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Quit the gym, buying my own equipment

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
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So Covid is going crazy in the greater Chicagoland area, I'm one of those "at risk" people, and the local YMCA, where we have our membership, does not require people to wear masks.

At 6' tall I should be around 175 pounds. My normal weight is closer to 195 pounds. But Covid has taken its toll on my belly and so my Covid weight is running about 205 pounds. Never been that heavy in my life and not happy about it.

Quitting a gym, even the YMCA, seems to be a huge hassle.

But in the mean time I dusted off the occasionally used Nordic Trac elliptical machine. It is an oldie but a goodie, just a little louder than it used to be because it creaks a bit. I actually like this machine and, despite its antique status, it actually gets used from time to time.

Ordered a Nautilus U616 bike, I liked the fact that it ties into various exercise apps but also has pre-programmed workouts. https://www.nautilus.com/u616/100669.html

Going to pick up a new treadmill too. Local shop has one waiting for me. https://www.horizonfitness.com/horizon-7-0-at-treadmill Just like with the Nautilus bike, this treadmill coordinates with various exercise apps and also has pre-programmed workouts. Treadmill has sensors that read your heart rate, the ramp incline changes with the terrain shown on the screen, speed changes can be done with your thumb on a rolling wheel on the grip or by the app.

All much more high tech than the Nordic Trac that I have, which pretty much just tells me that I am sweating and counts my strides.
 

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Ceee

Well-known member
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I think that's a good idea. I certainly wouldn't go into a gym right now with all those people who are huffing and puffing. It's just to risky.
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
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I think that's a good idea. I certainly wouldn't go into a gym right now with all those people who are huffing and puffing. It's just to risky.
YUP

At my fencing club, and all the colleges and high schools we fence in masks and that is a heck of a lot more strenuous than most of the people using treadmills and stair climbers. If we can wear masks while fencing I don't understand why the local gyms don't require masks during exercise.
 

Lenny

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SUPER Site Supporter
Melensdad, good for you! We have a very small gym here in Avoca, Iowa so I'm usually the only one there. That makes it safer. Because of neck and back injuries, I can't lift much and it hurts my lower back to use the elliptical and bicycle but I can walk on the treadmill, so I do that 5 to 7 times a week. I walk about 2 to 2.5 miles at 3.2 MPH. Better than nothing.
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
SUPER Site Supporter
I quit the gym at the start of the lock down. It's been hard finding weights that aren't marked up insanely high (tip: check Walmart early in the morning). I have a squat rack, bench press, lat pull combo machine, a bunch of free weights. I have a NordicTrak rowing machine that connects to my heart rate monitor and the iFit app for rowing workouts. I also bought a Wahoo Kickr erg and am now addicted to Zwift. I also have a 2inch 50 foot battle rope for those days when I haven't quite killed myself.

I do about 1.5-2.5 hours of exercise a day now. I bike and do weights in the morning and do some rowing at night. I've probably gotten in better shape since all this Covid crap started.
 

EastTexFrank

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GOLD Site Supporter
Good for you Bob. If you feel the need, go for it.

Back in 2019 our resolution was to start working out more often and we did until March when shit happened. Our gym has since closed, gone out of business, opened under new management and right now is in limbo.

With my back being what it is, I'm not squat thrusting 400# but I do miss walking on the treadmill and pedaling away on the bike and playing on some of the other pieces of equipment. The point being, if that is your form of exercise, then you're spending two hours at the gym every day. I can spend those two hours working around this place and burn up just as much calories and end up hurting just as much. :)

I have gained 2 pounds since this COVID thing started.
 

NorthernRedneck

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I was going to the gym 3 times a week as part of a workout group for people with chronic pain until covid hit.

We do have a small home gym set up with a treadmill weight bench weight set and therabands which we just finished setting up last week.

That said, I haven't started using it yet because I tend to be on the go from the time I wake up until the evening until I collapse in pain. But once full on winter hits and I'm stuck inside, I like to do a work out in the morning to get things moving and don't foresee myself going back to the gym anytime soon because of covid.

As far as weight goes, I've never been a light weight aiming to be at a goal weight for my height. But since my accident 5 years ago, it's been a roller coaster that thankfully is now on the downward swing.

I'm 6' 3" and for years was around 220lbs. After my accident, I wasn't eating any more then before but due to limited mobility, and some of the medications that I have been on that were supposed to be for pain management and have no side effects, actually didn't do squat but cause me to gain 40lbs as one of the "less frequent" side effects.

I had a couple of hernia surgeries and now have a double layer of mesh across my entire abdomen holding things together. Because of that, it acts almost like a gastric bypass on my stomach. Since those surgeries and a change in medications, I am now down to 210lbs from 265lbs. Most of that weight loss has been over to past year so clothes shopping is a challenge as with covid you can't try anything on in the store and most places aren't allowing returns.
IMG_14112020_080514_(1080_x_1080_pixel).jpg
 

Bannedjoe

Well-known member
These last few months, I've been getting more exercise than you could ever pay for at a gym.
This whole covid thing increased my ballast too.
A change in diet, and being even more active than normal, I've gone from 180 10 145.

