Strength training with no weights?

jwdesiree

So I've always been a fan of cardiovascular exercise, but I know how incredibly important weight training is.

Problem is... I'm intimidated by it. I don't know what to do.

I have a small gym in my apartment complex that has a lot of free weights and weightlifting benches/bars. I know a few exercises that I can do with light (very light) weights for my arms, but the smallest free weights in the gym are 10 pounders and... I'm just too weak.

Can anyone give me some good starter moves, even if it does mean using the 10 pound weights?

Thanks!

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

You can do DB squats, bent over DB rows, DB bench, and DB OHP to start.

CMGoodie

Do body weight training to start with; use your body weight to work with you for starters. Remember to feel the muscle you are working....if you don't you are doing it wrong.

Triceps: Find a chair or a bench, sit on it, place arms beside you, legs in front bent at a 90d angle. Move forward off the chair and dip, using your arms to bring you up..not your legs. Do a set of 5-10 reps to start with 2xs. If you want some weight use invest in 3lb dumbells for starters or elastic bands.

Lying on your back.....lift tricep above your head, keeping your elbows at a 90d angle, and lifting straight up, then control the downward motion and repeat. 1 set of 10


Chest: Push-ups - Use the bench, assume pushup position and go. If this is too hard, do them against the wall until you can do 10 then move to the bench or counter or even on the floor if you can.

Bicep curls - 1 set of 5 for starters...then graduate to 10. Remember to hold/squeeze for one count at the top, control the motion down.

Modified for rows - lay on a bench, pull-up weights to bust line, squeezing the back muscles, and control downward motion. Do a set of 5 and graduate to 10. Then once you have that mastered, go to bentover rows.

Deadlifts (hamstrings): Legs slightly wider than shoulders, stick butt out (feel glutes), pick up weights. Lift by bringing butt up slightly, straightening knees (should feel hamstrings engage), and come up. Set of 10.

This is just a small example of what you can do with body weight and 10lb dumbbells for starters.

froeschli

Check out the book 'you are your own gym' - it has tons of body weight exercises. Push-ups and squats will take you quite a ways by themselves.
I just started the program from 'new rules of lifting for women' and most beginners moves in there that call for extra weight, were easy enough to do with 10lb. Don't forget, you can use a barbell without plates, if there is one. Or use phonebooks etc for extra weight.

VegKate

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

TeaBea

Crunches, squats, lunges, and push ups are all body weight exercises. Here are pictures and descriptions

http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/l/blnoweightwkout.htm

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtricks/a/basictraining.htm

DavPul

Read either Starting Strength or New Rules of Lifting for Women. It will introduce you to the weights and exercises you should be doing. It will give you a routine to begin with. It will give you the confidence to walk into your gym knowing that you have a plan that you will carry out.

Yogi_Carl

If it's bodyweight exercises you want to start with and you end up wanting to go in that direction, I recommend a great book with clear descriptions, photographs and programmed routines from starter to elite.

It is a book called "Convict Conditioning" - sounds gloomy but it's a no nonsense plain and simple book with sensible progressions; all bodyweight.

Also, easy to follow and no-nonsense is anything on You Tube by Al Kavadlo; also has his own website full of useful stuff.

Gym or no gym, above all - have fun!

magerum

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

AllonsYtotheTardis

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

:huh:

Butterflyblue_

Read either Starting Strength or New Rules of Lifting for Women. It will introduce you to the weights and exercises you should be doing. It will give you a routine to begin with. It will give you the confidence to walk into your gym knowing that you have a plan that you will carry out.

These are both good and I started with New Rules

If you are intimidated by the weights in general try body weight to start and as you grow stronger start adding in weights Its all with what you are comfortable with

Here is a good link for some bodyweight routines

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/workouts/

Proyecto_AN

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

Sell your genes.

teamike

My wife and I are doing P90X and we just have a couple of db and a pullup bar. Lot's of pushups, pullups and lunges. I am seeing just as much as I ever did lifting heavy weights. However, my diet is is better than it has ever been. But yes I totally believe you can strength train without weights.

