Now have started weights, Better to join Pinnacle now?

Glacier

I've been in Jackie Skellies for 2 months now & have slowly been working up on weights. I've lost weight but now want to improve strenth and physique. Would I be better to join Pinnacle now & focus mostly on weights instead of Cardio? Jackie Skellies do both, Pinnacle is just weights which I was told is better for everything. Is this true?

Malteaser!

Have you already paid for the year in Jackie Skellys for the year?? If so why would you waste all that money by joining another gym half way through?

If Jackie Skellys has weights, why not use them?? A kilo is gonna be the same no matter what gym you're in!!

Mickk

Malteaser! wrote: »

If Jackie Skellys has weights, why not use them?? A kilo is gonna be the same no matter what gym you're in!!

The problem is they don't, not 1 single olympic bar in any of their gyms!

Malteaser!

Mickk wrote: »

The problem is they don't, not 1 single olympic bar in any of their gyms!

Seriously???

Does that mean you can't even bench properly?? Wow

aye

Mickk wrote: »

The problem is they don't, not 1 single olympic bar in any of their gyms!

yeh i heard this about the one in nutgrove.
my mate went to look at it when it opened.
no proper bench press.
"when you getting a bench press?" he enquired.
"we aren't" was the answer.
"goodbye" was his answer.

Malteaser!

But why???

colmconn

Malteaser! wrote: »

Seriously???

Does that mean you can't even bench properly?? Wow

yes seriously. a "free bench" to them is a smith machine.

if you want to deadlift you have to use an ez curl bar. wanna squat: use a smith machine. wanna bench use a smith machine. wanna deadlift: use a smith machine (yes that was an option given to me when i was a member). is there anything you can't do with a smith machine :rolleyes:

Hanley

Malteaser! wrote: »

But why???

Meatheads will take over and start sacrificing the cardio bunnys.

Malteaser!

colmconn wrote: »

yes seriously. a "free bench" to them is a smith machine.

if you want to deadlift you have to use an ez curl bar. wanna squat: use a smith machine. wanna bench use a smith machine. wanna deadlift: use a smith machine (yes that was an option given to me when i was a member). is there anything you can't do with a smith machine :rolleyes:

I seriously did not know that. I thought DCU was bad with only two olympic bars, that's just ridiculous though!!

Dragan

Malteaser! wrote: »

But why???

Lifters don't make gyms money. Anyone who lifts properly tends to make full use of their gym going 3+ times a week at least.

A big gym wants memebers who don't show up, thats how they make money. They want a nice soft environment for sit ups on a medicine ball and maybe a bit of time on the threadmill.

If you want a fake tan, or a waxing i'm sure you can get it in any of those places though.

celestial

Dragan wrote: »

Lifters don't make gyms money. Anyone who lifts properly tends to make full use of their gym going 3+ times a week at least.

A big gym wants memebers who don't show up, thats how they make money. They want a nice soft environment for sit ups on a medicine ball and maybe a bit of time on the threadmill.

Don't forget catching the second half of Coronation Street without breaking a sweat..

mack1

Dragan wrote: »

Lifters don't make gyms money. Anyone who lifts properly tends to make full use of their gym going 3+ times a week at least.

A big gym wants memebers who don't show up, thats how they make money. They want a nice soft environment for sit ups on a medicine ball and maybe a bit of time on the threadmill.

That and the extra cost of security to handle the 'roid rage! :rolleyes:

TerrorFirmer

In fairness I'm sure Jackie Skellies will do, at least for a few months. It's not a case of do or don't, it's a case of passable vs ideal - sometimes people tend to apply their own necessities at more advanced levels to others who are just beginning. A beginner will get by with the basics if they have to. I train mostly with a ****ty* bench, ****ty plates (though I got some new ones from Irish lifting, so happy), ****ty bars, in a ****ty sauna-like attic.... with ****ty speakers too for music.

I'm doing fine. I'm not as advanced as half the people here but I can bench >110kg which I'm quite confident is somewhat pass beginner levels....I pretty much do all my work upstairs in said attic. Yes, of course I'd prefer to be in the actual gym utilizing all the machines and proper equipment, but I make do, the point being, you can get by with anything if you really need to especially if you're a beginner.

*****ty in the sense of cheap and light....weights are weights at the end of the day.

crotalus667

colmconn wrote: »

if you want to deadlift you have to use an ez curl bar. wanna squat: use a smith machine. wanna bench use a smith machine. wanna deadlift: use a smith machine (yes that was an option given to me when i was a member). is there anything you can't do with a smith machine :rolleyes:

That sound excatly like my gym

Hanley

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

In fairness I'm sure Jackie Skellies will do, at least for a few months. It's not a case of do or don't, it's a case of passable vs ideal - sometimes people tend to apply their own necessities at more advanced levels to others who are just beginning. A beginner will get by with the basics if they have to. I train mostly with a ****ty* bench, ****ty plates (though I got some new ones from Irish lifting, so happy), ****ty bars, in a ****ty sauna-like attic.... with ****ty speakers too for music.

