who has a good at-home strength training plan?

quitmakingexcuses
quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I had a gym membership for a while, but once it expired I wasn't able to afford it anymore..

I really miss the free weights (doing cardio at home is no big), but I'm wondering if anyone has a good weekly plan for at home strength training? I don't really have any equipment other than a medicine ball and 5 lb weights.. I would break my week into shoulders, back, arms, legs, and chest with two rest days (not in that order).

I'm not looking for responses like look on youtube, do pushups etc.

Thanks for any help in advance!

Replies

  • epmck11
    epmck11 Posts: 159 Member
    How do you plan on building any strength with nothing more than 5lb weights? Building strength requires progressively heavier weights. 5lbs is nothing. To build strength, either join a gym or buy some real weights.

    I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Nobody can assign any effective routine for you that will build strength if all you have is a 5lb weight and a medicine ball. It's like asking how to get better at shooting a basketball if you don't have a basketball or a basket.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Check out Tabata Training, bodyrocks. Burpees etc

    There are loads of strenght training exercises you can do without weights. A chair and some will power and you'll be bullet proof
  • ClareRae
    ClareRae Posts: 153 Member
    Have you heard of Convict Conditioning? It's all exorcises you can do at home, without weights. It's based not only on how convicts do in prison, but on exorcises Romans did before things like freeweights were a thing. The author himself spent time in prison, so it's a first hand account.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Dips for triceps, off a chair, with your legs on another chair

    Push ups, with your feet elevated - Chest

    Hand stand push ups with your feet against the wall - Shoulders

    Hold the weights behind your back and bring your arms out and up in semi circles above your head and back down - shoulders

    Go outside and lash the medicine ball off the ground, from abouve your head, throwing it down, catch, and above your head again - arms, core, shoulders arms)

    Jumping jacks holding the weights

    Sit ups holding the medicine ball

    Seated shoulder push(bring arms down and touch elbows)

    You could arm crul then straight into shoulder press

    Lunges holing the weights

    Squats holding the weights

    Burpees( KILLER )

    The list is endless
  • quitmakingexcuses
    quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
    How do you plan on building any strength with nothing more than 5lb weights? Building strength requires progressively heavier weights. 5lbs is nothing. To build strength, either join a gym or buy some real weights.

    I know that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Nobody can assign any effective routine for you that will build strength if all you have is a 5lb weight and a medicine ball. It's like asking how to get better at shooting a basketball if you don't have a basketball or a basket.

    Yes, I realize that. I guess I should have been more clear. I suppose I meant body weight training that I can do at home without equipment. Make sense?

    And I would obviously have a gym membership or buy weights if I could afford it, but like I stated, I can't.
  • quitmakingexcuses
    quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
    Thanks thebigcb, those will help.

    And ClareRae I haven't heard of that but will check it out. Thanks!
  • kcthatsme
    kcthatsme Posts: 5,136 Member
    bump
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    You could add to the difficulty of the lunges by elevating your back leg onto a chair, or do them off a step

    You can do side lunges, reserve lunges.

    Another chest one. Bring your arms up too your chest, push your palms together as hard as you can, keeping the pressure on, slowly move you hands away from your body and back in

    Calves, just hold the weights and do raisers off a step.

    Sit up twists holding the medicine ball.

    Really is endless what you can do
  • quitmakingexcuses
    quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
    You could add to the difficulty of the lunges by elevating your back leg onto a chair, or do them off a step

    You can do side lunges, reserve lunges.

    Another chest one. Bring your arms up too your chest, push your palms together as hard as you can, keeping the pressure on, slowly move you hands away from your body and back in

    Calves, just hold the weights and do raisers off a step.

    Sit up twists holding the medicine ball.

    Really is endless what you can do

    Cool, again thanks.

    I'm just trying to put together a routine that is similar to what I had at the gym. I just have had a hard time coming up with enough exercises to be an actual workout since I don't have the weights. I'll start writing these down and organizing a routine. I'll gladly listen to any others! c:
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    What was your gym routine?
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    look up 'fitness buddy' app. its only 69p and has 1700 different exercises using barbells, dumbells, kettlebells, medicine ball, resistance bands, swiss ball or body weight only so you can use at gym or home.

    You can search exercises by body part / equipment type, use a preset workout or create your own. I find it really useful with my weight training, I just choose 2 -3 exercises per body part and I am getting a different workout every time which keeps it interesting too :-)
  • opuntia
    opuntia Posts: 860 Member
    Sometimes you can get good deals on buying free weights online - I was just looking on amazon.co.uk for myself, and while some are expensive, there are also some pretty cheap sets of weights with good reviews. Less than the price of one month of gym membership. Just another option - and because it's a one-off payment rather than a monthly payment to a gym, it's something you could potentially save up for over a few months.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Cheap weghts - Argos
  • Mdin1029
    Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
    Jillian Michael's dvd's (only $10 at Target). I use No More Trouble Zones for strength. I also think 30 Day Shred and Ripped in 30 are good for strength although they also include cardio.
  • quitmakingexcuses
    quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
    What was your gym routine?

