Aldi workout machine

tech77

Would anyone here recommend the Crane Home Workout machine for 99 euro from Aldi tomorrow?
Any help appreciated.

Malice

Is this what you're talking about? If so, I'd like to know too as I might pick one up myself
They are also selling sets of barbells and dumbbells.

Malice

Well I picked one up this morning anyway. I also grabbed a barbell set and two sets of dumbbells. As always seems to be the case with assembling anything, the instructions were painful in places. I had some difficulty getting the seat attached to the main frame for example. Overall once everything is tightened it seems quite robust.
One complaint I have is that the actual rack for the bar feels like it's not quite wide enough for a wide grip bench press. This is the only home bench I've ever put together but I've used ones in various gyms in Galway and it definitely compares quite well. The fact that the whole thing can be folded away is great.

BossArky

What kind of weights were you lifting in the gym before buying this? I'd say you will rapidly outgrow it and be keen for a proper wide bench. However it is better than nothing so why not.

yop

I rushed in there before the All-ireland and picked up a bar and the dumbells, except that when I got home it was 2 sets of discs!! fkin mighty not so no dumbbells but another bar with 70kg of weights!! I wonder if I cud get dumbbell bars in argose, wud they take the disks I got in aldi?

Malice

BossArky wrote:

What kind of weights were you lifting in the gym before buying this? I'd say you will rapidly outgrow it and be keen for a proper wide bench.

I wasn't lifting anything particularly earth-shattering before now. I actually can't work out the exact weight but in the last gym I used, I benched 10 kgs on either side for a warm up and then two sets of fifteen reps with 15 kgs either side. Hope that makes sense.

BossArky wrote:

However it is better than nothing so why not.

If I do outgrow it then what harm, it will have served it's purpose

Sleepy

malice_, assuming you were using a standard olympic bar which weighs 20k, you were warming up with 40k and benching 50k for 15. A home bar probably won't be as heavy (or able to hold the same weight).

BTW, if you're looking to increase strength and/or build muscle you'd be better upping the weight to whatever you can do for three sets of 8 to 10.

rubadub

malice_ wrote:

If I do outgrow it then what harm, it will have served it's purpose

Only real problem is then you are left with a bench and in need of a new one. Resale value of weights is pretty good though, but better to fork out in the first place if you will need it in the long run. I have a crappy bench but do not think I will ever outgrow it. If you are seriously into weight training then you should plan ahead.

Also a good bench will be far more stable, and probably better padded etc, when benching you do not want distractions from creaks and wobbly benches.

Malice

Sleepy wrote:

malice_, assuming you were using a standard olympic bar which weighs 20k, you were warming up with 40k and benching 50k for 15. A home bar probably won't be as heavy (or able to hold the same weight).

BTW, if you're looking to increase strength and/or build muscle you'd be better upping the weight to whatever you can do for three sets of 8 to 10.

I did a workout last night on it and I can definitely feel it today I haven't done any bench pressing for various reasons since June so it was good to get back weight training. Hopefully I can get into a routine since I've no excuse if the bench is just sitting there. Tomorrow I will see just how much weight I can load onto it (and lift). Thanks for the lifting tip, I will try that tomorrow also.

rubadub wrote:

Only real problem is then you are left with a bench and in need of a new one. Resale value of weights is pretty good though, but better to fork out in the first place if you will need it in the long run. I have a crappy bench but do not think I will ever outgrow it. If you are seriously into weight training then you should plan ahead.

Also a good bench will be far more stable, and probably better padded etc, when benching you do not want distractions from creaks and wobbly benches.

True but I'm not seriously into weight training so I'd say it'll take me a while before I outgrow the bench (if I ever do). I agree with what you're saying about forking out for the long run but €240 or so for the whole setup equates to roughly three months gym membership in a few gyms in Galway so I still think it's a pretty good deal.
Wait three months and I'll be back on here looking for bench recommendations

justsomebloke

if anyone is looking for some good quality gear for a home gym set up I would suggest pm Mickk and see what prices he has cause as AFAIK he is still the cheapest for top quality gear, currently his web site is "still" under construction.

rubadub

malice_ wrote:

I agree with what you're saying about forking out for the long run but €240 or so for the whole setup equates to roughly three months gym membership in a few gyms in Galway so I still think it's a pretty good deal.

Yes, it is great value compared to a gym. I doubt I will ever be benching more than 100-120kg, am only at 70kg now max. Only really took it up to get rid of the belly, so a cheaper bench suits me fine.

Those links are not working anymore, here are the links cached

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:-5DGljO5ENoJ:www.aldi.ie/special_buys2/product_3824.html+aldi.ie+weights&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7

http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:iWdgl66jwa8J:www.aldi.ie/special_buys2/product_3822.html+aldi.ie+%2Bbench&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3

The bench looks better than mine, looks like the bar rest is adjustable up & down so you can do inclined work better.

justsomebloke

they only did 25kg plate sets!!!!

if anyone did buy one of those barbell sets to go with a bench I would strongly consider getting some of these

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500115305

or

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500102691

rubadub

jsb wrote:

they only did 25kg plate sets!!!!

if anyone did buy one of those barbell sets to go with a bench I would strongly consider getting some of these

Yes, the 50kg york argos set is €80 too. So it is really the same as the 2 sets which cost €80 too. (EDIT no dumbells are with the aldi set, so the york might be better)
http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500119829&clickfrom=name

25kg is a nice amount since you can carry it to the car easily enough. 50kg is enough to get started on, and you dont have to fork out all the money in 1 go. Then go for the extra plates you showed.

I would prefer the aldi ones than the york since it is all spring locks and the smallest plate is 1kg.

yop

The plate sets totalled 25kg, cannot remember exact breakdown,

yop

Do ye think that them aldi plates will fit on the argos dumbbell ?

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500109603&clickfrom=image

rubadub

yop wrote:

The plate sets totalled 25kg, cannot remember exact breakdown,

see here
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:-5DGljO5ENoJ:www.aldi.ie/special_buys2/product_3824.html+aldi.ie+weights&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=7

I misread it, I thought it was a dumbell & plate set, and then a separate bar & weight set. €40 for 25kg of plates is good. Only problem is small plates. I can fit 2x5kg and a 2.5kg plate on one side of a dumbbell

I would sooner go for the argos 50kg set in that case, and get the aldi plates alone.

yop wrote:

Do ye think that them aldi plates will fit on the argos dumbbell ?

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500109603&clickfrom=image

Yes, looks like the standard 1" hole size, there are only 2 sizes I ever heard of, the other is the big olympic ones. If you want them then Mickk is your man, dunno if he does 1" plates.

yop

Thanks for that, already have an olympic 140kg set, just needed a "free" bar and dumbbells for other exercises like rows and squats etc

rubadub

yop wrote:

Thanks for that, already have an olympic 140kg set, just needed a "free" bar and dumbbells for other exercises like rows and squats etc

Olympic plates will be 2", I have never seen them but maybe you could get inserts for your 2" plates so they fit on a 1" bar. Olympic dumbells cost a fair bit.

Argos do sell olympic sets now, I had presumed by argos you meant the york 1" bar.

BrianD3

I don't like the way that ALDI bar unscrews in the middle, surely a solid bar is far better.

The 5 foot bar that comes with the Argos 50 kg cast iron set is pretty good I have deadlifted 180+ kg with and it was fine.

In general the ALDI plates etc. seem like alright value but not spectacular. If I were starting off again I would not go rushing out to buy that equipment in ALDI. Especially seeing as Argos have good value 1" weights which are perfectly adequate for a beginning recreational trainer.

For someone with a bit more cash to spend why not look at Mickk's cages, benches and Olympic weights. IIRC he does a package for about 800 euros, sounds like a lot but this stuff could literally last a lifetime and be passed on to your kids. The benches that you'll find in Argos and ALDI are toys by comparison.

Also IMO a good setup of solid bench, cage and Oly weights will retain more of its value and if you've spent a lot on decent equipment you might be more likely to stick with your training.

rubadub

BrianD3 wrote:

I don't like the way that ALDI bar unscrews in the middle, surely a solid bar is far better.

I didnt know it did, I would definitely go for the argos one so (or Mickks for the same reasons stated). Does anybody have the aldi instructions? does it have a max load?

I wondered why the pic had 2 bars shown, and now I see it comes with a carrying case.

I could imagine it coming unloose when lifting, even if it is tight there is no way it could be rated to the same max load.

Malice

rubadub wrote:

I didnt know it did, I would definitely go for the argos one so (or Mickks for the same reasons stated). Does anybody have the aldi instructions? does it have a max load?

