Strength training without a gym
FitFabFlirty92
Posts: 384 Member
Hello all! 
I have a confession to make. I absolutely HATE strength training. I just don't enjoy it nearly as much as I do cardio, particularly running. However, in the interest of balance and getting the best body possible, I should probably incorporate some strength into my routine. My problem is I no longer have a gym membership, and when I did it was at Planet Fitness, which didn't have the equipment for the strength training recommended here.
I love videos like 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30, but according to many people on here that's not even strength training, just cardio with resistance. For my goals (to be thin, but have a LITTLE definition), is this all I need? If I need more, how do I get it without a gym membership and fancy equipment?
I have a confession to make. I absolutely HATE strength training. I just don't enjoy it nearly as much as I do cardio, particularly running. However, in the interest of balance and getting the best body possible, I should probably incorporate some strength into my routine. My problem is I no longer have a gym membership, and when I did it was at Planet Fitness, which didn't have the equipment for the strength training recommended here.I love videos like 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30, but according to many people on here that's not even strength training, just cardio with resistance. For my goals (to be thin, but have a LITTLE definition), is this all I need? If I need more, how do I get it without a gym membership and fancy equipment?
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i am thinking along the same lines...so will wait for inputs from others.0
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I haven't done this personally, but I hear decent stories of people using common household objects for strength training. For example 0.5L/1L/2L/1G bottles filled to various levels with water or sand/dirt, strong plastic bags or cloth bags filled with groceries (canned goods), etc. Look around and get creative! Maybe doing deadlifts using one end of a loveseat or sofa; if too light, put some stuff on it (e.g. canned goods, books, etc.)
Also, search MFP for bodyweight exercises (squats, modified/full push-ups, dips, etc.) I hear that YouTube has lots of good resources. In your day-to-day activities, think about how you can incorporate little bits of bodyweight activity. Maybe carry more grocery bags per trip and do some curls when picking up and putting down. When walking into your house, do some calf presses (e.g. toes on raised surface and lift body with feet). Lastly, I've also heard plenty of good about NerdFitness.com
Hope this helps... :drinker:
*ETA for spelling errors.0 -
I have spent around a grand and a half on gym equipment because there isn't a gym close enough to me to work out at, although if you don't have this budget then Kali Muscle has some interesting workouts which involves next to no equipment, although whether he got his physique with just a bin bag is very debatable.0
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If you like 30DS you should check out Jillian's Body Revolution. It's a 3 month program and has exercises similar to 30DS but it's structured better and gets a lot harder. It's still not using very heavy weights but there is a LOT of bodyweight work in there as well.0
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If you like 30DS you should check out Jillian's Body Revolution. It's a 3 month program and has exercises similar to 30DS but it's structured better and gets a lot harder. It's still not using very heavy weights but there is a LOT of bodyweight work in there as well.
I've been meaning to get that, it seems a lot more structured and I like that it's longer than her 30 day videos. The bodyweight work would be really helpful for me, I'm sort of weak in that area.0 -
Bodyweight Training - Convict Conditioning, NerdFitness, or You Are Your Own Gym.
TRX Suspension and Sandbag workouts are also good alternatives.
Bodybuilding.com has a great exercise database you can browse based on equipment you have (or lack thereof).
Equipment investments that will allow you a wider range of exercise and alternatives -
Dumbbells - get the ones with the interchangeable plates. On Amazon, there is a Cap Barbell dumbbell set with plates (says 40lbs but it is 15lbs per handle or 30lbs on one handle) for about $50. When you are ready, you can slowly buy heavier plates. Investing in a bench is also advisable but not necessary in the beginning.
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Bar is about $28. This will allow you to work on chin-ups, pull-ups, and hanging leg raises. For chin-ups/pull-ups, you can do negatives, halves, or assisted (by using a chair or step ladder) if you are unable to do unassisted ones.
Look on Craigslist for equipment (ones mentioned above or barbell sets if you want).0 -
Start with your own bodyweight, or fractions thereof.
