Good equiptment for home?

[ShammyHam]

I can only work out at home till im older and I wanna start now so as of now all I got are dumbbells and a pull up bar, What else can I get that is not expensive and can fit inside my house lol.

[ProtienandIron]

I can only work out at home till im older and I wanna start now so as of now all I got are dumbbells and a pull up bar, What else can I get that is not expensive and can fit inside my house lol.

Read the stickies, all of the information you need is contained within.

[americandream11]

I can only work out at home till im older and I wanna start now so as of now all I got are dumbbells and a pull up bar, What else can I get that is not expensive and can fit inside my house lol.

You need a curl bar.

Bench (w/ barbell - optional)
Double end striking bag (or some other kind of punching bag with gloves)
Jump rope

Make sure you stretch real good and warm-up before you workout.

[cthulhupun]

You need a curl bar.

Bench (w/ barbell - optional)
Double end striking bag (or some other kind of punching bag with gloves)
Jump rope

Make sure you stretch real good and warm-up before you workout.

Actually, you don't need any of that stuff. You don't really need a curl bar if you have dumbbells. You don't have to have a bench, you can just do standing presses (although you could keep an eye out for a cheap bench on Craigslist). A striking bag is really unneeded. I wouldn't even put it as optional equipment, muchless put it as something someone with limited resources would want. A jump rope might be good for cardio as it's cheap and can be done indoors. If you don't want to jump-rope, you can always just go and run outside for your cardio.

If you have spinlock dumbbells, you'll probably need more 10's for things like squats and deadlifts, but you can get in pretty good shape with nothing but dumbbells and a pull-up bar.

[KBKB]

Actually, you don't need any of that stuff. You don't really need a curl bar if you have dumbbells. You don't have to have a bench, you can just do standing presses (although you could keep an eye out for a cheap bench on Craigslist). A striking bag is really unneeded. I wouldn't even put it as optional equipment, muchless put it as something someone with limited resources would want. A jump rope might be good for cardio as it's cheap and can be done indoors. If you don't want to jump-rope, you can always just go and run outside for your cardio.

If you have spinlock dumbbells, you'll probably need more 10's for things like squats and deadlifts, but you can get in pretty good shape with nothing but dumbbells and a pull-up bar.

^^^
Good advice here.

[americandream11]

Actually, you don't need any of that stuff. You don't really need a curl bar if you have dumbbells. You don't have to have a bench, you can just do standing presses (although you could keep an eye out for a cheap bench on Craigslist). A striking bag is really unneeded. I wouldn't even put it as optional equipment, muchless put it as something someone with limited resources would want. A jump rope might be good for cardio as it's cheap and can be done indoors. If you don't want to jump-rope, you can always just go and run outside for your cardio.

If you have spinlock dumbbells, you'll probably need more 10's for things like squats and deadlifts, but you can get in pretty good shape with nothing but dumbbells and a pull-up bar.

Well duh. You don't need any weights, bench or anything to do any exercise you want to do. However, that is not the point in this forum. This is about useful workout equipment. You don't need any weights or anything to get a good workout for your body but most of us find it useful.

[ShammyHam]

I do have a sort of wierd bench sort of thing my dad made where we can sit on, but its not wide and I can lie on it with my feet on the ground and put my elbows all the way down. Does that count?

Also can I bench with dumbbells? (I have 2 10LB's, Not spinlock)

[daniel327]

This is about useful workout equipment.

I agree.

Therefore, we would all find your contributions beneficial if you actually provided some information pertaining to useful equipment.

For a beginner, with limited funds and space, a curl bar is hardly a priority.

And a striking bag? Dude, you've been watching too much UFC.

Op, if you want to build a home gym, I'd suggest you try to find a decent utility bench on craiglist as your next addition.

Also, like cthulhupun suggested, procure some more weight plates to load up your dumbbells.

Edit: Just saw your post. You can work chest and shoulders by placing your feet on your weird bench sort of thing and doing pushup variations.

