Exercise Equipment

[[old] gibbo1969]

Ok this is it.<br />All you need is.<br /><br />swiss ball<br />medicine ball<br />BOSU<br />5-20kg dumbells.<br /><br />and of course<br />Erg<br /><br />I used to be a real metal head and would hit the weight 4-5 times per week. I used to bench 120kg and squat 180kg. A few years back I had a bit of an epithany when I did a PT course through the NASM. <br />I learnt about core stability and functional strength and I have never looked back to the old days.<br />Just using the above I have had really fit and strong clients screaming and begging for mercy and the great thing there are an infinite number of variations to every exercise.

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--QuoteBegin-akit110+Jul 31 2005, 05:33 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Jul 31 2005, 05:33 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->One piece of pretty versatile equipment I have found is something called the "Lifeline Powerwheel" (you can just google the name to get an image, many places sell it).  I have had it for a few years - it's basically like a big, heavy-duty abdominal wheel except you can strap it on your feet allowing you to become a sort of human wheelbarrow.  The result is you can walk on your hands and do a lot of other exercises for the upper body, core and hamstrings.  It's a neat thing for 40 bucks.[right] </td></tr></table><br />I saw them for 50 bucks on the net 8 years ago but they were flimsy, so I made one for $10 with a heavy duty ball bearing wheel, steel rod that a welder cut into three parts (I made three of them and gave two away to friends), duct tape to wind around the rod, and pvc handles that fit snug on the duct tape. It is still working very well. At the beginning I just did rolls out and back on my knees. Once I got up to 50-80 or so then standing ones were much easier and I got up to doing 30 of those a few times. It's a great exercise.<br /><br />How do you attach it to your feet?<br />

[[old] gw1]

IMO best single pieces: Power Rack with dip/chin station, Olympic bar and plates. <br /><br />Best additional piece worth mentioning: Power Runner by Forge Strength<br /><br />GW

[[old] akit110]

<!--QuoteBegin-John Rupp+Jul 31 2005, 11:48 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Jul 31 2005, 11:48 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-akit110+Jul 31 2005, 05:33 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Jul 31 2005, 05:33 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->One piece of pretty versatile equipment I have found is something called the "Lifeline Powerwheel" (you can just google the name to get an image, many places sell it).   I have had it for a few years - it's basically like a big, heavy-duty abdominal wheel except you can strap it on your feet allowing you to become a sort of human wheelbarrow.   The result is you can walk on your hands and do a lot of other exercises for the upper body, core and hamstrings.  It's a neat thing for 40 bucks.[right] </td></tr></table><br />I saw them for 50 bucks on the net 8 years ago but they were flimsy, so I made one for $10 with a heavy duty ball bearing wheel, steel rod that a welder cut into three parts (I made three of them and gave two away to friends), duct tape to wind around the rod, and pvc handles that fit snug on the duct tape. It is still working very well. At the beginning I just did rolls out and back on my knees. Once I got up to 50-80 or so then standing ones were much easier and I got up to doing 30 of those a few times. It's a great exercise.<br /><br />How do you attach it to your feet? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Well compared to what you described almost anything short of a Sherman tank would be flimsy;-) However, I find it very durable - I can't imagine how you could break it in the normal course of events - it's just one solid heavy plastic piece with a steel rod through the center of the wheel to which plastic footplates and rubber heelstraps are attached. <br /><br />If you are unable to attach your feet to your homemade version than you are missing out on the majority of exercises you can do with this piece of apparatus (e.g. alligator walks, crab walks, hamstring curls, pushups, pikes, etc etc). Though I agree the basic abdominal roll-out on your knees or standing really stresses your abdominal muscles far beyond a basic crunch. If you worked up to doing 30 standing ones, you have extremely strong abdominal muscles. If you can find some old fashioned racing bike pedals with 'toe clips' and straps, you can probably attach these to the handles of your version and get a similar effect.<br /><br /><br />

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-akit110+Aug 1 2005, 09:14 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Aug 1 2005, 09:14 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->If you can find some old fashioned racing bike pedals with 'toe clips' and straps . . . <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Ah! That's my problem. The pedals on the bicycle I ride to work are "old-fashioned." No wonder drivers and pedestrians look at me like they do. I thought it was the humpty-dumpty body and skinny legs. Now I know I am marked by the pedals I use. What is a man to do?