I went from size 42 jeans back to my early 20's size of 30.

We've got lots of exercise equipment that the wife wanted, and only used once or twice.

Good luck on your quest!
 

Melensdad

Jerk in a Hawaiian Shirt & SNOWCAT Moderator
Staff member
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Has Mrs. Bob started trying it out to see how many shirts on hangers it can hold yet?
I was smart, the laundry room is on the top floor of the house, the exercise area is in our family room several flights of stairs below. She'd get a lot of exercise if she wanted to carry the laundry down all those stairs to pile it upon the equipment.


I did do a mile on the old Nordic Trac elliptical machine this morning in record time (for me). Broke 12 minutes by 6 seconds! Not sure how that relates to jogging because the strides are somewhat different, resistance level is set on the machine and I tend to keep it set higher than the rest of the family members. But within my own little controlled setting I was huffing and puffing pretty hard by the end. Not sure if anyone here can imagine it, but I broke a sweat.

Did a couple minutes of a cool down on an older recumbent exercise bike just so I could ease down a bit from the elliptical workout.

I do like that it works out your arms and your legs, something that none of new equipment I have ordered will allow. Wouldn't mind getting a newer, programmable elliptical machine that uses a computer to change resistance to simulate hills, but this one just keeps working so I see no point in getting rid of it.
 

Melensdad

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Nautilus 616 magnetic resistance bike is built and in place.

Horizon 7.0 treadmill is in place.

Both modern machines sit with the ancient Nordic Trac elliptical machine. There is also an old, fairly basic Wesco recumbent exercise bike there. Lined up behind a couch in our family room.

The Horizon treadmill is a beast of a machine but folds with a hydraulic piston if you need to make space. It’s a bit cramped behind it, but we really don’t use the desk space behind the treadmill so there is enough walking room to get past it but anyone wanting to use the desk would likely fold the deck to create more room.

The Horizon and the Nautilus machines both have a series of pre-programmed workouts and each workout has 10 different intensities. Each allows multiple custom workouts, multiple user profiles, etc. I find I get very bored on old style machines but I enjoy working myself on machines that change resistance, tilt, etc during the workout.

Oh, and for whatever it’s worth, I had a stress test yesterday at the local hospital. After passing the required test they asked if I wanted to continue. Got up to 14-percent incline at 9 mph and maintained it within my “target heart rate” before giving up. That is the maximum incline for that machine, but I suspect the speed was not at maximum. Felt good about that performance so I went out afterwards and got a dipped roast beef, order of fries and a Dr Pepper to celebrate!
 

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Lenny

Well-known member
SUPER Site Supporter
Nautilus 616 magnetic resistance bike is built and in place.

Horizon 7.0 treadmill is in place.

Oh, and for whatever it’s worth, I had a stress test yesterday at the local hospital. After passing the required test they asked if I wanted to continue. Got up to 14-percent incline at 9 mph and maintained it within my “target heart rate” before giving up. That is the maximum incline for that machine, but I suspect the speed was not at maximum. Felt good about that performance so I went out afterwards and got a dipped roast beef, order of fries and a Dr Pepper to celebrate!

GOOD FOR YOU!

I did something similar about 5 years ago at the University of Nebraska Med Center. They said my test was the best they have ever seen for my age.....about 68 at the time....73 now. I told the doctor the incentive for going to the gym is that there are a lot of young women to look at and I was forced to exercise so I didn't look like a pervert just standing there and drooping. LOL

I go to the gym 5 to 7 times a week. Then I was doing 3 miles at about 3.8 MPH. I'm down to about 2.5 miles at 3.3 MPH because of arthritis.
 

Melensdad

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Bought a mini-wine fridge as a gift for the lovely Mrs_Bob, as per Melen's directions.

The lovely Mrs_Bob was planning to buy one for me.

I just took apart the hobby desk in the family room, which is where the exercise equipment is located, and installed the fridge under the counter. Required taking out a desk drawer assembly to do. A wine rack will go next to the mini-fridge. But for now it is filled with bottled water so we have access to it while working out.

And we have been working out. Not just me. Although I am using the machines the most, Melen has embraced the treadmill. I have to say that was a good purchase and I'm glad I got a good one. Its quiet, the programs work well to vary the walking and running. The "App" from the manufacturer does not work, but I've found other fitness apps that do work with this unit so they track my workouts. I'm also getting good use out of the new exercise bike. I try to get on the treadmill and the exercise bike every day.

And the ancient Nordic Trac elliptical is pretty much left to me and I am using that about 3 times a week.
 
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