sensible home fitness equipment

[bryan123]

Hi,

I'm 61 years old and interested in picking up some basic home exercise equipment to help me lose a few pounds and reduce my waste from a 40 to a 36. Not looking to be a bodybuilder or anything like that. It's been years since I could do a pushup and I have a ventral hernia so situps aren't an option.

The new rage seems to be the Oyo and Nova resistance machines that are endorsed by at least one former astronaut, but I've seen enough bad reviews to be skeptical.

I'm thinking of picking up a couple of dumb bells and maybe some resistance bands but I don't know where to start.

Suggestions please? Thanks.

[sok]

I have a Schwinn Airdyne that I have had for about twenty years that I swear by. Twenty minutes three or four days a week with some push-ups, sit ups, and deep knee bends mixed in does me good. When I was younger, I also jump roped. I am 62.

Edit** I just saw that you were a bicyclist in your sig. my suggestion might be redundant.

[TkoK83Spy]

Hey Bryan,

How healthy is your diet and cardio? Any particular parts of the body you really want to focus on besides your waist?

[Ric]

Weight loss: calories is versus calories out.
Can you cut some unhealthy calories like soda, sugar, ...

Drink more clean water.

Do also some light cardio, start walking, take the stairs.

Weights: forget heavy weights, start with water bottles in your hand. Get used to the movement. Focus on technique and not weights. Always warm up first.

Have you ever done weight training?

What’s your plan how to start?

[DrHE]

I have joked for years that we always pick home fitness equipment by how many sweaters and coats we can hang off it LoL.

[Naperville]

A bag, usually a heavy bag.

A target ball or two. These are small bags that sit on flexible arms so that you break a sweat trying to hit the moving bag.

A stationary bicycle with a magnetic wheel. The bikes with the magnetic wheels don't wear out apparently.

[Bloke]

Hi Bryan, great you’re planning a get fit kick.

I’d suggest you may start with diet. Simple things, like no more sugar in coffee etc.

Next I’d suggest walking, walk as fast as you comfortably can and maybe even break into a run, even if it’s 10yards. When you get home and you’re up to it do squats (no weights). Have a shower and call it good. Do something like that for a few weeks. You will notice a difference.

There are many ways to go but I wouldn’t get overly excited and spend money on exercise equipment.

I’m about the same age and find all I need is motivation and will power. Once you start to loose a little weight and eat well you’ll have more energy and strength. Then you could buy a kettle bell or two perhaps and up the ante.

My son is an exercise physiologist. About 10 years ago I asked him to write an exercise plan for me. The said no worries and he’d text it to me and he did. It said, Get off the couch and do something.

[vivi]

when it comes to the weightlifting side of things, it's tough to beat the versatility of a squat rack / pull-up bar combo. I built my home gym around one and use it for weighted pull-ups and chin-ups, squats, bench press, incline bench, leg lifts etc.

https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/sunny- ... k?sku=grey

Mine is similar to that but I paid $89. post covid prices are pretty crazy in comparison.

[twinboysdad]

https://www.amazon.com/GoFit-Ultimate-P ... 6197&psc=1


Got this for my son, who is a middle school wrestler. He loves working out but will “have” to lift with the high school next year so I didn’t want to invest in weights. This apparatus has been fantastic for the money, he’s built really good strength. The only down side is working legs is tougher, but if you buy this let me know and I will detail the three exercises we found that hit legs best using this equipment

[Nate]

Will agree with others that while resistance training is great, it doesn’t really burn a lot of calories. If your primary goal is weight loss, cutting calories/changing your diet is the most important factor. Cardio obviously helps, even walking, but I read somewhere a while back that “you can’t outrun your fork,” which had a lasting impact on me (lost around 50lbs starting in 2017 and have kept it off).

[bryan123]

https://www.amazon.com/GoFit-Ultimate-P ... 6197&psc=1


Got this for my son, who is a middle school wrestler. He loves working out but will “have” to lift with the high school next year so I didn’t want to invest in weights. This apparatus has been fantastic for the money, he’s built really good strength. The only down side is working legs is tougher, but if you buy this let me know and I will detail the three exercises we found that hit legs best using this equipment

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Twinboysdad, we ordered the GoFit Ultimate on your suggestion. It looks promising and the price is right. It should arrive next Thursday. I would be very interested in the leg exercises you mentioned.

Thanks!