[[old] Yoda1]

GW,<br /><br />So, you are still around. Where have you been? The Power Runner looks like an interesting piece of equipment. I can see where it would be extremely useful to sprinters. <br /><br />akit,<br /><br />When I was aboard ship we used to use the wheel quite a bit. It was a riot when we were in heavy seas. You never knew which way your body was going to shifted as you performed the exercises. Put a lot of unexpected torque on the old body. <br /><br />Porkchop,<br /><br />As a cyclist, I would hope that you will not advertise that you ride a bike. Besides most adults don't ride with training wheels and a little horn colored purple. <br /><br />Yoda

[[old] akit110]

<!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Aug 1 2005, 10:29 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Aug 1 2005, 10:29 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-akit110+Aug 1 2005, 09:14 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Aug 1 2005, 09:14 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->If you can find some old fashioned racing bike pedals with 'toe clips' and straps . . . <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Ah! That's my problem. The pedals on the bicycle I ride to work are "old-fashioned." No wonder drivers and pedestrians look at me like they do. I thought it was the humpty-dumpty body and skinny legs. Now I know I am marked by the pedals I use. What is a man to do? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Fear not, Porkchop. I too have the old style pedals and toe clips on my late 80s racing bike. By 'old-fashioned', I, of course, meant the type that predated the 'clipless' (Look, SPD etc) style pedal of today.

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-akit110+Aug 1 2005, 01:09 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Aug 1 2005, 01:09 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Aug 1 2005, 10:29 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Aug 1 2005, 10:29 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-akit110+Aug 1 2005, 09:14 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(akit110 @ Aug 1 2005, 09:14 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->If you can find some old fashioned racing bike pedals with 'toe clips' and straps . . . <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Ah! That's my problem. The pedals on the bicycle I ride to work are "old-fashioned." No wonder drivers and pedestrians look at me like they do. I thought it was the humpty-dumpty body and skinny legs. Now I know I am marked by the pedals I use. What is a man to do? <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Fear not, Porkchop. I too have the old style pedals and toe clips on my late 80s racing bike. By 'old-fashioned', I, of course, meant the type that predated the 'clipless' (Look, SPD etc) style pedal of today. <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Thank you for your support. <br /><br />The next thing you know, <span style='color:green'>Yoda</span> will be making fun of my banana seat, highrise handlebars, and colorful (and patriotic) red, white, and blue handgrip streamers. I don't think that's very nice or fair, coming from a guy who still fastens playing cards to his front fork with clothespins so that he can make that fake motorcycle sound when he's riding.

[[old] Citroen]

<!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Aug 1 2005, 08:15 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Aug 1 2005, 08:15 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The next thing you know, <span style='color:green'>Yoda</span> will be making fun of my banana seat, highrise handlebars, and colorful (and patriotic) red, white, and blue handgrip streamers.  I don't think that's very nice or fair, coming from a guy who still fastens playing cards to his front fork with clothespins so that he can make that fake motorcycle sound when he's riding. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />You mean your bike is like this:<br /><br /><img src='http://www.rcoc.co.uk/index.4.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-Citroen+Aug 1 2005, 02:34 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Citroen @ Aug 1 2005, 02:34 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Porkchop+Aug 1 2005, 08:15 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Porkchop @ Aug 1 2005, 08:15 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The next thing you know, <span style='color:green'>Yoda</span> will be making fun of my banana seat, highrise handlebars, and colorful (and patriotic) red, white, and blue handgrip streamers.  I don't think that's very nice or fair, coming from a guy who still fastens playing cards to his front fork with clothespins so that he can make that fake motorcycle sound when he's riding. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />You mean your bike is like this:<br /> <br /> </td></tr></table><br />No, I've got ape hanger handlebars and streamers on mine.

