When we moved into this house seven years ago, one of our top priorities was setting up a home gym in the basement. Our previous house had basement flooding issues (which was the impetus to move after 22 years), so we were starting from scratch.
Initially, we bought a treadmill and a stationary bike and have slowly added new equipment, big and small. My husband uses everything year round, whereas my daughter and I tend to only head to the basement when the weather turns nasty. I know it's better to work out different muscles, but I need sunshine, fresh air and Vitamin D, so my usual routine is a daily 3-4 mile walk in good weather.
After shoveling 7+ inches of the white stuff on Tuesday, I soon realized what poor shape I'm in. Good thing my husband bought himself an early Christmas present last week, because my arms could use some strength training. My new thing for Week 47 is using a magnetic rowing machine.
Initially, we bought a treadmill and a stationary bike and have slowly added new equipment, big and small. My husband uses everything year round, whereas my daughter and I tend to only head to the basement when the weather turns nasty. I know it's better to work out different muscles, but I need sunshine, fresh air and Vitamin D, so my usual routine is a daily 3-4 mile walk in good weather.
After shoveling 7+ inches of the white stuff on Tuesday, I soon realized what poor shape I'm in. Good thing my husband bought himself an early Christmas present last week, because my arms could use some strength training. My new thing for Week 47 is using a magnetic rowing machine.
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| Here it is. You sit down, strap your feet in, and pull on the bar, while extending your legs. All I have to say is, "Wow!" While it looks easy (and feels easy when you start), I don't think I've ever worked out my brachioradialis! Yes, I had to look that up. It's the area between your wrist and your elbow. I started with 50 and over the past few days, have worked up to 100. This machine gets bonus points for having a cushioned seat. |
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This is our 'old' rowing machine. My main complaint with it has been that no matter what tension you set it to, it seems to loosen up as you go, so that by the end of the workout, it's not much of a workout. Not sure why, but probably because it was cheap! I can do 300 repetitions on it at the highest setting with no problem.My basement gym routine is 20 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes on the treadmill at 4 mph, and now I'm using the two rowing machines. My motivation is binge watching tv shows that are new to me. Last winter, I watched every season of Below Deck and Below Deck Mediterranean. A friend recommended Superstore, so I just started watching that, but only two seasons are available through On Demand. I will go through those quickly, so if anyone can recommend something entertaining (no gore, no violence: that means nothing with SVU in the title, Mark!), I'm open to suggestions.Do you have a workout routine? What are you binge watching? |
Having a home gym in the basement would be nice. First I need a basement or a room or anything lol Sounds like you got a nice one in the new one. I've worked those muscles, but never knew what they were called. The Good Place is a good one to binge.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's hard when you don't have a basement or one that's unusable. I'm going to definitely check out The Good Place. Thanks!
DeleteThat is a dang good work out! The rowing machine works a lot of muscles.
ReplyDeleteI got one of those "Total Gym" things that is advertised all the time. Very simple, inexpensive machine and five to ten minutes of various exercises on it (It will work what ever muscle you want) and you get a terrific versatile workout. It replaces free weights for me.
I can't say I've heard of Total Gym. I will have to look it up.
DeleteVery impressive.
ReplyDeleteI try . . . LOL
Delete"I need sunshine, fresh air and Vitamin D, so my usual routine is a daily 3-4 mile walk in good weather."
ReplyDeleteI agree! My form of exercise is walking. However, I walk all year long, even in winter. I also do a lot of stretching and some yoga, which seems to work good for my body type.
Your rowing machine looks so nice! Wise investment! I used to have a stationary bike in my apartment when I lived in Florida, but I had to stop using it because it really bothered my knees. I can ride a regular bike, no problem. But a stationary bike is too rough on my knees.
I go through periods of binge watching certain shows, however, I don't have a TV so I watch them online. Right now I'm into the television show that was very popular in the 90's, "Newhart", starring Bob Newhart. LOVE that show! But before that it was "Rhoda."
Have a FAB weekend, my friend!
There's nothing like a good walk, is there? When I'm with a companion, I can walk for hours. I just can't find many people willing to do that! I'm with you on the knee issues with the bike. I feel the exact same way, so I don't opt to use ours. My daughter tends to use that the most because it's easy for her to operate.