Bryan

[twinboysdad]

https://www.amazon.com/GoFit-Ultimate-P ... 6197&psc=1


Got this for my son, who is a middle school wrestler. He loves working out but will “have” to lift with the high school next year so I didn’t want to invest in weights. This apparatus has been fantastic for the money, he’s built really good strength. The only down side is working legs is tougher, but if you buy this let me know and I will detail the three exercises we found that hit legs best using this equipment

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Twinboysdad, we ordered the GoFit Ultimate on your suggestion. It looks promising and the price is right. It should arrive next Thursday. I would be very interested in the leg exercises you mentioned.

Thanks!

Bryan

My man! So there are three that we have done with success- pull throughs (ham strings), step ups, and front squats from a clean position.
Pull throughs- set up the bands low in the door jam about mid shin. Straddle the bands so they are between your legs and you are facing away from the door. Step away to load tension on the band and you hinge at the waist allowing your hands to go as far back between your legs as you flexibility will allow. Make sure you are pulling with your glutes and hamstrings.
Steps ups require a box, bucket, or platform that you use one leg to step up and down and then switch and do the other leg. I stand in front of my son and use my foot to anchor the band, you could use something heavy like a tool box though.
For the squats I have him stand on the band with both feet and curl the handles up to shoulder height for tension and the squat away. You could press the handles overhead and do overhead squats as well

[twinboysdad]

https://www.amazon.com/GoFit-Ultimate-P ... 6197&psc=1


Got this for my son, who is a middle school wrestler. He loves working out but will “have” to lift with the high school next year so I didn’t want to invest in weights. This apparatus has been fantastic for the money, he’s built really good strength. The only down side is working legs is tougher, but if you buy this let me know and I will detail the three exercises we found that hit legs best using this equipment

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Twinboysdad, we ordered the GoFit Ultimate on your suggestion. It looks promising and the price is right. It should arrive next Thursday. I would be very interested in the leg exercises you mentioned.

Thanks!

Bryan

I am dying to know what you think

[bryan123]

https://www.amazon.com/GoFit-Ultimate-P ... 6197&psc=1


Got this for my son, who is a middle school wrestler. He loves working out but will “have” to lift with the high school next year so I didn’t want to invest in weights. This apparatus has been fantastic for the money, he’s built really good strength. The only down side is working legs is tougher, but if you buy this let me know and I will detail the three exercises we found that hit legs best using this equipment

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Twinboysdad, we ordered the GoFit Ultimate on your suggestion. It looks promising and the price is right. It should arrive next Thursday. I would be very interested in the leg exercises you mentioned.

Thanks!

Bryan

I am dying to know what you think

I wound up returning the GoFit system and purchasing a higher quality resistance band set called Bodylastics. It is working very well.

[ChrisinHove]

Hi Bryan,

If you’re already a cyclist can I suggest a simple turbo-trainer for your bike?

It’s as intense as you like, no impact, not weather related & you won’t be hit by a truck.

I watch films, TV programmes, YT videos, & catch up on sports matches - in fact I always do 40 minutes stints, equating to a rugby football “half”, (except when I’m watching a rugby game when the game always goes on longer due on-field injuries etc).

Chris

[JRinFL]

There are also the basics which are free or almost free: Calisthenics, walking, and plain old physical labor around the house. I've bought plenty of things to help me exercise, and the only ones still used months later are free; walking and physical labor.

[Snacktime]

I'm not sensible, I have a hydrow.

[u.w.]

I do primarily body-weight exercises - push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, leg-lift, flutter-kicks, squats, calf-raisers, neck-rotations, raised/lifted leg extensions (knees-to-chest), dips, pull-ups, etc...

I've been using something like this (at home) for decades now.
Mine says, MPEX Fitness Products powerhouse fitness, power station, on it, and I picked it up at the NEX over twenty, close to thirty, years ago.
Mine is very close to the one in the photo, but the dip bars on mine don't drop down or get skinny. My dip bars just come straight out and stay Axe body spray can diameter sized.




I've put tape on, and replaced the tape as it wears out, the pull-up bar part as needed over the years. Glued & re-glued the dip grips back on as needed over the years, tighten the nuts/bolts up periodically as they work loose (perhaps I should put loctite on them?).

Nothing bad to say about it all these years later. Have, and do recommend it

u.w.

[u.w.]

https://www.amazon.com/GoFit-Ultimate-P ... 6197&psc=1


Got this for my son, who is a middle school wrestler. He loves working out but will “have” to lift with the high school next year so I didn’t want to invest in weights. This apparatus has been fantastic for the money, he’s built really good strength. The only down side is working legs is tougher, but if you buy this let me know and I will detail the three exercises we found that hit legs best using this equipment

I clicked on the link, and the first thing I thought was "sling-shot bands" or "spear gun bands", lol...

u.w.