Reddit mentions: The best strenght training equipment

Definitely buy yourself a pair of adjustable gymnastics rings. The plastic ones are much less expensive, but when your hands get sweaty they don't have a good grip like the wooden ones. You should get wooden rings if you can, but you can get plastic ones for the time being and later on move to wood if you want to.

>I'm advised to stay away from weights so I shouldn't do lat pulldowns or other things like that (I'm 13, so my mom and other people around reddit say that I need to grow first). Should I still be using dumbbells for squats, and how? Should I do deadlifts?

It's a myth that weights will stunt your growth, so you could always move to free weights in the future if bodyweight training isn't right for you. Bodyweight training is great, though! You could use dumbbells for squats, lunges, and other things if you wanted to, but for now just stick with the recommended routine and follow the squat progression for your legs.

>How do I use the smith machine for rows? I've read around here and r/Fitness that it's great for them, abd I know to put the bar to my waist, but should I put any weight on it or leave it as a blank bar?

Until you get your rings you can definitely use the smith machine for rows. Alternatively you could do dumbbell rows:

• http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/DBBentOverRow.html
  
• http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/BackGeneral/DBLyingRow.html
  
  >I tried asking people at the gym about this, they were super nice :) but they suggested I use the lat pulldown machine or some other weird machine where you lift yourself up to bars, but there's a footrest under you that just holds your weight (so I don't feel any exercise happening).
  
  That seems to work for some people, but it's really better to do pull up or chin up negatives. This is where you boost yourself up by jumping or using a platform to get yourself high enough to grab the bar/rings and lowering yourself down as slowly as you can. The lat pulldown machine is a completely different movement from actual pull ups and chin ups, but if you want to use it that's fine.
  
  >If you can help and/or leave some advice I'd appreciate that :)
  
  You really only need to know some basics about bodyweight training in order to do it and get something out of it. You'll learn slowly as you do this for longer. Don't worry about trying to know everything all at once. The most important thing is for you to begin working out and then stick with it. :)
  
  Feel free to post any other questions that you have in the daily discussion threads that we have here. People who do calisthenics (bodyweight training) tend to be very helpful and this in general is quite a helpful community. We enjoy what we do and when see someone else who wants to get into it we do our best to help that person.
  
  If you can get your parents to help or you can do chores to try to earn the money slowly you could also get yourself a doorway pull up bar that fits into your door frame. "The Iron Gym" isn't very expensive and it doesn't screw into your door. It uses leverage to hang from the top of the door so you can do pull ups or even hang your gymnastics rings from it. You mentioned that your gym doesn't have any pull up bars so you could do some things at home if you wanted to instead of always needing to go to the gym. You could do part of your routine at home and then finish up at the gym.
  
  There are knock-off versions of The Iron Gym and they all pretty much work the same. It's not a very expensive piece of equipment but it will let you use your rings at home.

The "all or nothing" personality is something I struggled with. I recognized it, as you have, but what really made the biggest difference was making it my primary focus. The reason I never seemed to reach my goals, time and time again, was because I burnt out. I was fueling myself with the initial rush of motivation, forgetting that I would soon have to switch fuels to something I wasn't ready for: discipline. So, it's important for us to start small. Have you read "The Hobbit"?

Bilbo Baggins didn't go straight from his comfortable little hobbit hole straight to the Smaug's lair. His first step was simply leaving his hobbit hole, which he never would have done if he knew from the start that he'd be facing a dragon.

So, you need to start small. You have these goals, which are great, but they are the long-term goals. We need to break these things down into small, do-able goals that won't result in burnout. You need to leave your hobbit hole before facing your dragon.

---

You want to start going to the gym, among many other things. Going to the gym involves:

(a) convincing yourself to go to the gym, even on a rainy day or when you're super comfortable at home

(b) getting off your ass, into the car for ~15 minutes, into the gym where you would feel guilty for working out less than 30 minutes since you drove there, driving back home for ~15 minutes

(c) paying for a membership

Is this sustainable right off the bat? Remember, this is about building habits. We want to make this so easy that you will have no problem doing this. So start small and reduce the barriers of entry that will likely burn you out after your 2 weeks of motivational fuel runs out.

I did this simple routine. You can do it at home, it takes 20 minutes max, and all you need is a pullup bar. How much more doable does this sound?:

(a) convince yourself to get off your ass and walk 10ft to your pullup bar

(b) do pullups, pushups, and squats for 10-20 minutes

People may chime in about this program is missing this or that or how barbell squats cured their cousin's cancer. Fuck 'em. Doing something consistently is infintely better than doing the "ideal workout" inconsistently for 4 months before tapering off working out altogether. And guess what? Once you have built the habit of working out and want to go to the gym, you can!

---

You want to keep up with housework. So, using the same principles, start small! I mean so fucking small that you would laugh at yourself if you couldn't even do that. Turn on your favorite song and do housework until that song is over. You aren't obligated to do any more than the length of that song. Sure, you may not have cleaned the entire house, done all of your laundry, and roasted a fucking turkey. But, you may have done the dishes, or at least half of them. Again, something consistently is infinitely better than nothing. And, again, guess what!? Once you have built the habit of doing housework for the length of a song, you can play two songs!

---

You want to be healthier and take better care of yourself. Well, working out and doing some housework certainly falls under this. Let's address healthy eating. Again, we want to make this as simple as possible. Here is what I do that has been working really well:

Toss the following into a pressure cooker:

Meat (Choose 1):

• Chicken breasts
  
• Chicken thighs
  
• Pork
  
• Turkey
  
  Veges & stuff (choose 4):
  
  
• Green beans/Asparagus/Cauliflower/Brocolli (choose 1)
  
• Mixed greens
  
• Mushrooms
  
• Carrots
  
• Baby potatoes
  
  Sauce (choose 1):
  
  
• Curry (+ variety to choose from)
  
• Salsa (+ variety to choose from)
  
• Marinara/Spaghetti/Tomato sauce (+ variety to choose from)
  
  Seasoning:
  
  
• Garlic
  
• Onion
  
  I don't even cut anything. If anything, I just use my hands to split the green beans, carrots, etc. Again, low barrier of entry. Keep it simple!
  
  At the same time, on the stove or in a rice cooker, make something to put this all on top of:
  
  
• Brown rice
  
• White rice
  
• Orzo
  
• Quinoa
  
  It takes about ~30 minutes to make a ton of healthy and tasty food. I do this twice per week.
  
  For breakfast, I toss 1 cup of oatmeal in a bowl, 2 cups of water in that bowl, cover and microwave it for 4 minutes, and add a tbsp of brown sugar and maybe some peanut butter. Simple, easy, fast, little barrier of entry.
  
  ---
  ---
  ---
  
  We've added quite a few (doable!) things for you to work on. You said you want to start studying programming. I would caution you to not start doing that now. You don't want to burn yourself out. Remember, start small, we're building habits here.
  
  This doesn't mean you won't ever study programming. In fact, what if you start now? What if you burn out in 1 month and don't touch programming again? What if this leads you to stop working out, stop doing housework, stop cooking? It's not worth it.
  
  So how do you know when you're ready to add studying programming? Read this. Only make 3 cards: workout, housework, cook.
  
  Once you are done with these 3 cards, you can create a new one for programming. But make sure you follow the same principles of starting small! Only commit yourself to 10 minutes a day. You can always do more, but 10 minutes is success.
  
  -
  
  Enjoying this? Looking for another adventure to go on after 7 weeks of programming? Fix your sleep schedule. Make a card for light's out at : pm.
  
  -
  
  At this point, we're getting closer to facing Smaug. You want to add another thing? Add meditating. Again, start small! Start with 5 minutes a day, or maybe less! Whatever sounds so doable that there is no way you couldn't do it. I don't give a shit if that means 1 minute per day.
  
  ---
  
  Don't feel bad if you don't fill out these cards perfectly. Remember, something is better than nothing. If you only have an X for half of those days, you've still improved yourself enormously.
  
  There will be fuck-ups. Bilbo fucked up, but he still got to Smaug's lair. Use your fuck-ups. Fucking abuse those fuck-ups. When you fuck-up (which you will, it's part of the process), make it a point to learn from it. Make yourself glad you did it. Didn't workout today? Do something you otherwise wouldn't have done that day: maybe go for a short 5 minute walk, or call your mother to tell her you love her, or send an email to your favorite band or author and thank them for existing, or read a short story on /r/writingprompts, or write a haiku, or tell yourself you're fucking awesome. It doesn't have to be big, but I guarentee it will be worth doing.
  
  
  
  Remember, the first step is coming out of your hobbit hole. There will be many, many challenges along the way. You might have to fight some spiders in Mirkwood, you might have to get in some barrels to escape some wood-elves, you might find a ring. Your life is a book, you aren't going to go directly from your hobbit hole to Smaug's lair. Along your journey, you likely won't even be thinking about Smaug's lair, because you should be focusing on the present, your 3 minute dishwashing session, your 10 minute workout. There will be a point you will look back and see how far you are from your hobbit hole. Before you know it, you'll be standing in front of a dragon's lair and realizing that back in your hobbit hole, you never in 100 years would have expected to be standing right there.
  
  
  
  Now go take your first step toward becoming Bilbo.
  

Continuing with more specifics:

> And this is a post asking for help, which I have a habit of not doing.

Mate, asking for help is awesome - it gives you a lot of input from other folks, some of which might be useful. Btw, you're way ahead of me in that regard (I'd use that as a source of pride).

> I don’t really know where to start (other than looking at the sidebar) but I’m desperate and definitely in need of motivation and advice.

Looking at the sidebar is a good first step. But if you're prone to getting overwhelmed and stuck in analysis paralysis (I know I am), a good fallback strategy is to dump all your impediments and ask for advice. The community can help with organizing them and figuring out how to work around them.

Motivation:

• making things easier: are you OK with the journey being long (but showing consistent and measurable progress)? That makes most strategies much easier. If not, list why not, and we can see if there are ways to gradually change your way of thinking on the matter.
  
• When reading your post, it looks like the goal of getting fit is overwhelming. You list several impediments, concerns and areas where you feel you lack knowledge. If we can address those, the goal can become more manageable (you'll know more about it), and then a strategy can be created to start tackling it.
  
  
  >I’m tired of telling myself I’ll start tomorrow
  
  Can you start right now? Let's say with losing fat. What do you think you can do right now (within the next 30 minutes):
  
  
• create a MyFitnessPal account
  
• get/order a kitchen scale. Digital's great, but the cheapest shittiest analog one is still better than nothing.
  
  • not enough money right now? See when you'll have saved enough. Set an alarm to order it then. If you don't mind waiting 2-4 weeks for delivery, grab one for 10-15 bucks from dx.com (e.g. this one)
    
  • don't know where to buy one? I used dx.com cause I'm a finicky cheap bastard, but the local *-Mart should have 1g-resolution ones for 10-20 bucks
    
• track the next meal you eat
  
• calculate your TDEE, so you know what's a safe daily calorie target (general consensus: 500 kcal deficit)
  
• take front and side pictures of yourself, so you can see how much you've progressed in the future
  
  If you can do at least the first, that's awesome - you've made progress. Trivial, but progress is progress. Next time you'll have one less impediment on your journey to getting fit. On the other hand, whenever you want more, you can continue with the meta-task of generating and tuning your strategy:
  
  
• optional: add the calorie/weight data in a spreadsheet (e.g. Google, or beeminder), if MFP doesn't show you fancy graphs to motivate you
  
• if you choose bodyweight fitness for exercise somewhere along the way, buy a pull-up bar or figure out what you could use for pull-ups. I use something similar to this $14 one. Bam! You've got all your exercise equipment ready.
  
  > I’m tired of feeling weak and waking up aching and depressed. Tired of binges, of fried food, of everything. I honestly feel like I’ve been wasting my life by not being physically well enough to enjoy the time I’ve been given so far and I want to change that. I’m at the point where something needs to change because there’s no point in me living like this anymore. I can’t fake anything anymore. My personality doesn’t match my body. I hate everything.
  
  Shit sucks, mate. But you can do it. If you've been sabotaging yourself, you can try with smaller and smaller goals, until you start making progress. You can gradually train your ability to put in more and more consistent effort into your goals (and start going for slightly larger goals), and you can get on your way to getting fit. The fact that you're making progress can be a source of motivation, and you can start feeling less unhappy. Then that stuff starts feeding on itself, like the downward spiral of depression, but in reverse.
  
  > I’m not sure where I’m going with this post other than ‘help.’ I’m looking for a friend or someone I can just talk to to help me get on track or at least help me start to figure out what to do.
  
  Right here for ya, pal.
  
  > I don’t know what a dead lift is.
  
  Starting Strength (the book) gives a lot of technical detail on the big compound exercises - squat, bench, deadlift, etc. Since StrongLifts was based on SS, let's see if they have something... Yup, the guy has full videos showing the big exercises, including the deadlift at 20:56 (the guy should've provided timestamps in the vid description, but whatevs). Related: the 'how to get started' section there seems very clear.
  
  > I don’t know what exercises are good for my body, as a beginner.
  
  The few exercises in SS/SL as far as I'm aware, but I'm a clueless guy and I'm just beginning the beginner routine in /r/bodyweightfitness. But let's see what the sidebar says:
  
  
• beginners should go full-body for a while
  
• examples of routines are shown in the linked resistance training section. These include SS, SL, a few other ones I have heard about, the BWF ones, and so on.
  
  My suggestion? If you've got access to barbells, go for SS/SL. SL looks nice, since it's got videos, a spreadsheets, free apps that tell you exactly what to do, etc. If you're like me and prone to postponing at the slightest chance of inconvenience, go for the BWF one. It's got fewer extras, but still got videos and form explanations, and doesn't require me to go to a gym.
  
  > I don’t know what cheap and healthy foods I should be eating.
  
  It seems like your priorities would be:
  
  
• avoid malnutrition
  
• lose fat
  
• do not lose too much muscle
  
  So,
  
  
• Avoiding malnutrition: get your RDA for macro and micronutrients. Too much research required? You betcha. Eat the usual crap you ate, but throw in a multivitamin just in case. Just the generic supermarket stuff.
  
• Losing fat? Track calories, eat less than your TDEE.
  
• Not losing muscle: eat enough protein. 0.82 g / lb of body weight is more than sufficient. Check out IIFYM as a nice continuation.
  
  But back to your original concerns:
  
  
• cheap: when going on a caloric deficit, you have at least two goals:
  
  • get your daily calories cheap enough. Carbs (pasta, potatoes, etc) are the cheapest. But you also need your protein, in which case chicken and eggs are probably your best bet. I eat the deli slices shit, because I lack the willpower to invest time in cooking, but will be graduating to cooking skinless boneless breasts later.
    
  • get enough volume to not feel too hungry. Vegetables do a good job here, see what's a cheap filler - cucumbers, lettuce, carrots in my case. Fruit is great too, but watch out for the carbs/calories there.
    
• healthy: lots of broscience and back-and-forth bullshit here. E.g. examine.com is a great source maintained by /u/silverhydra My current guidelines:
  
  • avoid trans fats. (Partially) hydrogenated vegetable oil; palm fat is also similar in effect.
    
  • saturated fats ain't that bad, but maybe still kinda bad. But I eat plenty of them at the moment.
    
  • dietary cholesterol largely has no influence on blood cholesterol. Which allows me to consume huge quantities of eggs (which are an excellent and cheap protein source)
    
  • nut fats are generally healthier (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, etc). Peanuts also happen to be cheap and high in protein, so they're a good cheap healthy snack to use to reach your daily calorie goals.
    
  • carbs - higher glycemic index ones are better (i.e. the ones that take longer to be digested). In practical terms, complex carbs and carbs in food with more fiber. Brown rice instead of white, brown bread instead of white, you get the picture. Whole fruit instead of juice and so on.
    