Push ups can be done on your knees or off of a bench if you're not strong enough to do standard push ups off the bat. As you get stronger, you can build up to elevated push ups (feet off a bench), all the way to handstand push ups. You can do push ups one handed, or do spiderman push ups. They'll work your shoulders, your biceps, triceps and core. The variations and progressions ensure that you're never at a loss to challenge yourself.
Squats are great for a number of different reasons, but anything that works the large muscle groups can give you a workout. Jump squats are great because they're plyometric (you build up explosive force to get height). Pistol Squats are great for strength and balance, but need to be approached very carefully because if done wrong the potential for serious knee injury is high. You can add weight to regular squats using anything around the house that's heavy and sticking it in a backpack.
Lunges, or split squats (the dynamic version of a lunge) again target the large muscles (glues, quads, hamstrings) and can be done weighted as well.
Pull ups and dips work arms, shoulders and core muscles.
You don't need a gym for any of this.
Check out Nerdfitness.com for some great suggestions for resistance training without a gym. They have a large number of workouts that don't require equipment.0 -
If you like 30DS you should check out Jillian's Body Revolution. It's a 3 month program and has exercises similar to 30DS but it's structured better and gets a lot harder. It's still not using very heavy weights but there is a LOT of bodyweight work in there as well.
I've been meaning to get that, it seems a lot more structured and I like that it's longer than her 30 day videos. The bodyweight work would be really helpful for me, I'm sort of weak in that area.
It's a big weakness for me as well. I did 30DS for 30 days and still couldn't do a single pushup. 2 weeks into body revolution and I could do 2 or 3. The videos are a bit longer but they're still only 30 - 35 minutes so it's very doable. I'm seeing strength and endurance increases already (I'm on week 5) and muscles starting to show through the fat as it melts away. A lot of people have had really good results with it. The only downside is the price but I think it's worth it!0 -
If you like 30DS you should check out Jillian's Body Revolution. It's a 3 month program and has exercises similar to 30DS but it's structured better and gets a lot harder. It's still not using very heavy weights but there is a LOT of bodyweight work in there as well.
I've been meaning to get that, it seems a lot more structured and I like that it's longer than her 30 day videos. The bodyweight work would be really helpful for me, I'm sort of weak in that area.
It's a big weakness for me as well. I did 30DS for 30 days and still couldn't do a single pushup. 2 weeks into body revolution and I could do 2 or 3. The videos are a bit longer but they're still only 30 - 35 minutes so it's very doable. I'm seeing strength and endurance increases already (I'm on week 5) and muscles starting to show through the fat as it melts away. A lot of people have had really good results with it. The only downside is the price but I think it's worth it!
Thanks so much!!! Being on these boards, it's easy to feel like lifting heavy in a gym is the only way to build endurance and strength. But I've heard enough success stories on here that Jillian is sounding like a GREAT option for my personal goals. When I start working (which should be within the next week or so) I'm going to head over to Amazon and pick up Body Revolution!0 -
Bodyweight Training - Convict Conditioning, NerdFitness, or You Are Your Own Gym.
TRX Suspension and Sandbag workouts are also good alternatives.
Bodybuilding.com has a great exercise database you can browse based on equipment you have (or lack thereof).
Equipment investments that will allow you a wider range of exercise and alternatives -
Dumbbells - get the ones with the interchangeable plates. On Amazon, there is a Cap Barbell dumbbell set with plates (says 40lbs but it is 15lbs per handle or 30lbs on one handle) for about $50. When you are ready, you can slowly buy heavier plates. Investing in a bench is also advisable but not necessary in the beginning.
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Bar is about $28. This will allow you to work on chin-ups, pull-ups, and hanging leg raises. For chin-ups/pull-ups, you can do negatives, halves, or assisted (by using a chair or step ladder) if you are unable to do unassisted ones.
Look on Craigslist for equipment (ones mentioned above or barbell sets if you want).
I just checked out the Nerd Fitness site and found their Beginner Bodyweight workout. It looks great, but a lot of it is stuff Jillian Michaels does in her videos already, and people say she "doesn't count" as strength training...I'm confused.0 -
Bodyweight Training - Convict Conditioning, NerdFitness, or You Are Your Own Gym.
TRX Suspension and Sandbag workouts are also good alternatives.
