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I need help finding a strength training routine I can do at home. I have lost a little weight and started doing my cardio again but I can't drive and live out in the sticks so getting to a gym is not possible. I would like to do strength training and I have a full set of dumbbells, mat, and resistance bands. I would just like to know what videos or programs can help me increase overall body strength. I am a 42 year old mildly overweight woman am not concerned about bulking up (in fact, I think it looks good.) Thanks for your help.
Last edited by Scooby Snacks; 04-17-2019 at 09:24 AM..
You won't bulk up. Women don't bulk up unless that is their goal and the amount of work that goes into it is pretty much a full time job.
I would go to google and look for videos that can show you what exercises to do and what kind of form you need which is very important. Make sure you make core work a part of your routine. Planks are great for this. Push ups are another great move that works multiple parts of your body. Start with the modified ones if a regular push up os too hard. The bands are great too and you will find all kinds of workouts that use them.
It is really hard to recommend specific exercises without evaluating your overall heath to decide what you need to work on first.
For example, upper body workouts for me were limited because of a weak right wrist. My trainer recommended some simple wrist exercises with a 5 lb dumbbell. Once my wrist was stronger he recommended wrist roller exercises to strengthen my grip strength, wrist strength and forearm strength. Next we started with some upper arm exercises, but, I was making limited progress.
It turned out the reason I was not making progress was because due to mild scoliosis that I have had since birth - I had an anterior pelvic tilt causing an arch in my lower back - which in turn was causing me to round my shoulders. Again, with the help of my trainer he gave me some simple exercises to correct the arch in my lower back and stabilize my shoulders - I saw a remarkable improvement in my posture. The last issue due to the scoliosis was a 30% difference in the strength of my left vs right side of my back/shoulders. The trainer identified an issue with my cross sling muscles that needed to be addressed with some simple exercises I could do at home and the need to work my upper arms individually at only the level of the weakest arm until it caught up to the strength of the stronger arm. Only then did I start to make real progress in my overall upper body strength.
If you know which issue has to be addressed first, second, third etc. most of the exercises can be done at home. However, if you don't know which issues you need to address and in what order you are likely going to get very frustrated when you do not see much progress.
Is there a chance you can get to a gym and have a trainer evaluate your balance, flexibility and strength and give you some beginning exercises you can do at home? Then, after a few months return to the trainer and move on to more difficult exercises you can do at home?
The Les Mills online is very good, especially their power fitness class. Most YMCAs use their releases. You don't need their fancy gear (expensive). A barbell with a few plates, bench and mat and a few fav wt dumbells. Second hand stores or Wal-Mart. Subscription cost $12/month. They have a trial. I've been impressed with my results head to toe. They offer a variety of classes for the sub all included. It's as if you have a person trainer working with you. Every major muscle group is worked. Be careful about proper mechanics - that's the downside as lifting incorrectly can set you back with injury and make it no fun. Body pump, Cxworks, and bodyflow are the three I do most.
Isometrics. Minimum equipment needed, you can do pretty much everything with door jamb and a bar on it at various heights. Or, chain, platform, to stand on, with hook for it and handle bar with another hook, so that you can hook bar to chain at various height. I know what isometrics can do. They are very efficient. Only caution is - you MUST have very good cardiovascular condition. MUST.
I did P90X twice and really liked it. Although I have shoulder challenges from multiple surgeries, I can strengthen those as well if I take it slow. I like a lot of the Beachbody videos and saw the Beachbody online subscription service. My sister has it and she is doing T25. I think Body Beast might be a good one to try.
I used https://www.fitnessblender.com/ for awhile, until I started going to the gym. Their individual videos are free through YouTube.
If you want a program, you can set up an account and purchase various four-to six week long programs ($10-20) for different fitness levels and goals. The programs combine different workouts onto a calendar so you do the workout specified that day. Most of their stuff requires only a mat and set of dumbbells. The programs stay in your account, so you can restart a program at a later date or repeat it as many times as you want.
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