Looking for advice on setting up a home gym

[vogie]

8 minutes ago, robblok said:

I hope you can find it but the concept is worth its price, its will holds its value and you can use it for a long time. Cheaper in this case means less durability. I can understand you wanting cheaper especially if your not sure if you can keep on doing it. It would be a real expensive clothes hanger.

Yes I understand that, but can you buy a Concept 2 in Thailand. I have looked on the Seara web page and they have everything but the price, which is not a good sign.

[robblok]

10 minutes ago, vogie said:

Yes I understand that, but can you buy a Concept 2 in Thailand. I have looked on the Seara web page and they have everything but the price, which is not a good sign.

I am not sure, usually importing it yourself (just a matter of buying it in the same shop Tropo bought his ski erg) would be cheaper. I doubt (but am not sure) that you could get it cheaper here than importing it like that yourself. 

[vogie]

1 hour ago, robblok said:

I am not sure, usually importing it yourself (just a matter of buying it in the same shop Tropo bought his ski erg) would be cheaper. I doubt (but am not sure) that you could get it cheaper here than importing it like that yourself. 

My wife has just rang Seara up and they quoted 62000baht for the concept 2 (made in the USA) and an Infiniti for 32000baht (made in Australia) the american one is aluminium whilst the australian one is steel.

[robblok]

3 minutes ago, vogie said:

My wife has just rang Seara up and they quoted 62000baht for the concept 2 (made in the USA) and an Infiniti for 32000baht (made in Australia) the american one is aluminium whilst the australian one is steel.

People getting a much cheaper price than the 62.000 when they import themselves. Just look in this topic there are people getting it much cheaper now.  Look in the concept rower topic.

 

from that topic

 

I just purchased the Concept 2 Model D  with PM 5 from Malaysia for $1,060.00

 

I'm told that there are still a few hoops to jump through and I'll post details about the import taxes and other delivery issues once it arrives at my door. 

 

Have to admit that I'm pretty excited to have my own rower.  Right now I do about 25,000 meters/week in two separate hour long sessions at the gym, but I'm expecting at least a 50% increase once the machine is actually in my home.

 

By the way, what do you guys use to prevent or reduce calluses?   

Edited January 11, 2018 by robblok

[vogie]

24 minutes ago, robblok said:

People getting a much cheaper price than the 62.000 when they import themselves. Just look in this topic there are people getting it much cheaper now.  Look in the concept rower topic.

 

from that topic

 

I just purchased the Concept 2 Model D  with PM 5 from Malaysia for $1,060.00

 

I'm told that there are still a few hoops to jump through and I'll post details about the import taxes and other delivery issues once it arrives at my door. 

 

Have to admit that I'm pretty excited to have my own rower.  Right now I do about 25,000 meters/week in two separate hour long sessions at the gym, but I'm expecting at least a 50% increase once the machine is actually in my home.

 

By the way, what do you guys use to prevent or reduce calluses?   

Hi Rob, I couldn't find any links on past posts, I noticed an old one of yours saying your Concept 2 cost you 50,000baht inc shipping and taxes, but that was March 2015, will the price have increased from then? Do you have a link to the dealer in Malaysia please?

 

[robblok]

24 minutes ago, vogie said:

Hi Rob, I couldn't find any links on past posts, I noticed an old one of yours saying your Concept 2 cost you 50,000baht inc shipping and taxes, but that was March 2015, will the price have increased from then? Do you have a link to the dealer in Malaysia please?

 

Hi, you should send Tropo a PM he ordered it in Malaysia too he will give you the adress. It will cost 1060 + around 17% taxes.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, vogie said:

Hi Rob, I couldn't find any links on past posts, I noticed an old one of yours saying your Concept 2 cost you 50,000baht inc shipping and taxes, but that was March 2015, will the price have increased from then? Do you have a link to the dealer in Malaysia please?

 

Go to post 87 of this topic to get the name of the place in penang. Tropo ordered his ski erg at the same place

Aviron Enterprise in Penang   that is what it said

 

 

Aviron Enterprise (Penang, Malaysia) (002003248-P)

Phone: +6016-4656961

www.avironracing.com

[email protected] 

[email protected]

[tropo]

9 hours ago, robblok said:

I hope you can find it but the concept is worth its price, its will holds its value and you can use it for a long time. Cheaper in this case means less durability. I can understand you wanting cheaper especially if your not sure if you can keep on doing it. It would be a real expensive clothes hanger.

