(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best exercise & fitness equipment

It's unfortunate that your chiropractor has not been more forthcoming in terms of patient education on topics like spinal rehabilitation, mobility exercises, indentification of weak vs. tight muscle groups, ect. but also your physical therapist? That's, like, what a physical therapist is supposed to be good at. Maybe you can look into options nearby but off base that would be willing to spend more time with you. A quick Google search may help find a chiropractor with a wider variety of services.

If you have the option to do this, here are some protocols that my help you which a provider may advertise on their website: selective functional movement assessment (SFMA), functional movement screening (FMS), myofascial release; instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM/Graston); functional rehab; kinesiotaping (RockTape or KT); McKenzie mechanical diagnosis and therapy (MDT); and Active Release Technique (ART). Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head that may relate to you. However, I will say that without a thorough history & examination I can only guess at what may be appropriate for you and this is in no way an accurate guaranteed solution to your problem.

Lastly, if your primary issue is that you are tight, spinal movement is restricted, your posture has been identified as poor and you are seriously interested in putting the time into fixing yourself, I will rattle off some techniques and resources that may help you get an idea of where to focus your attention. Since you have identified your thoracic spine as the primary region for which you seek treatment it is important to understand what is normal and then compare yourself against that (with an exam). Normal T-Spine range of motion (active or passive) goes something like, flexion; 50-70 degrees, extension; 20-30 degrees, lateral flexion; 25-35 degrees, and rotation; 40-55 degrees. So when doing exercises you have to make sure you are working through each and every plane of movement as well as stretching/releasing the muscle groups that activate motion respectively. That's some Google searching and light reading that you can do on your own.

Finally, here are some exercises you can add to focus on mobility. If you do not have a foam roll, get one. Exercise bands help too but the foam roll is numero uno. Something inexpensive like this roller as an example will do just fine. Exercises that focus on rotation & extension such as quadriped thoracic extension and thoracic windmill and the modified reverse fly and band resisted thoracic extension are just a few examples of exercises work well for covering the rotational component of thoracic movement. The Foam Roll Thoracic Extension is definitely a cornerstone movement for thoracic mobility. Lastly, a common occurrence in patients with postural and thoracic mobility/pain issues is that breathing patterns and diaphragmatic muscle activation is less than optimal. For this area, your yoga is a great tool for retraining breathing patterns to be functionally sound. A quick exercise that incorporates breathing and postural correction is the Brugger exercise as an example of this important part of thoracic mobility and postural rehabilitation.

Everything I have presented here is to present ideas of what types of exercises may help you if your condition is primarily musculoskeletal in nature. Your past medical history and instructions given to you directly by your primary care physician, physical therapist, chiropractor, physiatrist or orthopedic specialist that you have had direct contact with is going to be the law, as they have had the time for a proper exam. That said, no one component alone is going to fix you. Incorporating healthy lifestyle components like good nutrition, proper hydration, adaquate sleep, regular chiropractic corrective adjustments and stress reduction is just as important as anything else I've presented here. In closing, as questions. If you have questions that your doctor's won't answer for you, fire them. If you have to go elsewhere, go. If you have to pay out of pocket for care you need because your insurance doesn't cover what actually helps you then that's something you have to come to terms with. Everyone wants the best of the best until they have to pay for it. A good practitioner of physical medicine that will spend the time with you to teach you to do as much as you can independently so as to correct the cause of the problem instead of just treating symptoms can save you a lot of time, aggravation, pain and need for medical intervention later in life if you follow through with their instructions. I hope something I have presented here helps you. When your buddies have similar problems, share the information that helped you get through it. Knowledge exists to be shared for the benefit of everyone, not hoarded behind a pay wall. However, health care providers spend a lot of time learning techniques and information to help heal those in need and those skills are worth the cost of changing lives, eliminating pain, giving people their lives, their health, and their mobility back to people who forgot what it was like to function as a normal human should from a biomechanical/kinematic perspective. Good luck and thank you for your service.

I mentioned this to someone else regarding warming up outside, but I use it inside too. These are awesome for warming up forearms/shoulders quickly. I wouldn't statically stretch until you're already pretty warm, other than some dynamic (arm swingy) type stretches. You should check out my friend's site Climbing Nutrition he's super knowledgable and has zero preconceptions about nutrition (a very rare thing for people here in Colorado). Look at the diet information and supplement guide, there's a lot of good stuff there. For core workouts Mark Anderson's routine is a pretty good set of exercises, all of which you can make harder or easier to fit your needs. Cross training is always good just for general fitness and to maintain a healthy weight (if that's something holding you back) but climbing is a very specialized sport, so really climbing is the best training.

The CAP bench? It works fine for me; it is light like the rack, but apart from an accidental stab wound I gave it (that I even cautioned myself about, but I was all "I'll be fine I won't slip... shit"), it looks fine. The padded bars for the leg extension/curls aren't very well secured, but once I centered the bars I wrapped some duct tape around them several times so they wouldn't slide. Not that they really did before, but the potential for sliding seemed there. Now the pads fit more snugly and the bars can't slide back and forth. Well worth it for the price IMO.

As for the durability, I weigh 200 lbs. and I've benched 225 on it; it didn't exhibit any signs of stress. I haven't experienced instability on my puzzle mat or the concrete floor. I can't speak for the Pure Fitness model, but it looks about the same.

The only odd thing about the Cap bench is the weight bar is like 3/4 inch diameter, which fits my smaller dumbbell plates great, but is a bit small for the standard 2" cast iron barbell plates, so if I use those they slide a bit. The Pure Fitness looks like it has a 2" diameter weight bar which would better accommodate barbell plates. I was lucky I bought these because the weights are a perfect fit for the Cap bench.

So is it the best I've ever used? Absolutely not. But it works great for bench, incline, decline, military press, and leg work. For the price it's great, though that pure fitness model looks like it could be the better buy if you've already got 2" plates and don't need a rack.

Lost 75 lbs a few years ago with no gym, trainer, etc. The only equipment I had was some free weights (for curls and things like that) and eventually a pull-up bar (I'd recommend this one ).

I managed to go from 5' 8" 215lbs to 140lbs (pretty small at this point) over the course of about half a year. It can be done without anything other than motivation and willpower. To be honest, I kept thinking I'd plateau around 180lbs, then 170lbs, etc. Once you get your lifestyle changed, the weight won't stop dropping. I realize I started at a lower weight than you are, but the only real difference is the length of time it'll take you to get where you want. Once you get through the first few months, it won't be "losing weight" anymore, it'll just be living your life.

I posted what I did to someone else earlier today. It's a long post, but I tried to give as much advice as I could.

Sorry about the length, I'm just trying to say every helpful bit of advice I can think of. I really hope it helps. In short, just do little things like eating less, snacking less, and being more active.

My advice to you (and how I did it):

Pay an extreme amount of attention to what you eat. Eat slightly smaller meals (assuming you're eating too much like I was).

Whenever you find yourself wanting something to eat, drink water. It doesn't matter how you feel. Refuse to be controlled by hunger. Just drink water and eat food for nourishment when you feel it's necessary. (as a note: make sure you're still eating enough, obviously. But don't eat more than enough.)

Get into some small amount of exercise, but nothing super extreme. The exercise is a good way to keep your body healthy and a really nice way to see your progress (that first pull-up is really satisfying).

For about one year, eat NO sweets. Not a single one. There are certain foods that are unquestionably unhealthy/unnecessary (cake, cookies, etc). When you want some, drink water. You can even imagine eating it as you're drinking the water if you want. But nothing more than water. One thing that helped me is the realization that the taste of that cookie only lasts for a little while, but your health will last for the rest of your life. After the cookie is gone, it's gone; it becomes just another memory (of which you most certainly have plenty). Try to think long term.

Generally, I'm just suggesting a lifestyle change. Even if you're eating a little healthier than before, you'll get healthier and lose weight. You don't need to go run a mile every day to get healthier. A little bit every day will add up, and eventually, you'll be feeling and looking healthier. Think about whatever there is that will keep you motivated (the ladies, kids, wife, yourself).

Good luck!!!

I have a similar experience to /u/Vayshen. The biggest benefit for me was the Wii Fit U telling me how many calories I needed to burn every day for X amount of days to reach my target weight, and then the Fit Meter keeping track of my steps/calories. I've been more motivated to go on short walks, take stairs instead of the escalator, ride my bike, or just park further away from my destination so I can walk a little bit. The fit meter really shows you how far just a little bit of extra effort can go.

That being said, I now use the actual software to track my progress and do Yoga three times a week now that the weather is better. The software and routines were amazing during the winter, though! I was using it 3-4 times a week without a ton of weight loss but I was feeling much better about myself. I don't have much to lose (5'11', 150 lbs) so most of the exercise I've been doing has been more mental strength about my body. I feel better physically, even if my weight has stayed the same. I've seen success stories for people with more weight (even around 200lbs at the same height, you can see great results).

I've also supplemented the software with this cheap ab roller which I do 4 sets of 10 rolls on off days, and 5 sets of 5 during my Wii Fit workouts (mainly in between workout activities. I also got a set of 10 or 15lb dumb bells that I do the same with.

I've lost about 4 pounds in the 4 months that I've had the software, but I haven't weighed myself in 3 weeks as of today. All in all, I use it more of a motivator to get active! It's been more of a mental help than anything else, especially during those cold or rainy days when I can't walk or bike.

If you did it every morning, I'm sure you would see results! I suggest doing the premade routines so you don't end up doing only the fun activities. They usually have 8 fun things and 2 aerobic type exercises. Mix that in with a short walk each day and some light weight lifting and you'll be much more tone than you are now!

Loads do, myself included!

Ok so admittedly I haven't kept up with the gym-lifting much in the past couple of months, but before that I was combining a 1x/week moderately heavy lifting session with ~50 miles/week of running, mostly 5k focus but this year is shaping out to begrudgingly become more of a 10k-marathon. ANYWAY, back in college, I was running about as much, all for 1500m/mile/k/5k/6k XC, and lifting twice a week, a bit heavier but still not "powerlifter" heavy (for a scope, at 115lbs I was occasionally doing 3x5 deadlifts at 145lbs, but sometimes I'd just do 3x8 at 105 or whatever). Went find, the key was to always do the heavy lifts on the hard running workout days.

Now that I'm in my mid-20s and "whatever" (though I still care about PRs and aim to get them and have within this year), I do more what you're doing. Single-legged movements are key, so I'm so glad to see that you're already doing them. When I'm at home, I use loads of bands of relatively strong resistance for clamshells, sissy squats, etc. I also use a 15lb kettlebell for bulgarian split squats and for single-legged deadlifts. When I'm at the gym, I go into those with a bit more weight, slightly lighter regular deadlifts than I used to do, because I don't have as much raw strength as I did when I lifted regularly, rows, OHP, full-on 60lb barbell hip thrusts, etc.

One general bodyweight routine I recommend is the Myrtl Routine, which is targeted towards common running weaknesses. I also recommend you order a pack of resistance bands on Amazon, like these (just picked a random set of exercise bands, shop as you please, but those are cheap and look fine). You'll really be able to be sure you're strengthening the right muscles when you use those bands, and you can elevate your exercises to the next level. Bands are GREAT tools, and it's awesome how simple and cheap they are!

I started with about the same budget as you. This is what I did (minus the flooring because I'm in the garage and just threw down mats).

http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/rubber-mat-black-4-ft-x-6-ft?cm_vc=-10005 6 horse stall mats - 35 bucks a piece. $220

http://www.titan.fitness/short-power-rack.html - Titan short rack, because of the clearance thing. I wish I would have gotten the taller one so I could OHP in it, but it's not a big deal. $269

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/body-power-deluxe-multifunctional-power-tower?repChildCatid=3077414 Power tower, on sale still. $129

http://www.ironmaster.com/products/quick-lock-dumbbell-system-75 - Ironmaster dumbbells - best purchase ever. $499

Found 205lbs of rogue bumper plates, and a flat bench on craiglist for $300 Had another 175lbs of bumper plates previously. If you don't want bumper plates you can find metal plates for much cheaper on craigslist.

That had me at about $1600 after taxes. I also got a Xebex rower/decline bench/med ball from GetRXd on a special for $800 but that was bought because it was a great deal. Awesome rower btw.

