# Free Home Gym Equipment! Now What? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 9, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317 "2020-06-09T19:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Room](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_room/32/5069_2.png) [@Little\_Room](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Room)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2020, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/1 "2020-06-09T19:44:31Z")
So…I received some free home gym equipment, probably because it was more likely to become an impromptu clothes rack than an actual fitness tool for the previous owners. Here are a couple of pictures: [Home Gym Equipment 1](https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvaqDLhkAbCDgaU0d7TDRhgyHMZ6_A) [Home Gym Equipment 2](https://1drv.ms/u/s!AvaqDLhkAbCDgaU1XCtXp4FwZyoSYA) As a runner and bicyclist who never got into weight-lifting, I have no idea how to even get started with this thing. Do any of you have any resources for how to exercise using a machine like this? (Please talk to me like I’m a newbie when it comes to lifting weights) And if I can’t figure it out, I supposed I’ll just have to pass it on for free to the next person who will use it as an impromptu clothes rack… ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/2 "2020-06-10T03:53:51Z")
Squat press (station on the side with the big metal sliding square) leg press(or extension), lat pull(bar on the front) bench press(and variations of same) bar and the hand sling so you can do “punch” presses in order to be able to beat Sylvester Stallone at armwrestling. Make sure to keep the weight stack rods lubed. If you don’t want to do strength training then you don’t, but an hour or two on that each week probably isn’t going to hurt your cardio workout. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/3 "2020-06-10T03:59:33Z")
Ok, so, the lat bar is sort of similar to doing pull ups. The bench press bar has handles and pads that allow you to do regular presses as if you were laying on your back plus some variations that work the muscles differently. The squat press station on the side simulates doing actual squats with freeweights. The leg press(extension) thing on the front you hook your feet on it and … Extend your legs, works the front of your thighs. The sling above the seat is for getting in shape to compete with Sylvester, or maybe Bruce Willis ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/4 "2020-06-10T04:04:00Z")
Also, I think(not sure)that the power station is made by Hoist, you can check their website for a user and exercise guide. Or Tuff Stuff. Even if not for that specific machine, they are all basically identical in form and function between home and commercial models and an exercise guide for one will work for another Sorry that took 3 posts ---
**Author:** ![phreesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@phreesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phreesh)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/5 "2020-06-10T16:19:07Z")
I see a ‘pec deck’ there where you put your arms on the pads and pull them together in front of your chest. It works on your pectorals. You don’t have all this gear, but here’s a reasonable intro to working out with a machine: > **[How To Use Gym Equipment: A Beginner's Guide](https://www.sweat.com/blogs/fitness/how-to-use-gym-equipment)** > > So, you've just started training in a gym. Good for you! Or maybe you’ve changed your Sweat program to one that uses more equipment and machines. Epic! If you're new to the gym environment or certain pieces of equipment, getting your head around it... ---
**Author:** ![Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mundane_super_hero/32/6304_2.png) [@Mundane\_Super\_Hero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mundane_Super_Hero)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/6 "2020-06-10T17:05:57Z")
Have you thought about making a huge spreadsheet? List the exercises on the X axis and the dates on the Y axis and record your reps per day. You’ll probably need to add a new sheet for each month. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Room](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_room/32/5069_2.png) [@Little\_Room](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Room)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/7 "2020-06-11T20:57:47Z")
Thanks to everyone who has answered so far! The “How To Use Gym Equipment For Beginners” page looks helpful, but I’ll have to set aside some time just to mess with it and see how it feels. That “Hoist” website does have some posters that can be downloaded…that might help. And Mundane Super Hero - I’m by nature a spreadsheet guy. I can’t imagine myself NOT doing it that way 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/free-home-gym-equipment-now-what/855317/8 "2020-06-11T21:01:55Z")
Be realistic and list it on Craigslist while its still “New”.