How do you strength train (build muscle) w/o a gym membership?

[Anonymous]

I have two small kids and dropped my gym membership to save money. I am frustrated with my muscle tone though and need some ideas for what I can do at home to build muscle tone in my legs, chest and back. I can manage my arms and shoulders with hand weights, but the bigger muscles are the ones I want to develop. 1) the bigger the better the boost to my metabolism 2) they need it and 3) my cholesterol needs it.

I can't do things that need to be planned or that I need childcare for - - just don't have the luxury for setting aside planned in advance time or the money.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I purchased the workout video - the 30 day Shred with Jillian Michaels from the biggest loser and saw a lot of improvement in my muscle tone. The video is cheap - less than $10. The workouts are fast - 20 minutes. If you do a search on it you will see a lot of comments.

[Anonymous]

You can do it - I have heard the Jillian Michael's program is good as a PP suggested. You actually get a better workout if you rely less on machines (that do things like balance for you etc.)

It helps if you invest in some dumbbells - 5, 8, 10, 12, 15 should be plenty, and a big exercise ball is great too, plus a mat and a little space. But that's really all you need. Some other helpful (but non essential things) are a step (can double as a bench) and you could do some resistance bands. A jump rope is great too.

Just google different exercises - my favorites are (don't do all at once - pick a few for each body part)

Lower body - squats, plie squats, forward lunges, walking lunges, curtsy lunges, kick backs, step ups, hamcurl exercise lying down with feet on ball (google can show you), jumping lunges, jump squats, burpees

upper body - push ups, push ups on dumb bell, push ups off stairs, overhead presses, chest press on ball, one arm row, two arm row, superman lifts for back

core exercises - best ones are from yoga

And then for arms - things like dips off a coffee table or the step bench if you have one, bicep curls, hammer curls, tricep kick backs

If you do circuits, you can get a full body workout in 20 minutes and burn some serious calories.

I think exercise TV is online and you can ideas and demos that way.

[Anonymous]

do you know anyone who's a freelance personal trainer? you could invest in a session or two and have him/her teach you exercises you could do at home with a few dumbbells and other low-tech fitness equipment. or if you have any guy friends who are big on the free weights, maybe bribe one of them with the offer of dinner to teach you how to do some exercises? (i say "guy friends" because the women I know are more likely to use circuit equipment instead of free weights.)

sometimes when i don't have time to go to the "good" gym and have to work out at my office gym, I will do a series of push-ups with my hands in different positions, plus pushups on my forearms. You can do partial yoga sun salutations and transition from plank to chattaranga (where you lower slowly from the high pushup position to hovering a couple inches above the ground) to upward-facing dog, to downward-facing dog. And you can do crunches lying on the floor with your calves on a chair (90 degree bends in your legs) and crunch up toward your knees - these are like GI Jane crunches, and if you touch the right elbow to the left knee, etc., you can work the sides of your abs. (obliques?)

you could also go to the playground with your kids and use the monkey bars as pullup bars. so much harder than it was in gym class!

[Anonymous]

15:14 gave some great practical at-home exercise ideas. I use most of those, especially the coffee table dips for arms (even use that one at work). Another good one for defined calf muscles is to do lifts off of a step. Make sure you have non-slip shoes on and put your hand on a wall or railing for balance. Keep your toes and the ball of your feet on the step and let your heels dangle and dip below the step. Lift yourself up onto the balls of your feet and keep repeating. Just don't pull anything!

[Anonymous]

I was going to suggest Jillian's 30 day shred as well. It periodically shows up on Comcast On Demand, so if you have Comcast check the exercise videos before you buy it.

[Anonymous]

Jillian Michaels is good, but her workouts seem to bother my knees. I swear by Denise Austin. I see results quickly in definition and the changes in my figure when I am doing her dvd routines on a regular basis.

I know her voice is annoying, but after a couple of weeks I can memorize the routines, mute her voice and enjoy my own music as I workout.

[Anonymous]

Girls of Envy DVD set. They do arms, legs, butt and core. all you need are hand weights. I think its a pretty good workout. They left me sore anyway.

[Anonymous]

I do P90x

[Anonymous]

If you or your partner is handy you can build some dip bars and a pull up bar pretty cheaply (like under $20). There are some tips on how to do this on crossfit.com, although if you google I am sure you will find lots of hits. Squats and box jumps help with quads. Jumping rope is a good overall exercise, too, which also develops your legs. Things like weighted pull ups, weighted sit ups and weighted squats will help, too.

[Anonymous]

I strongly recommend hiring a personal trainer to come to your home and develop a plan for you. There are many who do this - call your former gym and ask. A program tailored for you with recommendations about what items to buy. Faster results, ideas to kill boredome and she can tweak your program down the road when you feel you need more. A great investment.

[Anonymous]

I would also recommend buying a soft medicine ball (4 or 6 lbs). You can do a lot with those - squeezing between your legs while squatting for inner thigh work, lifting above your head while doing step ups or lunges or squats. That way you'll work multiple body parts at once, which increases your cardio work and gets things done faster.

http://www.homefitnessequipment.org/medicineballs.aspx

[Anonymous]

I've always loved The Firm videos. You use them with handweights. Got great results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've always loved The Firm videos. You use them with handweights. Got great results.

I second this. I am 43 with two children 5 and under, and I look better (my body - face is another issue) than I did in college. The older videos - although quite dated in terms of music and clothing - are the best. Allie Del Rio is my favorite trainer. You do see results in a few weeks.

Weights and walking about an hour every other day really have helped me get back into shape.

This is a great site for screening videos:
http://www.collagevideo.com/

[Anonymous]

I totally reccommend Zumba. It is a Latin-inspired dance workout. They have affordable classes EVERYWHERE. Its a killer workout and I always feel so upbeat afterwards.

Other than that.....TONS of squats (In the shower if you are really pressed for time!!)