  • fiber. Keeps your digestive systems running better. 14 grams per 1000 kcal. Low on my priority list, but brown bread (and flax seeds) are a good source.
    
    But in general, just make the first step, and don't go into analysis paralysis. If you start getting weird symptoms, consult with a doctor.
    
    Still, the FAQ diet section describes a very good mindset for dieting, and dispels quite a few myths.
    
    To be cont'd.

Okay! I'll give these a go one by one;

1. You need almost nothing to do bodyweight fitness. If you have a place to do pull-ups and dips you're all set. Most stuff with the door is effective enough but I would recommend getting a door frame pull-up bar and some gymnastic rings so if the weather sucks you won't have to miss your workout.
   
   
2. Weighted jump ropes are a great start. Some resistance bands like these are great for mobility work and adding assistance or resistance. I like to use a basic pair of push-up bars like these because they're easy on the wrist and add some range of motion to your push-ups.
   
   
3. Super useful! Check it
   
   
4. If you eat right and stick to your plan you'll get stronger and add muscle mass. Cut properly and do cardio and you get easily get a very defined physique. If aesthetics are your main goal though you should stick to a traditional bodybuilding routine.
   
   
5. Supplements aren't necessary. I like fish oil though. As far as protein goes as long as you eat meat and eggs you'll get enough to build muscle.
   
   Good luck! Calisthenics is super fun. I still do weightlifting when I find myself at the gym but bodyweight fitness has become my primary goal.
   
   Check out these channels/sites for tons of inspiration and info.
   
   Gold Medal Bodies
   FitnessFAQs
   CalisthenicMovement
   

I assume you're in the USA for all of this. First, I recommend looking around your area for a farm/stable/tractor supplier. You can get a couple horse stall mats for cheap. These will be 5'X7' thick (3/4") rubber mats (warning, they're heavy. get help). This will make a great flooring for you gym and they're relatively inexpensive. Next, I highly recommend you determine now what you want out of a rack. Are you someone who is pulling a lot of weight? Will you be? Be honest. The reason I bring this up is something like the Titan T-2 is know for tipping when failing at larger weights. It's rated to 700 lbs but failing a 350 squat can nock the whole thing down. If you never plan to be pulling higher weights then something like that works great. Trust me, it's cheaper to save up for the system you need than replacing. Once you've determined your needs I highly recommend going over to the forums at bodybuilding(dot)com and searching for power racks and reading through the latest stuff. Many of the sellers of this equipment are there and throw up deals. Before you purchase your equipment, check your city or the nearest city's craigslist for the equipment. Often there is a crossfit gym going out of business or some person unloading their stuff and you can get things on the super cheap. When you decide where to put your money, don't skip on safety. Make sure the rack will support what you're doing and you get a decent bench. Those two items are expensive. Next, make sure your bar will support the weights you pull and much more. Also make sure the bar spins well. Last thing you want is sudden torque while lifting. Usually a bar and weights are the easiest to get on the cheap from craigslist. Just make sure you check the spinning and weight rating.

Now that I've given you some generic guidelines, here are some specific examples:

500 lbs rating for $237. This is 14 gauge steel.

This powerline for $342.61 is one of the best entry level racks. It is 12 gauge steel which makes it more durable to drops than the previous one or the Titan T2. It's rated to 600 lbs and has an overall good review and many years in service.

After the cheap ones recommended, you're going to head into the 11 gauge steel racks and better. The price of these start at ~$600 and go up. The list of brands to look at Body solid, Body Craft and Powertec. They all make very solid systems.

For home, avoid systems that need or should be bolted down. Also, avoid a system that is not at least 12 gauge steel. You really do not want soft steel. A final note, make sure the bench is rated for weights you're at and going too. Don't forget to add your body weight to this. Unlike the power rack, you are on the bench.

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.

I have both the valor bd-7 power rack+dip handles as well as the FG pro utility bench. They're solid, budget pieces of equipment, offer good bang for your buck, and get the job done. Both the rack and bench are more lightweight than other options out there, but as long as you won't outgrow their weight capacities, they should be fine (I think 500 lbs for the rack and 600 lbs, weight and user combined, for the bench). Keep in mind, the lat pulldown gets in the way of incline benching inside the rack. If that's going to be a problem, you can elect to get just a rack without a lat pulldown and attach something like this for pulley work. There are definitely more luxurious options out there in terms of racks, like ones from Rogue (and they have the option of a bunch of cool attachments) but it all depends on your budget and goals. There are some flaws to the rack, like the storage pegs getting in the way of benching inside the rack when loaded with plates (I ended up removing the top pegs and am thinking about moving the pegs to the front by switching the front and back posts so I can actually store plates on the pegs). Overall, the rack gets the job done for me and I like having the option to do pulley work. Here's a thread on the bench that helped me decide on buying it. Definitely happy about it, especially at the price I got it for. Dick's always has 10% off when you sign-up for emails here. At the time, I was able to stack the 10% with a 20% off coupon to get the bench for $140.77 after tax and free in-store pick up.

I got a package that included the triceps rope and single handle here for $21 that are working fine if you want to save some money on attachments.


If you're interested in doing olympic lifts farther down the road, this barbell is generally considered the best bang for your buck barbell and comparable to more expensive options out there. It all depends on your needs, the Dick's set might work just fine.

Let me know if you have any questions.

That bar is pretty junky, but you're basically getting it for free with the weights. It'll get you started and you can upgrade that later if you get serious about it. It'll also give you a beater/landmine/superset bar in the future if you upgrade.

Chances are, if you got the $95 one you would probably end up wanting to upgrade it anyways.

this one is is a decent starter bar (they have one for $120 as a warehouse deal, which is how I bought mine). It has decent, but not great bushings and ribbed sleeves so the plates and clamps stay on better. The sleeves are also held on by a circlip instead of pinned like the cheaper ones. The bar isn't nearly as strong as some of the better and newer bars, but it's still pretty good and a lot better than those cheaper ones. The knurling isn't that aggressive, but it's much better than most cheap bars. It also has a black oxide finish on the bar.

Black oxide is one of my favorite finishes. Unlike Zink plated, chrome, or ceratoke the black oxide doesn't take away from the sharpness of the knurling. They dunk the bar in a bath of nitrates ect. and it creates a very thin (I believe only a few millionths of an inch) oxidized layer that does an ok job of warding off rust. It can still rust and it's not as durable as other finishes, but it'll feel very much like a bare steel, or stainless steel bar, which imo are the best feeling.

You should also check out titan fitness and maybe rep fitness. They might have comparable bars.

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 think the best advice to be given to high school people is just to CHILL. When I went there, there was a lot of social pressure to fit in and get to know whatever. But I think the best thing I could have done was not care. And I say not care meaning like okay, so you have more friends... how does that then make me inferior? Yea, you can meet girls there, but you can also meet girls after high school. If you know you are cool, then you don't really have to worry about these other things.

I didn't have many friends in high school. My friend pool actually vanished and I had to move into a new group. I still keep in touch with some of these guys to this day. It was cool to have a group, but life moves on and changed a whole bunch after high school.

I don't think you should see games as an enemy or an obstacle that prevents you from having a social life, but just think of it as something you do. What makes you social is really who you are and that is a sum of everything you do and believe in. The other half is who you are interacting with. They might not be social... then it's not really you then.

I guess I feel like the odd one here because I still do play games, but I'm subscribed to this forum. I play games and 99% of the people I run into do not know what I play or don't play games. That's fine. It's an activity that I enjoy that makes me competitive or enjoy content. I don't see it that much different than say being stuck on a good TV series like Breaking Bad. I don't think it's really playing games that is bad, but an addiction to it that is the case. If you are pushing away friends, family and opportunities to game, then it should be a concern.

So I would make sure you have your basics down. Get your grades up, eat well and keep it cool with parents and such. I would go ahead and buy these:

http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitness-31000-Basic-Pushup/dp/B008DNA9WU/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1419809491&sr=8-3&keywords=push+up+pro

http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1419809561&sr=8-1&keywords=pull+up

These are one of the best purchases I have ever made. Just buy them and use them time to time. I do pull ups and push ups here and there and I look pretty decent. I'm not a walking bulge of muscle, but it builds some and I don't look lanky. BUY THEM. They last a long time and are so much cheaper than a gym membership. You also want to throw in some running and squats as well.

It's pretty terrifying at lunch time when you go out to recess and there is nobody you meet with. Then you start freaking out... man I don't have friends... man I'm a loser, etc. I would try to find groups that you see people that share your interests with or find school clubs you can be around and hop into. One of the better things I found out was that in reality, EVERYONE is terrified at this age. When you realize that, you realize everything you fear is constructed and that it's really up to you to care or not. I still think having friends is better because it's more fun. Just calm down and be smart. Before you know it, you'll be the coolest guy you know.

This has the most bang for your buck. The quality of the bar is just blah, but the weights are pretty decent. The bar is about to become my spare for just bench press, after I upgrade to a Rogue Ohio. But it served me well for the last year.

Just remember that muscles come from use, and typically we use them by picking heavy stuff up and putting it back down. You don't need something fancy for that. You can go over board (I love stocking my home gym, so yeah it's easy to go over board) and buy expensive brands, but starting with the basic versions is fine.

------

If you're looking for a power cage also, this one is the best value. It has pretty good reviews and several people in /r/homegyms have them. Good price, easy to find attachments for, and great weight rating.

These weight lock rings also were a god send. The ones that come with the sets are usually usable but annoying.

• Hi! I first want to thank you for this contest, which is amazing! Good luck to all who have entered here. Also, that potato is crazy creepy. ❤
  
  
• UNREALISTICALLY I'd love to have either these for my husband or this for me. Those are both on my Only In Our Dreams list. Because who REALLY wants awesome dumbbells and a FitBit scale?!?
  
  
• KINDA REALISTICALLY are these for me because who really needs that many Sharpies? I LOVE Sharpies. I WANT ALL THE SHARPIES, pleaseandthankyou. They are on my 'Coloring is Calming' list.
  
  I never talk about what I want, so this is huge for me, haha. 💕💕

I recently got the fit505 power rack for $230:
http://www.treadmillfactory.ca/fit505-power-rack

Might be sold out now. It looks identical to the AmStaff one, but I read a review saying that the Fit505 one was much better. Though they could in fact be identical, not sure. Anyways, I'm very happy with my fit505 power rack... but I've heard some bad things about AmStaff in general.

In terms of weights, you might be better off on Kijiji if you're near a big city. You can find used weights for 50 cents a pound (no tax).

Then maybe pick up one of these bars:

https://www.amazon.ca/Barbell-Olympic-2-Inch-1000-Pound-Capacity/dp/B001K4OPY2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1481343523&sr=8-7&keywords=cap+barbell

http://www.fitnessdepot.ca/H11OTO1027676/strength/bars/olympic/northern-lights-black-oxide-olympic-bar-86-28mm-44lb-1500lb-rating-bbocfitltgb.html#.WEuB6vlVhBc

You'll also need a bench. Again, I would look on Kijiji and find a used bench. You can get an alright one for around $100 or a good one for around $200.

Your best deal is to buy a full used set from someone on Kijiji if you want the best value. I live near Toronto, and I've seen people selling a rack, bench, bar, weights, lat pulldown, few extras, etc. for around $700. Generally you can get things for about 1/3 of the retail price... so that's by far the best way to go if you're looking to get the best bang for your buck. But it takes patience, and you need a vehicle for transport.

True Minimum:

• Nothing
  
  Weight Lifting Minimum:
  
  
• Cage / Rack
  
• Bench
  
• Free Weights
  
• Bar
  
  Nice to Haves:
  
  
• Good flooring / platform
  
• Dumbbells
  
• EZ Bar
  
• Weight Tree
  
• Cable Machine
  
• Spin Bike
  
• Pullup Bar (if not included in cage)
  
  ----
  
  Check out /r/homegym
  
  You asked about a cage. There's good options out there like Rep Fitness and Rogue. Rogue gets pricy, but great quality.
  
  A great budget one (that I actually have) is this one from Fitness Reality. It's cheap, good quality, decent strength. Big lifters in competitions or going for high numbers would out pace this cage, but for those of us not going for that this works well. There's some downsides, like it is a bit smaller of a lifting area and if you want to hang your weights for storage it isn't the best (though I still do). There's also no cable attachments directly to this cage like some others have (like Rogue). It's a simple cheap good quality cage.
  
  A good weight and bar starting set is the Dicks Sporting Goods set. It isn't pretty, and you'll want to replace the bar after a year, but it's worth the price and I still use those weights.

I recommend using this. It's basically the same routine as you posted but has warm ups included and videos, so it's a little better. :) It's what I've been using for the past two months.

Anyway, your questions:
/u/ideograph is right for 1 and 2 Except that rest periods should match your goals. < 90s rest is best for endurance, < 3 minutes is best for hypertrophy and 3-5 is best for strength.

For 3. The video is what you should be doing. You can start off by using doors - the /r/bodyweightfitness FAQ has a fair amount about that. A pull-up bar can also be used like the one you linked. Or, if you get one that doesn't need to be attached to the door frame like this then you'd need something tall to put your legs on.

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.

I don't think many people appreciate just how much of a workout you can get from doing calisthenics. You won't be able to walk into a gym and do heavy lifting, but calisthenics will definitely get you in shape.

Upper body:

• Pushups (standard with hands at shoulder width; diamond with hands at center forming a diamond to emphasize triceps; wide with hands wider than shoulder width apart to emphasize chest)
  
  
  
• Pullups, if you have a bar or ledge to use. You can buy something like this that easily swings into your door frame, too.
  
• Situps/crunches (and variations), leglifts, jack knives
  
  
• Planks
  
  Lower Body:
  
  
• Squats (do them slowly; your upward movement should be just as slow as going down. Do not pause to rest at the top. Push yourself to do one more than you can handle, rest, then do another set)
  
  
• Lunges (same thing)
  
  
• Wall-sits
  
  
  For a quick workout, I'd recommend doing 'pyramids'. Start by warming up (quick jog around the block, or run up and down the stairs a few times). Then pick a few exercises. Jumping jacks, squats, lunges, pushups, situps, and leglifts are a good place to start. You can add various add exercises, like different kinds of pushups as you progress. Then start with a number like 15 or 20 (depends on how much you can do and how long you want to exercise). Do 15 of each exercise, then 14 of each, then 13 of each, and so on all the way down to 1.
  
  This is actually a warmup we would do sometimes at my dojo, and it's one hell of a warmup. It doesn't take too long but it will tire you out.
  
  Also, you have many things around your house that could be used as 'weights' which would be helpful for squats/lunges/etc. Find a heavy textbook, a gallon of water, etc. As long as you do enough and you do them right, squats with a gallon of water is more than enough to get your legs burning.
  
  Anyway, good luck and don't let a "lack of resources" stop your progress. You can get a good workout without a gym.

I started SL about a month ago -- also almost no upper body strength. No shame in the dumb bells. I'll see if I can find it, but there are some posts about it around here. It only took me a couple weeks to work up to the bar on almost all of the exercises (still using dumbbells for Overhead Press, though).

I started with the dumbbells that you can load weights onto: something like these. at a home gym to get comfortable building some weight.

It wasn't long at all until I moved to the bar (and it did get easier once I could use the bar.) Seriously, you'll be surprised at your progress in just a couple weeks. I still think that SL is a great beginning programming for learning form and incrementally building strength.

In just a couple weeks, I noticed a SIGNIFICANT difference in my upper body/core strength when I went to pick up my kayak...it was like "oh this used to be hard/impossible" now I felt like "what, did someone switch this thing out for a lighter one?" Have fun!

My thoughts exactly; I have an Iron Gym, and it is by far the single best purchase of my life; you can do wide-arm pull ups, close-arm pull ups, chin ups, palm-facing pull ups, stick them in a doorway for sit ups/crunches, dips, modified pushups/planks... The possibilities are endless. And you can move it to wherever you want to go, which is another benefit that you don't get with a regular bar that you have to fix in place.

