Weights! Any info appreciated!

ncmc

Hello all, I am a 31 year old female, 5ft 7, about 10 stone weight. I am not overweight, but have noticed in the last year or so that I am carrying my weight around my middle and thighs that I am finding harder than it used to be to shift. I jog 3 times a week, about 4 miles each time and walk about 6-7 times a week (in the morning with my dog and on my non run days). I am trying to eat a bit more healthy and cut out the processed food. I would like to move my workouts up a gear and I have gathered from this forum that weight training is my main man.

Now for a couple of reasons (financial mainly) I can’t go to the gym, so what would people recommend for weights at home? Are dumbbells only good for toning arms, or do they help burn fat all over? I wouldn’t have great upper body strength at the moment, so what weight would people recommend, and any tips for good exercises? Thanks in advance!

DARCHA22

Maybe try this, will only cost you about €50

add this to your walking days and eventually to your jogging days if you want:

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/0706524/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CSport%2Band%2Bleisure%7C14419152/c_2/2%7Ccat_14419152%7CHome%2Bgym%2Bequipment%7C14419293/c_3/3%7Ccat_14419293%7CWeights%2Band%2Bdumbbells%7C14419310.htm


add this to a weight training routine:

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/3024399/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CSport%2Band%2Bleisure%7C14419152/c_2/2%7Ccat_14419152%7CHome%2Bgym%2Bequipment%7C14419293/c_3/3%7Ccat_14419293%7CWeights%2Band%2Bdumbbells%7C14419310.htm


Weight trianing 2-3 days a week for 20mins initially and work up to 30mins per worlout:
Squats, over head press, deadlift, bicep curls, lunges etc.

Go to you tube and look at dumbell routines, theres loads of stuff you can do, as you get more experienced you can invest in heavier weights maybe a few months down the line but this should get you started.

Heres something you can look at to maybe save the time with youtube
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mraz4.htm

ncmc

Thanks for that Darcha22, that dumbell set from Argos, would you recommend I start at the 2.5 kg weight? Would I see any benefit from them?

TommyKnocker

Hi ncmc

Something that you may like to look into is kettlebell training.

There is a place in Dublin that run kettlebell workshops from time to time in either RAW gym or the Bridgefoot St fitness center. I think the price for the ladies KB workshop is around €55 and this includes an 8kg kettlebell to take away with you along with a 40 page booklet which covers the different exercises.

In the workshop itself you will be given instruction in the correct form for the different lifts.

Kettlebells give you a pretty good workout and will help with fat loss and firming up when used used consistantly and coupled with a good clean healthy diet.

You can find more information on the workshops here http://www.buykettlebelldublin.com/workshops If this is something you might be interested in give them a call to find out when their next ladies workshop is on. Also a KB is pretty easy on storage, so not lots of equipment laying around the place

Here is an example of a KB workout that I do (this is kind of advanced, but you could scale it back a little), just to give you an idea of what's involved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRpbM9nzDcM

Also don't neglect bodyweight exercises to help you get into shape. See this youtube video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZslnSxzhJkg

If you Google or search YouTube for bodyweight exercise you will get lots more ideas.

Just a couple of ideas that hopefully help a little.


Best Regards,

M

G86

+1 on the kettlebell training. And for the love of god don't go near those 2.5kg dumbbells, they're too light and it'd be cheaper to buy a bag of spuds.

You'd be starting on at least 8kg with the kettlebell. This vid will give you an idea of what you could do at home with one:

** Edited by B-Builder **

Hi G86

Hope you don't mind me embedding the Vid for you

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZqY07ASxQM

N.B. Just copy the text after the "=" sign from the URL

So your entire URL was [noparse]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZqY07ASxQM[/noparse]

So just cut and paste the 7ZqY07ASxQM in between YouTube tags

i.e. [noparse]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZqY07ASxQM

[/noparse]

** End of Edit **

Zamboni

ncmc wrote: »

Thanks for that Darcha22, that dumbell set from Argos, would you recommend I start at the 2.5 kg weight? Would I see any benefit from them?

You will see no benefit from those tiny Argos things. As Transform would say, your handbag is probably heavier.
Invest in a set of (at least) 50Kgs
http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=30001&catalogId=1500002201&langId=-1&searchTerms=9003204
But then you are talking over €100. Do you have any budget to go off?