    Monday: Back
    Tues: Shoulders
    Weds: Chest
    Thurs: Arms (might need a couple, but I have a general idea of what to do)
    Fri: rest from weights
    Sat: Legs (don't really need help with this one)

    If you're talking about specific names of exercises I couldn't really tell you, but I used a lot of free weights and a couple machines here and there.
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    Bump for later
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    When I work out at home I do 8 sets of 20seconds, with a 10 second break of each of the following exercises. One minute break after the 8sets and then onto the next exercise

    Lunges
    Skipping
    Jumping Jacks
    Burpees
    Sit ups
    Push Ups
    Dips
    Squats
    Plank
    Bridge
    Back extension
    Leg raiser

    You could do the same but split/change the exercises and duration

    So monday = Back(core). Bridge, Plank(superman them maybe), back etensions, Mountain Climber, Burpees

    Tues = Shoulders Seated shoulder press, Arm Raisers(arms from waist to shoulder holing arms straight), Inverted push ups

    Wed = Push up, elevate it, the hands one, Chest curls and bench press(just do them on the floor)

    Thursday = Hundreds you can do



    Trick about with them a bit, just a general idea
  • quitmakingexcuses
    quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
    When I work out at home I do 8 sets of 20seconds, with a 10 second break of each of the following exercises. One minute break after the 8sets and then onto the next exercise

    Lunges
    Skipping
    Jumping Jacks
    Burpees
    Sit ups
    Push Ups
    Dips
    Squats
    Plank
    Bridge
    Back extension
    Leg raiser

    You could do the same but split/change the exercises and duration

    So monday = Back(core). Bridge, Plank(superman them maybe), back etensions, Mountain Climber, Burpees

    Tues = Shoulders Seated shoulder press, Arm Raisers(arms from waist to shoulder holing arms straight), Inverted push ups

    Wed = Push up, elevate it, the hands one, Chest curls and bench press(just do them on the floor)

    Thursday = Hundreds you can do



    Trick about with them a bit, just a general idea

    Awesome. Thanks for helping me get the ball rolling! Writing up a list/routine now.
  • Tenar13
    Tenar13 Posts: 49 Member
    I found this site which has an at home routine.

    http://www.freetrainers.com/account/password_reset/done/
  • quitmakingexcuses
    quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
    I found this site which has an at home routine.

    http://www.freetrainers.com/account/password_reset/done/

    Oh my god! This is a goldmine! Thanks c:
  • opuntia
    opuntia Posts: 860 Member
    Cheap weghts - Argos

    Ah, good to know. I'm taking a look now, and yep, some even better deals than amazon.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    They have york spin lock dumbbells, you can change the weight etc. I have a set, dead handy. Good price as well
  • quitmakingexcuses
    quitmakingexcuses Posts: 906 Member
    They have york spin lock dumbbells, you can change the weight etc. I have a set, dead handy. Good price as well

    I would get some, but I'm leaving on a road trip in 2 months and don't want a bunch of stuff to store/sell/have to take with!
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    They have york spin lock dumbbells, you can change the weight etc. I have a set, dead handy. Good price as well

    I would get some, but I'm leaving on a road trip in 2 months and don't want a bunch of stuff to store/sell/have to take with!

    And as you said in your original post, no money.

    But if you did have money, resistance band set would be a better option than free weights and much cheaper pound for pound resistance. Otherwise, bodyweight is your friend.

    For inspiration, although you said no Youtube - Al Kavadlo and www.beastskills.com
  • nessagrace22
    nessagrace22 Posts: 430 Member
    Bump
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    And for a good split

    M. Chest and Biceps
    T. Legs
    W. Rest
    Th Shoulder and Triceps
    F Back
    weekend Rest

    Note the placing of the arm focus. So many times you see Chest/Tricep and Back/Bicep - all back exercises work biceps and all chest exercises work triceps. So, separate the two and you have more in the tank for isolations - ying yang stylee
  • vtachycardia
    vtachycardia Posts: 374
    I forgot,

    back and chest work the shoulders so my shoulder day is spent working mobility and rotator cuff with rear delt rather than front and side, cuban pressing or arnold press the only movements to recruit everything

    Back Day, the chest is essentially Pectorals and shifting the emphasis on the Pecs. Back is three large muscle groups, Lat, Rhom, traps and as you know lots of minor but crucial muscles, arms and shoulders take a real hit, so calves are the muscle to focus on in isolation on that day.

    Leg day is

    quads
    Hams

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