time. We'll soon have a dedicated gym space so could leave it up. Although it means my partner band easily use it on her MTB commuter. Plus I couldn't get the smart functions working. It connected but didn't communicate with the tablet app. It's no better than a dumb turbo !!

I like the idea of a rower and the concept two D is the preferred model. I've just used one for decades partly because I stopped the gym years ago but also because. Started to get a trapped nerve feeling in my behind as due to the movement on the seat. Not sure if that's still there or not. It might be a painful waste of money.

After the rowing machine the stepper is the most effective CV machines. They're more expensive though I reckon. Perhaps the stepper might be better or safer option because of my past issue with rowing seat on a concept two. At my last gym I switched to stepper. The instructor set up my routine with a rower but modified to stepper because of my discomfort. I wonder if a foam camp mat piece stock stuck on might help??

I've seen images of corner cable resistance gyms but they're expensive. At Argos there's a multigym costing £180. It's not butterfly, upright press, lats pulldown/up, preacher pad and leg raise/curl options. Plus they allow variation in exercises at each section. I think it covers most major muscle groups if not all.

£130 gets you a bench with weights. That has weights based versions of the multi gym stations. Leg curl and raise, bench with IIRC 4 heights. Barbell with stand, preacher pads, barbells and 50kg of weights. The barbell seems to have a two part bar for some reason. Doesn't make sense and a weakness that's not needed. Apparently some users complained the link was a bit loose. Easy to replace the bar I reckon.

Then with rowing machine it works your CV system but it's more of a full body workout. If I do a good workout on a rower but haven't time for free weights it's still a good all body workout. With a stepper I'm working the lower body so missing out on the upper body and core especially if I am short of time. Ideally a rowing is best.

Btw I've lookd into hiring equipment. Simple basic rate on rower and on a bike that I've seen is £19.90, a week for hire to buy with the offer to buy after a year for the £50 deposit only. Or£11 just to rent. That's for a quality wooden water rower. A bit more for a keiser M3 bike. Always a new machine apparently. It's kind of a purchase but with credit payments monthly. Both good kit I think.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #16 on: 19 November, 2020, 09:00:37 am »
We have permanently set up smart trainers each, a Concept 2 machine, kettlebells and the aforementioned power rack.
When I bought it I went for the model that gave me most bang for buck, which means it has a cable set up so I can do lat pull downs and rows. You can do pull ups & dips too.
The Concept2 is a fantastic investment- it came with the Bloke so has been around for years. My problem with it, is it's dull, so I don't do it as often as I might, and then get instant blisters.

There is no doubt what I spend most time on though - 217 Zwift hours this year.

All this stuff comes up second hand- people buy it and then never use it after the first flush of enthusiasm.

Davef

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #17 on: 19 November, 2020, 09:19:04 am »
At Argos there's a multigym costing £180. It's not butterfly, upright press, lats pulldown/up, preacher pad and leg raise/curl options. Plus they allow variation in exercises at each section. I think it covers most major muscle groups if not all.

£130 gets you a bench with weights. all body workout.
I am afraid at the present time, looking at the picture in the catalogue is the closest you will get.

ian

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #18 on: 19 November, 2020, 09:36:52 am »
I had to fight four people with chainsaws to get an exercise bike back in April. Not sure if that's changed. Anyway, I have one of those (I used to have a turbo-thing but bits feel off, owing undoubtedly to my pedalling fury – I tried to get a replacement turbo but they were complete unobtainium). I added a rowing machine to the mix. They used to live in the garage but I moved them to the house (a workout in itself, the bike is 45kg) much to my wife's delight, as it cold and murky out there. To be honest, they're a stopgap to the swimming pool reopening, which it did for precisely one month then the latest lock-down. I find exercising at home dull, dull, dull but you know, eye of the tiger and all that.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #19 on: 19 November, 2020, 10:15:49 am »
Quote
After the rowing machine the stepper is the most effective CV machines. They're more expensive though I reckon.

I got a relatively cheap one from Amazon £109.  No longer available but there are others.  My fenix 6 copes perfectly with the movement.

I sometimes use arm weights strapped to my wrists which seriously increases the upper body work

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #20 on: 19 November, 2020, 12:47:57 pm »
Been reading any the versa climber. A big step up in effectiveness from the usual stepper! :D

IGMC.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #21 on: 19 November, 2020, 01:07:13 pm »

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #22 on: 19 November, 2020, 01:18:06 pm »

https://www.nordictrack.com/classic-pro-skier
I've just bought a second hand Nordictrack ski machine off ebay for £60.


NordicTrack Classic Pro Skier Classic Pro Skier


Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #23 on: 19 November, 2020, 05:27:47 pm »
http://www.versaclimber.co.uk/products/versaclimber-home/

This is the one I've been looking at. Apparently this one offers the user a wider range of resistance levels? Indeed most other versions of this don't have the ability to adjust the resistance levels.

Apparently it's a very good CV exercise that works almost all muscle groups and you can change body position or hand grip positions to work more areas or focus on certain areas for me effect. Kind of like spinning with bikes but a lot better and more efficient.

Re: Home Gym Equipment
« Reply #24 on: 19 November, 2020, 05:59:48 pm »
Those machines look fun.

They aren't going to provide 'functional fitness'.

Many a manual worker (Farmer, labourer, fisherman) is pretty 'unfit' if you measure their cardio. However, their ability to bend over, lift, pull, dig or drag far exceeds a gym-machine-bunny.

In years of yore, I had high functional fitness; currently it is pathetic. I sit on a chair all day. I could probably out-job those manual labourers, but don't ask me to dig a ditch.

free weights, or the weighted gym bags (highly recommended) can help with functional fitness.
<i>Marmite slave</i>