Home exercise equipment?

Chambers

Chambers

Joined
Jul 11, 2001
Messages
1,137
So I was looking at some of the Bowflex ads, and naturally Chuck Norris endorses the Total Gym and I was wondering if any of them are really worth it? Is one better than another? Does anyone still make the Nordic Track? Stuff like that. Is there one good all around exercise machine that anyone can reccomend to invest in and have at home? Stair stepper, Treadmill, free weights?
 
Chambers said:
So I was looking at some of the Bowflex ads, and naturally Chuck Norris endorses the Total Gym and I was wondering if any of them are really worth it? Is one better than another? Does anyone still make the Nordic Track? Stuff like that. Is there one good all around exercise machine that anyone can reccomend to invest in and have at home? Stair stepper, Treadmill, free weights?
Click to expand...


If you aren't a lazy fat*** like me, a treadmill would probably be the best overall. You are doing a load bearing exercise, with cardio and fat burning. My son also has a Total Gym and its a nice little workout and simple. You could do just as much with a few dumbbells.

Almost any diet and exercise program will work IF YOU STICK TO IT. This is coming from a guy who now weighs 325 because he doesn't :grumpy: , but who has lost weight on Weight Watchers, high protein, etc. diets.
 
I'll second that. It's far harder to find the motivation to work out regularly, than to find an effective way to work out.

Heck, you could whip yourself into incredible physical condition with just a $10 chinup bar, if you were persistent about it. Chinups, pushups, and running. (Badabing, you're a Marine ;) )

Did you see the thread a month or two ago about www.shovelglove.com?
It's so wacky I couldn't help but try it, and yeah, it feels effective. Not a doubt in my mind that I'd be getting leaner and stronger if I used it regularly.

Motivation, that's the important thing.

Mike
 
An elliptical trainer will burn more calories per unit time than any other cardio machine and is low-impact, but a decent one will cost $1000+. Add a set of free weights, some rubber bands and an exercise ball for strength, balance and flexibility training and you're good to go. Problem is: Most home exercise equipment ends-up unused and being sold in garage sales for ten cents on the dollar. That's why I joined a gym, instead.
 
Um ... most people who join a gym quit before they've gotten ten cents worth of exercise on the dollars they spent. Some people do get their money's worth out of a gym membership, and some people get their money's worth out of home exercise equipment ... but most people don't.
 
I've managed to cover most of the bases with bench set-up from Sears that included a lat tower and leg press and cost @$100-$125 on sale plus an old Schwinn air dam type exercycle (arms move too) that I picked up at a yardsale for $15- oh,yeah and a set of weights for @ $50 also at a yard sale.

If you're just starting out don't let equipment stop you- a brisk walk (or jog/run as you get fitter) and calisthenics are more than enough to get a very good workout- push-ups, crunches, squats or lunges, etc. You can make these as hard as you need them to be by changing angles, speed, only using one arm/leg. As has been said- the important thing is to actually do it! Don't forget to warm up/stretch/cool down- have fun! I'm getting a heavy bag to keep the "fun" part going.
 
If I could afford a good treadmill, I'd get one in a heartbeat. In the mean time, a magnetic resistence stationary bike and free weights are all I use. Most of your fancy health club machines can be reproduced with free weights and a bench. Free weights are relatively inexpensive, too.

Motivation is the key, as mentioned. It took me years to get started, but once you get into a routine, you'l feel great and you won't hate it when you have to break your routine. I actually don't particularily enjoy my rest days. I am not a picture of fantastic fitness and great health, but dang, I sure do feel great.

If you do get gear for the home, set up a TV and DVD player to help the exercise time fly by.
 
I think that in general they are not worth it.

My own personal opinion is that if someone doesn't exercise without special equipment, he/she will not exercise with it either.

I believe that you can set up a good training program involving aerobics, elasticity, and strength, you can start with jogging/walking, stretching and push-ups/sit-ups, just a few minutes a day or every other day, if that's not convenient try at least twice a week, don't push yourself hard, just do it and feel comfortable.

