New poster here in the Health and Fitness section. I am brand new to martial arts yet have been into physical training for a while. I am about to create a space outside that will be functional for both crossfit type exercises, martial arts of some kind(once I am in a steady program) and a play area for the kids. All of which I think could find a way of working. With that said I was wondering if anyone trains at home or at a teachers home and what do they use for a set up. My first class was in an garage turned office/studio. Any ideas where to get some good inspiration? I've only seen one home crossfit gym playground via google, but it didn't seem all that good for martial arts. Should I be thinking more garden zen like or monster garage gym? Edit: If this should be moved someplace else please do so as I wasn't sure of a good place for it.
my dream set-up (which my friend stole from me) is: 1) wall to wall jigsaw mats. 2) heavy bag 3) banana bag 4) string ball 5) speed ball 6) medicine balls 7) kettlebells 8) heavy bag (on the floor) for groundwork 9) SUV tyre (for sledgehammer work, stance conditioning, stick work)
I was thinking this would be more outside rather than inside. It does offer the question of what might serve me better in the long rum. Maybe the solution is something that can be covered. Any thoughts?
Be mindful that whilst you have a gym at home you will only create excuses everyday for not using it. I have a $4k treadmill and a $2k bike which I never get round to using. If you are serious join a gym, the cost will prevent you creating excuses.
I disagree with this. I have my gym in my garage and I use it almost every day for either conditioning work or weight lifting. It's all about having the willpower and discipline to workout. It's just as easy to argue that it can be too much hassle to make the effort to go to the gym. Use whatever method it takes to give you the motivation to train.
shootodog is spot on with his description. About the only thing I would change would be the mats. I would look up your local Tractor Supply Co. and purchase a few stall mats. These rubber mats are 6'x4' and tough as nails. Oh and I would also add a jumping rope and a battle rope as these are awesome conditioning tools as well. Then maybe somewhere down the line throw in a barbell and some bumper plates. Remember no two garage gyms are alike. Some have bought their gear and others have made theirs. I make what I can and buy the rest. I just finished making my own slam balls and bowling ball mace.
actually all you need is a heavy bag. old inner tubes for resistance bands. an old tyre and jump ropes.
I saw this and thought it was pretty good for a crossfit gym playground. http://mattcross-fit.blogspot.com/2009/07/byob-back-yard-outdoor-box-update.html
That'd do me For the kids and yourself stuff you can climb on and 'play with' is ideal. You want to be moving like a kid again: parallel bars are great, rings (needed in cross fit) pull up bars, frames etc, They'll be needed for cross fit, it gives you something to do when the tea's in the oven (having a quick play everyday will do wonders for movement quality and fitness) Depends on space and budget but I'd want: squat stands, barbell, bumpers, heavy bag, floor to ceiling ball, parallel bars, pull up bar and rings.
Actually, all you need is LOVE! Sorry. I turned my furnace room into a gym with enough room for a heavybag, a few mats, a few staffs, some weights, a treadmill, and an excercise ball. You need to be very strict about keeping it clutter free. Especially for me, since my mom also uses it as a pantry... :O
I hope to create a home gym sometime. My personal motivation is saving time and money, plus convenience. I don't have any problems with motivating me for training, since it's pretty much my favorite hobby . And after several years of training i came to the idea that you don't really need much equipment. So this is how i imagine my future home gym: 1)A power cage for squatting, standing press and bench press. 2)A removable bench with adjustable inclination (to use for benching in the cage) 3)A barbell and a set of weights. For use in the cage and out of it (for deadlifts/oly lifts) 4)A bar for pull-ups and parallel bars for dips. If possible, included in the same power cage. 5)A heavy bag And that's it. Everything else (several dumbbells, kettlebells, skipping rope, ab wheel, rubber bands for shadowboxing et cetera) i already have at home and use. You can do absolutely all you need with that equipment. The only other (and possibly more expensive than everything else combined) thing i'd add, and probably the only machine i ever use in the gym is this (i don't know the proper name of it): Very good for horizontal pulling. Can load huge weights and really work your back (and biceps somewhat), without the stress on your spine that barbell rows cause. I really can't use them, because the load that i'd need to work with in strength mode (sets of 5-8) would just totally break my form and kill my spine. On this lever machine i can load about 100kg per hand for heavy x3 sets. Or some 75kg per hand for x6 or so. Impossible with barbell row.
Here are some pictures of when I was making the gym last year. I'm not home so I can't take a recent one but the layout is more or less the same. I got rid of the trash and the main focus is the platform now. http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc249/cloystreng/Home Gym/ Here is a video of me using the gym, but its pretty dark. I only have a small lamp so at night its dark. http://youtu.be/sD0kvgo-et0 I don't know how to link to youtube, sorry. How to adjust size?
I think your main, first, priority focus should have been to seal-panel up that exposed ceiling insulation. That is very bad for your body to be exposed to on a regular basis
I agree, and I need to do that. I haven't been at home lifting for about a year now though (injuries over winter break, and being at school) so I'm not exposed to it, so no need to be alarmed. Its my first priority upon coming home. I've sealed up some of it, but at the moment I'm not at home so I can't seal it all up (and I'm not using the gym because I'm at school not at home so I'm not exposed to it for more than a few days at a time). I sealed the area around the pullup bar because that I where I tend to come close to the insulation. I've done a little research, but what are the bad things it can do? I'm not touching it, and its fiberglass not asbestos. Edit: I was planning on using hardboard like this: http://www.homedepot.com/Lumber-Com...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051 Is there any reason why I would need anything more expensive? Otherwise I was planning on using sheathing but that would be more trouble because of the weight. Would sheathing be better (http://www.homedepot.com/Lumber-Com...splay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&storeId=10051)?
Use anything to seal it up. Many years ago, I did A/C work and we were exposed to that. Some of the long-timers laughed at us new guys as we wore particle masks. One guy who've work with us refused to wear a mask. Now he has many respiratory problems, which he says is from exposure. http://www.lung.org/healthy-air/home/resources/fiberglass.html The walls did not look "healthy" either. Whenever their is a space or storage to be used frequently, it should be prepared before such activity. Think of it as putting breaks on a antique car. No one would take it out for a test drive unless they checked out the breaks
Thanks for the link. I did take some safety precautions when dealing with anything near the ceiling (like mounting stuff) by wearing full eye protection and a facemask, and many times a hood over my head to prevent dust and particles from falling onto me. I wore gloves when moving the insulation and since it was winter I had long sleeves on so contact was minimal. I will use the hardboard, I think that is the easiest way to do it and it will fit the budget. I'm not going to be home for another month but it will be a good project while I am there. What do you mean about the walls? I've never given them much thought. Its just exposed concrete, I didn't see any problem there.
