I want to start doing heavy weights, but I hate the gym!

2»

Replies

  • ChrisGoldn
    ChrisGoldn Posts: 473 Member
    bump for later
  • sjohnny
    sjohnny Posts: 56,142 Member
    I got most of my stuff off craigslist and from Play it Again Sports. I have less than $300 in the whole rig. It's an adjustable bench, a separate rack that adjusts up to use as a squat rack (it's holding the weight I'm currently using just fine but probably won't for too much longer - a cage is definitely in my future but we're in the process of moving so it will have to wait for that), an olympic bar and weights adding up to 320 pounds. I've only put 235 pounds on the bar so far and it hasn't bent so I think I'm good for a while. I can add more weight to this over time if I need to and it's right there on my back porch to use whenever I want.

    I used to do a lot of lifting in a gym years ago so already had a good idea of form and how things should feel. I would definitely recommend knowing what you're doing before building a gym and doing a bunch of weightlifting at your house.
  • argenterie
    argenterie Posts: 93 Member

    This pretty much sums it up. You can start exercising with your dumbbells and body weight at home until you feel more confident, but just get into a gym if you want to start doing proper heavy lifting.

    I think this is what I'm going to do for now. I looked at http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/workouts/ and I'm going to start with some of those, and I now have dumbbells in 5lb, 10lb, and 20lb so I can do some basic stuff with those. I am still too weak to even do a "Real Pushup" so I don't imagine I'll be doing bench pressing any time soon!

    Thanks to all for the suggestions and help! I hope the thread was helpful to others too! :)
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    I am still too weak to even do a "Real Pushup" so I don't imagine I'll be doing bench pressing any time soon!

    I found bench presses to be much easier than push-ups at first (when I started with the empty bar weight of 45lbs). I'm a pretty heavy guy, though; not sure how different the experience would be for you, with a lower body weight.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    I am still too weak to even do a "Real Pushup" so I don't imagine I'll be doing bench pressing any time soon!

    I found bench presses to be much easier than push-ups at first (when I started with the empty bar weight of 45lbs). I'm a pretty heavy guy, though; not sure how different the experience would be for you, with a lower body weight.

    Generally speaking, a real push-up is roughly 1/2 your bodyweight. So take that for what it's worth. I found once I could bench half of my weight comfortably I could do roughly the same reps as push-ups instead (maybe one or two less).
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    I am still too weak to even do a "Real Pushup" so I don't imagine I'll be doing bench pressing any time soon!

    I found bench presses to be much easier than push-ups at first (when I started with the empty bar weight of 45lbs). I'm a pretty heavy guy, though; not sure how different the experience would be for you, with a lower body weight.

    Generally speaking, a real push-up is roughly 1/2 your bodyweight. So take that for what it's worth. I found once I could bench half of my weight comfortably I could do roughly the same reps as push-ups instead (maybe one or two less).

    If you do a pushup with yoru hands on a scale, typically you will find that a pushup is about 2/3 bodyweight.

    Does depend on weight distribution a bit though, where your center of mass is.
  • Aleluya17
    Aleluya17 Posts: 205 Member
    Nobody really likes the gym do they? It's hot and it smells funny. Not to mention it's full of meatheads. At least where I work out most people mind their own business. Maybe you should look into seeing if there is a woman only gym near you. What exactly do you hate about the gym?
  • dlwyatt82
    dlwyatt82 Posts: 1,077 Member
    Nobody really likes the gym do they? It's hot and it smells funny. Not to mention it's full of meatheads. At least where I work out most people mind their own business. Maybe you should look into seeing if there is a woman only gym near you. What exactly do you hate about the gym?

    LOL, what is it with the "meatheads" term being thrown around? We're going to the gym to try to burn fat, gain muscle, get fit, however you want to phrase it. Why throw some negative term at people who have already accomplished those things? I'd LOVE to be in a position where someone looked at me and said, "God, what a meathead."

Categories