I'm doing fine. I'm not as advanced as half the people here but I can bench >110kg which I'm quite confident is somewhat pass beginner levels....I pretty much do all my work upstairs in said attic. Yes, of course I'd prefer to be in the actual gym utilizing all the machines and proper equipment, but I make do, the point being, you can get by with anything if you really need to especially if you're a beginner.

*****ty in the sense of cheap and light....weights are weights at the end of the day.

In fairness, I'd say 110kg is more than alot of people here can bench so you're doing really well already!!

My first 100kg bench was done on one of those wobbly york benches with a standard bar and standard plates. It was a pile of crap but it didn't stop me.... People get too bogged down on stuff like that I think. I've learned to roll with it alot more, I'm used to lifting on less than optimal equipment in competition at this stage.

That being said, the OP doesn't even have a bar and plates to work with. So it's not really a case of making do with the bare bones... he's pretty much naked equipment wise.

Glacier

Would Pinnacle be the best for weights?

fatal

As a matter of interest,why did you join a gym and then wait two months before wanting to join a different one?

Glacier

I'm not really doing heavy weights, it's just light stuff. I've lost weight doing cardio but want to beef up & don't think I can really do it here. I was told later that weights are just better for everything?

fatal

Pinnacle certainly would be a step in the right direction if you are looking for somewhere to do "heavy" weight training

Glacier

If you're looking to improve strength & physique, would you notice a difference quickly if you're there 6 days a week? I will be leaving the country in about a month, what difference could I expect?

justsomebloke

Glacier wrote: »

If you're looking to improve strength & physique, would you notice a difference quickly if you're there 6 days a week? I will be leaving the country in about a month, what difference could I expect?

If you are leaving the country in a month I wouldn't bother switching. If JS have dumbells that should be enough to get a decent workout once you plan it properly

Brian?

Glacier wrote: »

I'm not really doing heavy weights, it's just light stuff. I've lost weight doing cardio but want to beef up & don't think I can really do it here. I was told later that weights are just better for everything?

I'm a member of JS is Swords, its not ideal but if you are only starting off doing weights I doubt you have pushed whats available to its limit.

Just look around the free weights area on most days and there are plenty of big guys. So it can't be that bad.

Brian

Glacier

True

Glacier

But in Pinnacle, they do just weights so would that not be better? Is it really true that weights are just all round better? By focusing everything on weights might you notice better results? I'm still a member of JS so I could still use their cardio stuff after a session in Pinnacle. I'm not worried about the money.

Malteaser!

Glacier wrote: »

But in Pinnacle, they do just weights so would that not be better? Is it really true that weights are just all round better? By focusing everything on weights might you notice better results? I'm still a member of JS so I could still use their cardio stuff after a session in Pinnacle. I'm not worried about the money.

I don't understand why you don't just use the weights in JS?? Like I said already, a kilo is gonna be a kilo no matter where you go!!

Mickk

Pinnacle has 80% weights and 20% cardio, so you could do your cardio there aswell. The thing is that you just cant even do the basics in JS. Fror example the big three bench, deadlift and squat none of them can be done in JS because they don't have an olympic bar, its a business decision they made and it works for them. If you want to do weights Pinnacle is the best gym around and dublin 2. Most other gyms around have one oly bar (fitness dock, YMCA) and so it only takes one other person to be using it. Pinnacle has around 10...

Mickk

Malteaser! wrote: »

I don't understand why you don't just use the weights in JS?? Like I said already, a kilo is gonna be a kilo no matter where you go!!

I would have thought that you of all people, not being a typical gym bunnie and all, would appreciate how it would be near impossible to do a proper weights program without a bar...

BossArky

Mickk wrote: »

I would have thought that you of all people, not being a typical gym bunnie and all, would appreciate how it would be near impossible to do a proper weights program without a bar...

+1.

I'm just back from a 2 month stint away from my normal environment. I was staying in an appartment complex that had a free "gym" i.e. a few pressing and pulling machines and a bike / threadmill. No oly bars, plates or dumbbells.

Half way through my 2 month stint I began dreaming about barbells. I woke up one morning and had to go join a commercial gym (with oly bars) down the road for 2 months, even though I was only going to be there for another month.

Extract from my log:

Ok, so I'm having serious barbell / proper gym withdrawal sympthoms.

Last night in my dream I was on the way to the gym with the intention of either squatting or deadlifting. Woke up gagging for a barbell.

:pac:

Malteaser!

Mickk wrote: »

I would have thought that you of all people, not being a typical gym bunnie and all, would appreciate how it would be near impossible to do a proper weights program without a bar...

But he's leaving the country in a month. He's obviously after paying for JS already so I don't understand why he can't just make do with the dumbbells and whatever else they've got floating about for that time. They do have dumbbells right??

When I started lifting, I had the crappiest of weights sets from Argos. The Dumbbells were all over sized and it was generally a pain arse trying to do anything with them coz they were so awkward but I knew as soon as I had the money to join a gym the situation would get better.

Now I don't know if the OP is staying away or is coming back but I would say to him - Make do with what you have for now, if you're coming back, join a proper gym then. What's the point in paying for two gyms for only one month.

If he was staying for more than that then I'd say absolutely go join a gym with proper weights right now!!