Making do - how to deal with multigym equipment

[Loopus]

So, hey everyone!

For christmas this year i asked for a barbell and some weights - upgrading from my tiddly dumbells with only 10kg of weight each. I was rather excited to get it and really start.

Then, my parents (insert sob story of how no one listens to me in this house, im treated like a 12 year old, does more than will ever be recognised, etc etc) bought a stupid bloody pullley-multigum-machine thing.

Any ways i can help stop this madness and make the machine less, for want of a better term, s**t? Ive always hated exercise machines.

Im thinking about doing dumbbell exercises and machine ones to supplement, since waste not want not, y'know? May as well use it... Im not ungrateful - its better than nothing - but it is a far cry from what i was after/needed.

Any advice?

Cheers,

Lupus

[JPrev]

What's it actually called?

[Loopus]

Link - http://www.orbitfitness.com.au/Plastic-Weight-Stack-Home-Gym.html?storeID=12

[JPrev]

Are you able to lift the whole stack on the exercises it permits?

[Loopus]

I see what you're getting at and no, i cant. im more thinking about the lack of benefits free weights give.

[MissMormie]

If your parents bought this just for you (ie, no one else using it) you might try talking to them and see if it can be exchanged? 

 

Don't tell them 'you never listen to me and I told you I wanted barbells not this crappy thing'. Instead try something like "Thank you for this multigym. I really appreciate that you've got me something I've asked for. However, as this is an rather expensive thing I just want to discuss that while this gift would help me getting stronger I think barbells would be better. Do you think we can exchange this? If not, I'm happy with this hardware as well. " 

[Kaylya]

Perhaps the salesperson at the store convinced them that this was a better piece of equipment than barbells, and thus they thought that they were getting you something "better" than what you asked for? If so. MissMormie's advice is probably good.

 

Sometimes, those gifts that are almost but not quite what you wanted are the worst...

[I-Jo]

that's an expensive purchase to just let sit and go to waste if it isn't really what you want. 

 

I would absolutely have a talk and tell them how grateful you are for the purchase- but it really isn't the most conducive to the training you want.  

 

i would pick a parent- like typically this would be mom- and have a chat- rather than both of them- but that's just how I know my family do what you think is best.  But you not using it is going to be as much of a hurt long term as you having a brief talk about it. 

[Loopus]

Well, y'see, i tried talking to them, but my mother somehow thinks that the rest of my not-exactly-health-conscious family will use it. Because its sitting down. So that is the better option. I am the only one who exercises in here, but she has the deluded idea that fitness machine = gym = best way for fitness. grumble.

and great idea about getting it exchanged, except, it was bought from a friend. dammit. so theres the guilt aspect as well.

im thinking ill just have to do both dumbbells and machine, but buy more plates for my dumbbells.

[superjenni]

There's nothing wrong with doing dumbbells and using a pulley machine.  There's a lot you can do it on.  It looks like it has an upper and lower pulley?

[Loopus]

Yeah, it does.

Its not the lack of exercise thst gets me. free weights have so many benefits pulleys dont, and im trying to work out ways of conpensating. Its better than some machines to be sure, but still...

[Machete]

There's nothing inherently wrong with using machines, it's too much reliance on them that causes problems.

[starpuck]

There's nothing inherently wrong with using machines, it's too much reliance on them that causes problems.

 

I feel like this must clearly have been an early warning against over use of the cylons.   It all starts here!  

[Machete]