Useful weightlifting accessories

I just got back to lifting again, after a two year break.  Yes, I got needlessly fat, and I'm trying to fix that now :)

To briefly recap from the other post about the gym, my setup looks like this:  (click any image to enlarge)

With the addition of the elliptical not too long ago, when Sports Authority was liquidating.

The weights were cheap, none of them match, and everything is rusty.  That's because my home gym used to be outdoors next to the house, and it got rained on a lot.  It's OK though because it all still works, and the weights are still heavy :)

What I want to post about today though, are the minor accessories that make lifting and cardio a little more pleasant.

First up, possibly the best $50 I ever spent.  An adjustable weight bench.  They make fancier models that cost a lot more, but this one works fine and folds away flat when I'm done with it.  I can't imagine how limiting things would be without this.

These are weightlifting grips.  There comes a point where you have so much weight on the bar (particularly while doing deadlifts) that you need some help holding it.  These transfer the weight to your wrists, so that your fingers don't have to grip a bar that weighs hundreds of pounds.

Padded gloves.  They really help to keep your hands from getting roughed up by the bar surface.

Below:  Gym Rats call this a "Pu**y Pad", and look down on people who use them.  I'm not trying to impress anyone, so they can think whatever they want.  I made this from a length of water pipe insulation that I picked up at Home Depot.  I've also used swimming pool foam noodles.

You slide it over the bar after you slice it.  This will cushion your back/neck when you do barbell squats or good mornings.

You gotta have a curling bar.  This allows your wrist to rotate to a natural position as you perform curls.  I've done curls with a straight bar, and it's painful and very hard on the wrist joints. 

Modern locking weight clamps.  These are amazing!  I've tossed the old spring clips in the garbage, because they always slipped. 

Note:  I don't ever clamp the weights when doing bench presses.  I work out solo.  If for some reason I'm not able to rack the bar, I'll dump the weights instead of dying under them.


Below:  Velcro ankle weights.  Nothing fancy, but they add a little weight.

My latest addition:  A heart rate monitor.  The one on the elliptical is junk - it jumps all over the place.  That's not fun when you have the elliptical set to adjust the resistance based on your heart rate!!!

This one is super simple - it has no bells and whistles, just shows your pulse on a very large segment LCD display.  It's also steady as a rock.  I got it for $7.99 at an online auction.  The shipping cost more than the monitor.

An ab roller wheel.  When you get your abs toughened up, use one of these to get them even tougher!

A couple other things that are important that I didn't bother to take pictures of:

• A good tilting fan
• Sweat bands
• A personal MP3 player - a must, because the elliptical is boring as hell

I have another follow-up post here, about a new piece of equipment.