About to buy a home weight set, could use some advice

[machone]

Im not a body builder, i can only bench about 225 lbs. but i do love to lift weights and would like something that leaves room for a lot for improvment. I went to my local sport stores, and the best deal i found was a golds gym weight set at sportmart for 300 dollars, then the bar and weights were like 130ish. It has an adjustable bench, preacher curls, leg extension and curls and a military press bar. Ive been working out for a while but have never purchased a home weight set so i dont know how much to spend, i just know i want something that can do multiple workouts. Any advice is grealty appreciated.

 

[SVT04]

You can go from mild to wild depending on how much you want to spend. As well on how much room you have. You can't go wrong with free weights.Along with the bench setup and long bar with the weight plates a good set of dumbells in 5 lb jumps say 5lbs to 50lbs is good to have and will alow some variety to your workouts.Stay away from Bowflex and other multi-gym setups they are poor compromises.The people you see advertising them on TV did NOT build their bodies on that equipment. A curl bar and some other lifting accessories is a good thing as is an incline bench for ab work. You can use it for decline presses etc with dumbells too.
You do need to mix up your workouts with different exercises for each body part as well as different weights. Otherwise your body will become "static"and used to a particular routine.
Hope this helps ...have fun.

 

[2+2Cobra]

Machone,

I have a gym that I purchased a few years back from Copeland's. It is made by Tuff Stuff industries and it is a half cage set up. It has an upper and lower pulley with 200lb stack. Additionally it has an adjustable bench for either declines or seated military presses and anything in between. A preacher curl attachment. It sits in my garage and also has a 300lb olympic weight set. Good solid stuff. I bought it new for over $2000 about 6 years ago. Made in good ole USA. No tears and hardly much use. Always stored indoors...looking for a good home to go to. pm if you're interested

 

[MixMaker]

I've got a Bowflex home gym. The thing is awesome, but I need to free up some cash. I paid close to $1500, if you're interested in it you can take it for $850.

 

[Mport_KLR]

the bowflex is a great piece of equipment. but whatever you decide to go with i would buy the bowflex adjustable dumb bells. they are like power blocks but they dont hurt your wrists. they are just 2 dumbells and they can be adjusted up to 55 pounds. saves a ton of $$$ compared to buying a whole set of dumbells. im planning on getting these in the near future.

 

[SVT8U]

I think that the bench you are looking at is a good deal. If you are just casually looking to workout, that is a great place for you to start. I bought a similar set up to the one you're talking about when I was 15 or 16 and it came with a 300lb olympic weight set. I used it for about a month, maybe two, but I quickly outgrew that setup. I went and joined a local gym and have been there for the last 5 years. I think you should look into gyms in your area and see what they offer. You get alot more equptment that you can use, and usually you can do it fairly cheap (my membership is only $150 a year for 24 hour acess). Plus you get to meet good people and learn more about working out. Plus it is a much better environment to train in. Just my .02

 

[AzDropTop]

Go with something used. Do you have a 'Play it again Sports" Store? They sell used stuff and have good prices. The Gold's gym seems decent, but it lacking a Pulldown set up which is good obviously for back, tris, and all kinds of other exercises. If you are not looking to put on a ton of mass you really should consider a used bowflex with leg and lat attachments. The feel is good with an actual positive and negative feel. Good luck!

 

[Cammed01C5]

I bought a bench a while back with intentions on using it alot. It never seems to work that way, and I spend most of my time at the gym instead. The only time I seemed to use the bench at my house is when me and a friend were doing some drinking. We would put on some weight do some sets and then hit the clubs.
I would buy something used as well. I know a couple guys that bought Bowflexes, and now they are just taking up space in thier houses.
I am all for the gym membership idea as well. I need a better atmosphere then my house to work out.

 

[FordSVTFan]

Im not a body builder, i can only bench about 225 lbs. but i do love to lift weights and would like something that leaves room for a lot for improvment. I went to my local sport stores, and the best deal i found was a golds gym weight set at sportmart for 300 dollars, then the bar and weights were like 130ish. It has an adjustable bench, preacher curls, leg extension and curls and a military press bar. Ive been working out for a while but have never purchased a home weight set so i dont know how much to spend, i just know i want something that can do multiple workouts. Any advice is grealty appreciated.

