I can’t decide, and I am hoping for a bit of advice.
Because I tend to be long winded, you can skip to the end for choices and questions if that helps you help me
OK, let’s start with a bit of background. I need to lose weight and my main fitness activity stops for a couple of months over Christmas. I still plan to ride and that would be most of my cardio, but I am after a bit more variety, particularly strength exercises for which I would use the weights for at the gym.
Now, the gym I would most likely join is about 10 minutes driver or a 30 minutes ride away. I probably wouldn’t ride because for fear of having to lock up the bike and I would probably be stuffed on the way home. If I did end of riding I probably wouldn’t do any cardio at the gym, because I would do it on my bike travelling. I have also noticed during peak periods there is a shortage of parking so I would avoid these periods. I could also looks at gyms further away of course, but I don’t like the idea of driving a longer distance.
But I am thinking, when going to gyms in the past, I have done some weights and my cardio stuff consisted mostly of riding a stationary bike, with a bit of cross training thrown in. And although it would be nice doing this is air conditioning over the summer, I already have a bike so paying to rent another person’s doesn’t really make sense.
So, the other option is to buy a decent set of weights for home. I don’t have room for a bench so it would have to be hand weights. And for the price I would pay for a year gym membership (~AUD$500) I could get quite a decent set, with some money left over for a nice number of pool visits. The problem here is that I am unsure of some of the exercises and the proper form that is equivalent to the machine at gyms. Machines can also make you a bit more stable, and so may be safer using heavier weights.
So, basically….should I…join the gym, or should I buy a set of weights for home, along with some good instruction books?
And other questions…
Are there any other points I may be missing?
Can anyone suggest a good resource to learn how to correctly and effectively use hand weights and other bodyweight exercises for strength?
Is there any style of weights that people would recommend?
No doubt I will think of some more questions later. At the moment I am leaning towards the non-gym weights option but if I think about things to long I tend to do nothing. Plus thinking back, I thought gyms for a bit boring.
So…if you can help or provide advice that would be great. And don’t forget, I will be riding!
Machka
10-26-07, 09:01 PM
There are pros and cons on both sides of the gym vs. home gym debate. Some people prefer to join a gym because it motivates them to exercise ... they've paid the money, they are going to take advantage of the facilities. Whereas if they just have a few weights sitting around the house, they never use them. Others prefer to have a home gym because they don't want to waste the time going to and from a gym. They find it more convenient to be able to pick up a weight during a commercial while watching TV or whatever. You've got to determine what sort of exerciser you are.
Personally, I like to have my own home gym. I used to have quite an extensive one, but unfortunately had to downsize when I moved 3 years ago.
I'd recommend a set of weights, some resistance bands, and a ball. You can do quite a bit with just that.
As for the exercises, if I were there, I could show you. I trained with an amature bodybuilder for a couple years, and more recently I've taken a couple courses on fitness training and resistance training (weight lifting).
However, since I'm not in your area (yet!), I can recommend this site (although it used to be better than it is now):
http://www.netfit.co.uk/index.htm
Go to the Home Exercises section and the Workouts section in particular.
This site looks pretty good:
http://www.fullfitness.net/index.html
A lot of weightlifting sites can be rather intimidating and hard to navigate around, but those two above aren't that way.
mateo44
10-26-07, 09:38 PM
Maybe you can get a trial membership for a week or so, try it out, then decide if it's something you're going to stick with....
ceiph
10-26-07, 10:10 PM
bow flex!!! haha but nah it depends on what your going to use the gym for... i do a lil bit of weights but use the lap pool extensively because im trying to train for a triathlon. but for the running i perfer the treadmill in my basement and i just got a trainer for my bike since gym bikes arent comfortable.
so for me if it wasnt for the lap pool id rather buy some weights than work out...
so im with the other suggestion see if you can do a trial run and how you use there facilitys.
valygrl
10-26-07, 11:22 PM
FWIW, go on a diet to lose weight, go to the gym to put on muscle.
My $.02
Machka
10-26-07, 11:41 PM
FWIW, go on a diet to lose weight, go to the gym to put on muscle.
My $.02
Actually, when I was into bodybuilding, so was my husband (now ex-husband). I was in it to gain muscle, which I did. He was in it to lose weight, which he did. He dropped 75 lbs in about 10 months. His diet consisted of a massive amount of good food (I couldn't have eaten it all). But (and I'm not sure of the correct wording of this, or terms to use to explain it) muscle burns more calories than fat does. Also any exercise raises your metabolism which causes you to burn more calories. In addition, any good bodybuilding program includes cardio. I know a lot of bodybuilders don't like to do the cardio component and will limit to about 10 or 15 minutes, but the recommended amount is about 20-30 minutes (10-15 before to warm up, 10-15 after).
