Home Gym Versus Professional Gym

apelstrudel

Hi

I am wondering what you think. I have not trained since October and have been playing competitive Senior GAA Football for the last number of years. I am now in the winter of my carrer and thats been nice to myself. I'm going to give it one more year!! and need some training advice.

I have a small gym in my garage.

1. Decent bench - barbells and 90kg weight
2. Dumbells
3. Kettlebells - 12kg, 16kg
4. SwissBall
5. Medicine Ball

I was thinking of putting up a chin up bar!

I work on the road and travel alot and stay in hotels where there are gyms.
I have a friend who is currently joining a gym and he is nagging me to Join!!

Questions -

1. Do i have enough equipment to have a complete strength and conditioning workout at my home gym?

2. I do not plan to return to Team training until March 2011 and would love some advice on putting together a program for the next 8 weeks.


Thanks

Antomus Prime

You have enough equipment alrite, it just depends on weather or not it's utilised properly.
For me the difference between a home gym and a prof gym is motivation. When I had a home gym (fully equipped bench, threadmill, rowing machine, ab roller and free weights i hardly ever used it, the attitude was "meh it's there all the time so i'll do it tomorrow"

But now that i'm paying for a membership in a prof gym (lost most of my gear when splitting with the ex) i find the attitude is "i'm paying for it so im gonna use it!!" Not as much as i should now but alot more than the home gym.

But at the end of the day i guess it all depends on your own frame of mind.

apelstrudel

I know the feeling it is hard to motivate oneself at home but i'm going to give it a go.

Antomus Prime

Go for it, try set targets and little awards for yourself, mite help

slattsteen

Its a lot less hassle walking to your garage than having to walk/drive to the sweaty gym and back,have ur friend join u if u can,i dont even change out of my regular cloths and trainers. chin ups are the ultimate exercise imo(im no expert though)

Amtmann

slattsteen wrote: »

Its a lot less hassle walking to your garage than having to walk/drive to the sweaty gym and back,have ur friend join u if u can,i dont even change out of my regular cloths and trainers. chin ups are the ultimate exercise imo(im no expert though)

Pull-ups and press ups are better.

apelstrudel

Thanks for all the replies

I have decided to use my own Gym and now just need some real Strength and conditioning advise.:D

Should i go to a professional trainer and have a right program built for me?

I am in Dublin weekly and if anyone had any reccomendations I would be delighted to hear them. I dont mind paying for quality advise.

I have seen too many mickey mouse trainers come and go at my GAA club over the last few years.

Also would a regular steel bar fixed to 2 block walls suffice for pull ups?

Thanks

Antisocialiser

Plenty of arguably handier options here mate

I would go for one with plenty of positions that you can slot in or out of a doorframe without permanently adjusting. Good luck

hagbard

There's a lot of good home gym advice at www.scoobysworkshop.com

Or at least, I thought it was good.

apelstrudel

Hi Lads

Thanks for both links...really like scobbys website it gives some good advice.

holdfast

If you are looking for a trainer I would recommend you give a shout to Transform, he is usual around posting here sometimes. He is in Dublin in crossfit Ireland

El Horseboxo

I think you have enough of a set up to warrant you passing on a gym membership. Once you are not maxing out the amount of weight you have in plates i don't really see a need for what a gym offers other than machines. Although a power cage would be a necessity for me.

I used to pay gym memberships each year until i turned my brick shed into a gym. It's spacious and all i put into it was a power cage, bench and a barbell with 120kg in plates. I've since added to it with an extra barbell, more plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, pull up bar, heavy bag and speed ball. I got a treadmill and cross trainer for free from the buy and sell. I bought a lot of my plates and bells second hand. Everything for under 800 euro. I reckon by late this year i'd have spent the same in 3 years of memberships. I won't need to add anything anytime soon either. I've mates that stop by and use it also. I don't ask for money but they'll throw a 10 or 20 every now and then or buy a pint when out.