Official Home Gym Building Thread

[Angilion]

how do you sleep at night if lying on your back makes you feel sick?

On my side.

i'll be honest it just looks like an excuse to me,

Thank you for letting me know it's not worth the time I'd spend reading the rest of your post.

 

[mrthingyx]

So did I. Which is why I saw a doctor about it. I didn't want to make this a medical thread.

Hard work is rather the point, is it not? If it's not hard work, I may as well be reading a book.

A comment which is useless to me, as you knew, but hey, thanks for the input.

I agree with all of this. However, you are not making life easy for us or for yourself by narrowing your options down so severely, and confessing to be a noob but refusing anything remotely useful, to the point where suggesting much beyond buying a set of multi-loader dumbells and P90X DVD will be pointless.

Whilst there are reasons multigyms are popular, most are because they are convenient, rather than useful in anything beyond immediate term (I.e. When in a hotel), which is why - if you have the space for one - you have the space for a decent set of weights and a short bar.

By not exercising your back, you will limit your development of the front quite impressively, but also store up serious joint and muscle problems for your near future as all those front muscles start pulling you out of correct anatomical positions. And this is before we even go anywhere near the legs...

So yes, I know my post wasn't helpful to your particular desires, but you need to get your -rather concerning - problem addressed if you ever want to make any noteworthy progress in the gym, let alone live well.

So, do you have a resolution from the doctor for this issue? Because it sounds very debilitating and resolving it will be key to you making any meaningful progress in the gym.

Believe it or not, we are here to help, but you also need to help us help you, and help yourself, too.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

looks like you need to see a specialist or a physio

working out with a condition could be doing more harm unless you have been physically cleared by a specialist and a physio.

i wouldn't trust a GP's advice over google tbh, most of them are incompetent from my personal experience of dealing with them.

 

[duvet77]

By not exercising your back...

I think he said he can't exercise on his back i.e. Lying on a bench, rather than can't exercise his back.

 

[mrthingyx]

I think he said he can't exercise on his back i.e. Lying on a bench, rather than can't exercise his back.

DOH!

Either way, the above is just as applicable. He should get help as it does not sound like a fun condition at all.

 

[Angilion]

I agree with all of this. However, you are not making life easy for us or for yourself by narrowing your options down so severely, and confessing to be a noob but refusing anything remotely useful, to the point where suggesting much beyond buying a set of multi-loader dumbells and P90X DVD will be pointless.

The only replies I had were "you have to spend a lot of money you haven't got", "are you a wuss?" and "it sounds like an excuse to me".

None of that is remotely useful to anyone. If there had been remotely useful replies, I wouldn't refuse them.

By not exercising your back, you will limit your development of the front quite impressively, but also store up serious joint and muscle problems for your near future as all those front muscles start pulling you out of correct anatomical positions. And this is before we even go anywhere near the legs...

Misinterpretation - the problem isn't exercising my back, it's exercising on my back. Which is quite a problem since gravity is inconveniently consistent in direction I'm also doing some leg work, although I'm helped by the fact that I do a lot of walking and a lot of going up and down stairs. My bad knee hinders me somewhat, but I'm used to pain. At least I can't fall over if I'm sitting down. It's less bad than it used to be. Most of the time. A knee brace helps.

So yes, I know my post wasn't helpful to your particular desires, but you need to get your -rather concerning - problem addressed if you ever want to make any noteworthy progress in the gym, let alone live well.

So, do you have a resolution from the doctor for this issue? Because it sounds very debilitating and resolving it will be key to you making any meaningful progress in the gym.

It's not at all debilitating because it only affects me in one position, a position I'm never normally in. No resolution from the doctor, who pretty much dismissed it. My mistake was probably not ensuring enough seperation between that and the slew of medical testing I had last year for other things - the doctor was looking at ECGs and MRIs and doppler ultrasound scans and buckets of blood tests and the fact that exercising while lying on my back makes me feel sick would have seemed small beer.

Believe it or not, we are here to help, but you also need to help us help you, and help yourself, too.

I came in with an upfront statement that I didn't know much and that I had certain constraints, which I clearly defined, and asking about working within them. The replies were saying that I was too poor and probably either a wuss or a liar. That's not help.

