Lifting Heavy on a Budget

badtastebetty

Convict Conditioning is snake oil --- stick with material from Ross Enamait, he's at least got credentials.

But for bare minimum equipment other than bodyweight, I'd suggest a kettlebell. Get a single 35# and you'll grow in to it.

So CC is bogus...

...but a single KB is legit?

A single, heavy (for a female beginner, a 16 kg/35# is heavy) kettlebell is incredibly legit if you know what you're doing with it. Swings, snatches, cleans, presses, Turkish get-ups, goblet squats, rows, lunges, single-leg deadlifts ... there is a ton you can do with it.

Yes, I agree. While a couple different KBs would be ideal, a single KB is legit provided you're doing the right stuff with it. I think a 16kg bell might be a bit too heavy for a lot of women just starting out, though....12 kg, perhaps....or even an 8 kg.

I use a 16kg KB when I have access to one. I like it for most things, though when it comes to lifting it about my head (presses, and windmills) I will sometimes switch to the lighter one... fear of dropping it on my head.

badtastebetty

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, and the websites! I'll be doing some homework and figuring out what my best options are.

Shawshankcan

I really do dislike the advice I am about to give, but I think it is what is needed. If you have one near by, join planet fitness. 10 bucks a month.

There is no gym in my area that costs that little. Fact is, I prefer to do at home workouts, or go to park and workout. I might as well light 10 bucks on fire if I join a gym. I have a studio I go to when I can, and the trainer has been teaching me kettle bell and body weight exercises. I'm just looking for other opinions of what is beneficial before I go buy equipment that I don't necessarily need.

Well, you have the main thing down and that is learning what you WON"T do.
Years ago I read something that said "If you have a gym membership and you don't go, just cancel it. It is better to be fat, then fat and broke."

I am a fan of TRX training though.

Yogi_Carl

It's just snide and dismissive to say it's crap. that's ridiculous.

It's just body weight exercise. the idea is if you were in a small cell, what could you do to stay in shape. the crap part comes in because there is, for some reason, doubt that the stories true about a convict who did this. But, it's such a stupid argument. Who cares? But, if you were confined to a small cell and wanted to do something, you could do lots of exercises. Pushups, handstand pushups, dips, lunges, air squats, the list goes on and on. It's actually a kick *kitten* workout.

OK, I think you are right there. I stand corrected.

The bit I don't go with is the idea of working up to say sets of 50 pushups before progressing to a closer handed pushup and so on. 50 reps is obviously outside the strength progression range; more into muscle endurance.

Otherwise, it is a basic manual for bodyweight exercising, though some of the progressions are a bit of a loose fit.

waldo56

It's just snide and dismissive to say it's crap. that's ridiculous.

It's just body weight exercise. the idea is if you were in a small cell, what could you do to stay in shape. the crap part comes in because there is, for some reason, doubt that the stories true about a convict who did this. But, it's such a stupid argument. Who cares? But, if you were confined to a small cell and wanted to do something, you could do lots of exercises. Pushups, handstand pushups, dips, lunges, air squats, the list goes on and on. It's actually a kick *kitten* workout.

OK, I think you are right there. I stand corrected.

The bit I don't go with is the idea of working up to say sets of 50 pushups before progressing to a closer handed pushup and so on. 50 reps is obviously outside the strength progression range; more into muscle endurance.

Otherwise, it is a basic manual for bodyweight exercising, though some of the progressions are a bit of a loose fit.

The other issue is that it is extremely dogmatic. Weight folks also tend to be extremely dogmatic which tends to reinforce that bad part of CC.

While being extremely dogmatic works at first, as you get more advaced progressions change from straight lines to pyramids. And you have to to figure out what works for you. You have to be capable of mapping your own path. Obviously a lot of study is involved.

Also "right" when it comes to form is also typically fairly fungible, he tends to be very rigid with it. You can always tell if someone got their start with CC with their views on one arm pushups. If the feet together one arm form is considered "right", its a lock they started with CC. Its an awesome tricep exercise, but if you're looking to work your chest, the straddle variations are better.

The one arm pushup deal is kinda funny because of the whole circular logic. Why do many males strength train, especially in prison? To kick butt and prevent the kicking of theirs. One arm pushups, specifially plyometric straddle one arm pushups, are without a doubt the best punch power exercise there is (there is a reason Rocky does them....). All aspects of punch power are involved; from the serratus, to the explosive pushing, transfer of trunk rotational force, core bracing, etc... One would think that that would be the form he uses; he instead chooses to mock the form used for them. Unbelievable. It is surprising that plyo one arm pushups aren't more popular as they really are without peer when it comes to strength exercises that transfer to fighting.

Vailara

bump

dbmata

Get a good duffle bag, shouldn't be more than like $60, get a bunch of different sand bags, which shouldn't be much more than another $30. Put sand in duffel, or in backpack, and get to lifting. Probably can start and get a little bit of weight going for sub $100, no chance you'll be up doing 1.5xbw squats or anything though.

badtastebetty

I really do dislike the advice I am about to give, but I think it is what is needed. If you have one near by, join planet fitness. 10 bucks a month.

There is no gym in my area that costs that little. Fact is, I prefer to do at home workouts, or go to park and workout. I might as well light 10 bucks on fire if I join a gym. I have a studio I go to when I can, and the trainer has been teaching me kettle bell and body weight exercises. I'm just looking for other opinions of what is beneficial before I go buy equipment that I don't necessarily need.

Well, you have the main thing down and that is learning what you WON"T do.
Years ago I read something that said "If you have a gym membership and you don't go, just cancel it. It is better to be fat, then fat and broke."

I am a fan of TRX training though.

TRX is are with the bands that wrap around a pole/fence/whatever, right? Terrible explanation (I just finished my workout so my words are at half-mast)? The studio I go to has those hanging around, I should ask my trainer.

I prefer to go places that specialize in classes instead of signing up for a gym. If I can go to a high quality class once amonth for $10-15 I will get more bang for my buck than a $30-50 gym membership.

AlongCame_Molly

To be perfectly honest, your best bet is to join a gym. Find one that is running a special and sign up. My gym is normally $19/month and I signed up for $9/month. It is by far worth it to have access to all the equipment and have a place you can focus.

This. All the equipment you'd have access to at a gym would cost waaaaaaaaaaaay more than a year's worth of gym dues.

I pay $25 a month at Gold's Gym. $15/mo dues, $10/mo childcare.

AlongCame_Molly

Do you have a car?

Equipment you'll need:
1) A vehicle
2) An empty parking lot
3) A bored friend (not necessary, but helps) willing to sit in the car
4) Rope (the heavy duty kind)
5) Gloves
6) Shoes

Take the car to the parking lot, put it in neutral, and push it for a mile (check the odometer)
Then tie the rope to something sturdy, and pull it for a mile

Should take about 5 hours or so.

This is all kinds of awesome. I want to try this!