If not, do check out B-Builders second youtube video he posted.
It is by a very smart woman called 'Gubernatrix' and she has a super website that promotes womens fitness
http://gubernatrix.co.uk/category/female-training/
Plenty of bodyweight exercise information there.

Scuba Ste

DO NOT run with ankle weights. Your changing the way you run and your going to put more stress on your ankles. If you like running you don't have to give it up in favour of weight training, just up the intensity. Run faster, run longer, time yourself and beat those times.

+1 to the bodyweight training.

ncmc

Thanks for all the replies, the bodyweight link is really interesting, though waaay too advanced for me at the moment, I am embarressed to say I am so puny, I actually cannot do even one press up .

I will put bodyweight into Youtube and see if I get more beginners stuff.

What would be the lightest, yet still effective weight you would recommend? (To the person who suggested 50kg :eek: I thought it was a mis type and you actually meant 5kg!)

DARCHA22

Scuba Ste wrote: »

DO NOT run with ankle weights. Your changing the way you run and your going to put more stress on your ankles. If you like running you don't have to give it up in favour of weight training, just up the intensity. Run faster, run longer, time yourself and beat those times.

+1 to the bodyweight training.

sorry about that, i meant to give a link to wrist weights.

The things i put in my suggestion was for illustration purposes, it is up to the OP to determine what level she wants to start at.

G86

ncmc wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, the bodyweight link is really interesting, though waaay too advanced for me at the moment, I am embarressed to say I am so puny, I actually cannot do even one press up .

I will put bodyweight into Youtube and see if I get more beginners stuff.

What would be the lightest, yet still effective weight you would recommend? (To the person who suggested 50kg :eek: I thought it was a mis type and you actually meant 5kg!)

You'd be surprised at how strong you are I can't see that link (stupid work comp), but I bet you'd be well able for it. You could easily work your way up to 50kg on something like the deadlift in a short period of time. As for the press ups, just do them from your knees to start with. The weight you're lifting is going to depend on what the exercise is...so if you're working out from home you're really going to end up spending a fair amount of get a decent selection. Another thing is that as you're just starting out you'll progress pretty quickly and need heavier weights soon enough.

Is joining a gym definitely not an option at all?

DARCHA22

Zamboni wrote: »

You will see no benefit from those tiny Argos things. As Transform would say, your handbag is probably heavier.
Invest in a set of (at least) 50Kgs
http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=30001&catalogId=1500002201&langId=-1&searchTerms=9003204
But then you are talking over €100. Do you have any budget to go off?

If not, do check out B-Builders second youtube video he posted.
It is by a very smart woman called 'Gubernatrix' and she has a super website that promotes womens fitness
http://gubernatrix.co.uk/category/female-training/
Plenty of bodyweight exercise information there.

well from the op's reply:

" Thanks for all the replies, the bodyweight link is really interesting, though waaay too advanced for me at the moment, I am embarressed to say I am so puny, I actually cannot do even one press up .

I will put bodyweight into Youtube and see if I get more beginners stuff.

What would be the lightest, yet still effective weight you would recommend? (To the person who suggested 50kg I thought it was a mis type and you actually meant 5kg!) "


She wouldnt be jumping into heavy weights so actually she might benefit from startin at low weights.


But if the OP wants to injure herself then go ahead and get really heavy weights but i wouldnt recommend it.

um7y1h83ge06nx

If you serious about using any sort of weights you should look to the future and ensure you'll have the weights when you need them.

The 4.5 kg vinyl dumbbells in one of the links will become redundant pretty quick. If you're nervous about getting the 50kg set mentioned above, at least get something like this:

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/3008243/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CSport+and+leisure%7C14419152/c_2/2%7Ccat_14419152%7CHome+gym+equipment%7C14419293/c_3/3%7Ccat_14419293%7CWeights+and+dumbbells%7C14419310.htm

These iron spinlock dumbbells will give you great flexibility, you could start off with just the bars on their own (1.5kg each) and take it from there.

One of the girls I live with wanted to start weights. She looked at my iron spinlock dumbbell with 20kg on each and was horrified. But I quickly showed her how she could re-configure my set-up and get the weight she wanted.

