What Christmas Gift?

Pork U Pine

Hi all, first time poster so I apologize if this is the wrong forum. I've no idea when it comes to weightlifting etc so I need a bit of help buying a gift for my brother.

I had the idea of buying him a bench because he is always talking about getting one. I have a budget of 200 euro which I realize isn't a lot but it's all I can work with. I know he benches 90Kg if that is any help at all? A foldable bench would be ideal too.

Also any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, as I said I'm new to this boards and am clueless so would love a bit of help?

squod

Belt for weighted dips will improve his bench, 3 wolf t-shirt will improve his awesomeness.

Remmy

squod wrote: »

Belt for weighted dips will improve his bench, 3 wolf t-shirt will improve his awesomeness.

Ha class post!!

Op +1 on a dipping belt or get him a few iron woody bands which will help keep his shoulders healthy
+ other stuff.Liquid chalk would be a good one too.

Pork U Pine

Thanks for the suggestions. He already has a dipping belt but I'll look into that t shirt...he could definitely use help on that front. Is there any good bench I could get with my budget. Argos seem to have a few but I can't really trust them.

Zamboni

A quick ebay search finds this...
€172 yo yo's with free delivery

http://cgi.ebay.ie/COMMERCIAL-WEIGHTS-EXERCISE-FLAT-PRESS-BARBELL-BENCH-/270639692291?pt=UK_Strength_Training&hash=item3f0361fa03

Pork U Pine

Didn't think about ebay Zamboni, I thought buying weights from the UK and getting them delivered would cost a fortune. Is that a good bench? I have heard bad gym equipment is not worth buying cos its hard to offload? It doesn't say how much weights come with it either, I want him to be able to use it right out of the box on Christmas day. Thanks again

Zamboni

Pork U Pine wrote: »

Didn't think about ebay Zamboni, I thought buying weights from the UK and getting them delivered would cost a fortune. Is that a good bench? I have heard bad gym equipment is not worth buying cos its hard to offload? It doesn't say how much weights come with it either, I want him to be able to use it right out of the box on Christmas day. Thanks again

Its free delivery from Belfast so its only a couple of hours drive for them.

Maybe I misunderstood? You wants weights included too? For €200?
I think you would have a very hard time finding a decent bench and a minimum of 90kgs for anything like €200.
Maybe give him €200 off his gym membership...

Pork U Pine

Zamboni wrote: »

Its free delivery from Belfast so its only a couple of hours drive for them.

Maybe I misunderstood? You wants weights included too? For €200?
I think you would have a very hard time finding a decent bench and a minimum of 90kgs for anything like €200.
Maybe give him €200 off his gym membership...

That was my plan anyway. Maybe 50Kg would be okay and he could buy the rest himself,just something to get him started. He has a gym membership already, he doesn't stop talking about getting something for home though so thought that would be best.

gavtron

I'd go for a couple of kettlebells (16+24kg), handy for when you can't get to the gym and take up about the same space as a football.

Transform

gavtron wrote: »

I'd go for a couple of kettlebells (16+24kg), handy for when you can't get to the gym and take up about the same space as a football.

i agree - kettlebells, bands, mat and a one to one session with a trainer in your area would be good

Hanley

gavtron wrote: »

I'd go for a couple of kettlebells (16+24kg), handy for when you can't get to the gym and take up about the same space as a football.

A kettlebell course or something along those lines would probably be a better idea... If most people were presented with a KB they'd have no idea how to use it.

I'm not sure who runs the course, buydublinkettlebells.com maybe? I know ya get like a 16kg one free wit the course, you might be able to get a 24kg one too and come in under 200 lids.

