Strength training without equipment

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oat_bran
oat_bran Posts: 370 Member
edited May 2017 in Fitness and Exercise
At the moment I can't afford a gym membership or buying any expensive equipment. There's also limited range of exercise I can do at home because of lack of space and bad noise insulation (so I can't really jump, run in place etc. or the neighbor downstairs starts complaining).

I go running outside several times a week but everyone keeps saying how strength training, especially weight lifting, is essential during weight loss to preserve muscle mass and tone the body. My main goal at the moment is weight loss, but I definitely need to tone my thighs and butt.

Are there any exercises I can do without any equipment that would have a similar effect as weight lifting? Are strength exercises using own body weight effective for that?

Replies

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Yes, YouTube has loads of body weight strength training workouts.
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    You can also search for "apartment friendly" workouts or "low impact" workouts that eliminate jumping on Youtube. Bodyweight exercises are great for increasing strength and as you get stronger, you can modify more of the moves to make them more difficult (or easier as you get started).
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    Incorporate body weight activities into your runs...before/after/during. Pushups (variations available online), pull-ups, crunches, hanging leg lifts, body weight squats (variations available online), lunges, leg raises, glute bridge, tricep dips, etc...
  • tattygun
    tattygun Posts: 447 Member
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    Loads you can do. Recently had to pump up for a show when there wasn't any weights around and I was surprised the work you can get in with a back pack and a couple of large water bottles!
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    Be Your own Gym
    Convict Conditioning
    Naked Warrior
    Kavadlo
  • oat_bran
    oat_bran Posts: 370 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the great ideas!
  • tianacaona
    tianacaona Posts: 20 Member
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    I'm reading "You are our own gym". It's all about body weight exercises. Check your library for it
  • gearhead426hemi
    gearhead426hemi Posts: 919 Member
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    Just look up Plyometric exercises. You will be amazed at what there is out there and how well they work. I believe that doing plyometrics actually builds real life strength not just gym strength.
  • edlanglais5
    edlanglais5 Posts: 172 Member
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    Download fitness buddy. Free app. Offered premium subscription but you won't need it. It offers plenty of exercises, with or without equipment.
  • MyFreakingNameIsScott
    MyFreakingNameIsScott Posts: 199 Member
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    Planks, push-ups, and my favorite, bear crawls. When I'm in the heavy travel time of year, I'm doing those three things in my hotel room. Even with limited space, one can do bear crawls in a circle (think spinning).
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    edited June 2017
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    Resistance tubes and bands, a few dumbbells, a mat, a couple of balls (1 Nerf soccer, 1 9" bouncy-ball... and a Stability ball, but that's in a class by itself). Also a couple of books on exercises:

    fd8b0f77d767f1f6640afba6916ff67c_S.jpg

    and

    The Great Resistance Tubing Handbook (link goes to PDF)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    The backpack with multiple 2-liter bottles of water, or better the big square 1 gal containers at 8.3 lbs each.
    Few of those starts making body motion squats, even if you move to 1 legged, pretty good progressive workout.

    Many of those bigger ones have holders around the neck too, now upper body stuff is possible.
  • GoldenEye_
    GoldenEye_ Posts: 330 Member
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    There's a ton of exercises you can do with just body weight. Just look up calisthenics on youtube and you'll see the physique and strength those guys have. I personally got really motivated by it.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    stanmann571 wrote: »
    Be Your own Gym
    Convict Conditioning
    Naked Warrior
    Kavadlo

    This plus any of the gymnastics sites like GMB, & gymnastics bodies
  • HockeyGoalie35
    HockeyGoalie35 Posts: 84 Member
    edited June 2017
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    A Yoga mat and a 35lb Kettlebell for a man or 25lb kettle bell for a women will cost you $40-$50. To me works better then isolated muscle lifts at the gym
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,728 Member
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    HockeyGoalie35 wrote: »
    A Yoga mat and a 35lb Kettlebell for a man or 25lb kettle bell for a women will cost you $40-$50. To me works better then isolated muscle lifts at the gym

    This is good advice, and craigslist will help you when you're ready to move up to the next bell.

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