Transform

all of this can be done from at home plus throw in a few kettlebell exercises and you are sorted

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkhwmRUD3iI

then throw in some core work also -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTvBNEDg_oM

the above are for me tried and tested with sooo many beginner clients so thats what i would recommend

G86

DARCHA22 wrote: »

She wouldnt be jumping into heavy weights so actually she might benefit from startin at low weights.


But if the OP wants to injure herself then go ahead and get really heavy weights but i wouldnt recommend it.

In all fairness, 2.5kg just isn't going to make any difference at all. And 6-8kg IS starting low.

Zamboni

DARCHA22 wrote: »

She wouldnt be jumping into heavy weights so actually she might benefit from startin at low weights.

But if the OP wants to injure herself then go ahead and get really heavy weights but i wouldnt recommend it.

If you consider a 50Kgs set of weights as 'really heavy weights' to a 5'7'', ten stone woman, then we'll just have to disagree.
As G86 mentioned ncmc could easily work up to a 50kgs deadlift in a short space of time.

Magic Eight Ball

Firstly, disregard everything DARCHA22 said!
Some great advice from Transform, B-builder, G8 and Zamboni. I suggest you take it.

DARCHA22

Magic Eight Ball wrote: »

Firstly, disregard everything DARCHA22 said!
Some great advice from Transform, B-builder, G8 and Zamboni. I suggest you take it.

haha!

DARCHA22

dont listen to magic eight ball

this is very good advice

Weight trianing 2-3 days a week for 20mins initially and work up to 30mins per worlout:
Squats, over head press, deadlift, bicep curls, lunges etc.

Go to you tube and look at dumbell routines, theres loads of stuff you can do, as you get more experienced you can invest in heavier weights maybe a few months down the line but this should get you started.

Heres something you can look at to maybe save the time with youtube
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mraz4.htm


So tell me what is wrong with the above, and why, and back it up with some facts!

TommyKnocker

Ok guys, enough of this crap messing already. Let's all keep this thread on topic eh?

If you have something constructive to offer to the OP then post away, but please let's not turn this into a slagging match.


Best Regards,

M

Khannie

B-Builder said crap!

ncmc

Thank you all for the replies. Didn't mean to start a contentious thread!I think I will start with the 8kg kettlebells and try some of the bodyweight exercises (the easier ussy ones!) . Thanks again for all the help!

G86

ncmc wrote: »

Thank you all for the replies. Didn't mean to start a contentious thread!I think I will start with the 8kg kettlebells and try some of the bodyweight exercises (the easier ussy ones!) . Thanks again for all the help!

If you just type kettlebell into youtube you'll find loads to choose from. Also, if you log onto www.crossfit.com and search bodyweight wods you'll find some brilliant short intense workouts you can do at home. Best of luck with it!

Dotcomdolly

I have those York weights & always wondered what weight the bar on it's own was, now I know!

The kettlebell training sounds great. I saw a ladies group training on the beach at bray one Sunday a while back...looked brilliant.

I just started weight training in January and I (5'3, 9,5st) can do bench presses with a 20kg bar so definitely agree to leave the barbie weights to the...barbies!

Good luck, it is a great way to shave inches off. And a great buzz from feeling strong. As a t-shirt said "Strong in the new beautiful"

Sigi

~I suggest you read the articles on http://www.bodybyscience.net/ and http://www.ultimate-exercise.com/.It'll give you a very good understanding of what you need to do.Also theres some videos of workouts.Its also very time effective taking not more than 20 mins a week.

TommyKnocker

Khannie wrote: »

B-Builder said crap!

Well it's allowed in scrabble


M

Transform

DARCHA22 wrote: »

dont listen to magic eight ball

this is very good advice

Weight trianing 2-3 days a week for 20mins initially and work up to 30mins per worlout:
Squats, over head press, deadlift, bicep curls, lunges etc.

Go to you tube and look at dumbell routines, theres loads of stuff you can do, as you get more experienced you can invest in heavier weights maybe a few months down the line but this should get you started.

Heres something you can look at to maybe save the time with youtube
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mraz4.htm


So tell me what is wrong with the above, and why, and back it up with some facts!

just because you put it in block capitals does not make it more correct.

overall no one is disagreeing with - hit the weights but the post you put up calls for over 20 exercises at the intermediate stage which is nuts. The initial beginner program is grand but not my choice.

The original poster should stick to what i posted up as i mentioned this is both do-able, requires little equipment, its expained well and is an easy intro.

Best of luck and just post up what you have done so far