Tired of my gym

Q

QuantumPositron

New Member
Long story short: I've relocated, the branch in this area is terrible, and I'm charged if I relocate my membership, and I'm charged if I end my membership. So, I'm tired of this contract nonsense. The gym always gets each and every right and option and you get each and every fee. Like taxes, there's nothing one can do without being charged.

There is a YMCA. The rates are fair. No contracts. The equipment is decent, though tightly packed (no one has free weight squat racks anymore - its all 3D smith machines). From now on I will recommend the Y to anyone who wants to lift weights, in the absence of a more hardcore place.

Anyway, the point of this post is to field my idea for my home gym. I recognize there is a home gym forum, but no one reads that. I never do. So here goes:

Being an apartment dweller, barbells, I think, are out of the question. Too heavy to move, too big, too loud, too likely to go through the floor and you can't squat with them w/o a rack (also too big). There are the Bowflex's and what not, but they run in the mid hundreds on up, do they not? And to my knowledge, you can't squat with them, let alone deadlift. This must be cost effective. So my thinking is this: Bands. I am partial to the barbell, but if we are to think like smart weightlifters and not dogmatic ones, we have to recognize that resistance is resistance. I have doubts, and I'll get to those momentarily. ]

EliteFTS sells a deadlift platform of sorts. Really it is just a metal plate with bars welded onto its sides for band placement. With this platform, a set of powerlifting class bands, and a bar I could do just about any major lift. Throw in an adjustable incline bench with a preacher attachment and we have some curling and pressing options. Throw in a chin/dip stand and we have those lifts. Not that they are necessary; I am willing accept bare bones for now.

The thing about bands is they are not weights. They do not behave exactly like weights and so I don't trust their muscle building potential. But, at the same time, resistance is resistance, yes? Bands also wear out, and may possibly lose their tension over time, so they need to be replaced perhaps as often as once, maybe twice a year. The upside is that they are light, cheaper per pound of resistance than free weights, easy to store and move, **and I can do Westside dynamic method with them**.

What do you guys think about this?
 
I have some similar lifting experiences, so this may be relevant enough to consider.
Look into bowflex machine threads on BB'ing forums for the answer to why nobody uses them. Next, we have these L.A.Fitness type gyms with the electric over hydraulic computer programmable machines that you set the resistance level for every inch of the movements; even up to more than your maxes, or putting a hard spot at just your sticking points, etc. These can be useful, safe, and fun...for a minnit.
But after just two workouts you find yourself aching for some iron to move! It was like trying to stop a CAR from running over you, rather than you pushing the car somewhere.
Remember the Spring Things? You had two handles with 3 or 5 springs that you'd pull apart or the one that was a thick spring looked like a pole with handles on each end that you'd bend. One was good for pulling the hair off your chest and the other for amusing your kids.
Then along came the BullWorker...by day 3 you were wondering what squeezing this thing had to do with weightlifting...
But ALL of these things could build muscle. Yes, I said that. The problem was that simply adding reps, or watching the resistance indicators increase did not have visual appeal reward, the silence or sound of a spring twinging didn't have audible credibility, and the limits of some didn't have enough range or resistance for progress. Since they didn't FEEL good, you did not FEEL good. Same thing with my old yard sale equipment, like tubular benches. You won't stay with it IMO.
"Body by Jake" wasn't built with those flimsy little machines he sells.
 
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(QuantumPositron @ Mar. 19 2008,03:18)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I am partial to the barbell, but if we are to think like smart weightlifters and not dogmatic ones, we have to recognize that resistance is resistance.</div>
Resistance is futile...!
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I, too, have to work out at a YMCA. I am fortunate that the one I frequent is not too crowded. Usually I am the only one using the power rack.
 
Argh. You two aren't making this any easier.

Seriously though, I still have my old power rack, bench, and olympic set from high school. I simply cannot set it up in an apartment. Believe me, I have thought about it, and thought about it, and thought about it. In fact, I am this [] close to getting the barbell and putting it on my balcony, if only I was assured that it wouldn't go through the bottom. I have a balcony that is maybe 4-5 inches deep of poured concrete. I don't see any supports beneath it. Can it take a deadlift?

If I go through with the band idea, I will have a platform with bands for when I can get to using my old rack and set.
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Body by Jake - my first workout machine. POS.
 
rock&gt;you&lt;hardplace

do you have a link to the EliteFTS deadlift device?
 
