Gym vs Own body strength excersises

eganita

The difference is mostly resistance training vs cardio. Strength training gets thrown around a lot for these mostly cardio/conditioning programs. At first this is kind of accurate as someone new to training can find some of these exercise very difficult and get a strength training benefit from them. That will quickly go away as the body adapts.

Resistance training is very beneficial to maintaining and growing muscle mass.
here is an article with attached study on the different effect each can have while in a calorie deficit.
http://fitnessblackbook.com/dieting_for_fat_loss/maintain-muscle-mass-on-800-calories-per-day/

Thanks!

jppd47

The standard bench press to the chest is similar to doing preacher curls with the bar resting in your elbows instead of in your hands. Provided your can stand the pain on your forearms, you should be able to curl a ridiculous amount of weight this way. Move the bar to your hands, you increase the lever arm and increase the difficulty of moving the weight. Whether the bar is in yoru hands or in your elbows, it is still a curl.

If the bar is in your elbows, to lift the bar you would be using more should and back, not as much biceps. as opposed to in your hands and leaving your arms still. Then it is almost all biceps

Preacher curls?

I fail to see how your back and shoulder would do anything. It is a bicep isolation exercise.

Because if the bar is at your elbows, the only way to lift the weight it is to lift the brachial portion (upper arm), to do that you would have to use shoulder and back muscles with less bicep involvement. If the weight was in your hands, to lift the weight you would be lifting your antebrachial (forearm) portion leaving your brachial portion on the bench, thus using only biceps to lift the weight

jppd47

^^^

It really depends on what you want from it. If you want to tone up and have lean muscles you don't need heavy lifting. You could get some light hand weights (which are cheap at walmart) and add those to your work outs. Or even get some weighted wrist/ankle bands for it. Those will keep you strong, but not give you BIG muscles.

BUT if you want bigger in appearance muscles, and even defined like some of the pics you see here, you will need heavier weights.

Definition comes mostly in the kitchen. Lifting heavier weights does not mean big muscles. most people have to purposely try to get big muscles with certain rep ranges and exercises and diet.

Zoe Smith at 91lbs lifted 267 pounds over her head. and she does not have big huge muscles.

Dont be afraid to lift. It is extremely important for your bones as well as muscles

mustgetmuscles1

Get in a pushup position with straight arms, hands to the sides or backwards. Lean forward as far as you can over your hands, still able to hold without failure; something you could hold 15 seconds or so. Staying straight as a board, do elbows by your sides pushups (you have to stay straight as a board throughout the rep). Where do you feel them? Should be all chest.

You can further isolate the chest by doing the same thing, but with your hands away from your body, like an arrow when viewed from above. Pseudo maltese pushups. They are more or less a chest isolation exercise. The further toward your waist your hands are, the harder they are. Get stronge enough and you'll be able to lift your feet or do them with your feet on an elevated surface.

Absolutely agree with the bolded section. To move further toward the waist will engage more front delt and even bicep and lessen chest and triceps engagement which are pretty powerful muscle groups making them much more difficult.

WendyTerry420

You can make weights very cheaply out of all kinds of household items. Milk jugs make great kettlebells for example.

Here are a couple of sites to get you started:

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Homemade-Weight-Set <- how to make starter weights from household items

http://homemadestrength.blogspot.com/2012/04/concrete-weights.html <- how to make advanced heavier weights cheaply from concrete

:drinker:

Cheers to resourcefulness on a budget!

jppd47

heres some more homemade stuff

http://www.rosstraining.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1056#p1056

3foldchord

I think I need to squat press my 8 cup proffesional KitchenAide mixer. It always feels like it's about 50pounds when I have to lug it out onto the countertop.

WendyTerry420

heres some more homemade stuff

http://www.rosstraining.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1056#p1056

^^^ Awesome!

I think I need to squat press my 8 cup proffesional KitchenAide mixer. It always feels like it's about 50pounds when I have to lug it out onto the countertop.

^^^ I feel the same way! I don't keep mine on my counter either. :laugh: