Can serious lifting be done at home?

potatogirl741
potatogirl741 Posts: 64 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am looking at starting a lifting program (that's a whole other ball of confusion and questions for me but I digress) but am not a member of a gym...nor will I probably ever be. It's just more convenient to work out at home.

So here is my question: Can I see same results lifting at home with minimal equipment? I can't afford the expensive racks, etc. but I can afford the basics: barbell, plates, bench. Is that enough?
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Replies

  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Yes you can. :drinker:

    I have home gym.

    Which includes:

    adjustable bench

    bench press

    squat rack~hubby and sons built for me

    barbell and weight plates

    dumbbells

    exercise ball

    mat

    chin-up bar
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Yes, it can.

    If you want to avoid the space needs of a free weights set, you might want to consider a heavy kettlebell or two. They're serious. Lots of great info and free workouts from the beginner level on at livefitrevolution.org.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Yes, if you have serious lifting equipment
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Yes. You may also consider doing bodyweight exercises. With the proper progressions you can become seriously strong.
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Yes, if you have serious lifting equipment

    this.

    alternate answer: "For a given definition of serious."

    alternate alternate answer: Ed Zercher.
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  • potatogirl741
    potatogirl741 Posts: 64 Member
    Yes, it can.

    If you want to avoid the space needs of a free weights set, you might want to consider a heavy kettlebell or two. They're serious. Lots of great info and free workouts from the beginner level on at livefitrevolution.org.

    Thanks. I think I will go the kettlebell route for now. Cheapest option and found a 5x5 kettlebell routine on bodybuilding.com.

    I will look at my other options once I am comfortable with that and have more room in my pocket book. :smile:
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
    If you have serious equipment, like a barbell, dumbbells and plates, then sure. Probably not without, though.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Yes, but you need some type of rack. Just having a barbell with plates and a bench is sufficient only when you're lifting a weight that you can easily get up on your shoulders from the ground. If you can get your squatting weight onto your shoulders from the ground, you're not squatting with enough weight. Gotta have something to put the barbell on.

    I lift at home with $400 worth of equipment. It looks like this:

    http://incredibody.com/sites/incredibody/store/diet-exercise-product-images/cap-barbell-olympic-weight-bench-with-squat-rack-fm-7105-1.png

    ...along with the barbell and weight set. Certainly nothing fancy, but it has suited my purposes just fine so far.
  • chani8
    chani8 Posts: 946 Member
    I lift at home in my living room. Go for it!!

    I prefer dumbbells and a pair of pushup handles. I do supersets to wipe the muscles out and I got good advice that you should focus on getting a good squeeze at the top of a rep. Quality counts!

    Good luck!
  • Unknown
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  • potatogirl741
    potatogirl741 Posts: 64 Member
    Yes, but you need some type of rack. Just having a barbell with plates and a bench is sufficient only when you're lifting a weight that you can easily get up on your shoulders from the ground. If you can get your squatting weight onto your shoulders from the ground, you're not squatting with enough weight. Gotta have something to put the barbell on.

    I lift at home with $400 worth of equipment. It looks like this:

    http://incredibody.com/sites/incredibody/store/diet-exercise-product-images/cap-barbell-olympic-weight-bench-with-squat-rack-fm-7105-1.png

    ...along with the barbell and weight set. Certainly nothing fancy, but it has suited my purposes just fine so far.

    I think that is the same one (or close to it) on my Amazon wish list...as soon as I can, it will be mine!
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    You have all the weight you need in your body. Don't bother wasting hundreds of dollars on equipment you don't need to make significant improvments in strength and your body.

    Just buy two books: Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym.

    Follow one of the two programs and you're set!
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    21777730884898581982.jpg

    99624627304581744703.jpg

    Absolutely not.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    21777730884898581982.jpg

    99624627304581744703.jpg

    Absolutely not.

    Jealous!

    No, you really need some equipment similar to what's pictured above. Heavy KB's are not "heavy lifting", not even close. You don't need Rogue equipment as pictured above, and you can likely find some deals elsewhere. But it's an investment that you'll always have.
  • Jaslene181
    Jaslene181 Posts: 5
    I"m sure you can handle that individually, of course it could be easier if a coach in the gym controlled your workouts and all the exercises were done using professional equipment, but you can make your own plan of training and using minimum of stuff and heart rate monitor
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    21777730884898581982.jpg

    99624627304581744703.jpg

    Absolutely not.

