When I moved to Cambridge in back January, I decided to get a gym membership at the local Gold's Gym. It was $40 a month, no contract, and they were open 24 hours a day, five days a week. I figured that would be great, since I could go workout at 11pm or whenever I wanted.
As it turned out I started going there at 1am to avoid the crowds of people (yes, there were plenty of people there at 10pm and 11pm!), but parking was always an issue -- not parking at the gym, but parking near my apartment. If I had a parking spot a few hundred feet from my apartment, it was gone when I got back from the gym. That meant I had to park in the office parking lot and walk 1/2 a mile to my apartment. No big deal, but when it's -20 degrees outside with the wind, 1/2 mile is pretty tough.
Thanks to Sitha who bought me a weight bench for my birthday, I'm now able to do my entire workout from home! After I cleared the space I planned to use, I emptied the box of parts (78 parts to be exact) and discovered the user manual was missing! I know the male species love to put things together without directions, but 78 parts... I'll take directions! Luckily, I was able to find a PDF version of the manual online. It took me about an hour to put the entire thing together.
I already brought my rowing machine to the apartment, so I have almost everything I need. I mounted my pull up bar in the bedroom doorway and using the ab loops I can do an amazing range of pull ups and leg raises. Sure, I can't stretch my legs out all the way, but it still works! I also have the Intermediate set of Iron Woody Bands, which gives me the ability to do a huge variety of exercises, such as seated rows and cable crunches (below). The bands really make you think creatively! When I add the yoga ball and 10LB medicine ball into the mix, I've got more than I would take advantage of in a gym! I also managed to scavenge a bunch of interlocking floor mats from the old gym in the factory (the business is moving to a new, smaller office location) and created the perfect area to use the equipment.
So really, the only thing that's missing are some dumbbells. I've decided that I can do without them for the time being, since I really can't afford them. However once I have enough money I would like to get the Personal PowerBlock Set. The pair of them replaces 18 individual dumbbells -- a must for an apartment gym. I've already dedicated a large portion of my apartment to the gym, but I don't mind. If it was up to me, I would dedicate all my time to physical training and conditioning.
I have one of those pull up bars for the doorway, and I forgot I had it up and I ran back to my room and almost got knocked out cold.
I can’t even count how many times I’ve done that! My bar is at just the right height where it will hit my forehead and snap my neck backwards. My neck hurts for hours afterwards. After ducking under the bar so many times, I’m starting to unconsciously duck when I walk through any doorway!
I’ve found that leaving the ab loop straps on the bar makes it easier to remember the bar is there.
“I’ve found that leaving the ab loop straps on the bar makes it easier to remember the bar is there.”
You’re gonna hang yourself that way. Or become a human slingshot and shoot yourself across the room into a wall.
If I didn’t use the ab loops often, that’s probably what would happen! But needing to go under the pull up bar every time I pass through that doorway reminds me over and over to stop being lazy and start working out!