Do YOU lift weigts?



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>I would recommend getting a "Total gym 2000"I have one and it is great for upper body strenght
>training.

Are you serious abt this??
 
In article <[email protected]>, john63401 @yahoo.com says...
> >I would recommend getting a "Total gym 2000"I have one and it is great for upper body strenght
> >training.
>
> Are you serious abt this??
>

Man that stuff is great for hang drying your shorts.
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Chris Phillipo - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia http://www.ramsays-online.com
 
"Mr. E. Mann" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> [email protected] wrote in news:[email protected]:
>
> > More advice?
>
> I would recommend getting a "Total gym 2000"I have one and it is great for upper body strenght
> training. Not a whole lot of leg excercise you can do, but that's what the bike is for. I paid
> about $200 for mine many years ago and It's held up great and is fairly safe for working out
> alone (unless
you
> are a complete idiot and wrap one of the handles around your neck or something).
>
> Hmm, I think it was close to 10 years ago I bought it. Wow, I'm getting old!
>
I have a crappy Weider bench someone gave me, a few sets of dumbbells, straight bar, curl bar, and
about 300lbs. of plates. I can do everything I need to do with this. I do a five day workout, chest,
back, shoulders, arms, and legs & stomach. The sixth day, I may do something I feel did not get
enough work/soreness during the week, and may do some deadlifts. My workouts never, ever last over
30 minutes, and don't need to, as long as I keep making gains, and getting sore. Now if I could just
motivate myself to start running.
 
Every day, without fail. I lift myself outa bed, outa the chair/couch, up the hill, I lift shopping,
lift beers outa the fridge and lift them to drink several times a night - man, my arms and shoulders
are _sooooo_ ripped! Oh, and I got buns o' steel like you wouldn't believe!

Shaun aRe - not to meantion all that air stacked on my head and shoulders all day.
 
John,
before you decide on any machine, consider what areas of your body you want to work. Is your plan to strengthen areas that will improve biking performance, or are you looking for overall fitness?
Reason I as is because if you are looking to reshape your whole body, lifting is only half of the deal. I personally use freeweights and have a bowflex ($1200 model that I got in mint condition at a yard sale for $400). For basic muscle groups, a combination of cardio vascular (running biking etc) and basic freeweight excersizes every other day (benches, flyes, curls, situps ,squats,calf raises, tricep extensions, and lat pulldowns) will get you in pretty decent shape. Although you can do all those excercises on a bowflex (or similar machine) also, I find the bowflex to be much more useful for muscle specific excersizes. The bowflex is fantastic for back, shoulder, tricep, and forearm excercises, (areas which have few freeweight options) and also, the Bowflex is incredible for legs. (calves quads hams)
Many people who lift are totally stuck on the whole freeweight thing, and although freeweights are excellent for many excercises, give a bowflex or similar machine a try before you decide, because they incorporate many more excercises into one station, you don't need a spotter, and as soon as you slap 250lbs or so on the bowflex cables and start benching, you won't think its a gimmick anymore.
 
oops accidentally hit "submit reply"

I also noticed that in an earlier post you mentioned that you like the idea of using dumbells. With a bowflex, you can do any excercise with either individual hand grips or special bars. (squat bar, bench pressing bar, rowing bar)
I find that usuing the individual grips is excellent in training secondary "stabilizer" muscles.

good luck!
 