Pork U Pine

I think I'm going to stick with the bench press/multi gym idea. I've been looking at it today and found a few so yer opinions would be appreciated:

The following 2 from argos with a few extra weights:
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/3355549/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CSports+and+leisure%7C14419152/c_2/2%7Ccat_14419152%7CHome+gym+equipment%7C14419293/c_3/3%7Ccat_14419293%7CWeight+lifting+and+exercise+benches%7C14419306.htm

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9237245/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CSports+and+leisure%7C14419152/c_2/2%7Ccat_14419152%7CHome+gym+equipment%7C14419293.htm

This with extra weights and a bar:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ADJUSTABLE-MULTI-GYM-MULTIGYM-WEIGHTS-DUMBELLS-BENCH-/300451797093?pt=UK_Strength_Training&hash=item45f4529865

Or this one posted by another poster:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COMMERCIAL-WEIGHTS-EXERCISE-FLAT-PRESS-BARBELL-BENCH-/270639692291?pt=UK_Strength_Training&hash=item3f0361fa03

Any opinions on price,quality would be great. He mostly works the upper body but I'm sure he'd be delighted if he could do a bit of lower too.

SpookyBastard

I'd be inclined to go down the trainer session, kettlebells + kb course route myself. He has gym membership already so rather than get him a home equivalent of stuff he has access to why not supplement his existing equipment (what he uses in the gym) with some different stuff for the house.

Pork U Pine

SpookyBastard wrote: »

I'd be inclined to go down the trainer session, kettlebells + kb course route myself. He has gym membership already so rather than get him a home equivalent of stuff he has access to why not supplement his existing equipment (what he uses in the gym) with some different stuff for the house.

This is a good idea, but my brother is the laziest person I know. He comes with me to the gym now and again, but always says if he has something at home he'd use it non stop. He's spends a lot of time at home watching tv so anything to keep him occupied within the home is would be ideal

gavtron

Hanley wrote: »

A kettlebell course or something along those lines would probably be a better idea... If most people were presented with a KB they'd have no idea how to use it.

I'm not sure who runs the course, buydublinkettlebells.com maybe? I know ya get like a 16kg one free wit the course, you might be able to get a 24kg one too and come in under 200 lids.

better idea altogether!

Transform

Pork U Pine wrote: »

This is a good idea, but my brother is the laziest person I know. He comes with me to the gym now and again, but always says if he has something at home he'd use it non stop. He's spends a lot of time at home watching tv so anything to keep him occupied within the home is would be ideal

get him on a course or with a trainer in your area. A multi gym is a really really bad idea and will most likely be gathering dust by feb-march 2011

Mellor

The first 2 benches are pretty poor quality. The weights they come with are terrible, and useless to him if he benchs 90kg.

The third is better, but not weights with it. Weights aren't cheap.


The last one is probably a decent bench, but it has no weights with it. It's 145 sterling, about 180 euro, you won't have any weights to go with it.

Seriously, a decent bench plus weights will cost you at least 600, prob aa bit more if you want it to last.

The problem is that benching means liftign a lot of weight, metal is expensive. Which means weights are expensive. 200euro will buy you 80kg of rubber coated plates, or 100kg of plain iron plates, half each of those if you want a proper barbell too.

Kettle bells are used in different movements, so the weight is not as high.
Irish-lifting currently have that at 20% off 3.50/kilo down to 2.80/kg
http://www.irish-lifting.com/kettlebells-pe-228.html

A 16kg and a 24kg pair costs 112euro,
This is great value alone if you want to go that route, i'd suggest throwing in a doorframe pull-up bar for 40 euro on top.

http://www.irish-lifting.com/doorway-gym-pe-270.html

That's just over 150 blips, so you can add in what ever you like afterwards if you feel like it, mats, foam rollers, bands etc



But as mentioned the workshop includes a free kettlebell.
The workshop costs 65euro, and checking there its actually reduced to 58.50 for this month only, including a 16kg kettlebell. That's a bargain imo, the KB is worth almost that alone.

3.5 hour KB course + 16kg + 24kg + doorframe bar = 165euro

COH

http://www.buykettlebelldublin.com/

Mark runs the courses out of RAW and the gym on Bridgefoot St as well I think. Sound lad and I've only ever heard positive feedback.