If you can do it you wont need any extra equipment, if you cannot do it... well you wont need any extra equipment either.

Luis
 
Losing weight and fitness?

Remember 30% is exercise, 70% is diet. All the money spent on exercise equipment is useless without a decent diet. :)
 
Cougar Allen said:
Um ... most people who join a gym quit before they've gotten ten cents worth of exercise on the dollars they spent.
Click to expand...
True, but one doesn't usually invest a couple thousand in a gym membership before finding that out, and end-up with a room full of expensive equipment to unload.

The flip side of that is that if you do stay with it, the exercise equipment will have been the more economical route.

Cougar Allen said:
Some people do get their money's worth out of a gym membership, and some people get their money's worth out of home exercise equipment ... but most people don't.
Click to expand...
True dat. Witness the "nyrs" (New Years Resolutioners, as I call 'em): Directly after the new year my club gets insanely busy. Starts to visibly fall off in the 2nd week. By the end of the month it'll be back to normal.
 
MVF said:
I've managed to cover most of the bases with bench set-up from Sears that included a lat tower and leg press and cost @$100-$125 on sale plus an old Schwinn air dam type exercycle (arms move too) that I picked up at a yardsale for $15- oh,yeah and a set of weights for @ $50 also at a yard sale.
Click to expand...
Yup. Yard/garage sales are replete with exercise gear folks are anxious to unload. (See my previous comments.)

MVF said:
If you're just starting out don't let equipment stop you- a brisk walk (or jog/run as you get fitter) and calisthenics are more than enough to get a very good workout- push-ups, crunches, squats or lunges, etc.
Click to expand...
Indeed. Four years ago I hit 230 lbs. following New Years, and 36" waist pants had been getting quite snug on me. "Enough!" I said to myself. Cut out much of the snacking (no more donut off the maggot waggon each morning, for example), started walking regularly and doing floor exercises each morning before work. Dropped 20 lbs. in about a year that way. It was only after sticking with that regimen for two years that I figured I had the stick-with-it-ness to bump up the intensity by joining a fitness club. That was two years ago. I've fallen back a bit in the last six months, but I'm re-applying myself to knock that back off. I am not going back to 36" waist pants--not after spending all that money on new 34" waist ones! Not only do I look and feel better, but I can lift, push, heave, shove and carry things of a size and weight that would've been impossible (at least w/o hurting myself) two years ago :).
 
The best piece of equipment is one you enjoy using. I'd recommend joining a GOOD gym with lots of toys for 3 to 6 months. Use your time their to decide what you like and what you don't. Then, either stick with the gym, buy what you have discovered you like or buy a bigger couch.
 
Matt Seling said:
gravity. that´s all you need. pushups, chinups, ....

matthias
Click to expand...
Yeah, that was what my wife said when I told her I wanted to join a health club. And it's true: Gravity is all most people need. Except I enjoy working out on machines. So, for me, machines helped me get into it and keep going.

I'm starting to get past machines, now, and beginning to work more and more with free weights.
 
If you're looking for a full body cardio workout that is low impact look into a Concept II rowing erg. I have a treadmill and stationary bike as well but neither comes remotely close to my erg. Treadmills are big,heavy and NOISEY. The bike only works your legs but the erg works your whole body....quietly.
 
mrd74 said:
If you're looking for a full body cardio workout that is low impact look into a Concept II rowing erg.
Click to expand...
I'm not familiar with that particular model, but, of the five cardio machines I use regularly: treadmill, upright stationary bike, elliptical trainer, rowing machine and stair machine, I burn more calories per unit time on the elliptical trainer than any of the others. I run about 600 kcals/hr. on the ET. Anywhere from 350 to around 500 kcals/hr. on the rest. Don't recall where the rowing machine falls. (I use multiple machines, with short bouts on each, to fend-off boredom.) I like the rowing machine, but the ET is more efficient, time-wise, at burning calories.
 
Keep in mind the computer generated readouts on the various cardio machines are not that accurate. Most will rate your workout 10 to 20 per cent higher than it really is. The concept II has one of the more accurate read out computers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top