Advice on lifting and strength training !

SafiyaBWG
SafiyaBWG Posts: 119 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello everybody !
I have lost 20 lbs, so I'm in the middle of my journey, and I want to begin lifting and strength training to really tone up, to avoid being skinny fat, the problem for me is that I have really strong thighs and calves, due to lots of biking and horseback riding, but the top part of my body is very weak, sometimes, there are days I struggle to lift the groceries out of the car.

Another problem is that I have a 3 year old little sister, and that I used to take her in my arms, using only the left one, so, when someone compares my arms, they feel a little bit of muscle on the left, and absolutely nothing on the right, and I'm afraid lifting and strength training will make this difference bigger and bigger if I do it without thinking and taking any advice !

Last thing, I don't go to the gym, so any equipment I would have to buy.
Thanks already for your answers ! :)

Replies

  • SenseiCole
    SenseiCole Posts: 429 Member
    for years and year I said the gym wasn't for me, I was I would be the once BIG girl, any how puck come to shove i went and love it

    any how have a look at this site, http://printableworkouts.com/

    happy workout
  • SafiyaBWG
    SafiyaBWG Posts: 119 Member
    iIt's not that I don't think it's for me it's because it's way to expensive, and I'm broke, thanks anyway !
  • changergirl
    changergirl Posts: 81
    Get some dumbbells (I have 2kg and 3kg because I'm weak) and check out youtube videos.

    If you're mainly worried about just your right arm focus on that one, but you'd have to be lifting really heavy weights for any noticeable difference.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Get some dumbbells (I have 2kg and 3kg because I'm weak) and check out youtube videos.
    Respectfully, I'd suggest you're weak because you have 2kg and 3kg dumbbells which you're using for cardio rather than weight lifting/strength training.

    So for the OP - if you do the same weights the same amounts on each side, then your arms should equalise, as the weaker arm will be doing more work initially.

    If you've got the space, I'd look to getting a barbell along with bench.and ideally a squat rack, though if your legs are in good shape, that may be less of an issue. I made my own rack that does bench and squat heights out of some old wood.
    If' you're short on money, go second hand - often some pretty good deals.
    Don't be afraid of vinyl weights to start, but do be aware you need more space to get decent weight on there, so make sure there's some big weights (ie 20lb/10kg) if possible and a longer bar to fit more weights on.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Looking at it from an economic standpoint. It is far more costly in the short term to buy your own work out equipment than to join a gym.

    One of my gyms is the Y. $35 a month.

    For $35 a month, I can buy one kettleball after 2 months. A couple rubber bands a month, maybe a 45# plate every few months. It would take me years to construct what I would want and need at home at that spend level. During that time I wouldn't have access, wouldn't be working out, and would be getting fatter and weaker.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Depends how you spend.

    I've paid from £25 to £72pm for a gym here in the UK.

    I got a bar with 82kg of weights for £32.

    I made myself a rack out of some old wood (total cost under £1 for the screws used).

    A quick look on ebay will show you that £5-10 will get you a basic weights bench. (Current one I have cost £45 or something, but I wanted easy incline/decline, which restricted the range I could go for.)

    At those prices, it's not likely you'll lose money should you want to sell them on, too.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Quick look on ebay:
    $175 after shipping for a 90kg dumbbell set of dodgy quality. (If the auction were to end right now.)
    $36.50 for a 16kg kettleball, shipped
    $160 for a dodgy "oly" barbell and bench with 45kg of weight

    Which that bench would be far cheaper than building one from lumber that I'd have to buy. It also doesn't give me a power rack for squatting.

    Cheapest squat rack I could find on ebay is $300 after ship.

    Total in cash: $671.50
    Total in months of Y membership: 19 months

    Difference in quality is huge, and at the Y there is access to a lot more. You can get a better deal crawling craigslist and yard sales, but then you have to factor in time, and how much one of your "man hours" costs.
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    Going to the park is FREE. Parks usually have plenty of equipment for you to do body weight exercises; push ups, chin ups, dips, everything you need to strengthen your upper body.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Difference in quality is huge, and at the Y there is access to a lot more. You can get a better deal crawling craigslist and yard sales, but then you have to factor in time, and how much one of your "man hours" costs.
    Sorry, I should have clarified that those were all second hand prices.

    And yes - a good point on bodyweight exercises. Not sure it'll have quite the calorie burning hit as heavy weighted squats and deadlifts, but better than nothing and certainly a 'start' - a lot of it can be done with just the aid of a chair.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Difference in quality is huge, and at the Y there is access to a lot more. You can get a better deal crawling craigslist and yard sales, but then you have to factor in time, and how much one of your "man hours" costs.
    Sorry, I should have clarified that those were all second hand prices.

    And yes - a good point on bodyweight exercises. Not sure it'll have quite the calorie burning hit as heavy weighted squats and deadlifts, but better than nothing and certainly a 'start' - a lot of it can be done with just the aid of a chair.

    No worries, mine were as well.
  • jaz050465
    jaz050465 Posts: 3,508 Member
    Look at Body by You- You are your own gym. It's body weight exercises and no special equipment needed.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    I think the best space saving and cheapest options may be elastic band training. Used this a lot in both knee rehabs, but they can make great tools for strength gains. I think the the only few things I would invest in is a yoga mat, bosu ball, elastic bands, pull-up bar... and you'd be good for a LOOOOOOOOOOONG time.
  • billsica
    billsica Posts: 4,741 Member
    Get your mom to have another baby, Only use the right side to hold that one. you should even out in about 3 years.


