Getting strong on the cheap (for folks with a home gym)

[Hannibal]

For everyone who does some form of strength training, what does your home gym setup look like?

I use a set of chest expanders with homemade bands as a sort of travel sized dumbbell, along with a portable pull up bar and dip station. As far as "weights" I just use a backpack full of small sandbags made from Ziplock bags, duct tape, and sand.

Main exercises are weighted pullups, weighted dips, and weighted one legged squats. The whole setup (admittedly) cost about $300 but it weighs a lot less and is easier to move from apartment to apartment with than a set of barbells. I will also never have to replace the pullup bar or dip station.

If I'm far away from home I'll use the madbarz app and do pullups off a door.

What sort of setup do you guys like to use?

[C40]

I consider my home gym almost complete. I have:

- A power rack
- A flat bench
- One straight barbell
- 260 lbs of plate weights (4x45#, 2x25#, 2x10#, 2x5#)
- Ivanko Super gripper
- A weighted pull-up/dip belt
- Notebook and pen

I got the rack, bench, barbell, and weights all for about $300 on craigslist. This is everything I need for the main lifts I do (Squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bench press, weighted pull ups). I love being able to lift weights in my basement. I've been doing 5x5 sets lately and that works really well at home where I can do other stuff inbetween sets. After each working set, I start a 5 minute timer on my watch. Then I go clean or do whatever else I feel like. When my watch timer goes off, I go back and do another set. So if I do 2 main lifts, the total workout takes about an hour but that's 10 minutes of lifting and 50 minutes of getting stuff done around the house. When I sell my house and live in a van, I will also sell the weight lifting gear. I should get as much as I paid for it and then when I have a house in the future I'll just do the same thing again. Working out at home is awesome!

The things I'd like to add:
- 2.5# plates
Various other grip/hand strength apparatus. Stuff like:
- a thick bar (I do have a bunch of 4" PVC pipe so I should just start squeezing that and I could hang weight from it with the belt or something)
- some small climbing holds to attach to the top of the power rack
- a bucket full of sand or some thick rubber bands
- some chalk for plate pinch holds

[Hannibal]

It's funny, I do the same thing. Bang out a set of 5 on the weighted chin or dip, then do something else for 3-5 minutes and go back and do it again.

That sounds like a great setup. As an apartment dweller without to means to haul around a weight setup, the pullupbar/dip station is about all I can manage. Weights would be ideal, though.

[Slevin]

I own a 16kg, and 24kg Kettlebell. If I ever need it, I'll pick up a 32kg as well (but that day seems far off). IMO this is probably equivalent to a full gym setup and meets all of my exercise needs. I am aiming to even re-sell the 16kg bell as it is starting to become a little bit light for me. I generally do about 20-30 mins of intense lifting 3-4x a week (get ups, swings, cleans are the main lifts, supplemented with a few others).

All the lifts I do are big compound ones to maximize muscle groups involved, as I aim to hit something near the inflection point of the Pareto curve when it comes to being "in shape".

[sea]

I have a TRX system at home which is great for apartments, and do Pilates at work (free) and occasionally at home as well. I used to use kettle-bells, free weights and such but have too many injuries now to mess around with weight lifting. The TRX system is awesome, but a bit pricey. I was actually prescribed it by my sports medicine doc (recommended by my physical therapist) and got to use my HSA for purchasing it a couple years back. It's cheaper than a gym membership over the course of a year though.

[Dave]

When I was in college, I was into powerlifting and focused on squats/deadlifts/overhead press/bench press/barbell row. I got a lot stronger and put on a lot of muscle.

Since then, it is no longer a goal to get strong, but instead to maintain strength. To accomplish this, all I need is my body, some floor space, and (currently) a few kettle bells.

I would get rid of the kettle bells, except I have been unable to identify good exercises for the range of back muscles and biceps, using just bodyweight. When weather is nicer I can use trees and jungle gyms for pullups, but still requires more than simply floor space and my body. I know some people do pullups on door frames, but I am not at the point where I can really do that.

[enigmaT120]

I got a Soloflex at a garage sale for 75 bucks. I sold my Olympic style weight bench, bar, and weights for more than that. I think real weight is better, but without a spotter I could never do my max effort.

The guy I bought the Soloflex from helped me load it into the back of my pickup to haul it home. He should have kept it.

[Hannibal]

I would get rid of the kettle bells, except I have been unable to identify good exercises for the range of back muscles and biceps, using just bodyweight. When weather is nicer I can use trees and jungle gyms for pullups, but still requires more than simply floor space and my body. I know some people do pullups on door frames, but I am not at the point where I can really do that.

