OCUK Body Builders: Post your Pics!
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I used to goto a gym like that in NW London. It was quite hardcore - im lighting, concrete floor, not a pleasant environment to hand out in - which I prefer. Generally, the people who use gyms as a lifestyle accessory (eg. they have a small flat in central London, the flat screen TV, the 4x4 and in general, they like to be able to say, "I goto a gym"), tend to stay away from these types of gyms. You also get less women and timewasters.
After moving home, I have been forced to goto a more upmarket, expensive gym
full of the city types and women who are there to make up the numbers, a lot of whom attend, just to socialise and to be able to say, "I goto a gym". The problem is that the nearest hardcore gym is quite a distance away from me. 
Anyway, I have a found a way of avoiding the timewasters and that is to go either very early in the morning or late at night, where all you will find are people working hard and not there to show off or chat-up members of the opposite sex.which one?
Man of Honour
Gyms are a waste of money. I admit I've used them in the past, but since then I've actually stopped and thought about it. That money you give them each year, hundreds of pounds, is just an expensive rental fee. When you leave the gym you have no assets.
It's far better to buy. Think about it: it costs nothing to do cardio (you don't need a treadmill, just jog; you don't cross or elliptical wotsits, just do star jumps and squat-thrusts), and for strength just get yourself a collection of weight plates and bars, plus any luxuries like cages or smith machines that you want. That's it then, never shell out again.
PS: No bloody waiting around either! I joined a local gym a few weeks ago, £50 'give us some cash for nothing' initial charge then £39 per month. I only did it because they had a very nice looking free weights section, plus free use of the pool and sauna for that tariff. One evening in there, with about twelve lads having to share two benches and the suddenly not-so-impressive fixed dumbell & barbell collection, and I came to my senses and used the 15 day cooling off to get my wonga back.
It's far better to buy. Think about it: it costs nothing to do cardio (you don't need a treadmill, just jog; you don't cross or elliptical wotsits, just do star jumps and squat-thrusts), and for strength just get yourself a collection of weight plates and bars, plus any luxuries like cages or smith machines that you want. That's it then, never shell out again.
PS: No bloody waiting around either! I joined a local gym a few weeks ago, £50 'give us some cash for nothing' initial charge then £39 per month. I only did it because they had a very nice looking free weights section, plus free use of the pool and sauna for that tariff. One evening in there, with about twelve lads having to share two benches and the suddenly not-so-impressive fixed dumbell & barbell collection, and I came to my senses and used the 15 day cooling off to get my wonga back.
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Dont forget, to put together your own little home gym, you need space, which a lot of us dont have. In my case I do, but I would want a leg press machine (very important to me). This would take up a heck of a lot of space. Gyms have a variety of equipment that a sub £1000 home set-up simply cant compete against.
Man of Honour
I like the leg press too, but I've been informed by several people that squatting with bars will be better.
But what do you actually need? If you just want cardio, don't even use any equipment. There's absolutely nothing that gets the heart pumping and the brow sweating more than burpees! If you want to do some strength training, just have a nice collection of plates and some bars.
I'm still thinking of getting a leverage system at about £700 inc. olympic plates and matting, which can safely work on all the major muscles with it's approximate twenty functions, and a shedload of the others to some extent. That's only a little more than a year's membership at a chain gym. (One of the uses is squatting, so that's my leg press alternative sorted...) The system is virtually maintenance-free, no moving parts, and would last for decades.
But what do you actually need? If you just want cardio, don't even use any equipment. There's absolutely nothing that gets the heart pumping and the brow sweating more than burpees! If you want to do some strength training, just have a nice collection of plates and some bars.
I'm still thinking of getting a leverage system at about £700 inc. olympic plates and matting, which can safely work on all the major muscles with it's approximate twenty functions, and a shedload of the others to some extent. That's only a little more than a year's membership at a chain gym. (One of the uses is squatting, so that's my leg press alternative sorted...) The system is virtually maintenance-free, no moving parts, and would last for decades.
Unfortunately I have no choice on the matter. I did my back in a long time ago and since then whenever I do squats, it creates serious problems for me a few hours after I finish the squatting. I can do deadlifts and stiff legged dead lifts, but no squats. The leg press is important to me.
For me, the best cardio is that which I do out on the road, be it cycling or running. I like it hardcore.
Care to point us in the direction of this device?
Man of Honour
Well the one I prefer the look of is the Powertec one, which uses slightly thicker steel:
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk..._workbench_leverage_system_yellow/3437_p.html
However, I'm hesitant to order it because I did some research, read some reviews of that supplier's post-sales customer care, and was concerned by some of the horror stories. They're in Nottingham, so if I had to go over there with the boys it would take half a day and cost me a chunk of wonga.
There's another supplier, but not for the Powertec one. They have some stores in London, but none of them have their Bodymax leverage system on display, they say I'd have to go upto a store in the North to look. I'm trying to talk one of the shop managers into having a display machine in his shop. I'm 90% sure I want it, but I'm determined to try it for myself before ordering.
http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/store/product.asp?dept_id=200&pf_id=Bodymax_PS2_Lever_Gym_Yellow
As another alternative to the leg press at the gym, there's the vertical leg press stand...but with weights, it comes to £300 or more, which although I once considered it, now seems a lot for what it is.
http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk..._workbench_leverage_system_yellow/3437_p.html
However, I'm hesitant to order it because I did some research, read some reviews of that supplier's post-sales customer care, and was concerned by some of the horror stories. They're in Nottingham, so if I had to go over there with the boys it would take half a day and cost me a chunk of wonga.