Bodybuilding.com has a great exercise database you can browse based on equipment you have (or lack thereof).
Equipment investments that will allow you a wider range of exercise and alternatives -
Dumbbells - get the ones with the interchangeable plates. On Amazon, there is a Cap Barbell dumbbell set with plates (says 40lbs but it is 15lbs per handle or 30lbs on one handle) for about $50. When you are ready, you can slowly buy heavier plates. Investing in a bench is also advisable but not necessary in the beginning.
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Bar is about $28. This will allow you to work on chin-ups, pull-ups, and hanging leg raises. For chin-ups/pull-ups, you can do negatives, halves, or assisted (by using a chair or step ladder) if you are unable to do unassisted ones.
Look on Craigslist for equipment (ones mentioned above or barbell sets if you want).
I just checked out the Nerd Fitness site and found their Beginner Bodyweight workout. It looks great, but a lot of it is stuff Jillian Michaels does in her videos already, and people say she "doesn't count" as strength training...I'm confused.
What stuff would that be? Maybe try to do some independent research. Jillian's 30DS is not really strength training in regards to a focus in strength. It's an okay cardio/endurance builder but not something I'd recommend as a strength/resistance training program.
If you like/lean more towards cardio, maybe consider sprinting to build up muscle strength in the legs.0 -
strength training is not an absolute science like most things. But yeh just some interchangeable weights will do you just fine. And Ive never been fond of this whole 30min workout thing. The reason is why do you feel the need for it to be just 30mins? You can do a video like that and have your own regimen with your weights to supplement it. You can probably find some dumbells pretty cheap on craigslist or something. Hope that helps 0
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Bodyweight Training - Convict Conditioning, NerdFitness, or You Are Your Own Gym.
TRX Suspension and Sandbag workouts are also good alternatives.
Bodybuilding.com has a great exercise database you can browse based on equipment you have (or lack thereof).
Equipment investments that will allow you a wider range of exercise and alternatives -
Dumbbells - get the ones with the interchangeable plates. On Amazon, there is a Cap Barbell dumbbell set with plates (says 40lbs but it is 15lbs per handle or 30lbs on one handle) for about $50. When you are ready, you can slowly buy heavier plates. Investing in a bench is also advisable but not necessary in the beginning.
Iron Gym Total Upper Body Bar is about $28. This will allow you to work on chin-ups, pull-ups, and hanging leg raises. For chin-ups/pull-ups, you can do negatives, halves, or assisted (by using a chair or step ladder) if you are unable to do unassisted ones.
Look on Craigslist for equipment (ones mentioned above or barbell sets if you want).
I just checked out the Nerd Fitness site and found their Beginner Bodyweight workout. It looks great, but a lot of it is stuff Jillian Michaels does in her videos already, and people say she "doesn't count" as strength training...I'm confused.
What stuff would that be? Maybe try to do some independent research. Jillian's 30DS is not really strength training in regards to a focus in strength. It's an okay cardio/endurance builder but not something I'd recommend as a strength/resistance training program.
If you like/lean more towards cardio, maybe consider sprinting to build up muscle strength in the legs.
I meant the body weight stuff like pushups, lunges, squats, etc. All of that is in her videos, with dumbbells to add a little extra resistance. I'd love to do some research on my own as you suggest, but the information is conflicting and it's hard to know what is legitimate and what is not. Do you have any recommendations as to where I should start?0 -
I've been having a lot of success with this program. (The book was less than $20). Body weight strength training. No equipment needed.
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I meant the body weight stuff like pushups, lunges, squats, etc. All of that is in her videos, with dumbbells to add a little extra resistance. I'd love to do some research on my own as you suggest, but the information is conflicting and it's hard to know what is legitimate and what is not. Do you have any recommendations as to where I should start?
Umm...Jillian Michaels said squats, lunges, push ups and such ISN'T strength training? Ummm...that'd be weird. Every trainer would know that those are strength training exercises. If she really said that then she's 100% wrong.0 -
Umm...Jillian Michaels said squats, lunges, push ups and such ISN'T strength training? Ummm...that'd be weird. Every trainer would know that. If she really said that then she's 100% wrong.
