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I need some recommendations for the ultimate beginner.

distinctlybeautiful
distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I bought my mom some 2-pound dumbbells for Christmas. She asked for them. For the second part of the gift, I'm putting together a list of videos she can do with them.

She feels totally inept with weights, and she gets overwhelmed easily. I really want her to use them (and I know she does to), so the videos I've included so far are very straightforward and don't seem at all intimidating.

I'm using fitnessblender to start, but I want to include some other sources in case she doesn't like those. I want routines, not demonstrations of how to perform single exercises properly. What recommendations can you give me?

I'm about to start a youtube search, but I figured y'all might have found some good ones that I'll miss. Thanks!

Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    There is an excellent Hass fit programme that is 3 sets of exercises, very simple that only lasts 15 min. Your mom could break it down to start with and work towards completing the whole 15 min.
    I don't have the link handy. I will look for it and post it later.

    Cheers, h.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    edited December 2015
    Your mom might like this lady Pahla Bowers on Youtube.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    Here is the HASfit video I mentioned a couple of posts back.
    If your mom is just starting out have her go slow and work up to full workouts. Even watching a video first and taking notes so she is working through the moves slowly to begin with.

    A body weight routine that she may like to try is by Nerdfitness. Again have her take it slow. It isn't a video but she may like to try it.

    HASfit :
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U0bhE67HuDY

    Nerdfitness:

    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    Cheers, h.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    2 pound dumbbells? Her handbag probably weighs more than that. I'd get her a pair of adjustable dumbbells that go from 2 to 20 lbs, so she has room to grow. Should be about $30-40 for a simple set. :+1:

    Fitness Blender has some decent workouts.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    @middlehaitch Thank you for taking the time to come back and post the links! I'm gonna look into those more.

    @strong_curves Thank you! I'll check it out.

    @Cherimoose I know you're trying to help, but all you did was tell me I bought her a ridiculous present. I'm pretty clear on my mom's needs. Thanks though.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    edited December 2015
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    I know you're trying to help, but all you did was tell me I bought her a ridiculous present.

    I don't think it's ridiculous at all. Right now she needs to feel comfortable. But very soon - probably 2 or 3 weeks - she'll realize she needs more weight for the stronger muscle groups (legs, back, chest). You don't need to buy more dumbbells though - she can improvise weights, like a gallon of water, a backpack of books, etc. :+1:
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Cherimoose wrote: »
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    I know you're trying to help, but all you did was tell me I bought her a ridiculous present.

    I don't think it's ridiculous at all. Right now she needs to feel comfortable. But very soon - probably 2 or 3 weeks - she'll realize she needs more weight for the stronger muscle groups (legs, back, chest). You don't need to buy more dumbbells though - she can improvise weights, like a gallon of water, a backpack of books, etc. :+1:

    If your mother is very old or has disabilities, then she probably needs instructions from a physical therapist about what she should be doing.
    If she is young-ish and in good health, 2 lbs are going to be basically for cardio, so maybe focus on cardio videos that include weights? With a weight so light, most resistance training videos will realistically not work.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    @middlehaitch Thank you for taking the time to come back and post the links! I'm gonna look into those more.

    @strong_curves Thank you! I'll check it out.

    @Cherimoose I know you're trying to help, but all you did was tell me I bought her a ridiculous present. I'm pretty clear on my mom's needs. Thanks though.

    It's not a ridiculous present. I started with very light Dumbbells and did 30 day shred. I was so unfit using those light Dumbbells and jumping around back then was horrific. You can upgrade when needed

    I am a fitness lender fan and have worked through some of has fit.com programs
    Also Leslie sans one walk away the pound videos found on you tube
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Therealobi1 wrote: »
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    @middlehaitch Thank you for taking the time to come back and post the links! I'm gonna look into those more.

    @strong_curves Thank you! I'll check it out.

    @Cherimoose I know you're trying to help, but all you did was tell me I bought her a ridiculous present. I'm pretty clear on my mom's needs. Thanks though.

    It's not a ridiculous present. I started with very light Dumbbells and did 30 day shred. I was so unfit using those light Dumbbells and jumping around back then was horrific. You can upgrade when needed

    I am a fitness lender fan and have worked through some of has fit.com programs
    Also Leslie sans one walk away the pound videos found on you tube

    So, you were using them for cardio. They are not ridiculous, they are not meant for lifting. OP should google cardio programs with dumbbells, which is exactly what these dumbbells are designed for.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    Subject: I need some recommendations....
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    What recommendations can you give me?
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    I'm pretty clear on my mom's needs.


    Hmm....
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
    30 Day Shred
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    Stoshew71 wrote: »
    Subject: I need some recommendations....
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    What recommendations can you give me?
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    I'm pretty clear on my mom's needs.

    Hmm....

