need suggestions please about strength training

ANHmommy
ANHmommy Posts: 27 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
i want to begin at home strength training to help build muscle/lose fat in addition to the cardio (mostly Zumba workouts) i already do...i need to do it at home because i cant join a gym (stay at home mom with no one to watch my child if i leave) and the equipment i might need also needs to be low budget...i already have an exercise ball and a small step base, but nothing else...everything i find online is contradicting to what i may or may not need so thought id ask for suggestions here...please and thank you in advance!

*side note, no idea what my actual body fat percentage is, but judging by my jiggly gut and arms and etc im sure i need to tone lol

Replies

  • ANHmommy
    ANHmommy Posts: 27 Member
    oh on another note i am on a diet and hoping to lose 12ish more pounds to be at my ideal weight...i understand that muscle weighs more than fat and that the scale is not what i use to see muscle gain vs fat loss
  • ANHmommy
    ANHmommy Posts: 27 Member
    also if there are any free workouts people suggest it would be greatly appreciated!!!
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    edited July 2017
    Resistance bands and tubes are relatively inexpensive. I started with those. This video is a good basic workout for the upper body:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou0n5aO_K9Y&t=1s&list=PLI3qjG5jMFlIR-pdkHHTlGJbODQiEitYp&index=4

    After a while, I found I needed more. So, I started getting books from the library on strength training. I ended up buying one that's become my 'bible'. http://www.joanpaganofitness.com/online-store/strength-training-exercises-for-women.html. It includes exercises to target every major muscle/muscle group for a variety of fitness levels. There are sample cardio-and-dumbbell interval workouts, three progressive full-body workouts, and warmup and cool-down exercises/stretches. It's also got clear directions and lots of pictures.

    The equipment I've picked up over the last few months has been relatively cheap and you don't necessarily need it all. (Example: If you don't have a cardio step or reasonable substitute, you won't be able to do the 'side squat with weights', but there are about 8 different squats in the book. Pick another one.)

    They include:

    dumbbells ranging from 3 to 10 lbs (2 of each)
    cardio step
    stability ball
    ankle weights
    mat
    the aforementioned bands and tubes. Also a door attachment (basically a fabric loop with a bead/knob at one end. You put it over the door or between the hinges and use it to anchor the bands and tubes for certain exercises, including some of the ones in the video.)
    A Nerf soccer ball and a 9" 'bouncy' ball. They come in handy for warm-ups and one of the interval workouts uses a ball, too.

  • ANHmommy
    ANHmommy Posts: 27 Member
    estherdragonbat wrote: »
    Resistance bands and tubes are relatively inexpensive. I started with those. This video is a good basic workout for the upper body:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou0n5aO_K9Y&t=1s&list=PLI3qjG5jMFlIR-pdkHHTlGJbODQiEitYp&index=4

    After a while, I found I needed more. So, I started getting books from the library on strength training. I ended up buying one that's become my 'bible'. http://www.joanpaganofitness.com/online-store/strength-training-exercises-for-women.html. It includes exercises to target every major muscle/muscle group for a variety of fitness levels. There are sample cardio-and-dumbbell interval workouts, three progressive full-body workouts, and warmup and cool-down exercises/stretches. It's also got clear directions and lots of pictures.

    The equipment I've picked up over the last few months has been relatively cheap and you don't necessarily need it all. (Example: If you don't have a cardio step or reasonable substitute, you won't be able to do the 'side squat with weights', but there are about 8 different squats in the book. Pick another one.)

    They include:

    dumbbells ranging from 3 to 10 lbs (2 of each)
    cardio step
    stability ball
    ankle weights
    mat
    the aforementioned bands and tubes. Also a door attachment (basically a fabric loop with a bead/knob at one end. You put it over the door or between the hinges and use it to anchor the bands and tubes for certain exercises, including some of the ones in the video.)
    A Nerf soccer ball and a 9" 'bouncy' ball. They come in handy for warm-ups and one of the interval workouts uses a ball, too.

    i will be sure to look into that book!
  • jayemes
    jayemes Posts: 865 Member
    I would think that the easiest way to start is body weight exercises - push ups, planks, squats, crunches - no equipment necessary. Good luck! I'm in the same boat!
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    ANHmommy wrote: »
    oh on another note i am on a diet and hoping to lose 12ish more pounds to be at my ideal weight...i understand that muscle weighs more than fat and that the scale is not what i use to see muscle gain vs fat loss

    lb per lb muscle and fat weight the same(some people dont know this so clearing that up just in case). its also very hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time(thats why some do whats called a recomp but that takes awhile).its hard for a woman to gain muscle in a surplus of calories as well and that takes time too.the scale is a tool of course,but if you are losing weight it will go down. so to get the toned look you need to lose fat over any existing muscle you already have. you cant tone fat you have to lose it and that comes from a calorie deficit.

    on another note the less weight you have to lose the slower its going to be as well. check out sale sites and craigslist in your area for people selling weights and things like that,also you can check thrift stores they may have some things reasonable. The only real way to know how much muscle you have gained percentage wise is to do a dexa scan or something similar before you lose the rest of the weight and say 6 months down the road.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    ANHmommy wrote: »
    oh on another note i am on a diet and hoping to lose 12ish more pounds to be at my ideal weight...i understand that muscle weighs more than fat and that the scale is not what i use to see muscle gain vs fat loss

    lb per lb muscle and fat weight the same(some people dont know this so clearing that up just in case). its also very hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time(thats why some do whats called a recomp but that takes awhile).its hard for a woman to gain muscle in a surplus of calories as well and that takes time too.the scale is a tool of course,but if you are losing weight it will go down. so to get the toned look you need to lose fat over any existing muscle you already have. you cant tone fat you have to lose it and that comes from a calorie deficit.

    on another note the less weight you have to lose the slower its going to be as well. check out sale sites and craigslist in your area for people selling weights and things like that,also you can check thrift stores they may have some things reasonable. The only real way to know how much muscle you have gained percentage wise is to do a dexa scan or something similar before you lose the rest of the weight and say 6 months down the road.

    I would say that most people know that muscle and fat weigh the same pound per pound, but that muscle weighs more per volume. Just wanted to clear that up, because apparently some people don't know that.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Dnarules wrote: »
    CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »
    ANHmommy wrote: »
    oh on another note i am on a diet and hoping to lose 12ish more pounds to be at my ideal weight...i understand that muscle weighs more than fat and that the scale is not what i use to see muscle gain vs fat loss

    lb per lb muscle and fat weight the same(some people dont know this so clearing that up just in case). its also very hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time(thats why some do whats called a recomp but that takes awhile).its hard for a woman to gain muscle in a surplus of calories as well and that takes time too.the scale is a tool of course,but if you are losing weight it will go down. so to get the toned look you need to lose fat over any existing muscle you already have. you cant tone fat you have to lose it and that comes from a calorie deficit.

    on another note the less weight you have to lose the slower its going to be as well. check out sale sites and craigslist in your area for people selling weights and things like that,also you can check thrift stores they may have some things reasonable. The only real way to know how much muscle you have gained percentage wise is to do a dexa scan or something similar before you lose the rest of the weight and say 6 months down the road.

    I would say that most people know that muscle and fat weigh the same pound per pound, but that muscle weighs more per volume. Just wanted to clear that up, because apparently some people don't know that.

    I do know that but some people think that when they start working out and gain 5 lbs in a week or two its from gaining muscle. There are a lot of people that dont know these things still so no not most people know these things. go read some of the other posts about people not losing or the scale not going down and others telling them its muscle especially when the people are eating very low calories.
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