My personal opinion is that the human body was designed to get in shape on its own and also develop a level of muscle that correlates to its own bodyweight; equipment is nice and all (especially for those hard-to-work-out areas like lats), but bodyweight exercises are hands-down my favorite kind of workout. Other equipment is superfluous.

The same goes for supplements/powder; if you eat a good diet with enough protein in it (especially things like nuts and eggs; those are pretty much the food of all good muscle), the supplements become sort of just an added expense. Sure, they help you get built super quickly, but why bother? Why not just have a good diet? Just my opinion; I'm a big fan of all-natural.

Now if anyone has any tips to get rid of this damned beer gut... It seems I do cardio and ab workouts like none other and this fucker still refuses to let go of my abdomen.

I've been working out at home for 6 months now with, IMO, significant improvements. I'll mention that my goal is to gain muscle, not lose weight, but you should still be able to take away something from my advice. I get a lot of my cardio from the youtube channel fitness blenders. They are super nice, easy to follow, and they have a ton of videos. I owe my budding ab definition to their videos. Secondly, I use resistance bands for all sorts of different exercises. I bought these specific ones for $25 and they're still going strong. You can double them up for added resistance as you progress. Lastly, I wound up buying adjustable dumbbells recently. They are costly, but are compact and I can change the weight in a flash. These may not be needed right away. I personally waited to get this 5 months in to make sure I was persistent with working out, so I didn't waste the money. I hope some of this helps! Good luck!

I saw your $2k budget in another post, so here's my recommendation. I'll clean up the formatting and add links when I get to a computer.

Power rack like a Titan T-3 Short or X-3 Short if you don't want to build a platform to bolt it to. I recommend the short because they're 7' tall, the normal height is ~8ft, and you might run into ceiling height issues.

Alternatively at a budget you can get the Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage for $200. It's not as sturdy, but it's half the price, and comes with a multi-grip pull-up bar

Get the following attachments - dip bars, land mine, Multi-grip pull-up bar. You want a power rack even if you're not squatting because you can bench by yourself with the safeties and not worry about failing a lift. Titan sells rack-specific attachments for these, and anything that fits the Titan T-2 should fit the Fitness Reality rack.

Olympic bar and plates - I'd get a Fringe Sport Wonder Bar personally. Get plates second hand off of Craigslist for no more than .70/lb

Adjustable bench - Titan's will work, but Rep Fitness is the best in the home gym biz as far as build quality goes.

Adjustable dumbbells. I'd get the Power Blocks Urethane set that's expandable to 120lbs. Start with the up to 40lb or 60lb variant and the stand, and then buy expansions if/when you need them.

If you still have money left over, I'd pick up an EZ-B bar too - Amazon is fine for this. I just like them for curls and some other arm movements. Pick one where you like the bend pattern - there are some I prefer to others personally.

EDIT: links added

I can't agree more with your gym sentiments. Walking through a sea of resting bitch faces at the gym just to see that two people were already waiting for the squat rack tended to ruin my somewhat fragile motivation.

I would recommend against the FT2, having an enforced straight up and down bar path will not help your form and will make your workout less effective for your core/stabilizing muscles. If you're thinking you want something safe for home workouts alone, you can still do that with a free weight barbell setup, spotter arms are wonderful thing.

I haven't tried that many options, but I can tell you what is working for me. I got the titan T3 squat rack and I love it. I highly recommend the spotter arms, I try for bench personal records all the time by myself and I've never had issues when I failed. This rack is stable enough for pull ups but you don't have to screw it to the floor to install. I did have to take off both the weight storage arms so that the plates on the storage arms didn't impede my bench press. http://www.titan.fitness/cages-and-racks/squat-rack.html

For the barbell I got the CAP OB-86B, it's reasonably priced and I'm not doing anything too fancy with the olympic lifts. I expect to get another, better bar and keep it as a beater bar eventually. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001K4OPY2

My plates are a mix, I recommend getting some bumper plates off craigslist or a local shop to get started then adding bumper and iron plates as needed. Another option is to get the $300 iron set from Dick's as a starting set, but from what I've heard the bar is fit only to trash/resell. http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/p/fitness-gear-300-lb-olympic-weight-set-16fgeu300lbstwth7brb/16fgeu300lbstwth7brb

For bench I'd recommend getting something strong and adjustable. I got the flat Adidas bench and it's fine, though I now want an adjustable bench so I can do incline/decline. https://www.amazon.com/adidas-Performance-Flat-Training-Bench/dp/B00WHIG6X8

Appropriate flooring, resistence bands, and dumbbells are also incredibly helpful.

Here's the details on the stuff:

Power Rack. Had this about 6 weeks and I'm extremely happy with it. Looks fine, feels very sturdy, no feeling of tipping or instability even when I hang from the bar at front. Paint scratches when you move and insert the spotter bars but what do you want for $350 shipped. It's held 215 on multiple occasions with no issues. If you lift significantly heavier than this (300+) you may want to read reviews first, or invest in a less-starter rack, but for many/most people this will be fine forever. It's dead easy to assemble if you have a socket set and if you don't, great opportunity to get one, they're cheap! Assembly can be done mostly solo but the final bits really need a second person to hold stuff in place while bolts are inserted. Rack comes shipped in 2 or 3 (can't remember) boxes which are pretty unwieldy and heavy.

I went with this CAP barbell. This suits my needs very well with great knurling and came without bend, and I'm unlikely to put a bend in it with my sub-300 deadlifts. The barbell ships in a fun 7 foot cylindrical tube which caused the dude at the mail place to nearly topple over because he expected it to be light for some reason.

I also got this plate tree which holds 2x 45# bumpers, 2x 45# plates, and 2x 25#, 2x 10#, 4x 5#, and 2x 2.5#. Does the trick but paint scratches off the pegs like crazy but is easily cleaned up. Single box, about 30 pounds.

The bench is this one by Marcy. I wanted a simple bench and that's what I got. Great bench for the price and I haven't had any instability problems. Had this for a year and used up to 70# dumbbells and 215# barbell with it (I'm 215). Most weight total that's been on it was a 270# friend benching 185# for sets and he found it fine.

Assorted stuff: got these puzzle mats which do the trick for the right price and are stowable unlike a permanent mat. As I mentioned elsewhere the 45# bumpers are meant to mitigate any floor impact, and I'm not terribly concerned with keeping this floor perfect anyway (it's 10 year old laminate on top of concrete, and the "path" is linoleum). The plates were from a sale at the local FitnessDerp store (not its real name) and were 85 cents a pound -- I never saw any on Craigslist for less than that in the month I looked. Finally just some collars.

The cat in the picture highly recommends this crinkle tunnel.

A lot of people are asking about pullups and whether they are optional, because "they don't have anywhere to do pullups".

Pullups are not optional. They are vital for correcting many shoulder imbalances people have. Sitting in front of the computer all day in a hunched over position weakens the muscles on the back of your torso and tightens the muscles in the front of the torso. Once you start training then, if you only train pushing exercises such as pushup, this imbalance is further exacerbated and will likely lead to injuries down the line.

As far as not having anywhere to do pullups, you'll just have to be creative. I've done pullups on trees, on playgrounds, on powerlifting equipment, on carports, on stairwells, and so on and so forth. Here are 100 ideas to get you started. Of course, you can also just buy a pullup bar. They're inexpensive (30 bucks), will last you a long time, and help you get strong and healthy. They're a fantastic investment. Don't worry about your doorframes: unless you have really abnormal rames, you can be reasonably certain this will not do them any harm.

I'd like to finish with a plug for /r/bodyweightfitness, which is a subreddit dedicated to all kinds of bodyweight training. We have a large community with super helpful veteran users, weekly threads with tons of advice and helpful info, weekly threads where users can post about their routines and their experiences with them (showreel compiled from the showoff threads), and much much more. If you do decide to visit us, please refer to the FAQ before posting, and make sure you follow the rules. Hope to see you there!

You don't expect to lift more than 250lbs? You wholly underestimate your strength. You should be able to pull more than that on a deadlift before you max out on SL 5x5.

IF you really want to stick with lifting and not just a program but being dedicated to lifting regularly, then buy quality. Being thrifty doesn't mean buying cheap. It means getting the most out of what you spend, and good quality stuff will last you a lifetime.

Titan racks are great value, If you can't bolt the T-3 to the floor or a platform, look into getting the free standing T-3 Squat Stand with spotter arms. The T-2 cage isn't as heavy duty but still more than enough for most people.

There are other options but Titan's a good value.

As far as bars, get the CAP-OB86 which is a highly regarded barbell for it's price whihc regularly goes on sale for as low as 100 dollars.

As far as plates go, buy used if your local area has a good craigslist base. Get mostly 45s with a pair of 25s and 10s

Buy the Adidas flat bench which is a cheap but sturdy option to the more beefier $150+ dollar options

Here's the TL,dr of r/malefashionadvice: https://www.reddit.com/r/malefashionadvice/comments/356ia8/building_a_basic_wardrobe_v50/

Even simpler:

1 pair of decent jeans
2 pairs chinos (khaki and another color)
2-4 simple casual shirts (polos, henley)
4 button downs (white, light blue, and some with patterns.
1 decent sweater because it's going to be cold soon (prob plain solid color in dark blue, dark grey, dark purple or another earth tone)
1 shoe (Chucks, Vans etc.)

The above is real basic and you could get this taken care of at Target, Ross/Marshalls, and prob Goodwill.


Separately, everyone your age has a lot going on and is going through some shit. We've all been there but you don't want to get stuck in a hole of feeling depressed, or like you don't belong.

Here's a few other things I want you do to that will help. Below may appear a bit random but they're solid tips that'll have you on the right track for life, allowing you to be more comfortable with yourself, and more appealing to others.

Keep yourself well groomed: showered, teeth brushed, hair combed, nails trimmed etc.

Make fitness a part of your life and that's as simple as push-ups/dips and chin-ups. Get this bar from Amazon and check out Scooby's website for some further info (or hit me up again).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001EJMS6K/ref=mp_s_a_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474751774&sr=8-1-spell&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=irom+gym

http://scoobysworkshop.com/pullups-for-total-beginners/

Sleep in if you want, but not too long.

Make a habit of eating "3 squares," don't need snacks everyday.

Start saying "yes" more often. Friends want you to meet them at the mall, a girl wants to talk, parents ask you to do something etc etc.

Be curious and take a genuine interest in the people around you.

Practice being a good listener.

Don't openly criticize others, at least for what they can't change anyway.

I got [one of these for six bucks] (https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492534369&sr=8-1&keywords=iron+gym+pro+fit) which you just pop up when you want to use it. I was dubious (which is why I didn't buy it new) but it's fantastic. (The one I got looked brand new, which happens a lot with fitness equipment. People buy it and then don't use it.)

I wrote to [Dana Jeri Maier] (http://www.danajerimaier.com) who is an illustrator whose work has just a great biting humor to it. I follow her on Go Comics and Instagram and I really admire all aspects of her work. I think I may make it a goal to write a "fan letter" once a week in the next round. It's an interesting way of expressing gratitude for people's work and finding connection.

Since people seem really interested in how I could possibly spend what I spent, allow me to share what I bought.

This is the lighter set:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ARYU58/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1417133375&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX200_QL40

This is the heavier set:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00COQTLNU/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1417133588&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SY200_QL40

They aren't gold- or diamond-encrusted, but they did offer me flexibility in the very limited space I had available at the time, and they've served me well.

And remember that my earlier post mentioned that the right answer for OP depends on his/her goals and priorities. For me, living in a small place, $700 (or whatever I spent) gave me a way to conveniently train in-home and save $100/month and commuting costs on a gym membership.

Am I as swole as the guy posting that you can't get "a full workout" with the setup I have? Of course not, have you seen that guy? He's a total beast. Super tough.

But with these dumbbells and a pull-up bar, I've managed to make great personal improvements that I'm quite happy with.

My husband and I have our DIY setup in our garage and absolutely love it! I was hesitant to purchase a new Peloton since I had never been the workout-at-home type and was worried this expensive piece of workout equipment would become a dust collector in our garage. We decided to try the DIY workaround before investing a lot of money into the "real" thing.

We use a Sunny B1805 with the Wahoo Cadence sensor attached to the crank arm. I really wanted a magnetic belt drive and this one was probably the most affordable we found. I wish we had spent a little more and invested in a bike that comes with SPD pedals since I know we will be upgrading those in the near future. Other than that the bike is great and I highly recommend it!

We live in CA where the weather is mild pretty much all year so we decided to put the bike in our garage. We screen cast the classes to a TV we have hung up on the wall using an AppleTV and use our phones to view cadence in the Wahoo app. I also have a FitBit Versa that I use for HR purposes, though it does not sync with the Peloton app (huge bummer).

Other odds and ends we have in our setup: WiHoo Mini Handheld Portable Fan we attach to the tablet holder, floor fan, a set of Bowflex SelectTech 552 Adjustable Dumbells for strength classes (we don't do weights on the bike), and a basic Yoga mat.

It has surprised me just how happy I am with this setup! I thought I would feel like I was missing out by not having the leader board and not being able to track my stats. But I have yet to take a live class since the times don't work well for us west coasters with 9-5 jobs and commutes. And while I would like to be able to see output and resistance, I don't feel like my workout is suffering for not having them. I used to take spin classes regularly and most of those were about feel rather than exact numbers.

We've been using this setup since July and, honestly, I don't see myself buying a Peloton now. If anything I may upgrade to a better bike at some point. But for $20 a month I am getting an excellent workout that dips and sways with my schedule. I don't think I could justify being locked into $40 a month when I don't feel I am missing out much on the extras that come with the full price.

Here's a pic of our setup.

You and I have had virtually identical experiences. Granting that I still struggle with getting my trich under control, here's the humble advice I can offer:

1. Identify times/situations when you tend to pull more frequently and then if possible, create uses for your hand(s) that prevent them from automatically migrating to your face. For me, driving is a big auto-pull time. With one hand on the wheel and my mind wandering, my left hand will find its way to may beard and start wreaking havoc. What I did to combat this is is buy a hand strengthener like this one which I keep in my car. When I recognize that I'm pulling, I'll grab this thing instead. I also keep silly putty in my car for the same reason.
   
   
2. Medication/therapy can and does help. Though I personally haven't yet had much luck in this department, trich is an anxiety-based behavior for which treating the underlying causative factors helps significantly. In fact, we've all tried willing ourselves to just stop and we've all seen just how effective that can be. Getting to the root (so to the speak) is the sustainable way to rectify this destructive behavior.
   On that note, try to take note of when you tend to pull more and when you tend to pull less. That is to say, try to pay attention to what else is going on in your life when your trich gets worse. Are there possibly certain triggers that are influencing the rate of your pulling? Become more mindful of how you're doing generally and how that relates to your pulling. Creating these links are important in coming to understand the behavior and ultimately stopping it.
   
   
3. Lastly, eye-shadow. Yes that's right. Go to a beauty supply store or Walmart or whatever and find a color that closely matches your beard color. I have a dark auburn/copper colored beard and ended up with a color called "latte". It's not an exact match but its close enough to where it fills in the hole(s) and blends everything together fairly seamlessly. Oh, also pick up an applicator. You can either get a small paint brush type thing or the eyeliner applicator itself (which is what I use and is pretty effective).
   
   That's all I've got. Best of luck man, I wish you many full bearded years ahead!

I'm going to recommend an exercise program to you called Strong Curves. It's designed specifically for women and focuses on building lower-body strength (specifically in the butt) to enhance our figures.

It has its own subreddit, /r/strongcurves, and the community there is very helpful. The sidebar has tons of useful information to help you get started. If you want to see some butt transformations, just search the word "progress" in the subreddit search and you'll see people going from butts like yours to really very substantial butts.