In general, exercise is the more important factor for losing weight than dieting. In fact, dieting isn't recommended at all. According to the surgeon general the recommended amount of moderate daily exercise in order to maintain your weight is 30-60 minutes. The recommended amount of moderate daily exercise in order to lose weight is 60-90 minutes. That's every single day of the week with no days off. It doesn't seem to matter much what you do for exercise, as long as it elevates the heart rate to a certain point ... which weightlifting does.
As far as diet goes, the recommendation is not to diet, but to eat a wide variety of foods, in moderation.
damnable
10-27-07, 12:26 AM
FWIW, go on a diet to lose weight, go to the gym to put on muscle.
My $.02
So then what do I do to get fit and healthy?
I can't believe you said that, not becuase it may be bad, but becuase it's on a cycling forum and you didn't even mention cycling. *gosh*
(Edit: that above comment is half joke, I don't know what the appropriate smiley is)
Thanks Machka for those websites, while I don't think I'd pay to join, that netfit one looks like it's got a good list of exercises.
Slightly off topic, I read this morning an article in a pretty reputable newspaper about weight loss. It was basically saying that exercise contributing to weight loss is a muth becuase the more you exercise, the larger your appitite and so the more you eat and so you don't lose weight. It also basically said that all the fundamental research had not been repeated, which I suppose it true, but much more has been done since then. The whole article was compeltely pointless and if I wasn't laughing I would have been crying.
valygrl
10-27-07, 12:30 AM
So then what do I do to get fit and healthy?
I can't believe you said that, not becuase it may be bad, but becuase it's on a cycling forum and you didn't even mention cycling. *gosh*
Well, both! Your original post mentioned losing weight as a goal, is all I'm saying.
dauphin
10-27-07, 12:33 AM
Maybe you can get a trial membership for a week or so, try it out, then decide if it's something you're going to stick with....
like a week can tell you if you will stick with something...
flip18436572
10-27-07, 06:33 AM
I belong to a YMCA and have for the last 6 years. I will probably continue that as long as possible. There are so many options. Swimming, yoga, pilates, basketball, tennis, racquetball, jazzercise, volleyball, and then there is the track for running and walking, treadmills, recumbent bike trainers, elliptical machines, rowing machines, free weights, and machines.
I only live about 5 minutes from it, but I really don't think it would make a difference. I wanted a lifestyle change, and I try to figure out how to put the gym into my schedule.
Bicycling is another exercise for me, but it is not my entire life. If you go to weights for home, go join a gym with a trainer that can teach you how to do the weights properly. I see too many people doing the weights wrong and don't care to learn.
Someday_RN
10-27-07, 07:23 AM
like a week can tell you if you will stick with something...
I've belonged to gyms for 28 years. I'm still a member. I like it. I like going there, I like the varied equipment, I like the spin classes, I like seeing the people, I like being able to move from one specialized piece of equiment to another so quickly that my HR stays up a bit. The gym lightens my mood, makes the workout not boring, and brings a smile. I probably use $5,000 worth of equipment during each gym visit and multiples of that during the whole year. When the weather and light is good, I ride my bike there. Otherwise I drive. Even when I can hardly walk, I find it easy and fun to ride my bike home. I guess I'm a poster boy. I see members come and go, but I'm still there. I don't go at all in June and July. My gym will allow me to not pay if I tell them in advance I won't be coming at all for a particular month. They log us in with a swipe card each visit.
the shark
10-27-07, 09:23 AM
Try a trial membership to see if you like the gym and get some basic instruction etc.
Like any exercise you choose or toy you buy, if you use it then it is great.
Now matters what you need a plan, and it has to be on your schedule.
Personally, if I had to choose, then I would chose home option due to flexibility and I have kids also, so pain to take them to gym etc.
Gyme does work if it is en route on commute to work. I do both. I lift at home, but go to gym for spin class and swimming and sometimes to lift.
Home gym basics - dumbells and a stability ball, a medicine ball, step up ( bought or made), and pullup bar. Buy some stuff used.
Instruction: Websites like Menhealth, bicycling, etc have tons of routines using dumbells, body weight.
However, having someone who can help with form is important.
Mark
flip18436572
10-27-07, 10:00 AM
I can say that a large percentage of people with home equipment do not use it long term, but those with gym memberships is a higher percentage. I have read that in multiple magazines, but I think a lot of that depends upon the person and their personal motivation.
mateo44
10-27-07, 10:03 AM
like a week can tell you if you will stick with something...
