So you can't go to the gym...

What body weight exercises?

You are Your Own Gym
Never Gymless
Strength Unbound
Nerdfitness
Convict conditioning

Just a few. There are many more resources.

I built my home gym by purchasing used equipment. People are almost willing to give that stuff away. I spent $30 at a yard sale and I got an exercise bike, a set of mats, a rowing machine and a set of dumbbells.

There are tons of free exercise videos on youtube.

I have an elliptical and a set of dumbbells ranging from 5 - 45 lbs. I do random workout dvds and YouTube workouts. Works well for me.

You have the internet the greatest source of free information ever known.

My trainer was saying diet is 70-80% of weight loss and now I get what he means.

The Gym you can do yourself. I would suggest getting yourself a gym ball, an exercise mat and possibly some dumb bells, the small one handed ones. The bidydoctor illustrates its all you need.

For resistance work then a lot of exercises are just as good if not better. Google them or go to a library or book stall and see.

For cardio its even easier, walking, jogging or get a bicycle.

For calories loss you just need to move around and expend more energy, walk rather than take the car, use the stairs and not the lift, take up a sport.

There's a bodyweight group here. I've been reading it with interest and it has some discussion of programs (especially convict conditioning).

Guessing people who can't afford a gym membership can't build their home gym either.

What body weight exercises?

If you keep an eye out, you can usually find people giving away basic weights sets.

I made my 'power cage' out of wood I had lying around (total cost around £2 for a box of screws - I go for the expensive screws, so didn't need to spend that much either!)

In the past I also made my own 'bench' with a braced 'l' shape that sat on a dinging room chair.

If you can't find weights for free, should definitely be able to find them cheaply.

I got one month's gym membership a year and a half ago for the first time I've got properly serious about lifting weights (rather than ambling around machines etc) - and that was enough to make me realise I should sort out the weights I already had lying around.

Can do a fair bit with body weight too, but, you'll be limited in what you can do as far as legs go for most people - and definitely for men.

Ok I was just wondering, because if you listen to most people here, the only way to get fit and really get results is heavy lifting

Not sure people do say this; and you'd have to define 'fit' first. For some people that's being able to run for 50 miles - something that lifting will barely make a dent in. Lifting weights is an excellent tool for getting the body composition most people are after as well as giving functional strength and so on.

I do everything from lifting, cardio to yoga at home. Using my own body's resistance has been the best ever. In addition, I go the park and hit the bleachers. Get creative, where there is a will there is always a way.

Youtube has a tons of videos you can start out with.

Doing 'squats' or 'lunges' with just your body weight always seemed something that at least very quickly should have no effect on someone not overly fat - you're just talking about standing up from a low seat or similar!

That's why you use progressions. A full pushup only has you pushing something like 70% of your bodyweight. Do them in a declining position, headstand, offset, one armed, etc. to progress and build more strength. For squats you can switch over to one legged (Bulgarian split) squats, pistols, etc.

That's why you use progressions. A full pushup only has you pushing something like 70% of your bodyweight. Do them in a declining position, headstand, offset, one armed, etc. to progress and build more strength. For squats you can switch over to one legged (Bulgarian split) squats, pistols, etc.

It's not only harder to judge your progression, but squats are very much limited.

When discussing this a while ago I tried a pistol squat and could do it easily. As you'd expect, because at best it's like doing a squat with my body weight on a barbell - and I typically used that weight to warm up at the time.
Can't really 'progress' from there in doing the moves considered the basis for programs like starting strength.

You're also put more of the exercise on to learning the balance rather than using your muscle.

Calisthenics

get onthe computer and look up bodyweight exercises. there are a ton of them on youtube. create your own workout for home.

Set up a home gym. I workout at home and got all my stuff on Craigslist. for dirt cheap. I'm talking 10 cents on the dollar for what the equipment normally cost in stores. I got a $400 squat rack for $40, a $100 heavy bag for $10, a $200 rowing machine for $20 etc.

OUTDOOR GYM. Free!! Check if any of your local parks have one. Get in some good workouts before it gets cold