The SC book outlines about 5 different plans that range from plans for complete beginners, to plans for people without access to a gym, to plans for people that want to go all out. All the exercises in each plan are described in details with pictures in the book. You can also Youtube each exercise for in depth descriptions of how to do each one correctly.

More about the book: you can buy/pirate/borrow/check out from the library. Here's a link to amazon. I found my first copy on piratebay, but bought a used copy online because it's nice to have a physical book to reference.

I've seen a lot of progress using it and I'm a couple months in. The beginner's plan suggests an hour long session 4 times a week. You can totally skip the warmups at first just to get a feel for everything. With a set of dumbells (I have these), it's extremely approachable and very effective. I think it will give you a lot of confidence.

I'm 17 so I built my set up knowing I'd have limited space and even more limited funding. For building your own gym the most important thing to remember is that there are tons of people out there who have given up on exercising and have unused equipment lying around. You can take advantage of this by checking craigslist and helping other people reclaim space in their garages.

Remember, your body is an organic system, it doesn't care about the condition of equipment, as long as provides resistance and is safe. That is to say, new weights at Dick's will run you $0.89/lb, potentially lightly rusted weights will run you $0.40 or even less on craigslist. They go fast though, so jump on a deal if you see it and refresh a few times each day. I 250lbs worth of dumbells + a storage rack for $150 a couple days ago. In my area, that's a steal.

Craigslist also graced me with a 4 month old Bowflex Blaze for $150. 79 exercises and about 24 sq. feet taken up by its footprint. I'll take that ratio. The Blaze has a flat bench that can be set to a 45 degree incline for lifting even without the bows. Dips can be done off the side of the bench, toe-raises can be done off of the supporting floor bars. The Blaze is a monster tool. If you're going after a Bowflex (they're the safest apparatus if you're working out solo) I'd keep an eye out for the Revolutions. They run a bit higher but they use real weights and are supposed to be pretty spectacular.

Other than that I bought one of these for pullups in a doorway, and just picked up a speed jump rope for $4/free shipping on Amazon. Cheap cardio. If you've got some more cash though you can pick up almost any common exercise machine for ~$80 on craigslist. Bikes/Treadmills especially.

If you're into the protein/supplements thing give Netnutri.com a look. I have yet to find a cheaper place to buy (60% off retail) and they have an enormous selection with fast shipping. From the research I've done (my uncle co-founded the Taro drug company, he knows his shit, and I've done a ton of anecdotal reading on the bodybuilding.com forums) the best protein available is the Optimum Nutrition Pro, which packs 60g/serving with a mess of aminos. The best creatine supplement is Gaspari Nutrition's SizeOn. And the best nitric oxide is Gaspari Nutrition's Superpump250. My uncle says there isn't nearly so much credible research backing nitric oxide as the other two, and my family doctor advises against using it because it quickly dilates your veins, which means sudden lower blood pressure, which can lead to a heart attack. Both endorse protein and creatine though. Creatine has also been credibly linked to increased mental capability. Can't go wrong with fish oil for brains and joints and a solid muti vitamin either. ;)

Since you don't have a lot of weight to work with, I would recommend doing compound lifts that are going to put massive stress on large muscle groups and stimulate a large hormonal response.

This is going to build more muscle than doing simple lifts. For example, if you want to train your biceps, doing curls is going to train it, but it's not going to generate a huge response since they're such relatively small muscle groups.

However, if you do 3x20 squat highpulls, you are not technically isolating the biceps at all, but the big overall hormonal response is going to stimulate muscle growth everywhere.

Also, if you can scrape together $30, buy an iron gym. Best $30 I've ever spent. It will open up a lot of new options for working out at home.

Search for these on youtube.

Squat high pulls
Squat press
Burpees


Also, just do normal squats, lunges etc while holding 40lbs in each hand.

Also, check out Crossfit. They have some interesting non-equipment-intensive workouts on there that are great.

Okay, I know you posted this a month ago, but whatever. I'm commenting. It's happening.

Something I've found to be SUPER helpful with disphoria and just body image issues is to get a door frame pull-up bar, like this one. Seriously,

Seriously,

get one. They're like 20 bucks at Walmart, and I think they have them for 15 at some places. They take like a minute to put together, and you just plop them on a door frame, and it will make you feel so much better about yourself. Before I got mine I had no upper body strength whatsoever, and just felt really bottom-heavy and self-conscious and terrible. When my boyfriend got me mine two months ago, I could pull myself up maybe a centimeter. But I kept working at it and now I can do two full chin-ups in a row without assistance (which I know isn't super impressive, but it's a drastic improvement). I've gained so much muscle mass in my upper body just from that thing. And it doesn't just work muscles in your arms, you kinda get more toned all over. You can also do tons of other exercises with it too. And more muscle mass means more testosterone production. I've had people tell me that even my face is looking more masculine.

For example, compare this, from May I think, to this (fourth and fifth pictures down), from a couple days ago.

I'd say it's helped me a significant amount with my disphoria. And a lot of times when it's really bad, just doing a few chin-ups makes me feel better, like I'm actively doing something about it.

Well anyways. Hope this helped.

^seriously ^though ^get ^one

He's 16 and 6'1, as long as the gym has a squat rack and a bench press area, he should be able to do a very good workout uninterrupted. He doesn't need a trainer.

Have him look into some programs, like Starting Strength, Westside for Skinny bastards (excuse the name, it's a really good program) or something like that.

Depending on cost, you could probably buy a decent squat rack

http://www.amazon.com/Powerline-PPR200X-PowerLine-Power-Rack/dp/B000VLRVSC/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1367956247&sr=1-3&keywords=power+cage

And used weights online (~50c per pound of plates).

Add a bench to that and he can bench in the power cage without needing a spotter.

It may end up being cheaper than a years subscription to a franchise gym, and he won't have to worry about feeling embarrassed. (Although going to a gym regularly is a good way for him to eventually feel comfortable with his body).


He's 16, and pumping with testosterone, he can really take advantage of it, and even if he won't be "amazing" looking by the time high school is over, if he keeps up with it he can start college fresh with a body he will love. And the confidence that comes with being happy with your body.

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.

A few tips for getting a clean bar chord:

• Make sure your thumb is behind the neck, not over the top. Improves your leverage on your bar finger.
  
• Make sure your bar finger is as close to the fret you want to bar as possible.
  
• Try a lighter gauge string, it'll reduce the tension on the strings and require less hand strength for a clean bar
  
• Make sure your guitar is properly set up where the string heights are even and your action is correct. Also try lower action as long as you aren't getting a lot of fret buzz.
  
  If none of those work, you just need to keep practicing and develop your hand strength. Bar chords take a fair amount of pressure from your hand to get them clean, especially on acoustics. I used to use one of these things when I was a beginner and they seem to help.

I ran into this type of problem a few years ago. Option one - go straight to the gym so you don't see his puppy dog eyes (I tried doing this and it didn't work for me haha). Option two, take that $40/month, put it in a cookie jar or something where it is out of sight and out of mind, then buy some equipment when you have enough. I'd recommend only getting one thing at a time in order to make sure you don't get overwhelmed by your sudden choices. For example, when I did this I found a set of dumbbells on Craigslist for $30 that had 3 different weights. Not a huge discount but reduce reuse recycle and all that. Next thing I did was buy a prohands grip master to work on my finger strength https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0006GCBL4/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1467465386&sr=8-2&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=prohands&dpPl=1&dpID=51-bY1uRjzL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1 . Next I bought new shoes because mine were causing foot pain (apparently I'm a wide who knew?).

It's a few years now and I have a decent home gym. My commute isn't 4 hrs round trip anymore but I still like the flexibility, especially when I woke up early this morning and decided to do my workout then instead, and didn't have to wait for the gym to open.

We just got a new puppy, the previous dog I couldn't bear to keep cooped up is now an old man. She gets antsy because he gets tired. I've made a game of running sprints with her. Also probably going to pick up some random PVC or something to start doing pole weaving and etc.

I know it sounds daunting and just impossible. Going to the gym can be great at helping you focus and get out of the house. I found that for myself trying to get to the gym was adding so much stress. It sounds like you still get the chance to get out and socialize (unlike I did at the time haha) so I wouldn't focus too heavily on the gym. Heck, if you have the space you could probably find some 2x4s and create an outside area to workout that is flat. My uncle lives in a trailer in rural Texas and that's what he did. He says his favorite part is the ice cold showers after.

Sorry this post was so long, I really understand the difficulty you are feeling and I hope one of my ideas helps!

First off, the beer belly will be one of the last things to go, but adding additional workouts will help to tone muscle as well as to burn additional calories.

Assuming the 8kg barbell is similar to that link where the length is approximately 6ft (2meters).

There is a couple of pieces of equipment you would need to have to make full use of the barbell:

A rack of some sort to hold the barbell, and for an easy place to put the barbell when ending a set. You don't need one this extensive, it is mainly that you need something to put the weight on when done with sets if you want to add bench/incline/decline press. Which leads to the next piece of equipment:

An adjustable bench so that it can be useful for multiple exercises, including, but not limited to bench/incline/decline press.

Probably more weights to add to the barbell as well, since 8kg (~17lbs) is not that much weight once you start lifting for a lot of workouts.

Some basic upper body workouts I would focus on (given that you are running a good bit so I am assuming you are doing both distance and sprints).

If i am not mistaken you are looking for reps of 12-12-10 while trying to increase weights on each set. Generally doing that is for more endurance muscle, while doing less reps is for more explosive muscle if i am not mistaken.

Bench press

Decline press

Incline press

Barbell shurgs

Barbell curls

Close Grip Barbell curls

Standing Military Press

I would probably workout 2-3 days a week, doing all that you can. If you want to slightly lower the number of workouts you can alternate one of the curls, and alternate only doing two of the bench/decline/incline presses.

But barring having more weights/a rack I would probably recommend adding burpees in addition to push-ups.

I'm 6'1" but with a 7" basement ceiling, I don't see pullups happening unless I'm gonna stick my head between the joists each time lol. Same with OHP unfortunately.

I'm looking at normal height racks now, I assumed that with only 2-3" of clearance I would have trouble assembling the rack, but it sounds like that isn't the case. The Powerline PR200X is the current frontrunner.

I don't have a fear of falling backwards or anything, I've been lifting for quite some time and I know my limitations. It looks like I could certainly get a squat stand for much less than a full cage, but I still have concerns about stability. However, I am fairly certain I can just bolt a stand into my basement slab, which would cure stability issues I would think. Also, a cage would allow for some attachments, like dip bars, which would I would definitely want. I'm wondering if I can actually get a good squat stand with safety arms for less than 400 shipped, which is what I'm looking at for the Powerline.

I've always hated going to the gym fighting with other people for equipment and altering my exercises around what is available. I also let the distance from my house creep in as an excuse. It resulted in a lot of fuckarounditis and quitting for long periods of time. Best thing I have done was get some proper equipment for my garage. I am addicted now.

I had some weights, a bench, a short olympic bar, and two olympic dumbell bars I got off of classifieds awhile ago. The bar sucked since it was so small. I never got into using it for years. I decided to finally get a real bar and a power rack. I also supplemented my olympic weights a bit. It has made a HUGE difference in the quality of my workouts. The power rack allows me to push myself a lot without the use of a spotter.

Below is the equipment I got and can absolutely recommend all of it. The bar has the perfect amount of knurling to not rip your hands up. The weights are not works of art, but cheap and perfectly suitable.

PowerLine PPR200X Power Rack

Body Solid 7-Feet Olympic Bar

Cap Barbell Free Weights

Lockjaw Olympic Barbell Collar

My bench is kind of a shitty bench that came with all the other junk I purchased earlier. Not sure what would be good if I was in the market right now. You can modify the power rack to hold some of your plates, but a weight tree isn't expensive and laying weights on the floor isn't a problem at first. A pad is pretty much necessary for dead lifts and you can pick up 3/4 inch rubber horse stall mats at those farm feed store for about $45. Get on a program like SS and this is all you need until you decide to move to splits, giving you plenty of time to slowly add more equipment as you find it.

When I finish SS I will pickup the Ironmaster 75 lb Quick-Lock Adjustable Dumbbell System and I already ordered the Powerline PLA200X Lat Attachment, both of which get great reviews.

Overall you will save a ton of money on membership fees in the long run and it's really hard to make excuses to not workout. The equipment is a joy to use.

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

Make your body straight and stiff as a board (or plank) and hold yourself up off the ground.
Here is a great explanation: http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/plank.html

You could get one of these pull-up bars to work those lats, arms, and back better at home. You can even hang and get some core workouts in by lifting your legs. Cheap and very useful.

You absolutely can bike for 30 minutes instead of walking daily! That's probably better than my 2 x 1mile walks, actually. Keeping that heart rate up for 30 minutes daily will REALLY help your metabolism.

Be very strict about your diet and workouts. Force yourself to hit that bike daily and get those workouts in. Also, try to stay active at least one day on the weekend. You can do this shit, man! You don't have to eat like a rabbit on keto, just NO CARBS. You are the only one you can count on to shed that weight... nobody else will help you. STAY DISCIPLINED! Even when the office has donuts, pizza, etc... don't give in with "just one".

YOU GOT THIS!

Not sure what the availability/pricing/shipping will be in Greece but I'll give it a shot and try to fit your budget or come close

Most of the Squat stands on Amazon have a 390 lb capacity, this one claims to have a 200kg capacity for $65.99 (USD) :
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01KXD53XC

You could probably save some money if you get just a flat bench, I can highly recommend the rep fitness one(this one is a bit more expensive) , but if you want incline I'd say the titan adjustable bench is good for the price $114 and a 650 lb capacity
http://www.titan.fitness/incline-bench-650-lb-capacity.html

Pullup Bar for $25 with a 300 lb capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_pTQtybE7R7S4Z

As for a barbell, I know you are into powerlifting, so if you are willing to raise your budget I'd recommend the Rouge Ohio power bar ($250), it's solid and will last. If the budget is tight, and since plates haven't been factored in yet I'd look for a weight set that comes with a barbell and then buy some extra 45s after. Might come with a shitty bar but if you're careful with it it might last for a while. This is something I'd recommend buying in person since shipping will kill your budget.

I left out the dumbells since Olympic pairs are kinda expensive and i wanted to leave plenty of room for plates, but if you need them there are a bunch on Amazon for $30 per db.

Also I'm not sure if Craigslist exists in Greece but if it does or if something similar exists I'd look for some good deals on there. Good luck

Ya legit gymnastics parallel bars are expensive. I have a iron gym pull-up bar and MDUSA rings but i hang my rings on a beam in a garage. I also have hanged them on a branch of a tree (make sure it's sturdy), on swing sets with the swings moved out of the way, on monkey bars, and on a football goal post. All were very succesful getting enough height and room on the sides is the most important which is why monkey bars actually work better than a narrow pull-up bar.

If drilling isn't an option then buying some sort of pull-up bar to hang them on is probably your next best bet. An iron gym is pretty cheap and with a couple of nails you can secure your doorframe extra if your worried about it being flimsy although my apartment doorframe does fine. You could also do a power tower for pretty cheap.

I recommend getting a pull up bar (it's great for pull-ups, chin ups, push ups) and doing 3 sets of this workout, with pull ups added in. Starting out, you won't be able to do all the reps recommended, but just find what your limit is and do that. As you get stronger then you can increase. This regimen got me into pretty good shape before I recently started going to a gym and doing Wendler 5/3/1. And as /u/requires_distraction said, read up on /r/bodyweightfitness.

Edit: Also, diet is just as important as exercise. Make sure you're getting about 1g of protein for each pound of body mass, and you can calculate your approximate caloric needs here. I don't know how much detail you want to go into in tracking your diet, but using myfitnesspal to track macronutrients and calories has done wonders for me. Lastly, consider supplementing with creatine. It's a very cheap supplement (4 month supply for $16 on amazon), and has been proven to provide more energy during workouts (resulting in more productive workouts) with practically no side effects, other than the need for increased water consumption during the first week of loading.

