Women who lift

FrnkLft

Bodyweight exercises are cheap and simple, so if your strength isn't up to speed yet, you will get a lot out of it.

Once you can do some pushups, pullups, crunches, etc... with some real strength and confidence, you should move to weight lifting.

The only issue with bodyweight training is that you can't adjust the weight (or, only at about 1-2lbs per week lol). So while there are ways to make the exercises easier by putting your knees down on a pushup or using a stretch band for pullups, once the exercise becomes easy enough, loading the movement can be tough.

At that point, your returns will diminish in terms of strength and building muscle, and you will have to move to weights to continue to challenge yourself.

Of course you can just start with weights, but you're going to have to do much more than 5lb weights... your own arms don't even weigh just 5 lbs...

Care76

Wow, thank you all for your input! I truly appreciate it.

FrauMama, those workouts look like just what I need. I watched a couple and I know I will have work up to them. I was on bed rest for most of my pregnancy and lost a lot of muscle. I am very out of shape. But I could use those until I am ready to get my own equipment.