But I'll find something anyway. I'm going to do some experiments to narrow down exactly what triggers the nausea and dizziness. That'll be fun. Then I'll have more detailed information to bother a doctor with. Other than that, I guess I'm looking at some form of bodyweight exercises or just having to be satisfied with whatever I can get from the multigym. Much better than nothing.

 

[Angilion]

looks like you need to see a specialist or a physio

working out with a condition could be doing more harm unless you have been physically cleared by a specialist and a physio.

You're right, but I've been examined in great detail recently and I've had enough of it. Not rational, I know. Given how much of my insides they've looked at with various scans, I would have thought anything would have shown up anyway.

Maybe it's psychological, some sort of placebo effect kind of thing. I don't know.

i wouldn't trust a GP's advice over google tbh, most of them are incompetent from my personal experience of dealing with them.

Googling for anything medical always tells you a dozen different serious medical conditions you might have

I once fleetingly managed to make myself concerned about the possibility of having leprosy. 4 in the morning and watching a program on a dig at a medieval leper hospital. I realised I didn't know anything about leprosy, so I looked it up. Loss of sensation in fingertips...whoa, I had a little bit of that - first sign of leprosy! Or too much time using a mouse without adequate wrist support, which was the real cause.

 

[mrthingyx]

Look, Angilion: whilst I will apologise for how my initial post came across, there are people in here who have posted concerns about whether or not permanent damage has been caused by their doing bicep curls for the first time ever, and have some residual DOMS.

Hence the tone of my initial reply: "is this actually the person being silly (they stated they were a noob, after all)? Or is there something more serious?"

So rather than selectively quote replies to emphasise your perspective, let's start again, shall we?

The fundamental issue is that multigyms are limiting: there is quite literally nothing you can really do with your existing kit, other than sell it and buy something else.

Now, you mentioned you are a noob, and I am guessing you don't have much money. The easiest and best thing would be to buy a cheap setup from the 'bay or Somewhere else second hand because another multigym will just cause you the same issue in another couple of months. If you get a bar, etc. you can add to it as funds become available in future.

And no, you don't have to spend millions on your setup. If you recover your investment in the multigym and chuck in the same again, you can get a very, very good setup that won't take up much more space and will last you longer, get you bigger and stronger and be more satisfying to use.


Edit: just seen you used to have all the requisite gear according to one of your previous posts. So it seems the answer toy our question is even more clear cut.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

I already stated in my first reply that he should be looking at a leverage system and i linked to them, or a decent top end multi gym (which costs thousands).

neither of which are within budget.

what is withing budget? resistance bands and body weight workouts tbh.

decent gym equipment is not cheap, that should be pretty much clear if you read any of this thread, and especially clear if you read it from beginning to end.

lot's of people have asked for cheap setups in here and then been advised it's better to spend as much as you can for the long term usage.

imo you need to read this thread from start to finish or join a decent gym and use their specialised equipment


this is what i found online for probably the budget your thinking of

http://www.restylefitness.co.uk/buy...d-Boxed-Manufacturer-Return-RETURNWEEVSY30810

imo it is a piece of crap and that money would be better spent on a gym membership, albeit a gym membership will end up costing more, you should have access to thousands of pieces of quality equipment, as well as a sauna, swimming pool, etc, etc.

whereas with this you have access to one very limited piece of equipment.

 

[hdaniel]

looking for opinions on what to do for dumbbells.
My options are obviously between spin lock and olympic.
A common compliant I hear about the olympic handles is that they are very long but I can get 16 inch ones here http://www.savagestrength.co.uk/chrome-olympic-dumbbell-bars.html I have contacted them asking what the sleeve lengghts are.Can get fairly thin plates here http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk..._cast_iron_olympic_discs__5kg_x4/10907_p.html
But would 16 still be too long for that "squeeze" together in chest presses at top etc?Another common complaint I see is that you cant do hammer curls or dumbbell pullovers,well i can do hammer curls on the cable machine I will get and dumbbell pullovers arent something I do.


Other option is obviously standard spinlock dumbbells.again decently thin plates here they are 22m thick http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk.../bodypower_prostyle_discs__5kg_x4/3546_p.html but again unsure whether to go with 16 or 14 inch and its hard to find the specs for the usable length on the sleeves,anyone got any links to ones they have with the usable length and collar thickness?
Something I worry about with the spinlock dumbbells is that when I get up to pressing heavy weight that the plates spinning with 40-50kg on it would put a lot of pressure on my wrists?appreciate any input guys

 

[Tackle_Berry]

If you can afford them, I would recommend Ironmasters.

