WEEK 106 :: What Is The Best Home Gym Workout?

[the_fake_webmaster]

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* Note: How can I win? Answer all questions in the order that they are asked.

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TOPIC: What Is The Best Home Gym Workout?

For the week of: 11/05-11/11
Sunday @ Midnight Is The Final Cut (Mountain Time, US & Canada).

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Sometimes a home gym is all you need for your fitness goals. Some free weights and basic workout equipment can be enough for amazing results.

What is the best home gym workout? Be specific.

Do you think one would achieve better results from using equipment at home or at the gym?

What are some accessories and/or pieces of workout equipment that are often overlooked when setting up a home gym?

How much can a person expect to spend on a functional home gym?

BONUS QUESTION: If you could only have 1 piece of workout equipment (not including free weights, bench, etc.) what would it be? Why?

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Don't discuss any other topic in this section. ONLY discuss the question above.

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The best response will get $75 in credit, and second place will get $50 in credit to use in our online store and will have their workout posted on our main site for the world to see!

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* New Rule: Any exercise not listed on our exercise listing (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm) must be accompanied by a full and complete description and pictures (or a link to the exercise(s) where pictures and description are given).

Thanks,
Bodybuilding.com

[malibuilder]

What is the best home gym workout? Be specific.

When I think about the home gym workout I think two sets of dumbells, barbell and a cement blocks on each side of it

Seriously, I think you do not need anything too fancy to get in great shape and stay healthy for a life time.

Many people forget how much can a good session of push-ups and crunches do for your body health. When I give advice on this question to people just starting out with training I usually give them a basic plan to work at home with the least amount of equipment, and still get a good results.

Here is a sample plan anyone starting out in a home gym environment can follow:

The workout is split in three nonconsecutive days, working the whole body on each workout.


Arnold press

Equipment required: two dumbbells.

-3 sets 15 reps/set

*this must be the greatest exercises for shoulders. Every movement using a lot of twist is working a full range for that muscle group and this is the exercise to do for your front and side delts.

Push-ups

Equipment required: floor, or a bed and two chairs.

-3sets 15 reps/set

*nothing but your body weight, smooth constant moves, not toot slow, not too fast. Intensity of the exercise can be increased by elevating the legs on a chair or sofa, or by placing hands on two chairs and allowing your torso to dip lower between chairs. It's great for chest, shoulders, triceps and the whole body! Instead of holding your weight on your toes, you can lower the intensity by resting it on your knees.

Chair dips

Equipment required: Two chairs and a bed.

-3 sets 15 reps/set

*Instead of using the bench, you can use the chair and lift your legs on another chair or a sofa, and pump the triceps. This is excellent exercise for triceps, shoulders and chest. Just the thing you need to fully finish those parts of your body after push-ups. By straightening/bending the knees you can increase the intensity of the exercise. This can also be done by taking narrower/ wider grip.


Alternate seated dumbbell curls

Equipment required: A chair and a set of dumbbells.

-3 sets 15 reps/set

*also should done by twisting the forehand, and it's a great workout for biceps and forearm.

Wide grip pull-ups

Equipment required: Pull-up rack, or just something you can grab on and pull your self up.

-3 sets 5-15 reps/set

*why I give such a wide range of reps. Simply because not everyone can actually do so many reps. I believe everyone should start with wide grip, even assisted if needed. This is the numero uno exercise for your lats.


Squats

Equipment required: Floor or barbell/dumbbells.

-3 sets 30reps/set

*Yes, squats! Probably the best exercise for your body ever. Even if it is done with bodyweight only it can be a killer exercise. Just use smooth medium speed motion and go down deep enough for quads to become parallel to the floor. Why so many reps? Well I believe you should use more repetitions for the squats because of the size of this muscle. The whole idea behind muscle building and toning is blood flow. More repetitions more blood flow, and legs can receive a lot of blood flow. For added intensity you can lift your self on toes after each squat to work on those stubborn calf muscles.

Lunge

Equipment required: Floor, backyard or dumbbells.

-3 sets 15 reps/set

*really great workout for hamstrings and glutes. Executed with body weight or with dumbbells for added intensity. Another interesting version of this exercise can be done in your backyard, "giant steps" just do the same lunge movement but walk the desired distance. Neighborhood will probably laugh in the beginning, but not for long

Crunches

Equipment required: Floor pad, or just floor.