I use a Powertec Workbench and a set of dumbbells, up to 60 lbs. It uses free weights which is a plus. I bought 500 pounds of plate weight as well.

 

[machone]

Thanks for the replies! My buddy has a bowflex and i dont really like them especially considering this bench is far cheaper. The golds gym set at sportmart seems like a really good deal, its on sale and so are the weights. Ive been working out at 24 hour fitness for the last year and its really made a huge difference, but its a 10 minute drive and the place latley just seems packed from 7am to 11 pm. I wanna just be able to go into my garage and lift some weights. Azdroptop, you have a good point with the pull down, thats the one big thing that it doesnt have. But at 450 bux with weights i think ive made my choice. Thanks again everyone!

 

[03Sssnake]

You need this monster!

Too bad its over 2k... I have a decent setup, adjustable bench from NL that can be setup for flat, incline, decline and militarty press, 300 lbs in plates, 45lb bar, 15Lb ez-curl, and shitload of dumbells. I really want the titan, but the PowerTec Workbench that FordSVTFan posted looks good as well.

 

[machone]

Haha ya...with the weights i only wanna spend around 500

 

[SVT04]

I agree with the guys who have said that it is better to go to a gym. If you can't get to a gym as it is too far away or maybe you live in the middle of nowhere ....then a home gym is a good idea. If you are a driven sort of guy and will be able to keep motivated to workout on your own then it will be great. If not then you will end up like several of the guys who replied to you here....spending money and having equipment sitting there hardly used ....then see someone looking for equipment and try to sell it to them....going to a gym with a friend will keep you motivated and will go a long way towards success.

Contrary to what the other guys said Bowflex is junk......one guy said it was great ...then said want to buy it ? If it's so great keep it and use it ....
As I said the people you see advertising all that home gym junk do NOT build their bodies using it. The equipment sold on TV that way is for the most part useless. The same goes for that Bowflex Multi dumbell plate abortion. Have you seen how big the thing is in physical size ? They are huge ,far too big for a dumbell and will make most dumbell exersises very awkward at best.
A good enough idea ,just not very useful...

Why do you think correspondence courses have such a dismal sucess rate ?? It is just hard to keep going on your own.....same situation with home gym equipment.....there are a bunch of reasons not to work out and it can be easy to just say maybe tomorrow....then tomorrow comes and you are tired ...or work late .......I bet there are literally hundreds of millions of dollars of that stuff gathering dust across the country...... :burnout:

 

[esqeddy]

Am thinking of getting a simple weight set for my 12 year old son. He just turned 12 and is already 5' 5.5" and 140 lbs. I've been having him do bench press on an old workout machine and he can press 100 lbs. but that isn't the same as free weights. He can't do anything else with it because the old machine is about worn out.

He's a good kid and deserves a decent set.

 

[FordSVTFan]

I agree with the guys who have said that it is better to go to a gym. If you can't get to a gym as it is too far away or maybe you live in the middle of nowhere ....then a home gym is a good idea. If you are a driven sort of guy and will be able to keep motivated to workout on your own then it will be great. If not then you will end up like several of the guys who replied to you here....spending money and having equipment sitting there hardly used ....then see someone looking for equipment and try to sell it to them....going to a gym with a friend will keep you motivated and will go a long way towards success.

Contrary to what the other guys said Bowflex is junk......one guy said it was great ...then said want to buy it ? If it's so great keep it and use it ....
As I said the people you see advertising all that home gym junk do NOT build their bodies using it. The equipment sold on TV that way is for the most part useless. The same goes for that Bowflex Multi dumbell plate abortion. Have you seen how big the thing is in physical size ? They are huge ,far too big for a dumbell and will make most dumbell exersises very awkward at best.
A good enough idea ,just not very useful...

