Home gym making a comback

[ThaiWai]

I was about two months into Muay Thai when this all started to get real and my coach said he was one of the guys who went to the now famous Lumpini event.  I didn't go back the next day and a few days after that everything was shut down anyway.  A short break was nice from my 6 day a week routine but I can't wait to get back. My afternoon workout was my number one priority and everything fell into place around it.  Gave me nice structure, goals and motivations.  I was just past the "pain zone" and making real progress for the first time then....ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! 

[donnacha]

How do any of you figure that public gyms will open again at any point before an effective vaccine is discovered, mass produced, and injected into most of the population of Thailand?

Even if the number of infections drop, the rules necessary to prevent another wave will preclude any business in which a large number of people, in close proximity, share equipment and exhale droplets in an enclosed space.

Certain types of business are not coming back anytime soon.

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by donnacha

[Kennycrossfit]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

Yes that much is for sure its far better then othing and I probably would be doing push ups too if i had no other stuff. Its about making due with what you have. Yes there are quite a few forms of push ups. I am not gaining any muscle any more either. But at my age and my training history i should not expect much more. I might be able to train some weak points.

 

I like those abb wheels too, cost little but give the core a nice workout. 

Do 1 minute plank, ab wheels 1 minute and scissor kicks 1 minute for 4 rounds, good ab workout 

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, donnacha said:

How do any of you figure that public gyms will open again at any point before an effective vaccine is discovered, mass produced, and injected into most of the population of Thailand?

Even if the number of infections drop, the rules necessary to prevent another wave will preclude any business in which a large number of people, in close proximity, share equipment and exhale droplets in an enclosed space.

Certain types of business are not coming back anytime soon.

 

I have no clue if and when they will be opened again. That is the good thing of my home gym. Still it was nice to train there. I hope for others sake that it opens up soon again. I think in a gym you could practice social distancing. At least in the gym i go to in the mornings there were almost never more then 5 ppl in the whole gym. 

[donnacha]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

I think in a gym you could practice social distancing.

According to the latest thinking on how far the plumes of exhaled droplets travel, especially during exertion, and how long they then linger in the air, sometimes up to 30 minutes after the person has left, it appears that the 2m social distancing guidance is pretty much useless.
 

 

4 minutes ago, robblok said:

At least in the gym i go to in the mornings there were almost never more then 5 ppl in the whole gym.

Pre-corona, it was apparent that most gyms in Thailand were far from filling their capacity. Obviously, some gyms were very popular and over-subscribed, but most were barely hanging on.

Now, a major problem is that the idea of sharing space with other people is going to fall out of fashion for a long time. All those casual exercisers are going to disappear for a while.  The hardcore who do turn up may not be enough to allow the gym to cover its costs.
 

 

10 minutes ago, robblok said:

I hope for others sake that it opens up soon again.

I agree. This is a real detriment to many lives. Staying fit was already hard enough.
 

 

11 minutes ago, robblok said:

That is the good thing of my home gym.

Home gyms are definitely the best idea now, but require a certain amount of discipline and internal motivation that most people lack. I expect companies, such as Peleton, who use online engagement to replicate some of the gym atmosphere and camaraderie, to become extremely popular now.


 

[Kennycrossfit]

The good thing with home gyms is that you just concentrate on the main compound lifts, no fluff exercises. 

[robblok]

1 minute ago, Kennycrossfit said:

The good thing with home gyms is that you just concentrate on the main compound lifts, no fluff exercises. 

Even in the commercial gym i centered on main compound lifts. But there was just a wider selection of leg exercises. I also liked the weighted abb exercise as to grow abs you need to train them as any other muscle. Not countless repetitions. 

 

But yes its a back to basics kind of thing. I got a lat pulley, power-rack, special dead-lift bar, dumbbells up to 120 lbs. Over 200 kg of disks for the olympic bar. One of those dips / pull up stations and a cross trainer and concept 2 rowing machine. 

