Suggestions for at home weight lifting workout

MrsLVF

Just to give you ideas...here is my home gym set up.

googsgirl

These ideas are great!

Great tip about getting the trainer's consult first and I love the photos of what people are using at home.

Keep em coming!

mtread13

Wrong. Higher reps builds muscle. Lower reps and higher weights build strength. Sometimes, I do 150 reps, but I rest 2 minutes between sets. 10 sets of 15 reps. You do that and your veins will be popping out of your body. Get a bench if you can. You can do dips and incline pushups. Get some dumbells. I like the adjustables. Same with an adjustable kettlebell. Get the weights off of craigslist.com. I prefer standard over olympic.

No. 1-5 reps builds strength and muscle density. 6-10 reps causes hypertrophy. Anything over that just builds muscle endurance, but does not add muscle.

You're right from everything I read. Is it important at some point to work on muscle endurance? And when you do work on that, what is happening - muscle memory, mind over matter, or what? I think I kind of understand what happens to the muscle when building density or size, but what happens to it when working on endurance? Since I'm far from my goals, I am working on failure in 6 - 10. However, if I don't get to failure in the 6 - 10 range, I'll work max reps and make a note to increase the weight in my journal. The only time I get a lot of work on muscle endurance is muscle work during other activities (splitting wood, other outdoor "work", etc.). Is this a bad approach or should have more planning associated with muscle endurance?

Thanks!

tolygal

I'm also a NROL fan (both the men and women's books), but I don't have the space or money to get everything I'd want/need at home. I'm very happy doing that program at the gym, but I don't have a lot of "free time" to get to the gym like I used to. I'm making adjustments to get more time, but I've also been looking into different things that I can do at home.

So, I've been reading "You Are Your Own Gym" by Mark Lauren and Joshua Clark. It's all about using your body weight instead of all the gym equipment. It looks VERY challenging - just as challenging and productive as what I'm currently doing, and the basic concepts follow with what I've learned elsewhere. I haven't tried it yet, so I can't speak from experience, but it sounds very promising, and I'm looking forward to trying it in a few weeks when I finish NROLFW. I borrowed my copy from the library so I could check it out for free before buying it. It's worth a look!

kcmullis

If you have a ****'s Sporting Goods nearby, I bought a great dumbbell set in a case for about $50.00. It goes from 3 lbs-40 lbs and you can add to it later including purchasing a second set of bars. I think they have it online too. This worked great for me instead of having a whole rack of weights around. I can easily change weights for different exercises. Good luck!

kcmullis

If you have a ****'s Sporting Goods nearby, I bought a great dumbbell set in a case for about $50.00. It goes from 3 lbs-40 lbs and you can add to it later including purchasing a second set of bars. I think they have it online too. This worked great for me instead of having a whole rack of weights around. I can easily change weights for different exercises. Good luck!

Didn't know it would bleep me. Hopefully you know which sporting goods store I am talking about.

KateB1982

Here is a post I made to another member that asked a similar question. You can get a 40lb set of Cap adustable dumbbells at walmart for $30.00 and add additional plates as needed for $2-4 dollars each.

Ok here is the program/split. To keep it simple try to do 8 reps for every set. If you can do 10 reps, raise the weight for the next set, if you can only do 7 reps or less ,lower the weight for your next set. Also try to limit your rest periods between sets to between 1 minute and 1 minute and 30 seconds. I choose to do my cardio and abs on my off days but you can mix them in to fit your schedule/ needs etc. Also please dont be intimidated by lifting!! (we all were when we started but quickly realized that there wasnt anything to be scared of)

Monday: Legs-
Squats x 3 sets. http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBSquat.html
Lunges x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-lunges
Step ups x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/dumbbell-step-up.html

Calves-
Seated Calf Raises x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/seated-dumbbell-calf-raise.html
Front Raises x 3 sets. http://weighttraining.about.com/od/exercisegallery/tp/frontdumbbell.htm

