Covid ended 30 years of lifting weights 2-3 times a week.  Nearing 60 now and haven't lost any substantial muscle mass because I replaced weights with pullup, situps, and pushups.  Avid runner and do little leg strength exercises but going to add a little this time around.

 

I'm 72 kilo and 179 cm. Before Covid I was benching 100 kilos about 4-5 times at the end of my sessions.  I usually only do 3 sets in total.  Just enough to maintain to slightly loose a little over time.  This will give you a good idea of my plate and bar needs.  I have no idea what I bench now but within a year I assume I will be close to 100-110  kilos max (1 rep) and not interested in benching more because that will already slightly hinder my running.  I will also be doing barbell fly exercise and use the bench bar for curls.  Intent on adding in some half squats once a week but just enough to add a tiny bit of strength to my hips and other leg muscles.  I think I can accomplish this with 100 kilos of weight plates.

 

I live in nowhere Thailand and ordered plates online.  I could have driven hours to a shop but most were selling the exact same plates I could buy online for 25%-100% markups. 

 

My bar and weight setup:

* Have enough dumbbell weights already that are covered in spider webs

* 150 cm bar for bench press and curls  Small exercise room and 220 cm would have been inconvenient to get around.

* 100 kilos of plate

 

I've had this setup built but have not attached the two metal columns because I'm not sure about the best way to do this.  I would rather do a wider area so i can more easily do hanging and pull-up exercises but might be forced to do a narrow setup because of length of the bar shaft isn't long enough.  By bringing it in about shoulder width eliminates the shaft length issue but hinders exercise on the pull-up bar.  THe bar should arrive tomorrow and then I will be welding the bottom supports on and the width will be set.

 

Any  thoughts of how to improve this setup below?  For example, possibly create a removable and adjustable pull-up bar and the bottom support at the base that are also removable and adjustable. I could then expand the width for hanging exercises.  I bought all the metal I needed from the metal shop across the street for 800 baht so not concerned about messing up the first attempt.

 

 

Not sure your budget but they have entire complete machines nowadays that are just 10-20K baht, with all weights. Would be way easier, you would get like 5in1.

This is a nice setup frame too for 5K ish https://www.lazada.co.th/products/power-rack-18-i5816796353-s24769484029.html?

2 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

This is a nice setup frame too for 5K ish https://www.lazada.co.th/products/power-rack-18-i5816796353-s24769484029.html?

Darn, already made most my frame.  That probably would have been ideal.  A little too big for my room but could make it work.  Just put into my Lazada card as a backup if my DIY frame is a failure.

6 hours ago, atpeace said:

I'm 72 kilo and 179 cm

Lol

Is that all? 

With black rimmed glasses too?

Please all I can advise at the weight is to start boxing , surely that's not too much to ask 

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, georgegeorgia said:

Lol

Is that all? 

With black rimmed glasses too?

Please all I can advise at the weight is to start boxing , surely that's not too much to ask 

 

 

 

 

Will give it some thought.  Thanks for the input champ 🙂

There is many packages out there, and I bought most of my gym parts from Gym ware, solid and reliable, but long delivery. 

 

https://www.gymware.com/strength_home_power_rack.html

15 minutes ago, Hummin said:

There is many packages out there, and I bought most of my gym parts from Gym ware, solid and reliable, but long delivery. 

 

https://www.gymware.com/strength_home_power_rack.html

I have the plates and not interested in a complicated setup.  Just need a bench and a pullup bar that will easily fit in my small exercise room.  I have a smart bike trainer and a treadmill already so it is a little tight.  I could expand the room but I have a small pool and Ice bath just outside the room which makes adding space difficult.  Also don't want anything to block the view that I like most about the setup.  That is the main reason I'm building my own stuff.  It has to be compact.

19 minutes ago, atpeace said:

I have the plates and not interested in a complicated setup.  Just need a bench and a pullup bar that will easily fit in my small exercise room.  I have a smart bike trainer and a treadmill already so it is a little tight.  I could expand the room but I have a small pool and Ice bath just outside the room which makes adding space difficult.  Also don't want anything to block the view that I like most about the setup.  That is the main reason I'm building my own stuff.  It has to be compact.

Understand, I already outgrew 36m2 so need to build a new gym or a new bungalow and use next room where mom and dad sleeps when we are not there. Most likely the last

1 hour ago, atpeace said:

Will give it some thought.  Thanks for the input champ 🙂

Thankyou for the jail slang ...now here's mine  ..Rockie

5 hours ago, atpeace said:

I have the plates and not interested in a complicated setup.  Just need a bench and a pullup bar that will easily fit in my small exercise room.  I have a smart bike trainer and a treadmill already so it is a little tight.  I could expand the room but I have a small pool and Ice bath just outside the room which makes adding space difficult.  Also don't want anything to block the view that I like most about the setup.  That is the main reason I'm building my own stuff.  It has to be compact.

