A set of adjustable dumbells and an adjustable bench. That's all you need. Look in the paper people are always selling this stuff.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

Dumbbells.

dumbells and a physioball-

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Jason Goldberg
FIT Multisports

10, 15, 20, and 25 lb dumbbells, and a swiss ball.

You don't need anything heavier - first, as a triathlete you don't need anything massive, and secondly (and as proof of sorts) Troy Polamalu, the pro bowl strong safety for the Steelers, doesn't lift anything heavier than 25 pounds during the offseason. If you can be a standout NFL player without crazy weightlifting, certainly you can do plenty without heavy weights or a crazy setup.

Good - 15 and 20 pounds, you can do plenty for your arms, shoulders, and some added weight for what are normally body-weight exercises.

Better - Add a ball.

Best - Add 10's and 25's, plus the ball. Consider yoga as well - all you need to practice at home is a mat.

Agreed. Dumbells and a mutli-angle bench, ill add a pullup/dip/leg raise free standing appartus as well, these run about 50-200 bucks from the store. I got mine on special at Wal Mart for 40. Look around.

Too save even more I squat my car for 4 sets of 8 reps every morning.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

The outdoors ;-)



Cheers,

Daniel

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The question of who is right and who is wrong has seemed to me always too small to be worth a moment's thought, while the question of what is right and what is wrong has seemed all-important.

-Albert J. Nock

Pull up on trees, push up on soft grass. Yeah you got a point.

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customerjon @gmail.com is where information happens.

I got myself an adjustable bench - goes from decline to vertical. I also got the Nautalus adjustable dumbells that go from 5 to 55lbs each - awesome invention! The combination takes up no space an provides an incredible workout. The only thing I would advise adding is a bar attached to the ceiling joists so you can do some lat pullups.

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Adrian in Vancouver

Dumbells, swissball and bungees. Here's a workout I designed for surfers but is also excellent for triathletes.

http://www.surfflex.com/bsbworkout1.htm

I just purchased a stability ball, a set of 10lb dumbbells, a 6lb medicine ball, a foam roller and a step stool............I am afraid of the amount of pain my coach is gonna be able to inflict with such simple devices!

BTW, people ask me all the time how much time I spend in the gym and are shocked when I tell them "less than 90 minutes a week". Used to be a gym rat..........now I laugh at the meatheads as I "play" with a few simple toys. :-)

G

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It's a little like wrestling a gorilla.........you don't stop when you're tired.........you stop when the gorilla is tired.

"Space is at a premium, given the fact that I also have a bike on a CT in my workout space. Can anyone recomment a space efficient solution? A bench or swiss ball w/some dumbbells? Is the Bowflex a reasonable option - has anyone had success with this?"

You've gotten great responses so far.

Decide how much weights you want to do. If you want to do a healthy variety, and if space is an issue and you don't even have the space for several dumbbell sets, invest in PowerBlocks -- a multi-weight invention which allows you to have, all in one unit, from 5-50lbs of weights -- and just select the weight you need. The set of two runs near $200, but each Powerblock is the size of a medium dumbbell, so it's wonderful for small areas. You can see Powerblocks demo'd at most fitness supply stores like Leisure Fitness.

I've written about Bowflex in my website and I have one, and I trained one of the Bowflex people on TV. Here's the website and read the article yourself: http://www.physicalmind.com/bowflex.htm . It's really a 'both-sides' honest article, and since I'm not paid by Bowflex I could give an honest assessment. Since I wrote that article, I got thousands and thousands of web hits.

I'm a Bowflex person and have created strength and physique with one. Plus, I've told others who love their also. It's nothing macho -- far from it -- but it's a very useful home gym tool which comes with gym-quality exercises (yeah, the commercials are right) although it's not "20-min a day 3 days a week". However, I also supplement with free weights.

I agree about not joining a gym unless you have to - although it's useful for very-bad-weather training on treadmill and spinner.

The solutions others gave you are quality. I highly agree that weights and a ball are good, but realize that although you are training with stabilizer muscles while on the ball, you won't be training for your full strength with each muscle group, because you have to keep stabilizing. I think that's better in some respects - I prefer a "useful" body more than an aesthetic (huge) body on people.

I'd suggest an adjustable bench and a ball with buying weights.

My own home gym has the following:

Bowflex "Ultimate"
free weights - 5 - 30's dumbbells
Cambered bar with some plates 5 - 25's
hanging ab straps
elliptical machine
stability ball
weighted bar ("Body bar") - 15 lbs - good for many things
mountain bike - soon to have indoor trainer

You can get many of these things at used-equipment stores (like "Play it again sports") or from the newspapers. Additionally, if you are in the Maryland area, I can get you a discount at Leisure Fitness because I am a friend of two of the stores (Columbia and Annapolis). Contact me offline at lauren@physicalmind.com

Hope this all helps,
Lauren

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Lauren Muney
certified physical fitness trainer
certified health coach
wellcoach
http://www.physicalmind.com

There is no escape from your life... solve the problems and get on with it.

"Just tell her you love her and you think she kicks ass" ~AndrewinNH

"I'm moving [Lauren] to guru status" ~Last Tri in 83

Thanks to all for the excellent suggestions. I appreciate them all.
Sounds like a swiss ball and some form of dumbbells are a must. With a bench or bowflex to follow.
Thanks again, and great training to all through the winter . . .

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under-trained and over-tapered. . . .yet still hopeful . . . does that make me an optimist or a masochist?

thoughts on TotalGym? Looks simple and effective. Plus it stores under your bed. (Unless that space is aleady taken thanks to lack of willpower and late night infomercials).

GB

PS - apparent side effect is a chuck norris beard.

BOWFLEX

seriously! I do pull ups on a tree branch that's about 8 ft off the ground. I also do figure 4's on it. The tree branch is huge, so it also works my forearms and hand/finger strength just to hold on.

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mcoker

Thats tree abuse! Environ(mental) nazi's dont like that!

Francois and I tried that at EP camp, but we couldn't get down. SAC had to call the fire department, and then we lost Kath and Marisol...

It was a mess.

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

>... limited space

>> The tree branch is huge..

Yes, but can you store it under your bed ;/

My wife gave me a bowflex 15 yrs ago. It works great, occupies very little space. You can't throw the weight, since the only momentum is from the weight of your limbs. The new ones are much better than mine, and I think they are less, for the same or more features.

I bought a 'Block' adjustable dumbell (5-45lb) and use it and the swiss ball. For the money, this and some stretch cords and maybe an adjustable bench are plenty.

With all of the above you can do almost anything, and take up less than 2 feet X 4 feet.

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Dick

Take everything I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing.

I have a totalgym and like it a lot (I didn't get the Chuck Norris beard to go with it though). It is easy to use and you can lie face down and simulate your swim stroke in a manner similar to those Vasa swim trainers. I'd second what everyone else says though and also get some dumbells to go with it.