Fitness Journal #11 - A Home Gym

My blog has been getting a surge of visitors because it is bidding season in NUS and everyone is googling for reviews, so I should probably be blogging more interesting stuff.. but SORRY NO TIME NO INSPIRATION.

Anyway, this blog entry has to do with my whole fitness thingy so sorry if it bores you.

So I was just wondering how much would it cost to set up a mini gym at home - with a power rack and a barbell and some free weights. Checked out the prices at NutritionPark.com and I was pleasant surprised:

All images from Nutritionpark.com

1) Squat/Power Rack @ $499.00

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Male Model not included[/caption]

Bare minimum. Of course, this would require a bench:

2) Bench @ $250

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="422"] Made of gold, that's why so expensive[/caption]

Siao ah! One bench cost so much -_- Can probably get a normal bench for $50 or less from furniture shop.

3) Barbell Bar @ $29.90



Pretty much mandatory, if I want to do bench/squats, etc

4) Weights @ $171.60



10kg  - $29.80 x 4 = $119.20

5kg - $14.90 x 2 = $29.80

2.5kg - $7.50 x 2 = $15

1.25kg - $3.80 x 2 = $7.60

Total - $171.60

 

And I'll probably have to get some additional stuff like a padded floor (just like a thick cushiony floor mat), a cushion for when I'm doing squats with the bar, etc. But for this current list, the total cost is : $171.60 + $29.90 + $250 + $499.90 = $951.4!

Taking each gym entry to cost $2.50, plus transport cost of $1.50 each time I go for a total of $4 each gym session, it would take 238 gym sessions to make up this cost, and assuming 3-4 sessions a week, that's about 68 weeks, or 1 year 4 months to make up the cost!!

Not bad eh! Long term investment. hmmm...

Fitness Journal #10 - Before and After

Warning : This post contains images of myself TOPLESS. If you find the idea of me topless extremely disturbing, STOP READING NOW. I WARNED YOU.

I repeat, stop reading!!

Ok la I'm actually shy. Please don't laugh at my skinny body k.

[S] Fitness Journal #9.5 - Voluntary Spotter

A very short entry about something that happened in the gym today:

I was doing my sets at the bench when this big (not muscular, just bigger than me), timid-looking guy asked to share the bench with me. After his first set of 5, he began to stop at 3 reps for his next 2 sets, clearly struggling with his 2nd and 3rd rep.

I wanted to offer to help him spot his 4th set, but I was scared/shy so I didn't... then I saw him struggle to only 3 reps again on his 4th set. Then I couldn't take it already.

"Hey, do you want me to spot for you?"

-shyly smiles and shakes head- "It's okay..."

"I think you can do 5 reps. You're stopping at 3 reps because you're afraid you can't lift the weight again right?"

-he nods timidly, and mumbles something about his brother usually accompanying him-

'I spot for you, you go for 5 reps. okay?'

- he nods again-

So I proceed to get into position behind him, and spotted him for that set - with some help and me going 'COME ON. PUSH! ONE MORE! PUSH! LAST ONE! PUSH! PUSH!' etc, he managed to push his way through 5 reps, and I could see the look of accomplishment flush on his face as he appreciatively mumbled 'thanks' and offered to spot for my next set which I declined cos I wasn't doing my max.

Deep inside, my heart glowed too at having helped someone else accomplish something he didn't think could be done.