Do you need weights to gain muscle?
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Jasmine_simone23
Posts: 19 Member
Currently trying to loose fat then I'm planning on gaining muscle. I was just wondering if I really need weights to build a lot of muscle? I'm not trying to body build obviously, I just want to get stronger and more toned all over. Would body weight exercises be effective in gaining muscle? I would like to use weights but I work out at home and as much as I'd love to own a home gym it's not going to happen right now. What are the basic affordable equipment I need to gain muscle and get in great shape? Trying to figure all this out before I finish loosing weight.
TIA
TIA
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Replies
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First of all, I would start lifting/resistance training NOW.. don't wait. That is the biggest mistake I see most people make because they think it will be a waste. Lifting while losing weight is going to maintain the muscle you have now and affect your body composition when you get to goal. Once you get closer to goal you can decide what you want to do to gain muscle.
There are plenty of bodyweight beginner programs if you check out this link:
community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Also, Strong Curves has a bodyweight/at home workout that uses minimal equipment (bench, exercise ball, etc).8 -
Body weight exercises are great for gaining muscle. As you progress, most moves can be adjusted to make them harder (like Pistol squats, Handstand push ups, ect.) so you really don't *need* weight equipment...
If you get on reddit - they have a "bodyweightfitness" thread that might be helpful.
ETA:Jasmine_simone23 wrote: »What are the basic affordable equipment I need to gain muscle and get in great shape?
Good shoes, something comfy to work out in.1 -
Some exercises use the weight of your own body as a "weight" for your muscles to lift (like lunges), so lifting weights is not the only way. 0
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Bodyweight exercises and some dumbells can take you a long way, probably get you to where you want to go.Jasmine_simone23 wrote: »Currently trying to loose fat then I'm planning on gaining muscle. I was just wondering if I really need weights to build a lot of muscle? I'm not trying to body build obviously, I just want to get stronger and more toned all over. Would body weight exercises be effective in gaining muscle? I would like to use weights but I work out at home and as much as I'd love to own a home gym it's not going to happen right now. What are the basic affordable equipment I need to gain muscle and get in great shape? Trying to figure all this out before I finish loosing weight.
TIA
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Wholeheartedly agree with everything @sardelsa said! Great post.
And to answer your question... you do not need to lift weights in order to get stronger and/or grow muscle. You simply need what's referred to tension overload using sufficient volume. Put simply, your muscles need to be forced to contract under loads that they're unaccustomed to. The newer you are to training with resistance, the lower this bar is. Meaning the easier it is to trigger overload.
For this reason, novices can realize increased strength and muscle from something as basic as walking. Keep in mind, though, as is the case with pretty much every component of your body... the bar is adaptable. Meaning as your body gets used to resistance training, you'll need a bigger dose in order to get into the territory where strength and muscle adaptation occurs.
But the beautiful thing is you can start with pretty much whatever your heart desires. And you get some momentum behind you, again, referring back to @sardelsa, maybe you can start a basic lifting routine.
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^Holy crap, a Steve Troutman sighting..
Listen to all of the above. At some point, you might have to transition to weights depending on how your goals change. I started with body weight and dumbbells for a few years, but I plateaued and using a structured barbell program has taken me to a whole new level.7 -
^Holy crap, a Steve Troutman sighting..
Listen to all of the above. At some point, you might have to transition to weights depending on how your goals change. I started with body weight and dumbbells for a few years, but I plateaued and using a structured barbell program has taken me to a whole new level.
OMG I know and he quoted me *blushes* thank you @stroutman81 2 -
You will need certain assistance equipment to target certain muscle groups like your back and legs aka larger muscle groups. Eventually you'll want more resistance and need it to progress your body. If you're going to invest in anything for at home workouts- buy good quality resistance bands with various attachments, TRX (or a similar product), larger bands to assist with pull-ups is also great.