-3 sets 20-30 reps/set

*the very basic exercise for upper abdominal region, and one of them most effective ones.

Lying leg raises

Equipment required: Flor pad and or someone to push your legs.

-3 sets 20-30 reps/set

*great exercise for working the lower abs, you can add intensity by having someone push your legs, or by holding a dumbbell between your feet.


That's it for the exercise plan. I also advise increasing repetitions over the time, speed of the movement and or weight as working out progresses.

Do you think one would achieve better results from using equipment at home or at the gym?

Every aspect of it has it's own advantages or disadvantages. Working in your home gym means you have to spend less time traveling to and from the gym. Means you do not have to pay for the membership, and you never have to wait in the line to do the exercise. No one is there to bother you and you can play your own music. But you are alone. While bodybuilding is individualistic sport, good training partner can go a long way. Also you have a better choice of exercises and equipment to choose from in the actual gym. The other thing is you meet like minded people. They are all trying to do the same thing you are trying, and there can be a lot of competitive spirit going on in the gym that can push you to the limits.

By my opinion it doesn't really matter where you workout. It is how hard you workout and how persistent and consistent you are. Results will come regardless of the gym. Through all my competition days I was working out at my home gym, and I still won second place in a state championship.


What are some accessories and/or pieces of workout equipment that are often overlooked when setting up a home gym?

Most overlooked ones are already over there. When people start thinking about exercising and working out, they immediately think about fancy machines and cable rows. But as you can see in my sample plan you need two chairs, a sofa, few private square yards and thick walls, so no one would hear you screaming doing squats :lol: Floor mats are mostly forgotten until you need to work them abs and end up doing it on a cold floor. Everyone are just thinking about the weights.

How much can a person expect to spend on a functional home gym?

This entirely depends on your specific needs. If you wish to recreate couple of times per week, than all you need is few sets of dumbbells, say 10; 15 and 20 kg. Bench and barbell with about 100 kg various plates, like 2x20kg 4x10kg and 4x5kg. I believe you can get this between 200$ to 500$ for all your basic recreation needs.

BONUS QUESTION: If you could only have 1 piece of workout equipment (not including free weights, bench, etc.) what would it be? Why?

Id say this is a good multipurpose pull-up/dips/abbs rack, here is the link for the picture:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/ptec/scdbig.jpg

It gives you wide choice of exercises and it is essential for any gym, not just home gyms. I could never consider my workouts full without these exercises.


~malibuilder

[FireMedicMike]

The best home gym doesnt have to consist of anything fancy in order to better yourself physically. Look at the men and women of the federal pen's, these guys are massive and ripped w out anything other than basic bb's, db's and benches.

My recommended home workout would be the following for a beginner w nothing more than a 300lb olympic set, a bench that inclines and declines, and db's

workout 1: Chest & Biceps & Abs

Pushups- sets of 25 w 3 different hand positions (close, shoulder width, wide)
Incline BB Press- 3 sets 12 -15reps
Flat BB Press- 3 sets 12 - 15reps
Decline DB Press- 3 sets 12 - 15reps
Flat DB Fly- 3 sets 15reps

BB Curl- 3 sets 12-15reps
seated incline DB Curl- 3 sets 12-15reps
Concetration curls- 3 sets 12-15reps

Basic crunch- 3 sets 25reps
BB Torso Twist- 3sets 25reps per side
if bar to hang from available 3 sets 15 reps hanging raises

Workout 2: Legs

DB ext: 3 sets 15 reps
DB wall squats: 3 sets 15reps (assuming no rack available for BB squat)
Walking DB lunges: 3 sets 15reps
BB stiff leg deads: 3 sets 15reps
Laying db curls: 3 sets 15reps

Standing DB calf raises: 3sets 30reps(10 per foot position. neutral, out, in)

Workout 3: Back & Triceps & Shoulders

If bar available: Pullups: 3 sets 10reps (wide, supinated, pronated)
BB rows: 3sets 12-15reps
DB rows: 3sets 12-15reps
Deadlifts: 3sets 10-12reps

Aronold press's: 3sets 15reps
DB Anterior Raises: 3sets 12reps
DB Lat Raises: 3 sets 12reps

BB or DB Shrugs: 3 sets 12reps

*as mentioned this is a regimen based on simple bb, db, and bench availability. Workouts would be performed every other day with 2 consecutive days off following the 3rd workout.