 

This looks okay for tiny small apartments 

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/632579103211059/?fs=e&fs=e

 

 

Get a girl and make sure you do giving instead of receiving like some here

i think you should stick to dumbells and skip the 150 cm bar, get a bench that can be in various angles instead,

and get that machine with a rope for triceps

11 hours ago, mordothailand said:

i think you should stick to dumbells and skip the 150 cm bar, get a bench that can be in various angles instead,

and get that machine with a rope for triceps

Already ordered the Bar and weights as stated in the OP 🙂 Dumbbells would have worked but I like bench press exercises and find straight bar curls more enjoyable than dumbbells.  I do plan on using my dumbells I have for fly exercises.

 

My OP was too long and I think, understandably, few read.

8 minutes ago, atpeace said:

Already ordered the Bar and weights as stated in the OP 🙂 Dumbbells would have worked but I like bench press exercises and find straight bar curls more enjoyable than dumbbells.  I do plan on using my dumbells I have for fly exercises.

 

My OP was too long and I think, understandably, few read.

ok, for me my right shoulder cant stand the fixed straight bar in bench press 

13 hours ago, Hummin said:

 

This looks okay for tiny small apartments 

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/632579103211059/?fs=e&fs=e

 

 

That definitely looks good but I would never fold away.  Gave me some ideas though for my next build if my current frame isn't a long-term solution.  Bolting into the wall would  save space and add stability.  Still waiting on my 150cm bar so I can determine the width of the support columns to hold the weight plates ant the pull up bar..  THe seller didn't understand why it would be important and doesn't know.  The rubber coated plates he sent me are better than any gym I've been to in Thailand and were only 7k baht for a 100 kg setup.  Can't believe 5 years ago (last time I lifted weights ) skinny me was able to bench that five times.  Just lugging them around was intimidating.  Maybe I will have incredible muscle memory -555.

25 minutes ago, atpeace said:

That definitely looks good but I would never fold away.  Gave me some ideas though for my next build if my current frame isn't a long-term solution.  Bolting into the wall would  save space and add stability.  Still waiting on my 150cm bar so I can determine the width of the support columns to hold the weight plates ant the pull up bar..  THe seller didn't understand why it would be important and doesn't know.  The rubber coated plates he sent me are better than any gym I've been to in Thailand and were only 7k baht for a 100 kg setup.  Can't believe 5 years ago (last time I lifted weights ) skinny me was able to bench that five times.  Just lugging them around was intimidating.  Maybe I will have incredible muscle memory -555.

 

On our cabin I made up wall anchors and also a platform with achors using elastic bands, and with a few kettle bells I managed to maintain and also in fact do new exercises which impacted my muscles quite differently than heavy weights would had done. 

 

Also bought a pair of adjustable dumbbells as well. The older I get I do less bench press and biceps curls, or French presses etc with straight bars anymore. It takes a toll on the body, and prefer more cables, dumbbells, kettlebells  and elastic bands. 

 

Still do heavy bench press once a month, and I actually managed to lift a bit heavier the last year than the years before. Almost back to my prime time lifting, but of course 18kg heavier than back then and with very little body fat, so not comparable 

2 minutes ago, Hummin said:

 

On our cabin I made up wall anchors and also a platform with achors using elastic bands, and with a few kettle bells I managed to maintain and also in fact do new exercises which impacted my muscles quite differently than heavy weights would had done. 

 

Also bought a pair of adjustable dumbbells as well. The older I get I do less bench press and biceps curls, or French presses etc with straight bars anymore. It takes a toll on the body, and prefer more cables, dumbbells, kettlebells  and elastic bands. 

 

Still do heavy bench press once a month, and I actually managed to lift a bit heavier the last year than the years before. Almost back to my prime time lifting, but of course 18kg heavier than back then and with very little body fat, so not comparable 

We all get old but staying in the game as long as possible is admirable.  Most just give up and that won't be me 🙂I don't get any real pleasure out of lifting but reducing the odds of fractures and increasing the odds of be physically active at 80+ is my goal.  Covid altered my life in a good way but dropping strength training was a failure.

1 minute ago, atpeace said:

We all get old but staying in the game as long as possible is admirable.  Most just give up and that won't be me 🙂I don't get any real pleasure out of lifting but reducing the odds of fractures and increasing the odds of be physically active at 80+ is my goal.  Covid altered my life in a good way but dropping strength training was a failure.

 

Important to remember diet is 80% 😉 Lifting smarter is a thing the older we get and also make sure the muscle groups gets enough rest. What you already managed to build up, is quite easy to maintain with very little effort. 

Just now, Hummin said:

 

Important to remember diet is 80% 😉 Lifting smarter is a thing the older we get and also make sure the muscle groups gets enough rest. What you already managed to build up, is quite easy to maintain with very little effort. 

Always been easy for me.  Peaked at 20 yo and held steady after that until covid.  On 20 minute sessions twice a week kept me at the basically the same level I was at twenty.  I was always that skinny strong guy at the gym.  Running is my passion and weight lifting has to not be overdone if you want to be fast.  Diet is funny and how people don't realise exercise is important but compared to diet it is almost unimportant for the non-competitive every day person.  I  run 160k (not now - f'ed my aerobic capability and working on fixing that )weeks and still had to watch what I was eating or I would add too much fat.