If you want a good incline bench instead of flat, go with the ironmaster one. It's $299 I believe and very solid. Ironmaster dumbbells are way, way better than the Bowflex ones. They're solid metal. I toss them around and they're fine. They also don't rattle.

I also got the Cap bar from amazon for $160. Awesome 1000lb rated bar. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006R4EOXM/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687562&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001K4OPY2&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=044DMW43KCXP3YXFA73M

First, don't look for shortcuts. Yes, you can play a Fmaj7 (x-x-3-2-1-0) or a power chord varation (x-8-10-10-10-x) but you're going to have to build up the strength to play barre chords sooner or later anyway.

What gauge strings are you using on your Samick? Since you're a beginner, I would recommend switching to extra light strings, which will make it much easier to play barre chords. If your guitar hasn't been set up properly, consider taking it to a guitar tech and ask them to lower the action on it so the distance between the strings and the fretboard isn't as great.

The F barre chord is the hardest barre chord to play because it's lowest one on the neck, where you need the most strength to play it. So start playing barre chords further up the neck, which will come a bit easier. I.E., try playing B major (7-9-9-8-7-7), or try minor barre chords like E minor (0-7-9-9-8-7).

Lastly, consider buying a Gripmaster hand exerciser and use it on your fretting hand whenever you're not playing guitar. I used one as a beginner some ten years ago and it helped a lot.

Don't get discouraged. Keep practicing.

Medicine balls: I used two med balls when I did P90X2 -- one for each hand. Both are the 8-pound versions of these. You could use up to 4 but that was way more money than I wanted to spend. When you use them, you're usually balancing on them anyway so the weight of the ball isn't much of an issue. I don't recall whether there were any exercises done with using them as actual weights...

Foam roller: I bought this one in 36" full round. Worked just fine.

I used X2 as a way to just become more fit in general. I lost about 15 pounds and gained some muscle for sure, but I didn't get massive -- I got bigger but it was more in a slim and fit-looking way if you know what I mean. I looked at the Body Beast stuff but couldn't stand the bro vibe.

P90X3 requires less equipment than X2 (no med balls, no foam roller), but does require a good range of dumbbells and I can recommend that program as well for all-around improvement. I am 2 days away from starting the third block of X3. It's challenging but fun. Shorter workouts does NOT mean easier in this case. Very few breaks and they are miniscule. A friend of mine did P90X and is now in love with X3 because of the massive time savings it provided.

Good luck!

I know this isn't what you're asking for, but I'd like to suggest something that I have.

I use a Polar FT4 heart rate monitor instead of a FitBit. It's much, much cheaper. And since it reads your heart rate, it calculates your calories burned (with your sex, age, weight, height) based on how hard you're actually working.

Website estimates are always iffy in my opinion. Like, what counts as "moderate" or "vigorous" if you change your intensity all through your workout? Tracking your heart rate removes a lot of the guesswork.

Heart rate monitors aren't great for stuff like weight lifting, but they're awesome to have for a spin class or any sort of cardio workout.

Personally I want an ice cream attachment for my stand mixer so I can make amazingly rich, but actually healthy frozen Greek yogurt! Alternately, this quick pop maker might do the trick.

A weighted hula hoop is surprising work, and fun too! A kite will get you outside, and I can't WAIT for Just Dance 2014 because it will allow for online play and I need that extra boost to get me back into it -- I think I need some new songs too. =P

I have a foam roller that works like a massage and stretching at the same time, and you might want a yoga mat like this one that hopefully won't off-gas nasty smells.

You can order workout shoes online, but only AFTER you go into a physical store and try them on, and wear the ones you think you want around in the store for at least half an hour, trying to mimic various motions.

Welcome to RAoA! You don't have to have prime but it does make shipping costs free for many items so if you use Amazon a lot it is good. Are you currently a student? If so then you get 6 months free of Prime!

Anyways what kind of pets do you have? Have you ever treated ferrets?

It's nice to meet you! If I win I would like this jump rope or you can pick something else from my list and surprise me! Thanks!

adhd person here. motivation is especially hard for me sometimes. exercise has been super helpful. i do cardio every morning, and the r/bodyweightfitness recommended routine three nights a week.

but i started with just cardio. 30 minutes on a stationary bike. i used to listen to music while doing it, but my mood shifts pretty often, so i often don’t feel like listening to whatever music is on my phone. now i listen to audiobooks.

i pick a book that i’m really into and only listen to it when i’m on the bike. it motivates me to get going, especially when i’m invested in the story. by picking a book to only listen to when biking, my mind links the enjoyment of the story to the act of exercising, so the anticipation makes it a bit easier to get started sometimes. plus i can shut the world out for 30 minutes and be wherever the book wants to take me.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007595TKU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SBS-AbECBRGYB

here’s a link to an inexpensive stationary bike that’s good for beginners. small footprint, foldable, and you can do cardio from the privacy of your home. mods, let me know if i’m breaking any rules by posting the link, i’ll delete it.

even if it’s not this, i hope you find some exercise that works for you! it’ll help to elevate your mood and motivation. and don’t be hard on yourself if you skip a day or two. set up a schedule and try really hard to stick to it, but also recognize that (mental and physical) rest is important. so give yourself some time if you need it. love from an internet stranger.

This awesome upright bike relates to /u/Sp3cia1K because I'm pretty sure it's the same one that she was gifted not too long ago. :) BUT These binoculars relate to her much better because they also relate to her adorable son, Loki! :D I bet it's something he'd love because he seems to be close in age to my God son.

Happy Birthday, /u/Sp3cia1K! Is it awesome in person too? :

Bosu -- you can get them inexpensively at stores like Academy. I have the "mini" size one. I use it for several things: (1) using interval timer, stand on one foot on the bosu for 3 1-minute sets for each leg, (2) when you get good at that, do one-leg squats on the bosu, (3) flip it over (flat side up) and do normal squats while holding extra weight as needed. You'll find that you'll wiggle all over the place, and maybe fall off sometimes, until you get good. Just standing one-legged on the bosu will strengthen your foot, ankle, calves, knees, and hip, and especially in all the little micro-adjustment places that you need for stability.

You can do the same thing with a sissel.

Rubber bands: put band around your ankles and do side-shuffles and walk forward/backwards (move like a speed skater). Put them around your knees and do clamshells. Anchor a band in a door, stand on one foot, holding the free end of the band at arm's length and rotate your upper body against the tension of the band. Think wood chop exercise but standing on one foot so you put some beneficial torque on the knee and test its stability.

Movement exercises: sit on the floor (I have smooth wood floors) like you're in open guard, stretch your feet out in front of you, anchor your heels, and pull yourself forward; think like a butt-scoot, but using nothing but your glutes, hams, and calves. A bunch of normal calisthenics that work the leg chain (leg lifts, scissors, crazy legs, etc.). Lots of normal BJJ warmups are probably really good stability workouts.

Stretching: every leg stretch you can find. I found this book from the flexibility subreddit, and it's been amazing.

I'm really not sure where to find this stuff all put together, it's what I learned from my PT guys. I do this stuff about three times a week. Bosu every time, the other exercises I kind of mix in so I get to all of them once or twice a week.

Protection: I do wear knee braces, with the little silicone donuts in them. It helps a lot with impacts. Also keeps you thinking about knees and being careful and healthy.

I would save up for better main equipment. Skip the adjustable dumbells to start and put it towards a better rack/bench. If you get dumbells later do not buy bowflex. powerblocks and ironmaster are the only quick adjust dumbells worth anything and otherwise would just get some spinlock adjustable dumbells if they are too pricey.

The problem with that valor fitness rack is it is way too cramped and the designers didn't know what they are doing (just look at the demo video)- it is impossible to fit a bench inside that rack since the weight tower/pulley and bottom crossmember is in the way no matter which way you face so you are forced to bench outside, not to mention the weight tower uses 1" pins instead of 2" olympic pins so it is just shoddy with oly weights anyway. would try to find a rack that has tighter hole spacing on the pins- at least 2" holes on center. a weight tower can be nice but it needs to be offset from the back of the rack so it is actually useable. find a quality rack first that works good as a rack then grab a cheap pulldown on craigslist later or something.

The bench is iffy- most cheap (and even nice commercial) adjustable benches tend to not be very good to setup on for flat benching since the butt piece gets in the way and the pads are at different heights with gaps making it very difficult to get a good proper flat bench setup on. cheaper adjustable benches are fine for incline work but I would get a dedicated quality proper flat bench in addition.

I'm a big fan of the CAP OB86 series bars for the money- I would just suggest picking up the PBCK variant instead that has the center knurl for squats though.

for flooring look at either stall mats or 3/8" rolled rubber for gym flooring. good rolled rubber is a lot more expensive but looks a bit cleaner and has less smell. stall mats are cheap and thick and great- only issue is they can smell pretty strong at first and are heavy and a bit cumbersome to do a whole gym in- if you do go for stall mats if you leave them outside in the sun for a couple weeks they won't smell when you bring them inside.

Couple of things.

• I often don't eat enough. Used to be fat, don't want to be again. Heck, I'm not exactly skinny now, no showing abs and still some lovehandles. But I kind of need those calories. Without them my lifts stall or I injure myself.
  
  
• T2 Diabetes. Recovery sucks for me, I heal slowly, and it's a lot easier for me to strain something and be out of commission for days, if not weeks. This has improved though since I started supplementing with celery seed for potassium, and creatine.
  
  
• I probably don't sleep enough. Maybe 6.5 - 7 hours a night. That's just normal for me though. I often wake up naturally after about 7 hours of sleep. Plus, let's face it, life can be busy, and something's gotta give.
  
  
• Laziness with calorie counting/macro management. As a diabetic, I have enough work on my plate managing my blood sugar and energy levels. I should be counting calories and ensuring I reach my macros, but I honestly have no clue. I just eat a high protein/low carb diet and kind of wing it.
  
  
• Not owning a squat rack, and not willing to pay for a gym membership. Limits how much I can back squat right now, and I'm just doing variations, like last night it was hack squat, and clean to front squats. Will hopefully change that in the near future by buying one of these. Main issue I haven't gotten a rack is because my apartment is small, but that should fit in a corner when not in use.
  
  With all the above, I'm practically the poster child of what not to do. All this said though, I'm still getting it done. Not just sitting on my ass doing nothing, so I got that going for me. I'm in good health, pretty fit now, and happy with myself, which is way more than I could say two years ago. So I guess I've met my goals, and now I need new ones. :)

It is a good idea to compromise and do both.

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Day 1: Upper body

Day 2: Lower Body

Day 3: Relax/Stretch/Light Cardio

Day 4: Upper Body

Day 5: Lower Body

Day 6: Relax/Stretch/Light Cardio

Day 7: Stretch/ cardio

​

It is easy to burn out if you only focus on one, like I would get extremely bored of doing just cardio. Honestly, for cardio I highly recommend sports because its a great way to socialize while getting in shape. Alternatively, pick up swimming since it also works really great without putting strain on your joints.

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If your wrists are hurting from pushups, buy a pushup bar. Something similar to this (though probably not as expensive). Or if you have a place to hang some rings, get yourself some gymnastic rings since they are probably going to be your best investment if you are truly interested in doing bwf.

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If your knees are hurting from squats, I HIGHLY recommend that you get it checked to make sure you are okay and get someone to check your form is correct. Since you said you are doing jump squats, I would recommend staying away from those or atleast finding a softer surface (sand if possible since it is so much harder yet it does not tax your knees a lot). Again I recommend not doing squats until your knees stop hurting or consult w/ a physician first (basing this off needing a shoulder surgery in the past from pushing though the pain and I may need one for my knee in the future).

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Make a good routine that focuses on every party of your body (i didn't read anything about back workouts in your post) .

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Lastly, experiment a little bit. If planks are too difficult, find other workouts that might be easier while still being challenging. Try to do some very simple workouts that help for progression towards something you want to do in the future.

It's actually really awesome cardio! :) It's totally a great workout for someone like me who hates running, and I've seen some studies say it's just as effective as getting out for a jog (but TBH most of those studies were published by jump-roping advocacy groups so who knows, lol).

Haha that's okay, I didn't know either! Are you in the UK or stateside? This is the bestselling one on Amazon, and only $7! If you're short like me you can pop the handles off and get the rope to your ideal length. Haha. I also believe Target has them!

