Has anyone "transformed" their body WITHOUT lifting heavy?

bdamaster60

what would you all consider "heavy"? just out of curiosity.

Deadlift
6 sets x 1 rep
1 set: 350lb
2 set: 400lb
3 set 425lb
4 set 450lb
5 set 475lb
6 set 500lb

ironanimal

what would you all consider "heavy"? just out of curiosity.

Something you can't lift more than 8 times.

Lifting heavy weight as opposed to lighter weights, more reps, helps develop better neuromuscular response. It's that that allows you to get stronger without gaining any muscle size.

KelliW_runner

If you are limited to home gym and can't afford substantial investment, check out a TRX. Lots of bodyweight exercises can be done with this system and get you a great workout.

LaurenAOK

what would you all consider "heavy"? just out of curiosity.

Something you can't lift more than 8 times.

Lifting heavy weight as opposed to lighter weights, more reps, helps develop better neuromuscular response. It's that that allows you to get stronger without gaining any muscle size.

This. "Heavy" is a totally relative term. I've been lifting for months and I'm naturally very weak so the weights I use probably aren't "heavy" at all to most other lifters. However, they are heavy to me! I'm exhausted by the last rep and that's the point.

Check out You Are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning. I've seen people have awesome results from those programs. I love lifting at the gym, but I'm having a harder and harder time getting there because of my schedule, so I may switch to bodyweight stuff at home.

LorinaLynn

And "heavy" is progressive. You should be regularly increasing your weights. What was heavy to me six months ago is no longer a challenge.

neverstray

Heavy means heavy to you. It's not an amount. I kinod of wish we would stop using that term "lift heavy" but I guess it's the only way to eliminate the 2.5 lb pink weights.

n0ob

I've had two periods in my life where I transformed myself, one initially doing cardio only, the other nothing but heavy lifting.

I've always been strong, and I did not like myself at all doing just the cardio. And really that's not fair to say just cardio as I maintained some of my muscle mass from prior heavy lifting to allow me to end up 5'10" 178 and about 10% body fat. I'm sure that looks and sounds good to some, but I felt like an absolute piss ant and a weakling then. I spent the next two years gaining 30 lean pounds.

This time I just hit the weights and calorie restricted. It's taken me about 1/3 the time to get to the same point as cardio, and then weights (as I see some say I want to lose weight and THEN "tone"). Well, you get " there" faster by lifting as you lose IMO.

Doing cardio only will just burn calories, and if you're not giving your body a reason to maintain muscle, a lot will be the muscle that you so long to see when you get leaner. This makes you have to lose even more weight/fat/muscle to look "toned".

rapat

If you're getting in cardio (running, elliptical, rollerblading) and can do some bodyweight exercises you don't need to lift heavy if you're goal is to slim down and be in better cardiovascular shape.

Three best bodyweight lifting exercises you could do would be:
squats, pushups, and if possible pullups. Rotate every day of the week doing only 1.


I go to a weekly bootcamp class that's mostly bodyweight, and its pretty intense. You could repeat it at home
Starts off with stretching
Then onto the core -- planks, bridges, crunches -- both active reps and static holds

Then 2 quarter mile runs with a rest until your heart rate is 120 between each run

Then 2-3 rounds of 3-4 plyometric type exercises (maybe 30 secs each exercise) --
box jumps (jump up onto a box/ or up a few steps on a stairs, walk back down)
lunge jumps
burpees
clap pushups
other exercises that are just bodyweight or might include a big weighted ball

And finish up with stretching again for a total of 50 min

Jen800

If you're getting in cardio (running, elliptical, rollerblading) and can do some bodyweight exercises you don't need to lift heavy if you're goal is to slim down and be in better cardiovascular shape.

Three best bodyweight lifting exercises you could do would be:
squats, pushups, and if possible pullups. Rotate every day of the week doing only 1.


I go to a weekly bootcamp class that's mostly bodyweight, and its pretty intense. You could repeat it at home
Starts off with stretching
Then onto the core -- planks, bridges, crunches -- both active reps and static holds

Then 2 quarter mile runs with a rest until your heart rate is 120 between each run

Then 2-3 rounds of 3-4 plyometric type exercises (maybe 30 secs each exercise) --
box jumps (jump up onto a box/ or up a few steps on a stairs, walk back down)
lunge jumps
burpees
clap pushups
other exercises that are just bodyweight or might include a big weighted ball

And finish up with stretching again for a total of 50 min

Thanks everyone!