    Really your not that unbalanced, I promise. Ask your parents about the gym (not planet fitness)
    If you can swing some ebay stuff go for it. If you are still in school you should be able to use equipment there at no cost.
  • skinnytayy
    skinnytayy Posts: 459
    Look into convict conditioning and/or bodyweight exercises. Things like floor sprints, low plank obliques, power jacks, in & out abs, ski abs, v pushups, squats, lunges, push ups, etc. are highly effective and require nothing more then your body. Some of those are Insanity moves that I happen to find incredible. You can google each one & find videos on youtube for instructions.
  • leesyc81
    leesyc81 Posts: 52 Member
    I've been using dumbells for months then yesterday my 6kg kettlebell came and I love it!!!! Triceps, shoulders and back muscles ache so it really works and it's fun!
  • laurynwithawhy
    laurynwithawhy Posts: 385 Member
    Look into convict conditioning and/or bodyweight exercises. Things like floor sprints, low plank obliques, power jacks, in & out abs, ski abs, v pushups, squats, lunges, push ups, etc. are highly effective and require nothing more then your body. Some of those are Insanity moves that I happen to find incredible. You can google each one & find videos on youtube for instructions.

    This. For right now you don't need weights or equipment. Your own body weight will be fantastic. Start with pushups on your knees or against a wall and build up. Look into the exercises above for a total body workout. And you can always use gallon jugs of water, or basically anything in a shopping bag or backpack as a weight! Good luck!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    No worries, mine were as well.
    Ah, weird - normally most stuff is cheaper in the US.

    I paid £73 or so for an Olympic bar with 40kg of weights.
  • lauraleighsm
    lauraleighsm Posts: 167
    Get your mom to have another baby, Only use the right side to hold that one. you should even out in about 3 years.


    Really your not that unbalanced, I promise. Ask your parents about the gym (not planet fitness)
    If you can swing some ebay stuff go for it. If you are still in school you should be able to use equipment there at no cost.

    Why not Planet Fitness? For $9 bucks a month you can access to all the weights and machines! I belonged to one for a while, but now I go to the YMCA.

    My fitness trainer said not to worry about one side being stronger then the other as they will become equal when strength training. No need to add more to one side.

    A PT friend said if you have nothing to work out with make sure you do push ups, squats and the plank for muscle toning. Decent advice, I thought!
  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
    Difference in quality is huge, and at the Y there is access to a lot more. You can get a better deal crawling craigslist and yard sales, but then you have to factor in time, and how much one of your "man hours" costs.

    Yardsales maybe, CL and/or people have a lot of great deals though. I finally quit the gym when a guy my buddy worked with gave me an absolute steal on some stuff.

    I got about 400lbs of plates+ stand, 5-90lb dumbells, olympic, curl, and skull crusher bar, flat/incline bench, custom pull down/row pulley machine for $700. When I was going to LA fitness I think it was 35/mo, so basically it was the cost of 2 years gym membership. While watching "bros" at the gym was definitely great entertainment, it's so nice not to have to wait for the power cage cause some dude is curling in it.
  • SafiyaBWG
    SafiyaBWG Posts: 119 Member
    Get your mom to have another baby, Only use the right side to hold that one. you should even out in about 3 years.


    Really your not that unbalanced, I promise. Ask your parents about the gym (not planet fitness)
    If you can swing some ebay stuff go for it. If you are still in school you should be able to use equipment there at no cost.

    Haha ! we're already 5 kids, my mom has run out of energy.



    Also, I don't know most of the gyms you people talked about because I'm french and there are not a lot of gyms, except those "show-offy" ones, and I definitely don't like people being able to see me sweating my *kitten* off when they're taking a walk in the city
  • SafiyaBWG
    SafiyaBWG Posts: 119 Member
    Also, gyms are super expensive in France, at least where I live, and they're faaaaaar away from where I live, and parks in france are not equipped at all
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    While watching "bros" at the gym was definitely great entertainment, it's so nice not to have to wait for the power cage cause some dude is curling in it.

    I think at that point it is appropriate to say, "Bro, do you even lift?!"

    I'd dig having my own stuff at home, but maybe one day. I need to build my brewing shed first.

    For the op, sorry for the sidetrack, but here's a cheap idea.

    Buy a solid duffel bag, and then go to a home improvement type store and buy about 75kg in sand bags. Add and remove sand bags from the duffel bag as you do exercises, you can do a lot that way, actually.
  • curds
    curds Posts: 201 Member
    Hey OP,

    My lower half is also a power house (in comparison to the top), I don't workout in a gym because well its expensive and I'm fine with my dumbbells.

    I also lift 2 kgs and please don't tell me I should be lifting more I see results with 2 kgs and more to the point I see the results I want to see with it. I'm also a lil stronger in my one arm than my other one, but it doesn't look odd so don't worry about it looking weird. I will admit my one arm has "deeper" definition than the other, but the other one is more streamline. Just recently, I've actually begun to see some change in my triceps (yaaay).

    So basically if you get yourself some weights that's really all you need. I also have a resistance band, but I mostly use my lil ittybitty pink dumbbells :).
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    I've managed to get plenty of 'definition' from just doing cardio basically - by lowering fat levels so you can see the muscle underneath.

    Even doing cardio without weights can see improvements in muscle - runners and cyclists obviously have 'body weight' to work with which helps, but can get noticeable amounts of bulk in those areas.

    For me and many on here it's not just the muscle (I'm a big-chested bloke who I think suits some muscle, never mind liking it for general 'life'), but the calorie burn associated with doing the compound moved with heavy (for the indivdual) weights.

    With my friend who I've been helping she's commented that's she's been much hungrier since starting doing this - which is a nice result as it does suggest her body's burning way more calories than the handful used in actually lifting the heavy metal up 15 times for each movement.

    I have done 'body pump' before, which is light weights used for extended periods. It doesn't really compare in terms of effort in vs results out.

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