Lol, that's not what I meant at all!!! She didn't say that, I meant that many people on MFP have told me that her stuff doesn't count as strength training because of the light dumbbells and such, but maybe they don't know that bodyweight stuff is incorporated? At any rate, she has always called it strength training in the videos, which is why I assumed that's what it was.
ETA spelling corrections!0 -
Umm...Jillian Michaels said squats, lunges, push ups and such ISN'T strength training? Ummm...that'd be weird. Every trainer would know that. If she really said that then she's 100% wrong.
Lol, that's not what I meant at all!!! She didn't say that, I meant that many people on MFP have told me that her stuff doesn't count as strength training because of the light dumbbells and such, but maybe they don't know that bodyweight stuff is incorporated? At any rate, she has always called it strength training in the videos, which is why I assumed that's what it was.
ETA spelling corrections!
It's the way she's doing it that makes it not strength training.
If you read the links I provided, one of them explains it in regards to the rep ranges. Also, you aren't progressively adding weights or doing alternatives to those exercises to increase difficulty (therefore increasing strength).
An few examples -
Push ups. You can start with wall/halves. But after a certain amount of reps, it just becomes endurance, not strength. You'll want to progress to full push ups. Then afterwards, maybe declines, handstands, supermans, triceps/divebombers, spidercrawls, etc.
Pull ups - go from assisted, to unassisted to weighted or/and one handed.
Squats - go from wall squats, to bodyweight, to weighted (barbell or dumbbells) or to pistol squats.
It's about getting stronger by challenging your muscles. You aren't doing that with a bunch of low weight, high rep exercises that do nothing for your strength progression.0 -
Umm...Jillian Michaels said squats, lunges, push ups and such ISN'T strength training? Ummm...that'd be weird. Every trainer would know that. If she really said that then she's 100% wrong.
Lol, that's not what I meant at all!!! She didn't say that, I meant that many people on MFP have told me that her stuff doesn't count as strength training because of the light dumbbells and such, but maybe they don't know that bodyweight stuff is incorporated? At any rate, she has always called it strength training in the videos, which is why I assumed that's what it was.
ETA spelling corrections!
It's the way she's doing it that makes it not strength training.
If you read the links I provided, one of them explains it in regards to the rep ranges. Also, you aren't progressively adding weights or doing alternatives to those exercises to increase difficulty (therefore increasing strength).
An few examples -
Push ups. You can start with wall/halves. But after a certain amount of reps, it just becomes endurance, not strength. You'll want to progress to full push ups. Then afterwards, maybe declines, handstands, supermans, triceps/divebombers, spidercrawls, etc.
Pull ups - go from assisted, to unassisted to weighted or/and one handed.
Squats - go from wall squats, to bodyweight, to weighted (barbell or dumbbells) or to pistol squats.
It's about getting stronger by challenging your muscles. You aren't doing that with a bunch of low weight, high rep exercises that do nothing for your strength progression.
The body revolution program does progress in this way. Most exercises you're not doing for any more than 30 seconds. Pushups start on the knee, then military, then one legged, then divebombers. Squats start out as bodyweight, then weighted, then with a resistance cable.
Obviously it's not the same as going to the gym and doing really low rep numbers at really high weight, but yes there is progression. Yes you can get stronger doing it.0 -
You might want to do the following exercise then:
http://mattforney.com/2013/05/28/why-fat-girls-dont-deserve-to-be-loved/
Al you need is, well, your very own body.
It's a full body exercise designed primarily for surfers, but also other water sports like swimming. I myself swim 4 to 5 times a week and during the summer I surf as well. I found this exercise to be very challenging! (you can hit up the pace as you improve).
You and I both know swimmers and surfers generally have a great body.0 -
You might want to do the following exercise then:
http://mattforney.com/2013/05/28/why-fat-girls-dont-deserve-to-be-loved/
Al you use is your very own body.
It's a full body exercise designed primarily for surfers, but also other water sports like swimming. I myself swim 4 to 5 times a week and during the summer I surf as well. I found this exercise to be very challenging! (you can hit up the pace as you improve).
