File :-(, x, )
Amomynous Anonymous
I'm dropping my gym membership and starting to workout at home.
I know home environment isn't half as good as the gym environment, but convenience + loud music + freedom will make up for it (I’m optimistic)

I have a bench, and am planning to buy sets of 20-60 lbs freeweights in graduations of 5 (20, 25, 30,...55, 60) Cost?
I might get a squat rack later, then again I live in a small apartment. Bailing out might get me evicted.

<ANYWAYS, THESE ARE MY CONCERNS>
-Will I miss out on workouts that only machines can give me?
-Will squats and other deadlifts work my legs proportionately?
-Will I miss out on workouts that can only be done by lifting myself up? Like Chin-ups? Or are there free-weight substitutes for chin-ups and other body-weight workouts?

My goals strength wise are agility, proportion and conditioning.
>> Anonymous
Get a powercage faggot
>> Anonymous
anything you can do on a machine can be done better with free weights
>> Anonymous
>>438306
EVERYTHING?
and what about the non machine workouts, like chinups, what can I do for those?
>>438302
maybe when I'v got the money and floor space
>> Anonymous
>>438302
>>438302
>>438302
This. You can do 98% of exercises you will ever need with a power cage. And you already have a bench.
>> Anonymous
>>438307
Money is right, they can be a little pricey. Check craigslist. Otherwise you can get a nice one for 400$ new. They have pullup handles usually on them. And floorspace? They dont take up any room at all.
>> Anonymous
>>438308
So with a power cage and a bench and a bunch of barbells, I can do Every essential workout that machines and body-weight lifting bars/structures do?

what else do I 'need', to do everything I want to do properly?
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>438308
I curl in my power cage
>> Anonymous
a pair of adjustable dumbbells will round things out. make sure that if you're getting an Olympic barbell w/ plates that you get an adjustable dumbbell that uses oly plates as well. They may be a bit pricier but you won't need to have two sets of plates.
>> Anonymous
>>438310
oh wait they have chinup bars on them ? then I guess that solves everything.
is it common for them to come with high bars for body weight exercises?
and what can I call these body-weight levitated bar things, do they have a name?
>> Anonymous
>>438326

THEY'RE CALLED POWER CAGES YOU FUCKING DONKEY

Rage aside, get on craigslist. I just found a power cage for $250 in like 30 secs. As you can see in the pic on the right, a pull-up bar is at the top.

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/spo/909890649.html
>> Anonymous
>>438326

are you talking about dip bars?
yeah, some power cages have dip bar attachments, powertech for one.
>> Anonymous
can anyone tell me about legs, will deadlifts and squats alone work my legs out or will I be missing some important muscle groups by only doing squats and deadlifts?
>> Anonymous
>>438350
> power cages ? powertech
>> Anonymous
squats and deadlifts incorporate hams, calves, glutes, quads, your entire posterior chain as well as your back muscles as you struggle to keep your back straight against the weight. If you do just squats and deadlifts you won't ever need to do any other leg isolation exercises.
>> Anonymous
>438361

whats wrong with powertech cages and what power cages would your reco.?
>> Anonymous
>>438367
the only thing that confuses me
is why the hell leg exercise machines even exist, if all of these muscles can be worked on proportionately and effectively through squats and deadlifts.

All of these machines exist because.. people aren't well versed in the proper squatting form?
old people?
stupid people?

I hope what your saying means that I can just do squats and dead lifts and not worry about strength training my legs with any other exercise

>you won't ever need to do any other leg isolation exercises.

which is pretty much exactly what you said.

Thanks for the help everyone
>> Anonymous
from what I've read leg isolation machines are really useful when you're recovering from an injury or rehab.
>> Anonymous
also its a lot easier when you're just starting out to just jump on a machine. I remember when I first joined a gym and had no idea what I was doing, the machines were easy and intuitive. As opposed to when I seriosly started lifting free weights, I had to study a shit-ton to make sure I wasn't going to cripple my back or blow out my knees and I'm still very careful with my form on my deadlift and squat days.

it takes instruction, careful study, to learn how to safely use free weights. PERFECT FORM. I suggest you read up and learn as much as you can about deadlifts and squats,
>> Anonymous
>>438388

Those machines exist because gyms are basically required to have them if they want to have any kind of success. People are scared to hell of barbell exercises because they don't understand them and they don't understand how machines DON'T work (if used as your primary source of work). In reality, a form-sound barbell exercise used with a safe amount of weight is safer than a machine, but most people will never understand that because learning them requires a bit of reading whereas the job the machine wants you to do is pretty evident by just looking at it.

So, basically, the world would be a better and resourceful one without exercise machines. But because people are attracted to convenience and are cowards to learning and the unknown, barbell exercises will tend to be more unpopular.
>> Anonymous
>>438399
>>438398

wow thanks alot, that clears up everything.
confident now that freeweights is what I want to learn and get into. even if it takes more time to learn [is why I made this thread in the first place]