DeleteI remember watching Newhart and Rhoda, back in the day. My husband likes to watch the Mayberry shows when nothing else is on. I have to admit, they are entertaining, just for the weirdness! Lol
Good for you for the workout and the exercise room! I realized yesterday mowing the grass with a manual lawn mower that I have no arm strength so I may have to look into fixing that. That is a great workout you do! I don't binge watch when I'm on the treadmill for 40 minutes but I do binge read, LOL, electronic books from the library that are usually mindless fiction. I am thinking of perhaps adding an elliptical; we'll see :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Our front yard slopes and pushing the lawn mower sideways is challenging for me. Maybe this new machine will help me with that. I would have a hard time reading on a treadmill! I think I'd get dizzy or just lose my place all the time.
DeleteI admire your fitness regime. I quite fancy enrolling at a gym but there aren't any good gyms within walking distance. And there's not much room for gym equipment in our house. But I get plenty of exercise so I guess I'm reasonably fit for my age.
ReplyDeleteAs for binge watching, have you watched The Affair (season five just finished)? Ruth Wilson and Maura Tierney are excellent.
I spent two years going to a rec center gym about 12 years ago. I hated everything about it! At least having equipment at home gives me no excuse. I will see if The Affair is available here. I do like Maura Tierney!
DeleteI walk as much as I can which isn't much with these knees. I've been told I'll probably have to have knee replacement surgery at some point but I'm not sure about that.
ReplyDeleteThe knee thing makes it difficult.
DeleteOther than getting out on my bike, the rowing machine was my favorite. The little gym at work had one of those with a chain that spun a fan, so you'd make your own breeze, which was nice.
ReplyDeleteI have a Schwinn Air-Dyne at home. Haven't used it since the back went squirrelly, but I'd just pop in a DVD and spin it while I watched. . .
That sounds like a fun rowing machine!
DeleteI totally agree with you. I'm glad we have a treadmill, but if the weather is even remotely decent, I prefer to walk outside. Funny how "remotely decent" means upper 20s or warmer around here.
ReplyDeleteI'd also like to add more equipment, though we're rapidly running out of room down there.
Our basement is weird as there are three separate rooms off the main area where the furnace, etc. is. It made it easy to just devote one room to exercise. Props to you for going out when it's below freezing!
DeleteWe have a treadmill, that's it. It's in the spare bedroom. But I sure prefer walking outside when I can!
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched much of anything lately. I've been binge reading, though. :-)
I'm always binge reading! Maybe you can do a book review post again!
DeleteBrachioradialis? Sounds like a creature from "Jurassic Park."
ReplyDeleteSeriously, Bijoux, good for you for getting back to an exercise routine. You'll be glad that you did. Can't think of any particular shows to recommend, but if I come up with something I'll send you a heads up.
And what's the the 7+ inches of snow?!?
It was a brutal Tuesday last week. The snow is still on the ground!
DeleteOh no... the white stuff already? We haven't seen any yet. I like to sit home and wait for it to melt. Unfortunately, my boss and my kid's teachers don't feel the same way. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm still waiting for it to melt. It's probably going to be till April.
DeleteDuring crappy weather, the treadmill and stationary bike are my go to but it's near the end of November and we're still having temps in the 50's and 60's so I am outside walking and hiking thru the trails. We used to have a rowing machine and I LOVED it. Currently I am binge watching Murder Comes To Town. Yet another creepy crime show. I'm totally hooked.
ReplyDeleteWell, that weather sounds delightful! I'm going to take a hard pass on the crime show! Lol
DeleteIt takes some time to synchronise the forward and backward motion and the rowing motion.
ReplyDeleteThe two machines are quite different, that's for sure.
DeleteYour exercise routine sounds a lot like mine, except I go to the gym. I switch between the treadmill and the elliptical and the strength-training machines. I'll have to check out the rowing machines there and see if I can try them.
ReplyDeleteBut really, my favorite exercise is to walk and bike outside. The gym is for those days when it rains or is just too hot.
Nothing like being outside!
DeleteThat's a very fast improvement on the rowing machine. I tried one at the gym and didn't really like it. Honestly, I think it's hard for me because I'm so uncoordinated.
ReplyDeleteI fell off the exercise wagon during the holidays and have really been struggling with getting back into a routine. My favorite forms of exercise are swimming and walking with a little jogging mixed in.