Really need at-home strengthening advice, please.

MzPix
MzPix Posts: 177 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi.
I am eagerly asking for help setting up a home routine to help build strength.

Here is my basic information: I am almost 40. I am 5’2” and I currently weigh 230 pounds. I have significant health issues because of my weight (bad joints, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, edema) and a few other health issues (emphysema, anemia, GERD, PCOS). I am an extremely weak person.

My goal weight is 139. Other goals include being able to defend myself physically from violence and to someday run. I totally do NOT care how I look. My focus is 100% on becoming strong and healthy.

I’m making great strides toward eating healthier, but I have zero knowledge on how to make myself strong enough to fight. As a great big blob of weakness and fat, I don’t even know where to start. I’m s..l..o…w…l…y losing weight because I walk and ride my bike all the time, but I’m actually feeling like as I lose weight and reduce calories, I’m getting weaker.

I live in an extremely rural area. I do have a membership at a Planet Fitness, but it is over a half hour drive to get there and I have no other reason to drive to that town, so the transportation cost alone in my vehicle would be about $12 for one session at the gym. That is not within my budget.

So…….. I begged, borrowed and bought as many at-home work-out items that I could find. I am trying to upload a picture of them below. (This is my first time uploading a picture on MFP forums, so please be patient if it didn’t load properly, and I will try again.) I labeled everything too, but I can answer any questions about this stuff because its sitting in the corner.

The problem is that I don’t even know what half of this stuff is, much less how to use it.
I could barely even lift the 25 pound weights to move them. I tripped over those elastic bands that were all tangled.

I feel like a dork. A big, fat, weak, ignorant, dork. :sad:

Help?
WorkoutEquipment2.jpg

Replies

  • KaraLee69
    KaraLee69 Posts: 57 Member
    I only know a bit about the big yoga ball...I think. Sitting on it to watch tv or do whatever is supposed to strengthen your core...it is a balance thing, I guess. You can sit on it and slide forward a bit and do sit ups 'on' it, or lay on your belly and roll so it is on your thighs and do push ups. My sister bought me one years ago and these are the exercises she told me to do on them. Hope that helps!!!
  • luisalg14
    luisalg14 Posts: 202 Member
    I would recommend starting building strength doing body weight exercises (before adding on any weights). For example, squats and lunges will do wonders to your big muscles, such as gluts, hamstrings and quads; push-ups are great for your arms and chest (start on your knees, or if that's too much, pushing against the wall gradually inclining your body more and more), also triceps dips on a chair or table. Back extensions are also good to start building strength on your back. When I was trying to start getting back into fitness, I was trying to do 3x15 of each, then 4x15, then 5x15, then started adding weights. It's a gradual progress, but if you do a little each day, you will get there.

    There's loads of routines on youtube for you to follow. Have a look!
    For example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qvhHhDNjtxM
    On that video they do some rows which are great for your back as well

    Good luck!
  • chani8
    chani8 Posts: 946 Member
    You need to start with core exercises. Do some googling on that to get an idea of what that means. But then, just a simple home weight lifting work out will do. I love using HASfit.com for their 10 minute supersets. However, do rest for 1.5 minutes between supersets.

    The first exercises I advise people to do are 'get ups' and 'pick ups'. The get ups are simply, sitting in a safe and strong chair, and getting up, then sitting down, and then getting back up. Do this as many as you can, building up to 3 sets of 15. You may only be able to do 5 at first! Don't worry, you'll get stronger quickly.

    The pick ups are a little harder. While standing, you put a big (full) bottle of water or soda down in front of you. Then you simply pick the bottle up, raise it up above your head, then put it back ALMOST to the ground, pick it back up again, raising it up, back on down almost touching the ground. For sure you can bend your knees to do this!! And use both hands to pick up the bottle. If you are a wide person, you can even use two bottles, one for each hand. Whatever is comfortable. Try to build up to 3 sets of 15.

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