has anyone used a JML Iron Gym Total Upper Body Workout Bar

I'm looking for a non fixed pullup bar as I will be doing all my workouts at home in the near future...

and this one seems to have the advantage of extra uses (pressups, dips etc)

Everybody has this phobia of screwing in a few brackets, you're talking about a matter of pence and a couple of minutes to fill and repaint a couple of screw holes should you live in a rented property or with your parents. Plus a fixed doorway bar is cheaper, stronger, more stable and more likely to work/fit.

These 'portable' chinup bars aren't without their own issues. For a start they don't fit many doorways (in all of the houses I've lived in or rented it has always been a struggle finding a doorway that it will fit) and they will damage the paintwork where they rub on the doorframe.



TBH you can't perform proper dips with one of these unless you're using an absolute tiny range of motion and as for pushups you might as well just do them off the floor because it will be just as good, if not better, for you.

Check this video out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_vw0P8EVwQ

Dude scooby is the reason I'm not renewing my gym membership...that and the NHS canning me *political rant* That guys website has become my bible for the time being.

So, how is the bar attached, if its not fixed? Cant understand from the pics.

bruv, scooby is a frawd.

The amount of rubbish he spews.

Care to expand on that? He has nothing to gain by lying since he doesn't charge for any information on his website,

and there are countless people who I have spoken to personally who have based their workouts around his philosophy.

That doesn't validate everything that he claims nor stop him from spewing BS.
As above.
Anecdotal reports from predominantly small and/or weak people with little or no training knowledge or experience does not fill me with confidence personally.

Unfortunately I cannot disagree with you because I know what Internet moderators are like. I will proceed to nod my head silently and go about my day.

Prejudice and anecdotal evidence don't get you anywhere.

Open your mind, you will struggle to find someone who is serious about training advocating Scooby's advice. By all means ask what the other Fitness regulars think about Scooby. Sure there is some truth to some of what Scooby says and for most it is a step in the right direction, but he is not a training 'authority' who you should blindly follow and you should take what he says with a grain of salt (RE: bull****).

With all due respect you are a novice and I will guarantee that the same can be said about the people who you spoke to who hold Scooby in high regard.

Ah dude I was kidding Of course I am a noobie at this stuff but at the end of the day the way you learn is by talking to people. And what would you call a novice? Someone who has been keeping fit or partaking in a certain sport for five years and has a great body? What about a boxing trainer at the gym? Or a retired semi professional footballer? Just some of the people I talk to to get advice on what to aim for, what to base my goals on and methods I should look into. I'm not saying that any one person has the right way or the wrong because everyone works differently.

If you're saying that anecdotal evidence won't get my anywhere, then who do you suggest I talk to about fitness? Isn't it all anecdotal? Don't we make our own decisions based on the experiences of those close to us or people we meet?

You're focusing on the wrong things and misinterpreting what everybody is saying. Just because we say he gives terrible advice and that you shouldn't trust anecdotal, limited evidence by newcomers doesn't mean you can twist these words to suit your own agenda.

"And what would you call a novice? Someone who has been keeping fit or partaking in a certain sport for five years and has a great body? What about a boxing trainer at the gym? Or a retired semi professional footballer? Just some of the people I talk to to get advice on what to aim for, what to base my goals on and methods I should look into."

See, now you are putting a negative spin on his reply, but because I'm not a twisting, condescending bitch who corrects spelling to feel superior and sarcastically repeats niceties, I will answer:

"Someone who has been keeping fit and partaking in a certain sport for five years." I hate to break it to you fatty, but actually most people DO keep fit and play sport throughout high-school and University. That is, they keep fit by running, swimming, going to the gym, training at lunch, intervals sand dune runs, etc. However, they might not know much about fitness. Just because someone does 100 push ups between side to side intervals on the rugby pitch looks good, doesn't mean that is the best way to train.

"What about a boxing trainer at the gym?" Again, trainers are excellent and terrible. Boxing is one of the few endavours good trainers are usually easy to find - but the thick of it is his aim is to make you a better boxer, not bulk up. His advice would be squat, bench press with milk and oats for bulking, probably.

"Or a retired semi professional footballer?" A nobody. Anybody can train to become good at the sport they do [see high-school and university training]. To become excellent [that is, professional] you need to step it up. I'm not saying this guy is clueless, but he is a nobody who doesn't neccesarily teach bulking - simply staying strong and cardiovascualy fit.

"Just some of the people I talk to to get advice on what to aim for, what to base my goals on and methods I should look into."
Do you have a reason for that? They are so varied and you are so obviously unfit. In five years time when you actually look half fit, speak to ONE of the people about doing ONE sport - e.g. the footballer - and ask to train with him or his old club. Right now they're just guessing what you should do to get your fat ass in reasonable shape.

Scooby is a man - one of millions with a big body. Is he well educated? I am unsure, but the way he speaks in his few videos, I would say he is not clued up with respect to many things.

Do you honestly believe he used light weights, good form, bodyweight exercises and pull up bars to get that big? Put on only a thimble of muscle a week? No, he went to the gym spewed out squats, benches and deads near his maximum thousands of times, ate well and plenty, perhaps juiced (that won't discount the first two).

I PROMISE you he doesn't do the workouts at his site.

Just had a look at that guys site and I seriously doubt he used that routine himself. There's also a serious lack of leg exercises.

Firstly, I'm not a fatty (anymore) and people who are unfit cannot run 10k's or pass Royal Air Force fitness tests, but thanks for your concern & negativity, they both mean a lot. <3 Don't worry, I still hate my body.

No matter how it looks, I'm actually not trying to be argumentative or negative, I have only been in this game a year and a half and to be honest I'm thankful you've taken the time to try and set me straight. I'm not some sort of crazed Scooby fanboy, but I do love free advice, and since he seems to focus mostly on beginners working out at home, I've read a lot of his stuff because my financial situation has just changed to the point that I can't go to the gym for a while so home workouts it is. I'm also looking at the Starting Strength and the 5x5 workouts that people on here talk about. (currently find them a bit confusing and overwhelming but its all fresh material for me) I'm not trying to become a bodybuilder or an athlete (yet) just trying to increase my fitness and improve my body composition slowly, safely and effectively.

The only thing I can say that I know for a fact is the basics. Nutrition, exercise, hard work and improvement over time is the right way. Fad diets and crappy daytime tv advertised "lose 50 pounds in 5 weeks" or "GET RIPPED IN 28 DAYS" routines are more often than not the wrong way to go.

I have been successful in my methods and hit my goals so far, and now I'm on the search for more information. Care to share any, or just want to tell me how much I fail? To be honest I'm happy with either response!