Hope this helps!0 -
Buy a set of resistance bands (~$25) and look on YouTube for some routines. I like the PopSugar channel. A little toning goes a long way (10-15 mins a day).0
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First of all, I would start lifting/resistance training NOW.. don't wait. That is the biggest mistake I see most people make because they think it will be a waste. Lifting while losing weight is going to maintain the muscle you have now and affect your body composition when you get to goal. Once you get closer to goal you can decide what you want to do to gain muscle.
There are plenty of bodyweight beginner programs if you check out this link:
community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Also, Strong Curves has a bodyweight/at home workout that uses minimal equipment (bench, exercise ball, etc).
Thanks for your insight. I have been doing squats, lunges, push ups, crunches, sit ups and all sorts of different body weight exercises to try to keep my muslce. The only weights I use are ankle weights when I do leg lifts(trying to keep my butt from shrinking to much during weight loss, lol). Are these still considered resistance training exercises? I'm going to try to add more weight from now and and pick up some dumbbells and resistance bands. Also how many times a week should I do resistance training? I usually do the exercises I stated above every second day.
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Dont be afraid to hit the gym and take advantage of the weight machines
if you want the large *kitten* look focus on hamstring curls and leg extensions. Dont be afraid to go heavy, you wont become a walking bull from heavy weights 
Body fat is an energy source and will help with muscle growth even on a calorie deficiency!
Muscle definition shows more dramatically with reduction in body fat, so add the muscle size so you wont need to go crazy lean for shape, if that helps at all lol0 -
Jasmine_simone23 wrote: »First of all, I would start lifting/resistance training NOW.. don't wait. That is the biggest mistake I see most people make because they think it will be a waste. Lifting while losing weight is going to maintain the muscle you have now and affect your body composition when you get to goal. Once you get closer to goal you can decide what you want to do to gain muscle.
There are plenty of bodyweight beginner programs if you check out this link:
community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Also, Strong Curves has a bodyweight/at home workout that uses minimal equipment (bench, exercise ball, etc).
Thanks for your insight. I have been doing squats, lunges, push ups, crunches, sit ups and all sorts of different body weight exercises to try to keep my muslce. The only weights I use are ankle weights when I do leg lifts(trying to keep my butt from shrinking to much during weight loss, lol). Are these still considered resistance training exercises? I'm going to try to add more weight from now and and pick up some dumbbells and resistance bands. Also how many times a week should I do resistance training? I usually do the exercises I stated above every second day.
Those are resistance exercises but the key is progression with time. If you are going in and doing the same weight, same reps every time while you can challenge your muscles in the beginning, you will not see optimal results over time. I would definitely recommend following an established program (see link I posted above) rather than just make things up as you go. There are times where I lifted 3x per week and other ones up to 6x per week, so it will all depend on your program.3 -
Dont be afraid to hit the gym and take advantage of the weight machines if you want the large *kitten* look focus on hamstring curls and leg extensions. Dont be afraid to go heavy, you wont become a walking bull from heavy weights
Body fat is an energy source and will help with muscle growth even on a calorie deficiency!
Muscle definition shows more dramatically with reduction in body fat, so add the muscle size so you wont need to go crazy lean for shape, if that helps at all lol
I would go to the gym if I had the time! Definitely not scared to build muscle I just need the right equipment. Going to have to invest in a home gym at some point lol0 -
Fitness Blender have some awesome workout that use either free weights or your own body weight as resistance, they also include cardio too. They use minimal equipment such as dumbbells and a mat...it's that easy! They look at nutrition and include some recipes online, FB are an American couple who just love easy fitness, muscle building (but not to extremes) and are incredibly motivational.
They have free Youtube videos for you to pick and choose the right level for you...