Yes, you can bench with dumbbells, but 10lb will become too light fairly quickly.

[Skidmarx]

I can only work out at home till im older and I wanna start now

Are you really 27? Sound more like 13.

[Vermonter]

Are you really 27? Sound more like 13.

You are reading his post count.

[Vermonter]

There have been more threads on this topic than I can count very recently.

Feel free to skip down to the >>> arrows if you want to avoid a rant that has been brewing in my head for a while now.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The problem with properly answering this question is that we really don't know your situation.

- How old are you? How long have you been training? Are you overweight but strong, underweight but athletic? Tell us about yourself.
- What are you primary goals? Do you want to train for athleticism or do you want to simply put on some muscle?
- How much space do you have available? How long do you plan to live in your current circumstance? Is being able to relocate (or sell off) your equipment a factor?
- What is your budget?
...etc

There are people who have "Home" gyms that make professional fitness centers look like barns. There are people with barns who are in better shape than those who go to expensive fitness centers.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; it isn't your equipment that makes you better, it is what you do with it that does. Your body only registers that you showed up and did work. It doesn't care what you lifted.

Understanding this, you have a world of improvisation available to you. Need cardio? Run down to a local park. At that park do some dips, one-arm pull-ups, leg lifts / levers, one arm push-ups, one legged squats, bridges, one-arm rows, handstand push-ups.... Oh, you can't do all of those exercises? Good. That's what progression is for. Start with an easier exercise and progress until you are strong enough to do the advanced exercises. Find a good program you can commit to and pay at least as much attention to your weaknesses as your strengths. You may think it is way super cool to do arm curls but if you can't even press 50 pounds overhead it doesn't matter how cool your biceps look. It doesn't matter how big your pectoral titties are if you neglect your back and injure yourself.

The only equipment you need is a healthy diet, lots of water, and discipline. Lacking discipline, try to develop some type of passion for the activity. If you are doing it for a reason your feel strongly about (something other than 6 pack abs) you won't need to worry about "motivation", it will just be something you DO as much as you can and with as much effort as you can because it MEANS SOMETHING TO YOU.

I know this is a "bodybuilding" forum, but the best bodybuilders don't just want to be pretty, they want to be excellent.

Strong men and women have built tremendous physiques simply doing what they have to do to survive.

I suspect your survival needs are well met living with your parents, so all you need to do is figure out what you want to do, decide to do it, and stick with it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Most people here would recommend a home gym that uses free weights so that you can do a full-body workout which trains the body to move the weight itself, in patterns that are natural for the body and don't strain the joints.

Barbell work allows for a variety of "Olympic" style lifts (Dead lifts, Squats, Overhead Press / clean / jerk, Bench press) that can advance relatively quickly to decent levels of resistance. A book by Mark Rippetoe titled, "Starting Strength" illustrates the use of the barbell along with a typical program for progression that is very popular and effective. The author also is very knowledgeable about proper form and technique, so it is a great primer on barbell work.
You will eventually want a power rack to provide safety when doing heavy squats and presses with a barbell. Power racks also provide additional benefits such as having a bar for pull-ups, or hanging a suspension trainer.

Dumbbell work is similar to barbell work, but of course it is more unilateral. A set of adjustable dumbbells and a bench take up less room and can be relocated easier than an Olympic set of plates, a barbell, a power rack, and a bench. You also can't lift as much weight with them as you can with a barbell. All the same, they are a great free weight tool and also allow you to do a lot of more isolated muscle movements (lateral raises, etc).

I would guess that you would benefit greatly by starting out with either, or both of these.
Again, it really depends on your situation and goals.

[ShammyHam]

There have been more threads on this topic than I can count very recently.

Feel free to skip down to the >>> arrows if you want to avoid a rant that has been brewing in my head for a while now.
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The problem with properly answering this question is that we really don't know your situation.

