Training with minimal equipment

[Cornfed]

Suppose you were wanting to train at home or train others without doing the bullshit certification courses that gyms generally require or to start a small fitness club or sell people a complete fitness system. What sort of minimally bulky and expensive equipment would you use?

I can think of four options:

1. Squat rack + bench + bar + weights (or smith machine + weights). This would be quite versatile and would train pretty much the whole body with the possible exception of lats, and is the only one of the four that would suit doing powerlifting workouts. On the down side, it would be quite bulky and expensive.

2. Kettle bells. You would need a selection. On the up side you could do a whole body workout (lats possibly excepted) including aerobic and flexibility work.

3. Training machines like Total Gym, Bowflex etc. Convenient and would do for some people, but a bit wussy for experienced lifters.

4. Partner-assisted tension. I'm not sure how well this would work, but it should work OK given that the muscles in the human body generally come in pairs which pull in opposite directions. On the positive side, it would require no equipment and, depending on your training partner, might be quite fun.

Out of that lot, I'm thinking kettle bells might be the way to go.

[ExpensiveUrine]

Train for what exactly?

[Cornfed]

Train for what exactly?

General strength/health training.

[ExpensiveUrine]

Question: Why don't you want to train in the gym?

For general strength training I'd go with option 1, provided you have space for all the equipment. It's probably going to cost you more too, but it'll pay itself off in the long run.

Can't really comment on the kettle bell training since I don't do it nor read about it.

Don't think I'd go for Bowflex/Cable crap.

As for option 4, you can't really vary resistance and overload yourself long-term. It's not really practical nor is it measurable.

[Pseudonym]

I'd go with option 1 too.

Squat rack with adjustable bench, barbell and plates, selection of adjustable dumbells - and you're set. Do chins off the squat rack for lats.

[BigBob]

Cool thread, especially as I still train in my garage!!!

In days of yore... All I had was a barbell, set of dumbells and miscellaneous plates. To hit chest hard, I'd do weighted push-ups, and thankfully there was a suitable anchoring point to place my barbell to do chins. Not really a good way to get a fully-rounded physique though, your upper chest suffers somewhat!)

You could advocate the full calistenic (Have I spelt that right? I don't think so...) workout where you just use your bodyweight, but you'd need somewhere to do chins, etc...

I now use a bench and power rack with said barbell and dumbells and that hits me as hard as I need to go, my gym has a pull-down and preacher curl attachment, along with the pretty standard leg curl/extension attachment so that keeps the variety up.

The cost of power racks keeps this kind of option expensive though!

Failing that, prescribe a blonde nymphomaniac who know the kamasutra backwards, she could give you a pilates/yoga style workout that would keep a smile on your face!

Hmm... I wonder if I could convince my wife that the hot blonde in teh garage is a piece of 'exercise equipment' :wink:

[Cornfed]

I'd go with option 1 too.

Squat rack with adjustable bench, barbell and plates, selection of adjustable dumbells - and you're set. Do chins off the squat rack for lats.

You're probably right. I'd estimate that that lot, including a chinup attachment, would cost a little over $3k new, whereas the latest bowflex costs about $4k. Still, it would be interesting to know whether there is anything less cumbersome and cheaper that would do almost as well.

[Cornfed]

You could advocate the full calistenic (Have I spelt that right? I don't think so...) workout where you just use your bodyweight, but you'd need somewhere to do chins, etc... [..] Failing that, prescribe a blonde nymphomaniac who know the kamasutra backwards, she could give you a pilates/yoga style workout that would keep a smile on your face!

Perhaps it would be possible to teach a course in "equipment free resistance training" combining traditional callisthenic exercises with partner-assisted exercises. The class would serve as a catchment area for the aforementioned nymphomaniacs, who could assist you with further exercises as well as boosting your testosterone.

[pimp]

a girlfriend is good equiment

[Cornfed]

a girlfriend is good equiment

Yeah, but I was hoping for something cheaper, less cumbersome and lower maintenance.

[deegee]

Option 1 looks best but i would always prefer to train in a gym if at all possible. Had to do a search to find what a bowflex was. I would not waste any money on one, it looks like another fad machine and overpriced.

[Ash]

Definitely option 1!

There's not much you can't do with a bench, a BB and a power rack. Not a squat rack BTW - just a plain old simple upright power rack, which will take up less space. With a bit of that famous Kiwi ingenuity, I'm sure a sturdy power rack can be put together by a local welder/engineering works for far less than a commercial unit.

As for the kettlebells, I'm not all that familiar with them but if I had a choice, I'd rather have a set of spin lock DB bars, a variety of plates and a bench (that can incline).

[bulking]

I bought a gym squat rack on trademe for $140, a chins/dips/lower abs station new for $160. With my bench/leg ext/pulldown I can pretty much hit everything.

you just have to shop around and dont buy from elite fitness etc, theyll charge you an arm and a leg.

[lazyone]

I now use a bench and power rack with said barbell and dumbells and that hits me as hard as I need to go...

Man, I would LOVE to have a power rack at home!! So bloody expensive though... and have yet to find someone who can make one :|

I'd go with option 1 too.

[Spitterkat]

get a builder to build some stuff for you, you can get a book from ironmind on building gear for @ home (realiable also), and the cost would only be a couple hundred (still need a bar / plates though, unless u wanna fill old tyres with concrete )