Training at home

[Dr. Pink]

I want a body similar to Roberts( Minus the popping veins ) Is it possible to get there without a gym membership?

 

I am new to bodybuilding so any non-machine moves( Like hanging leg presses and stuff like that) I won't understand. I only know what Push-Ups and Sit-Ups are.

 

I was going to get a gym membership at the local Racquet and Health club but it's 80 bucks a month. I'd really like to work out from home. All I really have here are one set of free weights( 25 pounds per arm) one pair of leg weights( Simple 2 pounds per legs) A jump rope, A basketball Hoop( which hardly get's used as no one lives near here) and A couch for sitting up.

 

There are other gyms I can go to but I like the Health club because it's one of those hidden, safe gyms for the rich type people( Or people who can afford it) and the Enviroment is quite nice.

 

what do you all think? If I can afford it should I go to the gym or just stay home and save money? It would seem the gym has more equipment than I do. What do you guys thing?

[LongTimeVegan]

There are other gyms I can go to but I like the Health club because it's one of those hidden, safe gyms for the rich type people( Or people who can afford it) and the Enviroment is quite nice.

Pink, are you really going to sacrafice access to a REAL gym and work out at home just because you can't afford to work out at the "bourgeoisie" gym???

 

If you are trying to build your body, and you don't have access to: squat rack, olympic weights, dip bars, pullup facilities, heavy dumbbells, adjustable and flat bench, you are basically half-assing it (IMHO). Unless you spend a whole lot of money on home gym equipment, you are way better off just buying a gym membership. You will be able to vary your routine because they have more equipment than you have at home!

 

If you are really working out with intensity, you won't even notice all those lowly working class folks that are working out around you!

 

-Chris

[VeganDude]

I want a body similar to Roberts( Minus the popping veins ) Is it possible to get there without a gym membership?

 

Yes.

 

what do you all think? If I can afford it should I go to the gym or just stay home and save money? It would seem the gym has more equipment than I do. What do you guys thing?

Depends, if you like gyms go for the gym. I do think the gym has more equipment than you.

But I don't think you "need" most of it. If you get some more weight, a bar, a bench and maybe a little squatrack you have enough equipment to train as good as in a gym. Thats my opinion anyway. You can also get a great body doing bodyweight exercises, maybe a bit harder to get really big but great to build some muscle and get ripped.

 

I've been to a gym 2(or was it 3) times in my life. I like working out at home.

[Guest]

I'd much rather work out at home too. I have a lot of decent stuff(I'd like a power rack though) and enough for me as a cyclist and enough for someone that just want to get a little bigger. But if I bought the equipment I'd actually use at the gym it would cost me about $1000...basically a bit less 3 years of a gym membership but you get to keep everything, you don't have to wait to use equipment and you can workout whenever you want.

[paragonx]

For me it has to be a gym membership. I physically have to go to the gym to get the workout in. When I try to do it at home it doesn’t get done. I always look around and say I should do laundry, clean the house, or something else . . . IMHO it is easier to skip a work out when you do them at home. Maybe it is just me

[Dr. Pink]

For me it has to be a gym membership. I physically have to go to the gym to get the workout in. When I try to do it at home it doesn’t get done. I always look around and say I should do laundry, clean the house, or something else . . . IMHO it is easier to skip a work out when you do them at home. Maybe it is just me

 

I feel the exact same way. Which is why I'd more liek a gym membership. But if I can make it work for free I'd rather do that. But then again getting out of the house and away from my family is well worth it.

[VeganDude]

I've seen many people getting a gym membership, go once and thats it. Same for equipment, lots of people buy something use it once and find out they don't like it.

 

I started out with no equipment for a couple of months, not even db's. I had no trouble getting motivated cause I wanted to work out, still do. For me buying something to obligate yourself to do something doesn't work. It's like starting of with the idea you don't really want to do it.

[Guest]

There's a way around that. Replace your bed with a weight bench.

[dontxhide]

I havent had a gym membership in years. I think the trick to get motivated is to have a specific room to do your workouts in. Keep it clean and away from other things that may distract you. I lived in a small apartment and kept all my weights in my living room partitioned away by my couch and just having that little space to work out in did all the world of good.

 

If I had been smart I may of placed a sheet around my workout area to get further away from distractions.

 

In my place now I have a laundry room I dont use so I cleaned it up and put all my weights in there. I have made a flimsy squat rack that works wonders, and I also have a pull up bar I put throught the ceiling. Its everything I need to get big in a space no bigger than a laundry room.

 

Check on this website for DIY home equipment ideas.

 

www.straighttothebar.com/2006/10/diy_ho ... pment.html

[hsorlando]

For me it would have to be a gym membership. Because like others have sia, I'd always find other stuff that needed to be done at the house, before I would do a workout. And if you are just getting started you probably will not have correct form on some exercises, and could injure yourself doing it alone. Most gyms upon membership come with a few free personal training sessions. I wouldn't even bother mentioning the vegan diet. we know more about nutrition and where we can get protein etc, but a trainer could at least help you with the form, and introducing you to exercises. Unfortunately sometimes you get a trainer that's not very good, but even they can usually help with form.

[pamela]

I work out at home and always have. We have a universal, a bunch of free weights, and an elliptical (which I no longer use). Oh, and the punching bag.

I know if I had to actually go to a gym I would never go. There's a gym at my office and I won't even go to it. I just couldn't be bothered. Although, if I ever get to the point where I'm pretty strong and semi- look like I know what I'm doing, I might not mind going to a gym just to look hot and show off.

[Guest]

For me the best thing to get me training is to place my equipment near my distractions. This way lifting become the distraction from other things. I watch tons of cable news and I get some of my best training sessions in while watching it...very dorky I know but it works for me.

