Equipment Questions - Upgrade from Crossbow
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Equipment Questions - Upgrade from Crossbow - 8/23/2004 8:34:54 PM
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y2j2k
Posts: 43
Joined: 4/15/2004
Status: offline
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I need some help in regard to weight lifting equipment. I have only been lifting for about 10 months now and have been doing all of my training at home with a Crossbow.
The reason I got this is that is was relatively cheap and while I knew after I lost weight I wanted to start lifting I didn't know if I would keep at it so I didn't want to spend a lot of money on other equipment and didn't want to join a gym which I knew I would never keep up my routine like I have (I have never missed a workout) and I didn't want to embarass myself.
I have considered joining a gym but I still don't think I would be able to keep up my routine and I don't want to miss sessions so I will continue training at home.
So the questions:
1) Are dumbbells a good step up? I have read in many places that free weights / dumbbells are much better then machines (for exercises that you can do without a machine). Since I generally workout alone I won't have a spotter so I need a safe way to lift (that is one of the things I love about the crossbow aside from its ease of use).
I plan on using them for my biceps, chest and some triceps and shoulders workouts. I will continue to use the crossbow for some tricep and shoulder workouts and use it for back and lefs.
2) I am also considering an EZ Bar and some free weights for standing bicep curls. Will the dumbbells be good enough or should I also go for this as well?
I am trying to keep this relatively cheap but have gotten to the point where I want to step up my workouts and believe this would be the best and safest way to do so.
Any thoughts and recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Also any other suggestions of things I might be overlooking would be appreciated as well.
Thanks,
John
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RE: Equipment Questions - Upgrade from Crossbow - 8/24/2004 7:06:29 AM
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Weapon X
Posts: 986
Joined: 6/16/2004
Status: offline
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Hey man, I think that you should join a gym. All the equipment that you could ever want with people to spot you and to learn from. Free weights are awesome as well!!! Especially in the beginning for you. If you are a little hesitant with joining the gym because you may feel uncomfortable, most gyms have like one or two free training sessions. So basically you would have someone that works there to go through all the movements and the equipment with you. And some places allow you to go month to month or have like a 3 month deal or something. Everybody has to start somewhere, so I wouldn't worry about embarrassing yourself.
Joining a gym will definitely step up the intensity of your workouts. You seem like a really thought out guy with everything you do, so you may be surprised that when you are at a gym for awhile.. the more experienced people may be asking you for pointers. Just approach each workout with seriousness and that will come through at the gym. I think that joining a gym can be the best thing for you, especially when you think about training partners as well. They can push you to a another level of development.
I could go on and on... I know there are a lot of busy people out there, but an hour 4-5 times a week can be done. Also, I imagine it would be really tough to get a grueling leg workout by yourself at home. I think if you start hitting them really hard from the beginning you will grow all around a lot faster. Good luck.
(in reply to y2j2k)
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RE: Equipment Questions - Upgrade from Crossbow - 8/28/2004 10:29:25 AM
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y2j2k
Posts: 43
Joined: 4/15/2004
Status: offline
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I know joining a gym would be the best option since they would have all of the equipment I need and eventually I will join one. Just that I have a real hectic work shcedule which most likely will continue through the new year so it is much easier to work out at home. I just know if I joined a gym now I wouldn't be able to keep up my schedule and don't want to sacrifice that.
But I agree that ultimately that is what I need to do. I'm just looking for something to hold me over until then.
Thanks for the advice!
(in reply to Weapon X)
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RE: Equipment Questions - Upgrade from Crossbow - 8/28/2004 2:48:38 PM
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cpl
Posts: 5667
Joined: 5/26/2003
From: New York City
Status: offline
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Get a complete set of weights, even if you don't want to get a free weight bench to go with them- Forget the EZ curl bar for now, unless you've had some sort of wrist injury that prevents you from using a straight bar. With a regular barbell, two dumbell handles and a nice amount of plates, it's possible to work every muscle group reasonably well except for chest and legs- You'll need some sort of bench for chest workouts, although I imagine you could use the Crossbow bench for dumbell work there- For legs, you'd need some sort of nice safe squat setup.
With just free weights, here's an idea of what you'd be able to do at home-
Shoulders- Military presses, dumbell presses, shrugs, side lateral raises, front raises, upright rows-
Back- Deadlifts, bent over rows, single arm dumbell rows (With a chair) T-bar rows (With one end of the barbell stuck in a corner with a towel wrapped around it to protect the walls) And you can always get a doorframe bar for pullups.
Biceps- Standing barbell curls, dumbell curls, reverse curls, hammer curls.
Triceps- Standing overhead barbell extensions, single arm overhead extensions, dumbell kickbacks (With a chair).
Of course, there are a lot more exercises than just those- But you get the idea. You can still use your crossbow for legs and chest, while getting the most out of free weights when it comes to other muscle groups. In fact, you can also use the freeweights for some nice stiff leg deadlifts to work the hamstrings, and let's not forget the workout your quads get from the deadlifts.
(in reply to y2j2k)
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RE: Equipment Questions - Upgrade from Crossbow - 9/4/2004 1:14:12 PM
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y2j2k
Posts: 43
Joined: 4/15/2004
Status: offline
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Thanks cpl. I have been checking my local classifieds as someone recommended checking those as you can usually find someone who bougt weights that doesn't use / need them and pick them up pretty cheap.
I have an old set of barbells (30 pounds weight which is too light to do any of my workouts) so I should be able to use those bars. So I would just need a straight bar and some plates and I should be set.
I plan on picking these up within the next few weeks. I plan to use to crossbow primarily for back (it has the lat machine so I can do lats / reverse grip lats) and legs it has the leg extension) and possibly for upgright rows and tricep pressdowns. I would use the free weights for most of the other exercises though.
Thanks for the suggestions.
(in reply to cpl)
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