Needing weights for home!

M

MindiK

New member
The husband has been asking for this for a while, and upcoming time constraints at the little gym I attend may make it necessary...

We're wanting to get weights for home. I've been using a Nautilus machine since I started working out, but we don't have enough room for one at home.

What type of weights would you all recommend? I've read that resistance bands can give a great workout, and can be adapted for use on both the upper and lower body. I've also heard that free weights have a ton of benefits.

Any suggestions/advice/experiences?
 
This question has been asked before here...

you will want progression in the weights you're using - so you miht want to check your l ocal classified ads, or if there's a used sporting goods store like Play it Again Sports in your area -
 
Resistance is resistance. That said, bands can be tricky for those who have been working out for a long while. Their bodies are adapted to weight training a good bit and to get further adaptation, supplying a stress that is beyond the required threshold with solely bands is tough.

Make sense?

I mean, they make some pretty crazy bands, but still, my suggestion would be to go for free weights.

What exactly are the goals of both you and your hubby?
 
Thanks Mal!! I always forget to search first!!!

Steve – I get what you're saying about the bands...

My goal, as far as the weights go, is to just keep up with my normal routine. Of course moving from the Nautilus machine to free weights will bring about some changes. But I just want to keep on task with what I've been doing three times a week since the end of July.

The husband, well...I'm thinking he's wanting to use the weights to build up his upper body. He's got thighs and calves of STEEL from climbing up and down on a flatbed trailer, and up and down big piles of metal, at work. He tends to get a little of a workout AT work, but wants to work on strength in his upper body. If that makes sense. I'd just as soon he come to the gym with me and get on the elliptical...but he's weird.
 
MindiK said:
My goal, as far as the weights go, is to just keep up with my normal routine. Of course moving from the Nautilus machine to free weights will bring about some changes. But I just want to keep on task with what I've been doing three times a week since the end of July.
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What exactly does this routine consist of?

Full body each day or what?

The husband, well...I'm thinking he's wanting to use the weights to build up his upper body. He's got thighs and calves of STEEL from climbing up and down on a flatbed trailer, and up and down big piles of metal, at work. He tends to get a little of a workout AT work, but wants to work on strength in his upper body. If that makes sense. I'd just as soon he come to the gym with me and get on the elliptical...but he's weird.
Click to expand...

If he wants to build up his upper body, hopping on the elliptical wouldn't appropriate IMO.
 
I've no idea where in texas you are...

but check that site.. and see if there is a location close by



For free weights - you will probably want a bar and the plates to go with it -that gives you the most expadability.. which you will want...

And a bench to go along with it...

I have an olympipc bar and an olympic curling bar as well both i get a lot of use out of - the curling bar is about 20lbs less than the regular bar so I can use it for different exercises...
 
Well, for the husband I was talking about how he NEEDS more cardio, too. That's where the elliptical came in....sorry to confuse things.

Right now I'm doing more upper body work than lower body, and to be honest I'm fairly sure my routine isn't even complete.

But on MWF I'm doing chest presses (30 lbs)...something they call a front pulldown (30 pounds), and another one I can't remember the name for, where seated on the bench, facing backward, and pulling the cables (30 pounds) back toward my hips.

For my legs, which I'd been doing Tuesday and Thursday, but want to go to MWF if I can....Leg curls and extensions (40 pounds), hip abduction and adduction...and I think that's all. Don't know if I got the names right...
 
Mal...we're near Wichita Falls, and I'm almost 100% positive they've got one of those stores there!! We'll have to check it out!
 
Leg curls and extensions you can do from a weight bench... the weight bench I have has that contraption... but you're probably better off with squats/deadlifts and such...

Chest presses you can do from a weight bench...

for working from home you really don't need those fancy pieces of equipment a bench that does inclines and assorted weights should give you all yuo need in a limited amount of space

what I really like about PIAS - aside from the outstanding customer service I got from my local store... is that anything you buy from them - yuo can return for upgrades if you need to.. for instance you can start off with a bunch of 2.5 and 5lb plates and when you're ready -upgrade them to 10 lb plates...
 
I agree with Mal. I'd start focusing on more compound movements for the legs. And you can add them into a your MWF split real easily.

I'd start with legs than progress on to your upper body exercises.

And each day doesn't have to be the same either.
 
I can't speak for the customer service in all stores but if you do go to PIAS -tell them what you are looking for... the staff I encountered was fairly knowledgable and it's in their best interest to make you happy..

I k now when I was looking for my weight set -steve had suggested an olympic bar over a standard bar -I'm not sure of the reasoning behind it but it works for me..

I'd start witih the Olympic bar and also a curling bar (the curling bar I really like because it's ligher than the regular bar and allows me to use it in place of dumbbells)

Then start building the weight plates.

2 2.5 plates
2 5 lb weight plates
2 10lb plates
2 25lb plates

That should give you a starting poing and keep you progressing for some time...

And if you do get the curling bar and standard bar - then you might want 4 2.5 plates and 4 5 - 10lb plates so that you don't have to switch them around..
 
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