Home Exercise Equipment...Recommendations?

[mitch_cumstein]

My girlfriend and I both work long days and just dont have the time or money to spend at the gym around work.

We have a limited budget, maybe $200-300 and a small apartment space.

We're both looking to get a short 'cardio/muscle toning' workout daily.

We're looking at bikes and ellipticals mostly. Particularly, I'm interested if anyone here has tried the 'gazelle' (any model) and if it's a good workout. They look kind of fun. We're also looking at regular (cheapo) ellipticals and cheapo stationary bikes as well as rowing machines.

Ideally, we'd both like to pick up a skiers edge or even nordic track, but they look a little out of our price range, unless anyone here is looking to sell one cheap??!

Any recommendations for the best quality of workout, routines you use, equipment, etc would be much appreciated...

[BigDaddyLionfish]

Get a good pushup, pullup, and situp routine, and you will build more muscle and get into better shape than a 1000$+ machine would get you

[Downbound Train]

all you need is P90-X

[Cruiser]

I've been rocking a POS elliptical for about 5 years now. My advice: get a decent elliptical or don't get one at all. Mine squeaks to high heaven. The resistance is uneven. It has very little adjustment. Overall it's better than having nothing but not much better. My in-laws got a Rebock one from Sam's or Costco a couple of years ago and have been totally satisfied with it. Seems like ours was around $400 and theirs was around $650. Big difference.

[huckbucket]

I've had and used treadmills, stairmasters, spin bikes, stationary bikes, etc. and the one piece that I think would trump all of these would be a decent quality rowing machine. Legs, shoulders, arms, cardio ... would be great.

[2FUNKY]

The Total Gym. Good enough for Chuck, more than good enough for you.

[senior researcher]

sex- not in a prone position,and don't stop till you feel the burn.

[RootSkier]

I've had and used treadmills, stairmasters, spin bikes, stationary bikes, etc. and the one piece that I think would trump all of these would be a decent quality rowing machine. Legs, shoulders, arms, cardio ... would be great.

This. If you seriously think you need/will use a machine, a C2 Rower is the best.

But really...did you say "toning"?????????? :nono2:

[Grange]

sex- not in a prone position,and don't stop till you feel the burn.

Swing is $169.95 and the stand is $179.95.

[mitch_cumstein]

I did say toning. I guess the lady can tone...hell, we can both tone I guess..and then bronze or something.

Now tht we got all that out of our padded room system..

Does anyone here use a 'home gym?'

I've been looking at some ads on craigslist and it looks like there are some pretty decent sub-$200 gyms with stuff like bench press, fly, leg curls, lat pull, etc. Seems like one of these would be a pretty good alternative to the toolbox gym. But the the question becomes- is weight training on one of these machines good for burning excess fat as well as building some muscle? or would we be better off with something like an elliptical?

Looks like we could find a used gym and elliptical for under 300 or so and make half our apt a gym..thoughts?

[sidewall]

http://www.fitnessanywhere.com/

[Steepdeepnlong]

First, do a little research. The average lifespan (use) of a piece of home exercise equipment is about 3 months. Then they collect dust.

Second, look around used sporting good stores or thrift stores or even pawn shops, Craigslist, etc. You should be able to find a variety of machines (see first point above).

Third, you think you're more motivated than the average person and will stick to a routine (but of course you need the presence of a machine to motivate you), than stop looking and fork out the dough for a Concept II Rowing machine (I'm guessing $600-700). Total body workout - legs, arms, back, abs, cardio. I don't care what kind of shape you think think you're in, try rowing 2000 meters on one of these and see what hurts the next day.

Oh, the best collegiate-level rowers can pull 2000m in about 7:00 minutes. That's the women; the men are a little faster. Try it. Tell us if you puke.

[mitch_cumstein]

Swing is $169.95 and the stand is $179.95.

Nothing you say could be as funny as being from Wisconsin. I was just at Tyrol for the holidays.

[mitch_cumstein]

First, do a little research. The average lifespan (use) of a piece of home exercise equipment is about 3 months. Then they collect dust.

Oh, the best collegiate-level rowers can pull 2000m in about 7:00 minutes. That's the women; the men are a little faster. Try it. Tell us if you puke.

All this and what's your point though?

It's really not so much a motivation issue as it is a time and money issue. I'd rather be in my living room with my girlfriend getting some exercise in the evening than spend over an hour in the 24 hour fitness with a bunch of tools.

I leave for work by 6:30 every morning and usually get home around 7-8pm, so time is limited and I'm sitting behind a comp all day. I also commute ~80 miles a day so just the 5 minute additional drive to the gym in typical denver traffic is like ripping teeth out of my skull.

If I get three good months out of a machine and sell it on CL for $50 when things start to warm up I'd be in better shape for climbing, biking, etc. so I see that as a marginal win, but still a win.

I don't think I'm [much] more motivated than the average person.