CoderGal

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

magerum

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

STOLEN. :devil:

GiddyupTim

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

There is no need to be snide, immediately. Having a bad day, are we?
If she says she has begun doing yoga and she has gained 10 pounds of muscle, how can you prove it is not related?

Iron_Feline

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

There is no need to be snide, immediately. Having a bad day, are we?
If she says she has begun doing yoga and she has gained 10 pounds of muscle, how can you prove it is not related?

Building muscle is incredibly difficult, even harder for a woman. Building 10lbs of muscle lifting heavy weights without roids would be a challenge, doing it using yoga is quite honestly unbelievable. Feel free to do some research before criticising people who are correct in their disbelief. :noway:

Yogi_Carl

edit: no - I won't bother.

Iron_Feline

Building muscle is incredibly difficult, even harder for a woman. Building 10lbs of muscle lifting heavy weights without roids would be a challenge, doing it using yoga is quite honestly unbelievable. Feel free to do some research before criticising people who are correct in their disbelief. :noway:

It's a Yoga thing - you weight-lifting folks wouldn't understand. :flowerforyou:

No it's a science thing, and just because we do weights doesn't mean we don't do yoga :noway:

Lupercalia

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Lupercalia

Seconding the recommendations of You Are Your Own Gym (there is a book and an app), Convict Conditioning, and Al Kavadio's youtube channel.

JenniferMary_9169

Do body weight training to start with; use your body weight to work with you for starters. Remember to feel the muscle you are working....if you don't you are doing it wrong.

Triceps: Find a chair or a bench, sit on it, place arms beside you, legs in front bent at a 90d angle. Move forward off the chair and dip, using your arms to bring you up..not your legs. Do a set of 5-10 reps to start with 2xs. If you want some weight use invest in 3lb dumbells for starters or elastic bands.

Lying on your back.....lift tricep above your head, keeping your elbows at a 90d angle, and lifting straight up, then control the downward motion and repeat. 1 set of 10


Chest: Push-ups - Use the bench, assume pushup position and go. If this is too hard, do them against the wall until you can do 10 then move to the bench or counter or even on the floor if you can.

Bicep curls - 1 set of 5 for starters...then graduate to 10. Remember to hold/squeeze for one count at the top, control the motion down.

Modified for rows - lay on a bench, pull-up weights to bust line, squeezing the back muscles, and control downward motion. Do a set of 5 and graduate to 10. Then once you have that mastered, go to bentover rows.

Deadlifts (hamstrings): Legs slightly wider than shoulders, stick butt out (feel glutes), pick up weights. Lift by bringing butt up slightly, straightening knees (should feel hamstrings engage), and come up. Set of 10.

This is just a small example of what you can do with body weight and 10lb dumbbells for starters.

awesome! TYVM for the tips!

VegKate

If you have never ever done any strength training and have no muscle, it's very believable to add muscle with yoga. Especially over a long period of time.

VegKate

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

Also, google image Rodney Yee. I do his videos. That guy is pure muscle!

Iron_Feline

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

Also, google image Rodney Yee. I do his videos. That guy is pure muscle!

I actually have one of his dvd's. He is also a former gymnast and dancer which will be where he built his muscles up in the first place. He is also not pure muscle, he just has a low body fat. There is a big difference.

I really really doubt you put on 10lbs of muscle from doing just yoga. You probably gained a small amount and saw great increases in strength, but strength increases =/= muscle gain. How did you come to the conclusion you gain 10lbs on muscle btw - DEXA scan?

VegKate

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

Also, google image Rodney Yee. I do his videos. That guy is pure muscle!

I actually have one of his dvd's. He is also a former gymnast and dancer which will be where he built his muscles up in the first place. He is also not pure muscle, he just has a low body fat. There is a big difference.