This was specific and helpful. I do squat-like things in my 30 day shred, as well as push-ups. I don't know of anywhere I can do pullups (not that I think I could even if I HAD a place to do them :laugh: ) but it's good to know what kinds of things are good. the shred incorporates some plyometrics, and i'm planning on moving on to ripped in 30, etc. I'll try some of everyone's suggestions though, i'm sure!

littlekitty3

Here's some advice from a broke post-college student who never joined a gym:
You can create a pull up bar with 2 chairs and a broom in the middle and just pull yourself up, or use a resistance band and have it on something higher up and angle yourself to mimic a real pull up.
You can also create your own weights by filling water bottles with sand, filling a small duffle bag or backpack with sand, rice, kitty litter (, water bottles if you really want to go to the next level).
You can use a soccer ball to do different variations of pushups on to mix up.
If you dont have a treadmill and the weather outside is frightful and not so delightful (haha holidays), do jump rope intervals or some HIIT/Tabata workouts that target your legs (there's a TON online).

rapat

Here's some advice from a broke post-college student who never joined a gym:

Good advice. There's always DIY / cheap ways to make expensive things. Like there's squat rack using saw horses http://www.ehow.com/how_10055870_use-saw-horses-squat-racks.html

Also buying used on craigslist could save you a lot of money - often cheaper than cost of materials making something yourself; you just need to be willing to wait for a good deal to come by

Jen800

would anyone else like to share their experiences ?

rybo

Do not understimate the use of body weight only exercises for building strength & muscle.

People have already pointed out nerdfitness.com & you are your own gym. You can go as far as you want and may never run out of bodyweight exercises. There is always a way to make them more difficult.

JoanB5

Loved this tread. Revival time.

JoanB5

Yes! I have been lifting more lately because 1) my goals have changed and 2) I have the resources, but I've been shredded using nothing more than consistent body weight exercises (and the use of a sandbag -- priceless!) You don't need weights if you don't have them. There are so many body weight exercises that can shred you if done correctly.

Also, please keep in mind that not everyone has the same fitness goals, so people who lift heavy (while it is certainly good for your physique) may not be trying to accomplish the same things you are. They are going to try to sell you their fitness plan like its the only way -- runners, cyclists, P90x-ers, Crossfit-ers, and anyone else who has found success in their program -- will too, but every body is different, and we are all trying to accomplish different things.

Jillian Micheals DVD's usually have a lot of body weight exercises, but do a little research on your own and supplement if you are really trying to increase strength.

Good luck!

I want to make my own sandbag. That just sounds so freakin' awesome, and I've seen them used on youtube. GRRRRrrrrrr.

Kimi903

Oh yes! Claudia Schiffer also has body shaping dvd's that are great! It takes a little time unless you have a couple hours per day, but cardio plus dvd's work.

Mochila09

As several folks have already mentioned, check out You Are Your Own Gym. He has a great app that allows you to pick your fitness level and choose the amount of time you have to workout. Once you enter that info, a timed workout starts (including rest periods). You can also create and save your favorite workouts. Good luck!

helcart01

Bump. Very interesting. Thank you.

staceypunk

bump, because I am starting to explore lifting as an option for me

staceypunk

Jen, I also have only done JM DVD"s and am in the middle of Month 2 of Insanity right now. I can't see your diary, so don't know where you're protein levels are but I nearly doubled my intake (from 60 grams to about 105-120 daily) about 5 weeks ago (as recommended by the Insanity nutriition guide). I don't know if it was the increased protein (and calories were upped) or Insanity, or just the natural progression of working out for 8 months straight, but my muscles ARE bigger. Don't know if I did another round of Body Revolution and stayed at 60 grams of protein if they would have still been bigger or not. Guess I'll never know, but perhaps look into your protein levels?

reach4thestar

Bump...interesting...

Synapze

You are your own gym...ive done it with great results losing around 30kg in, I think 12 months.

Around 10 years ago i was living out in the middle of nowhere (almost)

I left the city for the 'farm life' leaving behind my Jujitsu Classes, Weekend Mountain Bike Weekends, and 6 Day Gym sessions.

I was fit, but not real big.

In the first few years i gained a ton of weight, and became very weak. So i brought some Dumbbells and began weight training at home.

I was doing pushups + up to 100 decline pushups, chair dips, and dumbbells.

After say 2 months, id maxed out the weights, i was doing way too many pushups, and things weren't going anywehere.

So i grabbed my kids and began lifting them lol. They loved it. Then even they became too light.

I got to the point i was doing pushups with my kids on my back and bench presses, on the floor, holding an ironing board with my wife in top of that.

Got big real fast.

My point is, you dont really need a Gym. I gained more muscle back then, than what i do now paying for a gym membership. (Im probably a lot lazier now than i was back then)

I look back now tho, and think to myself, 'back when i didnt have anything, i used what i could and just made it happen'

It can be done.

