Strength/Weight training outside gym?

Schnuddelbuddel

Hiya,

I've neither time nor money at the moment to join a gym. Most of my exercise is done late-ish in evening after kids are in bed (after 8pm!) or walking a lot with the kids.

So, what can I do to do some strength training? I do mostly cardio (running, walking, zumba) with pilates thrown in once a week.

Suggestions?

FlaxMilk

Bump-I was just thinking about ways to increase my weight at home. I don't have the money for a gym right now, but I can't afford to keep buying heavier dumbbells every couple of weeks. Right now I'm at 10 lbs and want to go heavier. I need to do some googling on ways to make homemade weights with sand, I guess.

rileysowner

Bodyweight exercises. While I enjoy using weights, and have a whole weight setup at home with and Olympic weight set and power cage, I love doing Bodyweight stuff as well. There are a bunch of resources here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/166-bodyweight-training including posts with links to a bunch of sites with various programs and routines. At the moment the workout I am doing is all bodyweight stuff, and I am loving it.

mamamudbug

Keep an eye on local classified ads for weights, benchs, etc. If you don't find what you are looking for, place a want ad. People are always getting rid of stuff.

mamamudbug

Definitely interested in checking some of those links out.

Schnuddelbuddel

Thanks a million! Will check those out :flowerforyou:

pafagel

i was just wondering the same thing as my gym membership just expired. Bump to read later

Schnuddelbuddel

meanwhile I've also been told to look at bodyrock.tv - only had a quick glance but seems there's a lot of info/routines on there

shiseido_faerie

To start i've been doing the Jillian Michaels DVD's with just 5, 8, 10lb weights (you also do squats, pushups, lunges etc), looking to get some heavier weights soon and then from there my hope is to have a gym membership where I can use some heavier weights and equipment. Unfortunately I don't have room for a weight bench but I would also recommend checking the classifieds, craigslist, kijiji etc, a lot of people start and then it turns into a clothes rack.

ArroganceInStep

A lot of it is gauging your own physical fitness level to determine what sort of workout you want to do, and then finding one or making one up that hits your whole body.

http://nerdfitness.com/blog/top-posts/
"Free Workout Routines"

Is a decent resource, there are TONS of others. Youtube has workouts out the wazoo as well.

Good luck.

bushidowoman

I spent $20 on a set of 40lb set of dumbbells from wal-mart. Gradually increasing my weight with those has gotten me some good results so far! Currently, I've got 17.5 lbs on them. When I increase to 20lbs, I will reward myself with a weight bench, a bar, and some more weights. And switch up my routine.

MasterZeddicus

Honestly I do ALL my training outside the gym, I can obtain similar results to someone in the gym from home, it saves me time getting to and from the gym, and it's much more convenient to schedule in my work out. The hardest thing to keep up up at home is the intensity, and making sure you have a good workout plan!

That being said I did invest about 600$ into my home gym, which honestly isn't a lot. The only things I purchased were a bench with changeable positions (Incline, flat, decline), a set of changeable dumbbells from Costco (20lbs - 120lbs), a fitness tower by Apex (This IS A MUST!, a fitness tower allows you to do push-ups, dips, leg raises, chin ups, pull ups, all those great BW exercises that you need!). Lat thing I bought was a used curved barbell, and various weights for it. All this was more than enough to work out my entire body perfectly.

As far as an actual work out routine it's hard for me to tell you what you should do, it really depends on your goals, your current fitness level, how much time you have available to train etc.

qtiekiki

meanwhile I've also been told to look at bodyrock.tv - only had a quick glance but seems there's a lot of info/routines on there

Love bodyrock. Totally changed my body.