Strength training: where, when, why, how?

tumbledownhouse

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to this game, 5lb lost, 70 odd to go. I've been doing lots of cardio but no strength training as yet. I've seen many people say that strength training is extremely important to health/weight loss etc due to muscle burning fat but haven't learned an awful lot more about it than that.

HOWEVER what I am wondering is the following.

1. WHERE can I strength train? I don't have access to a gym and am unlikely to for the foreseeable future.
2. WHEN should I strength train? In terms of my weight loss should I be starting now or use cardio to lose the vast majority of the fat then use strength to tone up?
3. WHY should I strength train? I have picked up a little on that but if anyone wants to give me a full diagrammatic lesson with passionate interjections then they can feel free
4. HOW should I strength train? This fits into where I should train... I would like all options to be as low cost as possible but might be able to stretch to a couple of weights. Do yoga and pilates count? What would be your recommended exercises for someone with this amount to lose and who does not have access to machines?


Thanks!

Annie

tuppance

Bump, I am interested too

phjorg1

muscle doesn't burn fat. it burns calories. but the impact of strength training on building muscle is moot as you will not build any muscle while losing weight. so even the calorie burn while not working out from building muscle, and calorie burn after doing strength training crap people spout is pure broscience. (well the latter is somewhat true, but you need to be an advanced lifter before you start seeing that source of benefit, which most people simply are not)

The reason to lift is because it helps retain existing lean mass. When you're in calorie deficit, you don't only lose fat. You lose everything. And if you're not using it, you're losing it. So a large component of mass loss will be muscle when you're doing diet or diet and cardio only. Thats the beauty of lifting. It retains muscle, so the mass thats lost instead will be things like more fat...

That said for your questions
1) Anywhere
2) Today
3) See above
4) Pick a beginner strength template like SS, SL, NROLFW. If you can't get a gym, then follow you are your own gym or convict conditioning.. Yoga and pilates do not count. Strength training means maximal force movements until total muscle failure.

tumbledownhouse

muscle doesn't burn fat. it burns calories. but the impact of strength training on building muscle is moot as you will not build any muscle while losing weight. so even the calorie burn while not working out from building muscle, and calorie burn after doing strength training crap people spout is pure broscience. (well the latter is somewhat true, but you need to be an advanced lifter before you start seeing that source of benefit, which most people simply are not)

The reason to lift is because it helps retain existing lean mass. When you're in calorie deficit, you don't only lose fat. You lose everything. And if you're not using it, you're losing it. So a large component of mass loss will be muscle when you're doing diet or diet and cardio only. Thats the beauty of lifting. It retains muscle, so the mass thats lost instead will be things like more fat...

That said for your questions
1) Anywhere
2) Today
3) See above
4) Pick a beginner strength template like SS, SL, NROLFW. If you can't get a gym, then follow you are your own gym or convict conditioning.. Yoga and pilates do not count. Strength training means maximal force movements until total muscle failure.

thank you, that is really helpful - might need a little bit more clarification on this though "Pick a beginner strength template like SS, SL, NROLFW. If you can't get a gym, then follow you are your own gym or convict conditioning"

phjorg1

Those are names of strength training templates. the first 3 will require a gym. the last 2 you can do at home.

KarenJanine

1. WHERE can I strength train? I don't have access to a gym and am unlikely to for the foreseeable future.

Technically anywherer - if you do not have access to a gym and cannot afford to buy any weights, there are plenty of bodyweight exercises. Look for books such as 'Convict Conditioning' and 'You Are Your Own Gym'. You may want to invest in some weights or a gym membership when your strength increases though. Second hand starter barbell sets can be easy and cheap to find.

2. WHEN should I strength train? In terms of my weight loss should I be starting now or use cardio to lose the vast majority of the fat then use strength to tone up?

Start now. There is no reason to delay. The sooner you start, the more of your muscle mass you will preserve. Keeping what you have is much easier than trying to build more in future.

3. WHY should I strength train? I have picked up a little on that but if anyone wants to give me a full diagrammatic lesson with passionate interjections then they can feel free

To preserve LBM and ensure that most of the weight you are losing comes from FAT, not precious muscle.
To keep your metabolism raised by keeping your muscle mass up.
To maintain bone density.
To feel like a badass.
And because it's great fun.

4. HOW should I strength train? This fits into where I should train... I would like all options to be as low cost as possible but might be able to stretch to a couple of weights. Do yoga and pilates count? What would be your recommended exercises for someone with this amount to lose and who does not have access to machines?

You do not need access to machines.
Yoga and pilates don't really count as strength training but they are a useful addition to strength training as having good flexibility helps with lifting.
As a beginner full body routines around 3 times per week is usually recommended.
Try push ups and pull ups (getting a door frame pull-up bar is really cheap). Find something weighted like a sandbag to lift with (look online / YouTube for examples of exercises).

Good luck!

edited for typo.

texanintokyo

bump

igypsy

bump

reach4thestar

Bump

Meloonie

You can also buy dvds that include some strength training for beginners such as Jillian Michaels or the like. This would be mostly body weight exercises and some with weights but its a good jumping off point, and it will also help you get the correct form.

Capt_Apollo

you can strength train at home, using your body weight and things around your house.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

you should be strength training about three times a week, alternating days between that and cardio. For example, Strength train M-W-F, cardio Tu-Th-Sa. Rest Day on Sunday. If it was good enough for the big guy, it's good enough for you.