I hate my local gym(s). So. Damn. Much. I know it's just me. I'm impatient, intolerant, and generally just can't stand the douchers everywhere. So, I finally finished up my garage gym. It's not pretty, but it works. I just need a few more plates, and a really good deal on a row machine (and to clean up the other half of the garage).

Strength Training:

• Titan T2 Squat Rack with dip attachment
  
  
• Deadlift platform (~170 bucks - 8x8, 3/4 inch underneath, birch on top, horse stall mats, had screws already)
  
• Fitness gear adjustable bench (got for free a year ago, it's ok, I'm not comfortable benching more than 225-250 on it)
  
• CAP barbell, 350ish lbs worth of plates (got this for under 200 on sale at Dick's)
  
• Bowflex SelectTech 552
  
• 35lb kettlebell
  
• Misc. bands
  
• Ab Wheel
  
• Belt, wrist wraps, knee sleeves (because camo...)
  
  Mobility:
  
  
• 10lb kettlebell
  
  
• Misc. bands (not the exact brand, but I think I got them cheap at a garage sale or something, definitely didn't buy them new)
  
  Conditioning:
  
  
• Ab Straps
  
  
• Weighted vest
  
• E-Prowler
  
• 20lb smash ball
  
• 300 pound tire (not pictured) - $65 on craigslist. I use it for conditioning, but might pick up a 500+ for stregnth training
  
• Sledge Hammers (had these for misc. home projects, I think like 20-30 each)
  
  Recovery:
  
  
• Yoga mats (not sure, they're my wife's, I just sweat all over them)
  
  
• Foam rollers (not sure, got them as a gift)
  
  Cardio:
  
  
• Good quality jump ropes (these are actually really nice, I just got them)
  
  
• Rollerblades
  
• 29er Mountain Bike (I have the 2014 model).
  
  Edit: Links + words.

There is a video on the bottom as part of the photos here. It gives you an idea of the range of motion. It's not a stair stepper, but it has the more circular motion of an elliptical, so it might be different than what you have.

Side note: I only doing it standing. I tried doing it sitting and found that awful (I'm tall though, 5'10", maybe it wouldn't be so bad for shorter people).

At the office, I usually just hop on it every hour for a few minutes to counteract sitting. However, at home, I've done it for extended times to get a cardio workout. The resistance can be increased with a knob to help get a better workout, and with the circular movement, you can do it pretty fast while still feeling it's a natural motion. I'd say it's comparable to very brisk walking. It's not as good as running, but you can veg out and watch something easily, and it's easy on the joints. I tend to do it when I don't feel like running, so it's a bit easier to get motivated to do it too. My boyfriend holds dumbbells in his hands while he does it.

That's sounds a lot like having depression too which is a huge beast in and of itself. Deal with that myself too and it's a struggle to just be motivated to really even get out of bed. So I feel for the family friend.

I use Exercise Bands to help me drop weight. It can be done while sitting down comfortably and there are loads of exercise videos on YouTube (and DVDs) that show seated position workouts for folks like him and me.

Might also be wise to try finding other things that also interest him instead of feeling the need to eat to fill in the gaps. I know it's super tempting to just chow down on something, because it's easy and it's something to do that can be done easily for enjoyment.

https://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Exerciser-Medium-Tension-7-Pounds/dp/B0006GBDZY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491831858&sr=8-3&keywords=finger%2Bstrength&th=1

I'm not saying with 100% certainty that this will work, but I started playing guitar about 15 years ago and when I started my fingers would kill me if I played for like 30 minutes or so. I bought one of these and it drastically improved my dexterity to where I could play as much as I wanted without pain or stiffness. Granted I was 16 at the time and things didn't hurt as much or for that long, but it did help.

Another thought it tape? Maybe open up the finger holes a bit more and tape your fingers. It should work like a compression sleeve and keep your fingers from swelling in the first place.

Or neither of these are good ideas. I don't know. I'm spit-balling here lol

An unintended beauty I found with building a home gym is that because of budget restraints for most of us, you're often forced to boil down your routine into the basics early on. To me that's a wonderful thing. I've been a far more productive lifter focusing on more basic lifts and forgetting about all the ancillary isolation exercises. Granted, your lifting routine doesn't seem to get cute with the iso work. So I guess my point is, get what you need for the big lifts now. You can figure out alternatives to your complimentary lifts with what you have. For example, using different pull up grips, or using inexpensive bands as support in your pullups if you need to go high reps (in place of lat pulldowns) are possibilities.

In time, you'll get pieces here and there to add further variety. Many of these gyms you see here have evolved over time. Be patient, you'll be accumulating complimentary pieces in no time.

My advice is to put money in:

• a decent rack that has a lot of supporting accessories (Titan is a good brand for this)
  
  
• a sturdy bench (I like my Rep Fitness adjustable bench)
  
  
• some horse stall mats - I personally think a platform may not be necessary unless you're doing olympic lifts, and dropping from up high. I've deadlifted 500+ on 3/4" horse stall mats alone, with no damage to the concrete beneath.
  
  
• Dick's runs great deals for 300 lbs olympic weight sets (I've seen as low as $179). The bars that come with this are crap, but could last you 6 months if you're not going to heavy or beating on it until you get a good bar. Some people have been able to flip the bar immediately for money on Letgo or Craigslist.
  
  
• Solid barbell... look for deals, I got this one for $80 after some weird instant rebate on Amazon last July. It was posted in this forum. There's plenty of good barbells out there, just a little research should land you a decent one.
  
• Landmine - Best bang for the buck in my gym. I got one like this for ~$23 around the holidays. You can add a ton of variety to your workout. Just google 'landmine exercises'. You can put that cheap bar that came with the Dicks' set in there.

Here's a list of all the home workout equipment I've purchased on Amazon :)


Stretch Bands for Dancers and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078H3KQ5W?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Elite Sportz Exercise Sliders are... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OYRW4UE?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVDVHTI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Mini Exercise Ball - 9 Inch Small... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TJC4GY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Yes4All Agility Ladder – Speed... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B8LEB28?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

A stretch band, sliders, mini bands, a pilates ball, and an agility ladder. I also have cute workout clothes, a bluetooth speaker, a mat, pilates socks, handstand canes, yoga blocks, handstand blocks, a yoga wheel, a pullup bar, a headstand bench, a kettlebell (r/kettlebell for recommendations), 5 and 10lbs dumbbells, long/stretchy bands like therabands, a bosu ball, a jump rope, boxing gloves, focus mitts, a stopwatch, a swiss ball, and a pullup band.

Also not included are the kegel balls I bought on Amazon but I didn't know if you were counting pelvic floor workout equipment lol. Wow I think my house is actually a gym lmao. I'm actually a personal trainer lol.

I would start a home workout system if you don't like the gyms near yoga mat, set of dumbells, and resistance bands should get you through any home workout to start.

I find 30 day fitness challenges on pinterest and try to complete 1-2 every month. I think having that whole month of things planned helps me. I also set up a reward for it. So this month I'm doing an abs and arms one. If I get 28/30 days done, I will go get a manicure.

I set more weekly rewards too. I love new workout clothes. I have a whole list of things I want. So I set a goal with a new tank or sports bra as the reward. Example for the upcoming week (i run my weeks Monday-Sunday, I know that is weird) I want to run 12 6-minute miles. Obviously not all at once, but over the course of the week. If I do it, then I will be getting this tank. This is a hard one, I've been trying to get it for a few months now, but trying keeps me heading out and motivated.

I would also say find an accountabilibuddy (south park reference anyone?) to try and help keep you motivated. That can be online (me if you want me pestering your inbox) or a RL friend.

I am a big fan of the Ohio Power bar, and I went ahead and picked up one from the USA. you're right, its $$$$ but IMO worth the money.

if you are looking for a cheaper "Canadian" alternative you could try this bar http://www.strongarmsport.com/product-p/bar-bos.htm it's from Bells of Steel and has great reviews. This is their last gen bar, but reviews are saying its better than their "new and improved" version. its comes in at $370 shipping and taxes inc. the Rogue bar comes in at $390 shipped so its a no brainer to go with the OPB.

the only other option I found to be cheaper was the Cap Power Bar from Amazon (Free ship with Prime) https://www.amazon.ca/Cap-Barbell-Weight-Lifting-Olympic/dp/B006R4EOXM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520517760&sr=8-1&keywords=ob86pbck

currently at $193 ($218 taxes in and free ship) is your cheapest option for a decently reviewed power bar. http://capbarbell.com/1500lb-solid-power-squat-bar-with-central-knurling/

I have this one and I love it. It's a bit pricey but I got it with my amazon rewards points. It keeps track of your heart rate, calories and time. It's very easy to use and you can go back and see your previous sessions. The only downside is wearing that strap, but I've actually consistently had to make is smaller which is awesome.

HEY GUYS I made a new myfitnesspal profile, add me @90days_lex if you don't mind I could REALLY use the support.

Gadgets: When I proved to myself that I wanted to do Insanity (April '14) and got through the first month of workouts, I rewarded myself (and/or bribed? I guess? haha I respond well to self-bribes :D) with a Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor to keep track of my progress. It's been a lifesaver and one of the biggest factors in my continued fitness journey since I use the calorie count to push myself during workouts where I know I'd otherwise slack off.

Yesterday ended up not being great. I've been binging a lot at night and it's completely destroying my progress. I'm not really sure what to do though - I've been trying IF so I can give into my cravings and binge at night and be okay but that doesn't make me feel great... spacing out my meals doesn't seem to work for me well either. Maybe it's just adjusting to Paleo, or maybe I'm just letting myself slip and am not being disciplined enough? Either way it's a major bummer. I want to do my best over the next week and a half or so. I just need a few really good days to get back on track and I know I'm capable of doing that. I did hit 3L of water though so that's good. I'm super-upping my water consumption for the next week or so while I start this new workout program, then I'll drop back down to 2L. Just constantly feeling thirsty and it's probably from too much sodium.


Today:

☑ P90X3 Day 3 [Yoga X] 83 kcal burnt [mfp estimate; forgot hrm --]

☑ Classes

☑ Sign up for MPRE - deadline today!

☑ Look into group project

☒ Scope out Fitness Center at apartment, Walk (at least 30 mins) - fail. I get really anxious about using fitness centers and gyms and stuff, even at my apartment because it's small and I don't want to show up and there be someone else there etcetc... might start waking up early to get a walk in? I don't know. Bah.

☑ Take care of bf's dog <3

☑ Read some Divergent

☐ Drink 3L water: ☑ ☑ ☑ ☑ ☐ ☐

☐ Burn 2000 calories this week! [0,676/2,000] - I need to do the fitness center thing -- P90X3 isn't burning enough calories and I don't want to work hard for 30 minutes and be a lazy blob the rest of the day...

☑ Days without soda: 3

Sprint 3 Goals (8/20-9/23)

☐ Eat Paleo/Primal 90%+ & MFP Log

☒ Finish another round of Insanity (End date: 9/27) burnt out

☑ Read 1 Novel

☐ Keep up with school reading

☐ Meditation Program: Practicing Mindfulness

☐ Get in good shape for Halloween! [50 days]

I also get mad forearm tendinitis from lowbar, so much so, that when I still squatted, I almost exclusively did front squats after I didn't find a way to adjust my lowbar form to compensate. You could try Ben Pollack's talon grip though, it definitely helps relieve the stress, I was just never able to make it that stable, but I have super tiny hands, so that could've been related.

I find using this to help me the most : https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Resistance-Tendinitis-Intermediate/dp/B000KGOMBC/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=therabar&qid=1572648692&s=sporting-goods&sr=1-4

Looks like a floppy green dildo, but it really helps stretch/strengthen the muscles affected by tendinitis from lowbar. That plus extensor training as /u/bigcoachD suggested, is really what will help you the most. I also use the therabar for my carpal tunnel that I developed from my typing intense job haha.

Price of ultimate plan: $370

P90X base plan: $140


Pull Up Bar: $30


Push Up Bars: $10


Chin Up Assist $35. This is a handy tool but a chair will suffice.


The recovery drink, while not a total waste of money, can be replaced with much cheaper supplements. I do stuff like protein powder and a frozen banana in a blender. Equivalent cost $40.


The real issue with ultimate package is the bands. You're going to want real weights. I went to a second hand sports equipment store and got a set of free weights at $.50 a pound. A nice full set will be in the $150 range.


Total: Around $400.


So for around $30 more, you can buy a much better set up than what's offered in the ultimate package. If you stick with it, you're going to replace the bands anyway.

