How much strength training is enough to tone?

Verity1111

I can do strength training multiple times a week, but 1-2 times for actual gym equipment and the rest at home body weight workouts, kettle bell, hand weights etc! I already do about 30 minutes most times I just wasnt sure if that is enough. I dont have access to huge barbells though, most of the time. So I was hoping there's things I can do with smaller equipment in a smaller space.

Rusty740

Verity1111 wrote: »

I can do strength training multiple times a week, but 1-2 times for actual gym equipment and the rest at home body weight workouts, kettle bell, hand weights etc! I already do about 30 minutes most times I just wasnt sure if that is enough. I dont have access to huge barbells though, most of the time. So I was hoping there's things I can do with smaller equipment in a smaller space.

You can do the same exercises at home as you do at the gym with Stronglifts 5x5, but with lighter weights (use the dumbells or kettlebell instead of the barbell). This is still a valuable thing to do as it keeps your muscle memory for the exercises. You might find this will work well if you do heavy weights with lower reps at the gym and then light weights with higher reps at home. One or two workouts at the gym per week won't be enough. You'll definitely need to be doing the same exercises at home, even with lighter weights. The overall intensity/frequency combination probably won't be effective with once or twice at the gym, but different body weight exercises at home.

If you need to make the weights heavier at home try isolating one side of the body from the other. Instead of the barbell back squat, do a weighted lunge or single leg squat; instead of the barbell overhead press, do a single arm overhead press with less weight. Same with bench press, but you can do it on the floor. Bent over barbell rows can be turned into single arm rows on a chair or sofa. Deadlift I'm stuck on, you might try a stiffed-legged deadlift with a gallon milk jug in each hand.

Rufftimes

Look at the at home programs on DVD, ones that specifically cater to weight training. There are a ton of things you can do at home that require little to no equipment. I've lost over 30 lbs in four months and put on significant muscle mass and haven't stepped foot in a gym

Rufftimes

Also, and please don't get me wrong, I did stronglifts for quite some time and have seen way better results with more variation. I was bored with SL within a few weeks. Now some people thrive on routine, I gotta mix it up continuously

Verity1111

Rusty740 wrote: »

Verity1111 wrote: »

I can do strength training multiple times a week, but 1-2 times for actual gym equipment and the rest at home body weight workouts, kettle bell, hand weights etc! I already do about 30 minutes most times I just wasnt sure if that is enough. I dont have access to huge barbells though, most of the time. So I was hoping there's things I can do with smaller equipment in a smaller space.

You can do the same exercises at home as you do at the gym with Stronglifts 5x5, but with lighter weights (use the dumbells or kettlebell instead of the barbell). This is still a valuable thing to do as it keeps your muscle memory for the exercises. You might find this will work well if you do heavy weights with lower reps at the gym and then light weights with higher reps at home. One or two workouts at the gym per week won't be enough. You'll definitely need to be doing the same exercises at home, even with lighter weights. The overall intensity/frequency combination probably won't be effective with once or twice at the gym, but different body weight exercises at home.

If you need to make the weights heavier at home try isolating one side of the body from the other. Instead of the barbell back squat, do a weighted lunge or single leg squat; instead of the barbell overhead press, do a single arm overhead press with less weight. Same with bench press, but you can do it on the floor. Bent over barbell rows can be turned into single arm rows on a chair or sofa. Deadlift I'm stuck on, you might try a stiffed-legged deadlift with a gallon milk jug in each hand.

I don't drink milk lol I guess I could buy containers and fill them with stuff lmso.

stanmann571

Verity1111 wrote: »

Rusty740 wrote: »

Verity1111 wrote: »

I can do strength training multiple times a week, but 1-2 times for actual gym equipment and the rest at home body weight workouts, kettle bell, hand weights etc! I already do about 30 minutes most times I just wasnt sure if that is enough. I dont have access to huge barbells though, most of the time. So I was hoping there's things I can do with smaller equipment in a smaller space.

You can do the same exercises at home as you do at the gym with Stronglifts 5x5, but with lighter weights (use the dumbells or kettlebell instead of the barbell). This is still a valuable thing to do as it keeps your muscle memory for the exercises. You might find this will work well if you do heavy weights with lower reps at the gym and then light weights with higher reps at home. One or two workouts at the gym per week won't be enough. You'll definitely need to be doing the same exercises at home, even with lighter weights. The overall intensity/frequency combination probably won't be effective with once or twice at the gym, but different body weight exercises at home.

If you need to make the weights heavier at home try isolating one side of the body from the other. Instead of the barbell back squat, do a weighted lunge or single leg squat; instead of the barbell overhead press, do a single arm overhead press with less weight. Same with bench press, but you can do it on the floor. Bent over barbell rows can be turned into single arm rows on a chair or sofa. Deadlift I'm stuck on, you might try a stiffed-legged deadlift with a gallon milk jug in each hand.

I don't drink milk lol I guess I could buy containers and fill them with stuff lmso.

They sell milk jugs filled with water... They tend to not smell as bad as the ones that were filled with milk after a few weeks.

Verity1111

stanmann571 wrote: »

Verity1111 wrote: »

Rusty740 wrote: »

Verity1111 wrote: »

I can do strength training multiple times a week, but 1-2 times for actual gym equipment and the rest at home body weight workouts, kettle bell, hand weights etc! I already do about 30 minutes most times I just wasnt sure if that is enough. I dont have access to huge barbells though, most of the time. So I was hoping there's things I can do with smaller equipment in a smaller space.

You can do the same exercises at home as you do at the gym with Stronglifts 5x5, but with lighter weights (use the dumbells or kettlebell instead of the barbell). This is still a valuable thing to do as it keeps your muscle memory for the exercises. You might find this will work well if you do heavy weights with lower reps at the gym and then light weights with higher reps at home. One or two workouts at the gym per week won't be enough. You'll definitely need to be doing the same exercises at home, even with lighter weights. The overall intensity/frequency combination probably won't be effective with once or twice at the gym, but different body weight exercises at home.

If you need to make the weights heavier at home try isolating one side of the body from the other. Instead of the barbell back squat, do a weighted lunge or single leg squat; instead of the barbell overhead press, do a single arm overhead press with less weight. Same with bench press, but you can do it on the floor. Bent over barbell rows can be turned into single arm rows on a chair or sofa. Deadlift I'm stuck on, you might try a stiffed-legged deadlift with a gallon milk jug in each hand.

I don't drink milk lol I guess I could buy containers and fill them with stuff lmso.

They sell milk jugs filled with water... They tend to not smell as bad as the ones that were filled with milk after a few weeks.

Wouldn't they technically be water jugs lol but that could work I guess. Not sure what exercises to do with those exactly but that's what Google is for