"AlecLager" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> John, before you decide on any machine, consider what areas of your body you want to work. Is your
> plan to strengthen areas that will improve biking performance, or are you looking for overall
> fitness? Reason I as is because if you are looking to reshape your whole body, lifting is only
> half of the deal. I personally use freeweights and have a bowflex ($1200 model that I got in mint
> condition at a yard sale for $400). For basic muscle groups, a combination of cardio vascular
> (running biking etc) and basic freeweight excersizes every other day (benches, flyes, curls,
> situps ,squats,calf raises, tricep extensions, and lat pulldowns) will get you in pretty decent
> shape. Although you can do all those excercises on a bowflex (or similar machine) also, I find the
> bowflex to be much more useful for muscle specific excersizes. The bowflex is fantastic for back,
> shoulder, tricep, and forearm excercises, (areas which have few freeweight options) and also, the
> Bowflex is incredible for legs. (calves quads hams) Many people who lift are totally stuck on the
> whole freeweight thing, and although freeweights are excellent for many excercises, give a bowflex
> or similar machine a try before you decide, because they incorporate many more excercises into one
> station, you don't need a spotter, and as soon as you slap 250lbs or so on the bowflex cables and
> start benching, you won't think its a gimmick anymore.
>
I'm not disputing the Bowflex, because I would love to have one. You had made reference to limited
back, shoulder, tricep, and forearm options. My options are limited to my imagination, as I have
many ways to work these groups. Some I've made up (or have never seen before), and get results.
Also, to get around getting some solid bench press reps without a spotter, use dumbbells. I can
bench as much as I want, and when I'm done with the set, I simply drop them. be sure to have a good
solid mat(s) to drop them on.
 
>John, before you decide on any machine, consider what areas of your body you want to work. Is
>your plan to strengthen areas that will improve biking performance, or are you looking for
>overall fitness?

Im very weak in my upper body area. So that is the main focus for lifting weights.

Im not really want to do squats or anything like that to be honest

I just want to get more power and a better shape in my upper body

I will continue to bike ride....and that gives my legs plenty of exercise I feel.

As far as the machine vs free weight thing..... Im really undecided on that. Haha. Cant make
a decision.

Im currently thinking of a basic bench and just some dumb bells for now.....as Im kinda limited on
space in my apt. Maybe Im wrong but I wondering if a Bowflex would take more space than just some
free weights that I mention
 
As far as size goes, a basic bowflex and a basic bench are about the same size. (Not that the bench part of a bowflex folds up and the whole machine is on wheels. I can easily store mine in the corner when not in use)
However with either a freeweight set or a bowflex there are attatchment and extras you can add, all of which take up more space. (this would include a lat tower and a leg attatchment for the bowflex). Voodoo is right that you can get excellent results working with dumbells. (Especially without a spotter). I don't know whether or not you have neighbors below you, and that's a thing to consider if you are going to be dropping any weight. (Even on a mat) Do youself a favor, and don't completely rule out the idea of a bench equipped for a barbell. Although it is a little more dangerous to bench alone than with a spotter, if you do not try and lift more than you're capable of lifting its not an issue. If you are going for a slimmer toned upper body, you will want to be doing more reps with less weight anyway. But if you would prefer less tone and more strength and muscle mass, then you would be better off not benching alone. (as that requires reps with more weight)
Check your local yard sales, because most people who buy excercise equipment usually end up using them to hang laundry on anyways. (DONT BE LIKE THEM!)
If you get a freeweight bench, be sure to get a really good weight training book to guide you. I'm not sure about other machines, but bowflex comes with an excellent exercise and workout manual/booklet thingy.