There are many variations, but you need to hang on something. Figure out a way, depending on what your living arrangements are. You can attach a pull up bar to a doorframe. You can hang from the door frame itself. You can find a tree or monkey bars or ledge of some kind outside.

Once you've found something to hang on, it'd be best to attach something to it. Hangboards, rock rings, pull up bar, homemade contraption. The device is not important, but preferably you can grip it in different ways. Open hand, sloper, two finger, crimp, side pull, etc.

Step three is to do pull ups, hangs, lock offs, and levers. Google hangboard workout and you'll find something. Use a chair if you need to reduce your weight, wear a backpack to increase it. Work out 3 times a week or so.

All the other fitness stuff you can do is great, but won't help your climbing as much as this. You have to hang, and you have to pull. This will keep in you decent shape.

Some links:

http://www.rockclimbing.com/Articles/Training_and_Technique/The_Making_of_a_Rockprodigy__258.html

http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K
The above can be modified to make it more climber friendly. You can make your own one of these: http://www.blankslateclimbing.com/shop/item/blank-slate/
Or you could hang some rock rings.

I have used 2 different kinds of adjustable dumbbells. At home I have a York set - the smallest version of these:
http://www.amazon.com/InfiDeals-Adjustable-Cast-Iron-Dumbbells/dp/B004UY5CR8/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1463887207&sr=8-8&keywords=york+dumbbells

Super simple, it just takes a minute to put the plates on and off. I really like them, they're pretty basic but they get the job done.

For a while I shared a tiny weight room with some workmates and they got a super swoopy high-tech set, I think they were these Bowflex ones:
http://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-SelectTech-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Pair/dp/B001ARYU58/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1463887273&sr=1-2&keywords=adjustable+dumbbells

Much easier to use, but after a few weeks they were constantly broken! Much more expensive too.

One down side of adjustables is you can't do supersets that require different weights, so you have to plan your workout accordingly.

Good luck, I hope this helps!

So, you have a couple of options here. I presume you don't want to have to buy gym equipment, but just know that if you buy used you can get a squat rack, barbell and some weights for a couple hundred buck. If you do that, you'll have a much easier time. Learn the squat, deadlift and overhead press, and that will provide an amazing foundation for you.

If you really can't do that, then at least invest a chinup bar. Something like this It's like 20 bucks. If you have that, you can start with a basic program of pushups, chinups, and bodyweight squats. For chinups and squats, try to build up to 3 sets of 30 with a minute rest in between.

Once that gets too easy, try making the exercise more difficult. Put your feet up on the coach for pushups. Work up to a one armed pushup. For bodyweight squats, try doing a bulgarian split squat

As for chinups, depends on your body weight, but i'd say once you can do 3 sets of 12 with a minute rest in between, you're probably in pretty good shape.

Do those 3 exercises 3 times a week.

I realized I needed more discipline in the gym, so I found this suggestion from someone over in /r/fitness: Jim Stoppani's 6 Week Shortcut to Shred. I've basically been doing that for the past month minus the cardio in between sets because I'm already skinny. I have also started working out with a buddy so that we can hold each other accountable. If you are struggling to gain weight check out /r/gainit. I honestly don't pay super close attention to what I eat, I just try my best to eat healthy, and lots of it. I do suggest getting some protein powder, I'd say that's probably the most important thing to supplement. I use the chocolate Gold Standard by Optimum Nutrition. I also throw in some peanut butter because its a really cheap source of calories, and sometimes a banana. I try to have at least two shakes a day; one right when waking, and one after my workout. I also bought this and highly recommend it. Seriously, whenever I felt the urge I would do pull ups/push ups.

I know how hard it can be to gain weight. I graduated high school at around 120lbs. I've gained since then and my normal weight was low 140s naturally. I still lose a few pounds if I don't eat properly for a day or two which is really frustrating. That routine is pretty strenuous. If you want something that requires less time check out starting strength in /r/fitness. It's basically squats, deadlifts, and bench press. I also started working out legs, which I never did before, and I think that has helped me a lot. All in all I spend probably an hour in the gym 5 days a week.. So I'm there frequently, and luckily I'm at a point in my life where I'm able to take an hour out of each day to do this. Let me know if there is any other way I can help or elaborate on. Feel free to pm me if need be.

> I could never have done a pull up without the assistance machine. I'm still fairly heavy, and female, and have never had much upper body strength. Still don't, actually.

Yeah, not to sound like a misogynist, you have way less testosterone coursing through your veins than even a male whussbag, so you get a bit of a free pass for being untrained and formerly sedentary and not being able to do a pullup. For dudes, that is still pretty awful, though.

> I don't have anyone to watch or a good mirror, but I do what I can when I can.

I hear ya. YouTube has a lot of really good form videos, though. For most of us "close enough" is fine.

> I'm purchasing some weights as soon as I get paid again so that I can do some curls and such, probably just a few 5-10 lb to start and I'll buy heavier when I'm ready. I know a few exercises with smaller weights, not much else.

That is really a pretty useless workout plan. You'd be better off saving that money and rolling it into a gym membership, instead. You won't get any kind of decent results with weight like that, and instead of wasting your time on that and doing infinite pointless curls, just take a few old gallons of milk and fill them with sand or dirt or something, and voila, you functionally have those small weights that you can use for shoulder presses and whatnot.

> I've looked at bodyweight stuff, but a lot of it seems really difficult considering my weight and weak arms.

Just work up to it. Pushups are free, all you need are a couple chairs to do dips, and for like $25, you can get a great pullup bar off Amazon.


> Gotta start somewhere, but where. I wish I had regular access to more equipment!

Do you live nowhere near a cheap gym or YMCA or something? If you are a university student, or merely a broke-ass mofo, their rates can be surprisingly reasonable.

Nah, avoid that. Pulley-type systems are not the way to go. And for that cost you can pretty easily find a used powerrack plus weights or even potentially buy new.

A basic powerrack with bench will suit you much better. Something like this.

You really only need a powerrack + adjustable bench + Olympic weight set. There are bound to be a bunch of benches / weight sets on craigslist. I might buy the power rack new but if you see a good used one I'd look into it.

An enterprising individual could aquire all those things for $400 or less. All depends on what you're willing to buy used vs. new. I definitely wouldn't waste $600 on that one in your link - if anything it's limiting the amount of stuff you can do. A plain power rack is extremely versatile and a vital component of a strength training program.

Haha bro you're good. They probably scoff at your eating healthy efforts because you're in fine shape. I've put on a little chub to deal with the cold (I'm a tshirt+shorts all year round kinda guy) and when I mention working it off again people laugh at me and say I need to get bigger. Obviously they mean muscle rather than fat, but that's beside the point.

In terms of your face, I'm a straight dude so I can really give no actual help but you look fine to me. Girls seem to dig the John Snow look.

When you're talking to girls about yourself don't use words like "transitional period." Ask them questions about stuff, and if they ask you questions keep it to the point and as cheerful as possible.

In fact that's the one bit of "brutal honesty" I can give. Put a smile on that face.

I don't know how old you are, but you look about my age. I'll chuck a picture of me up when I can wrangle one to show you what I mean.

Sorry for the poor quality, I have an Ace 2 :(

I dive in 14 degree Celsius water, so I need the insulation. Under a shirt it's barely noticeable. In summer I get into shape more but for the mean while I like it where it is. Get one of these and you're sorted. This will do far more good than eating habits. (They help too though)

Me with similar expression and pose as the one in your photo. Phone isn't in the right place but who cares.

Look how much a smile and body language does!

So, in summary.

1. Don't talk about healthy eathing and transitioning and whatnot. Ask her some questions, answer her questions to you. I know it's easy for us INFPs to off on tangents, so try and stick to the point.
   
   
2. If you're really worried about your body shape, bulk up rather than slim down. EDIT - just realised I'm an idiot and this is what you meant in the first place. The following advice works regardless. 30 bucks 28 bucks for that bar. Pick a doorway, and do whatever - pull ups, chin ups - to exhaustion (until you can't do any more) every time you go through it.
   
   
3. Smile + shoulders back + good posture. You'll They'll see the difference.

I think I'm understanding the question and I'm in the same boat. I workout in my unfinished basement and have no access to doors there. So what I did was get 2 of these hooks (you can get nicer colors than red if you want).

I got a pull-up bar that looks like this but was under $20 at Walmart. I put the hooks so they hook under the horizontal bar that you don't use to pull-up on (the part that's supposed to go behind your doorframe), on the inside as far apart as they go. Then you can easily take the bar down when you're not using it. It works great but I'm not sure if it will be cosmetically pleasing to you, having 2 hooks there when you're not using it, it's not an issue in my basement for me.

I hope that helps, if it sounds even remotely like what you're looking for I can take a picture when I get home if my explanation fell short.

Hey! I know this is old now, but:

As others have said, it depends on your goals. But it also depends on your mindset and habits.

Minus a two year period in college where I went to the university gym I've always had a home gym and I love it. I don't have to worry about "getting motivated" to jump in the car and go to the gym. It's right there! And what if it's the middle of the day and I feel like doing power cleans for no reason? Hey, my barbell and bumper plates are in the next room.

But that's what works for my mentality. Other people think, "Well, the weights are right there, I can go any time, I might as well lift tomorrow". Then there are also people who can't stand working out alone for whatever reason. If you're one of these people a home gym is probably a terrible idea for you, and a gym membership would be better.

Oh, and I recommend scrounging up some cash or getting a part time job and buying a power rack (like this one, try to get it on sale. It's a decent but very basic rack. I don't know if it's available outside the U.S.). A power rack is more versatile, you'll outgrow just a bench press very quickly (I sure did when I was a teen and got one) and a power rack is much safer (especially if you bench at home without a training partner).

Have you checked out /r/homegym?

It's SO helpful to have a community here that I can talk to about running or general fitness stuff. I go on and on so much to my family and friends that I need to actually consciously rein it in so I don't seem like a nut or self-absorbed. I'm very grateful. And I'm looking forward to hearing tomorrow how you kicked pull-up ass!

I started doing leg lifts! Abdomen hurts, B- experience. For pull-up bars (I saw you mentioned on the BW thread), as long as you have a door jamb, you can get something like this, which is what I have. Super convenient, sturdy, easily tossed in a closet when you're done using it.

Good luck with those cookies. I believe in you. If you need help, you can just send 'em to me and I'll take care of them for you.

Yeah, it helps to have a routine. I found it easier after forcing myself for 2-3 days, the 4th/5th day got easier to do. I also have a hard time keeping myself motivated day after day.

I got these last summer: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VCDXNS/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1.

It was like $7 cheaper than. But I find I can have each dumbbell with a different weight, allowing me to work on different muscles without needing to swap weights, making it easier to stay motivated as less work is needed. The point of this for me was to just get my body to wake up in the morning and to kick up my metabolism early in the day, before eating anything.

Also, doing this in the background helps too. Like I wake up and often watch last nights daily show or some late night thing. So instead of just sitting there and watching the 20-30 minutes, I will stand and do the weights while watching it.

As for the eggs and sausage, The night before, cut up a regular sausage (the ones that are just a bit bigger than a hot dog). Cut it in half length wise, and then into cubes. And put them in a small tuperware into the fridge. In the morning take it out and throw it on a pan that has heated up a bit. Toss the sausage around until it starts to cook and sizzle. While it cooks mix 2 eggs, a pinch of salt/pepper, and a tablespoonish of milk. Add a tad of oil (if needed, depends on your sausage) and pour the eggs over the sausage. Cover for ~ 2 min.

On a plate put some mixed greens, I like a 50/50 spinach/Lettuce blend, with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzled over. When the omlet can slide around the pan: flip it, sprinke some shreded cheese, and slide off the pan onto the plate, letting one half flop over the other. Sprinkle with more salt/pepper as desired.

Takes about 5 minutes to do, and is really tasty. cleanup is a plate, bowl, Tupperware, pan, spatula 2 forks and a knife.

Okay, thanks for the tip! It would at least be something for me to do at my desk, and make me feel like I am doing something that will help me improve haha. Do you think that something like this or this would be more beneficial since it seems to be targeting the fingers more, or are they all exercising the same muscle? I'm not really a workout person, so my terms are probably all off haha.

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.

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...

Definitely look into body weight exercises. There are a ton you can do at home without any equipment.

Some examples: pushups, planks (for core), dips (on a chair), inverted rows (on a table), body weight squats, lunges, etc.

One piece of equipment you may want to purchase is the Iron Gym pull up bar. It installs easily into most doorframes and won't damage anything. Pull ups are a great exercise for arms/back. Bear in mind that unassisted pull ups are quite hard if you don't have much upper body strength, but you can start out with hangs/negatives and work from there. You can also use the pull up bar for pushups, crunches, and dips too. I know I sound like one of those infomercials but this pull up bar is actually pretty useful. Hope this helps!

At that weight basically anything you get will be ok, that said, safeties are still nice to have, so consider the value of a full rack or a half rack instead of just a squat stand. As always, Craigslist or your local alternative can be a lot better deals (and your realism about weights may mean that some of the less popular cheaper stuff will be great for you while everyone else is chasing expensive Rogue gear).

If you do want to go new, Slickdeals just pointed me towards this $250 prime shipping rack on Amazon that looks like one of the cheapest options at the moment: https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Reality-810XLT-800lbs-Capacity/dp/B01N4I8FOY/ CamelCamelCamel is amazingly reporting it sold for < $150 a few times this year (though I dunno if that included shipping)

http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Total-Upper-Body-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_1?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1312761810&sr=1-1

Someone posted pictures of it damaging parts of the doorframe. I've had no issues with mine, and I see almost nothing but positive reviews so idk. Maybe extra padding like a washcloth to be safe? Either way that looks to be one of the best and most portable on Amazon. Good luck!

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.

Not sure what you plan on doing and how much weight you'll be using, but I'm finishing up assembling my frugal low-space garage gym. I got a few new items because they were not too expensive and hard to find on Craigslist (squat stands and bumper plates namely).

• Beater barbell off Craigslist ($45)
  
• Squat Stands new off Amazon ($70) - if you're doing a lot more weight and/or space isn't an issue, I'd recommend something like this or this
  
• Bench off Craigslist ($50)
  
• 180lbs Diamond Pro Bumper Plates from Walmart 160lb set + 2x10 set ($227) - with free shipping, it's easy to add on in the future
  
• 4x5lb + 2x2.5lb steel plates off Craigslist ($20)
  
  Total Cost: $412 (or 3.2 months of my CrossFit membership)
  
  It's not the most awesome home gym, but fits in the corner of my garage, and is heavy enough for me to do my Starting Strength routine and progress a bit before I need to add on.

/r/bodyweightfitness

Ultimate Body Dip Press Stand - $103

• Dips
  
• Inverted Rows
  
• Bunch of other stuff like handstand work.
  
  30 lb Kettle Bell - $30
  
• Can do basically any one handed dumbbell exercise.
  
• Can add weights to squats, sit ups, dips(with a strap or something), pull ups, chin ups, whatever really, just be creative.
  
• Kettle bell-specific exercises(There are a lot more).
  
  Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar - $30
  
• Chin ups.
  
• Pull ups.
  
• Random other stuff(pushing, situps, dips, crunches, etc...)
  
  This is a decent starter kit for about $163 bucks with free shipping. Allows you to do a lot of different exercises and a lot of different routines. You'll be able to get all around fit and healthy for sure with some dedication, good routines, and a good diet.
  
  In terms of muscle mass gains, it won't exactly get you massive. No 40 inch biceps or anything crazy. However, you can add quite a bit of muscle mass and strength with this kit and a body weight routine.
  