Transform

COH wrote: »

http://www.buykettlebelldublin.com/

Mark runs the courses out of RAW and the gym on Bridgefoot St as well I think. Sound lad and I've only ever heard positive feedback.

totally agree and get all my kettlebells, rope, sandbags etc from him. excellent

G86

The KB ideas are great, but if the lads not interested in it then it might not be a great present. That said, I don't think the bench is a good idea either - if he won't go to the gym to train he's unlikely to bother much at home either where you've more distractions.

A few sessions with a PT might get him a bit of motivation and a decent program, can't go wrong with that.

Mellor

That's the one I was refering to, e58.50 is his xmas special.
Bargain imo, If I was in dublin, i'd be booking one

Pork U Pine

Thanks for the suggestions folks. I think the kettle bell idea and the PT idea are very good ideas, but I'm settled on a bench after talking to his friends and girlfriend.

The good news is that I've a extra 100-200 to spend because my other brother wants to get in on the present. Are the ones I posted earlier still suitable or should I be looking at better quality with my bigger budget? Thanks again, some great advice has been given

Zamboni

I'm not on kettlebell commissions so I'll stick with answering your question...

€129 + €289 = €418
http://www.irish-lifting.com/narrow-bench-pe-177.html
http://www.irish-lifting.com/140kg-olympic-set-pe-259.html

€207 + €184 = €391
http://cgi.ebay.ie/90Kg-TRI-GRIP-Olympic-Barbell-Weight-Set-7ft-Bar-/120619834545?pt=UK_Strength_Training&hash=item1c15809cb1#ht_2161wt_982
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/COMMERCIAL-WEIGHTS-EXERCISE-FLAT-PRESS-BARBELL-BENCH-/270639692291?pt=UK_Strength_Training&hash=item3f0361fa03#ht_4501wt_862

Either way your budget is still low and it would be up to your brother to buy additional plates as necessary.
You will not get the full monty for €400.

Pork U Pine

Thanks Zamboni,you've been great help. What's your opinion on a multi gym? Im guessing they'll be poorer quality then just a bench, but is it worth the money for a better workout?

Zamboni

Pork U Pine wrote: »

Thanks Zamboni,you've been great help. What's your opinion on a multi gym? Im guessing they'll be poorer quality then just a bench, but is it worth the money for a better workout?

I wouldn't bother with a multigym mate and I'd have to agree with Transform.
Multigyms end up being clothes racks and inevitably end up in the multigym graveyard here...
http://www.adverts.ie/showcat.php?cat=all&si=multigym&sort=1

Naos

Pork U Pine wrote: »

Thanks Zamboni,you've been great help. What's your opinion on a multi gym? Im guessing they'll be poorer quality then just a bench, but is it worth the money for a better workout?

One of the things you've mentioned a couple of times now is that your brother lacks is motivation.

If he's not making the effort to get up to the gym, he's not going to make the effort to do the weights at home. He either wants it or he doesn't.

Practically every member here has advised you to stay away from a bench. I
can understand you're going on his friends & girlfriends word, but this "I'd do loads if it was in my house" thing is just an excuse and it's the same one he's giving them.

A kettlebell course and more importantly (I believe) a session with a good personal trainer will motivate him to get his ass up to the gym.

In short, your brothers problem is not a lack of a home bench but a lack of motivation. Getting him motivated will be a far superior present than a mediocre bench.

Mellor

If he wants a bench, if he thinks he'll use it at home, if his friends do. then maybe it is the best present for him. If he doesn't like going to the gym, he might not be delighted with the KB course, if he is a bit of a bench monkey, be might scratch his head at kettle bells.

From my previous posts, I think the course and a bet bits are the actual best for him.
But maybe the best to buy is the one he thinks is best, the one will use. If he isn't interested in going to the gym now, owning two kettlebells isn't going to suddenly make him see the light (and it is the light btw)