My problem is i fell sick and ended up in hospital for a very long time, eventually coming out but never going back to the weights.

This is why im here starting all over again.

Sorry for the long story :P

Yogi_Carl

Awesome story and sorry to hear about your stay in hospital.

Totally agree with your approach to bodyweight exercising. There is no comparison between doing Donkey Calf Raises with your wife sitting astride your hips compared to being stuck under a Cafl Raise machine staring at the wall!

Welcome back!

danika2point0

Awesome story and sorry to hear about your stay in hospital.

Totally agree with your approach to bodyweight exercising. There is no comparison between doing Donkey Calf Raises with your wife sitting astride your hips compared to being stuck under a Cafl Raise machine staring at the wall!

Welcome back!

^^^ This was cracking me up! I don't have any person on top of me while doing exercises (poor me) but sometimes when planking, my mischievous kitten will jump up on my back. It's hilarious and fun!

Vailara

would anyone else like to share their experiences ?

I've done heavy lifting when I've had gym access, pure bodyweight exercises and a mix of the two. I get more of a "buzz" from heavy lifting, which I can't really explain, and strength gains feel more measurable, so I like that aspect. But bodyweight exercises were much easier to incorporate into my weekly routine, and obviously, great when I wasn't going to the gym. When I was doing a bodyweight programme, I finally managed to do full pushups, as an obese, middle-aged woman. That felt like a great achievement for me.

Several people have recommended You Are Your Own Gym, but I actually preferred Body By You by the same author (Mark Lauren) and that was the programme I used. I would recommend it. It felt simpler than YAYOG: basically, full body exercises three times a week. You do the same exercises, but increase the difficulty in small increments as you get stronger. It was hard work, but only takes about 20 minutes.

However, I can't really talk about "transforming" my body. I seem to be managing to maintain LBM, which was my aim, but I don't know how much of my change in looks is down to either the bodyweight exercises or the lifting. Most of it is probably down to weight loss.

And to confuse things, I also do ballet, which DID change my body when I was younger, so I don't know if any of the changes are due to ballet rather than the other two things. Actually, having said that, ballet is almost ALL bodyweight exercises. So there you go - I did transform my body without a gym, during purely bodyweight exercises. Maybe "transform" is too strong, but there was a noticeable difference in terms of muscle size and definition.

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

Hellzyeah! The overwhelming group think here is if you don't lift heavy, you're a moron who worries unnecessarily that she'll get bulky and/or that you're destined to be a mass of jelly if you're not pushing out a loaf at the gym while squatting heavy heavy heavy.

I lost my weight a few years back with Jillian Michaels dvds which is suppose to be all wrong :laugh: even though I looked and felt great. I tried upping to heavy weights this year because I bought into all the hype. I was injured within a week which set me back months. So while it works great for many, it may just not be the end all be all for some. Don't let anyone tell you that's what you have to do. :drinker:

SteveJWatson

As others have said, "lifting heavy" is relative.

If you want to lift heavy using just your body, it can easily be done - I think one of the best bodyweight progressions is to be found in "Convict Conditioning". Ignore all the macho prisoner story stuff if you like and just look at the progressions. They go from exercises my granny could do all the way to one arm handstand pushups.

Edited to add: if you google it, one of the first hits is a download of the entire book.

SteveJWatson

I tried upping to heavy weights this year because I bought into all the hype. I was injured within a week which set me back months. So while it works great for many, it may just not be the end all be all for some. Don't let anyone tell you that's what you have to do. :drinker:

Just cos you injured yourself, doesn't mean the form of excercise is invalid.

Achrya

Hellzyeah! The overwhelming group think here is if you don't lift heavy, you're a moron who worries unnecessarily that she'll get bulky and/or that you're destined to be a mass of jelly if you're not pushing out a loaf at the gym while squatting heavy heavy heavy.

I lost my weight a few years back with Jillian Michaels dvds which is suppose to be all wrong :laugh: even though I looked and felt great. I tried upping to heavy weights this year because I bought into all the hype. I was injured within a week which set me back months. So while it works great for many, it may just not be the end all be all for some. Don't let anyone tell you that's what you have to do. :drinker:

What if I told you I do Jillian dvds and lift heavy? Mind, blown?

And injuring yourself is a totally separate issue from Heavy Lifting and certainly doesn't reflect upon it's effectiveness or usefulness in the least. It just means you got hurt.

OP: When I was in the military I didn't lift heavy. I ran, I did body weight stuff, and I swam. I looked good and felt good; I'm lifting now and I feel amazing. I'm sure I'll look amazing at some future point (Though certainly I'm always 'looking good'.) Everyone's ideal is different and so you should work towards what you yourself are looking for, not what anyone else is looking for.

Topsking2010

Bump