Tuesday: Back-
Pull Ups x 3 sets ( use a chair and push off it with one foot to assist you as much as needed to complete each rep.)
Dumbbell Rows x3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/one-arm-dumbbell-row
Bent Over Rows x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/bent-over-two-dumbbell-row

Biceps-
Curls x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-bicep-curl
Concentration Curls x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/concentration-cur.html

Thursday: Chest-
Bench press x 3 sets. (use your bar)
Incline pushups x 3 sets ( use the bottom step of any set of stairs and do as many as possible for each set)
Dumbbell Flys x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-flyes

Triceps-
Extensions x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/one-arm-seated-dumbbell-extension.html
Kickbacks x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/tricep-dumbbell-kickback

Saturday: Shoulders-
Shoulder Presses x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-shoulder-press
Front Raises x 3 sets. http://weighttraining.about.com/od/exercisegallery/tp/frontdumbbell.htm
Lateral Raises x 3 sets http://weighttraining.about.com/od/exercisegallery/tp/frontdumbbell.htm

Traps-
Shrugs or Seated Shrugs x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-shrug

Lower Back / Glutes- ( Yes its leg exercise but you dont want to do deadlifts and squats on the same day)
Dead Lifts x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/stiff-legged-dumbbell-deadlift

Bump...thanks for this VERY helpful info!

NotGoddess

Bumping for later.

TheMerryPup

Bump

SandersWifey

Bump!

deannajf4

Bump

beachgirl172723

Bump for later.

krista_dawn

Bump

HealthyWarrior

Here is a post I made to another member that asked a similar question. You can get a 40lb set of Cap adustable dumbbells at walmart for $30.00 and add additional plates as needed for $2-4 dollars each.

Ok here is the program/split. To keep it simple try to do 8 reps for every set. If you can do 10 reps, raise the weight for the next set, if you can only do 7 reps or less ,lower the weight for your next set. Also try to limit your rest periods between sets to between 1 minute and 1 minute and 30 seconds. I choose to do my cardio and abs on my off days but you can mix them in to fit your schedule/ needs etc. Also please dont be intimidated by lifting!! (we all were when we started but quickly realized that there wasnt anything to be scared of)

Monday: Legs-
Squats x 3 sets. http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/DBSquat.html
Lunges x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-lunges
Step ups x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/dumbbell-step-up.html

Calves-
Seated Calf Raises x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/seated-dumbbell-calf-raise.html
Front Raises x 3 sets. http://weighttraining.about.com/od/exercisegallery/tp/frontdumbbell.htm

Tuesday: Back-
Pull Ups x 3 sets ( use a chair and push off it with one foot to assist you as much as needed to complete each rep.)
Dumbbell Rows x3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/one-arm-dumbbell-row
Bent Over Rows x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/bent-over-two-dumbbell-row

Biceps-
Curls x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-bicep-curl
Concentration Curls x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/concentration-cur.html

Thursday: Chest-
Bench press x 3 sets. (use your bar)
Incline pushups x 3 sets ( use the bottom step of any set of stairs and do as many as possible for each set)
Dumbbell Flys x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-flyes

Triceps-
Extensions x 3 sets. http://www.muscleandstrength.com/exercises/one-arm-seated-dumbbell-extension.html
Kickbacks x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/tricep-dumbbell-kickback

Saturday: Shoulders-
Shoulder Presses x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-shoulder-press
Front Raises x 3 sets. http://weighttraining.about.com/od/exercisegallery/tp/frontdumbbell.htm
Lateral Raises x 3 sets http://weighttraining.about.com/od/exercisegallery/tp/frontdumbbell.htm

Traps-
Shrugs or Seated Shrugs x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-shrug

Lower Back / Glutes- ( Yes its leg exercise but you dont want to do deadlifts and squats on the same day)
Dead Lifts x 3 sets. http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/stiff-legged-dumbbell-deadlift

I'm going to buy some weights and give this a try.. Thank you!

zaxaz

I second the Stronglifts 5x5 --ESP the beginner info. I think it's important to get your form right before lifting heavy, so you don't injure yourself.

RubyInParadise

bump