For many of my athletes, “transition time” (the time getting to/from workouts) adds complexity to an already challenging training program. Many athletes have asked about adding weights at home…
I’m not asking about the “should athletes lift”. Let’s just assume that I believe that muscle mass decreases as athletes get older and that maintaining muscle mass has value beyond mere Ironman performance.
With that said, how many of you have weights at home?
What do you have?
Where do you keep them?
Do they get used?
Recommendations for those looking to add weights at home?
BTW, believe a LOT can be accomplished with body weight/bands (look at how fit a Navy SEAL can become with push-ups, pull-ups, dips, and core work), but I’m specifically asking about weights here…
Parabody (“universal”-type) machine (footprint is about 3’ x 7’) that has seated press and flye stations, high cable for lat/tri pulldowns and ab work, low cable for ab/adductor/glute work, leg extension/curl. When I bought it years ago, it was about $1500; not sure what they go for today, but it’s been well worth it.
Dumbbells (3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25, 30 pounds). I think you can still buy them for about $1 a pound
35-lb. barbell plus good amount of plates
EZ-curl bar
folding bench
2 stability balls
4 medicine balls
1-5 lb. variable ankle weights
stretch cords
floor mat for core work and stretching
This all lives in my home office (3rd bedroom). Nice, since I fit in my strength training during what other folks would consider a “smoking” break.
I use the stuff about 1.5 hours per week, on average. Since I am not waiting for another person to vacate the equipment, I have almost no rest time between sets (or at least any I take isn’t forced), and generally do a nearly circuit-style workout. But I do use a periodized program, and have worked with personal trainers in the past that have provided me with a lot of great stuff.
I was into bodybuilding before I took up triathlon (used to lift 4 hours a week), and didn’t want to have to drive somewhere to get it done.
I’ve had most of this stuff for 15 years and have been consistent about using it. I am now 50, and I believe in the benefits of strength training to maintain my muscle mass, punch up my core strength and provide a bit more durability to my tendons and ligaments. I do some exercises that work on stuff that just doesn’t get worked the same way during S/B/R, so I think it’s overall a good thing. I do stretch regularly, too.
I have 15 and25 lb dumbells and leave them sitting on the brick in front og the fireplace in the living room. Use the dumbels as handles to do pushups as well. Use them everyday. Even when I do not do a usual routine always end up doing something while watching tv. Hard to ignore the weights when you are looking at them. The stuff in my basement I ignore. Took me a while to convice my wife about leaving them out.
2x25 lbs dumbells and an 80 lb barbell and 15 minutes of time right after every run and that is all I need. Even without the barbell 2x25 dumbells and I can do lunges and step ups and squats, as well as lot so upper body stuff. I do also have a Parabody Home gym, so I can do a whole whack of others, but I focus on lat pulldowns, hamstring curls, back extensions and leg extensions with that machines. For ther rest, free or body weights!
I have a couple of different things. The old “plastic” barbell weights and bars are in a closet where they haven’t been used for 5+ years. Not sure why I haven’t given these to Goodwill yet…
I also have 2X10 pound dumbbells, 2X25 pound dumbbells, a medicine ball and a set of cords in my spare bedroom that get used 1-2 times/week. There is a weight bench in this room too, just pushed up against the wall so it is out of the way. The dumbbells slide right under it.
For someone starting from scratch, I would buy some dumbbells first. Not necessarily every weight from 5-50 pounds, just like 10s, 25s and maybe 40s. You can just change the number of reps you need to do if you don’t have the “perfect” weight.
I suggest starting simple to see how you like it. Something with variety. Like perhaps a bench and some adjustable free weights. That way you can just put on or take off a few weights without having to chose between to light or to heavy. It progresses with you better. It does for me anyway. And put them in a place that they will be seen often. Out of sight out of mind is the quote that comes to my mind thinking about placing them in a closet or under the bed. I put mine in the basement (where I spend a lot of my time in winter). I have three benches (one cable, one olympic, and one standard). I also have a heavy punching bag, medicine balls, dumbbells, swiss ball, workout DVDs (core strength and spinning), Kinetic for ps2, a wobble board, ankle and wrist weights, pull-up bar, and all that plus a few other things is right next to my tredmil and stationary bike. Put in a tv with DVD player and a good sound system, then who could ask for more. I just keep using the stuff more and more, so I just keep adding to the other stuff. It doesn’t need to be the fancy stuff because your muscles can’t tell what your lifting looks like. I even know people who just put stuff into a backpack to lift. Remember what your goals are. If its to win long distance triathlons, spend the money on a bike. If its for overall fitness as you age variety is never boring.
I bought it from someone on Craigslist for $200 - it was in excellent condition and it came with about 300 lbs. of plates. It’s set up in my garage at home and my wife and I lift twice a week, year-round.
As far as recommendations, I’d say to try to get the wider bar, especially if you’re going to do squats. I’ve used narrow bars before, and it feels like the wider bars offer a bit more stability.
I have no access to a gym, so I have a small home gym.
Hand weights
Ankle weights (used mainly for hip abductor & adductor exercises, or knee extensions)
Stability ball
Small block (for yoga positions)
Strap (for same)
Theraband
2 Pilates DVD’s (one for Pilates-on-the-stability-ball)
2 yoga DVD’s (one for strength, another more meditative)
This setup is very low maintenance and takes up very little room.
Sometimes I just wake up and do some exercises in front of the morning news on TV.
I’m currently designing my futur home gym. It will actually be a ‘crossfit’ garage gym. I’ll have the necessary weight for weightlifting (bar, squat rack, etc). I also have different weight medecin balls.
I also want to add some kettlebell. 2 of the Crossfit journal issues are on building your garage gym for cheap (www.crossfit.com)
One of the piece I love and travel everywhere with is a pair of gymnastic rings with the straps so I can suspend them on trees, stairs, etc. With them I workout every muscles. Note that I’m not a gymnast and really am not strong. By adjusting the height, I do push ups, pull ups, back, dips, abs, lots of abs. Really good on the shoulders also. Take a look at http://www.ringtraining.com/ .
My workout room is in a shed behind the detached garage. I have a bench with leg machine and squat rack. 300 lb Olympic weight set. 6’ bar and a curl bar. Dumbells - 15 to 50 pounds in 5# increments. Roman chair. Pullup/dip/pushup/leg raise tower. Workout 2 - 3 times a week. I bought everything new, pieces at a time, and spent around $1,000 for everything. If I were just starting I’d probably buy one of the comination setups for a few hundred bucks.