Non-lifters, favorite ways to strength train?

cornplastic

To those like me who don’t pump iron, how do you make strength training fun? I know it’s important, but I’m having a hard time making myself do it. I’m currently using the Nautilus equipment at my gym, but the other day when there was a plumbing leak that closed that section for the day, I couldn’t believe how happy I was to have an excuse not to do it. I’d love to hear any strategies to use to keep from dreading strength training.

mom23mangos

How about calisthenics? The act of learning new skills can make it seem more of a game than a chore.

MegaMooseEsq

I started off doing the NerdFitness body weight circuit, and now I do FitnessBlender videos, which largely mix body weight stuff and cardio. I find the diverse activities fun and have noticed definite improvements in my strength, balance, and even endurance over the last couple of months. I also like the practical feel of body weight exercises - I don’t need to lift or carry anything heavy in my day to day life except my body! I’ve added in a plank challenge and am working on doing a full pushup by my birthday next month, so there are definitely ways to work in progression as well. It’s not as ideal for muscle building as a structured lifting program, but that’s okay with me. Keep trying different things - you’ll find something you like!

lorrpb

TRX

JeromeBarry1

Have you heard of battle ropes? I don't personally declare it works but one of my mfp friends has 1. big guns 2. declares that battle ropes helped cause it.

ccruz985

Body resistance is amazing. I saw drastic, faster, better results than I ever did lifting weights.

Sabine_Stroehm

Former lifter here. I do strength yoga classes. Lots of body weight exercises.

cornplastic

I recently started TRX classes twice a week. I heard people love it, so maybe I will too once I get past the part where it feels like the instructor is trying to kill me!

rainbow198

I've enjoyed using my Pilates Reformer, bodyweight exercises and TRX over the years.

Over the past couple of months I've discovered that using resistance bands (the kind with the handles) is a really great total body workout.

They are available in different strengths. I have a medium-strength and that is working very well. I've ordered an interchangeable 5 levels in one band and I'm looking forward to using that. I would like to be able to go lighter and heavier when I want.

I've seen great results using my resistance band. Plus there's a lot of variety in the exercises I can do so I don't get bored.

RavenLibra

If you keep at the lifting it gets harder or at least it should... for me it is meditation... to enjoy something is a choice... a minimum of 4 sets and 8-15 reps on each apparatus whether free weights or machines... increasing the weight each session until you reach failure... eventually the gains become your motivation... where machines lack is in developing technique... they remove the need to focus on things like balance and body alignment. Ultimately... strength training should be done with free weights... the real question is are you interested in strength or endurance... do you want to be able to kill a zombie or be able to outrun the horde?

jennifer_417

Rowing

GOT_Obsessed

I try to drag my butt to Body Pump class.

danaoira

I stopped lifting. I do Pilates Reformer (classical order) every day and am much happier!

hesn92

pilates, there are some yoga classes/videos that focus more on body weight strength, strong curves has a bodyweight version of the program, fitnessblender and other online workout videos.

mbaker566

i do aerial classes. which essentially is bodyweight

MikePfirrman

jennifer_417 wrote: »

Rowing

I'd say rowing but I'm biased (I love rowing). To be fair, there are a whole host of equipment that is changing the game now for cardio/muscle development. Though I love rowing, other options now are the SkiErg and any "Assault" style bike (Schwinn Air Dyne Pro, the original Assault Bike, Xebex or the new Rogue Echo -- that's the latest one everyone is raving about). A rower or these other two options both work cardio and pretty much full body muscle development at the same time.

The rower doesn't work chest or shoulders that well but pretty much everything else. Assault bikes work nearly every muscle but shoulders, maybe lower back.

SkiErg works everything except perhaps chest enough.

With any of these, killer workouts, very efficient and you'd only (perhaps) have to add in some pushups and maybe some overhead dumbbell presses and you could have killer body along with diet.

MostlyWater

I do HIIT intervals. In a class setting

kshama2001

cornplastic wrote: »

To those like me who don’t pump iron, how do you make strength training fun? I know it’s important, but I’m having a hard time making myself do it. I’m currently using the Nautilus equipment at my gym, but the other day when there was a plumbing leak that closed that section for the day, I couldn’t believe how happy I was to have an excuse not to do it. I’d love to hear any strategies to use to keep from dreading strength training.

Switching from low weights/high reps to high weights/low reps and having an awesome playlist made strength training a lot more enjoyable for me.

Oh, and I used to hop on the elliptical for a few minutes in between exercises and am so glad I stopped trying to do cardio the same session as weights.

RadishEater

Barre class and we have a class called abs+ but really it's just a circuit style class where the instructor make a giant effort to use a different piece of equipment each week which I like from the bosu, stability ball, free weights, all sorts of bands, weighted bar.

Unfortunately I for the upcoming semester they are cutting down on the number of classes.

lorrpb

TRX is great!

Machka9

Stair climbing
Cycling - sprinting
Cycling - hill climbing
Rowing

WilmaValley

Great ideas, can't wait to try them out!

workinonit1956

Pilates! I have a reformer in my home and love it. I do 30 minutes on it most days.

rainbow198

I have cut way back on lifting this year.

Currently I'm doing:

- Bodyweight work
- Resistance band workouts
- Barre
- TRX
- Using my Pilates Reformer

I'm enjoying them all and my progress!

anothermfpuser

I do Pilates almost daily using my reformer, spine corrector and / or mat. But, I also lift weights 3-4x during the week as well.

Some consider rowing a form of strength training as well. I guess you can add that to my list as well, though I consider that a secondary benefit.

katphi1618

Mucking stalls, gardening and mending fences/buildings. :-D