After 5 months of use I can tell you this:
If you like weights, and like following a strict plan while working out (and if you have the space)
Get a home gym.
So far, best investment I have made to date.
Just my two cents – nothing beats working out how I want, when I want….and with who I want.
You don’t need anything super complicated, a rack, a bar some weights. Then pick up extras as you need.
Plus, it’s a great commute.
BP
(I apologize for the toque, but really, you don’t want to see what’s under there)
Tags: building muscle, gain muscle
This entry was posted by Brad Pilon on Monday, May 10th, 2010 at 3:56 pm and is filed under
muscle building
The only problem I see for me is spotters. Working out at home gives me the tendancy to workout alone (not a bad thing. Do you ever workout by yourself or with someone else? Are spotter essential for growth?
By myself most often.
I use the spotting pins a lot, and when I go heavy, but am alone, I just use partial movements…it’s only really a concern with bench and skull crusher type moves.
B
Sorry for the poor grammatical skills.
Ha, I’m the LAST PERSON to ever complain about grammar.
Dude you have a really nice rack
I got myself a home gym and the P90X dvds, i got a multi station, stairmaster, leg press, big wavemaster punching bag, the bas rutten training cds, lots of free weights and dumbells, and an infrared sauna.
I got tired of going to the gym and doing the lineup to train, seeing so many young people acting tough while on steroids and pertty much the whole people who lift weights think they are invincible thing. I almost got into a fist fight with an a-hole that was telling young teenagers that training without steroids was worthless.
Now with all my equipment at home and with a nintendo WII game with EA Active i train when i want to. And then hit the infrared sauna for some well deserved rest.
Home gym is the best, i can’t lift heavy anymore because of my back pain that is being fix with prolotherapy and guna mesotherapy, but doing some P90X and going for repetition i am getting closer to the type of body i want.
Awesome. and…Well played sir.
Here here! Yes, absolutely. No excuses to not work out if it’s all right there. I’ve moved to body weight exercises primarily, but back when I did weight training, I bought really nice equipment and worked out at home seriously for a few years. Nice to have my own shower too!
I don’t have any spotters and it has not stopped me from making progress, and I powerlift. If someone can progress without spotters doing that, then you can progress without spotters for any kind of training.
Geez, Brad you look bigger. At first, I wanted to at least look big and proportionate on camera, but after a hard-hitting truth of viewing myself in a youtube video, versus looking at myself in the mirror, I realize I’m much bigger off camera. So to your readers, those bodybuilders, at least those who are on steroids, look absolutely horrible in real life, natural bodybuilders actually look bigger than you think, which means brad actually looks bigger in real life than he does in that pic, and he looks considerably big in that pic. Somebody explain to me again why people say the camera adds 10 lb? more like subtracts 10 lb to me.
Brad, what kind of rack do you have? I’ve been thinking about getting a rack from EliteFTS, mainly b/c I want good J-hooks and band pegs. yours looks very similar to the racks they sell
It’s an Elite.
They were all Pro in helping me get it across the border, and their customer service was prompt and useful.
B
The crazy thing about camera’s and videos is that they can shrink you, make you taller, make you broader..and it changes from camera to camera.
I’m no expert…I barely know what a mega-pixel is…but this is my experience.
And yeah, Natural lifters are always bigger than I expect, and the pro’s were always more ‘alien’ than you could possible believe.
B
Brad, you look way bigger than ‘usual’ in the pic. Damn man, what have you been doing?
Chris
Brad, I agree with you 100%. I got my setup in January and haven’t looked back. I’ve got an almost identical setup as you. It is ideal if you do strength training (I’m following Madcow 5×5 at present). A good rack is extremely safe to work in. I had to bale from my bench last night and did so safely and without struggling.
I also workout in my basement, I quit my gym memebership last fall…such a time saver + I’m more consistent then ever
Thanks Robert. Most gym rats will tell you that you have to have a spotter to see progress but I am glad to hear that it is not the case.
Brad, I have been reading your blog for awhile and have a couple questions. Firstly, at 6?1 171 pounds I am ‘light’ but should I disregard weight in an effort to get an even lower body fat via calorie reduction. I have a hint of man boobs and not great ab definition. Is this bodyfat or training related (more ab work, more incline chest work)?
Thanks.
For the aspiring home gym creator, I would say just get a set of adjustable dumbbells and a adjustable bench to start. Those two you can get from ironmind.com and I have been looking at those two items HARD for awhile now. I just need the money. Those two items, plus a pull up bar and you can do pretty much the entire Adonis Effect workouts. You will obviously have to substitute some exercises, but it will work. It wouldn’t take up much space at all either.
It is also a good reason to do bodyweight exercises and use minimal equipment. Great commute.
Thanks Chris,
New workout has been treating me really, really well.
B
Nice set up. Amazing what can be accomplished with an olympic bar, rack and some plates.
I love the chains too. The weighted push ups you were doing in a video awhile back was awesome. I’ve never seen that before. Something I am going to try.
I don’t have room for a home gym yet, but hope to have a set up like this at some point.
Dan
What new workout are you refering to? Also, along the same line – there are so many myths about deadlifts, squats, etc. being THE ULTIMATE exercise. So many things I don’t know what to believe. Say you had 20 minutes and can do only only 4 exercises for your workouts – what do you do? Reps high and light or low and heavy?
Thanks for your no B.S. myth busting ways, Brad!
I am planing to get two dumbbels and 50 kg this days.That is more then enough to get my self in the best shape.
i agree that gym at home is cool, but it all depends on the work you have,
i sit at desk and i go to gym during work (my lunch time) just 5 floors above my desk. It works for me and i have extra time at home
I don’t think there is one ultimate exercise. The concept of building your arms by squatting is ridiculous..and the argument that the very acute and transient increase in Test or GH is enough to cause systemic muscle growth is not valid.
Reps, for me 5-13 range.
Exercise…well…that’s muscle group specific….I’d go overhead press, Deads, Lunges, Adonis Crosses.
Brad, where is the huge mirrors surrounding it so you can check out your traps or guns while lifting the weights?!?! Come on man! (I can’t get enough of these college ‘bros’ in the gym haha)
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I sold my home gym several months ago. I found the ease of access to the weights gave me an excuse to procrastinate and ultimately skip workouts entirely. Plus, loss of mobility. At this point in my life, I’m done with home ownership, so I’m renting. When I owned a full on home gym, I always had to make a move decision based on where I can put the weights. I do have a home made door frame pull up bar, push up handles and a weight vest. Also, I like the chain work-out you’ve come up with best, but I’m enjoying the gym much more.
Brad what do you mean you don’t wanna see what’s under the hat?
Dave,
Massive afro. Massive.
B
So, I have a question. not sure if this is the best place to post, but I don’t see any other places to post questions?:
I’ve read the book and ready to start. All sounds very logical and sound and unfortunately, at this point I have nothing to lose but fat itself.
If one is doing 2x fasts a week, starting one at say 18:00 on a sunday, going to 18:00 on Monday, does one EAT BEFORE the fast? Does one then EAT DINNER after coming off? If one does NEITHER, then the fast is actually longer. If one does EITHER then one isn’t really NOT EATING 2x days out of the week? What is the recommended fast process.?
sorry, posted in the wrong thread.
Brad Pilon Blog – A Great Muscle Building Secret…
Fitness – After 5 months of use I can tell you this: If you like weights, and like following a strict plan while working out (and if you have the space) …Get a home gym….
Eat Stop Eat is a very interesting approach Brad.