The Official Gym & Fitness Thread

Going to the gym twice a day cause I feel like I slacked in the lifting this morning

Y’all with home gyms, do y’all still feel as tho you go as hard as you did in the gym? Is there a mental effect of being in a new place that’s strictly made for gains as opposed to lifting in your garage or another room in your casa?

 

I bought my first house last year and my wife and I decided to turn our garage into a gym. I can honestly say the motivation/ mentality is a lot different working out alone at home as compared to an actual gym. I’ve realized that I feed off other ppl’s energy so working out in public gyms in the past subconsciously motivated me. Working out at home now, you have to really want it to be able to push yourself as hard... if that makes sense.

But on the plus side, never having to wait for equipment is a HUGE plus. I also love deadlifting and I love having a dedicated deadlift bar. I DIY’ed my deadlift platform and bought all of my equipment used so I saved a good bit. You can’t beat the convenience of being able to wake up and walk 20 steps to the gym.

 

I had some issues with muscles locking up and we concluded most likely it was due to low sodium. Most other factors were ruled out so I started with extra sodium. Seemed to help so far... But given it some more time.

There is more to actual sodium loading, but that's not the best and used during last few days of prep - it's pretty unhealthy if done incorrectly.

 

Glad it’s helping, seems like it has potential to get dangerous quick.

 

Time to get it!

 

That. Looks. Awesome.

 

This is the #1 reason I will not have a home gym or work from home.

Plus no one to spot you...

 

I wish the gym I go to had something I could do deadlifts with

 

I've been "home gym-ing" it for several years now. There have definitely been days that the motivation isn't there but honestly I had plenty of those going to a commercial gym too. The thought of having to travel to the gym, work out and travel home sometimes was just enough to say forget it-especially in winter. I can listen to whatever music I want as loud as I want, don't have to wait for any equipment, don't get sidetracked yacking with somebody etc. And honestly, there are days when I don't feel like going hard and heavy but still want to do something so I can go light for reps or just make crap up and don't worry about other people wondering what the heck I'm doing! lol I'm 49 and still benching at least in the mid 300's (haven't maxed in a while) and squatting mid 400's. I've been doing double overhand deadlifts sort of Romanian style lately so those are anywhere between 275-365 generally. And thats with zero supplements. Been lifting for decades and now just trying to maintain some semblance of what I used to do. The motivation is all in the head!

 

I'm pretty fortunate that my gym is about a mile away from my house...makes it easy to go. There's a 24hr Fitness about half mile away too but I much prefer the smaller local gym than a "box gym". I've got no regrets and have made some really good acquaintances in the 7 months I've been going.

 

I do miss having some variety of equipment at the gym. I'd be screwed now though if I didn't have my home stuff because where we moved to has no gyms around other than a 24hr Fitness which has nothing that I need for my kind of lifting. I do think if I was in a decent gym I'd be more likely to still hit a competition here and there at least.

 

New kicks...(are they even referred to as “kicks” anymore or am I showing my age?)

 

Those look sweet

 

I have a setup just like this one makes a spotter unnecessary- https://youtu.be/wTsmQhIEoxQ?t=219

 

Just found this thread. Super cool. Heres a pic of my home gym. Things have changed since this pic but this is the latest I have of the whole set up

 

These are nice! Much better than running shoes and slightly better than Chucks. Very grippy...

 

A spotter is always necessary for bench. I don’t do spotters on squats because #1 don’t want some dude up behind me and #2 you can just fall. Oh and #3 I don’t squat for shit lol

 

I’m glad its the last day of my workout week before a rest day. I have had a MISERABLE workout week.
I’m not sure if its because I had a race last Sunday and I’m tired or if I just suck at life but I haven’t been able to lift or run for crap this week.

 

I've got basically an L shaped rack with adjustable steel "spotter" rods. Conveniently the setting for my squat and bench is the same. If I were to get in trouble with squats I've only got a couple inches to fall or dump it from the bottom and it's on the rack. For bench, I expand my chest and squeeze my shoulder blades for stability but I've tested it so if I were really in trouble I can let my air out and get flattened out and the bar will just rest on the rods. It would be close but I wouldn't get crushed or hurt! lol Getting the bar just to the top of my chest would give me space to slide out from under it. It's just enough motivation to do everything I can to make sure it doesn't happen! haha I've been close a few times but so far haven't needed to bail under the bar.