Anonymous wrote:You do NOT need a gym. I'm in the best shape of my life (doing squats, deadlifts, presses, etc.) and I work out at home. I do have a lot of equipment, but nothing bulky. I have a barbell and plates, dumbbells, a step plus 10 risers plus slanted risers, bands, tubing, sliding discs and lots of DVDs. My favorite trainer is Cathe Friedrich - I started with one of her DVDs two years ago and haven't looked back. Good luck!

All that stuff is likely not going to fit a townhouse, however.

check out Starting Strength - it is the standard for introductory weight training

You do NOT need a gym. I'm in the best shape of my life (doing squats, deadlifts, presses, etc.) and I work out at home. I do have a lot of equipment, but nothing bulky. I have a barbell and plates, dumbbells, a step plus 10 risers plus slanted risers, bands, tubing, sliding discs and lots of DVDs. My favorite trainer is Cathe Friedrich - I started with one of her DVDs two years ago and haven't looked back. Good luck!

You do not need a gym. Shut up.

PP is right. You need a gym and an excellent trainer. Although Ive never seen a trainer teaching Deadlifts etc. They should but most with the trainers seem to be in the beginning stages.

I hate to burst your bubble but if you really want to weight train you will need to join a gym. Everyone should be doing squats, deadlifts, presses, etc. and you will need a power rack, barbell and plates. After kids I really didn't see any "toning" until I started lifting heavier weights than are practical to have at home. P90x as a PP mentioned is a decent program but it didn't do it for me. For one, when I first started out I couldn't do pull-ups. That got frustrating.

I like hand weights at home with videos that teach you proper form and lead you through exercises. if you go on amazon you can find a ton of them -- some focus on a certain area (abs, arms, etc . . .) and some are overall.

personal trainer for 3 months who can teach you proper form for all the exercises and create a routine for you to do on your own after the 3 months are up

P90x is a structured way of getting more fit. Minimal equipment is needed

I'm 10 months postpartum and desperately need some body help! I have never done any weight training but have noticed that my body is much flabbier now. I do not belong to a gym and honestly don't really want to become a member. I am more interested in either a personal trainer in DC to help me, online training, or even a book. I am more than happy to buy weight equipment as long as it fits my tiny DC townhouse. Thanks for any suggestions!