What would you all recommend for a home gym page

[geostump]

I'm getting pull up bars but am wanting to know if there is anything else I need to make a home gym? I have 1 set of 11lbs dumbbells but that is it.

[Patrick]

Kinda depends on what you're looking to do. SimpleFit? You're golden. CrossFit? Well. . . .

[geostump]

Crossfit I have no clue what all that entails. Been think Simplefit as it is what it is. I was just curious to see if I should seriously be doing lht or not.

[Patrick]

The answer is certainly "yes" to LHT -- it's just a matter of degree and complexity. What are you comfortable with, and what have you done up til this point?

[geostump]

I haven't done jack shit in the way of lifting in over a year. I know the last time I was lifting, I was using 20 lb dumbbells with ease. I do pick up my almost 60 lb daughter and do some lifting with her.

[Patrick]

Good to know, but it's not an issue of how many pounds, necessarily. Do you want to lift weights or do body resistance stuff (pull-ups, push-ups, plank, etc)? If you're just getting back into it, I might suggest Primal Blueprint Fitness 5 Essential Movement progressions to get back into the groove. If you're set on weights and such, I'm not a good person to talk to because I have no ide'er. I'm a body resistance guy.

Just remember that LHT is meant figuratively as some form of strength training and not necessarily literal lifting/weights.

[LGray]

My entire home gym consists of a pull up bar and a few kettlebells. A barbell + weights, or set of adjustable dumbells would probably be cheaper and more versatile... but I just like kbs. Most of my workouts focus on bodyweight movements, anyway.

Really, it all depends on the kind of workouts you like to do. If you have ambitions about heavy squatting and dead lifting then you're probably going to want a rack and a fairly large collection of weights. If you're more interested in bodyweight stuff, then you may not need anything more than a pull-up bar.

[Thor Falk]

Kettlebell, probably 12kg (maybe 8kg, or both)
Strong circular elastic (at least 20kg resistance at 1m extension) for assisted pull-ups
Pilates elastic bands
Heart rate monitor (cheapest you can get http://thorfalk.wordpress.com/2011/0...yes-which-one/)
I started maintaining a list a while ago - see here http://thorfalk.wordpress.com/tools/props-kit/

[iniQuity]

I *just* got an olympic weight set (45lb barbell, two 45lb plates, two 35lb plates, two 25lb plates, four 10lb, two 5lb and two 2.5lb) less than a week ago, I haven't even done a workout with it yet.

Before that, all I had was a power station to do pull-ups, dips, etc. My door frame pull up bar (for the same) two 20lb dumb bells which I never used except to add resistance to pull ups and dips and two 10lb dumbbells for the same purpose.

I have done almost all my training thus far entirely on bodyweight movement. Like Patrick said, lifting heavy things doesn't mean lifting heavy external loads.

You have a 60lb child? that's an excellent tool for thrusters, a great all-body workout.

- grab child
- squat, tucking your kid close
- raise up and throw child upward (not actually throw, but raise your arms overhead... watch the ceiling!)
- repeat for reps or until your daughter decides she'd rather watch tv

Kid might be complicated, so grap a water jug, or a bag of rice (approx $8 bucks for a 20lb bag, you won't eat it you might as well use it) bonus to this exercise: great cardio.

If you're decent with push-ups, start elevating your feet, find ways to add resistance or play with leverage, that's what bodyweight work is all about. Easy example: Say you can do 10 regular push-ups (not on knees) try this simple change, position your hands further, closer to your hips, back but keep your body in the same place that change alone will challenge you a lot more. Try walking push ups, diamond push ups, plyometric push ups... man I can go on forever.

So I wouldn't really recommend anything, keep your eyes open sometimes people throw heavy things out that you can use to lift, I'm getting a tired to flip in my backyard soon... I'm a big believer in do-it-yourself workout equipment with only a few exceptions... I got the weight set because it was really cheap, and it'll be easier to strap weight on myself for pull ups and dips now that I can pull more weight and the backpack isn't cutting it anymore. Also I want to do deadlifts, military presses, etc NOT because I've done all I can with bodyweight, far from that. I'm still going to be doing handstand push ups, single leg squats, bridges, etc... bodyweight will last you for the rest of your life, and it will always be there to serve you. I'm happy I train in it, out on a trip? I know I can still get a great workout.

[claude512]

depends on what you want to do, but you can't go wrong with the PB Fitness and a pullup bar
start the program for at least 3 months, then see if you want to change up anything

getting into real weight lifting can be done with a set of dumbbells (a little bit heavier than 11 punds though)
KB's are a nice addition, but not required

a yoga mat or similar is a nice to have, so you don't have to do the pushups or planks on the blank floor

I'd say give the PBF a try and go from there!