Do you like spending time outside now that the weather's not absolutely abysmal?

Do you like working out, or at least tolerate it in effort to have a general good-for-stuff body?

Do you think back to the days of recess with fond memories of jump roping?

Do you want to work out outside to enjoy the nice day?

Then buy yourself this jumprope that I can endorse personally, and keep limber while having fun outside!

----
My favorite part of spring: walking outside without bundling up.

I have a Valor BD-7, which is nothing special, but there's two things I like about it that might be worth considering for power racks.

1. The majority of the random rack accessories out there seem to be 2x2, so for example I've added extra spotter bars, another set of long spotter arms so I can bench outside the rack, and some better J-hooks than the ones it came with.
   
   Sure, accessories exist for 2x2.5 or 2x3, but 2x2 with 1" holes gives you a lot more stuff to choose from in my experience.
   
   
2. I like having an upper / lower cable pull, personally. A lot of people end up fabricating or buying one of the Spud sets but having it built-in is nice.
   
   Bench wise, it may not matter to you, but if you're already getting something with a leg hold-down, you might as well look for one that has a modular leg extension and a preacher bench that you can swap in and out.

Are you looking for strength/speed/endurance training, or technique? I don't know if any tool is really useful for practising technique, if you don't have the body of a full guitar as a counterweight and the correct neck position (wrist position has a big impact on strength and technique).

For the former, these hand grip trainers are pretty useful.

Don't just hold it in your fist and flex it in the one position, though. GripMaster suggests a bunch of different exercises, a lot of them are fairly relevant to the guitarist. I suggest lighter tension + more repetitions to build some strength and more endurance needed when playing.

I strongly recommend the light tension. You don't need that much strength for the guitar, rather than endurance and flexibility, and doing finger exercises (not grip exercises) on the thing is surprisingly hard on medium tension (probably an injury risk). Try holding a medium tension one between fingers with the thumb (not palm) supporting it from below—you probably won't manage to hold the entire thing down. Try doing it a finger at a time, same thing...

Does she have a heart rate monitor? She wouldn't wear it all the time, but while she works out, definitely. I bought a Polar HRM and I love it. I do cardio dance workouts on YouTube as well as some yoga. I don't use it for yoga (although I could, technically), but I love it with my cardio.

1. I recommend baking carrot cake. It's so darn wonderful and very forgiving (it's damn near impossible to make a dried out carrot cake) It's my go-to cake!
   
   
2. I would love this jump rope. It would make my day because it would help me reach and maintain my fitness goals while having fun!
   
   
3. 'Tis the the season to be baking.
   
   
   Thanks and happy baking!

Great, thank you. I'm still new to this, so some of the acronyms are unfamiliar. I found a GHD, which looks like it has the quality you recommend.

I'm not sure what a step platform is, unless you mean something like this. But I don't see how that relates to saving space on weights.

I understand an ab roller to be this. I remember using one of these once and was impressed with how much it seemed to exercise my abs. Good suggestion.

As for suspension system, would that be something like this? Would a weight rack serve this purpose?

Well Happy Birthday!!! What has made me happiest this week is realizing that I am almost done with school for the semester!! Well this happens to work out perfectly, my favorite food is sushi!!

This is under $10

As others have stated, try barre chords further down the neck... F barre in the 1st position requires a good deal of finger strength. Try B barre in 7th pos, then A at 5 then G at 3. Work your way up to F at 1st.

Having good position/posture well help - (assuming you play right handed) left leg up a bit using a foot rest, guitar resting between legs, neck of guitar angled up about 30ish degrees, left palm on the side of the neck, thumb directly behind frets on the back of the neck - like youre trying to pinch the strings down between your thumb and index. Dont try to wrap your thumb around the neck, unless you have crazy monkey hands having the thumb out of position makes barres a lot more difficult .


Look into buying something like this to build finger strength
http://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B0085MX3SG

I used these exact ones and they helped a lot with finger strength and dexterity.

In short: practice.

Couldn't agree more regarding the purchase of a rack that includes plate storage. Its more space efficient and leaves more open floor space. I have a fitness reality rack (https://www.amazon.com/FITNESS-REALITY-810XLT-800lbs-Capacity/dp/B01N4I8FOY/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1520431497&sr=1-1&keywords=fitness+reality+810xlt+super+max+power+cage) with T-2 plate holders, but if I were to buy again I'd think hard about getting a titan T-3 (T-3 over a T-2 because there seems to be more accessory options). However, from personal experience, I'd have to disagree regarding getting a flat bench and a "good" bar.
Regarding the bench, do you plan on doing incline bench/flys/curls/ rows/etc? The general sentiment of this community is buy once/buy forever. If that's the case, buy a good incline bench and call it a day. Otherwise, you buy the flat bench, then buy an adjustable bench down the road, and you're trying to store both of them in your 10x10 room. I got the el cheapo fitness reality (https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Reality-Super-Adjustable-Weight/dp/B01CR4XFIK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520431386&sr=8-1&keywords=fitness+reality) one for ~$80. It does the job, but isn't super heavy/wide. While it doesn't feel rock solid, I've had people throw up 250#s on it no problem, so for many of us it should do the job. Looking back, I would look into Titan's adjustable bench, as well as the Ethos one from Dicks. The Ethos is a little steep at $250, but is super study and heavy duty feeling.
As far as getting a "good bar" goes, why rush it? What are your numbers currently? I got the Dick's Fitness Gear 300 # set (https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lbolympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb) for ~$180. It can be had for cheaper if you sign up for their promotion emails and use a $10 or $20 off coupon. I've pulled 300#s and squatted 300#s and the bar hasn't bent yet. Yes, the knurling could be better, and it won't last a lifetime, but until my lifts are consistently over 300#s or the bar does start to bend, buying a "good' bar can wait. It does the job and I could think of several things I'd rather buy first for my home gym. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait until I'm forced to buy a new bar and can get something badass, but if you're on a budget and the 300lb weight set bar works for what you need, I wouldn't rush into getting a better bar.

I love them. And very easy to start with light resistance and work your way up. I'll probably bring them with me to the beach at the end of the month and our winter vacation.

Hope the link works, I'm on mobile.
Best Resistance Loop Bands - Exercise Bands Set of 5 - Physical Therapy Bands - For Strength Training, Stretching and Home Fitness - Instructional Booklet , eBook and Online Videos https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVDVHTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_k-a2xbF4K7569

I've recently started working out and getting into shape, after losing I am more determined to keep it going :) so I guess you can say I am in love with getting into better shape. I've lost 22 LBS so far my goal is to lose another 50 LBS. If the prize could be a GC I would put it toward This weight set. Otherwise This jump rope or This work out DVD would be fantastic. I would love to do more than ride on my stationary bike and swim, I also walk which is great but getting toned with other work outs would be nice too. Thank you for hosting this 3.14 contest!

Try oiling the sleeves and see if that does anything.

As for the bar...

1. I've used one of those cheap bars with the bolt at the end. Not good. Especially when you have re tighten them from time to time and hope the sleeve doesn't fall off.
   
   
   
2. Waste of money if you're gonna dare to Sn or CJ with it. Passable to do strength lifts on.
   
   
   
3. No, don't buy it.
   
   
   This seems to be the best option I could find on Amazon. I've never heard of them, who knows about the quality control and how long it will last but reviews seem ok. Only about 30$ more than your prior selection.
   
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Bonnlo-Barbell-Weightlifting-Capacity-Rotating/dp/B07BXHF8H6/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-8
   
   
   https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-Weightlifting-Renewed/dp/B07RH732VH/ref=sr_1_90?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724518&sr=8-90
   
   https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Power-Olympic-Weightlifting/dp/B006R4EOXM/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-5
   
   We used to use CAP barbells as our general purpose barbells. No idea what model but it wasn't uncommon for them to get bent over time or spin poorly.
   
   ​
   
   https://www.amazon.com/Training-Equipment-Olympic-Barbell-Crossfit/dp/B07NZ7T1VJ/ref=sr_1_59?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting%2Bbarbell&qid=1574724518&sr=8-59&th=1
   
   probably the next step up but you could just pony up another 50$ and get something from Fringesport with excellent customer service and a return policy. They bought out AgainFaster a few years ago which was pretty popular in the CF community.
   
   https://www.amazon.com/XMark-Lumberjack-Manganese-Phosphate-Powerlifting/dp/B01NBTGVNI/ref=sr_1_29?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting%2Bbarbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-29&th=1
   
   https://www.amazon.com/XMark-Crowbar-Olympic-Weightlifting-Powerlifting/dp/B07T6C2ZWL/ref=sr_1_12?dchild=1&keywords=weightlifting+barbell&qid=1574724081&sr=8-12
   
   
   Never heard of XMark. They have plenty of reviews though.

I don't think there is really any substitute for pullups (and its related motions, like cable pulldowns). However, you can still target your latissimus dorsi, albeit from different angles; you can use bent over rows, along with pullovers (which may be easier on a Swiss Ball instead of lying perpendicular on a bench), or inverted rows. They don't match the vertical range of motion of pullups, or recruit as many helper muscles, but they will do as substitutes if you have no other equipment.

Personally, I'd be wary about using household items as makeshift pullup bars, unless you're good enough at engineering or physics to properly analyze them.

In my opinion, the best way to do pullups at home, especially when you have limited funds and space, is to get a door frame pullup bar in the style of the Iron Gym / Iron Gym Xtreme / P90X / EasyEffort. These are not like the old style bars which expand to brace against the inside of a door frame; these are the type which rest on the frame lintel, hang through the doorway, and brace against the frame on the other side. It's easier to understand by seeing how it fits. They support about 136 kilograms / 300 pounds, are easily removable, and require no alteration of your doorway.

I can't really help you with the treadmill situation since I've never bought one but I did buy this last September and have gotten a lot of use out of it. I like it so much I use it every day. you would obviously not be walking on it but would use it more like an elliptical while standing up (though this takes a lot of balance and will really get your heart rate up) or an exercise bike while sitting down. I took a gamble because of the price and size and I'm glad I went for it.

You run in jeans?! Damn, I don't get that, but to your question, both the FlipBelt and Spibelt are very popular. I've had the SPIbelt for... 3 months now, and it's held up pretty well. The elastic band has stretched just a bit, but it controls bouncing very well and will fit more than just your phone if you want to bring gels or cards/cash with you.

It was very similar to this. Not sure if I used the same brand or the same amount of pounds per finger, but it was awesome. The main difference between it and just squeezing a ball is that those rubber balls help with strength, but this guy helps with controll, which was the issue I had :) Can't very well go about completing an arpeggio if your fingers are all over the place.

I bought this elliptical.https://www.amazon.com/Stamina-InMotion-E1000-Compact-Strider/dp/B000VICRO8/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2SA8JRC8MYR8E&keywords=stamina+inmotion+elliptical+machine&qid=1564248315&s=gateway&sprefix=stamina+%2Caps%2C139&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExNENEMUlHVkNZMVkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA1MjMwNDMyWEw1SVhHQ0xWUFlaJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTEwMDE4MzgzRkxaNk5OTk40TUVLJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

Wow I dont know why the link is so long! Anyway, I wanted to work out at home because I was self conscious. Also I couldn't really afford a gym. This is a great elliptical for compact places. I had a really small apartment, so it it was perfect. I would start with about 45 minutes and go up as I started to get better aerobic health. I also did floor exercises about 4 days a week- sit ups, planks, squats. It was very simple and I felt great after. I ended up eventually going to a gym and running, then got into yoga. I lost about 60 pounds. I believe the key is to go slow and make small changes. Dont do anything too extreme. One thing at a time. Start with a workout you think you may enjoy. Then when you want a change from that, make a change.

yeah, it does for me. I walk a lot too - but I have heart issues which means when it gets cold (as it does in Colorado from time to time), I tend to not go out to exercise. Exercise + cold (restricts blood flow) = bad for me. Instead I have a small, free standing elliptical machine I use - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VICRO8/ - watch TV and elliptical away for exercise that day. In fact, I have two of them - one in my condo in town and one in my cabin in the mountains.

And I'll do projects in the house - something that needed fixing and I hadn't gotten to, working in the wood shop, a deep clean of something, whatever.

But yes, the weather definitely affects what I'm going to do. Above 40/45f you'll find me outside a lot. Under that, you'll find me mostly indoors - not exclusively, but mostly.