LOL> The SkiErg makes a better coathanger. You'd have to stand the rower up on its end. I must admit, it has fallen into disuse for months at a time over the years. It was still in mint condition after 5 1/2 years until I put my first scratch on it last month.

[vogie]

4 minutes ago, tropo said:

LOL> The SkiErg makes a better coathanger. You'd have to stand the rower up on its end. I must admit, it has fallen into disuse for months at a time over the years. It was still in mint condition after 5 1/2 years until I put my first scratch on it last month.

Yes I have a treadmill which I use intermittently, but we have a saying in Yorkshire 'it's eating nowt' I keep getting on it, but it would be nice to have a machine that did a bit of upper body exercise.

[tropo]

7 hours ago, robblok said:

Hi, you should send Tropo a PM he ordered it in Malaysia too he will give you the adress. It will cost 1060 + around 17% taxes.

Add 20% to the cost of the machine plus shipping and you'll get very close to the full costs to the door. They accept payments in MYR or USD. I recommend paying in USD by wire transfer. The other option is Paypal which ends up costing more... but you have to weigh that up against how much one pays for wire transfers.

[janclaes47]

9 minutes ago, tropo said:

The other option is Paypal which ends up costing more... but you have to weigh that up against how much one pays for wire transfers.

Why is would Paypal cost more?

 

All my purchases with paypal are without fees, and I pay in the currency the seller prefers and get exchanged by my CC, so no rip off Paypal exchange rates

[tropo]

21 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Why is would Paypal cost more?

 

All my purchases with paypal are without fees, and I pay in the currency the seller prefers and get exchanged by my CC, so no rip off Paypal exchange rates

If you pay with Paypal you will pay in MYR. You cannot pay them in USD through Paypal.

 

At the time I purchased my SkiErg the costs were as follows, including shipping:

 

MYR: 5330

USD: 1203

 

That was in the first week of August 2017. Using a currency converter at that time, if I paid in MYR I was paying over $1300, $100 more.

 

I have free international wire transfers from a USD account, so it was a no-brainer. If you don't have a USD account, then you have to factor in the cost of currency conversions from your own currency and wire costs. In that case, paying MYR through Paypal could be closer in price.

[janclaes47]

9 minutes ago, tropo said:

If you pay with Paypal you will pay in MYR. You cannot pay them in USD through Paypal.

 

At the time I purchased my SkiErg the costs were as follows, including shipping:

 

MYR: 5330

USD: 1203

 

That was in the first week of August 2017. Using a currency converter at that time, if I paid in MYR I was paying over $1300, $100 more.

 

I have free international wire transfers from a USD account, so it was a no-brainer. If you don't have a USD account, then you have to factor in the cost of currency conversions from your own currency and wire costs. In that case, paying MYR through Paypal could be closer in price.

 I'm not looking for an argument or whatever, and I don't know which exchange rate you are referring to, but if I pay in MYR with Paypal then Paypal charges my credit card in MYR with no additional fees and my credit card does the exchange to the currency of my bank account.

 

No wire transfer or other costs involved, other then the exchange fee my bank charges me.

 

Edit : or I can pay in USD with Paypal, and then they charge the exact amount in USD to my credit card.

Edited January 11, 2018 by janclaes47

[robblok]

9 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 I'm not looking for an argument or whatever, and I don't know which exchange rate you are referring to, but if I pay in MYR with Paypal then Paypal charges my credit card in MYR with no additional fees and my credit card does the exchange to the currency of my bank account.

 

No wire transfer or other costs involved, other then the exchange fee my bank charges me.

 

Edit : or I can pay in USD with Paypal, and then they charge the exact amount in USD to my credit card.

I too thought that we were talking about the bad exchange rate paypal gives if it uses your bank (did not know a credit card gave a different result). The exchange rate i get is always bad if i buy stuff in foreign currencies with paypal. I have it hooked up to my bank so i use paypal its exchange rate. I might hook it up to my creditcard if that gives a better exchange rate.

[robblok]

1 hour ago, vogie said:

Yes I have a treadmill which I use intermittently, but we have a saying in Yorkshire 'it's eating nowt' I keep getting on it, but it would be nice to have a machine that did a bit of upper body exercise.

The rower really does give some upper body exercise that is why i used it less at some time as my upper body was already over trained from all the other exercise. 

[janclaes47]

Just now, robblok said:

I too thought that we were talking about the bad exchange rate paypal gives if it uses your bank (did not know a credit card gave a different result). The exchange rate i get is always bad if i buy stuff in foreign currencies with paypal. I have it hooked up to my bank so i use paypal its exchange rate. I might hook it up to my creditcard if that gives a better exchange rate.

