Beginning lifting

michelleepotter
michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
edited December 2 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been trying for ages to figure out how to work out at home, and it's just not working for me. I'm considering using a gym, but the closest one available to me is 20 minutes away and attached to my kids' favorite park, which means it's going to end up taking a whole afternoon every time I go. So I'm wondering how many days a week is the minimum for it to be work actually doing? Would two days a week work, or would that be pointless?

Replies

  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Most programs have variations and/or schedules for going 2 days a week. And a good beginner's program shouldn't take more than an hour - probably considerably less, at first.

    So, no, it would not be pointless.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Two days a week always trumps zero days a week. Try a progressive lifting program like Stronglifts 5X5. You can check it out at stronglifts.com and download the app to track your progress at the gym. It's set up for 3 days a week, but you could easily do two and you would cover all the lifts. It only takes about 45 minutes per session, not hours out of your day. I worked it for about eight months with fabulous results. I just started an Intermediate program this week, and I find myself missing my Stronglifts. LOL

    Good luck!
  • chunky_pinup
    chunky_pinup Posts: 758 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    Great list of lifting programmes here...many can be modified to fit in a 2x/week schedule.
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    I figured 30 minutes to an hour for working out, plus 40 minutes driving round trip, plus the kids will want to stay longer at the park. So that's 2-3 hours out of the house. It seems daunting at even two days a week, considering that I already have similar commitments most days of the week. :/
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    edited June 2016
    michelleepotter wrote: »
    I figured 30 minutes to an hour for working out, plus 40 minutes driving round trip, plus the kids will want to stay longer at the park. So that's 2-3 hours out of the house. It seems daunting at even two days a week, considering that I already have similar commitments most days of the week. :/

    I hear ya. I live equally as far from my closest gym. My son's is older, though, so I drop him off at his sport (five night a week!) and hit the gym during his practices. I'd rather be working out at the gym then watching pre-teen males shadow-box and jump rope. :D
  • BillMcKay1
    BillMcKay1 Posts: 315 Member
    edited June 2016
    Stronglifts 5x5. 3x a week, about 45mins a session.

    If 2x is all you can do, then do 2x a week at the gym and do some bodyweight stuff at home, push ups, bodyweight squats,lunges, grab a kid and do some overhead presses of them ;).


    Doing something is always is going to be worth it.
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    michelleepotter wrote: »
    I figured 30 minutes to an hour for working out, plus 40 minutes driving round trip, plus the kids will want to stay longer at the park. So that's 2-3 hours out of the house. It seems daunting at even two days a week, considering that I already have similar commitments most days of the week. :/

    I hear ya. I live equally as far from my closest gym. My son's is older, though, so I drop him off at his sport (five night a week!) and hit the gym during his practices. I'd rather be working out at the gym then watching pre-teen males shadow-box and jump rope. :D

    I have older kids who could stay home, but then the little kids would either be sad they don't get to go to the park, or they'd be wandering around the park by themselves (youngest is 2). Neither of those sounds good to me. :P
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Maybe drive 10 more minutes for a gym that has child-care available?
  • chocolate_owl
    chocolate_owl Posts: 1,695 Member
    michelleepotter wrote: »
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    michelleepotter wrote: »
    I figured 30 minutes to an hour for working out, plus 40 minutes driving round trip, plus the kids will want to stay longer at the park. So that's 2-3 hours out of the house. It seems daunting at even two days a week, considering that I already have similar commitments most days of the week. :/

    I hear ya. I live equally as far from my closest gym. My son's is older, though, so I drop him off at his sport (five night a week!) and hit the gym during his practices. I'd rather be working out at the gym then watching pre-teen males shadow-box and jump rope. :D

    I have older kids who could stay home, but then the little kids would either be sad they don't get to go to the park, or they'd be wandering around the park by themselves (youngest is 2). Neither of those sounds good to me. :P

    If you have older kids who can watch the younger ones, do you have to tell them you're going to the gym right by the park....? I mean, if you don't put the association in their minds that gym = park, they won't make a fuss.

    Something is better than nothing, but you should shoot for at least 2 days a week to see real improvement. Doing the number of days your program recommends is ideal, of course.
  • shagerty777
    shagerty777 Posts: 185 Member
    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843 Check out this program. It takes about an hour per session and you could do it twice a week. If you go for 2x a week, lift heavy both sessions and give it two days in between sessions.
  • KiyaK
    KiyaK Posts: 519 Member
    I just finished week 10 of the Strong Curves Beginner program. I've always gone 2 days a week & I can tell a HUGE difference in my body shape.

    I look completely different proportionally than other times that I've been at the weight I am now. Since January I've lost a total of 4.5 inches off my love handles & 2.5 inches or less off every other body part I measure (bust, waist, hips). I honestly think the lifting has everything to do with where I'm losing weight. Because I normally lose from the top down.

    I would definitely suggest finding a lifting program and sticking to it. You will progress faster, more safely & see better results.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    michelleepotter wrote: »
    I figured 30 minutes to an hour for working out, plus 40 minutes driving round trip, plus the kids will want to stay longer at the park. So that's 2-3 hours out of the house. It seems daunting at even two days a week, considering that I already have similar commitments most days of the week. :/

    In that case, why does working out at home not work for you? If it's equipment, then maybe a bodyweight program such as You Are Your Own Gym might be a good idea. If it's the kids interrupting, that's something else.
  • michelleepotter
    michelleepotter Posts: 800 Member
    TR0berts wrote: »
    michelleepotter wrote: »
    I figured 30 minutes to an hour for working out, plus 40 minutes driving round trip, plus the kids will want to stay longer at the park. So that's 2-3 hours out of the house. It seems daunting at even two days a week, considering that I already have similar commitments most days of the week. :/

    In that case, why does working out at home not work for you? If it's equipment, then maybe a bodyweight program such as You Are Your Own Gym might be a good idea. If it's the kids interrupting, that's something else.

    It's about the equipment, and about having people around who know what they're doing to help. I tried You Are Your Own Gym last year. I wanted to do bodyweight exercises. But there's this focus on making sure you have correct form, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to tell if I was doing it like the pictures.
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