I stopped going to a commercial gym months ago, but I would join Dwight Schrute's "Gym For Muscles" in a heartbeat...maybe...or not:
Deleted scene:
Gabe needs to squat a little bit deeper!
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I clean my B&R bar every week, and this is how I do it. I use Singer sewing machine oil instead of the 3-in-1 oil and it works fine.
I read a couple of articles not too long ago entitled “Why Do You Train” by Travis Stoetzel and “What’s Your Why?” by Molly Galbraith, which inspired me to write this blog post.
It made me think, “Why Do I Train?”
I know that having a strong “reason why” motivates you to do things, be it starting something new or continuing something you’ve been doing for years.
On the other hand, a weak “reason why” may prevent you from getting started, or persevering through difficult times.
Some of the reasons why I train might be typical of why most people exercise in the first place. Other reasons might be something that’s not commonly said, but is shared with many other people, possibly including yourself.
Here are the reasons I came up with:
1. I Feel Big Even Though I’m Short
I’m 5’4”, or 163cm. That’s a bit taller than Wolverine (the comic book version who is 5'3" tall, not Huge “The Giant” Jackman who is 6' 2½").
Maybe I train to get bigger and stronger because of the Napoleon complex.
My growth plates have sealed many moons ago so I won’t grow any taller, and limb lengthening surgery is out of the question, so I might as well get bigger, stronger and be a compact package of awesomeness.
2. Being Strong Is Useful
I know of no better example of functional strength than a 600-pound deadlift.Except a 700-pound deadlift. - Mark Rippetoe
Being strong is useful. See for yourself:
I don’t think I’ll be helping people out by physically moving a car out of a tight parking spot like Franco Columbu anytime soon (who is also short, at 5’5” or 165 cm), but being strong has served me well.
I don’t have to worry about asking a female flight attendant to help me lift my overweight carry-on luggage into the overhead bin (I’ve seen MANY cases where guys would need assistance from significantly smaller flight attendants).
3. Instant Respect
He probably gets more instant respect than the typical customer at Burger King.
I think there’s something subconscious to it, possibly something primal or evolutionary, but for some reason, at least for guys, it seems as though big arms will get you instant respect. At least initially.
I know it happens to me when I see someone with massive arms. I think, “wow, this guy must lift a lot and dedicate a lot of time in the gym”. (Actually, these days a massive posterior chain is more impressive to me).
4. Comforts Of A Routine
There’s something comforting about having a routine. From a weekly standpoint, you know what days you’ll be in the gym.
And not only do you know when to exercise, but you also know what to do.
At the workout level, thinking is eliminated when you’ve already worked out a plan before going to the gym. With strength training protocols such as Starting Strength, Texas Method, 5/3/1 and others, the “plan” is more or less determined weeks in advanced.
There’s no feeling of confusion or indecision about what exercises, weight, reps and sets I need to do for the day. It’s already part of a larger plan.
All I need to do is execute.
5. The Feeling Of Getting In The Zone
Otherwise known as “Flow”
All problems and worries in life seem to disappear when there’s 200lbs over my head or 400lbs on my back. These numbers might vary for you, but one thing is certain: there’s one focus when you’re lifting weights that are pushing you to your limit.
There are 10 factors accompanying the experience of flow. I’ve listed them below (courtesy of Wikipedia) and comment on what I experience under the bar:
1. Clear goals (expectations and rules are discernible and goals are attainable and align appropriately with one's skill set and abilities). Moreover, the challenge level and skill level should both be high.
- The obvious goal is to lift the weight for the prescribed number of reps and complete the set.
2. Concentrating, a high degree of concentration on a limited field of attention (a person engaged in the activity will have the opportunity to focus and to delve deeply into it).
- I experience tunnel vision, usually when I’m lifting my 1-5RM.
3. A loss of the feeling of self-consciousness, the merging of action and awareness.
- When I’m experiencing flow while squatting, I don’t care if I have a massive wedgie or not. I just want to get the bar up!
4. Distorted sense of time, one's subjective experience of time is altered.
- Sometimes it feels like FOREVER when struggling to push (or pull) heavy weight, but when I see the lift on video, the entire set was only a few seconds.
5. Direct and immediate feedback (successes and failures in the course of the activity are apparent, so that behavior can be adjusted as needed).
- I know if I lifted the weight or not.
6. Balance between ability level and challenge (the activity is neither too easy nor too difficult).
7. A sense of personal control over the situation or activity.
8. The activity is intrinsically rewarding, so there is an effortlessness of action.
- Breaking PR’s is intrinsically rewarding. I wouldn’t call it effortless though.
9. A lack of awareness of bodily needs (to the extent that one can reach a point of great hunger or fatigue without realizing it)
- Hunger becomes secondary during a heavy set.
