If you want to build some muscle, there's no better way to do it
than with a good multi-gym. A good multi-gym will give you fitness
strength training easily and completely, all with a compact unit you can
tuck in a corner of your living room or bedroom -- no need to be
constantly running to the gym
Features available on a good multigym
A
good multi-gym is going to have the following exercises available to
you so that you can get a good whole body workout, isolating various
muscle groups so that each gets worked completely without ignoring any
of them
Bench press
This is probably the exercise
most people think of when they think of working out on a gym. The basic
bench press feature should give you resistance of up to about 250-500
pounds on most multi-gym models. It works your chest and shoulder
muscles
Lat pull down
The lat pull down helps you work the latissimus dorsi, as well as those of your middle back and biceps
Leg press
The
leg press is usually done horizontally on the multi-gym instead of
vertically as with some leg press machines. This exercise works the
quads, hamstrings, gluteus maximus, and the calves to some extent
Squat
The
squat is done particularly well on a multi-gym, because if done with
free weights, for example, you can stress your back and knees terribly.
Doing squats on a multi-gym helps ensure that you don't overstress these
muscles and that you also have proper form so that you work the
muscles, but don't injure them.
With the squat, you develop your
legs, lower back, gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quads, spine and core
muscles. This is literally a whole body exercise that, although it seems
to focus largely on your leg strength, can actually make your whole
body get stronger overall
Tips on gaining strength and mass fast
When
you work out, focus on one or two muscle groups a day, taking a break
on a particular muscle group so that you only work it out every other
day. For example, on one day you can work on squats, the next bench
press, the next day you can work on lats, and the next leg press. This
allows muscle groups to rest and repair between workouts; since muscle
grows because you literally "injure" it a little bit every time you work
out so that it has to grow bigger and stronger as a result, you also
need to give a significant rest time in between workouts so that it can
repair. If you don't, it won't repair and you'll stay very sore; you
also won't bulk up.
Another great way to make sure you gain muscle
mass fast is to do low reps with very high weights. The best way to do
this is to start with the very heaviest weight you can manage, with two
sets of four to six reps each. When you can get to 10 reps with each
set, increase the weight and drop the reps back down to four to six.
