Resistance training without free weights

BarbieAS

Can anyone recommend a program or DVD or offer suggestions for a resistance training plan for a beginning woman that doesn't require free weights?

I just can't (and kind of don't want to) get into free weights at this point. I'm happy to list out my excuses if anyone is curious .

I do have access to a full circuit of resistance machines at my gym. As of right now, my approach is to just get those as heavy as I can for 3 10-ish rep sets and do the whole circuit 2, sometimes 3 times per week. And that's fine, probably, for my stage of the game (focused way more on fat loss, I'm just trying to keep my muscle mass and set myself up for good things when I'm done losing fat), but it's freaking BORING.

Is there a good body weight program or a DVD or something that someone can recommend that I can use to change things up and get away from the machines at least part of the time? I'd be willing to pick up a small amount of equipment for home use but I don't have space for anything significant.

yogicarl

You've got the only piece of gym equipment you will ever need right there - your own body.

Look up You Are Your Own Gym and Body By You by the same author.

The author's website here: https://www.marklauren.com/

cantfail

Look into DDP Yoga. It doesn't require any equipment and is almost zero impact. It is a modified form of yoga that incorporates some physical therapy principals and even some MMA type moves. I've noticed and increase in my strength and flexibility in just a few months. The routines are easily modified depending on your level. I love it.

Cherimoose

I do have access to a full circuit of resistance machines at my gym. As of right now, my approach is to just get those as heavy as I can for 3 10-ish rep sets and do the whole circuit 2, sometimes 3 times per week. And that's fine, probably, for my stage of the game (focused way more on fat loss, I'm just trying to keep my muscle mass and set myself up for good things when I'm done losing fat), but it's freaking BORING.

If it's boring, it's not heavy enough.

Why don't you use freeweights?

BarbieAS

Thank you both!!

Both of those sound like awesome options. I'm particularly interested in the yoga, since flexibility is something that I really really struggle with (always have). I wish it was a little cheaper, but if it's awesome, it's worth it, right?

Penfoldsplace

The nerd fitness website has a good beginner body weight workout with a video and also an advanced one for when you progress. I think he does use some large milk containers as weights, but thats only one exercise, the rest are body weight.

BarbieAS

I do have access to a full circuit of resistance machines at my gym. As of right now, my approach is to just get those as heavy as I can for 3 10-ish rep sets and do the whole circuit 2, sometimes 3 times per week. And that's fine, probably, for my stage of the game (focused way more on fat loss, I'm just trying to keep my muscle mass and set myself up for good things when I'm done losing fat), but it's freaking BORING.

If it's boring, it's not heavy enough.

Why don't you use freeweights?

Hey, fully agreed. If I was really working on form and progressing, I definitely know I'd be a lot more into it.

Why am I not doing them? Lol. Partially because I, as a chubby mid-30s girl, don't have the cojones to barge into the free weights section and have at it - mad props to those that do, and honestly I 100% get that that's something I could get over, and as my fitness improves I truly hope to do just that. But, mostly because I have pretty significant joint issues in my knees and back (degenerative stuff since childhood, not just injury type stuff I can improve with PT and weight loss), and I can't just go start doing squats and stuff without at a bare minimum a few personal training sessions to make sure my form is right, and that's not in the budget or the schedule right now. Someday, though, like I said. I'm just trying to do what I can in the meantime.