So this past spring/summer I've really ramped up my fitness regimen. I'm either hiking, biking, or paddling M-F, and working my old calisthenics and kettlebell routine MWF. Also walking about 2.5 miles per day at work, and staying busy on the weekends scouting and paddling.
I've always stayed "kinda in shape" but I'm trying to ramp it up. You're only in your 20s once, and I'd rather struggle to stay fit once I start to hit that physical decline than try to get fit.
As I work harder, I remember all my football and bodybuilder friends from high school and college. Pretty much all of them have injuries. Bad knees, bad backs, bad shoulders, etc. I'm REALLY not interested in this if I can help it. I've been lucky that most of my activities I prefer are low impact (kayaking and now cycling). Calisthenics I feel are low risk as well.
But the kettlebells and free weights kinda scare me. I always seem to stop short of really pushing it, because I don't wanna make one bad move and join the Advil club.
I keep looking at these used total gyms on craigslist. It seems that machines aren't as popular as free weights right now, and I understand the benefits of free weights when it comes to more intense and "real world" workouts. And I understand that proper form should prevent mechanical injuries. But everything I've read seems to point to a machine as a lower risk tool, and my mom and dad both had physicians recommend a machine when they were going through shoulder and back surgery rehab. I figure if I'm going to try and build a solid routine to use for the next 40+ years (hopefully) I want it to be as low impact as possible.
Has anybody on here ever used a total gym seriously? What kinda results, good or bad, did you achieve? Anything else that you'd recommend over that for a low impact, full body workout? I'm not looking to get super ripped or anything like that. I just want to stay in deer dragging, canoe loading, swamp tromping, tree climbing shape.
I've always stayed "kinda in shape" but I'm trying to ramp it up. You're only in your 20s once, and I'd rather struggle to stay fit once I start to hit that physical decline than try to get fit.
As I work harder, I remember all my football and bodybuilder friends from high school and college. Pretty much all of them have injuries. Bad knees, bad backs, bad shoulders, etc. I'm REALLY not interested in this if I can help it. I've been lucky that most of my activities I prefer are low impact (kayaking and now cycling). Calisthenics I feel are low risk as well.
But the kettlebells and free weights kinda scare me. I always seem to stop short of really pushing it, because I don't wanna make one bad move and join the Advil club.
I keep looking at these used total gyms on craigslist. It seems that machines aren't as popular as free weights right now, and I understand the benefits of free weights when it comes to more intense and "real world" workouts. And I understand that proper form should prevent mechanical injuries. But everything I've read seems to point to a machine as a lower risk tool, and my mom and dad both had physicians recommend a machine when they were going through shoulder and back surgery rehab. I figure if I'm going to try and build a solid routine to use for the next 40+ years (hopefully) I want it to be as low impact as possible.
Has anybody on here ever used a total gym seriously? What kinda results, good or bad, did you achieve? Anything else that you'd recommend over that for a low impact, full body workout? I'm not looking to get super ripped or anything like that. I just want to stay in deer dragging, canoe loading, swamp tromping, tree climbing shape.