    You're picking and choosing which of my words to quote. I asked for video recommendations, not dumbbell recommendations.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    Thanks y'all. She simply has no upper body strength and likely won't even try it if she thinks she can't do it. I was planning to go for the 3-pounders, but I slightly resented the fact that they were pink ☺ and I truly think the 2-pounders are where she needs to start. We can always get more later when she proves she's actually going to do it! Thanks again!
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    Thanks y'all. She simply has no upper body strength and likely won't even try it if she thinks she can't do it. I was planning to go for the 3-pounders, but I slightly resented the fact that they were pink ☺ and I truly think the 2-pounders are where she needs to start. We can always get more later when she proves she's actually going to do it! Thanks again!

    i had the pink, green, and blue set. gave them away to charity in the end
    its no big deal
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    edited December 2015
    It really depends on the mother
    My mum is 88 and 2 walks a day and house work is plenty for her.
    I am 62 and lift heavy
    My DIL 40,mother to my GS, lifts light high rep.
    Your mum is wanting something to get started, and that is just what you are doing, you are a good child for getting her what she asked for. Next year may be a whole gym set up.

    2 lb is fine, ( it is how i started) happy Christmas. h.

    ETA. a yoga mat to go with the weights if you can afford it would be great.
  • Stoshew71
    Stoshew71 Posts: 6,553 Member
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    Stoshew71 wrote: »
    Subject: I need some recommendations....
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    What recommendations can you give me?
    distinctlybeautiful wrote: »
    I'm pretty clear on my mom's needs.

    Hmm....

    You're picking and choosing which of my words to quote. I asked for video recommendations, not dumbbell recommendations.

    I was just pointing out something that became very obvious to me.

    I know you thanked the gentleman that gave the advice for trying, but they way you totally dismissed his advice just rubbed me the wrong way. It was like you totally got offended in what he was trying to say and continued to focus on the videos. Like you did not even take a second to entertain some possible jewel of knowledge he may have offered and apply it to your situation.

    I know you already bought the dumbells. You had intentially in mind advice on videos.
    Some gentleman offers what i thought was some really good information.
    You took it to a very negative extreme and actually made the efffort to let him know by typing it out:

    "all you did was tell me I bought her a ridiculous present"

    Now if I was that gentleman, that above statement would get me offended. The "thank you for trying" would just end up as a back hand slap to me.

    I am pretty sure this gentleman was indeed trying to help (which you acknowledged) but the comment above was not necessary. I thought there could have been a better way of saying the same thing (like not even type out that quoted sentence).

    You could have went to the other extreme like, "Thank you. I know you're trying to help. I never thought about researching what type of weights to get my mom. But I knew that since she was XX years old, she shouldn't need more than 2 pounds. Now I like what others posted by maybe targeting cardio specific workouts since I know my mom would need this more than increasing the weight resistance which you pointed out."

    I am not saying this to make you feel bad and I do apologize if you feel offended by what i am suggesting. I just wanted to make sure you got the best possible answers and you didn't discount anything. I also wanted to make sure people didn't take your negative response the wrong way. People become less willing to respond to questions on these forums if their help is immediately turned down and taken the wrong way.

  • 74Brian74
    74Brian74 Posts: 17 Member
    I personally will not bother providing any suggestions at this point given distinctly beautiful's manic-depressive responses. Initially I was willing to given I have a B.Kin and parents in their 70s I have helped with different but similar needs. But upon reading further, decided, why would I or anyone put effort forth for a potentially ungrateful recipient?? I can't be bothered now.
  • distinctlybeautiful
    distinctlybeautiful Posts: 1,041 Member
    [quote="Stoshew71;34888672"
    I know you thanked the gentleman that gave the advice for trying, but they way you totally dismissed his advice just rubbed me the wrong way.
    [/quote]

    I felt that this person totally ignored my question, which is fine. I get that this is the internet where people offer all kinds of advice, but the delivery makes a difference. This person led into it in such a way that I wasn't open to any further advice. There are better ways to make suggestions than to question what I bought ("2 pound dumbbells?") and then proceed to make a snide comment ("her handbag probably weighs more than that"). Even after that when offering advice, it wasn't "here's a suggestion." It was "what I'd do.." which has a tone of "I know better than you."
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    74Brian74 wrote: »
    I personally will not bother providing any suggestions at this point given distinctly beautiful's manic-depressive responses. Initially I was willing to given I have a B.Kin and parents in their 70s I have helped with different but similar needs. But upon reading further, decided, why would I or anyone put effort forth for a potentially ungrateful recipient?? I can't be bothered now.

    First line is not cool
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,488 Member
    What a shame, decent guy getting what his mum wants for Christmas, through a bit of awkward phrasing, is shot down in flames.
    Put on the Christmas spirit folks. He got his mon exactly what she wanted and all he is doing is trying to enhance it.

    Cheers, h.
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