I messed around with spinlocks for a few years but started getting annoyed with them, plus also awkward and painful when the weight goes up trying to knee up spinlocks. I wouldn't use anything other them Ironmasters now unless I had tonnes of room and money for individual dumbbells.

http://www.valleyfitness.co.uk/quick-lock-dumbbells/quick-lock-dumbbell-set-75-lbs-34-kg.html

 

[hdaniel]

If you can afford them, I would recommend Ironmasters.

I messed around with spinlocks for a few years but started getting annoyed with them, plus also awkward and painful when the weight goes up trying to knee up spinlocks. I wouldn't use anything other them Ironmasters now unless I had tonnes of room and money for individual dumbbells.

EDIT- Can't believe how expensive they now are (£197 more then what I paid in July last year)

http://www.valleyfitness.co.uk/quic...-set-and-add-on-kit-combo-120-lbs-54-4kg.html

yeah no way in hell im paying that much and i have never seen them turn up second hand here in ireland.
I dont mind switching the weights and kneeing up wont be a problem as Im going to get power hooks.Just more concerned with how they handle in presses once they get heavy,and again what sort of length would be too much since im 5 ft 7

 

[Tackle_Berry]

Just to add I see you quoted my post when I had the price wrong, they are actually £497 still.

As for the length I am the same height as you and I was using extra long spinlock on standard plates before without problems other then trying to knee them up (I use a neutral grip bar for pullovers and Hammercurls not DB's like you). Also you mention on the last sentance about plates spinning? They should not be spinning with spinlocks. I used to load them up on the floor and grab the weights on both sides and tighten them up rather then spinning just the lock on it's own.

 

[hdaniel]

Just to add I see you quoted my post when I had the price wrong, they are actually £497 still.

As for the length I am the same height as you and I was using extra long spinlock on standard plates before without problems other then trying to knee them up (I use a neutral grip bar for pullovers). Also you mention on the last sentance about plates spinning? They should not be spinning with spinlocks. I used to load them up on the floor and grab the weights on both sides and tighten them up rather then spinning just the lock on it's own.

how heavy had you gone with them on presses?

 

[Tackle_Berry]

how heavy had you gone with them on presses?

Honestly can't remember I switched to just Barbell for presses about a year ago+, I would say last time with Spinlocks was 27.5kg-35kg (each DB)

 

[hdaniel]

Honestly can't remember I switched to just Barbell for presses about a year ago+, I would say last time with Spinlocks was 27.5kg-35kg (each DB)

yeah see I could already press that now so I dont want to find out once im pressing 50kg dumbbells a few years down the line that it is too unstable.
edit:if you have seen any 14 inch bars with short handles(so that the threaded part is longer) feel free to point me to it

 

[Tackle_Berry]

yeah see I could already press that now so I dont want to find out once im pressing 50kg dumbbells a few years down the line that it is too unstable.
edit:if you have seen any 14 inch bars with short handles(so that the threaded part is longer) feel free to point me to it

If you plan on doing heavy pullovers with dumbbells that means your face is under them so I honestly would not even consider using anything other then Ironmasters or fixed proper dumbbells.

If your set on getting dumbbell handles you could also speak to Watson Gym Equipment and they might be able to build you olympic handles with whatever length sleeve you want, they build everything at their warehouse in Bristol.

 

[Psycho Sonny]

proper fixed dumbell sets cost thousands in comparison £500 is nothing.

i have a full set of proper fixed dumbells and brand new they cost like £3000 iirc.

nothing comes close to proper fixed dumbells apart from ironmasters and then there is nothing which comes close to ironmasters.

if your going to use olympic handles with olympic weights then make sure you buy decent clamps, once you factor in the cost of decent clamps, dumbbell handles, etc, etc and then all the plates you will need to buy, you would be better off spending the extra few hundred on ironmasters imo.

 

[Tackle_Berry]

Finally got a new bench so gym is finished for the time being until I can afford to build something in the garden to move it all in to.

Edit: One thing I regret and would like to change is a 4x 20kg hex plates I have, such a pain in the ass to use!

 

[Lokai]

Nice set up, wouldnt bother moving it into the garden, getting up at 5.30 am this morning to train in an unheated cold garage sucks