    ...why so many barbells?

    Oh, and I'm jealous too. :)
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    You have all the weight you need in your body. Don't bother wasting hundreds of dollars on equipment you don't need to make significant improvments in strength and your body.

    Just buy two books: Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym.

    Follow one of the two programs and you're set!

    - seconded.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    21777730884898581982.jpg

    99624627304581744703.jpg

    Absolutely not.

    ...why so many barbells?

    Oh, and I'm jealous too. :)

    There's an EZ-curl bar, then a fat bar, then a unintentionally-bent bar (cheapie amazon deal that didn't hold up, I keep it around for technique work), then a 40-year old York bar (the rusty one) and finally a deadlift bar. I actually now have a new York bar as well (thicker than normal, 32mm or so, I prefer it to the rest for things like OHP and bench).
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    21777730884898581982.jpg

    99624627304581744703.jpg

    Absolutely not.

    ...why so many barbells?

    Oh, and I'm jealous too. :)

    There's an EZ-curl bar, then a fat bar, then a unintentionally-bent bar (cheapie amazon deal that didn't hold up, I keep it around for technique work), then a 40-year old York bar (the rusty one) and finally a deadlift bar. I actually now have a new York bar as well (thicker than normal, 32mm or so, I prefer it to the rest for things like OHP and bench).

    You should try a Safety Squat bar.
  • gmoneycole
    gmoneycole Posts: 813 Member
    Heck ya! You'll have to invest in some weights / machines, etc... but you can get great workouts at home if you can motivate yourself!
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
    21777730884898581982.jpg

    99624627304581744703.jpg

    Absolutely not.

    I have just died from envy
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    21777730884898581982.jpg

    99624627304581744703.jpg

    Absolutely not.

    ...why so many barbells?

    Oh, and I'm jealous too. :)

    There's an EZ-curl bar, then a fat bar, then a unintentionally-bent bar (cheapie amazon deal that didn't hold up, I keep it around for technique work), then a 40-year old York bar (the rusty one) and finally a deadlift bar. I actually now have a new York bar as well (thicker than normal, 32mm or so, I prefer it to the rest for things like OHP and bench).

    You should try a Safety Squat bar.

    My shoulders are fine so I have no problem with a normal barbell. I wouldn't mind one for giggles anyway but they are too much $$$ when I don't really "need" one.
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member

    You should try a Safety Squat bar.

    I got one a couple of months ago and it's a killer and super humbling. I have that on my schedule tonight.

    ETA: I bought one in Toronto for $99 plus shipping. Best deal ever.
  • RekindledRose
    RekindledRose Posts: 523 Member
    "Body by You" by Mark Lauren is a good book that works with body weight exercises to get strong.

    It's serious stuff, no expensive equipment needed.
  • 34blast
    34blast Posts: 166 Member
    Look at Craig's list and garage sales. You can usually find really good little used equipment fairly inexpensively.
  • meanpooh
    meanpooh Posts: 10 Member
    Yes you can. Just make sure you stretch and perform the exercise correctly.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    I lift at home. I have a lot of lifting equipment but I almost always use the same basic things:

    Barbell
    Weight for the barbell
    Bench
    Squat stands (I bench press out of these as well)

    That's all you need. I spent a few hundred bucks on Craigslist and I have more weight than you would ever be able to lift!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
    Rack, bench, bar and plates.

    Doesn't get any more serious than that.

    With just a bar and plates: you can deadlift, do all the oly variations and stuff like push presses, front squats (by cleaning the bar from the floor) plenty of people throughout history have gotten seriously strong with just that.
  • Chelsarrr
    Chelsarrr Posts: 65 Member
    Since you're just starting out, you can get a great workout in with just dumbbells. Add in an adjustable bench and a barbell and you'll be solid! You can always add things later as needed. Right now I'm looking for a cheap squat rack. Until then, I'm doing exercises with what I have. I still get a great workout in though!

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