 

Still there is more in a commercial gym but I can certainly do everything i want with this. 

[RickG16]

4 hours ago, robblok said:

That is all good and nice fortt the average person not for people who have build up some muscle. Still its a lot better then nothing.  Plus I don't advice people to buy a home gym (just those that are truly fanatic). I used my home gym for years. I think i broke even a long time ago. Otherwise its just too expensive. Assuming this virus does not stay long.

 

But i know quite a few serious gym goers that hate it that they can't do a think body weight exercises are nice but not for everyone. I think they will be great for most older people. For me pushups are nothing and dips (bodyweight) i need to ad 20 to 30 kg to make them heavy. Squats with just body weights don't do much if yo normally add 100+ kg. 

 

So it kinda depends who you are and what point you are at. I advised a powerrack that is only for people with experience. I mean you need to know what to do to get the most out of it.

 

Bodyweight is nice for people who are not as trained yet.

 

Again to each his or her own.

If the bodyweight exercises are too easy, increase frequency, and you might find you have a lot more definition to add to your muscle mass!

 

And really... if you lose a bit of muscle mass while alone in lockdown, who cares?!

[RickG16]

4 hours ago, Kennycrossfit said:

So you think doing pushups is nothing, I personally think its a great movement, and yes I can bench press heavy. 

Bodyweight exercises shouldn't be easy if you are doing enough of them.... interesting the OP says he and some experienced gym users hate them... could that be because they are hard, and a shake up from the same old weights routine?! That's good though...

 

Look at any top elite athletes and they can do a mix of weights and bodyweight exercises.

 

Of course if all you are interested in is preserving massive pecs... that's different. Let's be honest here OP, are we talking about fitness and maintaining a good level of muscle mass, or looking like a bodybuilder in the mirror?

[robblok]

46 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

If the bodyweight exercises are too easy, increase frequency, and you might find you have a lot more definition to add to your muscle mass!

 

And really... if you lose a bit of muscle mass while alone in lockdown, who cares?!

I am not sure what your (sports) qualifications are but you really made me laugh. Definition comes from a low fat percentage not from body-weight frequency. Your telling tales that were told when I was young they were false then they are false now.

 

https://www.nickcheadlefitness.com/myth-busters-8-light-weights-high-reps-for-toning/

 

I don't care much about losing some muscle much, I care more about getting fat. But that is more diet thing. But my diet works better when i exercise. (psychological thing). 

[RickG16]

3 minutes ago, robblok said:

I am not sure what your (sports) qualifications are but you really made me laugh. Definition comes from a low fat percentage not from body-weight frequency. Your telling tales that were told when I was young they were false then they are false now.

 

https://www.nickcheadlefitness.com/myth-busters-8-light-weights-high-reps-for-toning/

 

I don't care much about losing some muscle much, I care more about getting fat. But that is more diet thing. But my diet works better when i exercise. (psychological thing). 

Look we can all become personal trainers very quickly on here... but let me offer one piece of advice as someone who also likes lifting heavy weights.... you can take it or leave it...

 

In my opinion, switching up your routine to bodyweight exercises for a few weeks will actually help you lift more when you go back to the gym! Challenge your body in a different way. 

[robblok]

43 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

Bodyweight exercises shouldn't be easy if you are doing enough of them.... interesting the OP says he and some experienced gym users hate them... could that be because they are hard, and a shake up from the same old weights routine?! That's good though...

 

Look at any top elite athletes and they can do a mix of weights and bodyweight exercises.

 

Of course if all you are interested in is preserving massive pecs... that's different. Let's be honest here OP, are we talking about fitness and maintaining a good level of muscle mass, or looking like a bodybuilder in the mirror?

They hate them as they are not effective at all for maintaining muscle and far too easy. I guess you never build any serious mass (no offence). So i doubt you know what your talking about. Your remark about high reps and definition showed me as much.