I didn't mean it would absolutely determine whether someone will stick with it or not. Of course it won't. But it may give SOME useful information -- some people hate the gym at first try. If a membership is cheap/free, seems reasonable to go that route before making a final decision, even if the choice made on the basis of the trial membership turns out to be reversed in the end. Especially if the gym requires a long-term contract.
Carbonfiberboy
10-27-07, 10:17 AM
Watch out for this: I have joined 2 gyms with "life" memberships, always offered high pressure at great discounts. It works like this: two mafioso types come into town, rent a big building and move in a lot of equipment. Then they solicit life or other long term memberships. After they think they've saturated the market, a mysterious "theft" takes place when a big truck loads all the equipment in the middle of the night. Then the gym goes out of business. The two guys disappear.
Hezz
10-27-07, 12:38 PM
Or shouldn’t I?
I can’t decide, and I am hoping for a bit of advice.
Because I tend to be long winded, you can skip to the end for choices and questions if that helps you help me
OK, let’s start with a bit of background. I need to lose weight and my main fitness activity stops for a couple of months over Christmas. I still plan to ride and that would be most of my cardio, but I am after a bit more variety, particularly strength exercises for which I would use the weights for at the gym.
Now, the gym I would most likely join is about 10 minutes driver or a 30 minutes ride away. I probably wouldn’t ride because for fear of having to lock up the bike and I would probably be stuffed on the way home. If I did end of riding I probably wouldn’t do any cardio at the gym, because I would do it on my bike travelling. I have also noticed during peak periods there is a shortage of parking so I would avoid these periods. I could also looks at gyms further away of course, but I don’t like the idea of driving a longer distance.
But I am thinking, when going to gyms in the past, I have done some weights and my cardio stuff consisted mostly of riding a stationary bike, with a bit of cross training thrown in. And although it would be nice doing this is air conditioning over the summer, I already have a bike so paying to rent another person’s doesn’t really make sense.
So, the other option is to buy a decent set of weights for home. I don’t have room for a bench so it would have to be hand weights. And for the price I would pay for a year gym membership (~AUD$500) I could get quite a decent set, with some money left over for a nice number of pool visits. The problem here is that I am unsure of some of the exercises and the proper form that is equivalent to the machine at gyms. Machines can also make you a bit more stable, and so may be safer using heavier weights.
So, basically….should I…join the gym, or should I buy a set of weights for home, along with some good instruction books?
And other questions…
Are there any other points I may be missing?
Can anyone suggest a good resource to learn how to correctly and effectively use hand weights and other bodyweight exercises for strength?
Is there any style of weights that people would recommend?
No doubt I will think of some more questions later. At the moment I am leaning towards the non-gym weights option but if I think about things to long I tend to do nothing. Plus thinking back, I thought gyms for a bit boring.
So…if you can help or provide advice that would be great. And don’t forget, I will be riding!
If your looking for a lot of variety then the gym membership is the best solution. They have many weight machines and cardio machines and free weights and aerobic dance type classes. The best way to overall fitness is to do a variety of different exercises.
Granted the gym is less convenient than having something at home but it is more flexible. However, if you like to keep your riding in shape and you have the room I would recommend getting a CyclOPs stationary bike at home for times when you just want to sit in front of the TV and pedal.
If you are the type that likes to exercise outside you may not use the gym membership that much but it is still a good resource to have even if you only use it 2-3 times a week. You can ride your bike or trainer on the days you don't go to the gym.
ALso, if y ou get injured the gym is a better resource for personal rehabilitation. Of course if the gym isn't close by or too inconvenient to get to you will not end up going there to often. Still, most people would waste the cost of the monthly gym membership cost on other non necessary items. If fitness is your lifestyle it can be a good resource just as a few good home exercise items can be.
And lastly, if you don't know much about weight training you usually have some people at the gym who will help you learn stuff.
mateo44
10-27-07, 01:01 PM
Watch out for this: I have joined 2 gyms with "life" memberships, always offered high pressure at great discounts. It works like this: two mafioso types come into town, rent a big building and move in a lot of equipment. Then they solicit life or other long term memberships. After they think they've saturated the market, a mysterious "theft" takes place when a big truck loads all the equipment in the middle of the night. Then the gym goes out of business. The two guys disappear.
This happened to me when the new "Tony Soprano's Fitness Center" opened in my town. Pauli and Sal gave me the hard sell, and when I didn't sign up, they busted my thumbs. But then I got in pretty good shape running from them for the next year and a half.