Do you really need the gym to get fit and muscle up?

whiteboy

I'm looking to save a bit of cash and want to know can I still keep fit by running outside and lifting weights from home? I'm a fitness enthusiast so I always like to keep active and I'm looking to build muscle so can I still do this without the gym!?

SanoVitae

Of course you can. There were fit people before there were gyms, you know?

Lantus

The answer is both yes and to a degree no. Firstly it would depend on what you are lifting currently and the sorts of musce growth or maintenance you want to achieve or retain.

If your using multiple 20kg plates for exercises then your looking at some serious investment at home to get the same results. If your only using 5-15kg dumbells then your more likley to be able to easily replace most exercises done at the gym at home.

I trained at home for a year bfore joining a gym. The gym allows for greater progression (I've outgrown a home system now.) and great variety in the types of equipment which can ensure muscle groups are constantly being stimulated by new variations.

Of course running costs nothing so no worries there.

You may well be able to get some plates and even equipment on the boards adverts section (thought I saw some for free on there.) or other places like jumble town maybe. A good barbell is something you may want to spend more on.

Transform

tons you can do with just body weight workouts - look at the metcon and home workout thread

gavney1

depends what your goals are.

If you're just into running, then of course a treadmill has only a few advantages over running outdoors (and vice versa).

Or if you're just looking to tone, then you can get great benefits from home exercises, without needing equipment

BUT If you're looking to get big muscles from doing big weights, I'd say you need good weight lifting equipment. Generally, gym equipment is better than what people can afford for their homes (very few people will have a squat rack in their house).

Personally, from a psychological point of view, I get alot more done at the gym for a couple of reasons

1. I'm AT the gym, so I feel like I have to get work done. I get less distracted at the gym than I would at home
2. I feel I'm getting more out of it at the gym as the equipment is better. I'm always inhibited somehow by something at home.
3. Some exercises will be far more beneficial with someone spotting you or guiding you (e.g. bench presses).

Re: price, if you're anywhere near Trinity College, I highly recommend it as an affordable gym. As a past student, I only pay 350€ for the year (incl membership fee). If you're not a past student/ student, they give out a limited number of memberships to general public (which are about €450 I think). It's often very very packed in the weights area on a Monday/Tuesday night. But the equipment is very good.

SanoVitae

For cardio, you don't need anything. Metcons and traditional cardio will get you the results you want.

In terms of building muscle, you will good results with a basic set-up, especially if its your first time doing weights. Pretty soon, however, you'll get stronger and the weights will not be heavy enough. Then you'll have to invest in more plates.

Where are you based? I'm sure there are some gyms near you which would cost less than the cost of buying home equipment (bench, barbell, dumbbells etc).

Hope that helps,

Paul

imitation

You don't really need a gym to get fit and you can build muscles with out a full set of gym equipment, but fitness in certain areas, and building certain muscles will be alot easier with gym equipment.

Personally I'm a big fan of home fitness now, I brought a set of dumbbells, an exercise bike and set them up in a spare room and I use them on a regular basis. Its a great help if your busy, because you can easily loose an hour getting into and out of the gym, and if the place is jammed you can find yourself waiting about to get on your machines. Its very easy to get dissuaded by all that hassle.

What I would recommend would be to join a gym for 3 months and get some tuition from an instructor on the exercises that you would like to do and see what machines you like. Then if you have a spare room you could get some of the equipment that you need. If you don't have a spare room I would question it though, as if you have to haul a bike out of a closet and then get told to feck off because somebody wants to watch the TV your more likely not to bother.

Routine is important too, you'll be forcing yourself to do it initially, but once you see some benefits you'll start to get into it.

gymsoldier

SanoVitae wrote: »

Of course you can. There were fit people before there were gyms, you know?

Sure look at these guys from 400BC.

Desire to Aspire

You don't need a gym to build muscle, nor to you need any weights.

Try doing some bodyweight exercises. Have a look at Convict Conditioning and see what you think.

MACT1RE

gymsoldier wrote: »

Sure look at these guys from 400BC.

They're real results too, cause Paint Shop wasn’t invented until 1990, way after that photo was taken.

But seriously, I do all my workouts at home or outside. Weights in the garage, running along the canal, and cycling on one of those out-of-fashion real bikes. Best thing is every time I buy a new piece of equipment I know its mine for good. I’m not a fan of gyms because I either end up lifting more than I should trying to look like I can lift more than I can, or staring open mouth at some hottie on the treadmill, or usually a combination of the two.;)

Transform

if you can get a kettlebell, a pull up bar and a foam roll then you have more than enough equipment to challenge you.

press ups, swings, make up a sandbag, sprints, box jumps, burpees, pull ups, squats, lunges, single leg deadlifts - more than enough!!

rubadub

Lantus wrote: »

your looking at some serious investment at home to get the same results.

gavney1 wrote: »

Generally, gym equipment is better than what people can afford for their homes

If you have the money it might be worth the investment though, 4 years membership would get you a nice setup, and you could buy more as you go along if even needed, I have seen amazing deals on adverts & buyandsell. I said in another thread if you stop working out you can sell the equipment, no getting gym money back. My plates might get more now second hand than what I paid for them new 5 years ago, they are twice the price now.

If you buy quality stuff second hand it will hold its value well and could sell for more in years to come, it doesn't depreciate like a second hand car or computer would.

gavney1 wrote: »

(very few people will have a squat rack in their house).

A squat rack is pretty cheap, and many posters here have said their "commercial gym" doesn't even have a squat rack! Most here would recommend a cage rather than a squat rack if you are anyway serious. I was around in the irish-lifting warehouse a couple of weeks ago and got a sneak preview of the showroom, all looks like rock solid stuff, and that was just the home equipment.

In past threads I heard of people talking of chipping in with mates to get a decent home setup.

gavney1

rubadub wrote: »

I

In past threads I heard of people talking of chipping in with mates to get a decent home setup.

not a bad idea at all.