10. Absorption into the activity, narrowing of the focus of awareness down to the activity itself, action awareness merging.
- Speaks for itself.
6. Breaking Personal Records
Even if I don’t win any medals or share it with others, there’s a sense of accomplishment when I break a personal record.
I find myself mentally flicking my invisible suspenders with pride, knowing that all the hard work had paid off to break a personal record.
It’s a high, and it’s an addicting feeling. At least for me.
There will be a time when I’ll be too old to break any more personal records. But that time is far in the future.
Setting goals and achieving them is one thing. Breaking them is another.
7. Seeing Results Over Time
Progress is addicting. It’s also motivating.
It lets me know that what I am doing is working. And tracking my progress using numbers makes it easy to objectively see results.
Seeing results over time is motivating because if I see I’ve gotten results in the past, I’ll know I’ll get results in the future, which pushes me to carrying on with my training.
8. Helping & Inspiring Others
It feels good when I read or hear that I have inspired others with their training.
Helping someone with their technique and seeing that they improved and seeing that they broke their own person records makes me feel proud of them.
I can say the same to others who lift more than I can. It’s inspiring to see someone who can lift a lot, because I know with hard work, I get get to their level some day.
9. Investing In The Future
I believe that getting physically fit is the best investment you can do for your health. I also believe that STRENGTH is the foundation for fitness.
Walking apparently has a lot of impact on health and I’m sure strength training has an even greater impact.
Not only do I want to be physically fit and healthy throughout my life, but when I get older, I want to look like a 60+ years young Sylvester Stallone:
To me, weight training is an ongoing habit that will lead to feeling good and looking good, even when I’m 60+.
10. Makes Me Happy
I know this to be true:
“A weak man is not as happy as that same man would be if he were strong”. - Mark Rippetoe (from Starting Strength, 3rd edition)
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Well, those are my current reasons why I train and strive to get stronger.
What’s yours?
For those who want to workout at home and are planning on setting up a home gym, I’ve written this blog post that will hopefully guide you in the right direction as far as equipment selection, and cost.
This is my home gym so far:
I decided to start with, what I believe are the essentials to any home gym.
When I used to train at a commercial gym, I would occupy the squat rack (or power rack) and perform most of my training there. The selection of exercise equipment I’ve invested in is based on what I have used on a regular basis at the gym, which really isn’t much.
To minimize cost, I try to buy the equipment used. But this isn’t always possible because I prefer to have items delivered rather than picking it up myself.
Gym Flooring (Used)
The last thing I want is the steel plates damaging the concrete floor after a heavy deadlift, so proper gym flooring is essential.
My original plan was to buy horse stall mats from the Tractor Supply Company (TSC). But it’s a bit of a hassle to go there, pickup 10 rubber mats that’s 4’x6’, weigh 100lbs each and 3/4” thick, put it in the car and transport it home.
Luckily I found an ad on Kijiji (a classified ads website similar to Craigslist) from someone who was selling about 30 stall mats.
Turns out that these mats were used at a Crossfit gym in Waterloo! At the time, Crossfit Waterloo just moved location and wanted to sell their old stall mats.
These gym mats are made from virgin rubber, 4’x6’, 1/2” thick and weights around 100lbs. It was listed for $35 each, but I struck a deal and purchased 10 for $300. Best part is, it was delivered! (And no tax!)
It’s awesome for weights, but when tried hitting the “Body Opponent Bag” while barefoot, the bottom of my foot was all black. I’ll need to get some proper mats designed for martial arts in the future if I don’t want to be scrubbing my feet for 10 minutes after kicking the bag.
Cost: $300 for 10 mats.
Amstaff TR023 Power Rack
Next I needed a power rack or squat rack. I was debating about the Amstaff TR023 or a Rogue power rack, but in the end choose Amstaff.
It’s a solid rack with band attachments and monkey bars at a low price. Check out my review here.
Cost: $449.99
AmStaff TS015F Commercial Heavy-Duty Flat Bench
Purchased this bench along with the power rack.
Cost: $98.99
Total cost for the power rack and bench with shipping: $732.55
800lbs Olympic Plates
540lbs York & CAP Olympic Plates
I managed to find some good deals on Kijiji, and this is the best deal I’ve encountered to date.
A lady wanted to get rid of twelve 45lbs Olympic plates. I’m not exactly sure why she even had so much weight in the first place. She wanted $50 to have them removed from her premises. AWESOME.
The only negative about this was I had to pick them up myself, and the plates were rusty (I have since refinished half of plates). But at 50 bucks, it was a deal I could not pass up.
Cost: $50
245lbs Bollinger Plates
I also found this on Kijiji. Not a killer deal, but the price was fair at $170 delivered. It also included an Olympic bar. The plates are:
- 45lbs x 2
- 35lbs x 2
- 25lbs x 2
- 10lbs x 2
- 5lbs x 2
- 2.5lbs x 2
The plates are marked “Bollinger”. I don’t think this company makes Olympic plates anymore. I’m not even sure it still exists.