  Body weight training and kettle bell training are very effective and a lot of people have had success with them. It's geared towards more functional fitness rather than purely aesthetics though. Not really what everyone would want, but it's cheap, effective, and portable.

I have the SuperBench. It is great. It is a little pricey, but I love the space-saving attachments that you can buy for it. I have the situp, dip and GHD extension.

I have the PowerLine PPR200X Power Rack, which may be better suited to your needs. I know you said that space is a concern, but you get a lot out of this piece of equipment. It comes with a pullup bar and the safety bars adjust easily for squats and bench-related activities. The weight limit is a bit low, but that won't be a problem for a while (in my case, at least). I built a rack plate holder last weekend and now my weights hang conveniently from the back of the rack.

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.

Nice progress man!

Make sure not to do ONLY targeted exercises like bicep curls. It looks like your deltoids haven't made as much progress as your biceps. Chin-ups would be great for working out both muscles as well as your lats and others in your back and core. I got one of those chin-up bars that you stick in the door without installing and love it! It literally just takes a second to put up or take down. http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408406055&sr=8-1&keywords=chin+up+bar

And don't forget your chest! If nothing else, throw some push-ups into your routine.

I actually have a lot of experience with this sort of issue from a previous relationship. The TL;DR is i spent a TON of time researching the female orgasm, and G Spot stimulation.

*Disclaimer: I gained a ton of new information and new techniques, but guess what - still no orgasm. Kinda screwed me up cause I kept trying to place blame (on me, then her, then me again...etc) but really i should have continued to keep an open mind and communicate more with her. I was immature. I mention this because you shouldn't make it a "goal" that you or her get pissed off that you don't reach. Every girl is unique in the way that she prefers to be pleased. You have to learn to read body language and react properly to her subtle hints. It's more like obtaining a degree, takes a long time and a lot of hard work, but in the end it pays off.

You should absolutely research g spot stimulation. Every girl i've been with afterward has been completely amazed, and some squirted for the first time from just my fingers. If you really wanna make a girl cum, the majority of women are going to be brought to orgasm with your fingers, not your cock. This does take time and excersize, I would literately work out with my fingers. There's a ton of information and how-to videos on the web about this, i suggest you watch and readas many as you can and combine all the information. And remember that your girl is unique, and you have to adapt techniques to her and her body.

Also, you're idea about adding another guy is a separate thing. If you both want to live out that fantasy, that's awesome, but it shouldn't be used as a "i can't do it, let him do it!" What happens when he doesn't make her cum either? Research, exercise, and communication dude. Good luck, and have FUN!

This is probably overkill, but since I started the Starting Strength lifting program, I decided to go ahead and buy a squat rack, barbell, etc. so I wouldn't have to drag myself to the gym. This is the rack I went with, and it's absolutely fantastic. It's $350 on Amazon right now, which I think is a great price: http://www.amazon.com/Powerline-PPR200X-PowerLine-Power-Rack/dp/B000VLRVSC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1405384139&sr=8-2&keywords=powerline+squat+rack

Long story short.

I got a treadmill.


A bench


pair of dumbells

all brand new.

I was gonna sell all of this. But I just got out of school from the summer, and now with work all day I feel like I could get into fitness. I'm 200lbs 6' so not terribly overweight, but I don't really know what I'm doing. I don't know any workouts besides picking up a dumbell, but I don't want to be that guy that does 1 workout, has massive biceps, and is tiny everywhere else all around.

I guess what I'm asking is... what kind of workouts should I do so that I'm all-around fit. I'd like some muscle, but nothing crazy.

Also, if anyone can recommend what kind of weights/bar to get for my bench let me know as well. Thanks

There are some things you can do like practicing with a pick on some sort of edged surface that sort of approximates the feeling of strumming/picking strings just to practice your grip.

Using grip strengthening tools while your hands are free can be helpful as well. And I mean the normal grip exercise tools like this and NOT those janky little 'Gripmaster' things with the individual finger springs you'll sometimes see marketed to guitarists or hanging out at the GuitarCenter checkout counter. IMO they do a terrible job of emulating the feeling of pressing down on strings and are awkward and sometimes even painful with the strange angle you'll be holding it to attempt and build fretting finger strength.

Spend time doing paper music practice - transpose music/tabs, draw out the fretboard and fill in the correct notes, anything that might serve you as a learning tool AWAY from the guitar.

There are small travel size guitars or 'silent' guitars on the market you may be able to fit in your backpack as well as partial-guitars meant for practice but, honestly, I'd just bring your damn guitar with you. Nothing is going to beat having your hands on the actual instrument and all the tools/training aids I've seen just aren't quite the same enough that I'd want to spend money or time on them.

Aside from that just relax. Having time away from your instrument is good for rest and focus as well.

Body-Solid Powerline Power Rack (PPR200X) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000VLRVSC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_VrFvDbXQW3M4D


Titan 6' Technique Olympic Bar https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0791NWM3N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_gsFvDbDJH4MXE


Titan X-2 Power Rack Dip Bars https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078WGS73S?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


CAP Barbell Olympic 2-Inch Plate Rack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013SZC8S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rUDvDb4QKP220


PROCIRCLE Wood Gymnastic Rings -... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0129IIMZA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


Harbinger Polypropylene Weight... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001P0S3XU?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


PowerBlock Elite Dumbbell 70lb Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UG4GFA4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OsFvDb4T80D8Z


About 500lbs of random plates I got cheap. Most of it was bought used but in good condition. Took me a while because I was really patient so I’d find what I wanted.


I’m pretty happy with all of it. I was most concerned with saving space and getting stuff that had high enough weight capacities. I’m not lifting really heavy weights, so it’s all good for me but might not work for everyone.


I’m considering getting a stand or some matts, or maybe a few kettlebells.

Make sure you have a good mouse/mousepad(would recommend EC2 Evo [or DA4G if you're 1.83+ meters tall] and Allsop XL Raindrop mousepad) and a high framerate config like this: http://pastebin.com/UV6usP3C
Using eagle pistol and nova colt(you can try going for max accuracy with nova colt and shooting each shot with long pauses inbetween like you would with a sniper rifle) will warm your fingers up better than using chain since the hitboxes for chain are bigger. Something I found that helped me both in getting my fingers ready and in relieving some stress(in general not just for games) is using handgrips: http://www.amazon.com/Gripmaster-Exerciser-Tension-9-Pounds-Finger/dp/B0006GCBL4/

I would strongly recommend something like this: http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-40-pound-Adjustable-Dumbbell/dp/B000VCDXNS#

You can then also use the plates with something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Sunny-Threaded-Chrome-Barbell-60-Inch/dp/B004EFYPBC/ (For legs, even /r/bodyweightfitness will tell you bars are useful for legs. With a bar at least you can deadlift, at least easier than with DBs -- if you try DL with DBs, don't smash your junk!)

Note that those are all "standard" (ie 1in) bars, vs "Olympic" (2in) bars. Standard are cheaper, but barbells for standard tend to only go up to ~250lbs (decent but not super heavy for legs stuff. You'll have to do volume if you max out at 250+). On the plus side, standard 1in dumbbells have "spin locks" which I find super useful for home gym things.

Going from 30lb-40lbs with those is just the cost of 10lbs worth of plates (which can often be found for $1-1.50 per pound), much less than the cost of a new set of 40lb DBs. Plus, bar if you want one.

Also, 1in plates and handles/bars are almost always, everywhere, for sale on craigslist, often for very cheap.

I have a similar set as the one on Amazon and bought plates as I needed them. I can currently load up 90# on each handle. (Can't do much with it - I use that weight for deadlift progression..)

That's a reasonable start to a home gym -- inexpensive, compact, versatile.

There's a good chance that you need to keep your thumb lower on the back of the neck, it gives you much more mobility. If your pinky isn't strong enough, either use it a lot or get one of these to work out your pinky. I definitely think it's your grip, though. Slide your thumb , it should help.

And to get a clearer tone, make sure your fingers are as close to the right side of the fret as possible, it eliminates buzz and gives your tone more clarity. Obviously, make sure you push the string all the way down and don't mute any other strings.

Good luck!

If you're not looking to purchase second hand, I would recommend this rack:

http://www.xtcfitness.ca/strength-equipment/power-racks-smith-machines/x-series-econ-power-rack-xsep-power-cage-weight-rack-squat-rack-crossfit-rack-xtc-gear.html

It's probably the cheapest rack with acceptable gauge steel among the crap being sold in Canada right now and the configuration of it being a Rogue clone is superb. $550+tax.

If you don't plan on doing olympic lifts, I would recommend the CAP OB-86B. Great beginner bar and probably the only one worth getting in the price range. Placed in high regards among many home-gymers. Otherwise, drop $300+ for a higher end bar that will last you a long time. This bar will be good up til 500lbs.

https://www.amazon.ca/Barbell-1000-Pound-Solid-7-Feet/dp/B001K4OPY2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462994733&sr=8-1&keywords=ob-86b

http://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/cap-barbell-olympic-bar-2-inch-1200-pound-capacity-7-ft/6000188615841

http://www.garage-gyms.com/cap-ob-86b-olympic-bar-review-comparison/

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=166852731

I like this one. It can do a little damage to the trim though so I always fold two socks in half and put them down between the bar and both sides of the trim. The main thing I like about this one... see those neutral grip deals? You can hang rings on them really easy... so there you go, dips, rows, pullups, whatever. I've got a friend who ordered his rings from here. He got the black plastic ones, and they work just fine... so there you go. Rings + pullup bar for $57... a little over your budget, but pretty close. Sometimes you can find those iron gym bars locally for cheaper if you hunt around a bit too. I'm 200 and a training friend of mine is 230, and it's held up fine so weight-wise you're good to go.

You've come so, so far already. Congrats on that! Things that I might consider if I were you:

1. Reverse dieting for a bit - that is slowly adding calories back in and seeing how your weight responds. More information here
   
2. Substituting morning yoga or evening yoga with a walk outside instead
   
3. Strength training exercises like step ups, pull ups (bar here, good video on how to regress here and here), push-ups, squats, and lunges. The great thing about resistance training is that you can take it slow and it doesn't lead to the same hunger after an intense cardio session.
   
   Don't try too many things at once, and be patient. So much easier said than done, I know.

To start out you should be able to do everything without equipment except rows. You can try using an edge of a table but personally I found this really strained my hands. Maybe I wasn't doing it right. You could also try a (sturdy!) broom handle between two chairs. I did this with an aluminum broom and bent it in half. Today I use my kids' swingset with my wife's trx straps.

When you advance to pull-ups consider picking up the iron gym pull-up bar. It's inexpensive and easily attaches to and removes from a doorway, so long as your doorway has a piece of molding across the top. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001EJMS6K

Dips will also be tough. You could try the corner between some counter tops but I found this tough. I use two chairs. It was pretty sketchy until I started to build the strength to stabilize myself on them. It's still somewhat sketchy. Here's a video from the other day - nsfw-ish, have my shirt off, though I'm a guy :).

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.

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'm a big fan of things that you can set up, and then as you walk by them in your house like do a rep just because. Much better than free weights which as you said, just gather dust!

Pull up bar (that has other useful uses)

Gripper (Can use at your desk!)

listen to music while you exercise - regardless of what mp3 player you use Music makes workouts fun!

Bulking is all about moving heavy objects. You can find heavy things anywhere, sometimes for free.

This set of dumbbells would be a good start for a small investment.

You can take a cheap yoga ball and fill it with water up to a weight that's heavy for you and use it for a lot of things. Then fill it up a little more every few workouts. Look up slosh ball exercises.

Call around to some local tire shops and see if you can find a large used tire to take home for free and use that for tire flips.

Make your own atlas stones

Resistance bands are cheap and can work well

The trusty iron gym you can find at WalMart

Single bags of sand or concrete are the best bang for your buck for heavy and cheap I'm not sure how durable sand bags are but you can try making some and using those for modified dumbbell exercises

You can also find great deals on used weight sets on craigslist which can sometimes get you a good sized set of plates, a bar and dumbbells. You can get a set of 1" plates and a bar and still do a lot of things with them without needing a bench. Typical used pricing for these is less than $0.25/lb so you're looking at $50 for 200lbs of weight.

You've made some really good progress. Here's what I would do if I were you:

1. Target the abdominal muscles directly (to failure) at least twice a week. Sit-ups and variations are very effective in building and tightening up the ab muscles. This will give that area a more muscular appearance while drawing in your waist size. Plus, you'll put on more muscle mass which will burn more calories, which will burn more fat. :)
   
   
2. Cut down on your calories a bit (maybe 200-300 per day). This would make your rest days very difficult. In my opinion I'm not a big believer in huge daily calorie fluctuations. I think it makes things more difficult than needed and hard on the body. So I keep my daily caloric intake the same every day and still see results. You could also keep your calories the same, and just fast for 24 hours one day of the week. It won't hurt your gains and is an easy no-fuss way to shed a pound or two a month.
   
   
3. For traveling, pushups, chinups, pullups, situps/crunches are very effective. You'll need a portable chinup bar for travelling. Here's the one I use and it works fine. You can even add weight by wearing a backpack with heavy books or buy one of those weighted vest things.
   
   Hope this helps.

Shoulders are what you need. You'll see results in two weeks, man. Get a copy of P90X through whatever means you have at your disposal ::cough::torrentifyou'vegotnomoney::cough::. Purchase these and this. Do not let that pull up bar intimidate you, man. You will be able to do pullups if you go the 90 days. Shoulders and Arms is the best routine. Stick with it for two weeks and that t-shirt will look a LOT better on you - of course it's way too big in the first place, but you don't want to go spending money on fitting clothes that you're going to shrink out of (if you stick with the P90X). You're also going to want something like this and maybe a few free weights if you're planning on getting serious with it, but really all you need right now is the bands to bulk those shoulders up. Get the resistance bands and do either the shoulder/bicep/tricep workout or get all of it and do the full workout. That will make you look better than any clothing you could purchase and make you feel better about yourself. Also post fashion pics of gf.

EDIT: Uhh...I just looked at your GW posts. You OWE it to your gf to buy those resistance bands. Forget the clothes, do the P90X routine!

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.

So, adding in some load-bearing exercise is a great idea! Nice job on the weight loss so far! If you are too shy to post your question in /r/bodyweightfitness, I recommend simply reading the FAQ they have. It's really helpful and I think you'll find the information you are looking for. Do you happen to have a pull-up bar? If not, you can buy one that goes in your door for about $30, I believe. Pull-ups are great exercises! I am a fan of the 50 Pull-Ups program. You can also just throw in some push-ups, too!

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!

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.

Here is a good, cheap pull up bar. Put it in a doorway and do a few everytime you walk through it. Do some every day, along with some push ups. If you can't do any pull ups, which isn't uncommon if you're pretty out of shape, then jump up to the top, and control yourself down slowly. (This is also called doing "negative" pull ups.) Once in a while, see how many you can possibly do. (this is the fun part!)

Enjoy your new strength.

You can get a fitness reality power rack for around 230 at times.

You can get a bar and 255 lbs of weight 300 total for $180 at dicks sporting goods (200 right now but they have coupons all the time.

Boom, home gym for about 440 after tax, all new! you can find better prices used on things like facebook marketplace and craigslist.

Source: I have this rack and weights, a cheap fitness gear bench, and some super cheap adjustable yes4all dumbells in my homegym

Another treadmill is an option, or a stationary bike (I have this one and I like it, it's nothing fancy though), an elliptical, or a set of dumbbells that you can use for both strength and for added weight when doing an aerobic workout.

Of course there are others, but those are my suggestions. Look on Craigslist or something similar and see if you can get something for free or cheap, then you might be able to get more than one! Unless you're well off, then go straight for more than one from Amazon. ;)

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.

Check out /r/homegym for some good info on that - the gist of it is you'd need some type of safety equipment to do it alone, like a power rack or squat rack. Here's the one I use at home, there's a variety of options with a pretty wide range of prices out there. Craigslist can, in some areas, be a great way to pick up a used rack for a better price than new.

