exercise equipment

[gator8me]

I have a slight delima... We will be moving in a couple of months and I'll no longer have access to a gym. :eek: The thing I'll miss most will be the weight/resistance machines. I really dont want to buy a huge piece of equipment though... How does the total body gym (i think thats the name of it) stack up? Any opinions? I was also thinking of buying a free weight set and an exercise ball to round out what I already have.

Ally:confused:

[Viking Dan]

If you have the space, an adjustable bench and some adjustable dumbells(and a barbell) can't be beat for versatility.

Totaly Gyms aren't bad(other than being very $$$.) My buddy got this (http://www.sportsauthority.com/sm-weider-total-body-works-5000--pi-1073982.html), which is a knock off, but its pretty good for the price.

[laughingW]

I have a home setup and went through all that equipment thing. First the machines, then the free weights. I sold em all after I found Clubbells. Nowadays I just use Clubbells. Completely portable and time-and-space friendly. Love them things and they are designed to be used in all planes of motion, unlike weights that usually just go up-down, side-side.

http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/42/brown.html

Krista Scott-Dixon has a writeup on an inexpensive setup for conventional home exercising. Doesn't address mobility, agility, and limit strength in 3D the way Clubbells do but if all you want is basic lifting, there it is.

http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/displayarticle.php?aid=47

[Viking Dan]

Love them things and they are designed to be used in all planes of motion, unlike weights that usually just go up-down, side-side.
Perhaps with machines/barbells, but dumbells?

[laughingW]

Perhaps with machines/barbells, but dumbells?

Dumbells go pretty far. The problem comes with higher weights. You can start hitting body parts unless you move your joints so far out of the way that they get stressed unsafely. The CBs are designed for a good close "swinging profile" even at the heavier weights. Also having most of the weight farther out, almost 2 feet, makes a huge difference in torque since weight *as perceived by your CNS* goes up with the square of speed! very cool. And also because you have to use your hand muscles to grip - instead of a dumbbell where you are also using the structure of finger bone - maximizes the training effect there too. They do so much in so little space.

[Viking Dan]

The CBs are designed for a good close "swinging profile" even at the heavier weights. Also having most of the weight farther out, almost 2 feet, makes a huge difference in torque since weight *as perceived by your CNS* goes up with the square of speed!

Er...I suppose we have different goals. The last thing I want to do is put a huge amount of torque on a joint/muscle/tendon.

If they work for you, congrats. I think I'll remain skeptical.

[laughingW]

Er...I suppose we have different goals. The last thing I want to do is put a huge amount of torque on a joint/muscle/tendon.

If they work for you, congrats. I think I'll remain skeptical.

Oh, I did not mean the weight is on the joint.

The weight is not on the joint! The weight is transferred through the structural chain of joints/connective tissue to the muscle and skeleton just like with any other weight. The difference is that the weight is NOT on the joints and connections, but that the weight can be applied to the musculoskeleton from any direction, because you are not limited in range of motion by the design of the apparatus. So the torque multiplies the pounds your muscles perceive - not joints.

That said, just as with any other weight-bearing exercise, I sure don't put weight on a joint that's not working.

If you could feel it you could tell the difference instantly, I'm sure. For example in a forward swing you use the same muscles as a deadlift and squat. If you did it with your shoulders unpacked, well, that would be the same as doing the deadlift that way. Youch.

[Viking Dan]

For example in a forward swing you use the same muscles as a deadlift and squat.

I can't envision any kind of swinging motion being similar to a squat (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBSquat.html) or a deadlift (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/BBDeadlift.html). Are you confusing those lifts with a clean and jerk (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/OlympicLifts/CleanAndJerk.html) perhaps?

[laughingW]

If you look at these two pictures, you can see how a swing can be like a squat. In both cases the weight is applied to the whole body after being supported by the arms/shoulders. And the whole body holds the weight with a similar position/structure.

http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/images/swpend_son.jpg


http://www.circularstrengthmag.com/images/krista_squat.jpg

Course if your goal is to squat, then squatting it is. All I'm saying is, this is a really fun alternative that is way more comprehensive and effective than it appears at first blush.

[gator8me]

I told the gym owners about my move coming up and my dilema and they offered to give me a good deal on whatever I need of their old stuff... They just revamped one of their locations and they have oodles of bars, weights, balls etc. He said to just say when and he would give me a good deal. I thought that was awfully nice!
Ally

[laughingW]

Wow! that is nice. Great to hear a positive gym story and how neat that you asked.

[gator8me]

The awesome thing was I didn't have to even ask. He threw that out there after I told him about moving! Not only that but put the idea in my head about starting up my own gym (possibly a franchise of theirs) after we get settled into the new place! lol
Ally