As far as results at vs the gym, this is a subject as to what degree you are at in your training. I feel that there is a point when your results would begin to decrease and eventually level out if you solely trained at home. You constantly need to change your routines up and add / subtract movements. Your basic home gym will have limitations and not be able to offer the variety of apparatus and routines the gym could offer. Also for those w ambitions of competing, the gym offers you the motivation of the bigger more experienced guys who are where you wanna be. These are the people who can teach you from their years of experience.

When setting up a home gym, I think many people probally by into all the hype of these expensive home gyms (not naming names) and tend to stray from the simple, basic fundamentals of training. A good depth arrangement of DB's, an olympic set and a quality bench are necessity, not power rods.

With my ideal home gym you could get a 300lb set for roughly $100, $200 on a quality bench and db's (depends on your strength level to how high or low you wanna go) so I guesstimate $300-$500. So less than $1,000 and you'd have the classic equipment required to build a STRONG, QUALITY PHYSIQUE. For me its important to not only look strong but be strong and freeweights is what accomplishes this.

The one piece of equipment I would want is a REAl old school T-Bar row set up. Not too many gyms offer tham now a days except the hardcore one's. (Atleast in my area) I feel its often forgotten that this movement builds unbelievable back density and strength.

[dantheman04]

get a back pack and fill it with a plate or 2 and do chinups and pull ups on some sort of bar, do pushups, squat including one legged if u can or dips with chairs. if dumbells are available do
one arm or 2 arm bench 3-5 to 8 reps
one arm clean and press and snatch 3-5 to 8 reps
lunges w 2 dumbells 3-5 to 8 reps
curls w 2 or one dumbell 3- 5 to 8 reps
one arm rows 3-5 to 8 reps

[wallcrawler317]

there are many ways to get a great and effective work out at home without having to spend hundreds of dollars on expensive equipment. The main ingredients of a good home gym is a set of olympic weights at least 250 lbs. Olympic bar and dumbells. As far as a bench you can even get by with a standard fitness bench that is adjustable which runs about 50$. Safety is sometimes an isssue if you train alone as i do. However there are ways to lift heavy and safely. You can use building blocks sit on their side so the holes point up and rest the plates of your bar in them so they dont roll. Adjust the height as necessary so you can slide under the bar and assume the bottom part of the press. Just make sure you have about an inch or two of clearance so u can get under the bar safely. One last piece of equipement is a standard pull up bar for pull ups. The following workout is what i started with and had wonderful results

Chest: Incline Dumbbell press 4 sets 10-12 reps, Flat bench press, 4 sets of 10 -12 reps, Incline flyes 12-15 reps, and flat flyes 12-15 reps.

Back: Pullups going for a total of 40 no matter how many sets it takes to achieve this. Bent over row 4 sets 8-10 reps, one arm row-3 sets 8-12 reps, deadlift 4 sets of 10 and shrugs 3 sets of 12-15 reps.

Shoulders: overhead press 4 sets 8-12 reps, arnold press 12-15 reps, one armed side laterals 12-15 reps, and bent over laterals 12-15. You can also substitute an upright row to hit the side delts for some variety.

Biceps: Barbell curl 4 sets 8-10 reps, crossover hammer curl 3 sets of 10 -12 reps, incline curl 3 sets of 8-10 reps, preacher curl 10-12 reps with 2 drop sets on the last set.

Triceps:Skull crushers 4 sets 8-10 reps, close grip bench press 3 sets, 8-10 reps, and finally weighted tricep dips between 2 chairs.

Legs: dumbell lunges 4 sets 10-12 reps, dumbbell squats 12-15 reps superset these with wallsits for a duration of 45 secs. Finish up with some calf raises going for a high rep of 12 -15 per set for 4 sets.

Remember to take about 2-3 mins between sets and use techniques such as drop sets to squeeze extra growth out of your muscles.

[theoriginal]

Week 106

What is the best home gym workout? Be specific.
The best home gym workout is one that is able to incorporate the equipment you have, however limited, in a way that allows you to get a workout comparable to those who train in gyms. It?s basically a matter of making the most of what you have.