DO NOT put big weight on the balcony!!! You can't afford the lawsuit when it drops on the neighbors downstairs!
Speaking of which; do you get along with them? Look, since you're not doing Oly lifts, (or are you?), it puts you on a par with everyone else at home. I did deads, squats and everything else here before building the platform. (which is just 2x4's, 3/4&quot; plywood and 1/2&quot; rubber) I had to control the weight in both the eccentric and concentric movements to protect the floor. (once unsuccessfully) That lowers your rep count, but gives you more workload, so it's all good. Remember that you only need a barbell to work everything. And I DO have that giant freeweight lever machine in my living room still. Just don't drop stuff, and tell your GF that it's all your sexy playground, so she should be appreciative.
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Maybe you could pick up some of those dumbbells that hold olympic plates. Add a bench and your barbell and your set. I would stay away from the bowflex, I HAD one and they just don't compare to free weights and dumbbells.
 
Does your apartment complex have garages that they rent out?  If they do you could get one of those to use your current rack and weights in.  Or maybe you can get a cheap rental storage unit somewhere that is big enough to use your rack in?  Not sure how much you were spending per month for your gym but one of those may be an option in the same price range or maybe even cheaper.
 
Yeah, like Bulldog and Quad suggested, I'd try to find somewhere close by where you can use your weights at ground level. A cheap garage for rent would be pretty good I would think and might double up as useful space for other stuff too (a car?) if you need to justify the expense.

If that's really not an option then an Oly bar with just two 20kg plates along with some bands might be a good compromise - you'll still have some real weight and just be adding to it with the bands. Of course, to use the bands for deads you'd have to build a small, sturdy platform to tie the bands to. A couple of decent rubber mats would be useful too.
 
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(quadancer @ Mar. 19 2008,17:37)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">DO NOT put big weight on the balcony!!! You can't afford the lawsuit when it drops on the neighbors downstairs!</div>
Besides, it might chip up your weights unless you have some really good bumper plates...
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Not only that, but what about when it rains? Unless your balcony is enclosed, you'd have to keep a tarp out there or something to cover up the rack and the weights when you aren't using them.
 
$165.00!!! Man, I'd put down two pieces of plywood with 2x4's sandwiched in between them and put four eyebolts through the corners...should cost about what their shipping is! Cover that with a glued-down piece of old carpet and you'd have your platform.
The fellas are right. I didn't think about renting something - also you might check to see if there's other guys like you who might want to go in with you on the rent - Steve Jones did that and has his own little lifting club there, I think it was a room in back of a warehouse or something, but look around and you can find all sorts of spaces. Some people rent out their basements, usually as an apartment with it's own access - you might even want to move!
 
sounds like the home gym in your apartment is unfeasible.

id just look around for a decent gym with no contracts, like ymca.
 
I have a tactic with gyms....

Walk in, tell them what you want, if they say you can't have that, say thank you and walk out!

Simple as that, in my case every time i've done it, i've been called back before i've got near to the door and they've changed there mind to get a 'sale'.

I recently moved cities, wanted to find a gym asap, but didnt want a long term contract as I didnt know whether i'd stay. The first place I walked into they said 12 month contracts only.... I walked in, stated i wouldn't sign anything longer than a month as i was new to the place, they said 12 month only, i said thank you and tried to walk out before they said 'i suppose we could do you a special deal'
 
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(ian @ Mar. 20 2008,15:00)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">I have a tactic with gyms....

Walk in, tell them what you want, if they say you can't have that, say thank you and walk out!

Simple as that, in my case every time i've done it, i've been called back before i've got near to the door and they've changed there mind to get a 'sale'.

I recently moved cities, wanted to find a gym asap, but didnt want a long term contract as I didnt know whether i'd stay. The first place I walked into they said 12 month contracts only.... I walked in, stated i wouldn't sign anything longer than a month as i was new to the place, they said 12 month only, i said thank you and tried to walk out before they said 'i suppose we could do you a special deal'</div>
At my gym, they don't even have contracts. You pay the first day of the month, and that's it. How often you come and work out, nobody gives a [beep]. That's why I like it there.
 
Yeah, they like pushing the 12 month contracts because it is easy money since most people stop going after a couple of months.  Then most of them sign up again the next year and do the same thing.

I like Ian's idea.  Tell them what you want and see if they give it to you.  One of the gym's in my home town used to charge by the day if you wanted to do it that way.  I think at the time it was like $3 per day.  But that was about 15 years ago.  
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Quad,

You're absolutely right. If I ever do this for my rack, I'm going the DIY route.

Ian,

Brilliant tactic. Its not often in the US that we get to flex negotiating muscle as so many businesses set their prices in a corporate office. I have it from an ex-banking acquaintence that most anything with a bank can be likewise negotiated.
 
As for getting out of the contract with my current gym, there is an exit fee. What do you think would happen if, after paying relevant monthly dues, I had the bank stop payment to the gym, then walked in and cancelled my account?
 
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