Tips for weight lifting at home.

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Hello MFP weightlifters! :smile:

I need some helpful tips to start weight lifting at home. What basic equipment would I need? The nearest gym is 30+ minutes away, so I would like to stay home. I am open to the idea of visiting a gym a few times to have a trainer show me proper form if needed.
I've lost 50 lbs. since last November by tracking my calories and running, but I have heard so many positive things here about lifting, that I'm convinced to give it a try.

Thanks!

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  • freddi11e
    freddi11e Posts: 317 Member
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    bump
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Barbells, dumbbells, adjustable weights. Look on Craigslist or wherever people advertise stuff for sale used. More expensive is a power rack. You will be very limited without a rack.
  • michael300891
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    Really depends on your goals. If your willing to give anything a shot, I would find a DECENT personal trainer, learn squatting and deadlifting techniques, buy yourself a squat rack, an incline bench, a bar and a few weight plates.

    That will cover just about everything you need to workout - as you can do squats, deadlifts, rows, pullups, bench press, dips, bicep curls, tricep presses shoulder press and so on and on and on

    But it depends whether you would genuinely feel comfortable doing those exercises.

    You may just find the bench and couple of dumbells are enough and you want a few resistance machines maybe a leg press - this will be far more costly and difficult though as you need several machines.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I would need a power rack...or at least a half rack, a couple of olympic barbells and plates and bumper plates. But really, it depends on your particular lifting/resistance routine.

    You may very well be better off just doing body weight training with some resistance band work thrown in there or something. I only say that because a lot of people go get a few dumb bells and call it good, but they don't really know what to do with them and ultimately, with any kind of progressive routine you are going to grow out of them pretty quickly...so you would need a lot of them are adjustable ones.

    You should do a bit of research on proper resistance routines and find one that suits your goals. That will go a long way in determining what equipment you would need.

    I'm actually looking at something like this...

    http://www.ironcompany.com/bombproofandtradehalfrackwitholympicplatformbp-98.aspx#.UxT7D_mwJNM
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    The book "Convict Conditioning"
  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
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    If you're going to start heavy lifting please don't be home alone as injuries can happen.
  • Rose6300
    Rose6300 Posts: 232 Member
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    I lift at home. I went to Play It Again Sports (used sporting goods) and ended up buying bought a new Olympic barbell set for about $180, and a flat bench for about $60. I could have bought used stuff instead there, it just ended up costing about the same. Then I bought this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006CW02ZS/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I bought some gloves for deadlifts. It's been a few weeks and I feel like I'm covered for life since I have plates I never expect to be strong enough to lift.