Now, we will take each muscle group one by one and lay out a variety of exercises you can do at home which will allow for the best home gym workouts with the worry of requiring equipment that could only be found in large gyms.

Legs

Squats are probably the best exercise you can do for the quads but if you?re working out at home then you will find it difficult to do this exercise. As I mentioned above, it is not advisable to hoist a bar over your head and start squatting, This is an easy way to incur a serious injury.

Lunges provide the best alternative to squats as they can safely and effectively stimulate the quads as well as the hamstrings secondarily. When working out at home, they should always be done with dumbbells and not a barbell. There are two options for performing lunges, both f which are greatly effective. In the space where you have your home gym set up you can simply perform stationary lunges, either working one leg at a timer alternating legs between each lunge. The second option will require that you have some extra space such as a driveway or a backyard with level ground. Here you can do the walking lunge, alternating each leg and moving forward down the driveway or through the backyard. This lunging method is particularly effective, and if done properly, will leave your legs burning as much as heavy squatting.

When it comes to the hamstrings, you have at your disposal a very effective exercise that requires the minimum amount of equipment : the stiff legged deadlift (SLDL). All that is required is a pair of dumbbells and just a small area to work with. Don?t use too much weight with this exercise. If it is done improperly it can result in injury to the lower back. Choose a weight that you can complete for at least 12 reps. In order to put more focus on the hamstring and reduce lower back involvement, do not lock your knees. Despite the name, there should be a slight bend in the knees. As you lower the weight slowly down below your knees, keep your glutes tense. Lift the weight up slowly and do not lock out at the top of the movement.

Calves

Without the equipment you find in gyms, working the calves can be slightly more difficult than most other muscle groups. The calves can often be worked with a heavy load because they are used so frequently in daily activities such as walking. Since you likely don?t have a machine and hundreds of pounds of weight you will need to improvise in order to get an effective calf workout. The best way to do this is to perform one legged calf raises with heavy dumbbells. You may need to lean against a wall to keep from losing your balance. Standing on one leg and lifting up on your toes with heavy dumbbells can be tricky. The support of a wall can help you keep your balance while handling an intense work load.

Chest

If you do not have a spotter on hand, I recommend you forego barbell bench presses and use heavy dumbbells for presses. This way if the weight becomes too heavy you can drop the dumbbells to the side. If a barbell becomes too heavy, it is a much greater problem. With dumbbells and a bench you can perform heavy presses as well as flyes, which serve as a great finishing movement for the chest. Another chest exercise that many people have unfortunately disregarded is the basic push up. As simple as it is, this is a great exercise to follow up with after presses. Do one set to failure after presses in order to make sure you have fully stimulated the chest.

Biceps

This muscle group can be easily be worked with very little equipment. There are so many exercises that can be used, you are virtually unlimited. Barbell curls, alternating dumbbell curls, hammer curls, concentration curls, and reverse curls are a few basic bicep exercises that can be done with nothing more than a dumbbell and a barbell.

Triceps

Although there may not be as many exercises available to the home trainer as biceps, there are still a sufficient number of tricep exercises to keep this muscle group stimulated. Lying tricep extensions, also known as skull crushers, can be done with a barbell and a bench. However, whenever you are lying on a bench with a barbell, you should make sure you use a weight that is completely controllable. Don?t try to go too heavy on these as you risk the chance of reaching failure and being unable to get the barbell under control. A great alternative is to use two dumbbells instead of a barbell.
In addition to lying tricep extensions, you can perform tricep kikbacks and overhead trciep extensions with dumbbells. If you work triceps with chest then close grip push ups are a great alternative to close grip bench presses which are not recommended for anyone training at home without a spotter.

Shoulders

Shoulders are another exercise that can be worked with minimal equipment. Like biceps, practically everything you need can be found in your home gym. Arnold presses, barbell military presses (with a controllable weight), and side lateral raises are some of the most effective shoulder exercises which can all be done at home.


Do you think one would achieve better results from using equipment at home or at the gym?

In terms of equipment, there is no doubt that what you find in a gym will be vastly superior to what you likely have at home. Most people who workout at home are on a budget in terms of what types of equipment they can purchase. In addition, they probably have a limited amount of space to keep that equipment.