[[old] Yoda1]

Doug,<br /><br />Good looking bike you've got there. I notice it has the high performance rear rollers for the wheelies. And they are GREEN. Yaaaaa!!!!<br /><br />So, are all of us in agreement. There is NOT any <b>one</b> piece of equipment that will do it all? I guess when you get right down to the nitty gritty, it's what works for each person. One likes body weight exercises, another likes a combination of Bosa, Swiss Ball, a medcine ball, and a couple of dumbells, another likes the Total Trainer, Porkchop, huh, well, hummm, he's just Porkchop, another likes a power rack and barbells, another likes the power wheel. Wow, we've got 10 posts on this thread and a half a dozen different thoughts on the best piece of resistance equipment. I noticed no one mentioned Kettlebells. Thank god. <br /><br />GW, How long has the Power Runner been available? <br /><br />Just had a thought. Maybe we should post a poll to see how many different pieces of exercise equipment for training other than an ERG are being used by everyone. I would try to do it, but don't know how. Can one of you guys post it?<br /><br /> Yoda (zee bionic one)

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-Yoda1+Aug 1 2005, 03:48 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Yoda1 @ Aug 1 2005, 03:48 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Doug,<br /><br />Good looking bike you've got there.  I notice it has the high performance rear rollers for the wheelies.  And they are GREEN.  Yaaaaa!!!!<br /><br />So, are all of us in agreement.  There is NOT any <b>one</b> piece of equipment that will do it all?  I guess when you get right down to the nitty gritty, it's what works for each person.  One likes body weight exercises, another likes a combination of Bosa, Swiss Ball, a medcine ball, and a couple of dumbells, another likes the Total Trainer,  Porkchop, huh, well, hummm, he's just Porkchop, another likes a power rack and barbells, another likes the power wheel.  Wow, we've got 10 posts on this thread and a half a dozen different thoughts on the best piece of resistance equipment.  I noticed no one mentioned Kettlebells.  Thank god. <br /><br />GW, How long has the Power Runner been available?  <br /><br />Just had a thought.  Maybe we should post a poll to see how many different pieces of exercise equipment for training other than an ERG are being used by everyone.  I would try to do it, but don't know how.  Can one of you guys post it?<br /><br />  Yoda (zee bionic one) <br /> </td></tr></table><br />Kettlebells, definitely kettlebells.

[[old] Citroen]

<!--QuoteBegin-Yoda1+Aug 1 2005, 09:48 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Yoda1 @ Aug 1 2005, 09:48 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Doug,<br /><br />Good looking bike you've got there.  I notice it has the high performance rear rollers for the wheelies.  And they are GREEN.  Yaaaaa!!!!<br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />NO! My bike is a Giant OCR 2. <br />My nephew (6'6" of him) has a Raleigh Chopper.<br /><br /><!--QuoteBegin-Yoda1+Aug 1 2005, 09:48 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Yoda1 @ Aug 1 2005, 09:48 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->So, are all of us in agreement.  There is NOT any <b>one</b> piece of equipment that will do it all?  <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />You've missed the obvious. The <b>ONE </b>true piece of kit is ...<br /><br /><img src='http://www.concept2.co.uk/rower/images/ ... _small.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><br /><br />The Concept 2 Rowing Ergometer.

[[old] Porkchop]

<!--QuoteBegin-gw1+Aug 1 2005, 08:29 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(gw1 @ Aug 1 2005, 08:29 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->IMO best single pieces: Power Rack with dip/chin station, Olympic bar and plates. <br /><br />Best additional piece worth mentioning: Power Runner by Forge Strength<br /><br />GW <br /> </td></tr></table><br />I looked at the Power Runner website. Interesting concept, but the one thing I did not see was the price, How much does that machine run? I suspect that it is well over what most home gym users would find to be cost-effective. <br /><br />My first impression was that this was just another gimmick, but then I saw the "old fashioned toeclips" and new it had to be about the best exercise machine that money could buy. Seriously, though, I can certainly see that the foot-flexion and extension allowed by the pedals is a definite advantage when training something like strength for sprint starts, because it would train the calf through a ful range of motion, unlike, say, back squats. But would it be effective for less specialized users?

[[old] PaulS]

<!--QuoteBegin-Yoda1+Jul 29 2005, 01:15 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(Yoda1 @ Jul 29 2005, 01:15 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->For the last couple of days I've been thinking about one piece of equipment that does everything for resistance training.  Over the years I've probably tried as many or more than most people.  And I can't come up with one piece that does everything.  Assuming that a person has the room, I guess a basic barbell set with a adustable bench would probably be the best way to go.  But then that's not one piece, is it?  Maybe a Total Gym or Total Trainer?  How about a Bowflex?  What do you think?  How about some opinions?  I wonder how many different pieces we can come up with.  <br /><br />Yoda (zee bionic one) <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />It's obvious, isn't it? Our own body and mind.