I really really doubt you put on 10lbs of muscle from doing just yoga. You probably gained a small amount and saw great increases in strength, but strength increases =/= muscle gain. How did you come to the conclusion you gain 10lbs on muscle btw - DEXA scan?

Well, I have to admit nothing more official than taking measurements. I lost a couple inches off my waist, thighs, etc and gained 10 lbs. I know correlation does not equal causation, but it has been motivating for me to keep it up. I shared this information mostly just to be helpful to anyone looking for a low impact way to build some strength (without going to a gym) before moving onto something more challenging. I'm doing yoga to build strength after knee injuries so that I can do cardio later on.

AllonsYtotheTardis

Well, I have to admit nothing more official than taking measurements. I lost a couple inches off my waist, thighs, etc and gained 10 lbs. I know correlation does not equal causation, but it has been motivating for me to keep it up. I shared this information mostly just to be helpful to anyone looking for a low impact way to build some strength (without going to a gym) before moving onto something more challenging. I'm doing yoga to build strength after knee injuries so that I can do cardio later on.

I don't think you'll find anyone here is debating the usefulness of yoga, BTW. It's great for your body, and many people here who lift weights also do yoga.

To the OP - I would like to also recommend the book "Body By You" - written by the same author as "You Are Your Own Gym" and aimed at people who are just starting with body weight strength training. The steps are well explained, and the program progresses you through increasingly more challenging movements as you get stronger.

Iron_Feline

I've put on 10lbs of muscle doing yoga every day. It uses your own body weight to build muscle.

Also, google image Rodney Yee. I do his videos. That guy is pure muscle!

I actually have one of his dvd's. He is also a former gymnast and dancer which will be where he built his muscles up in the first place. He is also not pure muscle, he just has a low body fat. There is a big difference.

I really really doubt you put on 10lbs of muscle from doing just yoga. You probably gained a small amount and saw great increases in strength, but strength increases =/= muscle gain. How did you come to the conclusion you gain 10lbs on muscle btw - DEXA scan?

Well, I have to admit nothing more official than taking measurements. I lost a couple inches off my waist, thighs, etc and gained 10 lbs. I know correlation does not equal causation, but it has been motivating for me to keep it up. I shared this information mostly just to be helpful to anyone looking for a low impact way to build some strength (without going to a gym) before moving onto something more challenging. I'm doing yoga to build strength after knee injuries so that I can do cardio later on.

Don't get me wrong - yoga is excellent and I need to do more of it :blushing: It does increase strength and flexibility - but a woman on a proper training plan would be happy to put on 10lbs on muscle in a year, I'm sure you did gain some, just sadly not 10lbs.

Losing inches is always a great motivator - congrats on your loss :flowerforyou:

toutmonpossible

Buy some lighter dumbbells nd bring them with you to the gym. Bodyweight exercises are good, too, but I found some of them easier to do once I gave myself a foundation with a little weight work. If you're too weak to use 10 pound weights, you obviously shouldn't start with them as you won't be able to use proper form. I have no idea if those adjustable weights work, but you could look into them.

Yoga's good exercise for flexibility, balance, etc., but as others have said, it's not an exercise you do to build muscle.

Yogi_Carl

Building muscle is incredibly difficult, even harder for a woman. Building 10lbs of muscle lifting heavy weights without roids would be a challenge, doing it using yoga is quite honestly unbelievable. Feel free to do some research before criticising people who are correct in their disbelief. :noway:

It's a Yoga thing - you weight-lifting folks wouldn't understand. :flowerforyou:

No it's a science thing, and just because we do weights doesn't mean we don't do yoga :noway:

This was meant in light jest - sorry it failed. :flowerforyou:

hausisse

Doesn't pilates count as strength training? Go to fitnessblender or blogilates and do some of the videos by yourself in your apartment! They don't usually require any weights and make me REALLY sore