This is the solution I've found for traveling. Although not my primary means of pullups, I'm sure it would work well enough. This is by far the most portable and cheapest one to build out of all the doorway pullup bars I could find. I do not trust most of the cheaper commercial ones.

Photo and article credit to Ross Enamait. The man is a beast.

Ross doesn't recommend it as a primary means, but if you have no other options during the winter it works well given a sturdy door.





http://rosstraining.com/blog/2011/08/25 ... p-handles/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39lTzoDheyI

[Ego]

I have a TRX system at home which is great for apartments.

I love my imitation TRX...
http://www.woss.com/tube-trainer/

[slimicy]

I'm eventually going to build one of these: http://www.home-gym-bodybuilding.com/ho ... -rack.html

[vexed87]

How do people rate exercise DVDs that use plyometrics and bodyweight exercises (such as Insanity)? No equipment needed apparently (besides maybe a mat, trainers and the clothes on your back).

[jacob]

@vexed87 - Calisthenics is a different kind of strength. As an ectomorph I find that it(*) works well for me(**). In terms of web of goals, it's nice since it doesn't require me to carry around half a ton of pig iron to produce results. Since you ride bikes, I'd guess that if you're a 180+ sprinter, you'd benefit from weights. If you're an alround rider, Insanity style workouts will work. If you're a lightweight climber, jogging/running is best.

(*) Plyometric power/medium weight--high rep moves work well for me. 5x5 protocols don't work for me.
(**) The majority of people in the videos also seem to fall in this category.

[vexed87]

Thanks jacob, it's interesting how body shape comes into it. I seem part way between the Endomorph and Mesomorph shapes, due to developed legs but skinny top! >.<

Definitely an all-rounder on the bike, I do good on the hills but I'm definitely not lightweight weighing in at 182 lbs and 6'2"

I'll try get hold of insanity and report back on my experience.

[Noided]

What theoretical basis do you guys follow to construct a workout/exercise plan? There is so much information out there that I struggle with knowing what I should be doing.

Right now I am working + studying so I am having a hard time following a routine. However, once in a while I go out for a run and I also do EvilCyber's beginner workout (http://evilcyber.com/beginners-guide-to-home-workouts/). I plan to go to the intermediate level when I have more time to be consistent with the workouts.

[FBeyer]

What theoretical basis do you guys follow to construct a workout/exercise plan?... I am having a hard time following a routine...

Analysis Paralysis.

Build a routine from compound exercises. If it seems even the least fancy, it's probably not very time efficient. If it's too fancy, you can't be bothered. If it takes too long, you probably don't even get started, if it's boring you're not paying attention while exercising.

My fix was to make a routine that is fun and fast. So my theoretical basis (until my free time clears up) is: The best routine is the one you actually do!

Thus:
Farmer Walks
Deadlifts
Front/Back Squats
Pullups
Turkish Get Ups
Swings
Barbell Cleans
barbell/ketllebell snatches
Standing Presses

[BRUTE]

this would probably depend on a specific human's goals, too.

brute likes to do short workouts, like FBeyer. low bar == such success!

brute is mainly interested in all-around fitness, without interest in any specific extreme (marathon, heavy lifting). hence he does something for strength (low reps), something for strength endurance (high reps), something for metabolism (anything that will get heart rate and breathing up). brute also roughly tries to train all parts of his body, or at least not neglect any part. for brute, this simply means some push-up type exercises, some squat-type exercises, and something for core stability.

[enigmaT120]

I don't have much of a theory. Cardio 3 days/week, weights or working in the woods two days per week. I have to lift weights in order to remain strong enough to drag trees out of the woods without hurting myself. Until I get a tractor/truck with a winch, but that's not happening until I have a timber sale to pay for it. Those logs would be too big for me no matter how much I work out.

I'm entered in a triathlon in September so at some point I'll add an hour of swimming per week to the schedule, but I think I'll do it on the same day I do my short (5 mile) fast run in the afternoon. I think rest days are valuable.

[FBeyer]

... I think rest days are valuable.

I think rest days are where you get strong!

[OTCW]

I have a weight bench that can incline, and has an attachment for doing leg lifts and leg curls. Also have a dumbell for arm curls and triceps work. I try for two days a week on strength training focusing on multiple sets of high rep/lower weights.

Other days are a mix of yard work, wood chopping with an axe, maul, and wedges, walking, biking, volleyball, and disc golf. At least one rest day per week, and some days where I do multiple activities.

I try to mix it up to keep from getting bored. The mental part of exercise is harder than the physical part for me, so mixing it into my normal daily activities works best. The weight bench stuff doesn't fit that, and not surprisingly, it is what is hardest to stick to.

[chenda]

I just use a pair of dumbells and do this video twice a week: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U0bhE67HuDY (I've no connections to this channel)