- How old are you? How long have you been training? Are you overweight but strong, underweight but athletic? Tell us about yourself.
- What are you primary goals? Do you want to train for athleticism or do you want to simply put on some muscle?
- How much space do you have available? How long do you plan to live in your current circumstance? Is being able to relocate (or sell off) your equipment a factor?
- What is your budget?
...etc

There are people who have "Home" gyms that make professional fitness centers look like barns. There are people with barns who are in better shape than those who go to expensive fitness centers.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again; it isn't your equipment that makes you better, it is what you do with it that does. Your body only registers that you showed up and did work. It doesn't care what you lifted.

Understanding this, you have a world of improvisation available to you. Need cardio? Run down to a local park. At that park do some dips, one-arm pull-ups, leg lifts / levers, one arm push-ups, one legged squats, bridges, one-arm rows, handstand push-ups.... Oh, you can't do all of those exercises? Good. That's what progression is for. Start with an easier exercise and progress until you are strong enough to do the advanced exercises. Find a good program you can commit to and pay at least as much attention to your weaknesses as your strengths. You may think it is way super cool to do arm curls but if you can't even press 50 pounds overhead it doesn't matter how cool your biceps look. It doesn't matter how big your pectoral titties are if you neglect your back and injure yourself.

The only equipment you need is a healthy diet, lots of water, and discipline. Lacking discipline, try to develop some type of passion for the activity. If you are doing it for a reason your feel strongly about (something other than 6 pack abs) you won't need to worry about "motivation", it will just be something you DO as much as you can and with as much effort as you can because it MEANS SOMETHING TO YOU.

I know this is a "bodybuilding" forum, but the best bodybuilders don't just want to be pretty, they want to be excellent.

Strong men and women have built tremendous physiques simply doing what they have to do to survive.

I suspect your survival needs are well met living with your parents, so all you need to do is figure out what you want to do, decide to do it, and stick with it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Most people here would recommend a home gym that uses free weights so that you can do a full-body workout which trains the body to move the weight itself, in patterns that are natural for the body and don't strain the joints.

Barbell work allows for a variety of "Olympic" style lifts (Dead lifts, Squats, Overhead Press / clean / jerk, Bench press) that can advance relatively quickly to decent levels of resistance. A book by Mark Rippetoe titled, "Starting Strength" illustrates the use of the barbell along with a typical program for progression that is very popular and effective. The author also is very knowledgeable about proper form and technique, so it is a great primer on barbell work.
You will eventually want a power rack to provide safety when doing heavy squats and presses with a barbell. Power racks also provide additional benefits such as having a bar for pull-ups, or hanging a suspension trainer.

Dumbbell work is similar to barbell work, but of course it is more unilateral. A set of adjustable dumbbells and a bench take up less room and can be relocated easier than an Olympic set of plates, a barbell, a power rack, and a bench. You also can't lift as much weight with them as you can with a barbell. All the same, they are a great free weight tool and also allow you to do a lot of more isolated muscle movements (lateral raises, etc).

I would guess that you would benefit greatly by starting out with either, or both of these.
Again, it really depends on your situation and goals.

Thank you for all that, And to answer ur question, I am 15, and just started training a week or so ago. I am 110-115 pounds and is 5"10 I am not really strong but i am strong enough to do a couple of curls with 10 pound dumbbells
I am simply trying to get Big but learn, I have been called stick and all that since i'm so tall and skinny but I want to look big and fill up my shirt atleast (lol) and have some visible learn muscle. I am also at I think around 9-10.5% body fat. Fat is not really visible but chest is a little pointed out (very little only visible from side) and you can barely see my abs if I flex. I have very limited amount of space. Not enough space for big equiptment and my budged is around 100-250$

[Keetman]

Thank you for all that, And to answer ur question, I am 15, and just started training a week or so ago. I am 110-115 pounds and is 5"10 I am not really strong but i am strong enough to do a couple of curls with 10 pound dumbbells
I am simply trying to get Big but learn, I have been called stick and all that since i'm so tall and skinny but I want to look big and fill up my shirt atleast (lol) and have some visible learn muscle. I am also at I think around 9-10.5% body fat. Fat is not really visible but chest is a little pointed out (very little only visible from side) and you can barely see my abs if I flex. I have very limited amount of space. Not enough space for big equiptment and my budged is around 100-250$

I'm not sure where to start with this..... but I would suggest eating, a lot.