Fortunately in Colorado, it might be a low of 0 high of 30f one day and then in the 50's or 60's the next day ;) The cold comes, but doesn't stay for long periods (at least on the front range...) Then again, it could be 70f at lunch and 30f by dinner too (or vice versa)

Not sure if this will help with your iphone issue but try getting your phone to be close to your body for warmth. Something like spibelt underneath your layers would work great. Or a form fitting layer with pocket will keep your phone close to your body and keep it from bouncing.

For your latter question, how about compression shorts and wear your regular shorts on top? Keeps your legs from roasting and two layers to keep warm.

The problem is you didn't mention what your fitness goal is.

If you want to be very strong, a power cage is the only way to go. Then a bench, an olympic bar, and weights.

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If you want to get strong but aren't real serious about it, you could probably get by with doing dumbbell-only stuff. Like here's a routine:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?p=1266579671#post1266579671

If your workout area doesn't need to stay clean, these from amazon are the cheapest (they'll flake paint a lot) for $180:
http://www.amazon.com/One-Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Kits/dp/B0087T8UOE/ref=sr_1_4?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1452290208&sr=1-4&keywords=adjustable+dumbbells

I think you'll also need a bench (for the bench press) and a pullup bar.

Another similar option is BodyBeast - an exercise video using dumbbells and a bench.

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If you just want to be in good cardio shape and do exercise videos, you might just want a tv and a mat on the floor.

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If your goal is just weightloss, you might just want a treadmill - and a phone stand or a tv. There's a story going around from a guy who claimed to lose 100lbs by just walking on a treadmill (with an incline) for 1 hour every day for a year, without changing his diet. (It burns less calories than other methods, but doesn't increase your appetite like other methods do, at least that's the theory.)

It kinda just depends on what you want to do.

It's going to be pretty general unless I know what kind of instrument you play. However, I find that the gripmasters help a lot with individual finger strength. An exercise i would do for this would be 30 reps, then hold for 30 seconds, repeat.

If you want overall hand strength, false grip farmer walks, or anything false grip really.

I finally got fed up with going to my overcrowded gym that only had one squat rack and decided to join the home gym club. This room was previously a home theatre room but we weren’t watching much TV in there anyways. I figured a home gym would be a better use of the room and our time. I had considered a garage gym but didn’t want to lose our covered parking spots or deal with extreme temperatures. The room was completely open on one side so the first thing I did was build sliding barn doors to cover it up and keep the kids out. This was my first ever woodworking project so I’m pretty proud of myself! I laid down the stall mats directly over the existing carpet. They felt a little springy when I first put them down but two weeks later, they now feel much firmer. I taped them together with gorilla tape but it isn’t staying down quite as well as I’d hoped (if anyone has any other suggestions for keeping stall mats in place, please let me know). All in all, am loving my decision. I spent a little over $2K but that will pay for itself in about 4 years now that I have cancelled the gym membership. I plan on working out much longer than that anyways!

Rep Fitness Home Gym Package Comes with rack, bench, barbell, bumper plates, dip bars and rings. This thing is solid and doesn’t take up a lot of space. I also got the adjustable bench upgrade and extra bumper plates. Bumper plates: 8x45, 2x25, 2x10. Change plates 2x 5, 2x 2.5. I had them swap out the 35 lb plates that came with the package for 45s. Total olympic weight: 445 lbs (490 lbs with 45 lb barbell) Total price $1450

200 lb adjustable dumbbell set. $173

15 lb aluminum training barbell (for my wife) $119

Rowing Machine (Goes for $300, purchased for $150 on Craigslist)

5 horse stall mats from Tractor Supply Company, $200

The resistance bands set is from Bodylastics and was purchased years ago for around $50 I think.

For the barn doors, I bought a track kit for $135 on Amazon and the lumber, screws and stain was around $150.

thanks guys. going with http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VLRVSC/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&m=A1L9NKXDNACY0J but just found http://www.amazon.com/Valor-Athletics-Inc-BD-Power/product-reviews/B002EJC990/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1
I feel the 2nd is much better quality. Any reason not to go with the second one? any recommendations on where to buy weights? Im excited to join this reddit. I finally feel motivated!

Resistance bands such as these http://www.butneveragain.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/resistance-bands.jpg are good, versatile pieces of equipment and they can be used for almost anything.

Jump ropes are also great pieces of workout equipment although honestly, I don't see that many people using them. Still, if you think people would like them, you can get them relatively cheap and they don't take up much space. Something like this http://www.amazon.com/Valeo-JRS-Deluxe-Speed-Rope/dp/B0007IS6ZG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1346146285&sr=8-1&keywords=jump+rope would be good although if you decide to buy jump ropes, you should get at least 3 or 4 different lengths. As long as you have a place to hang them up, they should last a while

If you're going to eat back your calories, I'd do so by using a more reliable measurement of burned calories, because MFP definitely overestimates. Check out a Polar Heart Rate Monitor - they're cheaper than FitBits and work great for tracking your actual calories burned since they measure your heart rate instead of steps. I got mine on Amazon for $60 :).

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005M1P85O?cache=e1a8d7198a0db8cdd898272a374d7ad7&pi=SY200_QL40&qid=1413469020&sr=8-2#ref=mp_s_a_1_2

Grab yourself one of these and use it while reading, watching TV, etc. https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Gripmaster-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B0085MX3SG

I noticed a pretty nice increase in pinky strength after about a week. I still use it to keep my hand strength up, for both hands.

if you can't get to a gym or anywhere else..
It's a bit expensive, but I bought this to use since it can be taken apart and set up quickly for dips and rows.

Ultimate Body Press Dip Stand https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ICHPIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_wERExbGX4FEKH

I've returned a few pull up bars and this one worked out the best for me (doesn't damage my doors).

Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008DNAJYI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DFRExbJYJ0GZQ

> What are you doing for the home gym? I pulled together 300lbs set, power rack and bench for around $650. Works great and doesn’t take up that much space.

Found this rack on Amazon with good reviews that includes both high and low pulley systems: $449

300lb weight set and bar at Dick's with instore pickup (save on shipping): $200

Basic bench from Amazon: $89

Total: ~$750

I'll likely add some sturdy J-hooks and dip bars, a horse stall mat and build a deadlift platform. All in it will be around $1000, which isn't bad.

I could likely do it cheaper off craigslist or used, but it won't have everything that I think I need - specifically the low row.

>“The real me isn’t afraid anymore of who I am and from what I see… that is really fucking attractive.”
>
>This is what I’m starting to find as well. It’s liberating.

Yes, it's awfully great and comfortable with exactly who you are and kill Mr. Nice Guy.

Polar FT4, available on Amazon, has worked really well for me, very reliable, accurate, and gives you a lot of good information, like calories burned. I've recommended it to a few friends at work, and they are all really happy with it, too.

It's right at $60.

http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O

It's something that goes away with time, but if you want some assistance, get yourself a grip master, I keep one on my desk at work and I just play with it every once in a while, it definitely helps, especially with pinky strength. This is the one I have https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006GBDZY/ref=twister_B0085MX3SG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

My friend got 2 dumbells that adjust from 5 to 100 lbs each on Amazon for under $200. They come with a total of 200lbs of weight.

I'd highly recommend not buying individual weights if you can and save up to buy an adjustable set. Otherwise you'll end up with a lot of weights you rarely touch with a few you use often.


As you get stronger, you'll continually have to buy heavier dumbbells to progress. In my case, I'd need a new 5lbs heavier dumbbell every month or two based on my current progression. I go to a gym though so it's not a problem. (when I bought my only dumbbell, it cost me roughly $1 per lb at Walmart) This is especially true if you're following a primarily dumbbell routine.


EDIT:

I found the set my friend uses:

https://amazon.com/One-Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Kits/dp/B0087T8UOE


If you don't already have one, I'd recommend getting an adjustable weightlifting bench to give you access to dumbbell chest pressing, incline dumbbell rows, lying dumbbell incline kickbacks, etc.... I've seen good ones go for around $100-$150.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just spend like $100 and get a polar heart-rate monitor. I use it for every workout and sometimes the calories on the machine/mfp can be as large as a 100 calorie difference! I got this one and love it: http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Purple/dp/B005M1P85O/ref=sr_1_1?

Looking to sell The Rack exercise "thing" as well as a Perfect Fitness removable doorway pull up bar.
$100 for both, obo. I've reached peak physical fitness and have no need for either any longer.

Get Super Sexy for Summer!

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/75/23/56/78/0075235678538_300X300.jpg


http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitness-31010-Multi-Gym/dp/B008DNAJYI#

I am willing to buy a pullup bar in order to be able to do pullups even if it's raining outside (pullups everyday, YAY!), so I looked online. I found out pretty nice rewievs on this one http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitness-31010-Multi-Gym/dp/B008DNAJYI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425320007&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+fitness+multi+gym, any opinion about it?

I want to know if my doors are ok to use it. I mesured my door and the doorframe is 1cm deep (the upper part that should have the top of the bar positioned on it), I've seen rewiev for the bar working even with 0,5-0,6 cm so I think that's ok.
The door is 7,1ft in height and is 2,11ft large. I am 5,9ft, will it work good for me?

I've had tendinitis for over a year now. About 8 months ago I got a cortisone shot that lasted for about 6 months, and I felt great to the point where I just forgot about it. When it started creeping back, I started to research as I didn't want to get a another shot (it was excruciating for two days) and saw that it's just not a good long term solution anyways. My pain is on the inside arm bend through my lower arm and on the outside tip of my elbow. This was caused from excessive mouse work/clicking, which unfortunately I cannot just quit doing. Making a fist and extending my arm while flexing at the wrist is very painful.

I read about people having good luck with the Therband and immediately ordered one. The results have been mixed as I was starting to feel better after about a week, but has fluctuated as I may have over done the exercise to begin with. I'd recommend giving it a try, but GO SLOW! https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Resistance-Tendinitis-Intermediate/dp/B000KGOMBC/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=theraband&qid=1574792778&sr=8-5

Good luck.

Thanks! I heard the same thing about deadlifting with this bar. A rogue Ohio is on the list for sure! And probably another pair of 45 plate that are standard height.

I wouldn't be opposed to a new rack, either - do you have any cost efficient recommendations that would do the trick?

edit: https://www.amazon.com/Valor-Fitness-BD-7-Power-Attachment/dp/B002EJC990

Here's one I saved a while ago. I'm assuming this would be viable for face pulls as well, yes?

Yeah I can imagine your frustration and if you have it as a mental goal its quite hard to let go of it.

I'd say carry on trying to do a Sit-Up every so often as your strength progresses. It might turn out that you will end up being able to do them and its not going to wreck your back just doing 1. But I doubt its a strength issue, probably more to do with flexibility or spinal mobility (both get harder to improve as you get older and if you push your boundries with them you can end up in a lot of pain and trouble).

People hate ab workouts but I really love em, I'm always switching exercises and trying new things. Frog Crunches and Ab Wheels are also a cool thing to try if you haven't tried em.

EDIT: Just to add, I saw someone else here write that having a bigger upperbody than lowerbody will mean you can't do Sit-Ups, thats definatly not true.

2nd EDIT: Also, if you want to work on flexibility (and reduce soreness after workouts) check this routine & video out: http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask-joe-test/44-flexibilitymobility/302-joe-ds-qlimber-11q-flexibility-routine.html

All you need to do is buy a cheap foam roll (I bought this one off Amazon- http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/) and then do them after workouts. You don't need to do them in the gym you can even do them around an hour after working out when your at home.

Whenever I have complained about myself (mostly in terms of weight) my SO handles it exactly as I want him to. He reassures me that he thinks I am beautiful, but says that maybe we can look at reevaluating our diet, buying exercise equipment, etc... so that I can change if I want to. Its practical and comforting all at the same time. Recently he bought each of us a little elliptical trainer for our desks. Its nice that he supports me both in how I look now and how I want to look in the future.

Yeah, Mr. White! Year, science! (omg I love this show!!!)

This would be amazing, but feel free to surprise me instead if you'd like!

>I just read on /r/guns recently that those grip exercises are actually bad for trigger control and shooting. Basically, what the claim was is that they increase grip strength but decrease finger dexterity.

Did they provide source(s)? I'd be interested to see them.

