Strength Training at Home?

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gracejr
gracejr Posts: 21 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Looking for exercises I can do from home, and preferably ones with no or minimal equipment. A gym isn't an option right now, and there isn't room in the house for a bench or other large pieces of equipment (some days, living in 900 sqft with 3 kids is awful!!). I could find space for a small bell or free weights, but nothing large or expensive.

Any suggestions on beginner strength exercises I can do while the little ones are napping, in the privacy of my living room? My arms are my weakest point, but goodness knows my whole body could use some work. Especially as the weight continues to come off - I don't want to be left with big saggy flaps of skin at the end!

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  • quiltlovinlisa
    quiltlovinlisa Posts: 1,710 Member
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    www.fitnessblender.com Then look up exercise types and look for weight bearing strength training.

    There's a bunch that use basic dumbbells too.
  • Magdaloonie
    Magdaloonie Posts: 146 Member
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    I use a pair of dumbbells and some extra disks so I can change the weight for what I'm doing, a door gym with a resistance strap to help me with chin-ups and a yoga mat. I also have cheap fingerless weight lifting gloves, a pair of ballet slippers and a heart rate monitor. That's the sum total of my home " gym" and it's working!
    Edited to say that a wicker chair and ottoman is my "bench" for one armed dumbbell rows. You use what you have!
  • ghostrider1970
    ghostrider1970 Posts: 127 Member
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    Adjustable dumbbells or bodyweight exercise (you are your own gym http://www.marklauren.com/)
  • janerfitnesspal145
    janerfitnesspal145 Posts: 55 Member
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    Bump for later reference.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    You Are Your On Gym (YAYOG). If you can do that stuff, you will be stronger than most weight lifters. At least stronger than me because I can't do some of those moves.

    http://www.marklauren.com

    I wouldn't bother buying the book or DVD's. Just get the app for your phone and tablet and use that to workout.

    Tom
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    Body weight exercises are free. Push ups, crunches, supermans, planks, squats, lunges, burpees, backwards push ups. sit-ups, beetle backs, bicycles, high knees - look them up on YouTube.

    Then get some resistance bands and find a free weighweight set at a yard sale. I just have a couple of dumbbells I got for $2.00. Been doing it for months. Cardio? Run, walk fast, find a cheap bike on Craigslist or a used treadmill or elliptical (lots of people give up!).
  • mlreyes_09
    mlreyes_09 Posts: 12
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    I do all my strength training at home with dumbbells and resistance bands. I have a workout put together by a personal trainer, and it kicks my butt! I used to do The Abs Diet extreme workout, and there is an option there to do all of the exercises at home with minimal equipment. That was a great workout too (and I actually did start to get great abs when I did it).
  • psharma06
    psharma06 Posts: 93 Member
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    I recommend looking at Fitness Blender web site, they have tons of workouts
  • hludwig980
    hludwig980 Posts: 102 Member
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    bump
  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
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    You could get some heavy resistance bands. You can find them fairly inexpensively at Wal-Mart, I think. Also, check out NerdFitness.com for bodyweight stuff. Lots of people on her recommend Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym as well, but I've never tried them, personally. Fitnessblender.com has lots of cool stuff, but some of there videos do require equipment. You might also like blogilates.com. If you can afford a set of adjustable dumbbells that would be a good idea, too. You could work up to some heavier compound lifts with those.
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
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    Kettlebell - get your strength and cardio in one.

    Or as others have suggested bodyweight exercises.
  • cmurphy252
    cmurphy252 Posts: 279 Member
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    Bump
  • Sunnydale14
    Sunnydale14 Posts: 36
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    I'll second kettle bell. I always feel like I've had an awesome work-out after using one of those.
  • gracejr
    gracejr Posts: 21 Member
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    Thank you all for the ideas and links!

    When it comes to keeping skin toned while I lose, is there anything specific that will help more? Or will strength training of any sort be enough to keep from having leftover skin when all is said and done?

    Going to start out with the equipment free exercises for now, but a band, kettlebell, and free weights will be going on the Christmas list for sure! :)

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