Beginning Strength Training - Please Help!

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MLavaty
MLavaty Posts: 2
in Fitness and Exercise
First off, I'm a 27 year old male, 5'6 and 153 pounds. I'm in the process of trying to drop about 8 more pounds. At that point, I am going to begin strength training to try to build some muscle mass. I've been trying to research beginner's strength training online and I get more confused with each website that I come across. They all say something different.

Many sources say that you should start with exercises such as situps, pushups, pullups, etc. Some say that you don't need to do that and you can jump right into working with free weights. Others imply that you have to go out and buy dumbbells, a barbell, medicine ball, swiss ball, kettleballs, a bench, tension ropes, etc to really get started.

Does anyone have any advice on where to look, how to start, what I need? Has anyone had great success training on their own? I am hoping to avoid joining a gym. Unfortunately, all I have right now are 2 dumbbells in my garage.

Any responses would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Replies

  • Suedre
    Suedre Posts: 435 Member
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    I'm pretty sure you can do without a gym or a lot of equipment, but it may be worth a short term gym membership just to try out your different options. Personally, I like free weights. I feel like I'm working harder and see faster results. I also really like to use form to get the most out of and not rely on the machine contraptions. I only know that because I've spent time using both and trying different exercises to see what works for me.

    (PS - you probably don't need any of it. I bet you could do most of it with natural resistance if you wanted to)
  • kjb0976
    kjb0976 Posts: 68
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    Body weight is excellent for stregnth training - pushups and tricep dips really work the shoulders and arms. You can go pretty far without a huge investment in equipment or joining the gym. Now if you want serious guns, gym equipment is probably what you need. My suggestion is to try body weight.. squats, lunges, pushups, tricep dips, jumping rope, walking lunges, squat jumps, flutter kicks, sit ups, crunches. See how far that gets you before making a huge investment. Remember it takes time to build up muscle tone and isn't going to come from 1-2 workouts. You can do this!
  • irridia
    irridia Posts: 527 Member
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    What she said, and you should start now, why wait? I've a really really long way to go, but I started being consistant (except for over the weekend) on my lifting and I'm doing minimal reps currently only 3 sets one compound exercise/day maybe 2 + haphazardly what ever I can get in inthe day, only having started last week with the consistancy bit and my cardio consisits of HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training and already I'm starting to feel my energy level pick up! :bigsmile:
  • mikeast
    mikeast Posts: 16
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    Hi,
    I think anything you do is a good start, so even if you have just got dumbells do some sets of reps with them, do press ups, sit ups, squats, tri dips.

    once you feel you want to move on and challange yourself more get a swiss ball for harder sit ups and you can do your obliques, its also good to lay on to bench press weights and chest flies! I have also heard that heavier weight and less reps are good for men to get more muscle.

    I have kinda been in the same boat having to get started somewhere, after having my little boy 3 years ago i was over 5 stone heavier than i am now and hadn't exercised properly though pregnancy. I started just at home with some hand weights, a bit of pilates and wii fit and lost a couple of stone.
    Then when i felt comfortable i started some exercise classes (about 2 years ago now) which were really hard at first and i would ache for days after but with persistance i now do 2 classes a week, go to the gym once a week and do weights and sit ups etc most nights at home.

    After a while i think you just become addicted to it because its makes you feel good about yourself and you can see and feel a difference.
    I hope this helps a bit and dont feel any pressure to buy loads of equipment or join and expensive gym!
    :smile:
  • MLavaty
    MLavaty Posts: 2
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    I'm just waiting I guess because as confused as I am on the actual strength training, I'm even more confused on how to eat properly when I'm trying to shed a little bit of fat AND start building some muscle. What kind of ratio do I need on carbs/protein/fiber, what does losing fat and building muscle at the same time do to my target calorie intake, etc. It's just overwhelming to me. I've never worked out a day in my life before this. I lose weight quickly. I will probably be to my target of 145 within 5 weeks. And in that time, I plan on using natural body weight resistance and the 2 dumbbells (the extent of my "home gym"). At that point, I hope to invest in a bench and barbell, to increase the variety of exercises at my disposal.

    It's been great to see replies so quickly and I appreciate you taking the time to respond! :)

    Oh, and I fully intend on this taking time for me to get more muscular. I don't want to become seriously ripped or anything, just want to get in good enough shape to coach my little guy's sports teams when he starts playing in a few years!
  • mae3785
    mae3785 Posts: 40 Member
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    You might want to look into the New Rules of Lifting; several women on MFP refer to the new rules of lifting for women but there is also a basic one. The book is about $15. While the book I believe references more equipment than you have you could always work your way to getting more and just start off with learning the basic moves and using your own body weight for resistance.
  • mursey
    mursey Posts: 191 Member
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    Also try a magazine subscription to a weightlifting magazine. I get the women's version of Muscle & Fitness and a women's mag called Oxygen but you can get the regular Muscle & Fitness (and don't be intimidated by the HUGE dudes on the cover). The magazines keep me motivated, and they have photos of how to use the correct postures with certain exercises. Correct form is extremely important.

    Dudes have more testosterone and therefore can build muscle more easily than women, so it may be true that if you started with some full-body exercises like pushups, pullups, dips, squats, walking lunges, and some at home ab work, you could see some decent results.

    Before I knew how to lift I also used to get videos for home. It was sort of a beginner thing for me. I have hired trainers and I DO use a gym, I just need more options than a few things at home in my studio apartment, but that is just me. Strength training (and having a GOOD trainer at first) changed my life, so I hope you give it a shot.

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