Here's the Amazon link. It has far less reviews than the one from Iron Gym, but I have both and the Perfect Pullup is much better construction, imo, plus you can close the door with it installed.

One of the things I didn't like with the Iron Gym was that you had to take it down if you wanted to close the door. It only takes a few minutes, but sometimes that can make a difference, especially if you just want to knock out a couple aka greasing the groove.

You also have the option of doing Australian pullups and standing rows which is great when you've maxed out on pullups for the time being, or if you have an SO or someone else who cant do pull ups.

I got mine from Dick's Sporting Goods and I think it was 20 bucks

well craigslist would be the best option if you get lucky but a lot of areas aren't great.


for new stuff. power rack: http://www.amazon.com/TDS-Super-Power-Squat-Cage/dp/B00QZ2G7FY/ref=sr_1_6?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1425744976&sr=1-6&keywords=power+rack

barbell: http://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-1000-Pound-Capacity/dp/B001K4OPY2/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1425746173&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=cap+ob+86+pbck

bench: http://www.amazon.com/adidas-ADI-416-Flat-Bench/dp/B006JJM38S/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1425746223&sr=1-1&keywords=bench+adidas

olympic plates: used on craigslist for under 70 cents a lb. alternatively you can get a "300 lb olympic weight set" from dicks that has 255lb of plates and a bar for $200 and just not use the crappy bar that comes with it, or use it and get a better bar later.

here's a better bench than the adidas I would recommend if you can afford it: http://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-flat-utility-bench

I would say some Fat Gripz, they are $40 on Amazon and if you have Prime you get free shipping. They are a good start for most people, pretty much you put them on dumbbells and the added thickness to hand handles make them much harder to hold when your working out, they are also small and light and easy to take with you if you go to a gym.

• 35 pounder: the weight stays the same, but the moves get harder, and the volume gets larger /r/kettlebell
  
  
• Instead of a tower, do you have a door jamb that can support this, and you can do dips between two chairs?
  
  
• And as for protein powder and thermogenesis, I've have great success with /r/4hourbodyslowcarb/

I like the Iron Gym Pull Up Bar on Amazon, works great for me and seems pretty durable so far. Just make sure it will fit your doorway and wont damage the door frame!

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

I was looking at this one and this one myself. I haven't looked too closely yet, just saw good reviews so tagged them for a closer look at a later date.


Good luck with Prime Two-Day shipping on an inexpensive power rack. The cheapest Prime eligible power rack (like above, full cage, not half racks) that I saw was just over $650 from Amazon with free Prime. It was available for almost $200 less w/ free shipping from other vendors.

If you get those, you limit yourself to a certain weight and you also don't, since you can adjust them, but it takes time.

If you're serious about it, you may want to consider investing in something like these:

https://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-SelectTech-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Pair/dp/B001ARYU58

Because you can change them super quickly in between workouts. It'd probably be really helpful during incinerator, where you're moving from curls to triceps back to back.

Or just do a mix of bands and dumbells. Nothing wrong with that.

Hey there! Im also 6ft, im more a lean build and look pretty bad unless im at around 167lbs. Id try dropping to around 170, then try to gain 5-10 lbs of muscle especially on the shoulder and back to get a good V-shape.

See if your gym or doctor have a nice weighing scale that can look up your body fat %, if its still high then try different diets (Carb cycling, Keto) and different cardio workouts (HIIT, 3min shadow boxing, sports). Empty stomach cardio in the morning and Keto One meal a day has been rumored to help lose stubborn fat deposits.

​

If you want to do lifts at home, make sure to buy safety equipment as you can seriously die. Set up one of these in your garage: https://www.amazon.com/Fitness-Reality-810XLT-800lbs-Capacity/dp/B01N4I8FOY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=power+rack&qid=1558831817&s=gateway&sr=8-3 . and start with 5x5 Stronglifts Workout routine: https://stronglifts.com/5x5/

​

If money is an issue then look up the best bodyweight exercises you can do and start doing 100 pushups while your legs are above you on a chair or get your cat to sit on you. Doorway pullup bars are also cheap. Do some squats. You can improvise weights using jugs of water, rope, and a good solid pipe [Check youtube]. Also try to find equipment on craigslist - im sure there is discount stuff if you look. Bid low or ask if you can trade for the rest like your old video games or something.

If budget is really a concern, then no equipment workouts, like Convict Conditioning, are the best choice.

If you want equipment, just get a gym membership, it will pay for itself pretty quickly. I bought a $40 dumbbell set thinking that I'd just add on weights as I needed them. You will almost certainly need to buy weights faster than you come out ahead financially. The next step up is 4 10lb plates, which is ~$40, and that brings your weight total to 80lbs. The next is 4 20lb plates, which is ~$80, and brings your weight total to 160lbs. If you're doing squats or deadlifts, you'll outstrip this within a few months if you follow a linear-gains program like StrongLifts or Starting Strength. Consider that StrongLifts has you start squats with just the bar (45lbs) and increases weight by 5lbs each session (3 sessions/week). You're at 160lbs in less than 8 weeks, making your investment of ~$160 at least twice as expensive as most gym memberships for the given time.

If you want to do barbell training, you should also invest in a bench and rack, which can be costly in terms of both space and money. This is a good idea long-term if you can afford it.

That's a more flexible setup than the one you linked above, though I can't comment directly on the quality of the equipment. If you go for that setup I would definitely try to talk the guy down a bit.

Ideally I would recommend more of a squat cage if you can find one. The safety bars are highly recommended, especially as you progress.

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.

I felt the same way like last week. I would suggest thinking about your future or things that make you feel good. For some ideas, how about:

A) New clothes. Shirts, Pants, Shoes, Jacket? :)

B) Bathroom. a Body Brush, Shower Gel, Lotion, Shavers, Bath Salts/Gel.

C) Personal entertainment items. Video Games, Books, Movies, Microphone for your PC, MP3 Player. Could be anything that you've been thinking about.

D) Self-improvement. Barbells, Medicine Ball, Aerobic Stepper, Protein Powder, Running Shoes, Water Bottle.

Hope this gives you an idea :)

I have a small gym at my house that i use for working out in the holidays when im bk home so ill share with you my personal experience and lay down some advise.

1 - Make sure u either buy good quality metal weights or go for rubber protected ones. Reason beeing if u invest in sht quality metal weights they will start degrading super fast and will stain ur shirts and floor.

2 - You will want to always do that last bench press repetition, so get a self spoting bench since u dont wana rely all the time on Erisan or someone else to help u. I prefer the type of power rack that has the bar fixed to the cage, the ones that only let you move the bar in a vertical axis wich makes ur movement for either squats, sholders, arms and chest super clean. The same cage contains 2 security pistons that you can set for self spoting. Not neceraly this model or price but jsut to give you an ideia of wat im talking http://www.amazon.com/Marcy-Diamond-System-Linear-Bearings/dp/B001D78PCE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1453428177&sr=8-3&keywords=gym+cage

3 - You can try these weights wich will save you some space and time, i have worked with them before and personly they fell a bit wierd in the begining but once you get used to them your set.http://www.amazon.com/Bowflex-SelectTech-Adjustable-Dumbbells-Pair/dp/B001ARYU58/ref=pd_sim_200_2?ie=UTF8&dpID=51nnMxox1bL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=0H7KD5QGQ6XDAG37ANR2

Well it depends how creative you want to be.

When I lived with my parents (still do) they have these rafters outside which are perfect for doing pull-ups and pushups on. I have adjustable straps to change the height (which should come with most).


When I used to lifeguard I would just hang them on a nearby tree during our mandatory PT break.

When I was in college I would just no shame hang them at the gym in between the pully tower with rows / tricep extensions at the end.

Right now My garage door has an extra half foot on the outside of it and I hang it on my Pull-Up bar on the metal bar that crossed the U kinda further away from the door sill so you don’t bump into the doorsill. And right now it’s perfect for me, my knees miss the floor by a few inches and I can do L sit pull ups fine. As in with enough slack to let the rings rotate without pressure from the rope.


If you’re looking to do pushups with it you should easily be able to hang it on your pullup bar. I’d suggest the chin up section of it so you don’t bump into the door and so the straps don’t move sideways, with your feet elevated on like a chair and the straps at the same height or below for that upper chest activation.

You should have enough room for dips with bent knees with that setup which is a nice step up from push ups.

This is what I bought a while ago , but when I got it came with a nice adjustable bench for an extra $50 that was normally like $100 by itself - Fitness Reality 810XLT Super Max Power Cage with 800lbs Weight Capacity https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N4I8FOY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_FPmBCbSH4W0T0

I have both, the one op wants and this top voted one

both are good, but the one that you want, op, I like much better, as it has the perfect width for me.

I got this Harbringer on amazon a while ago and it's been great. I usually try to get the best quality everything but like you said I didn't wanna break the bank on a dip belt. Definitely recommend it!

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#

Rings: well gymnastics rings typically comes with straps to easily hang and adjust them. The only real choice is whether you want them in wood or plastic (I prefer wood. It just feels better in my hands). Gymnastics rings are so simple in design and concepts, that I'd hazard the assumption that quality is mostly the same. Just find a cheap pair on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/ProSource-Fitness-Gymnastics-CrossFit-Conditioning/dp/B0031QCS8C

Pull up bar:
I would personally prefer one, that is fixed in the ceiling, but many use the one, which is supposed to be put up on a door frame satisfyingly.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LXWELRE/ref=s9_newrz_hm_awbw_bEIhL_g200_i2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-4&pf_rd_r=4F999Y9QX8169P4FGAM5&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=deb4d961-ede0-5d83-8320-893f31bfe405&pf_rd_i=3408471

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001EJMS6K/ref=s9_zwish_hm_awbw_bEIhL_g200_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=mobile-hybrid-6&pf_rd_r=4F999Y9QX8169P4FGAM5&pf_rd_t=30901&pf_rd_p=deb4d961-ede0-5d83-8320-893f31bfe405&pf_rd_i=3408471

Look around for the best deals. The ones I've listed are just cursory searches.with rings and pull up bares you can do all sorts of rows, push ups, dips, pull ups and lots of other stuff.

I'm only on the first month, but I've found that (at least at this point) I can successfully modify "The Booty-ful Beginnings". I'm pretty weak though, so I won't need to worry about reaching the limit of my dumbbells for a bit. There is a section of Strong Curves for at home, so that might be what you're looking for.

I use an exercise ball, yoga mat, [these dumbells] (http://www.amazon.ca/Cap-Barbell-RSWB-40TPB-Dumbbell-Pounds/dp/B000VCDXNS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426466158&sr=8-1&keywords=dumbbells) - I found them for under $50 not so long ago though - and my couch. I think I'll grab a chin-up bar soon though. Working well so far, and will until I need more than 40lbs... After that I might just have to go to the gym, but depending on your goals it might not matter as much.

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 would say the best pull up bar to use would be the one that extends and wedges itself between each side of the door frame like this. The one you're talking about would probably be fine because it spreads your weight across the architrave.

PS I'm glad to hear I've enlightened someone!

Everyone always asks what is the best workout that can help with doing pull ups. And honestly, doing pull ups is the best way to work out to get better at pull ups. I would say just go buy a cheap pull up bar and throw it somewhere in your house. Like the entrance to your room. Do a couple pull ups every day. Hell, if you really want to be a pull up master, follow the Armstrong Pull Up Program.

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?

"Fat Gripz"

• Exercise or Problem requiring equipment: Fat Gripz can be used to make any grip related exercise more demanding, they can also make bar pushing movements easier on the hand.
  
  
• Pros: These unlock a wide variety different ways to train grip strength by turning almost any bar into a Fat Bar used in Strongman, they are also advertised as helping Bicep development but I'm no expert on the science. They also provide a large surface area for bar pressing movements which can make it a lot easier on heavier people or those with larger hands (more on this in Purposes/Uses).
  
  
• Cons: Cost, these are probably an unnecessary expense for most people.
  
  
• Qualities to look for when purchasing: These are brand name so this isn't applicable.
  
  
• Alternatives: The only alternatives I'm aware of are Thick Strongman Style Bars, which are pretty damn expensive. EDIT: Grip Rippers & Grenadier Grips. Fat Gripz EXTREME.
  
  
• Purposes/Uses: The main exercise I use these for are Fat Grip Deadlifts and Parallel Bar Triceps Dips. I'll focus on the Dips for obvious reasons. As a 108kg person with proportionally large hands I often find the bar on the dipping stations in most gyms put a lot of pressure on my palms, sometimes to the detriment of my dips. Now I know the obvious solution here is to Git Gud, but I've found that by using Fat Gripz for dipping I have managed to completely alleviated this discomfort and moved fairly swiftly from 5x5 +20kg to 5x5 +45kg. It only ensures that no matter where I'm dipping, I have the option to have the bar feel exactly as I'm used to. EDIT: These are also brilliant for Reverse Curls to develop the forearm!
  
  
• Places to acquire equipment/materials: Amazon
  
  
• Cost: £30
  
  Does anyone have any other experiences with these?
  
  

There's a price floor that you can't really go below. It just costs a certain number of dollars for the raw materials and shipping, even if labor and complexity are minimized.

Here are the best deals I know of:

Bench:

• Adidas flat bench - $100
  
• Pure Fitness flat bench - $85
  
• Rogue flat bench - ~$205 shipped
  
  Power rack: PPR200X - $300
  
  Barbell: Troy/USA Sports GOB-86 - about $100 shipped (search around for best deal)
  
  Iron plates: Craigslist or local fitness stores (shipping makes online stores not very competitive, although occasionally you can find a deal). Don't pay more than $1/lb. Brand doesn't really matter. They're just heavy round things.
  
  Bumper plates: Troy VTX or Hi-Temp at fringesport.com, or Pendlay Econ V2 at pendlay.com

Well, you need to make a decision. How scalable do you want this to be? This is fine for a beginner, but you'll eventually have to ditch it.

Gold's Gym is a kind of lower end brand. It's sold at walmart. In addition, I wouldn't really recommend this kind of equipment. If you're working out alone, the safest, best bet is a power rack (that particular one is a great beginner's rack).

His price on the weights + bar is good though. But same story here - you'll eventually have to buy another bar once you go above 300lbs.

Got you. But yeah the best way to do pullups is by pulling up. These are awesome and you can do complete workouts that are only body weight. If your shoulders are hurting definitely stretch it and tissue smash it with a lacrosse ball. The joe rogan podcast with kelly starrett talks about the lacrosse ball smashing and i've tried it on myself as well. It works extremely well

\u\polynesianenglishman, he's referring to one like this. I have one of these as well, and it's amazing. Just keep at it and you'll be doing big sets eventually. I was able to go from maybe 2 in a row at the beginning of a semester to doing 3 sets of 20 by the end of the semester, by making sure I hit it every other day. It's all just consistency, perseverance, and understanding that almost imperceivably small day to day gains add up to big progress over a couple of months.

$250-350 is general price range I found for starting NEW power racks. Used isn't much cheaper from what I saw.

I settled on this one and it's been awesome:
https://www.amazon.com/Powerline-PPR200X-PowerLine-Power-Rack/dp/B000VLRVSC/

Has pullup bar on it as well, then I just got 2 4x6 horse stall mats for to lay down underneath and an addidas flat bench to go with 300lbs olympic weight set I had gotten earlier and boom, home gym!

The bench was like 80 bucks, and I had paid ~$200 some for the weights + bar. From scouring reviews and different sites I felt like these were the 'best bang for the buck' purchases for a full setup.

Not sure what your price range is.... but if you can swing it, get a cage.