 

We are talking about maintaining a good level of muscle mass. The best way to do that is with weights not with body-weight exercises. If you were right all the bodybuilders would do them they are the experts on maintaining muscle.

 

As for looking like a bodybuilder, i doubt many including myself would qualify. I am above average muscle mass but no where near a competitive bodybuilder. However their methods are the best for gaining and maintaining mass. Its the whole goal of their sports. 

 

If you want to look like a soccer player then do things a soccer-player does. If you want muscle doing soccer training is not going to help you much. Its all about picking the right tool for the job.

 

Why take a less effective tool to reach your goal. Again it all depends on your goal and even if you don't want to look like a bodybuilder but gaining some mass and keeping it. Progressive overload with weights is the best way. Anyone who says otherwise has no clue what they are talking about.

 

I am not saying that body-weight has no place in training it certainly does. But its not a mass builder or keeper of mass. 

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

Look we can all become personal trainers very quickly on here... but let me offer one piece of advice as someone who also likes lifting heavy weights.... you can take it or leave it...

 

In my opinion, switching up your routine to bodyweight exercises for a few weeks will actually help you lift more when you go back to the gym! Challenge your body in a different way. 

Im no personal trainer... but you made a mistake that only newbies make. The definition thing and high reps has been debunked for ages. That you still come up with it really dents your credibility.

 

Switching a routine up.. that is something we can agree upon that usually helps but not so sure it helps doing body-weight exercises. . But changing the rep ranges / exercises / tempo and such can ignite new growth. I would be a fool to not know that.

Edited April 14, 2020 by robblok

[alex8912]

2 hours ago, donnacha said:

According to the latest thinking on how far the plumes of exhaled droplets travel, especially during exertion, and how long they then linger in the air, sometimes up to 30 minutes after the person has left, it appears that the 2m social distancing guidance is pretty much useless.
 

 

Pre-corona, it was apparent that most gyms in Thailand were far from filling their capacity. Obviously, some gyms were very popular and over-subscribed, but most were barely hanging on.

Now, a major problem is that the idea of sharing space with other people is going to fall out of fashion for a long time. All those casual exercisers are going to disappear for a while.  The hardcore who do turn up may not be enough to allow the gym to cover its costs.
 

 

I agree. This is a real detriment to many lives. Staying fit was already hard enough.
 

 

Home gyms are definitely the best idea now, but require a certain amount of discipline and internal motivation that most people lack. I expect companies, such as Peleton, who use online engagement to replicate some of the gym atmosphere and camaraderie, to become extremely popular now.


 

Oh boy. Enough. Gyms will be open before you know it. Many countries including cities in Japan still have gyms open. Why are you so negative? What’s the point. You probably think restaurants won’t be open soon. What gyms especially in BKK were a almost dead?  They were packed.

Edited April 14, 2020 by alex8912

[RickG16]

8 minutes ago, robblok said:

Im no personal trainer... but you made a mistake that only newbies make. The definition thing and high reps has been debunked for ages. That you still come up with it really dents your credibility.

 

Switching a routine up.. that is something we can agree upon that usually helps but not so sure it helps doing body-weight exercises. . But changing the rep ranges / exercises / tempo and such can ignite new growth. I would be a fool to not know that.

You've already said you've invested in home gym equipment, and so while you might be a bit restricted, you should be able to still meet your objectives.

 

My initial advice was to other gym goers... to just buy a mat instead.

 

However, I would be interested to hear how you found switching to bodyweight for a week, and then switching back. 

[Kerryd]

Set this up a couple years ago on the patio. 
It's enough for me. I usually do a 3km fast walk/half jog in the morning then a few sets on the equipment (on a rotating schedule).

The old clothes on the equipment was to discourage the local cats from clawing everything to pieces. I finally put some plastic mesh on the gate and "fence" which keeps the cats from coming in at all.

