HomeGyms: Machines and Free Weights

[leetsingh]

Shud i get a machine type of homegym or freeweights... i wanna know the advantages and prices plz

Im on a low budget... i dont even work my dads gonna pay 4 me: i luv my dad

[Bignbuff]

Freeweights definitely.

[AJbuilder]

Get a very sturdy and strong olympic bench with all the positions ( incline, decline, flat, and military ) and add a squat rack to it, olympic barbell with weight plates, a standard bar(20lbs.) with some weight plates too, a chinup/dip bar and you should be set.

So to answer your question, get freeweights.

[Damien]

Originally posted by AJbuilder
Get a very sturdy and strong olympic bench with all the positions ( incline, decline, flat, and military ) and add a squat rack to it, olympic barbell with weight plates, a standard bar(20lbs.) with some weight plates too, a chinup/dip bar and you should be set.

So to answer your question, get freeweights.

A standard bar is 20 lbs????
The ones I know are 45.

[nArKeD]

www.fatbastardbarbellco.com
get some adjustbale dumbbells from there.

[KINGJAMES23]

just get a real good olympic bench that has incline, decline,flat,millitary press, and squat rack. there like 160$, couple dumbells, barbell and some weights

[weltweitefurcht]

yes standard bar is 20 bucks, i have one at home.

THe olympic bars are 45 bucks

I think its around a dollar a pound.

[USMuscle9403]

Bump. I have used a home gym now for about 3 years and its priceless. I very highly recommend setting up one. It doesn't really take all that much money, and it is definitely worth it in the long run. Just get the basics and you'll be more than set:
-Squat Rack
-Standard or Olympic Barbell with good quality collars
-Standard or Olympic EZ Curl Bar with good quality collars
-A good, sturdy, basic bench. You don't need anything fancy. Buying ones with the leg attachments is a big plus, though.
-Standard or Olympic adjustable dumbbell handles.
-Of course, lots of free weights
You can go the standard or the Olympic size route. The standard size route is MUCH cheaper, but the Olympic accessories tend to be much more durable and better quality so you may want to pull the extra money outta your ass and splurge on that. Either way, you won't be disappointed with a good home gym. Also, don't be afraid to look around at pawn shops, in trading papers, yard sales etc. for good deals on old weight equipment. Lots of that stuff is still just as good as the day it was made, but still be careful. You can even make your own if you're handy at all with metalwork.
Allen
Allen

[weltweitefurcht]

Yea all together my home gym cost about 200 bucks, i have bench that inclines, declines and flat, standard bar, weights, dumbells, and adjustable weight dumbells. An ezcurl bar, a leg curl thing that is attached to the bench.


Sadly no squat rack, but i used to just unrack it from the bench, and sqaut to parallel and such.

I also made a handy wrist roller for my forearms which work em out really good.

I used a pipe, drilled a hole that goes right through it, put a string through that and tied it, then at the other end of the string, i took an S-hook that you can get from the homedepot for like 25 cents, and knotted the string to one end of the s-hook and hammered it shut, the other end i kept open, so i just put that through the hole in a plate, and hook it back around, and i roll it up and down, works my forearms good.

Now i dont use any of that stuff, i just go to the gym, but its all in my room in case i ever need it.

[josh17]

Anybody ever use the smith machine home gyms.? I was considering getting one at Dick's Sporting goods becuase it had safety catches for bench and squat. I already have free weights (olympic and regular) and am jsut trying to find the best becnh for the money. By the way, this one was on sale for $300, which I think is a pretty good deal.

[Bignbuff]

Do not get a Smith Machine. It's a waste of money, spend your money on food and supplements instead.

[AJbuilder]

Originally posted by Damien
A standard bar is 20 lbs????
The ones I know are 45.

You know the shorter bars that weigh less at around 20 lbs, sorta like the ez bars but longer, they are called standard bars and aren't as thick as the olympic bars. Standard bars usually don't fit well on olympic bench racks.


The bars that weigh 45 lbs. are known as the olympic bars. They are used for loading the 45 lb. plates and fits well in all olympic benches and power cages because they are longer .

[AJbuilder]

Originally posted by bignbuff
Do not get a Smith Machine. It's a waste of money, spend your money on food and supplements instead.

bump

[hsbeginerdude]

if you get dumbbells, most of them are .49c per pound, every once in a while youll find a sale for 39 or maybe lower, but the average price for dumbbells is .49 a pound

[USMuscle9403]

Originally posted by hsbeginerdude
if you get dumbbells, most of them are .49c per pound, every once in a while youll find a sale for 39 or maybe lower, but the average price for dumbbells is .49 a pound

DO NOT get hex dumbbells unless you feel like spending astronomical amounts of money on stationary *can't be removed* weights and are too lazy to simply remove weight from an adjustable dumbbell.
Allen

[solidus2k3]

freeweights,definatly

[aZn PEC-age]

Free weights!! They are cheaper and give you better gains.
or Bowflex... hahaha
I started on bowflex when i was 12 and a tub of lard.... It changed everything. Well... It has sentimental value for me.
Well I switched to free weights when I turned 14, and I made so much gains since.

[Fletch]

Originally posted by josh17
Anybody ever use the smith machine home gyms.? I was considering getting one at Dick's Sporting goods becuase it had safety catches for bench and squat. I already have free weights (olympic and regular) and am jsut trying to find the best becnh for the money. By the way, this one was on sale for $300, which I think is a pretty good deal.

If you know what you're looking for then comparison shop using ebay and other online auctions.

- Fletch