Cost: $170
Weider 5lbs Olympic Plates (2)
I bought this from Sears.com. I wanted an extra pair of 5lbs plates so I can have all possible combination of weights.
Cost = $20
Rogue Fractional Plates
Purchased these from Rogue Fitness. Expensive, but very very useful. My review of the Rogue fractional plates here.
Cost: $75
Total Cost
- 540lbs York and CAP plates = $50
- 245lbs Bollinger = $170 *included a crappy Olympic bar
- 10lbs Weider = $20 *including shipping, taxes and rounding up
- 5lbs Rogue Fraction Plates = $75 *including shipping, taxes and rounding up
- Total: 800lbs for $315
Ivanko COT-1.25 Olympic Pressure-Ring Training Collar
When I was living in Bangkok, Thailand and training at a gym there, the plates kept on sliding on the Olympic bar, even when I used spring collars. Purchased these collars from Amazon and haven’t that problem since.
Cost: $60 including shipping
B&R Bar
The B&R bar a solid bar that’s probably going to last me the rest of my life if I take care of it properly. Read my review of the B&R bar here.
Cost: $350 *included shipping & taxes.
Cap Barbell RK-1 Standard Plate Rack
I was thinking I could save some cash by having my weights on the floor. That thought lasted about a day, since I couldn’t stand seeing all the plates lying around.
I bought 2 of these because I wanted a weight tree on each side of the rack. It would make it convenient to load the bar on each side. I also need 2 because one weight tree wasn’t going to hold 800lbs of plates. Check my review here.
Cost: $110 *included taxes. Shipping was free.
Chalk
1.5L bucket of “Teknik Chunky Yeti Chalk”. Purchased this from MEC. 1 tub cost $8. I’ll round this up to $10 with taxes.
Cost: $10
Ironmind Headstrap Fit for Hercules Neck Harness
I got this while I was living in Bangkok. I wanted a neck harness that was durable, but lightweight. Most neck harnesses I’ve seen uses chains, but the one from Ironmind is made from nylon (I think) and supposedly can hold over a ton. Works for me!
Cost: $119.95 *including shipping
Ironmind De Rigueur Dipping Belt (Used)
I also purchased this while I was living in Bangkok. There wasn’t a dip belt at my gym, so I scoured the interwebz to find a durable but lightweight dip belt. I found the this Ironmind dipping belt on eBay at a great price. There’s no metal chains, so it’s very light. Also, it’s made by Ironmind, who makes equipment for the World’s Strongest Man competitions.
Cost: $49 *including shipping
Fatgripz
I’ve seen these advertised everywhere, so I decided to pick up a pair and see what’s all the fuss is about. They’re actually pretty good.
Total Cost: $40.26 *including taxes and shipping
B.O.B (Body Opponent Bag)
When I was planning my home gym, I knew I watched something to punch and kick. It was either a heavy bag, or a free standing bag. I got this off Kijiji. Right now it’s being used as a place to hang some of my gear.
To be honest, hitting a freestanding bag is not the same as hitting a properly hung heavy bag. Even when filled to the top with water, it still moves around when I kick it.
Cost: $200
Ikea Jerker Desk (Version 1)
I’m currently using this as a standing desk. I got this off Kijiji for $35 delivered.
Combined with a laptop and speakers, I use this area to:
- Keep a record of my workouts on my blog
What I used to do is log my workouts in my iPod Touch. I would make a draft, and then upload it to my website. But now I can do everything straight from my laptop which eliminates the extra step uploading from the iPod. - Play music during my workouts
I hooked up an old pair of Monsoon MM-700 speakers and usually play the Trance or Goa-Psy Trance channel from di.fm - Write
I’m finding that having a separate computer and location to do specific work really helps with productivity.It also helps being surrounded by exercise equipment when writing about exercise as well.
Summary
So far, in total I’ve invested $2321.76 in my home gym.
You might think that’s a lot, but $2321.76 pays for a little over 3 years of a gym membership, assuming the monthly cost is $60 (not including the cost of transportation).
But since there’s 2 people using my home gym on a regular basis, $2321.76 will cover about 1 year and 7 months worth of a gym membership. I plan on lifting weights until I’m on my death bed, so the way I see it, $2321.76 for my current home gym is good investment.
If you’ve got the space and you TRAIN on a regular basis at a gym, I would seriously consider setting up a home gym. You don’t need to buy all the equipment at once, and you can find some pretty damn good deals on classified ads websites such as Kijiji or Craigslist.
Best part is, you don’t have to deal with any of the annoyances typically found in a commercial gym!
