Home Gym - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

shane_c · 06-22-2005, 02:53 PM

I'm looking to get a home gym but not wanting to spend a ton of money. I've had a $200 York one from Canadian Tire twice now and it's been okay for what I need it for. It was the one with the stack of weights behind the seat.

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I'm not a serious weight lifter or anything, just looking to build a bit of muscle. The most I'd probably spend would be in the $300 range. Can anyone recommend something for me.

Tron_fdc · 06-22-2005, 02:56 PM

Try Costco, they have these things all the time. That or check somewhere on the internet/bargainfinder. Used ones are super cheap.

Cain · 06-22-2005, 04:54 PM

Just buy free weights...thats what I did. They'll last forever, never break, and you can do almost anything with them. Cheaper too.

Buff · 06-22-2005, 05:10 PM

I prefer free weights myself. I use a bench that looks similar to this one:

Me Man, Lift Weight

hmmm. I wonder if my wife would let me get a new bench, this one is better than the one I currently use.

Clarkey · 06-22-2005, 07:20 PM

Shane don't get one of those *$#@! machines.

Get a bench and an olympic weight set. You should still be able to get a 300lb oly set at fitness depot for $200. Then I imagine a bench is about 100bucks. So for 300 bucks you can get weights and a bench.

I got a squat cage from the bargain finder. This way I can do benchpresses and squats without a spotter because there are safety rails to drop the weight on if need be.

I bought all my stuff through the bargain finder. It's not like weight depreciates in value, 45lbs is still 45lbs even if it's a bit dinged up.

And I've even been using it for the last 3 months to work out with other than to hang clothes on and collect dust.

Young Guns · 06-22-2005, 08:04 PM

Just like Tron said, get a bargain finder. So many people have Weight machines that they dont use and would like to pawn off for cheap.

shoestring · 06-22-2005, 08:50 PM

Hit the thrift stores ,lots of people donate them and the staff hate moving them around so you can probably get a set for $20 or less. And if it's missing pieces you can probably get them the next time or at a actual fitness store.
I never recommend Value Village because the owner is stinking rich so i won't.
Or the Salvation Army stores especially the one on 42nd Avenue.Ask the guys at the loading dock.

Jake · 06-22-2005, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cain@Jun 22 2005, 03:54 PM
Just buy free weights...thats what I did. They'll last forever, never break, and you can do almost anything with them. Cheaper too.

I don't think your working out correctly then. Don't buy free weights.... they will not "last forever". If you lift regularly, you will need more weight.

I'm not a fan of home gyms, but if you do get one don't get a bow flex lol. A year long membership at a gym will cost less and you will have alot more equipment at your disposal.

Mike__ · 06-22-2005, 09:45 PM

I'd say the neccesities would be a bench, barbell, a couple of dumbells and a bunch of weights. If you look around you should be able to find some good deals. For working out your legs just go to a YMCA and pay the 4-5 dollars.

shane_c · 06-23-2005, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cain@Jun 22 2005, 10:54 PM
Just buy free weights...thats what I did. They'll last forever, never break, and you can do almost anything with them. Cheaper too.

Not a fan of free weights. I prefer the home gym systems. I'll have to check the bargain finder to see what I find.

Is the bargain finder online?

Bertuzzied · 06-23-2005, 03:57 PM

here you go
bargainy finder

free if you want to wait 4 days to get access to the bargainfinder. I surf this site every week.

Cain · 06-23-2005, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jake+Jun 23 2005, 03:29 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Jake @ Jun 23 2005, 03:29 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Cain@Jun 22 2005, 03:54 PM
Just buy free weights...thats what I did. They'll last forever, never break, and you can do almost anything with them. Cheaper too.

I don't think your working out correctly then. Don't buy free weights.... they will not "last forever". If you lift regularly, you will need more weight.

I'm not a fan of home gyms, but if you do get one don't get a bow flex lol. A year long membership at a gym will cost less and you will have alot more equipment at your disposal. [/b][/quote]
How won't they last forever? If you work out with them and need to start lifting more weight, buy some more. It is still way cheaper and more versatile than buying a machine.

Just because you graduate to benching a higher amount, doesn't mean that the old freeweight is obsolete all of a sudden. Use it for a different exercise. Let someone else use it.

Jake · 06-23-2005, 04:49 PM

I don't know about you, but right now I use free weights ranging from 25 to 90 pounds. Thats a large and expensive range. Like you said you will consistantly need to buy heavier weights, but it will not be "way" less expensive than a home gym. If you buy a machine or gym membership you will never need to buy more weight.

The price of an average bench (that can incline and decline): $160-200
Adjustable free weights (often don't come in heavy enough weights): $50-350
Set of chrome free weights (3 to 50 pounds): $500-600
Set of iron free weights (3 to 50 pounds): $300-400

You can also get rubber coated ones for a price inbetween chrome and iron. Now how is this cheaper? He wants to spend $300 and he can't even get heavy enough free weights for that. A pair of 90 pound irons (least expensive) alone is $100. Add this to the price of a bench, which is necessary, and he's way over what he wants to spend. A set of weights up to 90 pounds would work for the first year of working out and would cost well over $1000.

Inferno · 06-23-2005, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cain@Jun 23 2005, 05:22 PM
How won't they last forever?

I know for a fact based on past experience that free weights can break. When I first started lifting weights when I was about 18 I used my dad's old set. The 2 1/2 pound ones were alright but the 10 and 15 pound ones were completely falling apart. I ended up buying a whole new set. I havent lifted weights in about a year but I'm thinking of getting back into it but this time I'm probably going to go to the gym since I wouldnt have to worry about buying more weight and I'll be able to do the exercises that I couldnt do when I used freetrainers.com.

SpecialK12 · 06-24-2005, 06:05 AM

I would tell you to save your $300 and use it for a gym membership. Most gyms in the $300 range are very poorly built and the biomechanics of them aren't necessarily the greatest.

Free weights are definately the way to go and they dont have to be that expensive especially if you are not that serious of a weight lifter. You can use an exercise ball instead of a bench and build your weight collection slowly as you need them. Another alternative would be a set of Powerblocks or Nautilus Select tec dumbells depending on how much weight you can lift - which will cost you about 300-400 but has all your weight from 5-45lbs all in one nice compact set.