That said, there are numerous benefits from home training that may make it more effective in the gym. There are few if any distractions in your own home gym. No one is hogging the equipment you want to use and forcing you to wait or pass up on an exercise you need to finish your workout. There are no members of the opposite sex that might lead you to show off and do more than you should be doing. You can train without a shirt on...or hell, you can even train without your pants on if you want. Training can take place at your convenience and not be dependent on the operating hours of the gym. I?m sure you can think of many more positive reasons for training at home. For me, at least, this makes home training far more effective than going to the gym.

What are some accessories and/or pieces of workout equipment that are often overlooked when setting up a home gym?
It is usually the basic home gym necessities that are over looked because so many people. Most people will hopefully realize that a bench and free weights are absolute requirements for any home gym setup. I believe it is a good idea to purchase a relatively inexpensive ?home gym? such as the ones you can find in department stores for $100-200. These will give you extra options like leg extensions, pulldowns with a pulley attachment, and pressdowns for the triceps. You can then add attachments as you see fit and/or as you can afford to purchase them.
Here are a few pieces of equipment that are often over looked but can be very beneficial to the home gym experience :

- E-Z Bar ? these can be found for under $30 in many stores. An E-Z bar will allow you to add new exercises as well as enhance the ones you do. Lying tricep extensions, for example, work much better with an E-Z bar than a standard bar. Barbell curls can also be alternated with E-Z bar curls for hitting the biceps from a different angle.

- Rope attachment ? if you have a ?Home Gym? with cable pulley, a rope attachment is a great addition. Tricep pressdowns are best performed with a rope attachment as opposed to a lat bar that is usually standard issue with the average ?Home Gym.?

- Extra Weight plates ? there will come a time when the weights you currently have are not enough to stimulate your muscles. At this point it is a good idea to purchase additional plates. Many stores sell these at relatively inexpensive prices. However, another way you may be able to get them for even less is to check local garage sales. People are frequently selling weight sets so you may be able to get a lot of weight for very little cash.


How much can a person expect to spend on a functional home gym?
In the beginning one should expect to invest between $100-200 for the minimal amount of equipment needed to get an effective home workout program started. After this you can choose to invest in new equipment based on your needs, wants, and finances. Every once in a while when I have the money to spare I will go out and purchase some new equipment. It may be some extra weight plates, a jump rope, a new pulley attachment, an exercise ball, or something else. Since I already have a foundation to work with, I can increase the equipment I have based on what I can afford to spend at any given time.


BONUS QUESTION: If you could only have 1 piece of workout equipment (not including free weights, bench, etc.) what would it be? Why?
My one piece of workout would have to be the EZ curl bar. It?s not only great for variation on curls, but it also can be used for developing the forearms, for lying tricep extensions, and for reverse curls.

[Mighty Kev]

First time doing this. So wish me luck! Thanks.







-K

[ruga buga]

What is the best home gym workout?

The average home gym consists usually of a pair of dumbells, a barbell and a bench. No other fancy equipment is needed to perform a good workout in the privacy of your own home.

Most people will go with their ego and forget about bodyweight exercises which can be very beneficial and challenging if done with correct form.

a sample routine :

*all exercises 3 x 10 except abs

Workout 1 - chest, shoulders & triceps

pushups
flat bb press
incline db press
db flyes
seated db overhead press
side lateral raises
bent-over rear delt raises
pullovers (BB or DB)
overhead db extension

Workout 2 - legs

BB front squat
DB lunges
one-leg squat (bodyweight)
Calf raises with BB

Workout 3 - Back, Biceps & traps

BB deadlift
Bent-over barbell row
one-arm row
pull-ups
standing bb curl
seated alternate hammer curl
BB or DB shrugs

*abs are done after evey work out
crunches 3 x 20
leg ups 2 x 20

I would recommend

Monday - workout 1
Tuesday - Rest/cardio
Wednesday - workout 2
Thursday - Rest/cardio
Friday - workout 3
Weekend - OFF

Do you think that you would achieve better results from using equipment at home or at gym?