There are also Gripmasters that let you isolate fingers, but I didn't find it as effective. I've also played with those gyroscope thingies. No noticeable difference in shooting performance, but they're fun to irritate people with while watching tv.

Let's be honest, though -- operating a pistol doesn't require that much finger dexterity. You're shooting, not painting the Mona Lisa.

It's like a fanny pack, but is elastic and stays in place. I have a phablet phone so an arm band is out of the question.

http://www.amazon.com/SPIbelt-Small-Personal-Item-belt/dp/B004QQTDA2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417053335&sr=8-1&keywords=spibelt

The microsoft band is a fitness tracker that has a heart monitor, gps, and simple smart watch features.

http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us

My best advice would be to do one of two things:

1. Bodyweight fitness recommended routine:
https://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/kb/recommended_routine

2. Do a dumbbell program, like this one:
http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=162916931&p=1266579671&viewfull=1#post1266579671

You'll max out on how much leg weight you can lift sooner, but...for a lot of people who just want to get into shape it doesn't really matter it will get you "far enough" I don't really care about trying to squat 600lbs.

Planet Fitness might have dumbbells that go up high enough for this, or like here's a fairly cheap pair with 100lbs/side from Amazon ($200):
https://www.amazon.com/One-Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Kits/dp/B0087T8UOE/ref=sr_1_7

You'd need these, a bench, and a pullup bar...might be easier to do Planet Fitness if they have dumbbells that go up fairly high.

Hell ya! Deadlifts and Squats are the ticket. Great compound lifts. Those will carry you a long way, Keep at em, really fun lifts. Invest in a Strech Strap and Foam Roller if you dont already have them.

Also a good routine to check out is the Starting Strength Program

Once you get in a routine it's really fun to push yourself. Keep at it!

Yeah, after than initial whoosh, 1-2 lb per week is definitely a comfortable rate. I'd also recommend a foam roller, Amazon Basics has a good one that is sensibly priced:

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-High-Density-Roller-Speckled-Colors/dp/B00XM2MRGI?th=1

Absolutely! High mileage runner with very tight calves here.

The best thing you can do is to get some form of massage- a foam roller or "stick". Honestly those are completely worth the money and really help loosen up your calves and achilles. Other than that, ice and stretch and ibuprofen!

FOAM ROLL! Foam rolling + a good podcast is one of my greatest discoveries so far in life. If you do it right it can make a HUGE difference in how you feel. Do yourself a favor and try to practice foam rolling 20 minutes a day.

I was talking about the dumbbells, but bowflex products are not that good overall IMO.

For benches, the important thing is to check the total weight capacity they have. A lot of benches you’ll see only have 300-600lb total capacity (your weight + dumbbells/etc) and that is very limiting especially if you decide you want to do powerlifting in the future.

I built myself a powerlifting homegym so I have a Repfitness bench which incredibly sturdy at 1000lb capacity rating and $219.

If that is too pricey, I would recommend something like Fitness Reality with an 800lb total capacity at $99 prime. The guy who owns that is a redditor who posts at /r/homegym I recommend going there to ask as well.

I've had tennis elbow, so not exactly golfer's elbow, and I tried stretching, rubbing, resting, etc. but the only thing that helped me was when I bought and used this

I went on YouTube to know what exercises to do with it. I watched a lot of videos but only found this guy to be helpful link

Hope you get better soon!

I have this one @ 107 from amazon prime.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CR4XFIK/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_qFGRzbM3QM3HT

It's... ok. Not bad. I bought it to get started. It's narrow through the shoulders, but it works ok. Doesn't wobble, easy to move around. My next bench will certainly be nicer, I have my eye on the rep fitness FID, but it's a bit more than 100$.

Hi. Thanks for the effort of sending a picture. BUT I'm sad to say that is a FITNESS GEAR bench. The bench I worked on is under the FITNESS REALITY Brand, which is not the same company as the FITNESS GEAR bench.

I can see what you going for with your modification. That back rest on the FITNESS GEAR bench is tapered, and you wanted the wider part for your shoulders. That pictures does give me and idea for making a bench accommodate the needs of different users for a new bench I am working on.

For your reference, this is the bench I thought you had: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CR4XFIK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483859569&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=fitness+reality+bench&dpPl=1&dpID=41vzSDbCOxL&ref=plSrch

I got a cheap 15$ one off Amazon works perfect. It's just two wheels with handles doesn't need to be a 60$ hand crafted masterpiece. Here is the one I got sometime ago

I have an elliptical that I got through my friend's amazon prime account for $100.00 not including taxes and honestly I'm very happy with it. It doesn't require a plug in or battery and you can adjust the resistance which is controlled by a belt/fan inside as you peddle. It's quiet as well, easy to move, and doesn't require much space.

Here's the ad


EDIT: Format

I have this exercise bike. Running is my prefered workout, but I live in southeast, and when it's 89 degrees and 99% humidity at 9:30 PM, I just can't face it. So...this is my no-excuses tool. I put it in front of my tv and get going and it does exactly what I need it to do, which is get my heart rate up and get me sweaty enough to feel like I did something. It's nearly silent and light enough I can carry it around easily (maybe 35lbs?). It's not free, but it's about 6 months of a gym membership near me and I've had mine about 5 years.

thank you!! i’m so much happier. I never realized how hard it was on me (both physically AND mentally) to be overweight.

I bought this bike here.

my quick and honest review - it was easy to assemble, the seat is super comfy, and it’s quiet. i’m a little too short for it, so I had to put some pedal extenders on (I was doing a number on my knees by hyperextending them every rotation). also, the console died after like a week. they sent me a replacement one for free within a couple days but I never installed it as I track the workouts on my apple watch. oh, also, it’s light, folds up tiny, and is really easy to move around (and hide!)

Sure! Here's [a list of youtube videos] (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=foam+roller+exercises) that show foam rolling in action. I don't know specifically how you're exercising but you should be able to find something that works for you. I foam roll for about two minute after lifting. I started with a roller like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-High-Density-Round-Foam-Roller/dp/B00XM2MRGI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1492957245&sr=8-3&keywords=foam+roller) but recently someone gave me this [fancy one] (https://www.amazon.com/TriggerPoint-Roller-Instructional-Original-13-inch/dp/B0040EGNIU/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1492957245&sr=8-5&keywords=foam+roller). It's a bit "harder" which makes it better for me after rolling for months.

The only heads up I will tell you is that rolling hurts the first few times you do it. After a few days it's just uncomfortable. And then it doesn't hurt really at all. But it really really helps with doms.

I suffered from RSI for a time after I started working (mainly ulnar nerve entrapment). I switched to Dvorak about 4 years ago because of the reported RSI relief. I also own an ErgodoxEZ which I use as my daily driver.

Overall I'd say that the switch to a more ergonomic keyboard was a bigger factor in minimizing RSI than switching keyboard layouts. It'll be much less of an adjustment as well, and you keep the portability of QWERTY. It took me close to a month and a half to get back to a proficient typing speed after switching, which may be a deal breaker for you.

I'd also recommend a TheraBand FlexBar to help with the wrist issues. It's really helped me out and I still use it whenever my wrists act up.

Good luck!

I feel you on keeping tension in a particular place (though for me it's my lower back). Here are my tips:

• Get a foam roller like this. Feels great on lots of body parts, and I particularly love it on my upper back near my shoulders.
  
  
• Try going to a yoga studio just for a basic class. Get there a little early and before the class, ask the instructor if she could include any shoulder stretches. Most are very happy to accommodate requests, or will show you some right then and there.
  
  
• Could it be related to your posture? Try adjusting the height of your chair or working desk, maybe. Or try a standing desk.
  
  
• My absolute favorite stretch for shoulders is the following:
  
  

1. Stand upright with your arms out in a T.
   
2. Cross your arms over one another, trying to get as close to that T shape as you can again.
   
3. Lie down on your stomach on a firm surface, keeping your arms in this position. Rest your opposite cheek from the shoulder that is closer to the ground (so if your left shoulder is nearer the ground, your right cheek will be resting on your right arm). You should feel the stretch in the shoulder/arm closest to the ground.
   
   Let me know if that's unclear...I can try to draw a (terrible) diagram!

If you want to quickly develop calluses, I would suggest using a Gripmaster Hand Exerciser in combination with Ruff Rider Callus Builder Caps. Increased grip and finger strength is an added bonus.

> Our workouts can range from 200 calories to over 1000, and we might do 1 or two a day. It ends up being a ton of estimating

From what you're saying, it sounds like you're more concerned about what you're burning during the exercise than what you're doing through out the day. To that, I'd say take a look at the FT4 or the FT7. Both of these come with a chest strap and a "watch" to monitor your heart rate. If you ever go indoors to a machine, most machines will pick up your device and show your stats on the screen. You can plug your stats into both, both will let you know when you're out of your heart rate range, and they will take a lot of guess work out of your workouts.

I highly recommend getting Black Mountain Products Ultimate Resistance Bands Set with Starter Guide on Amazon. It costs about $45 with prime. Bands can be combined and can get you up to between 136-162 pounds (bands give a range of weight on amazon).

It allows you to do various workouts and has a door attachment. You can do presses and work your triceps overhead. It all comes in a small black bag that is easy to transport and store.

I am not affiliated with the company, I just really love this product. I have lost about 15lbs since January using these bands while doing P90x. Would have lost more but I had to stop halfway through to free time for exit exams coming up.

Also another great product is the Valeo Ab Wheel. While Abs are made in the kitchen, not through pure exercise...an ab wheel will work you hard and strengthen your core... not that I recommend getting down on your knees in a hotel room... ick. I don't know if I could even do push ups in one... but I am a borderline germaphobe.

You could also get a jump rope.

Weight loss simply involves expending more calories than you take it. For exercise to be fruitful you need to balance out eating too.

Edit: Added links

Sure!
Here Is the squat rack, brand is Golds Gym
And here is the bench! :)
edit: Editing to say that I reeeeally enjoy both of these pieces of equipment even though they are on the 'cheaper' side. I have zero complaints about the quality or effectiveness of both! Home gym doesnt always have to be super expensive!

I have a cheap, but reliable recumbent bike: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KV1MJU

I think I'd recommend jumping rope, jogging, or doing some HIIT over a recumbent bike, though.

For strength:
A door frame pull up bar: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001ND04U4
Push up handles: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002OEQ50Y
Set of adjustable dumbbells: http://www.amazon.com/Pair-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Cast-Total/dp/B007WKK5HE

A weight vest or belt, something to add weight to body weight exercises like pull ups, dips, and push ups. These can get spendy (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002IU8ZCA), but are a good way to continue progressive overload on body weight exercises.

A bench with incline/decline and leg raise/ham curl piece on the end.

https://www.amazon.com/Valor-Fitness-BD-7-Power-Attachment/dp/B002EJC990/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481356416&sr=8-1&keywords=bd7

and an 300 lbs olympic set = best investment i ever made
i share with 2 other friends so we save a lot of money, gas, and time since we all live like 1 min from each other

I just got this one in 36" full round for posture correcting exercises to help me work on my slouch and APT.

http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374249886&sr=8-1&keywords=foam+roller

If this is your first roller I would definitely go with the full size as it seems that you can do a lot more exercises with a full than a half. I'm 6' 2" and 200lbs and it seems pretty solid to me so you should be alright. Just make sure you don't toss it around and are careful with weights around that thing as it is just foam, no matter how dense it is.

A few years ago, I crafted a couple back boards (+ simple mounting hardware) that quickly attach to and detach from this type of Iron Gym with ease. I no longer use the first back board (the second one is just a larger WxH/thicker/more meticulously planned version of the first). The back board has T-nuts in a grid pattern and honestly works really well with just climbing holds instead of a commercial hang board, but you could screw a hang board into the back board if you desire.

I no longer use the first board, so I'm looking to pass it along to someone who might breathe new life into it. It's gratis aside from shipping, unless someone feels generous. I sent you a PM with some information about it in case you would like to use it.

I'd look in the Rogue Boneyard
(if you want one of their bars on a budget).

Otherwise if you can find the CAP OB-86PBCK for around $110 - $130 you're good to go (Walmart | Amazon). I own this and for $112 (the price I paid) I am MORE than happy with the finish / knurling, etc. for doing SS (I'm only 9 weeks in). It will do it's job just fine for a long time.

Just make sure you get a bar with Center Knurling (like the Ohio Power Bar, Chan Bar, the CAP one listed) if you're getting this for SS / SL.