I'm 2" shorter than you and the lowest I could get to in highschool at the peak of wrestling season was about 134lbs.....and I looked really thin. I can't imagine how thin you must look if you're 110lbs at 5'10".

Eat son, eat!

There is no way around this....if you want to get bigger, you have to eat.....if your metabolism is sky high, you'll have to eat ridiculous amounts of food. If you want to get bigger and not be fat...you'll have to eat ridiculous amounts of food and lift. When I say lift, I ain't talking about 10lb dumbbells. Sure, that's all you can lift now...but if you want to get bigger, you're gonna have to keep at it and if you keep at it, you're going to need more weights.

No way around this....10lb dbs WILL not get you huge, even if you do a million reps 6 times a day.

Get "Starting Strength" and figure out a way to get to lifting heavy stuff and putting it back down....then lifting it again.

You're age and your metabolism are going to keep you where you are at unless you decided that's not where you want to be.


There is a guy here named JFindon....he's in his early 20's. He weighs about 215, but was up to 235 and he's your height. He started at around 130lbs or so a few years ago. His doctors told him he'd never be big. He's a bit stubborn, so after he kicked the doctor in the shin....he set out to prove him wrong and he did. Thing is, it took a lot of work and determination, but he did it. He benches well over 300lbs, and I thinkg his deads are over 500lbs....but I forget; his numbers are scary though for a guy that weighed 130lbs a few years ago.

Let me repeat this..... there is no short cut, your body isn't going to want to cooperate.... you'll have to make it do what you want or you'll continue to be thin. You may get stronger, but you'll be thin and strong!

[Vermonter]

Thank you for all that, And to answer ur question, I am 15, and just started training a week or so ago. I am 110-115 pounds and is 5"10 I am not really strong but i am strong enough to do a couple of curls with 10 pound dumbbells
I am simply trying to get Big but learn, I have been called stick and all that since i'm so tall and skinny but I want to look big and fill up my shirt atleast (lol) and have some visible learn muscle. I am also at I think around 9-10.5% body fat. Fat is not really visible but chest is a little pointed out (very little only visible from side) and you can barely see my abs if I flex. I have very limited amount of space. Not enough space for big equiptment and my budged is around 100-250$

Excellent! Well, let me tell you this: You have a great, great opportunity. It doesn't matter how strong you are now. Let me repeat that. IT DOES NOT F-ING MATTER HOW STRONG YOU ARE NOW. You are starting to benefit for the purest most effective influx of hormones money can't buy and if you put in the time and effort you are going to transform radically. You just need to eat well, rest well, and keep at it.

Given your situation, I'd get a set of dumbbells and a bench for home, and make use of the weight room at school for barbell work. That way you'll have a spotter and support for heavier stuff, and won't need much space at home. It sounds like you could make good progress right now just with what you've got and some more weight for the dbs.

[KBKB]

I have very limited amount of space. Not enough space for big equiptment and my budged is around 100-250$

Given your space constraints and budget, I think it makes sense to stick with dumbbells. But you'll need much bigger dumbbells than the ones you have. Get some dumbbell handles upon which you can put at least 100lbs per dumbbell. Get as many plates as you can afford now and purchase more as you get stronger.

Focus on lifts other than curls, though it's okay to do curls too. Use those heavy dumbbells for deadlifts, goblet squats, and farmer carries. Get a strap or a belt and hang a dumbbell from your waist for weighted pull-ups. Use your dumbbells for overhead presses and, if you can find something to use as a bench, for bench press too. Use your dumbbells for doing rows. There are a lot of other movements you can do too, but you'll get the most bang for your buck by doing compound movements with heavy weight. The ones I mentioned will provide a good starting point.