I had originally bought some interlocking foam squares from the hardware store to use as a base under the equipment. The cats loved tearing that stuff up when they couldn't get at the seats of the benches and mini gym.
I ended up having to replace it all and the second time I put a layer of plastic mesh (small holes) on top followed by a layer of mesh with larger holes on top of the foam and secured them together with plastic zap straps.
Works great and the 2 layers of plastic mesh provide a little more padding between the equipment/weights and the tiles underneath. The fan in the corner keeps it a little cooler and I can set some computer speakers in the window and play music off of the computer.

Like I said, it's enough for me. 

 

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

You've already said you've invested in home gym equipment, and so while you might be a bit restricted, you should be able to still meet your objectives.

 

My initial advice was to other gym goers... to just buy a mat instead.

 

However, I would be interested to hear how you found switching to bodyweight for a week, and then switching back. 

I invested in it years back but went to a commercial gym for social contacts and they have just a bit more machines. I got enough tools to train. Just miss the other stuff.

 

I agree why invest in a home gym right now.. far to expensive for a few months. 

 

I did something similar did not train for a while only did swimming and switched back.. did not help one bit for strength. I do body weight exercises (pull ups) and dips. Dips i just add weights pull ups are not my strong suit so no need to add weights.

 

Though id consider pull ups and dips both mass builders as in general the rep range is low (not like 20+) Push ups is different. You still got people doing countless amounts or situps to get bigger abs. Its useless. I just try to prevent people who want to build muscle from making those mistakes.

[robblok]

6 minutes ago, Kerryd said:

Set this up a couple years ago on the patio. 
It's enough for me. I usually do a 3km fast walk/half jog in the morning then a few sets on the equipment (on a rotating schedule).

The old clothes on the equipment was to discourage the local cats from clawing everything to pieces. I finally put some plastic mesh on the gate and "fence" which keeps the cats from coming in at all.

I had originally bought some interlocking foam squares from the hardware store to use as a base under the equipment. The cats loved tearing that stuff up when they couldn't get at the seats of the benches and mini gym.
I ended up having to replace it all and the second time I put a layer of plastic mesh (small holes) on top followed by a layer of mesh with larger holes on top of the foam and secured them together with plastic zap straps.
Works great and the 2 layers of plastic mesh provide a little more padding between the equipment/weights and the tiles underneath. The fan in the corner keeps it a little cooler and I can set some computer speakers in the window and play music off of the computer.

Like I said, it's enough for me. 

 

That is more then enough for most people.. a bench.. a few dumbbells. That is how I started. But i was serious about training and at that time there were no gyms near my home so i bought more and more stuff. Over the years i had my moneys worth for sure.

 

Your basic set would be a good thing to have now for a lot of people.  

[RickG16]

1 minute ago, robblok said:

I did something similar did not train for a while only did swimming and switched back.. did not help one bit for strength. I do body weight exercises (pull ups) and dips. Dips i just add weights pull ups are not my strong suit so no need to add weights.

 

Though id consider pull ups and dips both mass builders as in general the rep range is low (not like 20+) Push ups is different. You still got people doing countless amounts or situps to get bigger abs. Its useless. I just try to prevent people who want to build muscle from making those mistakes.

That's just scratching the surface though. There are loads more exercises which are excellent for core and explosive power too. 

 

Of course I agree they are not the best for building muscle on their own. I am talking about a switch which will ultimately lead to better fitness and more ability to build muscle, when back in the gym.

 

As you say, each to their own. I am just offering my own experience. 

[Kennycrossfit]

It's been a month now not working out in a gym and just doing bodyweight and banded exercises and I could tell im  losing strength and muscle mass at the 3 week stage, I don't mind the bodyweight and banded exercises but it's a poor substitute to my normal workouts, I'm not a bodybuilder nor do I want to look like one, at 48 years old, 188cm 90kg and 8-10% body fat I'm happy with what I've got. 

[thequietman]

Have home gym, but with the pollution and the heat, it's hard to motivate myself to begin.

 

I will try to get back into it this evening. I do use my spin bike for a 30 minute HIIT workout most days. ????

