Weight training at home?

victoria_1024

I keep reading here about doing weight training vs cardio to change body shape. Currently I work out 5 days a week for about an hour each time, and I do a lot of the fitness blender HIIT workouts, some treadmill, and yoga. I work out while my kids are napping so I have to work out in my house, rather than the gym. Does weight training have to be something that is done in the gym? Does yoga have any similar advantages to changing body shape?

I still have a lot of weight to lose, so I don't know what the best direction for me to go is.

rybo

Check out nerdfitness and convict conditioning.
You dont need a gym or fancy equipment to strength train.

And while I do love yoga and think its great, it's not going to have the impact that a solid strength training program will.

terbusha

You don't have to go to the gym for resistance training. I do resistance workouts, even some body building type routines, in my own home. You will have to invest in some resistance gear though. Resistance bands or dumbbells and perhaps a pull-up bar.

Allan

victoria_1024

Thank you for the feedback! What about the work-outs they have on fitnessblender that use weight lifting? Obviously you need heavy enough weights, but could that be a place to start as well? I do have dumbbells but they are not heavy (only 3 and 5 pounders). I have resistance bands somewhere but I'd have to find them. I wouldn't be opposed to investing in some heavier weights but just trying to figure out where to start!

fizzanda

I am curious about this too!

kinmad4it

Honestly, you already have all the necessary equipment you'll ever need. Your own body!!
Press ups, pull ups, split squats, rows can all be done using no fancy extra equipment, just your own bodyweight and things you already have around the house.

mrsgoochy

I just came across a 10 lb kettle bell at Marshalls over the weekend and I snagged it up. I found a great video on youtube by fitnessblender for it. I believe it was the beginner's kettle bell video. The man's voice is calming and they show you the move before you start each exercise. I need to move to find enjoyment in an exercise so this makes me a happy camper.

victoria_1024

Thanks for the replies! Some of the work-outs I have done talk about body-weight strength training, but I wasn't sure if that would give me the results like actual weight-lifting.

When I was in college, I lost a ton of weight using an elliptical machine but after I started doing yoga it really changed my body, even though I didn't lose much weight doing it. That's why i was just curious about yoga compared to weight-training!

rybo

Thanks for the replies! Some of the work-outs I have done talk about body-weight strength training, but I wasn't sure if that would give me the results like actual weight-lifting.

When I was in college, I lost a ton of weight using an elliptical machine but after I started doing yoga it really changed my body, even though I didn't lose much weight doing it. That's why i was just curious about yoga compared to weight-training!

Many people under rate body weight strengh training but you can achieve excellent results. ANd if you like doing yoga, getting stronger overall will help you hold the poses better/longer.

yogicarl

Definitely bodyweight strength training is under-rated. I find working in a calisthenics way, I have a really good idea of where my body is at and where the weak points are and its amazing what you find your body really can do.

Just a word in favour of yoga - I would say it really depends on what form of yoga you practise and how intense your sessions are whether you can expect to gain strength or not. If you work in a gentle way and also just hang out in the poses then no, you will not see much progress in strength, but if you follow a more demanding form such as Ashtanga, slow your movements through the series right down, so you are carrying your bodyweight rather than using momentum and really look for the intensity once you are in the posture, then I would say you can see strength progress which is on par with calisthenics - its a challenging road but it offers some great rewards long term.

angelahu09

I recently got into bodyweight training. At first, I was really confused/overwhelmed by the plethora of exercises out there on sites like fitsugar, nerdfitness, etc., until I stumbled upon Mark Laurens' "You Are Your Own Gym" and "Body by You" books. I'm just starting out on it, but what I like about his books is that it takes the "thinking" of what exercise to do next out of the equation for me...just follow along with his book. Some people like coming up with their own body weight strength training programs; I'm just not one of them.

It's not for everyone, and Amazon.com has plenty of helpful critical reviews on his books. But his program fits my life right now: a gym membership is out of the budget right now (and I am one of those girls that feels really self conscious in the weight room with all the guys), I'm not really interested in acquiring more "stuff" even if it is weights and barbells, and I'm a time-lazy person - I like my workouts to be short, sweet, and effective.

Fitiny

I do fitness blender's epic 1000 cal workout! It includes HIIT+STRENGTH+ABS. Do a search in the workout section. It combines everything you need I think. Just invest in heavier dumbbells and you are good to go.