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04-07-2008, 01:32 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 2,216
S/C/G: 220 (2007) 159 (now)/159/140
Height: 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall
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In the market for weights...
My time at the gym may be limited, soon, so I'm looking for some type of weights so I can do weight training at home. I've been using the Nautilus machine at the little gym I go to, but I've got no room for anything that big.
What do some of you have, and what would you suggest? Checking in with the sticky threads in this section, I noticed talk of resistance bands. Will you get as good a workout with the bands as you would with a set of free weights or dumbbells?
I talked to the lady who runs the little gym I go to, today, and she said free weights would give as good a workout, if not better, than the Nautilus machine, but that the options for leg workouts would be fewer. Not sure what to do....
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04-07-2008, 01:48 PM
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#2
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Ann Marie
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Gowanda, NY
Posts: 93
S/C/G: 263 (Feb of '06)/236/170
Height: 5' 5"
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I have a set of Versa-Bell dumbbells. You can adjust the weight from 5 to 25 lbs. They are a little on the expensive side but they take the place of like 9 sets of dumbbells.
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04-07-2008, 01:58 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 2,216
S/C/G: 220 (2007) 159 (now)/159/140
Height: 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall
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brn2bthn...my husband is wanting us to get something like that, so he can use 'em too. I was worried that dumbbells would take up a lot of room, but the adjustable ones don't at all...something to consider....
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04-07-2008, 02:25 PM
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#4
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Just Me
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Maryland
Posts: 14,707
S/C/G: 364/--/182
Height: 5'6"
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Dumbbells take up some room although I don't really mind it. I have up to 25 lbs and I have kettlebells up to 45 lbs.
Free weights are awesome and you can do good leg work with them including squats and lunges.
You can get a pretty decent workout with resistance bands although I wouldn't say it would be the same as working with free weights. There are also body weight exercises you can do with no weights.
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04-07-2008, 02:32 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 2,216
S/C/G: 220 (2007) 159 (now)/159/140
Height: 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall
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I'm leaning toward the free weights because I can't really see HOW the bands would give as good a workout as the weights. And also, I can't see my husband using bands...he'd want manly weights, that clang and make noise!!
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04-07-2008, 02:59 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Washington Heights, NYC
Posts: 506
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MindiV
I. And also, I can't see my husband using bands...he'd want manly weights, that clang and make noise!!
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REALLY manly men attach resistance bands to their weights to make the top portion of the lift more difficult: Using Bands and Chains
One of these days I am going to invest in a set of bands to help train my lockout, and reduce the stress on my elbows when speed benching. Chains would be great too, but I can't see lugging 80# of chains to the gym.
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04-07-2008, 03:16 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 2,216
S/C/G: 220 (2007) 159 (now)/159/140
Height: 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall
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Wow...don't tell him I said so...but my husband may not be manly ENOUGH yet for those bands...
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04-07-2008, 03:17 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 508
S/C/G: 270/157/160
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Yeah, when I read the "manly" comment, I was going to post a link to Dave Tate and EliteFTS, but RobertW already covered that with his link to Louie Simmons.
Bands are an extremely versatile tool. If I had to choose a full set of Jump Stretch Bands vs a 25-50 lb set of adjustable dumbells, i'd choose the bands, myself.
Actually, I will link to EliteFTS anyway to show the versatility of bands.
http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?tid=101&__N=Band%20Exercises
Also, bands are great for athletic training. Not only for a metabolic aspect but for training acceleration and deceleration:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOyrEHSkzAc
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04-07-2008, 04:46 PM
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#9
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Moderating Mama
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Woodland, CA
Posts: 11,712
S/C/G: 295/200/175
Height: 5' 8"
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I use bands and body weight exclusively for strength training...they are so versatile, and it means if I have to travel, I can bring my workout with me in a suitcase (I don't need a hotel gym if I have my bands, my running shoes, and my mp3 player...you eliminate a LOT of excuses that way). But for a home gym, either would work really well.
There are bands with resistance so strong that even experience lifters have to strain. A dumbbell is really just providing resistance...the downward pressure from the weight of the dumbbell and gravity. Resistance bands provide the same resistance, but in a different way. I find they actually make me work harder, since they are harder to control on the downward half of a weight lifting motion...you have to focus so they don't pull your arm down.
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04-07-2008, 04:53 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: North Texas
Posts: 2,216
S/C/G: 220 (2007) 159 (now)/159/140
Height: 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall
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That's an aspect I hadn't considered, Mandalinn...having to control the bands both up AND down. And that they're portable. And probably cheaper than a good set of free weights.
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04-07-2008, 05:08 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 151
S/C/G: 153/120
Height: 5' 4"
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I also like the Bowflex ( there are other brands too) adjustable weights because you turn the dial and go up by 2 1/2 lbs at a time and there is no storage problem.
Whoops I guess you discussed this already. I should have read more carefully.
Last edited by KatieK; 04-07-2008 at 05:10 PM.
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12-20-2008, 04:04 PM
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#12
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banned
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 21
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Get a small set of free weights
I would go for a set of free weights. The nautilus machines that they have for the home are usually of an inferior quality and you do not get a good return for the amount of time you spend on them.
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01-04-2009, 11:27 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 18
S/C/G: 145/145/180
Height: 6'0"
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For space and ease of use, dumbbells win, especially the modular kind. Those quick-switch ones like versa-bell look awesome though I have never used them (I'd read the amazon reviews before getting a set).
However, at those prices, resistance bands sound like quite the deal. If you got them and later decided to get dumbbells, it's not much of a loss.
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01-05-2009, 10:32 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 2,640
S/C/G: 163/128/125
Height: 5'5
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A good set of dumbbells and barbells can be found easily used on craiglist or something like that!
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01-08-2009, 12:47 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 1,097
S/C/G: 200/190/165
Height: 5'9
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I love my free weights. I found a neat little weight holder from Reebok that fits in my closet under my coats and holds 4 pairs. I also bought a teenager sized bar that stands up there, with some weights that I put on the floor. Check out Sears, Walmart and Target for free weights too. It's a great investment in yourself and it's so handy to work out at home.
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