hope that helps
 
"AlecLager" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> As far as size goes, a basic bowflex and a basic bench are about the same size. (Not that the
> bench part of a bowflex folds up and the whole machine is on wheels. I can easily store mine in
> the corner when not in use) However with either a freeweight set or a bowflex there are
> attatchment and extras you can add, all of which take up more space. (this would include a lat
> tower and a leg attatchment for the bowflex). Voodoo is right that you can get excellent results
> working with dumbells. (Especially without a spotter). I don't know whether or not you have
> neighbors below you, and that's a thing to consider if you are going to be dropping any weight.
> (Even on a mat) Do youself a favor, and don't completely rule out the idea of a bench equipped for
> a barbell. Although it is a little more dangerous to bench alone than with a spotter, if you do
> not try and lift more than you're capable of lifting its not an issue. If you are going for a
> slimmer toned upper body, you will want to be doing more reps with less weight anyway. But if you
> would prefer less tone and more strength and muscle mass, then you would be better off not
> benching alone. (as that requires reps with more weight) Check your local yard sales, because most
> people who buy excercise equipment usually end up using them to hang laundry on anyways. (DONT BE
> LIKE THEM!) If you get a freeweight bench, be sure to get a really good weight training book to
> guide you. I'm not sure about other machines, but bowflex comes with an excellent exercise and
> workout manual/booklet thingy.
>
> hope that helps
>
I would rather have something like a Bowflex. It can be a pain in the ass to stop, add weight, or
take off weight. That's why I have two sets of db, and want to get at least one more. Also, I don't
'need' 300lbs of plates. I do plan on a few more plates, because I get sick of taking off of one
bar, to put on another. I'm at about that point now, as my strength has caught up with what I have,
and need about eight more 10lb plates, and I'm rambling now so I'll stop.
 
[email protected] wrote:
> Im currently thinking of a basic bench and just some dumb bells for now.....as Im kinda limited on
> space in my apt. Maybe Im wrong but I wondering if a Bowflex would take more space than just some
> free weights that I mention

Check into a local gym. The cost will be roughly the same, and you'll get access to lots of
equipment and some expertise depending on where you go.

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could to protect our customers. Our products just aren't engineered for security." --Microsoft VP in
charge of Windows OS Development, Brian Valentine.
 
>As far as size goes, a basic bowflex and a basic bench are about the same size. (Not that the bench
>part of a bowflex folds up and the whole machine is on wheels. I can easily store mine in the
>corner when not in use

OK..... I didn't know this abt the size of the BowFlex
 
>I would rather have something like a Bowflex. It can be a pain in the ass to stop, add weight, or
>take off weight.

I agree

But if I did get the dumb bells and bench.... I was thinking of getting the quick change dumb bells
like the PowerBlocks.

Are you familiar with Powerblocks?
 
>Check into a local gym. The cost will be roughly the same, and you'll get access to lots of
>equipment and some expertise depending on where you go.

Yes.... you are probably correct. The above is most likely the best route for me now
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >I would rather have something like a Bowflex. It can be a pain in the ass
to
> >stop, add weight, or take off weight.
>
> I agree
>
> But if I did get the dumb bells and bench.... I was thinking of getting the quick change dumb
> bells like the PowerBlocks.
>
> Are you familiar with Powerblocks?

Yes, and those are very nice. A little pricey, but nice.
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >As far as size goes, a basic bowflex and a basic bench are about the same size. (Not that the
> >bench part of a bowflex folds up and the whole machine is on wheels. I can easily store mine in
> >the corner when not in use
>
> OK..... I didn't know this abt the size of the BowFlex

It could be worth looking into. You are after all just trying to improve upper body for cycling, not
get huge, and bulk up, and add body weight. Don't forget to work the stomach.
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >Check into a local gym. The cost will be roughly the same, and you'll get access to lots of
> >equipment and some expertise depending on where you go.
>
> Yes.... you are probably correct. The above is most likely the best route for me now

Especially if there is one close by. I live out past BFE, so my gear is on the porch.

If you've never weight trained before, it's best to have someone that knows, show you how. Then
later if you want to get your own equipment, you'll know what you're doing.
 
>> Are you familiar with Powerblocks?
>
>Yes, and those are very nice. A little pricey, but nice.

What to do, what to do?

lol
 
> You are after all just trying to improve upper body for cycling, not get huge, and bulk up, and
> add body weight.

No.....Im not trying to get HUGE..... but I do want some more bulk and a better V shape
 
<[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> >> Are you familiar with Powerblocks?
> >
> >Yes, and those are very nice. A little pricey, but nice.
>
> What to do, what to do?
>
> lol

heh, my decision was easy, because I live way out in the country, and someone gave me most of
my weights.
 
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