Invest in a jump rope. Did you know that ten minutes of jumping rope is the equivalent of running an 8 minute mile?? Yeah.

tumbledownhouse

thanks everyone

Yogi_Carl

I trust I am not hi-jacking this thread as a person who focusses mainly on yoga and bodyweight exercises, and uses weights to supplement these, as you did say STRENGTH training and not WEIGHT training.

“WHERE can I strength train?”

You say you have no access to a gym and that is fine – you don’t need one. You can look at bodyweight exercise routines, weight train at home or mix the two.

“WHEN should I strength train? In terms of my weight loss should I be starting now or use cardio to lose the vast majority of the fat then use strength to tone up?”

The advice is going to be start now from pretty much every post you get on this thread. START NOW.

“WHY should I strength train? I have picked up a little on that but if anyone wants to give me a full diagrammatic lesson with passionate interjections then they can feel free “

The results you will see over the coming months in strength gain, body composition and general health and well-being will far outweigh any junk food or sloppy eating habits or lack of exercise or motivation you ever got yourself into to get yourself where you are today. Most of us have been there and most I’m sure would endorse the use of strength training to be stronger, look greater and feeling more wonderful than ever before. Again – START NOW.

“HOW should I strength train?”

You can look at bodyweight exercise programs and despite many people thinking you get to a point where you out-train bodyweight, you can actually keep gaining strength using bodyweight providing you keep finding more intense ways of working the same muscles, for example: half press-ups, full press-ups, downward facing press-ups, close handed position press-ups, single arm etc. There are others for other muscle groups. There is no reason why you should ever get to a point where you can’t keep challenging and increasing muscle strength in this way.

But it’s not just a case of bodyweight vs weights. Sometimes the strength gap between bodyweight movements can be large enough to warrant using weightlifting movements to increase strength incrementally until you can perform the next bodyweight exercise.

You build a knowledge base of ways to do this as you progress so don’t let this put you off at the outset.

“Do yoga and pilates count?”

In my experience, yoga certainly counts IF you continue to practise and progress regularly outside of class as well as your weekly class session and keep up intensity of posture and duration and depth in each pose. As you advance through yoga, you will trend towards postures that are far more demanding than most strength trainers can accomplish or hold for too long. It is a different kind of strength – the strength to manage, balance and hold your own bodyweight, rather than move a heavy external weight up and down. I have no experience of Pilates.

“What would be your recommended exercises for someone with this amount to lose and who does not have access to machines?”

See above. START NOW and HAVE FUN getting there!

Annawaywego

Great thread, thanks. I have learnt a lot here. I want to learn how to strength train too as I noticed with each time I diet ( Low calorie diet)- although I slim down I lose "shape" tone.

Snooozie

Bumping as I need to start ST as well and have no idea where to start either so appreciate the info and resources mentioned :bigsmile:

jakkisr

I do mine in my dining room, conservatory and garden.

I have 2x 1.4kg dumbells, 1x4kg dumbell, and 1x4kg kettlebell. At my age, size, and aspirations it's all I need. I won't be moving on to anything heavier.

Combine it with a good cardio programme 2 or 3 times a week (more if you want to - I find time can be difficult with demands from family, work, y'know, just living!)

Planks are great for your core strength and you can do them anywhere there's a floor! These have really been an eye-opener to me - my whole body has changed by using my own bodyweight to do these in various forms. I stand taller, look leaner, feel stronger - I think that's a pretty good place to be.

ironanimal

1. Wherever you are.
2. Yesterday, today, tomorrow.
3. To preserve lean mass and bone density as you lose weight, improve neuromuscular response and build positive exercise habits.
4. You have a body yes? However much that weighs, is how much weight you have to use without any equipment at all. Pushups, pullups, pistol squats etc etc. Bodyweight Strength Exercises. Yoga and pilates count too, if you push the boundaries - strength training is about progression; forcing more twitch fibers to activate over time to produce a greater contractive or extensive force.

Also, machines suck. As do pastel coloured dumbbells. If you do get to a gym or want to buy equipment, head for barbells. Machines isolate muscles, overdeveloping prime movers compared to stabilisers. Eventually = injury. Immediately = the strength can't be translated effectively to the real world. Pastel coloured dumbbells tend to be lighter than women's handbags.

Finally, no you don't sprout muscles when you start a strength programme. They just fill with water and glycogen for repair, hence they're temporarily larger and heavier.

Get that **** mayne.

Capt_Apollo

here are some intruductory articles on strength training

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/02/28/strength-training-101/

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/03/05/101-equipment/

MrsSLG

Bump

shadiel

bump

rybo

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to this game, 5lb lost, 70 odd to go. I've been doing lots of cardio but no strength training as yet. I've seen many people say that strength training is extremely important to health/weight loss etc due to muscle burning fat but haven't learned an awful lot more about it than that.

HOWEVER what I am wondering is the following.

1. WHERE can I strength train? I don't have access to a gym and am unlikely to for the foreseeable future.
2. WHEN should I strength train? In terms of my weight loss should I be starting now or use cardio to lose the vast majority of the fat then use strength to tone up?
3. WHY should I strength train? I have picked up a little on that but if anyone wants to give me a full diagrammatic lesson with passionate interjections then they can feel free
4. HOW should I strength train? This fits into where I should train... I would like all options to be as low cost as possible but might be able to stretch to a couple of weights. Do yoga and pilates count? What would be your recommended exercises for someone with this amount to lose and who does not have access to machines?


Thanks!

Annie

1. At home..anywhere
2. Now
3. Because it will help you greatly
4. look up these websites/sources
nerdfitness.com
shot of adrenaline
YAYOG
Unique bodyweight exercises
combat conditioning