[ShammyHam]

I'm not sure where to start with this..... but I would suggest eating, a lot.

I'm 2" shorter than you and the lowest I could get to in highschool at the peak of wrestling season was about 134lbs.....and I looked really thin. I can't imagine how thin you must look if you're 110lbs at 5'10".

Eat son, eat!

There is no way around this....if you want to get bigger, you have to eat.....if your metabolism is sky high, you'll have to eat ridiculous amounts of food. If you want to get bigger and not be fat...you'll have to eat ridiculous amounts of food and lift. When I say lift, I ain't talking about 10lb dumbbells. Sure, that's all you can lift now...but if you want to get bigger, you're gonna have to keep at it and if you keep at it, you're going to need more weights.

No way around this....10lb dbs WILL not get you huge, even if you do a million reps 6 times a day.

Get "Starting Strength" and figure out a way to get to lifting heavy stuff and putting it back down....then lifting it again.

You're age and your metabolism are going to keep you where you are at unless you decided that's not where you want to be.


There is a guy here named JFindon....he's in his early 20's. He weighs about 215, but was up to 235 and he's your height. He started at around 130lbs or so a few years ago. His doctors told him he'd never be big. He's a bit stubborn, so after he kicked the doctor in the shin....he set out to prove him wrong and he did. Thing is, it took a lot of work and determination, but he did it. He benches well over 300lbs, and I thinkg his deads are over 500lbs....but I forget; his numbers are scary though for a guy that weighed 130lbs a few years ago.

Let me repeat this..... there is no short cut, your body isn't going to want to cooperate.... you'll have to make it do what you want or you'll continue to be thin. You may get stronger, but you'll be thin and strong!

Wow, that's just amazing.. Makes me want to go and start lifting rite now lmao. My metabolism is very high and I have seen that I should be "Bulking" Correct? So should I be eating meals with lots of calories or what? And if yes wouldnt fast food be a good thing since it has so much calories? Probabley not. Also I can get my dad to get me bigger dumbbells. What weight dumbbells do you sujjest I get? I can do curls with the 10 pounders and do Squats maybe with a new 25 or 30 Pound dumbbell? I can squat 20 pounds I know that because I do squats with my two 10 pound db's at home.

Excellent! Well, let me tell you this: You have a great, great opportunity. It doesn't matter how strong you are now. Let me repeat that. IT DOES NOT F-ING MATTER HOW STRONG YOU ARE NOW. You are starting to benefit for the purest most effective influx of hormones money can't buy and if you put in the time and effort you are going to transform radically. You just need to eat well, rest well, and keep at it.

Given your situation, I'd get a set of dumbbells and a bench for home, and make use of the weight room at school for barbell work. That way you'll have a spotter and support for heavier stuff, and won't need much space at home. It sounds like you could make good progress right now just with what you've got and some more weight for the dbs.

Alright thanks. With the bench I have I can do some exercises, (homemade gym) Would I need to do cardio or just lift and eat? Also what dumbbells do you sujjest I get, like for the weight? So I can do dumbbell chest exercises and dumbbell squats and such. Also should I be working out every day except saturday or sunday? I never feel sore the next day after lifting. Does that mean I need to lift heavier? I can do a good 15 clean rep's of dumbbell curl's does that mean I should get heavier dumbbell's. Also can you sujjest some exercises for my chest and such?


Another thing is my upper body needs the msot work, My lower body needs work but since I did swimming a couple of months ago my legs are pretty strong and thick (still very boney around knee area ): ) So can you sujjest me a routine also?


Thanks so much to all of you!

[ShammyHam]

Given your space constraints and budget, I think it makes sense to stick with dumbbells. But you'll need much bigger dumbbells than the ones you have. Get some dumbbell handles upon which you can put at least 100lbs per dumbbell. Get as many plates as you can afford now and purchase more as you get stronger.