You and I both know swimmers and surfers generally have a great body.
Did you post the right link?0 -
I can't figure out why 30 Day Shred "wouldn't count" as strength training. Sure the weights aren't that heavy, but all of the body weight exercises should definitely count. I think that the beauty of it is that it combines both strength and cardio.
I find strength training boring too, and I even have a gym membership. But I try to do push-ups or bridges or some other body weight exercise whenever I get a few minutes. I figure it's better than nothing.0 -
You might want to do the following exercise then:
http://mattforney.com/2013/05/28/why-fat-girls-dont-deserve-to-be-loved/
Al you use is your very own body.
It's a full body exercise designed primarily for surfers, but also other water sports like swimming. I myself swim 4 to 5 times a week and during the summer I surf as well. I found this exercise to be very challenging! (you can hit up the pace as you improve).
You and I both know swimmers and surfers generally have a great body.
Did you post the right link?
I don't think he did, and that's too bad. That link was one that I wish I had never looked at.0 -
Strength training REQUIRES progression. If you aren't making the exercise harder over time, you're not doing strength training.
If you're using weights, that means lifting heavier and heavier weights. If you're using the same 2 pound weights week after week, there is no progression, and therefore no strength improvement.
If you're doing body weight exercises, then it's more complicated. There are ways to make body weight exercises harder - more reps, changing angles, doing one-legged or one-armed versions, using longer lever arms ... things like that. A critical part of a body weight strength program is spelling out the progressions. Like, going from wall pushups, to incline pushups, to regular pushups, to decline pushups, to one-armed pushups. The books people have mentioned are very helpful, because it's not always obvious what a good progression is for some exercises.
You can get some small strength gains doing various cardio DVDs, but the progressions are small, and they typically progress very slowly. Then adding a 2-pound dumbbell will make you a tiny amount stronger still. But you're only tapping one percent of your potential this way. Get on a structured strength program and work hard on the progressions. It's not uncommon for people to double their strength in a couple months.0 -
If you hate it nothing we say or do will help you continue doing it for any amount of time.
Just forget about doing it if you hate it. It's not necessary.0 -
Bump0
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I got a pair of adjustable dumbbells, an exercise ball and stretch bands, to work at home. You've got plenty of exercise programs at Bodybuilding.com to choose from, they have very clear videos for each exercise and advise on nutrition. Even without a gym is easy to find alternatives online for each exercise that requires additional equipment.0
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You might want to do the following exercise then:
http://mattforney.com/2013/05/28/why-fat-girls-dont-deserve-to-be-loved/
Al you use is your very own body.
It's a full body exercise designed primarily for surfers, but also other water sports like swimming. I myself swim 4 to 5 times a week and during the summer I surf as well. I found this exercise to be very challenging! (you can hit up the pace as you improve).
You and I both know swimmers and surfers generally have a great body.
Did you post the right link?
I don't think he did, and that's too bad. That link was one that I wish I had never looked at.
Hahaha laughing my *kitten* off.0 -
I meant that many people on MFP have told me that her stuff doesn't count as strength training because of the light dumbbells and such, but maybe they don't know that bodyweight stuff is incorporated?
There are a lot of people on here for whom LIFT HEAVY is the answer, now what's the question... It even came up in a thread a couple of weeks ago when someone was asking about improving middle distance run times, and someone came up with that response.
Bodyweight exercises will have an effect, however it's complementary at that level to your CV work. As you're a runner the main benefits that you're going to get from some form of strength training is improved stability around your hips, better strength balance in your lower legs to reduce the risk of knee and lower leg injury, and maintenance of upper body strength to complement the CV benefits of the running.
With that in mind it's worth categorising the exercises, those that are lower body specific and those that are upper.
For both of those you can get a maintenance level effect just with bodyweight, and you might want to incorporate that into your runs, subject to the availability of apparatus or opportunity. Many parks here in the UK have trim trails with stances that can be used for pull ups, dips, inclined sit ups etc so it's simple to run out, do some bodyweight work then run back.
there are a few fairly low cost investments that you can make to improve the effect of bodyweight work, but you can start without them; resistance bands and dumbells as has already been observed upthread,0
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