Whenever you pay with Paypal you get the option to select if you want to use the paypal exchange rate or the rate of your bank or credit card.

 

It is well hidden however, but the option is available.

 

In the past you could even select it in your Paypal account to have it applied automatically, but I think they changed that some years ago.

[tropo]

2 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 I'm not looking for an argument or whatever, and I don't know which exchange rate you are referring to, but if I pay in MYR with Paypal then Paypal charges my credit card in MYR with no additional fees and my credit card does the exchange to the currency of my bank account.

 

No wire transfer or other costs involved, other then the exchange fee my bank charges me.

When I use my Paypal account to pay for an item in MYR they are applying the Paypal exchange rate, which DOES include Paypal commission. It is never as good as the bank rate. In my case, my Paypal would convert MYR to USD to charge my credit card. It worked out way cheaper to just pay directly for the SkiErg with USD. For me, at the time, it worked out about $100 cheaper.

 

You'll have to do your own calculations. As I said, if you don't have a USD account paying MYR directly through Paypal may be your best choice.

[tropo]

10 minutes ago, robblok said:

I too thought that we were talking about the bad exchange rate paypal gives if it uses your bank (did not know a credit card gave a different result). The exchange rate i get is always bad if i buy stuff in foreign currencies with paypal. I have it hooked up to my bank so i use paypal its exchange rate. I might hook it up to my creditcard if that gives a better exchange rate.

You can pay for the rower with a credit card directly too, in MYR only. If I was doing it that way I'd make a comparison of the Paypal rate and decide how to do it.

 

On the day I purchased the SkiErg the MYR price quote was quite a bit higher than the USD quote using XE.com exchange rates.

[janclaes47]

Just now, tropo said:

When I use my Paypal account to pay for an item in MYR they are applying the Paypal exchange rate, which DOES include Paypal commission. It is never as good as the bank rate. In my case, my Paypal would convert MYR to USD to charge my credit card. It worked out way cheaper to just pay directly for the SkiErg with USD. For me, at the time, it worked out about $100 cheaper.

 

You'll have to do your own calculations. As I said, if you don't have a USD account paying MYR directly through Paypal may be your best choice.

It's because you don't know how to use Paypal. This is an example with eBay, but it is available with every purchase you check out with Paypal.

 

https://www.paypal-community.com/t5/About-Payments/How-to-change-Paypal-currency-conversion-checkout/td-p/1101198?profile.language=en

 

[robblok]

12 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

Whenever you pay with Paypal you get the option to select if you want to use the paypal exchange rate or the rate of your bank or credit card.

 

It is well hidden however, but the option is available.

 

In the past you could even select it in your Paypal account to have it applied automatically, but I think they changed that some years ago.

Thank you so much i never knew that this was an option, because paypal really screws you over on exchange rates. If you are right and this is also an option for the bank it will save me some money on my small purchases.

[janclaes47]

Just now, robblok said:

Thank you so much i never knew that this was an option, because paypal really screws you over on exchange rates. If you are right and this is also an option for the bank it will save me some money on my small purchases.

 

I can't confirm if it is an option when linked to your ban account, as I have linked my credit card, but it works as shown in the post above yours.

[robblok]

2 minutes ago, janclaes47 said:

 

I can't confirm if it is an option when linked to your ban account, as I have linked my credit card, but it works as shown in the post above yours.

I can easily link paypal to my creditcard too, so its not a problem. Would be nicer though if it was linked to my bank that way. 

[Justfine]

Home gyms can work out cheaper if you buy smart but it can get boring unless you have a training partner. Machines like rowers get boring but are good exercise.

 

Really an incline bench with dumbells and a barbell is all you need. Do 3 or 4 core exercises and then some walking outside.

[tropo]

7 hours ago, Justfine said:

Home gyms can work out cheaper if you buy smart but it can get boring unless you have a training partner. Machines like rowers get boring but are good exercise.

 

Really an incline bench with dumbells and a barbell is all you need. Do 3 or 4 core exercises and then some walking outside.

What you need in a home gym is highly individual and will depend on the person's goals. If you just need to be "fit and healthy" to use a vague and oft-used expression, you don't even need equipment. Strength can be gained and maintained adequately through bodyweight exercises. Cardio training can be done outside in the park.

For others, myself included, a home gym can present quite a big investment and become far more expensive than gym memberships. I have purchased cheap Thai made weight training equipment that is only adequate along with 2 imported cardio machines - the Concept2 SkiErg and rower and odds and ends from the UK, Australia, and the USA, bought online. I have never made an exact tally of my purchases, but I estimate it would cost the same as  10 - 15 years at a public gym assuming a yearly membership of 10k baht.