Focus on lifts other than curls, though it's okay to do curls too. Use those heavy dumbbells for deadlifts, goblet squats, and farmer carries. Get a strap or a belt and hang a dumbbell from your waist for weighted pull-ups. Use your dumbbells for overhead presses and, if you can find something to use as a bench, for bench press too. Use your dumbbells for doing rows. There are a lot of other movements you can do too, but you'll get the most bang for your buck by doing compound movements with heavy weight. The ones I mentioned will provide a good starting point.

Alright thanks, Are compound movements better than doing specific movement's such as dumbbell kick back for just to work the tri's and such?




Another thing is, I really can't do more than one Pull up. I can only do chin up's and I can do about 8-10. And the other thing is I can do around 5-10 push up's which prolly says something >_< And what kind of weight's would you sujjest I get, I only have 2 10pound db's as of now.

[KBKB]

Alright thanks, Are compound movements better than doing specific movement's such as dumbbell kick back for just to work the tri's and such?

At the stage that you're at, yes. Overhead press and bench press will work the triceps and a lot of other muscles too. At this point in your muscular development, you don't really need to focus on isolation.

Another thing is, I really can't do more than one Pull up. I can only do chin up's and I can do about 8-10. And the other thing is I can do around 5-10 push up's which prolly says something >_< And what kind of weight's would you sujjest I get, I only have 2 10pound db's as of now.

For pull-ups.... do your one pull-up and then do some more using a chair to cheat on the way up. On the way down, lower yourself as slowly as you can without help from the chair. When you get to the point where you can do three unassisted pull-ups, start doing sets of three (or however many you can do) until you reach 30 reps total. When you get to the point where you can do three sets of ten, start adding weight.

With regard to dumbbells, get some adjustable ones with handles long enough to hold a lot of weight. I suggested 100+ lbs per dumbbell in my earlier post and I'm still sticking to that recommendation. If you train hard, you should get to the point where you'll be able to easily squat or deadlift 200lbs.

See The Dumbbell Thread for information on various types of dumbbells. The spinlock style of dumbbell will probably among the most affordable, yet will still be safe too.

[ShammyHam]

At the stage that you're at, yes. Overhead press and bench press will work the triceps and a lot of other muscles too. At this point in your muscular development, you don't really need to focus on isolation.



For pull-ups.... do your one pull-up and then do some more using a chair to cheat on the way up. On the way down, lower yourself as slowly as you can without help from the chair. When you get to the point where you can do three unassisted pull-ups, start doing sets of three (or however many you can do) until you reach 30 reps total. When you get to the point where you can do three sets of ten, start adding weight.

With regard to dumbbells, get some adjustable ones with handles long enough to hold a lot of weight. I suggested 100+ lbs per dumbbell in my earlier post and I'm still sticking to that recommendation. If you train hard, you should get to the point where you'll be able to easily squat or deadlift 200lbs.

See The Dumbbell Thread[/url] for information on various types of dumbbells. The spinlock style of dumbbell will probably among the most affordable, yet will still be safe too.

Okay thank's with the info I have collected can you tell me if this is all i must do.

I have seen that I must "Bulk" and "Cut" later so I must eat 200-500 more than the calories i need, from this website i did the math and found these results

2780 cals in total
150g protein (600 cals)
77g fat (695 cals)
371g carb's (1485 cals)

Next I should be doing compound exercises, such as Squats, Benching, Deadlifting (all with dumbbells, Will buy heavier ones soon) and what other exercises do you sujest, also how often should I be training and how long, every other day maybe?

Also should I be doing cardio to compensate for the extra calories going into my body? Or is that going to be burned off because of the lifting?

That is all the information I have collected. Am I missing anything or if I follow that will be get in shape?

[cthulhupun]

I'd do Bulgarian Split Squats (where your back foot is on your bench or a chair) because you can use less weight to get the same effect. I'd also do the single leg deadlifts, for the same reason. You might try working up to weighted pistols instead of squats, but those are much tougher balance-wise.

