Home Gym Ideas

[oracleslave]

I've had a couple of people tell me the adjustable dumbbells are fiddly and not that great. Good to hear a different opinion.

Not experienced that. I have the Mens Health ones which are on the cheaper end but even these are great.

[d000hg]

This might be a long-shot but any of you lot setup a home gym? I'm after ideas of what to put in there, cost, equipment recommendations.

I'm looking at spending around 2k. I already have an exercise bike and running machine. Thinking will need a range of dumbbells from 8kg to 30kg to start off with. Kettle bells, mats. Some kind of multigym thang. What else would be good?

This may be a stupid question but I'm using a 3rd floor bedroom, just wonder if there is weight limit you can have in a room? How would you even find out?

I got myself a small multi-gym and a half-decent static bike last year, from Fitness Superstore. Went into the local branch and got a decent deal and some advice:

Schwinn 570U Upright Cycle
BH Fitness G152X Global Gym Plus with Leg Press

Considering my equipment before that was a £80 bike and some dumb-bells, this was quite a big purchase. I converted a spare bedroom into a gym:

- stripped carpet and replaced with rubber mats (like stable flooring)
- Got a cheap 40" UHD TV and an extra Amazon Fire TV stick
- bluetooth earphones - turns out Fire TV supports bluetooth

Pretty happy.

[b0redom]

Not experienced that. I have the Mens Health ones which are on the cheaper end but even these are great.

Fiddly in what way? I've got a pair of Everlast (sportsdirect specials) for £199 each. Goes from 5kg->32.5kg in 2.5kg increments. Seem OK to me and don't take up very much space.

I've paired them with a York adjustable incline weight bench which was OK too (£70). I also picked up a leather speed rope and resistance band (more for warming up that actual resistance), and I have a Zwift compatible turbo trainer for my bike.

[oracleslave]

Fiddly in what way? I've got a pair of Everlast (sportsdirect specials) for £199 each. Goes from 5kg->32.5kg in 2.5kg increments. Seem OK to me and don't take up very much space.

I assume your question is directed at the OP and not me as we both seem to be extolling the virtues of adjustable dumbells.

[woohoo]

Fiddly in what way?

I don't know just speaking to a couple of lads and that was the comment. I assumed it was fiddly in switching the different weights.

[RetSet]

If you can free up garage space then you can set yourself up with an olympic bar & bumper plates (start with 120kg total as minimum), a flat bench, and power cage.

Then you can start with a beginners' programme:
Starting Strength or
https://stronglifts.com/#gref

before moving on to an intermediate programme after 6 months or so, e.g. Wendler's 5/3/1
5/3/1: How to Build Pure Strength | T Nation

[TheCyclingProgrammer]

Second the above, but I would give Starting Strength and Stronglifts a miss. There are better linear progression plans out there. GZCLP is decent, or Greyskull LP. Starting Strength the book is worth getting though if you’re new to lifting.

[RetSet]

Second the above, but I would give Starting Strength and Stronglifts a miss. There are better linear progression plans out there. GZCLP is decent, or Greyskull LP. Starting Strength the book is worth getting though if you’re new to lifting.

Good Points, Well Made

For some reason GZCLP has passed right by me. I can see how that would be a logical primer for 5/3/1, though.

Similarly with Greyskull LP, it's a bit more 'involved' than SL & SS.

I think these would work better for a beginner who is starting out with some guidance, otherwise I would suggest SL for the first 12 weeks or so, to get the 'feel' of a structured programme before moving on. The idea of working percentages of a 'training max' that in itself is a percentage of 1 rep max (actual or calculated) is probably a bit too much for an unguided complete novice.

[MyUserName]

Have a look at RossTraining.com - Low-tech, high-effect training solutions for beast mode aficionados and fitness enthusiasts

It is absolutely definitive in this field.

[Excursion UK]

Well 3rd floor is all I have, may have to limit my ideas, saying that I don't plan on deadlifting or jumping up or down, so still think it's reasonable. Perhaps a multigym thing may be too much weight in one place.

I've had a couple of people tell me the adjustable dumbbells are fiddly and not that great. Good to hear a different opinion.

Yeah I'm having issues finding anything in stock

I moved from fixed to adjustable because I developed chronic inner elbow pain in my right arm from doing dumbell curls.

With the adjustables the weights rotate with your movement and don't stress that particular tendon.

Switched from underhand pullups to overhand pullups for the same reason.