Building muscle at home?

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  • xmel123x
    xmel123x Posts: 63
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    You should focus on Barbell Training and a few basic exercises..

    Bench Press, Deadlift, Squat, Chin ups/Pull ups, Over head press

    http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

    something like this.

    Yeah I'd stop concentrating so much on arms and start thinking about large muscles. All the leg muscles, including glutes, back, core, and the shoulder complex. Compound barbell lifts will get all of those, but be certain that you study up on them or get a trainer to give you a demo. Personally I prefer Starting Strength over Stronglifts but that's another TL;DR conversation.

    If you still find barbells too intimidating, look up and work on dumbbell variations of bench press and overhead press to start, plus chin up/pull ups (assisted if you need to to start; most gyms have that setup), dumbbell rows, walking lunges and goblet squats, glute-ham raises, and weighted hyperextensions. Quick youtube searches will reveal a wealth of info on all of those.

    Barbells are king tho.


    Hahahaha it's like you are talking a foreign language.... youtube here I come! ;)
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    So, I see there is no way to avoid a future gym membership...

    False. People underestimate body weight training. While solid basic movements with barbells or dumbells is an excellent way, it is certainly not the only way.
  • onandoff
    onandoff Posts: 122 Member
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    So, I see there is no way to avoid a future gym membership...

    False. People underestimate body weight training. While solid basic movements with barbells or dumbells is an excellent way, it is certainly not the only way.

    Interesting... I wanna know more.
  • teachmom32
    teachmom32 Posts: 183 Member
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    See my earlier post on this thread about You Are Your Own Gym for more information on body weight exercises.
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    So, I see there is no way to avoid a future gym membership...

    False. People underestimate body weight training. While solid basic movements with barbells or dumbells is an excellent way, it is certainly not the only way.

    Like I said before, it depends on your goals and your current abilities.
  • xmel123x
    xmel123x Posts: 63
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    I don't particularly want to loose weight, however I do want to loose some body fat that I'm carrying on my tummy, bum, thighs and hips. There isn't loads of it, but it's still there. I also want to get super toned, not particularly 'muscley', but very fit and very toned.
    I was eating a small calorie defecit to lpose the body fat (along with cardio and strength) but want to build a bit of muscle at the same time! :)

    Don't worry about getting super muscley. You do not have the testosterone required to build massive muscles. I don't even have the testosterone required to build massive muscles :p.
    Eat at maintenance and lift weights. Your body will recomposition (fat - muscle) itself over time.

    Ah right ok, so if I work out enough (and eat at maintenance) my body fat should eventually become muscle?
    I thought I'd need to loose the body fat so that you could see the toned muscles that are hidden underneath (can you tell this is all new to me, I've exervised for a while but never really thought any more into it).

    So should I up my protein? I'm currently trying to keep at what MFP has set me at (50 something I think), should it be more (I weigh about 125lbs).

    Also my current calorie net total goal is 1500, is this about right? I do work a part time office job of about 15-20 hours a week, however I'm an extremely busy person and the rest of my time 7am - 9pm most days is spent on my feet rushing around, usual motherly/household/garden duties plus loads of animals and dogs to walk etc (I don't count any of this as exercise as I do it every day). I was estimating this was about right for a 10% deficit, what does everyone else think? Also sometimes I eat under my net calories sometimes up to 400 under, should I not do this?

    When I started this I never thought it would be so complicated!! :P

    Yes, if you are eating at maintenance and lifting than your body will use fat cells for energy and you will see more muscle definition. This is a slow process, but it's worth it.
    You probably need a little bit more food. My wife is 120 and eats around 1800 for maintenance.
    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
    This can tell you a little bit better.
    I can say that you probably do need to up your protein a a bit. That calculator will tell you exactly, but I'd say around 100g should be adequate.
    Don't eat your exercise calories back if you use the calculator.

    Just used the calculator and was surprised at how high my TDEE is, was also surprised what little difference my workouts make to it, if I include my workouts my TDEE is 2287, if I don't it's 2176, both a lot higher than I was estimating!

    Now I'm just debating this, as when I get chance to work out varies massively week to week, some weeks I could do 7 - 8 hours, other weeks I might only get in 3. Should I go on my TDEE based on including workouts (averaged) or should I go on my TDEE not including workouts (and if I do this option should I eat back my exercise calories...?). Ah just to confuse me some more... ;)

    Either way my protein, fat and fiber stay the same, it is just carbs and calories that slightly differ.
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
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    Just used the calculator and was surprised at how high my TDEE is, was also surprised what little difference my workouts make to it, if I include my workouts my TDEE is 2287, if I don't it's 2176, both a lot higher than I was estimating!

    Now I'm just debating this, as when I get chance to work out varies massively week to week, some weeks I could do 7 - 8 hours, other weeks I might only get in 3. Should I go on my TDEE based on including workouts (averaged) or should I go on my TDEE not including workouts (and if I do this option should I eat back my exercise calories...?). Ah just to confuse me some more... ;)

    Either way my protein, fat and fiber stay the same, it is just carbs and calories that slightly differ.

    I would average the two. I'm not a big fan of eating back exercise calories. Your protein, fat, and fiber will always be constant. Just adjust the carbs for more/less calories, and remember you can really always go over on protein, fat, or fiber as long as you take the calories from carbs.
    If you're going to be jumping 1000 or so calories I would not do that all at once. I would tape about 100 calories per week until you reach your TDEE. Also remember to recalculate your TDEE if you end up losing or gaining 5 pounds.
  • xmel123x
    xmel123x Posts: 63
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    Yeah I was thinking of averaging the two so glad you said that! I'm working on the 15% deficit which gives me (from the lowest of the two results) 1850, I really struggled to eat the calories today, in fact I was still about 350 off and I really tried. It seems like ao much I'm worried of putting weight back on! So think I will definitely have to build them up slowly.

    How important is it to eat your WHOLE calorie alowance?
  • scottaworley
    scottaworley Posts: 871 Member
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    If you're trying to maintain it is critically important. I would even eat a little over to help build muscle.
  • bobbystrongarm
    bobbystrongarm Posts: 72
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    So, I see there is no way to avoid a future gym membership...

    False. People underestimate body weight training. While solid basic movements with barbells or dumbells is an excellent way, it is certainly not the only way.

    Interesting... I wanna know more.

    An extreme example for sure, but you asked for it.

    http://youtu.be/-d0MNi0Zehk

    Your imagination is the limit with bodyweight stuff. Definitely not as common as weight training, but you can become strong as hell with body weight type movements. It's all about using momentum, time under load, and high volume workouts.
  • onandoff
    onandoff Posts: 122 Member
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    So, I see there is no way to avoid a future gym membership...

    False. People underestimate body weight training. While solid basic movements with barbells or dumbells is an excellent way, it is certainly not the only way.

    Interesting... I wanna know more.

    An extreme example for sure, but you asked for it.

    http://youtu.be/-d0MNi0Zehk

    Your imagination is the limit with bodyweight stuff. Definitely not as common as weight training, but you can become strong as hell with body weight type movements. It's all about using momentum, time under load, and high volume workouts.
    That was crazy. But they do get 10 points out of 10 for imagination.
    The jumps/pushups on the wrists looked dangerous though...

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