No Gym...what to do?

Been way too many post that go something like this "I don't have a gym but what can i do to build muscle?" "I have 40lbs dumbbells and want to bulk up" My answer to this is join a gym. If your really serious about doing this the right way and making progress then a gym isn't optional. Its required equipment. Like Throttle said before, trying to be a cook without cooking supplies, or someone saying "I want to plant a nice garden, but i only have a shovel" or "I want to cut the grass but i only have scissors" its ridiculous. The way i see it is, the same defeatist, corner cutting, slacker traits that have you thinking you don't need a gym will be the same ones that will bring you down in weightlifting.

I understand that you'll never have the "perfect" situation in life and having creativity is great and resourceful, but I feel like all that energy should be channeled towards figuring out how you can actually join a gym. If your in high school then figure out a way to use your high school gym if it has one. If your in college you have a rec center. If your in neither, search your area and find every single gym and also search for power lifting gyms as well (which are actually cheaper and better). Go to every single gym you've found and explain the situation to the manager haggle with them hard on the price.

You have to put some effort forth to make this happen. If you REALLY actually can't afford it or you tried and you just can't get it then to be honest, this is not the right time for you to be getting involved in this hobby. Take sometime, get a job (even at the gym this will solve A LOT) , save some money. Get yourself in a position where you can actually do things right then come back. In the mean while just focus on general fitness. Go for runs, walks, do push ups, situps, pull ups, body squats, dips, lunges, bike, pick up sports etc. Do them for the general health benefits and fun but don't think you'll be making any sort of big body transformation (unless you were very overweight to start with). You will improve your work capacity so by the time your ready for a gym you'll be in shape.

I didn't mention making a home gym, since the start up price for that would be more than enough to join a proper gym and very few are in a position where they can actually have a proper home gym. So moral of the story, JOIN A GYM

Hmm.
Do I agree...or not.
I think I don't. I have a cheap ass home-gym in my apartment dining room

The only thing in there is my laptop, a bench and a squat rack. I've done some major body transformations in this little closet.

Sorry Effort, I think you are confusing commitment with means to afford. I've spent a lot on the iron itself, but not nearly what I would have spent by now if I'd joined a gym 5 years ago.

I would kill for a home gym. That would be SO awesome.

insidious said:

Hmm.
Do I agree...or not.
I think I don't. I have a cheap ass home-gym in my apartment dining room

The only thing in there is my laptop, a bench and a squat rack. I've done some major body transformations in this little closet.

Sorry Effort, I think you are confusing commitment with means to afford. I've spent a lot on the iron itself, but not nearly what I would have spent by now if I'd joined a gym 5 years ago.

Click to expand...

This post isn't aimed towards people of your age and maturity insidious

I joined a gym, I only have time to rock up once or twice a week right now and I honestly don't see how I can fit in more time, but I'm definitely going to suss out my other options.
I have a dumbell at home (just the one, woo) but my sister has like a treadmill and a bike thingy, and she recently purchased some massive thing that lets you do basically every exercise (it's like a whole gym in one thing), but we don't have room to set it up where we live (she didn't think that through so much)..

When you actually go to the gym, you feel more inclined to actually push through the boundaries and accomplish your goals, which is something some people might slack off on when they are at home, and you'll have a proper instructor dude making sure you are doing the weights correctly (it's their job to tell you so you don't hurt yourself).

^ Most personal trainers have no idea what they're doing, unfortunately. You really have to teach yourself this stuff.

And unfortunately if your goal is getting bigger, it's basically not possible without real equipment. I know people talk about bodyweight exercises and sandbags, etc., but it's really just not realistic. At the minimum, you need a barbell, weight plates and a rack to make any real gains at all.

If you are going to join a gym, I would suggest one of the 24 hour ones like Snap or Anytime which, if you are in the U.S. or Canada are pretty much everywhere. That gives you access all the time. Otherwise I would choose very carefully what sort of facility to belong to. Is it a healthclub with wussy machines or does it have lots of free weights and fit buff people training there. That is an incentive as it gives you some motivation to train. As for training, the internet is a great resource as are fitness magazines like Men's Fitness, Men's Health, Exercise and Men's Workout etc. Try not to get too sucked in by the big bodybuilders who try to sell you on all the latest supplements they are often trying to make money out of you. Kettlebells are a great tool to train at home with as they are versatile and can be used for strength training and cardio, they don't take up much room either.:wave: :rock:

Hey EFFORT, point well-taken.

After reading some of the "I want to be..." threads here, I completely see where you are coming from

A set of dumbbells will only take you so far. You will plateau without some equipment, and it's more cost effective to spend it on a gym anyway.

http://youtu.be/ZLuN3wVduNs -25 Rep
http://youtu.be/q9z1fxIXP60 -50 Rep
- I haven't done them on a consistent basis, but they seem to be good [basic] exercises [in case you don't have access to a gym].

I pc of thick walled steel (new) pipe or scrap yard steel rod and some gallon jugs with GOOD lids, (like antifreeze jugs, from trash at service stations) and some way to hold the jugs in place in your "bar", and you are good to go. Fill them with water or sand, dump out or add more jugs to adjust the weight. You can use the jugs as kettleballs, or dumbells, too of course.

gym memberships are real cheap nowadays guys. there really is no excuse. there are smaller lesser known gyms all over the place that wont charge you more than 20 a month. i mean thats really nothing, think about how much some of you spend on booze or clubbing. the place i have been going to for over a decade is right around the corner from my house, its small but has all the basic stuff, and i dont pay more than 10 or 15 a month. that place is like a sanctuary for me with all the time ive spent there over the years. its really worth it in my opinion. i think its possible to get in great shape without a gym if you have the right knowledge, but i think its harder to stay motivated, at least for me personally. having access to the different variety of machines and equipment really makes things more interesting and helps me form different work outs and supersets etc....

as for the knowledge, there is a lot of great info for free on the internet, tons of forums and videos on youtub etc.... really no excuse these days guys.

Bunch of jerkoffs in my gym. If I was weak I wouldn't want to train there.



Can always hide a barbell and some weights in a park or something, near the playground. Wrap the bar in tape to prevent rust if you leave it out. Arrange to get a big ol' tractor tire there as well, for tire flipping.

Poor substitute for a gym, but no reason even without a gym, to not be in good shape, reasonably lean and admirable (to the non-training public) physique.

For ghetto weight bar, just a car axle with some nice aluminum or steel buckets on the end. Use chain links or sand for weight, add a little bit each time.