I wondered why the pic had 2 bars shown, and now I see it comes with a carrying case.

I could imagine it coming unloose when lifting, even if it is tight there is no way it could be rated to the same max load.

I'm not too worried about the bar coming loose. It's screwed together quite tightly. The picture from the page definitely is a little mis-leading the way it shows two bars though! I will take a load through the packaging and stuff when I get home from work and see if I can see anything about a maximum load.

yop

Well i fired on the 2 packs of 25kg and what ever was with the bar, 18kg was it and the bar was grand, thouhg it did begine to come lost, pain in the face. But hey it will do the job

Malice

yop wrote:

thouhg it did begine to come lost, pain in the face.

I'm not sure what you mean there. I checked the packaging and I couldn't find anything about a maximum weight.

yop

I should learn to type sorry!!

Translated to English, "It began to come lose" after about 10 reps, just tightened it again.

Malice

yop wrote:

I should learn to type sorry!!

Translated to English, "It began to come lose" after about 10 reps, just tightened it again.

That's not good! This is probably a stupid question but did you have it fully tightened before you started to lift?

rubadub

"It began to come lose"

I wouldnt like that myself, it is distracting if you are using equipment that you are worrying about. I have a crap enough bench, a dodgy bar would only add to worries.

You could whack it in a vice and use another vice to lock it up really well. I personally would have it welded, or use loads of epoxy resin on it.

If you were doing deadlifts with your hands around opposite ways it easily loosen.

Sleepy

Picked up two packs of the dumbbells and reckon I'll head into Argos for some extra weights. Seem like decent enough quality, can't see anything on the design that could cause problems in the future. That said, they only go to 10.3k so they really are a beginners set!

rubadub

Sleepy wrote:

Picked up two packs of the dumbbells and reckon I'll head into Argos for some extra weights. Seem like decent enough quality, can't see anything on the design that could cause problems in the future. That said, they only go to 10.3k so they really are a beginners set!

Never saw those, here is the cache
http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:S4lMYMQ67OgJ:www.aldi.ie/special_buys2/product_3826.html+aldi.ie+dumbbells&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2

Their math on the weights doesnt add up, neither do some of the argos ones.
What do you get 2 dumbbells, 4 collars, 4x1kg, 2x2kg.

The 5kg plates in argos are great for dumbells, 10kg plates are really big and start to hit your arms & legs on most exercises. The york sets come with some very small plates that just take up room on the bar.

The 20kg argos set is on sale at €32
http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=30001&langId=-1&catalogId=1500000801&productId=1500101907&clickfrom=name

You can get cheaper benches in argos too.

Sleepy

Pack comes with 1 bar, 2 spin locks, 2 x 2k and 4 x 1k. Bar weighs 1.9k according to that site (nothing on the box that I remember) so presumably the locks weigh .2k each to bring the max weight to 10.3k

Really need to buy two of them, though at 15 euros each, it's grand for a starter kit. Nothing really between it and the 20k set from Argos. Might look into the 5k kit pack though I've PM'd Mickk to see if he carries anything like it first.

rubadub

Sleepy wrote:

Pack comes with 1 bar, 2 spin locks, 2 x 2k and 4 x 1k. Bar weighs 1.9k according to that site (nothing on the box that I remember) so presumably the locks weigh .2k each to bring the max weight to 10.3k

Then it is 2.3kg for the bar & locks, seems a lot, I think the york one is 1.5kg with the locks, must weight mine & see. unless those sneaky bastards include the weight of the carry case (wouldnt surprise me!)

Sleepy wrote:

Really need to buy two of them,

Yeah 2 is handy but I do a lot of work with just 1. I can do one arm military presses with more than half my max weight with a bar, e.g. can do 45kg 8 reps on a bar, and maybe 22.5kg for 10reps with 1 arm. It also allows you to do assisted 1 arm curls for negative work, I do tricep extensions 1 at a time too.

Sleepy

rubadub wrote:

Then it is 2.3kg for the bar & locks, seems a lot, I think the york one is 1.5kg with the locks, must weight mine & see. unless those sneaky bastards include the weight of the carry case (wouldnt surprise me!)

No carry case with the d/b's.

They feel to be around the right weight (i.e. I fail at the around the same rep on bicep curls as I do with a 10k d/b in the gym) but I don't have a scales handy to check them.