Weight training??

Twinmom413

Due to my full-time job and being a full-time parent, I do my exercising at home, not at a gym. I have a treadmill, so I run and walk. I also take dance lessons. I do not have any equipment for weight training at home. Does anyone have some good, inexpensive suggestions on what I can do since it is important and I don't want to NOT do it? Are there any good dvds for weight training exercises?
Thanks!!:happy:

Twinmom413

Due to my full-time job and being a full-time parent, I do my exercising at home, not at a gym. I have a treadmill, so I run and walk. I also take dance lessons. I do not have any equipment for weight training at home. Does anyone have some good, inexpensive suggestions on what I can do since it is important and I don't want to NOT do it? Are there any good dvds for weight training exercises?
Thanks!!:happy:

Jillian

You can use cans of soup or veggies to start. Try a resistance band, they are pretty cheap. Also leg lifts, sit ups and push ups. They will all help you use your muscle. Good Luck!

llekllek

The FIRM is a good way to get your cardio and weight training in at the same time. They have a "Total Body TransFIRMation" kit out right now that includes 4 dvds and light weights (I got mine at ****'s Sporting Goods for under $50.00.) The videos combine aerobics with strengthing moves (with or without the weights) and most of the videos in the set have a 45 minute workout and a 25 minute express workout option - I think they're a lot of fun. Alternatively, they have a TON of videos that you can buy individually, and you can pick up a set of dumbbells for under $10 depending on the weight. Here's the link to their website if you're interest: http://www.firmdirect.com/firm/ecs/main/index.html ...Lol, I sound like I'm in their sales department! Sorry about that :laugh:

Since you have a treadmill already, if you're looking for JUST strength training I'd say grab a pair of dumbbells and search the web for "home workouts", there's a lot of fitness sites out there.

annathelu

I"ve also seen it suggested to use laundry detergent bottles. Or, at ****'s Sporting Goods they have fairly cheap hand weights, depending on the weight you want.

ohthatbambi

I found a book called "Five Factor Fitness" that I really really really like. I didn't follow the diet in it b/c it was weird stuff that I can't find here in Alabama. Author is Harley Pasternak who apparently is a trainer for some Hollywood people. All you need to do his strength/weight training is a set of dumbbells and a weight bench. If you don't have a weight bench, your coffee table will do. Some can be done on the floor. Anyway, this book was much cheaper than hiring a trainer and I needed a starting point. I followed his exercise program (did more cardio than he suggested) and saw results. I highly recommend it.

peacefulwarrior

I would suggest getting a strength band with weighted handles, very good for a home workout.

Twinmom413

Thanks everyone! Looks like I need to go shopping :happy: I appreciate everyone's advice.

tekrueger

Great idea to start strength training. I'm not an expert but I've started to seriously use weights two months ago and am loving it and getting great results. Ok, with that said, I'd suggest that you keep a couple of things in mind: what do you want from weights?

You really need to answer this question first BEFORE you can decide what equipment you need.

If you want to start using weights, you can use cheap, light weights, and as others have said even small water bottles or cans (anything you can easily hold with your hands), or also by the resistance bands or surgical tubing (these come in varying levels of resistance, from very light to really hard to pull!).

These can be GREAT aids to a program of increasing your general strength BUT they are more an auxillary to a good program of exercises (standing, sitting, lying down) tat can include situps and pushups and many others (the Internet is FULL of great guides....find one that is in your spirit and follow the instructions...it's that simple). The weights and resistance bands are able to provide more resistance in your exercises, more than what you would have without them.

The problem with such weights is that though they are easy to use it is pretty difficult to correctly use "free weights". In other words, yes, ANY physical activity is good BUT there are great advantages to using machines as you are forced to do certain simple motions to get an advantage - and - you work your body in an even manner (not too much on one favored side or the other for example).

I wouldn't buy any machines (too costly, and you couldn't have enough of them)...I would though suggest you think about getting into a gym that is cheap (no need for the bells and whistles and the pretty receptionists...) and two or more times a week to use them in a circuit manner (in a given series, with a certain number of repetitions and using a certain level of weight) for an hour.

If from what you wrote, I surmized that you don't want to go to a gym. Ok, start out with the bands or light weights, but you can already start to do exercise without them: believe me you can get great workouts just using your body and a good illustrated program from the Internet!

Using weight training machines (or later light and heavy free weights when one knows how to properly use them), one has great advantages in relation to physiological benefits from increasing things like bone calcium deposition to increasing your metabolism, but really you need to really be stressing your body to get those benefits. So maybe they are not for you Twinmom right now but give them a thought, and in any case start building up your body's muscle tone one way or another.

Last thing for those thinking about starting weight training, especially women, don't worry about getting big muscles - there REALLY difficult to get! Believe me! :frown:

Sorry for the length but it's a BIG topic

- Thomas

yoginimary

Here's a site for resistance training:

http://www.realage.com/WorkOutCenter/fitness/fpEntry.aspx

it's all free.

laxgirl

There are many websites out there where there are some good and simple weight training movies. I would reccomend ivillage.com, womenshealthmag.com, and shape.com. If you aren't sure whether you want to spend money on hand weights, then soup cans or water bottles filled with sand/rocks work really well.