If I had bought the equipment I really liked, my investment would have at least doubled. It's very expensive to buy high-quality equipment because Thailand doesn't make any, so it must be imported, which can double and even triple the list price of the equipment you're purchasing when considering shipping, import duties, service charges and taxes.

Then, of course, you have to solve the problem of where to put it. If you're only buying a cardio machine, that's easy, but if you want a weight gym, that's not easy unless you live in a house. I have one average sized room (23m2) dedicated to a gym, but I still don't have enough space for everything I'd like. Just the flooring cost me about 15k. Ask Roblok - I'm sure his investment is much higher than mine for his home gym. I need a power cage but don't have space. That would cost around 50k for the one I would like which is available in Thailand (imported).

So why buy all this equipment? Perhaps if I sell it I can recoup half the cost.

Well, I got sick of slumming it in Pattaya gyms. If I was back in Australia I would be satisfied with any number of local gyms where I used to live. After 10 years of roughing it in Pattaya gyms, I just couldn't bear it anymore. It's one thing to fight weights, but training in an environment you dislike makes it exponentially harder. One of the biggest problems here is having to share the gym with countless "guests" from all over the world with absolutely no gym etiquette. No one puts weight away, they don't use towels, they don't share and many are obnoxious. Toilets are absolutely vial and I'd prefer going home than use one if the need arose. Even Thai members can be obnoxious. One time at California Wow I wanted to use a bench a Thai guy had just finished on. He left a giant pool of sweat on it. I asked if he could wipe it off. He gave me an evil stare and wiped it with his hand. Thai members don't understand the concept of sharing equipment either... I could go on but I'm sure many expat gym buffs who train here know where I'm coming from.

I don't need training partners. I don't like training partners. I'm self-motivated. My wife trains in our gym, but not as a partner. She does her exercises, I do mine.

Regarding "boring": Exercise is a serious business for me and I LOVE training at home with no one to disturb me.  My own music, my own hours, my own climate and clean toilets. If I ever get bored I just think of what it used to be like to train at Tonys and smile.
 

 

 

.

[speedtripler]

2 hours ago, tropo said:

What you need in a home gym is highly individual and will depend on the person's goals. If you just need to be "fit and healthy" to use a vague and oft-used expression, you don't even need equipment. Strength can be gained and maintained adequately through bodyweight exercises. Cardio training can be done outside in the park.

For others, myself included, a home gym can present quite a big investment and become far more expensive than gym memberships. I have purchased cheap Thai made weight training equipment that is only adequate along with 2 imported cardio machines - the Concept2 SkiErg and rower and odds and ends from the UK, Australia, and the USA, bought online. I have never made an exact tally of my purchases, but I estimate it would cost the same as  10 - 15 years at a public gym assuming a yearly membership of 10k baht.

If I had bought the equipment I really liked, my investment would have at least doubled. It's very expensive to buy high-quality equipment because Thailand doesn't make any, so it must be imported, which can double and even triple the list price of the equipment you're purchasing when considering shipping, import duties, service charges and taxes.

Then, of course, you have to solve the problem of where to put it. If you're only buying a cardio machine, that's easy, but if you want a weight gym, that's not easy unless you live in a house. I have one average sized room (23m2) dedicated to a gym, but I still don't have enough space for everything I'd like. Just the flooring cost me about 15k. Ask Roblok - I'm sure his investment is much higher than mine for his home gym. I need a power cage but don't have space. That would cost around 50k for the one I would like which is available in Thailand (imported).

So why buy all this equipment? Perhaps if I sell it I can recoup half the cost.

Well, I got sick of slumming it in Pattaya gyms. If I was back in Australia I would be satisfied with any number of local gyms where I used to live. After 10 years of roughing it in Pattaya gyms, I just couldn't bear it anymore. It's one thing to fight weights, but training in an environment you dislike makes it exponentially harder. One of the biggest problems here is having to share the gym with countless "guests" from all over the world with absolutely no gym etiquette. No one puts weight away, they don't use towels, they don't share and many are obnoxious. Toilets are absolutely vial and I'd prefer going home than use one if the need arose. Even Thai members can be obnoxious. One time at California Wow I wanted to use a bench a Thai guy had just finished on. He left a giant pool of sweat on it. I asked if he could wipe it off. He gave me an evil stare and wiped it with his hand. Thai members don't understand the concept of sharing equipment either... I could go on but I'm sure many expat gym buffs who train here know where I'm coming from.