Why do you think correspondence courses have such a dismal sucess rate ?? It is just hard to keep going on your own.....same situation with home gym equipment.....there are a bunch of reasons not to work out and it can be easy to just say maybe tomorrow....then tomorrow comes and you are tired ...or work late .......I bet there are literally hundreds of millions of dollars of that stuff gathering dust across the country...... :burnout:

That is certainly not fact, just your opinion. Most people sign up for a gym and go a few times and pay the rest of the contract for something they dont use nor have as a tangible asset. Gyms count on the fact that over the course of a year only about 20-25% of the their membership actually uses the gym on a regular basis. Otherwise there would be no room for everyone. And if the 80% didnt pay for the 20% that was using the gym, the regulars would wind up paying $200/month for their membership.

I have competed in power lifting for years. I only stopped three years ago. I work out daily on my Powertec Workbench. I use it everyday because it is in my house. The gym is out of sight out of mind. I see the Powertec everyday and I use it more because of the promixity.

It is simple, people that want to weight train and exercise will do it regardless of the location of the equipment.

 

[SVT04]

That is certainly not fact, just your opinion. Most people sign up for a gym and go a few times and pay the rest of the contract for something they dont use nor have as a tangible asset. Gyms count on the fact that over the course of a year only about 20-25% of the their membership actually uses the gym on a regular basis. Otherwise there would be no room for everyone. And if the 80% didnt pay for the 20% that was using the gym, the regulars would wind up paying $200/month for their membership.

I have competed in power lifting for years. I only stopped three years ago. I work out daily on my Powertec Workbench. I use it everyday because it is in my house. The gym is out of sight out of mind. I see the Powertec everyday and I use it more because of the promixity.

It is simple, people that want to weight train and exercise will do it regardless of the location of the equipment.

Opinion or fact who really gives a crap....fact is that it will be the truth or fact for a very large percentage of people. Sure people will lack motivation whether they go to a gym or try to do it at home. But it is true that in a lot of cases the gym will help in keeping the motivation especially if they have a dedicated partner to train with.
Sure gyms hope that you buy a membership and don't show up. So What ? I have trained for years in all sorts of locations and see the "gotta lose weight for the summer" crowd and the "new years resolution "crowd....they are usually gone in a few weeks leaving the gym to those of us who make it a lifestyle.And yes we will continue no matter where it is.
So what does it really matter to you or anyone else if I see my opinion as fact based on a lifetime of experience...after all there are a variety of "truths" or "facts" most of which are formed the same way....

 

[RidnRodsLightng]

http://www.powerblock.com/

 

[machone]

I was enrolled at a gym for a year and worked out regularly. But now the place it just so busy all the time, the 10 minute drive to the mall is a pain and a waste of gas. Many of my friends are waiting for me getting this thing, they all wanna work out. Working out is a big to me, motivation wont be a problem.

 

[SVT04]

I was enrolled at a gym for a year and worked out regularly. But now the place it just so busy all the time, the 10 minute drive to the mall is a pain and a waste of gas. Many of my friends are waiting for me getting this thing, they all wanna work out. Working out is a big to me, motivation wont be a problem.

Sounds like a winning situation.A group of guys will make it much more fun. If the gym is so busy then you guys will have a good alternative. Since it looks like you live in a warm climate you can maybe use a garage or even a carport for space.A basement if you have one is good too. Have some of your friends pitch in for some extra equipment from time to time.Hit the flea markets and garage sales....I'm not kidding there are literally tons of workout equipment lying around gathering dust and sometimes it's up for grabs cheap. Have fun.

 

[sharkall2003]

Sounds like a winning situation.A group of guys will make it much more fun. If the gym is so busy then you guys will have a good alternative. Since it looks like you live in a warm climate you can maybe use a garage or even a carport for space.A basement if you have one is good too. Have some of your friends pitch in for some extra equipment from time to time.Hit the flea markets and garage sales....I'm not kidding there are literally tons of workout equipment lying around gathering dust and sometimes it's up for grabs cheap. Have fun.

Totally agree. My weight bench conists of some weight I was given by family members, friends and stuff I found at St. Vincent DePaul. Hahaha, it works great and it was cheap.