Getting Serious About Weight Lifting

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amypomm
amypomm Posts: 140 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So I have lost 50 pounds with diet and exersise. I weight train about 2 times a week with my 8 pound bars, the rest is pretty much cardio. My question is what program do all the weight lifters and lift heavy people recommend for someone who wants to get more serious about lifting? Where is a good place to start? Also all my workouts take place at home. I dont have a gym membership.

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  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    How much money and space are you willing to dedicate?

    Lots ($1000-$4000) = Power rack, barbell, plates, bench. Programs like: New rules of lifting for women, starting strength, stronglifts.

    Medium ($200-800) = Suspension trainer (i like the jungle gym xt), sandbag.

    Little to none. ($<200) = Bodyweight training program like You are your own gym.
  • amypomm
    amypomm Posts: 140 Member
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    Yeah little to none. I dont have much money.:smile:
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
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    Yeah little to none. I dont have much money.:smile:

    You can get the android/iphone app for You are your own gym for a couple bucks. I've done a bit of it, and it's lots of fun and has built in progression!
  • Lifting_Knitter
    Lifting_Knitter Posts: 1,025
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    Body weight exercises are great and i would start scouting for used equipment. Check garage sales, craigslist etc. you can get good deals when someone just wants to get rid of it.
  • ashlbubba
    ashlbubba Posts: 224 Member
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    Try Craigslist for some used gear.. you can start small and work your way up.. you can check out the book New Rules of Weight Lifting (for women) or the Stronglift 5x5 program..

    Hope this helps.
  • Vonwarr
    Vonwarr Posts: 390 Member
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    If you're really interested in what the "lift heavy" people have to say, most are going to tell you to focus on large, compound exercises like Squat, Deadlift, Bench Press, and Overhead Press, along with either Power Cleans and Chin-ups (Starting Strength) or Rows (Stronglifts 5x5). New Rules of Lifting for Women is also very good from what I hear.

    This would be difficult without more equipment though, it does depend on how much you are willing to invest. You don't have to sink $1000-4000 into equipment right away though. Used can net you some really nice stuff. Also, ask around where you work... you'd be amazed at how many people have dusty old weights that they'd be glad to basically give away.
  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
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    if you are doing home workouts scoobysworkshop - just google it, has a plethora of home workouts that really dont require much equipment

    you can get a good set of dumbbells for usually free on craigslist as long as u pick them up
  • amypomm
    amypomm Posts: 140 Member
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    Yes it does! Thank you!
  • nickonoodle1
    nickonoodle1 Posts: 1
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    If you really don't have much money, you can use gallon jugs and fill them with water at first and then move up to something heavier like sand.
  • ByeSwellyBelly
    ByeSwellyBelly Posts: 19
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    Resistance tubes/bands are inexpensive and take up very little space. Try youtube for workouts, free and super effective. Hope this helps! Good luck!
  • Mr_Excitement
    Mr_Excitement Posts: 833 Member
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    if you are doing home workouts scoobysworkshop - just google it, has a plethora of home workouts that really dont require much equipment

    you can get a good set of dumbbells for usually free on craigslist as long as u pick them up

    I'd just like to second this.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    buy a barbell ($40) and some Olympic plates (~.50c a pound) on craigslist.... You can do deadlifts, front squats, bent rows rows, straight bar curls, and overhead presses with no rack (and others)... The only thing I use a rack for is benching and squats... you can do pushups and incline pushups to mimic benching (not horrible for a female).... pullups wouldnt hurt either... u dont need a rack, they're just nice to have. You said lift heavy, I said barbell.
  • MisterDerpington
    MisterDerpington Posts: 604 Member
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    How much money and space are you willing to dedicate?

    Lots ($1000-$4000) = Power rack, barbell, plates, bench. Programs like: New rules of lifting for women, starting strength, stronglifts.

    Medium ($200-800) = Suspension trainer (i like the jungle gym xt), sandbag.

    Little to none. ($<200) = Bodyweight training program like You are your own gym.

    This may be the case for NEW equipment, but I got my power rack, oly bar, about 250lb plates, and some dumbbells for under 300 dollars. Bought a bench new for 200, but a smaller person can probably do with a less expensive bench.

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