I'm really not interested in rowing or puking or rowing until I puke and reporting back, but if you're trying to say that rowing machines are good for home exercise then I see your point, thanks. Are cheaper machines typically NG?

[Flowtorch]

Another vote for quality rowing machines. With one of those and an exercise ball, a medicine ball and dumbbells up to about 55lbs or so and your set for life.

Home exercise equip. sucks ass unless your buying the gym quality stuff.

[mitch_cumstein]

Home exercise equip. sucks ass unless your buying the gym quality stuff.

Why? What's the difference, seriously, just curious..

[AltaAndy]

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[Crock]

A couple of those changed my buddy's life. He was always a rather hefty fellow, very insecure about his weight. His parents moved to Florida, he moved into their house way out in the boondocks. Doesn't work much, so just started exercising doing some russian kettlebell routines. He lost probably 60lbs in a year. Now he makes me feel like a fat lazy sob.

[Danno]

You could get a very quality cardio and resistance training workout with little more than a few light dumbells.

[Tye 1on]

I have a fairly cheap elliptical i bought second hand for a song. It's considerably less well built and much squeekier than the gym ones, but does the job.

But another option you might consider is a 'power yoga' kind of workout. I have a couple of Baron Baptiste DVD's, and i'll bet ya a nickel you're pouring sweat and don't finish the whole half hour the first few times. It would take up no space in your apt, it's something you and the chica could do together, and a couple mats and a dvd may run up just over $50. Might also think of going to a yoga class or two to refine your positions, or his book is damn good too. Also obviously good for your flexibility, which goes a long way in injury prevention...

[SorryBro]

(

^^^ This plus an exercise ball. You can strengthen all of the muscles with those. For cardio, I hear running outside works pretty well.

[MTT]

You could get a very quality cardio and resistance training workout with little more than a few light dumbells.

And Maybe a curling bar.

If you do buy some sort of home gym.

Do not buy anything that you could not some how have sex on.

Thats the rule! Take the Girlfreind along to look. If you can't figure out some way to fuck on it. Don't buy it.

Edit.
Read Beandip's post.
Just Sayin

[Dantheman]

Ellipticals are less than useless monstrosities. Get a C2 rower or a quality spin bike like this or nothing. Good deals can probably be had in the Denver area on CL, etc.

If you really want to minimize time and equipment...burpee pullups for time.

[Platinum Pete]

My commute and work life sounds similar to yours, lately at least. It is rough and going to a gym is not high on my list most days - I love long hard days outdoors and no gym I've attended has been interesting at all to me. I concocted dozens of different schemes to get out of going to the gym during bad weather season - everything from "I'll force myself out in bad weather," (lasted 3 weeks) to "I'll do bodyweight exercises at home," (never lasted more than 1 week). Then I bought the gym membership and was not using it because it was out of the way or filled with douches or no time or too crowded or didn't know how to weight lift. I'm glad I never bought a big piece of equipment because that would've been an even more expensive excuse/delay/waste of time. I've finally gotten over my gym aversion and go almost daily and I've found my way to not hate it and that's mostly because I go there and push myself hard to get results - this happens on the opposite side of the gym as the elliptical machines.
When you are really ready to get fitter you will go on a diet and find a way to get to the gym. Respectfully, because everyone goes through different phases of getting in shape, the fact that you are looking for an elliptical machine that will be pleasant to spend time on tells me you are not going to work hard, not going to see results, and probably will abandon the equipment - I'm pretty sure 99% of people would.
Real fitness, the kind that shows results you feel and can measure, takes hard work - work that doesn't get done on an elliptical with toning as a goal. Not that worthwhile workouts are complicated - it's lifting heavy stuff over and again, or sprinting hard for a long time and repeating, or long long runs/swims/rides (or some mix of the above) - but it is not hanging out with your girlfriend and chatting whilst hardly breaking a sweat. Your time is valuable and in short supply - use it to get results.
If you want cardio, you know you can do jumping jacks and run in place without equipment. If you want toning you know you can do push ups, sit ups, squats and lunges. When those get easy add a gallon milk jug full of water behind your head for sit ups or in your hands when you lunge or squat, use that heavy jug for curls to build up your guns. Do long planks, slow one legged push ups, side bends, jump up 2-3 stairs as many times as you can in 60 seconds - rest 30 seconds and do more in your next 60 second set.
The elliptical machine will not make getting in shape easier or more pleasant or more effective - it will be in the way and a waste of money. If you really want one, see if you can stick to 30 minutes of some of the above exercises for 30 days and offer yourself the elliptical as a reward. I'd bet you ditch the elliptical idea by day 20 if you make it that far - that's just 3 weeks to prove to yourself and your girlfriend that you'll actually use the thing.
I don't mean this post to bust on you or suggest you aren't or can't get fit or anything else. I think the goal of getting in better shape is a great one and I wish you luck at it. Buying stuff is not the answer.

[Dantheman]

And Maybe a curling bar.

use that heavy jug for curls to build up your guns.

If you want "guns", do pullups.