I don't need training partners. I don't like training partners. I'm self-motivated. My wife trains in our gym, but not as a partner. She does her exercises, I do mine.

Regarding "boring": Exercise is a serious business for me and I LOVE training at home with no one to disturb me.  My own music, my own hours, my own climate and clean toilets. If I ever get bored I just think of what it used to be like to train at Tonys and smile.
 

 

 

.

When I first came to Thailand, I trained at a free gym with army police and anyone else who could find the place 

 

Most of the equipment was old and rusty and half broken but it was still fun

 

Don't even think they had a toilet tbh but everyone just ignored the issues and got on with the training,  fun times thinking back

 

 

[tropo]

3 hours ago, speedtripler said:

When I first came to Thailand, I trained at a free gym with army police and anyone else who could find the place 

 

Most of the equipment was old and rusty and half broken but it was still fun

 

Don't even think they had a toilet tbh but everyone just ignored the issues and got on with the training,  fun times thinking back

 

 

That's nice for a holiday, but long term you need more serious solutions. Perhaps it's all about what you want rather than what you need as you can make do with very little if you need to. A good analogy would be what car people drive. Some might drive a VW Beetle while others a Porsche yet they both achieve the same goal - A to B transport.

 

Sometimes I go up to the free outside exercise area on the hill just up from the Pattaya sign and have a fantastic workout doing bodyweight exercises - push-ups, inverted rows, pull ups, dips, leg raises etc. On the other side near the tourist police headquarters, they even have weighted logs for shoulder presses.

 

There are plenty of free options if one is motivated.

[Justfine]

You can buy free weights and incline bench second hand and get set up for about 6000 baht. You can't beat free weights for muscle growth.

 

 

[tropo]

10 hours ago, Justfine said:

You can buy free weights and incline bench second hand and get set up for about 6000 baht. You can't beat free weights for muscle growth.

 

 

If you want to set up a good home gym as cheaply as possible free weights are really your only choice as they are versatile. I wouldn't be obsessed with incline or bench presses though. Most people do far too much of those exercises and neglect the rest of the body. I've found bodyweight push-ups far superior - performed to full ROM and slowly between chairs or using rotating push-up handles. They are certainly a lot better for shoulder health and you work your core at the same time.

[Justfine]

48 minutes ago, tropo said:

If you want to set up a good home gym as cheaply as possible free weights are really your only choice as they are versatile. I wouldn't be obsessed with incline or bench presses though. Most people do far too much of those exercises and neglect the rest of the body. I've found bodyweight push-ups far superior - performed to full ROM and slowly between chairs or using rotating push-up handles. They are certainly a lot better for shoulder health and you work your core at the same time.

Incline dumbells are really good for combo core workout. Push ups are poor for chest. More for arms than chest.

 

I only do 3 core exercises with weights. No need for a dozen like gym people do.

[tropo]

5 hours ago, Justfine said:

Incline dumbells are really good for combo core workout. Push ups are poor for chest. More for arms than chest.

 

I only do 3 core exercises with weights. No need for a dozen like gym people do.

If push-ups are poor for your chest, you're doing it wrong. I only feel it in the chest and most definitely not in the arms. Hand and foot position is key. The pump and tension I can attain in the chest from pushups are outstanding and no barbell or DB movement comes close... and that's why I start with push-ups in every chest workout. I should mention that a person's bodyweight could be a factor. On flat push-ups, I'm pushing 70kg at my hands (measured on a digital scale). Pushing up and then lowering slowly down to a full stretch (using rotating push-up handles that allow a greater ROM and more favourable hand positioning) and holding it momentarily at the bottom will work your pectoral muscles like nothing else. If you weigh less and/or are very strong, it could be too light. I place my feet on a bar which I raise and lower to increase and vary the load.

 

I actually do both incline DB and pushups as well as barbell inclines, but if I had to choose one it would be push-ups. There's absolutely no core involvement in DB inclines other than getting them up to your chest, which will likely cause injuries if you're lifting heavy. That's where power hooks come in handy if you're training without a spotter.

 

As for who needs many exercises and who doesn't - that depends on what you're trying to achieve. There is no one program for everyone. If you're interested only in "health and fitness", then one or two movements would be fine. If you're a bodybuilder and want maximum hypertrophy a higher volume is beneficial. If you want to be a powerlifter, then lower volume with heavier weighs works better.

Edited February 14, 2018 by tropo