At home strength training

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rchelen
rchelen Posts: 46 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What are some exercises I can do at home with just dumbbells? Can I build muscle with just that? Because I've looked online and everyone is saying to lift heavy. I'm not sure if I'm ready for that. I don't like going to the gym. Meanwhile my husband promised me he'll get me a squat rack, I was thinking I need a bench too? Lol help?

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  • Lefty1290
    Lefty1290 Posts: 551 Member
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    Fitness Blender has a ton of strength workouts for every fitness level. I've definitely gained strength/muscle lifting with them since July 2016. I bought their strength program and use it all the time.

    Squat: SW: 10lbs total / Personal best: 46lbs total
    Deadlift: SW: 10lbs / PB: 46lbs
    Lunge: SW: 6lbs / PB: 34lbs
    Step ups: SW: 10lbs / PB: 40lbs

    The most I've curled is 17lbs per hand. Same with rows and chest press.

    It can be done. It takes patience, effort, a good program, and proper form.

    I've also done this:

    http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/ultimate-6-week-home-workout
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    You can check out bodyweight/dumbbell programs in this link and see what fits the equipment you have best:
    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    If you don't have a bench, you can modify and do floor presses etc. But at some point, depending on what you have access to, you may need to either get creative with your progression or invest in heavier weights/barbells.

    Lifting heavy will be heavy relative to you.. as well as your weights used and reps.

    Also, when you say building muscle, do you mean... eating in a surplus or recomping? Or maintaining what you have in a deficit. The latter will be easier....muscle maintenance won't be as difficult as actually trying to build mass.
  • rchelen
    rchelen Posts: 46 Member
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    Thank you!
  • rchelen
    rchelen Posts: 46 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    You can check out bodyweight/dumbbell programs in this link and see what fits the equipment you have best:
    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    If you don't have a bench, you can modify and do floor presses etc. But at some point, depending on what you have access to, you may need to either get creative with your progression or invest in heavier weights/barbells.

    Lifting heavy will be heavy relative to you.. as well as your weights used and reps.

    Also, when you say building muscle, do you mean... eating in a surplus or recomping? Or maintaining what you have in a deficit. The latter will be easier....muscle maintenance won't be as difficult as actually trying to build mass.

    I would like to tone up and have definition. And I don't know where to go about it. I definitely don't want to eat in a surplus and then not work hard enough. I want to look fit. Right now I just look skinny fat, no muscle definition.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    rchelen wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    You can check out bodyweight/dumbbell programs in this link and see what fits the equipment you have best:
    community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1

    If you don't have a bench, you can modify and do floor presses etc. But at some point, depending on what you have access to, you may need to either get creative with your progression or invest in heavier weights/barbells.

    Lifting heavy will be heavy relative to you.. as well as your weights used and reps.

    Also, when you say building muscle, do you mean... eating in a surplus or recomping? Or maintaining what you have in a deficit. The latter will be easier....muscle maintenance won't be as difficult as actually trying to build mass.

    I would like to tone up and have definition. And I don't know where to go about it. I definitely don't want to eat in a surplus and then not work hard enough. I want to look fit. Right now I just look skinny fat, no muscle definition.

    What are your stats? If you are skinny fat, I would recommend you eat at maintenance, follow a lifting program and have patience.
  • rchelen
    rchelen Posts: 46 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    What are your stats? If you are skinny fat, I would recommend you eat at maintenance, follow a lifting program and have patience.
    I'm 28yo female, 5'2 and 121lbs

  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited November 2017
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    rchelen wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    What are your stats? If you are skinny fat, I would recommend you eat at maintenance, follow a lifting program and have patience.
    I'm 28yo female, 5'2 and 121lbs

    You can either eat at maintenance to recomp, or run a very small deficit
  • rchelen
    rchelen Posts: 46 Member
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    sardelsa wrote: »
    rchelen wrote: »
    sardelsa wrote: »
    What are your stats? If you are skinny fat, I would recommend you eat at maintenance, follow a lifting program and have patience.
    I'm 28yo female, 5'2 and 121lbs

    You can either eat at maintenance to recomp, or run a very small deficit

    Thank you! You've been so helpful.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,070 Member
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    You can start out with body weight exercises. Actually, you could could continue with only Bodyweight exercises for your upper body if you wanted, but you might want to add weight for lower.

    I ran this circuit program at home for 3 months with only dumbbells and a barbell. I used an exercise ball as a bench.

    https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bill-phillips-back-to-fit-12-week-trainer.html

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