Exercise Summary. I did my first workout on Wednesday and, for the second week in a row, will do the second workout on Friday (today). I’ve moved on to Uneven Push-ups, Uneven Squats, and Flat Straight Leg Raises.
During my first workout, I found the Uneven Squats difficult to do and expect I may be on this step of the Leg Raises series for quite a while. Also, since I was unable to hold the Wall Handstand for a continuous 90 seconds, I will attempt that again today.
Considering Another Change. If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I reconsider my workout plans every 6 minutes or so. This time, rather than considering different bodyweight workouts, I’m thinking about switching to barbell workouts but can’t figure out how to do it without breaking the bank.
The program I want to take up is Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. It’s simple, effective in a short time, and I know people who recommend it highly.
While bodyweight exercises may work in the long run, I am becoming impatient with my progress. I like the idea of just being STRONGER and doing it relatively quickly.
My #1 impediment with starting this program is equipment.
- I don’t want to join a gym (all the nearby ones suck for free weights anyway).
- I don’t already own a barbell, weights, a squat rack, etc. Yeah, I have a couple of dumbbells and 50- and 30-pound kettlebells, but that’s all.
- Buying weights and racks is EXPENSIVE, even when using something like Craigslist to help lower the cost.
Anybody have any good ideas or resources I can use to help figure out a way to do this and not spend a fortune? For instance, anyone out there know of a way to inexpensively build a squat rack (as opposed to buying one pre-made)? Could it be done out of pipes and plumbing supplies from Home Depot? That sort of thing.
Well, you just can’t do SS without the equipment. So there you go. You can get a suitable 300# barbell set for a couple hundred bucks at Dick’s or whatever, and they’re always on Craig’s List. The rack will be the hardest thing to find used, but if you’re patient, you’ll find something, I’m sure. You could do without a bench and just do the OHPs if you are feeling really cheap.
I’ve considered building an outdoor playset/pullup bar/squat rack out of treated 4×6′s. I promised the kids a treehouse and might get double-duty out of it. A couple well-secured posts in the basement would probably do the job, as well.
Your comments are pretty much what I was thinking, Mike. But I am trying to get the price down even lower then “a couple of hundred.” I suppose I could sell my Power Tower to make up some of the cost . . .
I wish I could find a good jungle gym near my house like the ones in the Barstarzz vids. I’ve thought about trying to build something like that in my backyard from pipes (rather than 4x6s).
I could try my hand at making it up wholesale but it be nice to find some sort of plans on the ‘net.
If you’re going to lift weights, it’s going to cost you something. The nice thing about weights and benches is that if you source them from CL, you can probably unload them any time for what you paid.
Weights are going to run you $.50/lb min and that’s from CL.
Power racks aren’t real common on CL around where I live, but they do come available. Here is one that’s inexpensive and probably more than you’ll ever need. Wood and iron pipe aren’t free.
http://www.amazon.com/Power-Squat-Deadlift-Bench-Racks/dp/B004UMM4QC/ref=sr_1_2?s=exercise-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1359136106&sr=1-2&keywords=power+rack
If you insist on the wood thing, look here http://www.allthingsgym.com/2011/12/homemade-wooden-power-rack/
You can make a flat bench to use for bench presses. I knew a guy who did that, or troll CL looking for one. They aren’t nearly as common and are going to run $100.
So, you’re looking at something approaching $500. However, nothing says you have to have it all at once. The minimum you need is weights and a bar. With that, you can do most exercises. Regular squats and bench presses are pretty much out, but you can substitute front squats and floor presses.
Awesome links, D. Thank you so much.
I’ll still keep an eye on Craigslist but you’ve given me some hope that I can do this less expensively than I feared.
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