Upper body day 1, rest day, lower body day 3, rest day, cardio day 4
Give yourself time off in between to allow your muscle to start to re-knit itself
Lift lightly at first, gradually increase over time
Keep your form perfect to protect your back especially
Eat properly!! You need protein, water, fruit/veg/lean meat/fish... and plenty of it! Start working out and you'll need to fuel your body
Fat weighs the same as muscle, ditch the scales. Your body will start to gain a little muscle as it breaks down and re-knits that results in toning. Eat right and you won't have to worry about weighing yourself
Have fun!
x
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Silkysausage wrote: »Fitness Blender have some awesome workout that use either free weights or your own body weight as resistance, they also include cardio too. They use minimal equipment such as dumbbells and a mat...it's that easy! They look at nutrition and include some recipes online, FB are an American couple who just love easy fitness, muscle building (but not to extremes) and are incredibly motivational.
They have free Youtube videos for you to pick and choose the right level for you...
Upper body day 1, rest day, lower body day 3, rest day, cardio day 4
Give yourself time off in between to allow your muscle to start to re-knit itself
Lift lightly at first, gradually increase over time
Keep your form perfect to protect your back especially
Eat properly!! You need protein, water, fruit/veg/lean meat/fish... and plenty of it! Start working out and you'll need to fuel your body
Fat weighs the same as muscle, ditch the scales. Your body will start to gain a little muscle as it breaks down and re-knits that results in toning. Eat right and you won't have to worry about weighing yourself
Have fun!
x
A few things, by volume (which is how you would measure), muscle weighs more. But even then, your ability to gain muscle is much slower than your ability to gain or lose fat. The chances of having it complete offset each others is almost unlikely, especially for a female. Additionally, you will want to hit each muscle group 2 to 3x a week to maximize MPS, which will optimize the ability to gain muscle.1 -
Jasmine_simone23 wrote: »Thanks for your insight. I have been doing squats, lunges, push ups, crunches, sit ups and all sorts of different body weight exercises to try to keep my muslce.
Floor exercises are great! Excellent work! An economical way to work all your muscle is to buy a set of resistance bands. Something like this
Black Mountain Products Resistance Band Set with Door Anchor, Ankle Strap, Exercise Chart, and Resistance Band https://www.amazon.com/dp/7245456313/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_b9YYyb7XWREPZ0 -
You only need very little equipment at home. I only use a barbell. This saves me so much time. I don't have to go to the gym, spend all that time driving, waiting for machines, whatever. Big waste of time. I get in 1/2 hr three days per week, on my schedule. Do front squats, overhead Press, bench press (on the floor), deadlift, bent over rows or variations. These compound lifts work the whole body well. Find a simple program, see stickies in this forum for a good list. Make sure you include progressive overload in the program.0
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My opinion is that with weights you can be much more precise about your resistance training and the amount you progress by. Not so with body weight, you can make them more difficult, but not in the small increments you can with weights.0
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Weights are much better to gain muscle...but I don't use any(I have in the past, just don't right now). I just do the basics like crunches, squats, planks, etc and it seems to work for me just fine and I'm not like bulky but im toned. Get a few small weights like dumbells, resistance bands and maybe a kettle ball. 0
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Silkysausage wrote: »Fitness Blender have some awesome workout that use either free weights or your own body weight as resistance, they also include cardio too. They use minimal equipment such as dumbbells and a mat...it's that easy! They look at nutrition and include some recipes online, FB are an American couple who just love easy fitness, muscle building (but not to extremes) and are incredibly motivational.
They have free Youtube videos for you to pick and choose the right level for you...
Upper body day 1, rest day, lower body day 3, rest day, cardio day 4
Give yourself time off in between to allow your muscle to start to re-knit itself
Lift lightly at first, gradually increase over time
Keep your form perfect to protect your back especially
Eat properly!! You need protein, water, fruit/veg/lean meat/fish... and plenty of it! Start working out and you'll need to fuel your body
Fat weighs the same as muscle, ditch the scales. Your body will start to gain a little muscle as it breaks down and re-knits that results in toning. Eat right and you won't have to worry about weighing yourself
Have fun!
x
Fitness Blender also has workout plans that you can buy if you want some more structure to their free videos - it gives you an order for how to tackle workouts1
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