I'm talking about something like these.

I can't comment on whether these are the best (or best value) out of the various options available, so do your research if this is the way you decide to go.

I don't know specifically why yours wont fit, but I had the same issue with my old pull-up bar, did some research, and found out that this one (http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitness-31010-Multi-Gym/dp/B008DNAJYI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374772975&sr=8-1&keywords=perfect+multigym) is adjustable to accommodate higher and deeper door frames. Best of luck!

My friend gave me some similar advice as some of these guys, saving pinky for shift or ctrl instead of pinky on Q like I had. He swears by these, too- strengthening your hand will make the position feel much less weird.

I have a SPI Belt and I love it. I'm a big sweater and it keeps it dry. My wife also loves hers. Much better for us for running with.

I've got a Jungle Gym.

I've only ever hung it from my wall-mount pull-up bar, but looking at the little soap-bars at the end of the strap, I'd say that, over time, they would put shallow dents in the wood.

Have you seen this doorway bar? It looks like it'd be a lot less hard on moulding than the usual Iron Gym. Another option is a free-standing pullup bar. You can either buy one, or, cheaper and better, but harder to do, build one.

One other option is to mount a bar on a large, exposed beam in your garage. Talk it over with your landlord, many are surprisingly cool about drilling into exposed wood.

Dunno if it's just a joke about you're username of if you really are interested in working your arms.

If you are interested, push-ups mostly work your chest and I think back/shoulders to an extent. For biceps/triceps you just need a dumbbell or something. Getting a pull up bar can really help a lot too. I have and definitely suggest this.

I have these from Amazon and they work great! I always use the X-Heavy with crab walks, donkey kicks and clams I can definitely feel it! They also come with the little pouch to keep them all together. Only complant, my husband asked why my hands smelt like weed when i got back from the gym...
So they do have a smell first time out of the package.
https://www.amazon.com/Fit-Simplify-Resistance-Exercise-Instruction/dp/B01AVDVHTI/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1521742140&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=resistance+bands&psc=1

It might not be an issue of strength. It could be anything from subpar "wrist form" on pushups to it simply not being a position your body is well-suited for. I'm fairly decent at pushups, and usually my wrists are fine, but other times I notice pain and it's not entirely clear to me why.

Anyway, something like push up bars may help. I've never noticed any pain with them, even with significant weight, and you get the added bonus of being able to go deeper. Or you can improvise with dumbbells etc. if you don't want to buy any.

The only fitness tracker I have is my Polar Watch. It comes with a HR monitor with electrodes on the band and with that I think it's pretty accurate. I've been using it recently to track my runs and how much calories I'm burning on them. I don't have any cons other than the band moving a bit when I'm using it (have to tuck it under my sports bra). Other than that, it's one of my favorite Christmas gifts and it's nice looking at all the data it tracks (HR, calories, time, etc).

Edit: Amazon Link to the one I have. It's the Polar FT4

is there any way you can spend 180 to get squat stands? If so there are some great squat stands on sale for 180 that can hold a lot of weight. and it takes up no room. the one i have has a safety catch too.

mysquatstand

now if youre squatting heavier than 550 or benching more than 300 or close to those numbers, this isn't for you, otherwise its really great.

This is my main barbell. It doesn't have the knurling in the center, but it still works for me. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001K4OPY2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This one showed up on SlickDeals the other day for just over $100. It's much higher in price now, but it may come back down. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006R4EOXM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?tag=slickappfp-20&ascsubtag=804135fa590311e7b4ca324be198f5910INT&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

For mobility take a look at Got ROM and Alan Thralls YouTube channels.

Farmers bars are great for grip strength. My shoulders were consistently giving my troubles and I tried a ton of different things. One thing that appears to have helped me big time is to strictly use an overhand grip when deadlifting. So I continue up with deadlifting weight until I cannot hold it anymore. Right now I'm at a 2-3 reps with 290. Then move over to straps. The hook grip is also an option.

I bought a power rack with a lat tower last year. I think it was $430 Valor Athletics BD-7. I guarantee you I can do more than 60 exercises with it, my bench, and my barbell. Having it out in my garage has been awesome. I just started ICF a few weeks ago and I love being able to do it out in my garage.

EDIT: Added link

I bought this rack about a year ago and I'm still happy with my purchase. I didn't think I would use the lat pulldown very often, but I was wrong. It was nice to have a little more variety of exercises available to me - Lat pull, tricep pushdown, seated rows, etc... Literally my only complaint is that the plate storage doesn't hold big weights very well and the pegs don't hold olympic size plates, which I thought was standard. Good luck in your search!

How are the fitness reality?

850lb - $175 with coupon. Fitness Reality 2000 Super Max XL High Capacity NO Gap Weight Bench with Detachable Leg Lock-Down https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B3Q9F22/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_p6mWCbJ6XW2EK

800lb - $90 Fitness Reality 1000 Super Max Adjustable Weight Bench, 800 lbs https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CR4XFIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_l3mWCbDAWTQ4X

I bought this one before my ACL injury but am very glad I kept it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007595TKU
Cheapish and works great for biking 30+ mins a day while watching tv.

1) There's no way carrying a phone is a significant concern from a chronic injury perspective; tell them you're giving up running and taking up skateboarding, I was diagnosed with advanced arthritis in both wrists at 25 from skating, running is infinitely safer. But there's no use fighting it, parents have the upper hand on such matters, so you might as well start working on solutions.

2) Why do you carry your phone? Music, GPS, safety? For the first two (this is probably bad advice from a parent perspective) I'd probably refuse the fanny pack and try to leverage in a decent running watch instead of holding your phone. If it's a safety issue, I get that.

3) I started keeping my phone on long trail runs, as much as I hate taking anything with me. I use SPIbelt, it's surprisingly comfortable, and it's only as big as your phone. Honestly, it's a helluva lot more comfortable than carrying in your hand. The weight distribution is on your lower back, you can't really tell it's there. It also sits under your shirt, so you can't see it either. I've also heard positive reviews of FlipBelt.

4) I have an arm band that I found somewhere and keep it in my pack for when my iPod or GPS watch is dead and I use my phone instead. It works. I know a lot of people like them, but I'd still take the SPI-belt. But I'm 40, married with children, so I really don't give a damn about the fanny pack stigma anymore; I can see how you might feel different.

https://www.amazon.com/Spibelt-Original-Expandable-Pocket-Zipper/dp/B004QQTDA2/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1527739899&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=spibelt&psc=1&smid=A2SQRM7P89NWO

Get something like these for your planks, pushups, and L-sits to take some pressure off of the ulnar nerve! I did this whenever I had ulnar nerve issues.

Also, doing daily wrist mobility exercises will help strengthen your wrists as well and can help condition you over time. I've been able to do all the original exercises that used to put pressure on my ulnar nerve much more easily now, and most of it was likely due to the wrist mobility exercises.

I'd recommend this pair. My home gym has it and it's great. Each DB goes from 5-100 lbs and the whole thing is $200. The paint chips but besides that it works great.

This and this looks fun! :3

This is also great for cooling off after a workout!

I have one of these, 5lbs is probably a little weak for you though. They seem better than the simple hand clamps.

Also I had a similar epiphany to yours, but I haven't started yet. :P I also noticed my hands getting stronger about a week after starting to use that thing. It really is that easy.

Bang for your buck, Titan makes a really nice rack.

Pulley system there's a lot of options. If you're handy, you could even go DIY on this route. Here's a popular one for reference.

Or you could go for an all in one rack, something like the Valor BD-7. I don't know much about it personally.

GHD is a glute hamstring developer. It's the icing on the cake on leg day. There's solo machine, rack attachements, and DIY options on these as well.

What does your protein and creatine intake look like? Protein helps significantly with soreness, and proper protein intake while working out is crucial to muscle growth. Without protein, I took forever to recover and it was hurting my schedule because after two days of working a certain muscle group, I still was not ready.

Also, foam rolling is fantastic for muscle soreness. I currently use this and have had spectacular recovery rates compared to before.

Protein and foam rolling are the two things that have helped me significantly in my recovery rate.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CR4XFIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_SxK7ybC12T10D


I'm not sure what's expensive to you but I bought this off Amazon and I like it so far.The price actually went down a bit too. I'm still putting my home gym together so I've only tested it with 2 100lb dbs(+215 body weight).However it says it can handle up to 800 which should be good enough for most people. It's worth checking out

Farmers walks and bar holds will help. Deadlifts and chins/pullups will also increase grip strength. Even better for guitar would be to get one of these.

I'm about to move from the light tension one to a medium tension myself and have noticed speed improvements in my playing.

It's amazing!! It folds up for space. Tracks your time, distance, calories and heart. Also it has different levels of intensity.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B007595TKU/ref=yo_ii_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have the Titan multigrip and like it most for close grip bench. I don't use it a ton but I like having it for something different and so that I can use it whenever I have a wrist problem. It arrives with a ton of metal shavings inside the bar though, and they will fall out of the Titan logo that's cut into the middle of the bar. It'll go over your face when benching, so you'll want to spend time emptying it before use, or covering the logo. It's an annoyance but the bar itself is good, and I think the inexpensive option is the way to go with a bar that will only be used here and there.

I also had golfer's elbow for a while so I bought a TheraBand FlexBar. I can't say for sure that I got better because of it, but I can definitely say that I got better after using it. I can also say that it hasn't come back. Whenever I start to feel that tightness again I do the golfer's elbow exercise and the tightness has always improved. Before the FlexBar I worked out using a golfer's elbow strap that sits below the elbow and allowed me to work out with less pain.

There are a ton of fancy ones out there but I really love this simple foam roller on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XM2MRGI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_2TyaBbRDJQF34

It’s high density and really durable so it gets all the spots I need worked and seems to last forever!

Get a green Theraband flexbar and do the exercises for tennis elbow. Best thing for it. For healing and prevention

TheraBand FlexBar, Tennis Elbow Therapy Bar, Relieve Tendonitis Pain & Improve Grip Strength, Resistance Bar for Golfers Elbow & Tendinitis, Green, Medium, Intermediate https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000KGOMBC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qMk7CbFGZ0E8C

I've been wanting one of these. I started going to the gym in May and I think it would be cool to see my progress and how many calories I burn in a workout.

I need one of these haha. I sell things on ebay and I need a reliable scale to calculate postage so I don't overpay :)

C'mon...gimme.

You both look like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day :D

These are actually a few things from my own wishlist.

Adjustable Weights

Weighted Gloves

Speed Rope

Punch Mitts

All these are great for home working out, granted most of them are geared towards martial arts & boxing which is primarily what I do. The punch mitts require a partner so it might not be the best prize unless there are competing couples.

I also use a SPIbelt and love it. I definitely recommend one of these.

Link: https://smile.amazon.com/SPIbelt-Spibelt-Original/dp/B004QQTDA2/

This machine will not mimic free weights. But depending on your goals you might not need or want free weights - a machine could definitely get and keep you pretty well toned.

If your concern is space, there are lots of options, though. For example, I have a system that totally slides/rolls/folds away out of sight when I am done: dumbbells, a standalone bench, etc. There's even for example these things.

There are a lot of great ideas in here! I use some of them, but I also have a small pedal/elliptical thing under my desk that I can do short workouts with while I’m sitting at the computer - I use the ‘indoor cycle’ workout and do about 20 minutes at a time.

I notice you’re in the UK so you may have to poke around your Amazon to save on shipping because it’s heavy, but https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VICRO8/ref=ya_aw_od_pi?ie=UTF8&psc=1 is the one I got. (Sorry for the raw link instead of one in the text, but I can’t find the formatting hints in the reddit app...)

Does it need to be an arm band?

I use this. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004QQTDA2?pc_redir=1406967393&robot_redir=1

Its lightweight, compact, expands large enough to fit my phone, wallet and keys easily. With just my iphone on normal runs it doesn't even bounce around. Doesn't even feel like its there. Very happy with it.

Maybe your left wrist is too weak to do them properly? You aren't really supposed to be resting on your wrists during push-ups, you are supposed to be on your hands/fingers. That's the issue I have with one armed push ups at least.

If that's the case you can either do them on your fists, put one of these on the ground and do them using that, or get something like these until your wrists are strong enough. BWSG989 posted a good link to look at, wrist push-ups should help a lot.