There's another supplier, but not for the Powertec one. They have some stores in London, but none of them have their Bodymax leverage system on display, they say I'd have to go upto a store in the North to look. I'm trying to talk one of the shop managers into having a display machine in his shop. I'm 90% sure I want it, but I'm determined to try it for myself before ordering.
http://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/store/product.asp?dept_id=200&pf_id=Bodymax_PS2_Lever_Gym_Yellow
As another alternative to the leg press at the gym, there's the vertical leg press stand...but with weights, it comes to £300 or more, which although I once considered it, now seems a lot for what it is.
Man of Honour
I used to goto a gym like that in NW London. It was quite hardcore - im lighting, concrete floor, not a pleasant environment to hand out in - which I prefer. Generally, the people who use gyms as a lifestyle accessory (eg. they have a small flat in central London, the flat screen TV, the 4x4 and in general, they like to be able to say, "I goto a gym"), tend to stay away from these types of gyms. You also get less women and timewasters.
After moving home, I have been forced to goto a more upmarket, expensive gym
Yeah, I hate those poncy "lifestyle" gyms, they're almost fake, and overpriced. I'm quite lucky as I can use the aerobics room if I want to and it's not too pretentious either. It's nice to go there, socialise a little with people who are after some serious training, not just doing it for the sake of "going to the gym". Mine only costs me about 25 per month, but that's because it's part of my old school and I get a discount for being an old boy.
It's perfect really, couldn't ask for more (except maybe 24hr operation).Furthermore I can use the squash courts (I play twice a week) and the pool as part of my 25quid a month.
It's also nice to get away from the house too. Aerobic activity is no issue, good decent set of free weights is important.
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Same here. Very effective before breakfast too for keeping bodyfat levels down, plus you get all that fresh air in your lungs.
Associate
The average man can bench press 135lbs or 62kg. So you are 22lbs off the average man.
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am i the only one here (arrogant enough?) who thinks sometimes gyms should PAY some people to go in there? I mean im not a particularily big guy but i would put to shame any typical gym rat visually. I think thats GOOD for a gym if i work out there then people think "wow if i work out here i can get big" Little do they know i follow a diet stricter than anything weight watchers would ever give you and i work out 3-4 times a week and NEVER miss a train. Thats not to mention literally hundreds of pounds of supps every month. But isnt that exactly the illusion gym's should create? It's the formula that made Joe Weider his millions.
Although granted he used Arnie lol.
Although granted he used Arnie lol.
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Gyms generally aren't meant for sole body builders, they are meant for those wanting to increase fitness + tone up. Not lift full stacks of this and that etc, trainers are also very unlikely to give you the ins and outs of getting huge.
Seems different though, that is one thing I've seen the UK lack is proper bodybuilding gyms, sure theres your fitness gyms like david lloyd, virgin active etc but what about for us? people like yourself etc. America has the Golds gym etc and the general great bodybuilding gyms, but UK seems to lack it? or is it only me who thinks this?
While I do agree with you on the lack of hardcore bodybuilding type gyms on a scale like Golds, I disagree with your point about gyms not being meant for bodybuilders.
I mean obviously only a minority (well really a majority, but 90% of people fail at it in their teens and then say they don't want to be muscular) want to be big and muscular, but everyone at a gym wants to "tone up". That means putting on muscle! Bodybuilders know better than anyone how to do that - they just want MORE muscle!
Which means that if people are looking to strengthen their core, burn fat and put on muscle, why eschew the gym techniques bodybuilders use? After all, they're the best techniques, otherwise bodybuilders wouldn't do them. Once people get past the bizarre, hazy distinction they make between bodybuilding techniques and "toning" techniques, and realise that you can't contract "insta-huge syndrome" from doing a full squat, they could make real progress, even if their ultimate goal isnt a 400lb bench press and a 500lb squat.
But mostly the status quo works - I rarely have to ask someone to stop curling in the squat rack at uni, and at the David Lloyd in nottingham no one even uses the rack.
I mean obviously only a minority (well really a majority, but 90% of people fail at it in their teens and then say they don't want to be muscular) want to be big and muscular, but everyone at a gym wants to "tone up". That means putting on muscle! Bodybuilders know better than anyone how to do that - they just want MORE muscle!
Which means that if people are looking to strengthen their core, burn fat and put on muscle, why eschew the gym techniques bodybuilders use? After all, they're the best techniques, otherwise bodybuilders wouldn't do them. Once people get past the bizarre, hazy distinction they make between bodybuilding techniques and "toning" techniques, and realise that you can't contract "insta-huge syndrome" from doing a full squat, they could make real progress, even if their ultimate goal isnt a 400lb bench press and a 500lb squat.
But mostly the status quo works - I rarely have to ask someone to stop curling in the squat rack at uni, and at the David Lloyd in nottingham no one even uses the rack.
Skull, the problem is that a lot of people would take one look at a BIG guy in a gym and think, "Ewwww! I DONOT want to look like that." From that point onwards, they will not want to follow in the footsteps of the big bodybuilder they have just seen.
You must remember (and I think a lot of people on this board forget), that most people don't want to look huge, with shaved heads (you know the look I'm talking about - I have posted a pic of such a man earlier in this thread). A lot of men simply want to look lean (they want the look that Brad Pitt had in Fight Club).
Now, if Brad Pitt came to your gym, then by all means, they would probably pay (sponsor) him for doing this as it will give their gym credibility.
The hardcore bodybuilding types are very much in the minority.
You must remember (and I think a lot of people on this board forget), that most people don't want to look huge, with shaved heads (you know the look I'm talking about - I have posted a pic of such a man earlier in this thread). A lot of men simply want to look lean (they want the look that Brad Pitt had in Fight Club).
Now, if Brad Pitt came to your gym, then by all means, they would probably pay (sponsor) him for doing this as it will give their gym credibility.
The hardcore bodybuilding types are very much in the minority.
Curling in a squat rack - is that even possible?
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