Planning on getting those adjustable dumbells. Can I just get the bar - it's like RM 20 - 30 or so .. then add the plates? Or do I need to get the all-in-one box like from Kettler or fitness store?

What are the different weight plates to get i.e. exact weights? I only have 1.5 and 2.5 (x2 each).

Bench .. no problem. Flat bench (like one bar) or those sit up bench (sitting leaning a bit back) .. not sure how to call it.

Edit to add --

This site is fairly informative about building your home gym or getting the right equipment (for women?)

Going through the list, i have most of the equipment

- collars (on barbell)
- wrist weights
+ hand weights (for kickboxing)
- weight plates x2ea (1.5, 2.5)
- jump rope
- timer (a few, watch or stopwatch)
- barbell (curved)
- step (6" aerobic step)
+ stability ball
+ cardio equipment - treadmill, bike

What I don't have
- dumbell handles x2
- weight plates (5, 10)
- 8lb sledgehammer
- pull-up bar

I'll get the first two this weekend. So don't see why I can't get it done at home. Now I just need a good solid program.

This post has been edited by kirakracus: Apr 11 2007, 09:52 AM

depends on your budget. The more plates you have, the less need to get out of the house to buy. Eventually you will need to add weights so yea better buy the whole set

How's this program?

Workout 2 - Beginner Upper/Lower

"This routine can be done on a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule, with the next workout being "floated" into the next week (so that one week Monday would be lower body, the next Monday would be upper body), OR on alternating days (1 day of workout, 1 day of rest, 1 day of workout, and so forth), OR 4 days a week on a Monday-Tuesday-Thursday-Friday schedule. Don't do this workout more than two days in a row. Rest 1 to 2 minutes between sets (you might want a little longer between squat sets)."

day 1 - lower body
1. Squat or Leg press 2 x 12-15
2. Stiff-legged deadlift 2 x 12-15
3. Calf raise 2 x 12-15
4. Back extensions 2 x 12-15

day 2 - upper body
1. Lat pulldown 2 x 12-15
2. Standing overhead shoulder press 2 x 12-15
3. One-arm dumbbell row 2 x 12-15
4. Bench press 2 x 12-15
5. Ab crunches 2 x 12-15

Substitute one-arm db row with bent-over barbell row. Otherwise it looks solid enough.

do pendlays

Thanks musclemass and jones.

I checked out pendlays yesterday - information and videos .. and tried them out. My weights were very light though - 15kg total .. and I used the same weights for the whole lower body program. Right? Wrong?

day 2 - upper body
1. Lat pulldown 2 x 12-15
2. Standing overhead shoulder press 2 x 12-15
3. Bent-over barbell row 2 x 12-15
4. Bench press 2 x 12-15
5. Ab crunches 2 x 12-15

Another question - what do I substitute for a lat pulldown? Think one needs to use a machine for that.

Don't use the same weight for all exercise. Lat pulldown can be substituted with chin/pull ups.

I think chins/pullups very hard to do alone leh

If you have access to assisted chin/pull ups machine it should be ok.

She's building a home gym, dahling

dont have to do assited chin up la. just do half chin up with 2x8 or 3x8 la. then slowly u'll be able to chin up higher and higher.

I don't have a pull/chin up bar and putting one in at the house is out of the question at the moment - moving again soon .. plus it's just in my room and not a dedicated workout room.

I'll go check out the park for those ... bar crossing thingies which may work ... but think they have a huge sign there that says only kids below 12 can play in the park .. ha ha. Who says adults can't play on the swing or the see-saw ..

Can't wait for the weekend .. time to go shopping for fitness equipment (weight plates especially so I do heavier stuff)

You can try buying the doorway chin up bar. Since it's fixed onto the frame of the door, it's not really high and therefore you could kick yourself up from the ground if you can't pull yourself up.

i'm also interested in that... how much and where?

Doorway chin up bar sounds good .. can it actually hold me? Never mind, it can hold up to 300 lbs. Will go check out Kettler this Sunday.

This post has been edited by kirakracus: Apr 13 2007, 01:29 PM

You can get it in most fitness shops. I think they have it in Studio R too... About RM30 I guess.

the bar can hold my father carrying my mother doing 30 pull ups yeah. my father is a strong man

Wow, jones .. your father is so cool


This post has been edited by kirakracus: Apr 14 2007, 12:40 AM

I have another stupid question. A hypothetical question .. you might say.

If you saw someone doing a workout in the stairwell of your office building (in full workout gear), would you think she/he was weird?

End of hypothesis.

Answer that first .. keep it in mind, then proceed [yeah so many directions .. ] If you'd like to reply then you know .. give the answer to that question first - weird or not

Onto the next part.

I regularly do a walk up the 9 - 10 floors of my office during my breaks when I remember. My office block has one main stairs (wider) and two smaller ones at the sides .. so sometimes I do a big loop through all of them - recovery as I walk the full length of the floors etc. So I thought .. you know .. instead of this 10 - 15 minute thing .. why not make a full workout out of it? I have the time during lunchbreak .. why should I sit at my desk or go out someplace to read?

Good idea? Bad idea? What do you think?

its a good idea really. dont care what people think now. think of what they will say when you have a nice bod.