I use this foam roller: http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397063651&sr=8-1&keywords=foam+roller

And a champro lacrosse ball... but those all seem to be pretty comparable, just different sizes. Mine is the NCAA regulation size.

I'm wanting to try out some different foam rollers / lacrosse balls soon to see how more specialized things like a trigger point roller or rumble roller compare with the basics.

Ab wheels are great, definitely not a gimmick. But also dont spend more than $20 for one, its a simple piece anyone can make. Pull up Amazon and get the one with the most good reviews on it.

FWIW I have this one and have zero complaints, used it for years - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007IS74G/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The most Life Changing thing on my wish list would be this [Exercise Bike] (http://www.amazon.com/Exerpeutic-Folding-Magnetic-Upright-Pulse/dp/B007595TKU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1HSZ4B20C9LPB&coliid=IWFLQ8DHP0SC4). I would love to lose over 100 pounds (takes a lot for me to even admit this), and having this bike would really help me with exercising in my room late at night.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HGCJZEC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GHNLK9E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 They make a short one. I believe.

Edit: found the short one https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Short-Power-Squat-Deadlift/dp/B00NAHQP90/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1480359386&sr=1-1&keywords=titan+t-2+short

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0087T8UOE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

• treadmill/stationary bike
  
  
• olympic barbell set. I found mine on craigslist for cheap but there is always:
  
  https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-Weight-Medium/dp/B004X1688A/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1480359293&sr=8-7&keywords=cap+barbell+weights
  
  edit2: https://stronglifts.com/ routine on Monday/Wednesday/Friday
  
  on days that are not M/W/F do 60 to 90 minutes of cardio.
  
  eat less than you currently do, or do the keto, whatever you'd like.
  
  in 6 months post progress pics.

One for 400$ on amazon that I bought. It was the cheapest one they had. I really like it

Valor Fitness BD-7 Power Rack with LAT Pull Attachment & Pull Up Station https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002EJC990/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cAKpDb4XG3CP0

Here’s the link just in case.
I just saw another one for the same price that comes with a bunch of attachments.

That weight bench: "It has a 250-pound maximum user weight and a maximum combined user weight and lift load of 430 pounds." I don't know what you weigh, but I'd be pushing up against that limit really fast. Heaven forbid you want to do some very heavy partial reps.

But right now, you're limited to 300lbs by the bar, which is just to low. I would buy less, but buy better (to keep money the same)

Buy the bar new, and get something that can take up to 1000lbs. You won't need it, probably ever, but it will last and last, and you can sell it when you're done.

Buy the weights off of Craigslist. You can usually find them for $0.5/lb. YOu can also optimize, buying more 5s and 45s, fewer 35s.

If money is really tight, consider getting squat stands (like the BD-9). You can bench just fine, as long as you are sensible. Also they are stowable, unlike the powercage.

Head on over to /r/homegym for some more ideas.

I have an under the desk elliptical.

Non-affiliated link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VICRO8/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1417885560&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

And it's on sale!

I love it. It's easy to put together, it's quiet, it has a decent tensioner, and I love gaming and exercising, or watching movies and exercising. I have it on a little carpet so that I can drag it on my hardwood floors.

Ha. "You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

But really, I have no idea what that thing is all about. I looked at the owners manual and it seems to have a lot of different functions, but nothing that's really that relevant to bodyweight workouts. The lat pulldown feature is relevant if you can't get a pullup, but I think everything else, you can do without equipment. Consider just getting something like this. Doesnt require installation. Maybe something like this as well.

Been using this one for over a year, hasn't made a dent/any noticeable marks in the door frame, granted I only weight ~146lbs It's pricey on Amazon, but you might still be able to buy it at Walmart for less.

Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008DNAJYI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IcLwCbX5QQA5S

This guy works at Fitness Reality as an FYI.

Anyway, I have this bench and it's great

https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Reality-Super-Adjustable-Weight/dp/B01CR4XFIK/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1523837980&sr=1-1&keywords=Fitness+Reality+1000

Everything you said is correct, but just for others who read this, they now make ones that come out from the door and allow the full range of motion:

An example: http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001ND04U4

I don't have one, but that's what I've been looking at. Seems like a pretty wide grip though, and I'm not sure if you'd be able to do chinups on it or not. It looks like your shoulders/traps might hit the handles on the sides.

These are pretty cheap depending where in the world you are located.


I have this set and they work great.

Exeurpedic,

http://www.amazon.com/Exerpeutic-Folding-Magnetic-Upright-Pulse/dp/B007595TKU/

Sturdy as hell, very easy to assemble, very easy to use. The two problems I have with it: the non-standard saddle mount, and the seat post angle is fixed (it feels like a cruiser, I would like it a bit more steep). It folds to use about half as much floor space as in its working configuration, it has two casters that can be used to drag it around, they are not in contact with the floor when the bike is setup for use. It is light enough that we can fold it and carry it around the house to wherever we want to work out, so for example I'll do my workouts at my home office, my wife will do them in front of her TV and my son will do them in the living room.

Strange feature: instead of a water bottle cage it has a plastic pocket sized perfectly for a smart phone or maybe an MP3 player.

If your finger strength is holding you back, I've found grip trainers like this to be helpful, especially since you can use them during non-guitar time. https://www.amazon.com/GRIP-MASTER-Gripmaster-Hand-Exerciser/dp/B0085MX3SG

For the chair.

But seriously, all the 50-200$ chairs on Amazon and whatnot are made for like the hypothetical average 5'8" 170 pound world citizen. You can either bite the bullet and get something solid from a quality furniture producer, or start doing exercises to help your neck and whatnot. This will actually help you a ton.

Heck, yeah I do! But does it even count if I don’t get a little picture that I can spin on my phone? Hardly.

As far as if you should do the same, I’d definitely recommend it. I got a little elliptical machine type thing off amazon and do (hopefully) around an hour on each morning. Park it in front of the TV, throw on an episode of Preacher or whatever, maybe finish off with something else to reach a full hour.

Preach, girl. Nugget is almost 2, but those days were rough. The one thing that actually helped me through this phase was a Spibelt.

[SpiBelt] (https://www.amazon.com/Spibelt-Original-Expandable-Pocket-Zipper/dp/B004QQTDA2/ref=sr_1_4?gclid=Cj0KCQjwj_XpBRCCARIsAItJiuTwTW-DziFt7cWBJi3tv-gMLxQigFXO1_9z0he_UGXWdIOv-Ajnko4aAvXNEALw_wcB&hvadid=178125001173&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9014984&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t2&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3205445328136017860&hvtargid=aud-649564993678%3Akwd-9998270661&hydadcr=12403_9741608&keywords=spibelt&qid=1564346999&s=gateway&sr=8-4)

Seriously, huge win.

I've had good luck with the Iron Gym one. Hasn't messed up my door and it works well.

Link

Here are the exercises that my Occupational Therapist friend gave to my husband with MS for his hands: http://imgur.com/a/ixtcR

Sorry if they are poor quality, I was unsure of the original source.

She also said that in the baseball section of your sporting goods store there should be a contraption like this that would help: http://bit.ly/2erBCbZ

I also found this: Gripmaster Hand Exerciser Blue, Light Tension (5-Pounds per Finger) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006GBDZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QB0PzbC25TWCA

My husband is currently doing 5 days of high dose steroids that hopefully help.

Apologies for the delay.

Here's the one I got, and it fits perfectly. Make sure to get the original model, if you do. I read some reviews of people getting a different model than they ordered, but I got it through the seller "GDN14" and got the right one, with the adjustable depth (also has adjustable height).

Overall I've been quite satisfied, although it does seem to be rated at a max weight of 220lbs (I'm not even close, so not a problem for me, but something to be aware of).

Get a Gripmaster and start using it, both hands. I used to sprain a thumb every week before I got one, and now I haven't sprained any finger in over a year. You can use it while watching TV or in class, it's pretty awesome.

AmazonBasics High-Density Round Foam Roller - 36-Inches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XM2MRGI/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_HkiIzb6622KSC


This a pretty standard one, it works great.

First thing that comes to mind is getting a pull up bar (especially one like the this one with multiple grips): http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001ND04U4

Between chin ups and multiple arm position pullups (and dips using a chair), you'll hit the majority of your upper body. You can even use your back pack to increase the weight.

Also, have you checked out the side bar at /r/bodyweightfitness ?

You can also get a resistance band set that would allow you to workout your chest standing up. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Bodylastics-Resistance-components-membership-LIVEEXERCISE/dp/B006O09M4K (very versatile and affordable).

I actually own both of those so feel free to ask me about them.

Agreed. Ive been using these for many years. Save your wrists from getting inured. Just better in general. https://www.amazon.ca/Cap-Barbell-Definity-Push-Holder/dp/B002OEQ50Y/ref=sr_1_1/132-1700664-3764937?ie=UTF8&qid=1497925841&sr=8-1&keywords=push+up+bars

This is a relatively common issue, people with carpal tunnel syndrome often have trouble bending their wrist to ninety degrees. They make foam wedges to support your hand at a milder angle, you can also use a rolled up towel or yoga block. Pushup bars are another alternative if your range of motion is too restricted for a wedge. I linked to the first ones I found, but lightweight plastic might be better than metal for yoga.

It will take a little time to get used to having these things within arm's reach, but with practice you will learn to anticipate when you might need it and it will become easy and fluid.

I bought this set from Amazon, and I am very happy with them.

Fit Simplify Resistance Loop

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVDVHTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_kF9HHMn9jcMuy

• Ab wheel ($12.96)
  
• Collapsible weight bench ($112.00)
  
• Dip station ($79.99)
  
  Total: $204.95, plus any tax and shipping.
  
  Note that the parallel bar station does not store as easily as you might like. It's very useful, though; you can use it for dips, bodyweight rows, L-sit training, etc. The paralette bars linked by batman1285 are probably a good substitute, though they won't give you as much clearance from the ground.

TheraBand FlexBar: https://www.amazon.com/TheraBand-Tendonitis-Resistance-Tendinitis-Intermediate/dp/B000KGOMBC/

Heard about it on Rogan's podcast. It's amazing. Start with green or blue depending on how strong you are.

Just a quick recommendation, I use the LoseIt app (Free), android or apple. You can add in your workout, duration and it will track kcal for you. Also will let you bar-code scan the foods you take in and give you an idea of how much you take in and what your weekly looks like. So it does macros and tracks your workouts. I also use that in conjunction with a Polar FT4 Hope that might help.

Here you go. Honestly its great bike

If anyone is reading this thread and DOES want to order from Amazon, I recommend the non-Pro version of the Perfect Fitness pull up bar.
http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitness-31010-Multi-Gym/dp/B008DNAJYI

It's only $3 more than the Iron Gym bar, broadens the pressure against the door frame, and has multiple adjustment options for the various sizes of door frames people might have.

I don't use the video at work, just the moves I learned from the video. I'm always switching up my routine though to keep my workout breaks short so people don't think I'm slacking.

The room I exercise in is about the size of three washroom stalls, just long enough for pushups!

I'd also recommend getting a grip exerciser for your desk, it gives you something to do when waiting:

http://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Exerciser-Tension-5-Pounds-Finger/dp/B0006GBDZY/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1375453081&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=grip+trainer

I use the 11kg one and have increased grip strength tremendously while waiting for meetings/calls and etc.

Also, switch to a stand up desk or work on an exercise ball. Finally, you may learn some covert exercise moves from this:

http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/exercise-at-work/10-office-exercises-you-can-do-secretly.htm

http://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Lacrosse-Ball-White/dp/B001DCH75A/ref=sr_1_5?s=team-sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1346450597&sr=1-5
x2 = $6

http://www.amazon.com/The-Stick-6628-Marathon/dp/B000P7NWLM/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1346450632&sr=1-1&keywords=the+stick
the stick = $32

http://www.amazon.com/Black-High-Density-Foam-Rollers/dp/B0040NJOA0/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1346450677&sr=1-1&keywords=foam+roller
highest price = $35

that seems like a pretty substantial markup

I went contrary to most opinions on here and bought new. I bought bar and weights off of xtrainingequipment. I believe a 320lb set of bumper weights came out to 700 with an olympic bar as well.

I bought this rack and although it took about 2 hours to put together by myself, I've absolutely loved it since.

I also bought this bench on Amazon and have no real complaints, although I can't put my finger on why I don't absolutely love it. I've definitely felt better benches at gyms.