Full body strength training

AllTehBeers

So, I've gotten the cardio part down in my workouts to where I'm enjoying my walk/runs almost everyday. Now I would like to start incorporating some strength training into my program to help tone up and build muscle. What's a good 20 - 30 minute workout that will work a good portion of muscles in the entire body? Maybe even a list of 5 or so good quality exercises to start out. Also, do you prefer working with bands or weights? Which one for you seems to have a better overall impact for your workout?

snookumss

i just got 30 day shred yesterday, and because I was sore but still excited I sat down and watched it. Its only like 20 or so minutes and it seems to be a great intro to full body workouts. Its really cheap and might be perfect to help tone and give you the intro into strength training! Its also a mix of cardio as well, so it can't hurt!

Soccer_Chick

Get the book New Rules of Lifting. You can get the original or the one specifically for women called duh, New Rules of Lifting for Women. This will give you all the info you need to build a solid base of muscle and knowledge to lift weights. Also has very valuable nutrition info. Very easy to read. You will learn tons and enjoy it.

Best of luck!

tameko2

In terms of stuff you can do easily at home with just some hand weights adding weight and variation when you get stronger:

Pushups
Squats (bodyweight until you get stronger then add weight by holding it against your chest -- there are a LOT of variations on these, look for sumo squats for one that works the inner thigh)
Lunges (Bodyweight until you get stronger then add weight by holding them in your hands, or add difficulting by jumping up and switching legs rather than just dipping)
Plank rows or bent over rows
chest press (if you have a bench)
Flys (if you have a bench - can also be done on a exercise ball pretty easily)
dumbbell kickbacks
shoulder press with dumbbells
lateral raises with dumbbells
front raises with dumbbells

pullups/chinups are good in theory but you need access to a bar and you have to find a way to modify them until you can actually do one.

You can make 3 days worth of routines with more or less just the above, seriously. 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps each (you can rotate so you do set 1 of exercise 1, then set 1 of exercise 2, then set 1 of exercise 3, then do set 2 of each of those). Look up videos and use a mirror to make sure you are using good form and don't be afraid to increase your weight as things become easy -- if you are knocking out 10-12 reps with no problem you need to step up a level in weight.

This is more or less my routine, with some things like side plank crunches, reverse crunches, random kickboxing, whatever else my trainer feels like making me do - but the core is pretty much the stuff Iisted above with some ab work.

Jesung

I would recommend Starting Strength. You can replace power cleans with chin-ups or rows if you like.

Regardless of what you choose to do, exercises that I would never skip out on are squats and deadlifts. Do those two no matter what.

AllTehBeers

Snookumss - I actually bought 30DS this past winter as a good indoor exercise routine. When I moved this summer it got packed in a box so I think I may have to dig it out for this winter. Thanks!

Soccer Chick - Thanks for the book reference. I'm going to start out a bit slow and once I get into it a bit more I'll check that out.

Tameko - Great suggestions! I'll take those and make my own quick routine for now.