Home workout equipment (cowboydoc...??)

[Richard]

Contemplating joining club to knock off couple pounds, get heart moving and all. For 10 months of club membership, can buy the "crossbow", or for more money, the "bowflex".

Anyone know anything about these machines and if they are worth it?

I'm not sure I'm disciplined to go to gym.. never been that kind of person (never needed to before either /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif)

The pool, racketball, yoga...is all nice... but I got stuff to do here that can keep me relaxed, like play on brutus or cut some fields /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif.

any thougts on the merits of those items of equipment for home owner?

part of my thinking is, if I am NOT disciplined to go to gym, I'll at least have the stuff here and not just burnt up $$. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Thanks
Richard

 

[Anonymous Poster]

After a lot of years garage sailing with the wife, I've concluded the following about home workout equipment;
A, more weight is lost by the buyer on the second job he needed to pay for the thing.
B, most home workout equipment in garage sales appears to be unused.
C, Garage sales with home workout equipment are run by a fat woman behind the cash box
D, Home workout equipment is sold very cheap at garage sales
E, a properly ridden Schwin airdyne negates the need for air conditioning, but it's hard to convince the wife to ride it
F, Powered treadmills confuse me
G, You can get a better workout pushing a lawnmower, one without an engine, and shoveling snow, but those negate the need for plenty of equipment, and kill seat time.
H, Pushaways from the table accomplish more weight reduction than workout equipment.
I, you need to be nuts to get on a Nordic Track
J, There is no snack tray on a workout machine
K, There is a good reason for the safety lanyard on a powered treadmill
L, Your pets can laugh, and they will laugh at you on a workout machine
M, Hydraulic levers on an FEL provide a cardio vascular workout, so does the gearshift.
TRACTORS are the ultimate workout machine!!

 

[Rick Jay]

Richard,

I, too, am not disciplined enough to regularly head to the gym. Nor, do I think I could fit it into my schedule.

I have, over the past few years, bought several different pieces of low-end ($200-$300) exercise equipment: X-country skier, treadmill, training center (like a weight bench but it uses "shock absorbers" to supply the resistance).

Sometimes, they get quite a bit of use. Other times, they are very expensive hat racks, coat racks or dust collectors.

Overall, I'm glad I purchased the equipment 'cause it's always there the "next time" I feel motivated to work-out.

If you've got the space to store the stuff, then I recommend buying it.

Personally, I think a big draw at the "health clubs" is the socializing aspect. I'm married, and don't want to be tempted by cute little young things in tight spandex. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

~Rick

 

[Mark_in_NH]

<font color="green"> I'm not sure I'm disciplined to go to gym.. never been that kind of person </font>

Richard,
If this be the case then you will never be dsciplined enough to use the home equipment. It is just to easy to say "I'll do it tomarrow" only tomarrow never quite happens. Been there, Done that.
I joined our local fitness center a little over a year ago @ $36 a month. I do my best to get there 3 mornings a week, M/W/F for about an hour +. Some days I'm not into it but go anyway. Some days I'm not into going and don't. My mountain biking and kayaking buddy joined with me, we both need the excerise and we can push, abuse and rib each other. It makes it a lot easier to find the ambition to crawl out of bed at 5:30 when you have got someone to workout with and chat with while you are working out.
Maybe you have got a friend that could use the excerise and would like to join as well, but needs a little incentive.
I am a firm believer of joining the gym verses buying home equipment. The gym / fitness center will have a much wider array of equipment and of better quality than you will ever buy for yourself, skilled and knowledgeable staff to answer questions and show you how to use the equipment safely and properly. etc. etc. just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Egon]

One pays taxes to maintain the local sidewalks. Why not use them? A fast uphill walk will provide an elevated heart rate, let you see the neighbourhood and enjoy the vagracies of nature. No purchases are required unless one has to make a Fashion Statement.

Using stairs at work and walking whenever possible will also help.

Remember if you achieve olympic physical status your immune system may be compromised.

