Weight training without a gym

hockeymom180
hockeymom180 Posts: 35 Member
edited October 4 in Fitness and Exercise
I live out in the boonies, so getting to a gym or weight room is difficult for me. The high school has one, but its hours are limited; the hockey arena has one, but there are days it's not available. We are thinking about buying a weight set, but right now we live in a tiny house with no place to put it, and living in Minnesota, weights in the garage aren't the greatest for four months out of the year.

I'm wondering what the best way to start with weights would be for someone in my position. Is it possible to do good weight work with dumbbells or bodyweight? And when I say "good weight work," I'm not looking for crazy results. I run two miles every other day and do yoga on the off days, and I feel like I'm ready to add something a little more vigorous, esp. to help with running and yoga.

Thanks.

Replies

  • Elleinnz
    Elleinnz Posts: 1,661 Member
    Google Resistance Bands - and also TRX - both can give you total kick-*kitten* workouts - resistance bands are always the first thing I pack when I go on a trip - I believe you can pick up some pretty good ones for less than $20 on ebay.... TRX is a bit more expensive but I love them!!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Dumbbells are great. I went for a couple of years using Powerblock dumbbells. Very compact and quick to switch weights on. I just recently got a power rack and olympic weight set. Now it will be easier to do squats and deadlifts, and I can finally do things like powercleans. Very very happy with my gym now.
  • jayjohnson1320
    jayjohnson1320 Posts: 26 Member
    Ressearch TRX. It may be able to provide the balance (bodyweight workouts w/ your core workouts) that you need. I mix it in with my weights and believe it or not sometimes I get a better workout with using my on weight. Hope this helps.:happy:
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
    What about trying something like the 30 Day Shred or kettlebells? They both mix cardio and strength training and are great workouts for building muscle and toning.
  • DawnLosing
    DawnLosing Posts: 87
    Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred is great!! And she has other DVD's that you can graduate to as well... and/or add weight to to build lean muscle, like hand, wrist and ankle weights etc. Just a thought. Good luck!
  • Rompa_87
    Rompa_87 Posts: 291 Member
    It is pretty easy to get an excellent workout without weights! In fact, since training for the ironman I do not have the time for a lot of weight work but I have managed to maintian my strength and muscles from body weight exercises.

    Combine compound exercises that work the whole body in a circuit format.

    For example do 1 minute of as many squats as possible, 1 minute of as many chinups or inverted rows as possible, 1 minute of as many lunges as possible, 1 minute of as many pushups as possible and 1 minute of as many mountain climbers as possible. Rest for 2-3 minutes and repeat the circuit 2-3 times.

    Your heart rate will sky rocket and your muscles will get a good workout.

    There are hundreds of exercises and possible combinations of body weight routines. Just youtube for body weight circuits or park workouts for plenty of ideas!
  • AZackery
    AZackery Posts: 2,035 Member
    You can try Supreme 90 Day. You get 10 CDs for $19.99. You can find the program at The Dollar General Store, Walgreens, Target, Bath and Beyond, Walmart and if you have a Ross, there too. I have seen it at a Ross. I bought mine from Amazon.

    You can go to their website and preview the workouts. If you don't want to do a program, you can just do the workouts as individual workouts.

    You also do free workouts from Exercise TV. Click on strength training.

    http://www.exercisetv.tv/workout-videos/all/?videotype=free-full-length
  • Steph62002
    Steph62002 Posts: 91
    I do strength training in my living room with free weights. I follow dvd's and have had great results. My favorites are:
    Jackie Warner (anything by her!)
    P90X
    Chalean Extreme
  • maryanne828
    maryanne828 Posts: 7
    Bump!
  • jhardenbergh
    jhardenbergh Posts: 1,035 Member
    Herschel Walker did nothing but pushups and situps throughout his career granted he did like 1000 a day, but you can definately get a decent workout with resistance bands and maybe some dumbells or some kettlebells.
  • hockeymom180
    hockeymom180 Posts: 35 Member
    Thanks, everybody, for the help! These are a lot of great suggestions.
  • ssswalsh
    ssswalsh Posts: 7 Member
    As mentioned by a couple of others, TRX!! It is amazing and it may not be the cheapest it will over time cost u much less than a bunch of weights sitting on your floor. I take mine when away from home on business or travelling to see family. I even bring to the gym sometimes.
  • TrinaJ11
    TrinaJ11 Posts: 159 Member
    I use resistance bands. They are very cheap if you look on ebay. The most I've paid for a great quality resistance band is $5 free shipping.
  • ange0628
    ange0628 Posts: 39 Member
    this is a great thread, thanks for the tips :)
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    look at my workout blog below for ideas. you can do all of that with little or no fitness equipment.

    in addition to doing the HIIT described in my blog, I also do some resistance training. I have a set of adjustable dumbbells and an adjustable bench, along with a stability ball, that that works well.
  • timmypeace
    timmypeace Posts: 27 Member
    I remember when I was a teen and lived at home. I had no gym. I would watch FIT tv and do the work outs. It was a free way of getting a good work out! Youtube also offers to much out there. The possibilities are endless!
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    There are many different options, I use resistance bands, dumbbells, and various exercise sites like exercisetv and bodyrock also some dvds like 30 day shred and Look better naked........there are alot of things that can give you good results without alot of equipment, also pushups, planks and tricep dips, squats and lunges are good
  • MobileRanger
    MobileRanger Posts: 37
    P90X sounds perfect for you. It's great weight training at home. Tony uses all free weights in the program, which are easy to store. Resistance bands work well to, but I prefer the weights.
  • Rookie1988
    Rookie1988 Posts: 42
    I went to the local second hand store and purchased a set of variable weight hand weights. I use them when I am around the house or just watching tv. I also just obtained a cardio tae-bo video that incorporates the weights as well....I love it! Good luck.
  • tangal88
    tangal88 Posts: 689
    My husband and I both do P90X with dumbbells only (and a door mount pull up bar bought at Amazon.com, or Walmart, not Beach Body version)

    We now have a range of weights 5lb-50lb.

    But we started with a basic dumbbell set with assorted weight plates from Walmart (about $30-$40) and a few single pairs of dumbbells. Then we slowly add on one pair of dumbbells at a time, as we move up in weight.

    We did not buy all our weights at once.

    We personally prefer the weights to the bands.

    Chalene Extreme is also a nice program, similar to P90x, but slightly shorter workouts.

    Both designed for dumbbell "at home" workouts.
  • ABetterBalance
    ABetterBalance Posts: 298
    I'm wondering what the best way to start with weights would be for someone in my position. Is it possible to do good weight work with dumbbells or bodyweight? And when I say "good weight work," I'm not looking for crazy results. I run two miles every other day and do yoga on the off days, and I feel like I'm ready to add something a little more vigorous, esp. to help with running and yoga.

    Absolutely! We have a home gym and I love it. Our set up has grown as our housing has changed, and now we have a very large den with half the room dedicated to our "gym", but we started small.

    There are a lot of things you can add that don't take a lot of room- adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands, stability balls, etc... We started with just those things. Added in a weigh bench eventually, and then went on to add a treadmill and a rowing machine.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    When you say a good weight set are you talking about like a home gym with a bench and moving weights? Because a bar (not olympic) and some plates don't take up much room, my sister actually stores two basic sets in her coat closet.
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