[Gyre]

I would play video games and every time I lost I had to do a set within a pre determined order. You could take martial arts hardcore and be stronger than any bodybuilder and look naturally fit and have muscle with the other routines you do at home. I would suggest martial arts over any gym any day even if you just practice at home with videos.

[VeganEssentials]

I would play video games and every time I lost I had to do a set within a pre determined order. You could take martial arts hardcore and be stronger than any bodybuilder and look naturally fit and have muscle with the other routines you do at home. I would suggest martial arts over any gym any day even if you just practice at home with videos.

 

You can certainly get fit from martial arts, but martial arts does not necessarily = strong. I've met some guys who were great fighters that were battle-strong but weak in real-life lifting and gym. If you don't train for strength, you don't get stronger, but you can certainly get quite strong without a gym to an extent.

[Gyre]

This coming from someone who has not trained within martial arts? I am asking because I have the experience to back up my words and the actual tests I performed. You also are not applying the leverage of chi within the equation:) You can't mess with electro magnetics son. I can become at least three times stronger with use. You just have to step up your work out to another level into levels that wouldn't normally be thought of, then when you add chi it ups the ante.Through purely strength training, a person who is not a martial artist could possibly find the same mental path and gain these abilities, it is just less likely that it will be sustainable or flexible or even know what they are doing.

[dontxhide]

Gyre, the orginal question was how he could get as big as Robert, training in a gym or training at home.

 

If he did strictly martial arts, he will not get as big as Robert. Martial Arts uses a lot of slow twitch muscles that build endurance. A some fast twitch muscles when hitting with power or throwing someone down quickly. It will not put 20+ pounds on your frame just from sparing and wrestling around on the mat. You may burn a lot of fat and your muscles will be more defined, so it may look like your bigger, but you wont get "that" big.

 

Even if you supplemented with weight lifting, you still wont get as big as your favorite weight lifter even if you spend ever day weight lifting(heavy and long enough to gain weight) and training, youll just lead yourself to over-use and injury. If it was possible to get as big as professional weight lifter in martial arts, wouldnt we see these people in the top levels of boxing and mma? No, because the power to weight ratio wouldnt be there to make them effective fighters.

 

They may be fit, and it may put some pounds on them if and only if you supplement MA with weightlifting, but you wont look like Robert or Arnold or anyone like that.

 

Now, if you did all this with strictly MA (which I know involves a lot of pushups and the like) your blessed. But the majority of the people out there cant will themselves with chi to make themselves bigger by punching heavy bags and practicing judo.

[Gyre]

Cool. yeah the only time I actually looked REALLY big was when I was all charged up, I have not met Robert but I can safely say I was just as big as him during my tests(from pictures). Anyone can do it, if their will is weak that is just one wall they come to on the journey to being big or fir or whatever. That is really the reason why I suggested martial arts because you explore all aspects of the experience, mental, physical, spiritual. I guess I was kinda debating the whole what gives strength more than what gives size ratio within the discussion. I have met some huge guys that are relatively weak. Thanks.

[VeganEssentials]

This coming from someone who has not trained within martial arts? I am asking because I have the experience to back up my words and the actual tests I performed. You also are not applying the leverage of chi within the equation:) You can't mess with electro magnetics son. I can become at least three times stronger with use. You just have to step up your work out to another level into levels that wouldn't normally be thought of, then when you add chi it ups the ante.Through purely strength training, a person who is not a martial artist could possibly find the same mental path and gain these abilities, it is just less likely that it will be sustainable or flexible or even know what they are doing.

 

I can't say I've traied in martial arts at all - fighting just ain't my thing, so I rely on my size to keep people from wanting to have much reason to give me trouble

 

Like I said, I don't doubt that one can get strongER thorugh martial arts, but let's face it, if you want to be albe to pick a 300 lb. rock and carry it across the yard, or be able to lift someone much larger than yourself over your head and hold them at arm's length (I'm trying to avoid using gym lift scenarios here, but there's plenty that can be said), you're going to need to train for it to be able to do it. If your body is not prepared, the mind/spirit/whatever one wants to call it is not going to suffice if you do not have the physical capability. Sure, some people can muster a great amount of strength on infrequent occasions (which many attribute to a specific muscle fiber type that is at it's peak after periods on non-lifting), but to me, I'd rather be able to use my strength at a moment's notice and not have to worry about whether or not I can manage something because I already know that it's possible.

 

I can't say I know much about Chi, but when I finally see someone who doesn't lift weights harness such a power to prove that it can triple their strength perhaps I'll have more faith in it. All it'll take is for someone who is supposedly capable of using such energy properly to enter a lifting competition and put everyone in their weight class to shame - who is game for that one?

[LongTimeVegan]

All it'll take is for someone who is supposedly capable of using such energy properly to enter a lifting competition and put everyone in their weight class to shame - who is game for that one?

ROFL

[corbomite]

I workout at home and have for several years. That being said, I do think a gym membership might be beneficial because I would get my workouts done more efficiently because I wouldn't be able to jump on the internet for five minutes or other distractions. But sometimes I have to be somewhere in an hour and I don't have the time to go to a gym. I think home training is very possible but it takes a little bit more will power.

[Patrick]

I agree with Carbomite.

 

Pink, if you do decide to get some equipment to workout at home, think of the powerblock DBs. I recently bought the Elite set and they are really good DBs. Get a bench, and your are ready to go with many exercies. Granted though, if you do attend a good gym where the vibe is good, there is no replacement. But if you have the willpower to do the same at home as in the gym, than awesome.

 

Despite what a lot of people say that you need a lot of equipment, (at least that is what I have heard from many others, not in this forum, but people in gyms), the bottom line is---you really don't. What you need is:

 

Squatrack

DBs

Bench

Pull Up Bar and you are ready to slay the Iron.