Egon

 

[Anonymous Poster]

we have bowflex, bikes, rowing machines and something else downstairs, and nothing is used. I do however go most mornings to Sturbridge where a motel has an inside pool. I dearly love and enjoy swimming.. the equipment in our basement just collects dust. Teh swimming seems to help out some besides.

 

[Chuck52]

Richard,

I've gone both routes. I work at a university, so a few years ago I joined the gym (really cheap) and went every day at lunch time. It was great....lots of different machines and interesting people to watch! There were several of us older guys, so I wasn't alone with the kiddies. I kept it up for about a year and really saw some improvement in strength and general well-being. Then I took a fall down some steps and never got back into it again after I recovered. I also have some weights and a decent treadmill in the basement. The treadmill is one of those with an elevation function so you can walk "uphill". I can get a really good cardio workout on that thing, and it tells me how many calories I've burned and all...not that I believe the numbers, but it does give me some feedback. How much do I use it? Not enough on a yearly average, but I do get into it during the winter months when I can't go ride my bike, which is my favorite form of exercise. I've got some grippers, the hand squeeze things, which I work while on the treadmill, and that keeps the hands from getting numb. I also have a couple of dumbells I play with after the treadmill. Free weights are pretty cheap compared to most machines and do much the same job.

If I'm doing some hard project that gives me enough exercise, like moving dirt with a shovel, or splitting and stacking wood, I don't feel the need to also do exercise for the sake of exercise, but it is nice to have some stuff in the basement for days like today when it's too wet and cold to do much of anything outside. My real problem with any such exercise is that it doesn't accomplish what I can see as work. You move dirt or split wood, and there's the proof you did something. I wish I could hook a battery charger to the traedmill or something. How about a hand-powered air compressor to fill your carry tank, instead of lifting weights just for the sweat of it?

Chuck

 

[BigDave]

Richard,

Find something that you like doing and that gets you moving and do it. I have a treadmill in the basement that I use every January for a few weeks...it was a waste of money. Just no fun. I recently bought my wife an elliptical trainer because she just had to have one...it's mid-February and usage is down to once a week. I also have dumbells and an incline bench that I use 1-2 months during the winter months...not too bad because they were inexpensive and take up less room than a home-gym. Now, when spring hits, my wife & I will get on our bicycles and/or tandem and ride several times per week until late fall...it's something we both like to do. So basically, IMHO unless you have something you REALLY like doing in the form of an exercise machine, it's probably going to collect dust eventually.

If you decide upon a home gym, the bowflex style machines aren't too bad since they allow for free movement during exercise. Machines with fixed motion exercises give a short term improvement, and eventual you overall stregth decreases since you don't exercise your stabilizing muscles. That one reason I like dumbells. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[cowboydoc]

Richard,

I think the bowflex is fine. For working out the free weights are the best. Not only do they build proprioception, balance and coordination but they also help to protect you from osteoporosis. Make sure you work cardio into your porogram though. Regardless of what they propose you just can't get a cardio workout on the bowflex. You need to do some fast walking, the best exercise, airdyne, rower, etc.

 

[rationalizer]

I'm probably an extreme case here - I have belonged to gyms and have also purchased a treadmill and have a training stand for my bikes - as well as "indoor rollers". A few thoughts:
1) In the long run your heart is what you need to excercise - so something that forces you to use your legs (big muscle groups) will be best for your heart. Treadmill, bike, rowing machine etc. will deliver the biggest impact on your health.
2) It takes discipline - and you have to enjoy it somewhat or it won't work. I have done marathons on my treadmill (yep) and ridden centuries (100 miles) on my bike in the basement... How did I do it? I had goals - but I also made sure I had fun things to do. I find Jackie Chan movies to worth a good workout. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif We all watch too much TV - but treadmills and bikes can be used while watching TV. Lets face it - do you need to concentrate so hard while watching a NASCAR race that you can't do something else at the same time. Maybe it is "This Old House" that floats your boat - great, watch that...
3) If you have a buddy to go to the gym with that is great - take advantage of it. If not - I find excercising at home is a lot more time efficient (both for travel time, shower time etc.)

Good luck!

Bill