Maybe this. It's called "Body Solid Dual Weight Stack Cable Crossover Machine Functional Training Center GDCC200":

I mean in all honesty I imagined much worse. The remainder of their budget is going towards
1) More mirrors(there are already mirrors covering a whole wall), 2) Painting the walls a different colour so that they match the exercise bikes, 3) Making a classier looking "rules" sign, 4) Buying a flatscreen TV

And no, I haven't just picked the 5 lamest purchases from a list of like 10, these are their only 5 purchases

People gonna people

Its a cable machine with two stacks of weight - like in TheEngineer's picture. There doesnt have to be as much space between the two stacks as the one in that picture. I have one in my basement that is a bit narrower. I use it a lot, but its not a substitute for a barbell and free weights. Its great for a lot of different accessory exercises.

People who live in condos don't want to get bulky like you guys. They just want to tone up.

We have a similar piece of equipment in our gym. It's not bad at all for some things. The funny thing about the pic above is that it would be 100X more suited to functional training if the top bar connecting the units could be used for pull-ups.

There are many models of this type of equipment. If you're lucky, you may get one that allows you to get in some sort of upper body workout on days you can't get to your regular gym. If it's not too late, perhaps you can submit recommendations on units to consider.

Not unsurprising, I guess. Many residents will want improvements that are seen as adding value to the building itself. Mirrors are also good for expanding the perception of room in an enclosed area, which is probably why they're purchasing them.

While I can think of many better uses for $700 or so than that, I imagine I'd use this room mainly for morning cardio. At least a TV is usable in that case.

It sounds like you'll be better off after this is done than you are now. I hope they do a good job for you.

I've observed that bros start their workouts with the types of exercises I end mine with.

+∞

Two bros bring a bench over to the power rack today and set the pins at slightly below wrist level if they're holding the bar in a benching position. Their bench press consisted of lifting the bar off the pins, pressing it up about 3 inches and letting it slam back down. They got up 4 plates on each side and must feel like the baddest bros ever when they tell their bros they "bench" 405.

So was it the top of a regular bench ROM they were doing, or the bottom? I think there's supposed to be some benefit to doing just the top (lockout) part. Not that I'm necessarily giving them credit for doing something functional...

yesterday, saw a ~40 year old guy doing tricep extensions on cable machine. he then rests for a second and leans over and starts drinking a coors light out of one of those resealable blue mountain canteens . http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/...719b3eb98d.jpg

the best part was he was wearing a shirt that said "Fu*k Terrorism". it was awesome

Amurica, fk yeah!

Yeah I mean this isn't the worst thing in the world. It is akin to a board press and it improves the top part of the ROM, so if someone is having a tough time locking out the top part of their bench press this is a good exercise to train it with (closed grip bp would be another one).

If you are having bigger problems with the first half of the lift rather than the second part what should you train then?

it's a leap to assume those guys lift with bench shirts.

zinna, paused bench perhaps.

So I never believed you *******s about the mirror thing, but I did some jerks not facing the mirror and they felt amazing and easy. I'm going to try and do my squats not facing the mirror and see what happens. If you just atg everything the mirror suddenly loses any value it might have had for gauging depth. I never did cleans/snatches/deadlifts/any pulling movements in front of a mirror.

Reminds me of this gem I found in some random gas station in the middle of nowhere, new mexico. I had to buy it just for the overt racism and great deal ($3 dollars). Sadly, I can never find an occasion that makes wearing that shirt funny, so it rests in my closet

Paused bench and speed bench.

if you see people doing a partial movement with really heavy weight and the first thing you think of is that they must be doing so they can brag about how much they lift, it says a lot more about you, than it does about them. squats being a notable exception.

http://fitnessforoneandall.com/power...ance/bench.htm

Was it the first thing I thought of? Based on their general attire and fitness level, they certainly weren't doing a partial movement with heavy weight so they could focus on improving the top part of their ROM because their bench has been stalling while on that intermediate programming workout of theirs. They wanted to bench press 8 plates.