[thequietman]

7 minutes ago, Kennycrossfit said:

I'm not a bodybuilder nor do I want to look like one, at 48 years old, 188cm 90kg and 8-10% body fat I'm happy with what I've got.

May I ask please, how you measure your body fat?  Thanks. ????

[robblok]

5 minutes ago, Kennycrossfit said:

It's been a month now not working out in a gym and just doing bodyweight and banded exercises and I could tell im  losing strength and muscle mass at the 3 week stage, I don't mind the bodyweight and banded exercises but it's a poor substitute to my normal workouts, I'm not a bodybuilder nor do I want to look like one, at 48 years old, 188cm 90kg and 8-10% body fat I'm happy with what I've got. 

I find it strange why people are always worried about looking like a bodybuilder most (me included) could not even reach that stage. Its just that progressive overload always helps to gain and keep muscle. That is just harder to do with bands and bodyweight.

 

Just to keep muscle its important to have some weights bands and body-weight does not really cut it. I don't lose muscle fast but the flip side is i do get fat easy. I have never really noticed myself losing muscle, i did lose muscle when i had my shoulder injury and could not train for 3 months.

 

It was really hard going back to the gym struggling with 50 kg bench when normally i did sets with 110 kg or so. Now i got back to that but it was an eye opener. I really hated it that i could not train but could not be helped.

[robblok]

1 minute ago, thequietman said:

May I ask please, how you measure your body fat?  Thanks. ????

Almost impossible to measure. One could use a skin caliper (but requires training to operate). Some scales give a number (but highly inaccurate for those who have more then average muscle). 

 

There are things like a dexa scan or hydro static weighing. I have given up on finding real numbers. I just look in the mirror and take a tape measure to measure my belly to see if its expanding or contracting. (much easier). The number itself is largely irrelevant. That is in my opinion anyway. 

[Kennycrossfit]

4 minutes ago, thequietman said:

May I ask please, how you measure your body fat?  Thanks. ????

Guessitmate????

[robblok]

Just now, Kennycrossfit said:

Guessitmate????

Yea.. like i said.. hard to get real hard numbers ????

[robblok]

7 minutes ago, thequietman said:

Have home gym, but with the pollution and the heat, it's hard to motivate myself to begin.

 

I will try to get back into it this evening. I do use my spin bike for a 30 minute HIIT workout most days. ????

Just try to get back into it.. i know exactly how you feel after a period of being inactive its always hard to start. But once you start its possible.

[robblok]

15 minutes ago, RickG16 said:

That's just scratching the surface though. There are loads more exercises which are excellent for core and explosive power too. 

 

Of course I agree they are not the best for building muscle on their own. I am talking about a switch which will ultimately lead to better fitness and more ability to build muscle, when back in the gym.

 

As you say, each to their own. I am just offering my own experience. 

Sure there are more exercises, i like the ab-wheel for instance great for the core. 

 

But I do switch my training up once in a while. Now ill be switching it up again. 

[brokenbone]

i bought a lifetime membership on tony,

but only half a year during the last couple of decades was my back up to snuff to use it, now i dont think i can ever go back,

so wasted money. otoh those money would just have gone to even more beer so im not too upset about the money part

[Tchooptip]

17 hours ago, robblok said:

I have a chat with Thais or foreigners after a workout or between exercises. So there is some socialising and I like it. It can also be motivating to see other people.

 

But my homegym is great it has most things still it can never have all the stuff a commercial gym has. I am mainly missing out on leg exercises, and i loved the weighted abb machine and some other stuff. Sure I can make due in my home gym. I have for years and grew some muscle in it too.

 

But recently i just switched just to be "out" for a while and the gym was like 5 minutes on the motorbike from my home. So not too far.

 

But now in lockdown I am happy to have my home gym still. 

I have a homme gym too but I guess it is much cheaper than yours ???? and however I do two hours every single day ????