Do I need to join a gym?

scoey

I'm currently in fairly decent shape. I'm 6ft and 165 pounds, a bit of muscle. Last year I was in better shape, as I'd been working out consistently in the college gym/eating properly for about 6 months. I got lazy during the summer, while I had a full time desk job and didn't go to the gym so much/didn't watch my diet. I didn't become a mess or anything, I gained a few pounds, and still would have been in decent shape, but worse than I was before.

I should mention that the reason I go to the gym is in an attempt to gain some muscle. Without exercise etc, my natural size isn't what anybody would call fat or overly skinny, just normal.

Since the end of September I've been in Japan studying. For the last 2 months or so, I've been exercising fairly diligently/eating properly. The thing is, the only weights I have are 2 15(ish)kg(each) dumbells. Since that's pretty light, I've been upping the reps on my lifts, since I can't up the weight. I know this isn't ideal. The thing is though, I've been getting results from this. I reckon now I'm fairly close to where I was last year when I was going to the gym. The thing is, I kind of feel like I can't achieve much more without joining a gym and upping the weights. Gyms are expensive here. I also do chins and push ups and that sort of thing, as part of my chest/back exercise. Would upping the amount/frequency of chins etc that I do yield benefits?

I also cycle about an hour each way to college every day(up a hill there and down on the way back). I know that it's not great to do too much cardio when you want to gain muscle, but a:I enjoy it and b:I don't want to pay the public transport fees, so this has to stay.

I guess my question is, am I right to think that I need to join a gym at this stage to progress further, or will I gain anything from continuing what I'm doing? I hate to throw out a cliche, but I'm not looking to be massive(I'm aware it's not easy), I am lifting weights mostly for aesthethic reasons, so I guess what I'm looking for is "slim with a decent amount of muscle", I'm currently "slim with a bit of muscle compared to most people who don't go to the gym".

I was thinking of buying more weights for the dumbells, but I reckon the most I can get onto them, would be about 20kg each, so I guess that's a short term solution.

Advice?

Sleepy

You could look into doing things like plyometric (clapping) pushups for your chest.

I'm sure others can recommend some more stuff.

celestial

If you have been training consistently with weights then you will have made gains alright. Sounds like those weights are getting a bit light for you now, and if you want greater mass, you should look at upping the weight - you could buy heavier weights but soon they will be too light for you too. In my case I have progressed from 12kg dumbbells to 14 to 16 to 18 to 20kg in approx 6 weeks. If you bought heavier dumbbells you would soon find them too light for you again in a short space of time. I would consider joining a gym - it may be expensive but it's a great investment. Alternatively I would just up your training levels and introduce more difficult exercises and vary your routine.

wasabi

You can buy olympic dumbbell handles and normal weight plates - you can use those to build dumbbells of any weight you want.

Also, look into advanced bodyweight exercises - more difficult pushup variations, get a dipping belt to add weight to pullups, learn how to do pistols etc. You could get a set of gymnastic rings or blast straps to hang off your pullup bar, there's loads of stuff you can do on those - ring pushups, ring dips, ring pullups.

Dragondoor bodyweight strength training articles:
http://www.dragondoor.com/articler/mode2/Workouts

Rings:
http://www.ringtraining.com/store/eliterings.html

Olympic DB handles:
http://www.irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_13&products_id=244

Vegeta

I cannot recommend the rings highly enough I got them for xmas and they are amazing.

I can do 8 reps for 3 sets of dips on parallel bars, tried them on the rings and my god are they tough. Last night I did 3 poor form

Use them for push ups too, rings about a foot off the ground and feet on a stool.

Chin ups on them I find are a little easier but just add weight to yourself. Tin of beans in each pocket. Hold a bag of sugar between your knees.

Rings and the adjustable dumbells and you be laughing.

Obviously if you could bench, squat and dead lift you'd be in a better position but you have to do the best with what's available.

rubadub

Vegeta wrote: »

I cannot recommend the rings highly enough I got them for xmas and they are amazing.

Obviously if you could bench, squat and dead lift you'd be in a better position but you have to do the best with what's available.

Yep the rings are great, best value equipment I ever got. I no longer bench at all, just do various dips on the rings, weighted ones too. They will travel easy home from Japan too. You can do flyes on them too, real killer, and the adjustability means you can vary the angle. Tricep pushups are a killer too, really work the abs too.

I had them looped in the hole in my attic over xmas, worked really great, you could just get a square beam of wood and span it across the attic hole and it will not roll. I have a V section in my attic and a tricep bar fit across it.

The OP sounds like they have a chinning bar so can use that.

Do the Japanese have a culture that they will not buy second hand stuff? if so you might be able to get used plates dirt cheap.