I've got the fitness reality power cage as I lift at home alone. Of course it's great for safe squatting, but if you're also gonna lift alone like I do, a cage will allow you to push yourself harder on bench and other push exercises knowing you're not gonna kill yourself if you slip up. Biggest detrimate to progress is injury and we're doing this for our health in the first place right?

>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.

I was in the same boat as you. When I was in high school I was 135 at 6'2". I tried going to the gym but i felt way too self conscious and discouraged because everyone was so damn big. I ended up buying a couple dumbbells and did push ups, curls, chair dips, and air squats every other day while eating a lot. I gained a good amount of strength, then I had a roommate move in and he had a power rack . I did flat bench, overhead press, lunges, squats, incline bench, dips, etc in my garage 4 days a week until I finally built up the strength to not feel so bad at a gym. Finally I got a gym membership and at first I only went late at night to avoid the large crowds. Now I'm 6'2" and 195 and look way more natural for my height. It took me two and a half years altogether

>So I've been told I need a pull exercise (do I rly need a pull exercise), help?

Pull exercises are good for back strength. If you can spend $20 on a doorway pull up bar, that would allow you to do pull-ups and hanging leg or knee raises. Great for your back and abs.

Can you store a power rack? Not recommending that particular model, just found the first one on Amazon. If you need it smaller, you can probably build one.

The benefit of the power rack is that you can safely get out of a squat and you can put your bench inside so that the safety rods keep you from getting caught underneath. If you can't store that, then you could do use a regular squat stand and practice safely dumping the weight off your back, preferably with a platform and bumper plates.

If you don't have protection for your bench press, I'd recommend that you not bench by yourself.

Advice: do some minor resistance/endurance stuff even at home. Pushups, situps, and pullups using a bar like the one I have.

Your head, neck, and shoulders will have angles you never knew existed in a few weeks, not to mention the benefits to your arms, back, and core.

Good luck, and congrats!

T-3 squat rack? Yes. Their adjustable bench is fairly new, but just like every other product they sale, it's a clone of someone else's product, in this case it looks like a clone of an already fairly cheap cap barbell/fitness gear bench. Like I said it's fairly new to market so there's not really a consensus on wether or not it's worth having. Even if you do go with the bench ( how bad can it be? ), I'd avoid the barbell, even though it appears to have snap rings, I can't imagine them making a quality bar. Here's my next purchase : http://www.vulcanstrength.com/The-One-Basic-Bar-Vulcan-Olympic-Barbell-p/v1basbar.htm , 28mm, hard chrome coating and free shipping. Or if you're looking for more of a power bar, this one is fairly popular value choice: https://www.amazon.com/CAP-Barbell-Olympic-1000-Pound-Capacity/dp/B001K4OPY2

I recently purchased my home gym, all in all, it was about $1300.

I bought this half rack - $350

This bench - $100

This bar and set of plates - $250

These Dumbbells - $600

These Rings - $34

This belt - $27

Total if you buy it all today: $1361

I looked to get as much of it as I could while it was on sale, or discounted. I also went to raise.com and got something like 15% off a Dick's Sporting Goods gift card, so I got it for an even better price.

It allows me to do basically everything I need to do, and I've bene loving it! Let me know if you have any questions.

1: pullup bar. You don't need some fancy $50 one.

2: Pushup stands. Again, you don't need to spend $40 on 2 pieces of angled plastic or metal. (don't use the pushup stands to start with. Do the first 3 weeks without them, then step up to them after your chest has built up a bit).

3: Weights. If you have some money, I would suggest the select tech dumbells. They're $300, but you'll save time by being able to easily adjust them for every workout.

Or, get a starter weight set like this. There's probably something like that at walmart too. But, DO NOT GET THE SET THAT HAS WIDE PLASTIC WEIGHTS!!!! You won't be able to use them for anything else because they take up the whole bar. After you get the weight set you can buy individual plates like this.

But, if you really have the money, then I would really suggest the select tech ones. When you have you 1 minute break between sets you'll want to sit down and rest for a second, not sit there and have to take the collars off, put on new weights, then collar them back on every single time.

4: Take a "before" picture while shirtless from the front, and from the side. Take one while flexing as well. In 3 weeks you're going to be tired. You'll want to stop. You won't think you've made any progress. That's when you pull out that picture and compare it to yourself now. You see yourself every day, so you don't notice the gradual changes. You see that progress with your own eyes....and then you get excited. "I did that in 3 or 4 weeks?!? Holy shit! I can't wait to see what the next 30 days brings my way!!!". That's going to be your reward, and it will keep you motivated.

5: Download a calorie counter for your phone. I used the one by Fat Secret. TRACK WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT YOU EAT! It's really not that hard, and you can simply scan in most labels on things you eat, or look them up in its database. THIS IS CRUCIAL! 80% of your results will depend on what you eat. If you eat shit, you'll look like shit, even if you workout every day :-/

But, the MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU NEED is self-will. You will not want to do it. You will be tired, you will be sore, you will want to quit. DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF. You're tired, yes...but I promise you that you'll have more energy AFTER a workout than you did before it. You're sore? Too bad, still do a workout. Working those muscles drives blood to them, which is crucial to getting that soreness out.

I give you this 100% promise....If you eat right and if you exercise for 90 days, I PROMISE YOU that you won't look at yourself in the mirror and say "damn. I wish I'd never exercised". I promise you.

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.

The CAP bar is $166 with free shipping on amazon. As far as I could tell from many other threads, this was the best affordable bar to get. I got this as a second bar to do cleans, dead lifts, etc. Though I am reading the replies here and seeing a different CAP bar (which costs more, but doesnt hold as much weight.. and doesnt show on sale..so not sure it is a better bar).

I dont quite know why center knurling is needed.. and let it be known that I am just getting back in to weights, so if I can clean the bar alone I would be happy at this point!

Well P90X has it down, but if you don't have it (or can't, you know, acquire it), then the one thing my girlfriend (kinesiology/Athletic Training grad student) said that's best for working on overall back strength is a pull up bar. For lower back, try stuff like this (and the video), this, and this (from P90X).

I swore off gym memberships over 5 years ago, figuring that I could spend a lot less money on weights and equipment in my apartment. I bought stuff piece by piece as I needed/wanted/could afford it. Here's what I have now, in total:

• A weight bench similar to this one
  
• A pull-up bar like this one
  
• 2 x 30 lbs kettlebells
  
• 1 x 55 lbs kettlebell
  
• 2 x 25 lbs dumbbells
  
• 2 x 35 lbs dumbbells
  
• 2 x 40 lbs dumbbells
  
• A bike
  
• A bike trainer like this one
  
  Now YMMV, I'm a guy that has never been overweight or out of shape. The one thing I know from trying to help friends that weren't a fortunate as my family is genetically is that I suck at helping overweight folks fix things. It's very hard for me to know what's safe.
  
  That being said, I would recommend starting with a kettlebell. Something that feels substantial without feeling like you can't control it, or at least lift it off the floor with one hand. Start with just putting it between your feet, squatting down and grabbing it with both hands then standing up - rinse repeat for 10 reps. Then move on to doing that with one hand, alternating. Then maybe move up to swings or cleans. A kettlebell is pretty versatile, there are exercises for most parts of your body with just that one weight.
  
  I'm able to put everything away in my closet for when people come over, but think about that before you buy anything like the bench I mentioned. The other thing you want to keep in mind is that having a bunch of weights makes moving that much harder.

I have this one, and if you have the space for it it's pretty great. (It's not as wide as the picture suggests.) All sorts of hand-holds to change things up, the grips are nice, and it's sturdy. It's survived significantly more weight than you have without any deforming.

• Adjustable Bench ($129.45)
  
  
• Squat Rack ($119.07)
  
  
• Barbell + Clamps ($67.89)
  
  
• Treadmill ($379.99)
  
  
• Dumbbell Set ($119.97)
  
  
• Plates Set ($369)
  
  
• Another set for a really good deal ($49.99)
  
  Total cost of all that is 1235.36 dollars. Then you save up for..
  
  
• This bad boy with all the parts ($1280.10)
  
  And you're all done. :-) That is all you need for the gym. You cover everything there. Start from there and keep working forward. You can toss in a yoga mat or two. It shouldn't be too hard to get + his clients would most likely love to workout in a private space where they pay less & get a free training session or two.

this one works perfectly for me:

http://www.amazon.com/Harbinger-28900-Polypropylene-Weight-Belt/dp/B001P0S3XU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343656041&sr=8-1&keywords=dip+belt

People will say leather is better but mine is holding up very well. I put as much as 70 lbs on it for doing dips. Works great

cheapest $.37

something I want under $60 or a gift card would be lovely to save for a computer.

Either way. Great contest!

1.) buy this
http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K

2.) do 12-15 pullups, 40-50 pushups, and 30 squats a day, for a month

Obviously you'll have to work up to those numbers, but once you're there you'll be perfectly okay with going to the gym haha

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.

Definitely worth having. I also like to use fat grips on the bar to help with grip strength. I guess you could use towels as well.

I bought one of these a couple weeks ago to help with the carpel tunnel / RSI I get in my left hand. I bought the red (medium tension) one and while I could use it I couldn't get many reps which is recommended over strength so I bought the blue (low tension) one as well. It's easy for my index and middle but then my ring finger and pinky get a workout. Now instead of twiddling a pen or something I'll use this throughout the day. Goal is to get all fingers to the same strength and then go back to the red one. It's definitely worth the $10.

Also as much as you don't want to. If you start to notice tingling in your fingers STOP PLAYING. That's a sign that you're getting carpel tunnel / rsi and you MUST STOP. Trying to get this message out to as many people as I can because I didn't stop and I've been dealing with this carpel tunnel stuff for a couple years now. If you have one of those foam stress balls squeeze that while you look over your battlestation. If it's the hand you're using the mouse (which apparently is more common but it wasn't for me, but also I got it while typing a lot) see if one finger bothers you more than others. If it's the finger you use for your right mouse button don't blame having to hold it down constanly, shift things around so it's easier to hold it down.

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!

does anyone else have this power cage? I recently picked it up and really like it but would enjoy more options on the pull up bar like what's available for the Titan cages. just wondering if anyone has seen or know of options out there i can look into that'll fit properly.

tl;dr: Here's a dumb one. Given the equipment I have at home (below), what are the best exercises to work in some total-body / complex lifts to my weekly schedule?

• 2x Selectech dumbells (up to 55lb each)
  
• Misc resistance ropes
  
• Parallette bars (small parallel bars ~1ft off the ground)
  
• Std size exercise ball
  
• Destabilized pushup bar (it sits on a ball, so it requires stabilization)
  
  Details: I quit the gym a couple years ago in favor of martial arts and bodyweight exercises. I'm happy with this in general, but I want to maximize gains/growth with exercises LIKE squats, deadlifts, OHP, etc. How can I safely/effectively do this at home. (For instance, do squats have a dumbbell equivalent?)
  
  Ideally looking to add two 30min sessions per week. My other routines would still be the majority of my workout schedule.

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$.

On Amazon. After tax, it cost me $99 to have this thing shipped right to my door.

http://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Power-Rack-Exercise-Stand/dp/B00HYQP72O?ie=UTF8&keywords=cap%20power%20rack&qid=1465311729&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1


And, I'm not gonna lie. It's not the sturdiest rack in the world. I can easily make it sway side to side (albeit not much; it still feels decently solid enough). And I can do chinups and pull ups, but I wouldn't be trying to fucking swing from the pull up bar. But...for $94, you're not going to beat it! I've racked up to 250 lb on it, and it seems to have been fine. It's rated at a 300lb max, and I'm sure if I actually get to the point where I can consistently bench/squat that much damn weight, I'll actually invest in something more robust. For my current fat out of shape ass, I'm benching 110 5x5, so I have nothing to worry about for a little while.

Also, for what it's worth, it has holes that allow you to bolt it down to a platform if you wanted to.

I'm happy with the purchase, for $94!

I know you have plenty of advice already, but I bought this one in October last year, use it frequently and have no marks on my door. I had the same concerns you do, so I wrapped a few old shirts around it and it works perfectly!

https://imgur.com/a/706rLHJ

You can see the shirts and what the frame looks like. I've used it pretty extensively since getting it.

I just bought this CAP bar that comes highly rated and at a fair price if you don't feel like dropping $250 or beyond on a bar. CAP makes some gear many people would scoff at, but this is a quality piece. You can fit a power rack under an 8' tall ceiling, you'll just have to shop around. Do some research, read a bunch of reviews, check out the Workout Equipment forum at Bodybuilding.com. As some others have said, you get for what you pay for, so if this is something you are serious about, don't be afraid to invest a little money upfront for quality equipment. I'm in the process of upgrading a lot of my stuff and I wish I just did it the right way from the get go. That being said, Craigslist is a great resource, you just have to know what you are looking for.

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

Thanks, I actually just ordered some wooden gymnastic rings a couple days ago. I did a shit load of looking around, unhappy with all the dip and pull up equipment that required tucking your knees and then I found this. The pull up bars are 7ft high, (PERFECT for me), you can buy a multi grip dip attachment that can mount from any height, put your gymnast rings on it, do your rows on the safety bars, it allows for every possible calisthenics workout you could imagine, save for human flags. I think it's funny that I'm buying a squat cage for a butt load of things except it's primary function (squats). So I think it's safe to say I'm set on equipment haha.

I have these as well, they're pretty awesome. Pretty tough on the shoulders, as well as the chest. I'm thinking of cutting the rubberized grip off eventually and putting on some Fat Gripz for extra forearm exercise.

Is your dorm room a tiny single? If you have a spare doorway somewhere, pull up bars are pretty cheap. My roommate has one of these that can be put on and off. He tends to not use it very much though and leaves it buried in his room, so I bought this for myself. Unfortunately I had to put it on my room's entryway door (would have preferred a place inside out of view like the closet, but was worried about the walls) but it sits high enough to not be very noticeable. Supports use three screws into either side, the bar itself is easy to remove, and I haven't had any issues. Great for just running through a few pull ups, chin ups, and leg raises whenever going in and out.

Half a hour a day is plenty, but you really need a pullup bar (buy a bar like this instead of the pressure-type, it won't ruin your door and it's just as cheap).

Alternate one day when you do a push progression (ex: HSPU) + a pull progression (ex: pullup), one day when you do a core progression (ex: toe-to-bar lift) + a leg progression (ex: pistol squat), and one rest day. 3 sets for each progression. This should fit into the 30min. Skip the warmup , the body drills and the mobility exercises. If you are afraid of working out without warmp up keep it to a minimum (like 2 minutes jumping rope).

If you discover that the above suggestion doesn't fit into the 30 min (for example because you need too much rest time between sets), try something even simpler: one day push progression, one day pull progression, one day leg progression, repeat for other three days, and then take one rest day. Core will still be trained effectively.

You mean one of these?

It only really helps for grip. You get better at musical instruments by playing musical instruments. Better at playing video games by playing more.

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!

This is the one I have at home right now. I got it about 7 months ago and it's been working great for me.

The absolute best bar I ever used was an Eleiko Weightlifting Competition bar. So nice. Extremely pricey though($1000+).

OP, I want you to follow this routine:

http://www.nick-e.com/reddits-bodyweight-fitness-recommended-routine/

It's all body weight fitness and you don't need any weights. What you'll need is fitness rings and a pull-up bar you can hang in the door way. Those two items are inexpensive and I think both items are 25-30. That routine takes about 45-1hr and it starts off light. If you use your knees, I would suggest getting a gym mat or use pillows.

But very important all this means nothing if you do not have a good diet consisting of lots of protein. And it also helps to walk/jog 30min a day.

If you have any questions, PM me. Sorry, I'm at work spitballing what I know.

Last, checkout r/bodyweightfitness


Wacces Exercise Fitness Gymnastic Rings https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FMZBK4S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_jAeAxbTRB8G1R. $20

Sunny Health & Fitness Door Way Chin Up https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016BNDXI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zBeAxbQASAYPB $12

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.