Both of these aspects have their own stregths and weaknesses. Workout out at home allows for less no time travelling to the gym and has no membership fees or costs except for the initial purchasing of the equipment. It also means that you can play your own music, own tv channels, no one to bother you during a set or question what you are doing but on the negative side you have no traing partner to motivate or spot for you (unless you arrange a home gym workout with him/her) and you don't have the choice of multiple machines and a vast amount of specialized and expensive equipment.

With all this said, the area where you workout should be comfortable for you and you must be hapy with it because it could be a factor in your commitment and perseverance with keeping yourself healthy.

What are some accesories and/or pieces of workout equipment that are often overlooked when setting up a home gym?

Some items that are overlooked in the home gym are :

Mats - which you can do abs or some bodyweight exercises on and they also can protect your floor from the damage caused by the weights.

Mirror - Can be very beneficial by allowing yourself to see how your technique is going or what you are doing wrong. Another reason for a mirror is that it can show the progress that you are making.

Dip/pull up bar : Allows for performing dips or pull-ups and hanging leg raises.

How much can a person expect to spend for a functional home gym?

It all depends on the person and how much weight and the style of the equipment. A basic set up with weight, dumbell, barbell and bench should cost between $200- $600.

BONUS QUESTION : If you could have only 1 piece of workout equipment (Not including free weights, bench etc.) What would it be? Why?

It would defiantley be a dip/pull up bar as many vital exercises can be performed on it (pull ups, chin ups, dips, hanging leg raises etc.) which i consider important exercises in the routine.

[ruga buga]

What is the best home gym workout?

The average home gym consists usually of a pair of dumbells, a barbell and a bench. No other fancy equipment is needed to perform a good workout in the privacy of your own home.

Most people will go with their ego and forget about bodyweight exercises which can be very beneficial and challenging if done with correct form.

a sample routine :

*all exercises 3 x 10 except abs

Workout 1 - chest, shoulders & triceps

pushups
flat bb press
incline db press
db flyes
seated db overhead press
side lateral raises
bent-over rear delt raises
pullovers (BB or DB)
overhead db extension

Workout 2 - legs

BB front squat
DB lunges
one-leg squat (bodyweight)
Calf raises with BB

Workout 3 - Back, Biceps & traps

BB deadlift
Bent-over barbell row
one-arm row
pull-ups
standing bb curl
seated alternate hammer curl
BB or DB shrugs

*abs are done after evey work out
crunches 3 x 20
leg ups 2 x 20

I would recommend

Monday - workout 1
Tuesday - Rest/cardio
Wednesday - workout 2
Thursday - Rest/cardio
Friday - workout 3
Weekend - OFF

Do you think that you would achieve better results from using equipment at home or at gym?

Both of these aspects have their own stregths and weaknesses. Workout out at home allows for less no time travelling to the gym and has no membership fees or costs except for the initial purchasing of the equipment. It also means that you can play your own music, own tv channels, no one to bother you during a set or question what you are doing but on the negative side you have no traing partner to motivate or spot for you (unless you arrange a home gym workout with him/her) and you don't have the choice of multiple machines and a vast amount of specialized and expensive equipment.

With all this said, the area where you workout should be comfortable for you and you must be hapy with it because it could be a factor in your commitment and perseverance with keeping yourself healthy.

What are some accesories and/or pieces of workout equipment that are often overlooked when setting up a home gym?

Some items that are overlooked in the home gym are :

Mats - which you can do abs or some bodyweight exercises on and they also can protect your floor from the damage caused by the weights.

Mirror - Can be very beneficial by allowing yourself to see how your technique is going or what you are doing wrong. Another reason for a mirror is that it can show the progress that you are making.

Dip/pull up bar : Allows for performing dips or pull-ups and hanging leg raises.

How much can a person expect to spend for a functional home gym?

It all depends on the person and how much weight and the style of the equipment. A basic set up with weight, dumbell, barbell and bench should cost between $200- $600.

BONUS QUESTION : If you could have only 1 piece of workout equipment (Not including free weights, bench etc.) What would it be? Why?

It would defiantley be a dip/pull up bar as many vital exercises can be performed on it (pull ups, chin ups, dips, hanging leg raises etc.) which i consider important exercises in the routine.

[Mighty Kev]

Do the deadlines really matter? People are posting days after the deadlines and was just wondering

[zenon]

should have included pic here people