weight lifting at home

vsetter
vsetter Posts: 558 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Is anyone willing to share their routine? I do not have access to a gym --- I do everything at home. At this point, I have dumbbells with weights up to 42 pounds each. I am looking into getting a barbell and squat rack, and eventually more weight. I am a beginner, only 2 months in, but I am looking to modify and improve my workout.

I am also not allowed (doctors orders) to do chest exercises. This is a forever thing. Any suggestions for modification would be appreciated. Right now, I am doing planks in place of pushups.

Thanks!

Replies

  • vsetter
    vsetter Posts: 558 Member
    No one wants to share? :)
  • trishadams
    trishadams Posts: 104 Member
    Have you considered checking out New Rules of Lifting for Women? There are also a ton of great wos on DVD you can check out. My favorites are from Cathe Friedrich. Also, some of her wos use just dumbbells.
  • Thundermountain
    Thundermountain Posts: 20
    Well, I belong to a gym, However, I have a home gym as well...
    You posted that you have some dumbbells and that is great. Hopefully you have a nice bench. That is a great start. TRX systems are nice for a few things.. (TRX is nothing more than a couple of straps hanging from the wall).

    Lots of different routines, and everyone has there opinions. One that has worked for many over the years is something like this.

    Sunday - Cardio day,, leave the weights alone
    Monday - Biceps and Triceps - Do standing dumbbell curls, and some seated dumbbell curls.. triceps, do some dumbbell pushbacks or some skullcrushers (light weight extend over head concentrating on the tris)
    Tuesday - Legs - Squats with some weights in your hands. Lunges and reverse lunges.
    Wednesday - Typcially a good chest day. Since you do not do chest... you can take a break or do some cardio
    Thursday - Shoulders (military press with dumbbells, some front raises and some lateral raises, get some shrugs in there)
    Friday - Back (bent over row with dumbbells, if you can get some trx straps, do some low row movements)
    Saturday - Cardio day

    If you miss a day, dont try and make it up,,, just stick to this routine until you are ready to take it to the next step. Good luck.
  • vsetter
    vsetter Posts: 558 Member
    Well, I belong to a gym, However, I have a home gym as well...
    You posted that you have some dumbbells and that is great. Hopefully you have a nice bench. That is a great start. TRX systems are nice for a few things.. (TRX is nothing more than a couple of straps hanging from the wall).

    Lots of different routines, and everyone has there opinions. One that has worked for many over the years is something like this.

    Sunday - Cardio day,, leave the weights alone
    Monday - Biceps and Triceps - Do standing dumbbell curls, and some seated dumbbell curls.. triceps, do some dumbbell pushbacks or some skullcrushers (light weight extend over head concentrating on the tris)
    Tuesday - Legs - Squats with some weights in your hands. Lunges and reverse lunges.
    Wednesday - Typcially a good chest day. Since you do not do chest... you can take a break or do some cardio
    Thursday - Shoulders (military press with dumbbells, some front raises and some lateral raises, get some shrugs in there)
    Friday - Back (bent over row with dumbbells, if you can get some trx straps, do some low row movements)
    Saturday - Cardio day

    If you miss a day, dont try and make it up,,, just stick to this routine until you are ready to take it to the next step. Good luck.


    Thank you so much for the ideas. I have been doing a video (Chalean Extreme) and am just about ready to move on. All workouts that I have found online are all gym based (often referring to machines of sort or equipment that I don't yet have). I don't have a bench -- I guess that I should add that to the wish list.

    Does it make a difference if you do one muscle group per day OR full body 3 times per week OR half & half (upper body alternating with lower)?
  • SPNLuver83
    SPNLuver83 Posts: 2,050 Member
    Try the program ChaLean Extreme. It's great when you can't go to a gym because she teaches you form, all the different basic moves, and really puts you to work. By the time you're done you'll be more confident to putting together your own workouts. :smile:
  • anemoneprose
    anemoneprose Posts: 1,805 Member
    I'm learning as I go - have collected some resources for novices at my blog, for my reference, but am happy to share:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/anemoneprose

    This is a great site. Go to `training` and then `workout ideas`.

    http://www.stumptuous.com

    Quickly though: apparently, you`re a `novice`for the first 6 months of regular training. 3 x fullbody a week is recommended, with 8-10 exercises. `Body part` workouts are for advanced people. This article from ACSM explains things more fully:

    http://www.acsm.org/access-public-information/articles/2012/01/13/the-basics-of-starting-and-progressing-a-strength-training-program

    and you can pick exercises from here:

    http://www.exrx.net/Beginning.html

    I don`t know why only my blog links out :(
  • Thundermountain
    Thundermountain Posts: 20
    Again, really the trick is to find out what you enjoy. If you are able to get to a few body parts a day, that is fine. Consistency is the key. Just remember, your muscles need to repair. Give them time to repair. Too many people make the mistake of thinking they have to lift and lift and lift and lift. Just take your time. How long do you like to workout? I hit an hour in the gym or at the home gym and I am done.. So I do one muscle group per day and just hit it. Abs every other day.
    But also, in my opinion, working out is only 30% of the equation. Diet is 60% and supplements 10%. So do your thing.. dont give up.. dont get discouraged...

    :)
  • lauraellie10
    lauraellie10 Posts: 273 Member
    Great info xx
  • lauraellie10
    lauraellie10 Posts: 273 Member
    Great info xx
  • Cassea7
    Cassea7 Posts: 181 Member
    :heart:
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
    bump
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    I have pretty much the same equipment as you. I've been following this beginner's routine for 1.5 cycles now (about 8 weeks), modifying the lifts so I can do them all with dumbbells:

    http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=4195843&page=1

    In addition to the lifts listed I also do triceps dips on my bench. I kind of need to frig with the numbers (in terms of % loads for warmups etc) because obviously dumbbells don't come in small % increments, but what I'm doing seems close enough to be effective.

    The only issue might be that these are mostly compound lifts so I'm not sure how they would be for your chest? Bench press would obviously be out but I'm not sure about the others...

    Anyways, it's definitely possible to get a really good weight workout at home! I've had great results in a very short period of time :)
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    May I ask why the doctor said no chest exercises? Double mastectomy?

    Try "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" or "Starting Strength." Also try Nerd Fitness http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/ for some ideas, and bodybuilding.com for a list of exercise videos for proper form. YouTube is also a group resource for exercise videos.

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