Strength training work-outs without a barbell?

bethcw1
bethcw1 Posts: 24 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am currently working out at home and am looking for good strength training workout that doesn't involve a barbell. I can do a very modest amount of body weight exercises, but am not strong enough to really turn them into a full work-out (i.e.) 3 push-ups doesn't seem like enough! :)

I see SL & SS recommended here all the time, but I am not ready to invest in the barbell or squat rack or bench at the moment. Maybe in a few months when I feel a bit more confident.

I can do 30DS and can run about 3.5 km for some cardio. I have a feeling PX90 or Insanity would be too difficult at my current fitness level. (although to be honest, I don't know that much about them, other than everyone posting how killer they work-outs are!

Any suggestions for an alternate workout?

Thanks!

Replies

  • dym123
    dym123 Posts: 1,670 Member
    Check out Fitness Blender on You Tube, they have strength workouts that use body weight and dumbbells.
  • mlnick69
    mlnick69 Posts: 84
    There are many alternate more challenging ways to do bodyweight exercises. For example, with the push up, try it with one leg held up a few inches off the floor and increase the distance between your legs. This will engage your core muscles much more as you try to keep your balance. Lay underneath kitchen table with your head near the edge, grab table with hands and pull your torso up. One leg squats (pistol squats). Tons of stuff you can do really.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Check out dailyhiit.com

    There are some intense workouts on there, and they use a sandbag thing, it looks like something you could put together with an old duffle bag (of course, they sell their bags on there too). :wink:

    That being said, a barbell with some plates is not an expensive thing to find at garage sales, Craigslist, etc., and you can do SO MUCH with it. Might be a worthwhile investment if you're serious about working out at home and are not going to join a gym. We've had ours for 20 years and my husband still uses it. Now my son is asking to use it. :laugh:
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    Get adjustable dumbbells and try a modified version of SS or SL. Or, get heavy resistance bands and do modified things like deadlifts, chest press, rows, etc. FitnessBlender has some really good stuff, and you might like Blogilates. It's not really super strength training (Blogilates in particular), but it will get you started, and there's lots of crazy bodyweight stuff. Also, nerdfitness.com has some good bodyweight stuff. I also read a lot on here about Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym, which, I believe, are progressive bodyweight workouts.
  • heatherk0908
    heatherk0908 Posts: 50 Member
    www.fitnessblender.com

    This is the website I was telling you about earlier.

    Also, if you wanted, you could totally do P90x. I did it several years ago and I was really out of shape when I started. It was hard but they have one person who does the "easier" exercises and I followed her and it was very doable. All you need for that is dumbells, a pull up bar that attaches to the doorway and resistance band.

    I've never done Insanity but have friends who have. I think you could do it as well.
  • balancedbrunette
    balancedbrunette Posts: 530 Member
    bumping for later. :)
  • bethcw1
    bethcw1 Posts: 24 Member
    Heather - that fitnessblender site looks awesome. Want to pick a few from there to add to the 30DS? The 20 min butt/thigh/ab one looked really good! I find 30DS (Level 1 at least) doesn't give me enough of a leg work-out...
  • LoreyGiblin
    LoreyGiblin Posts: 13
    She posts great workout routines: http://instagram.com/censkiii#
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    So do you have access to dumbbells? You can always find alternative exercises that use dumbbells rather than barbells...i.e. doing dumbbell squats, goblet squats, etc to barbell squats or shoulder presses versus OHP.

    Bodybuilding.com has a great database of exercises.

    If you lack equipment, check out Convict Conditioning, Nerdfitness, and You Are Your Own Gym.

    Other alternatives that would still require a small investment are TRX Suspension Training and Sandbags.
  • SavvyGurl0528
    SavvyGurl0528 Posts: 228 Member
    Read Convict Conditioning. There are several variations of body weight exercises that can be done, starting from beginner.
  • jenbroussard71
    jenbroussard71 Posts: 282 Member
    Bump for later.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    To add - 30DS is more cardio/endurance.

    1-5 reps a set is for strength.
    5-12 is for hypertrophy
    13+ is endurance/cardio

    I would still read Starting Strength and Stronglifts because both have good info to know in regards to strength/weight training, techniques, and progression. Plus, you'll have an idea what program you'd like when you are ready to hit the barbells :)
  • BandB1979
    BandB1979 Posts: 38 Member
    I have heard lots of good things about You are your own gym


    http://www.marklauren.com/
  • Wilhellmina
    Wilhellmina Posts: 757 Member
    I live in the Arctics and we don't have any gyms in the area. I work out with buckets filled with wet sand of simply water. I use my foldable homtrainer, which is 33 lbs and even my own husband weighing about 128 lbs :laugh: When we do the groceries I carry the heavy bags, not because he is impolite, but because it adds to my strength training. Surely there must be something in or around the house which got some weights? For less weight like 2 lbs or something bottles filled with water?
  • sparky00721
    sparky00721 Posts: 113 Member
    bump for later.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    Chalean Xtreme - dumbells only...Cathe Friederichs slow and heavy - dumbells only - the squats becomes a bit of an issue over70bs or so - so I don't put the dumbells on my shoulders anymore - just hold them in my hands....

    And 30D shred is NOT a weight workout.....
  • sherrirb
    sherrirb Posts: 1,649 Member
    Yayog

    http://yayog-fitocracy.wikispaces.com/
  • ladypitek
    ladypitek Posts: 91 Member
    Try BodBot app/website. They give you a fitness regiment that you can do at home with no equipment using your body as resistance. Every time I do a complete workout I am sore the next day and I can't always say the same for the days I do weightlifting at the gym.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    If you can only do 3 push ups, very simple bodyweight exercises should provide a great workout.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    YAYOG
    Nerdfitness
    a shot of adrenaline

    all great body weight resources. Not a single piece of equipment needed, save for a pull up bar.
  • wkevinc
    wkevinc Posts: 1
    This website is a great forum for finding information regarding bodyweight only strength training: http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/ . If you can only do three reps of pushups, that will actually be very beneficial for your strength. The optimal rep range for building strength is actually between about 3-5 reps. Once you start to get up to arout 15 reps, you're really not building strength so much as endurance. If exercises are too hard for you to do at all, like say pullups, there are always easier substitutions of exercises you can do until you can do the actual exercise.

    I wasn't sure if by "without a barbell" you meant no weights at all, or just no barbells. You can buy a cheap set of adjustable dumbells at target or walmart for about $50. You would be amazed how many exercises you can do with just dumbells. Practically every barbell exercise has a dumbell equivalent. You mentioned Starting Strength. That entire program is basically just squats, bench press, overhead press, deadlifts and powercleans. You can do all of those exercises except for bench press with just dumbells (and for bench press you just need an adjustable weight bench which could be had for about $50 at Walmart, though doing pushups would suffice as a substitute for now). The real reason people tend to prefer barbells over dumbells is that once you get to very heavy weight it becomes difficult to use dumbells.

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