For food:
http://www.davedraper.com/pmwiki/pmw...ldingOnABudget
http://www.ironmanmagazine.com/artic...n-A-Budget.pdf

[ShammyHam]

I'd do Bulgarian Split Squats (where your back foot is on your bench or a chair) because you can use less weight to get the same effect. I'd also do the single leg deadlifts, for the same reason. You might try working up to weighted pistols instead of squats, but those are much tougher balance-wise.

For food:

Okay thanks! I will read those two. By the way, When can I start doing isolation exercises?

And this question is something still I wonder. When bulking what am i looking for? I'm 110-115lbs so do i aim for 130lbs or what?

[Keetman]

.....Also should I be doing cardio to compensate for the extra calories going into my body? Or is that going to be burned off because of the lifting?......

I'm not altogether knowledgeable on the bulks & cuts....but the short answer is no. If you need endurance, you'll want to do cardio....but you can get endurance increases from lifting too and the more cardio you do, the more you'll have to eat.

The point of eating in excess of your maintenance calories is to "bulk"....why would you want to burn them up? You don't want to get fat....that's why you don't eat at an excess of say 5000 calories of maintenance. If you burned more calories than you ate....regardless of how you burn them (daily activities, cardio, weight lifting)....your body will break down both muscle and fat and in your case there isn't much fat to begin with....so guess where its going to get its calories if you don't bring extra in?

Its a balancing act. You're not going to get all your answers in a thread in the equipment section. Peruse the exercise, powerlifting, and nutrition sections as well. Go to other internet sources and also....buy "starting strength". Its a $30 book and well worth it. You won't be able to do everything in it because of your equipment limitations. It'll help you understand what you're doing though. There are other books you can get as well. There are in general a lot of good resources available.....far more than when I was a kid....use them.


Ross Enamait
Bill Pearl
Mark Rippetoe

These are some names (among many) that will help you reach your goals if you'll but search out their writings and follow them.

[rlundregan]

I'm not particularly knowledgeable about the ins and outs of good nutrition either. However, I have heard that drinking a half gallon or a gallon of mik per day does great things for a growing body. Lots of protein to support those growing muscles, but also lots of other things like Insulin-like Growth Factor and Human Growth Hormone that will help you to get big. Keep it low fat so you don't end up with cholesterol issues like us older guys, but drink lots of milk every day.

KBKB, Vermonter, Cthulplan, Keetman, and the other guys here are giving you great advice--they always have good information!

Also, there is a book called "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe (I think someone above already mentioned it). It may be the best piece of equipment that you could ever have. Put it on your Christmas list! He also has a website called Starting Strength. Between that and this site, there is a ton of helpful stuff for you.

[daniel327]

Keep it low fat so you don't end up with cholesterol issues like us older guys, but drink lots of milk every day.

Umm, no. Consuming animal fat will not raise your serum cholestrol.

It will, however, increase satiety, improve cell function and support muscle growth.

[KBKB]

By the way, When can I start doing isolation exercises?

You can do them whenever you want. You'll probably be like most guys who're starting out and want to do a lot of curls for the biceps. Go ahead and do them. (I did when I was younger, but I don't anymore.)

But don't focus on them alone. In fact, if you decide to do them, save them for the end of your workout. You'll be working your biceps when you're doing chin ups and pull ups. You'll be working your triceps when you're doing overhead presses, bench presses, and push ups. If you do these exercises, you won't really need to do isolation work for the arms.

They guys who really benefit from isolation movements are bodybuilders. They're attempting to sculpt their body and will do isolation movements for certain areas that need more work. But, I guarantee you that most of them spend a lot of time doing compound movements too.

Don't forget about your legs and lower body. Doing squats and deadlifts will actually help to develop your upper body too. If you do them with dumbbells, you'll develop a strong grip. Your traps and back will also develop. Check out this wikipedia article which lists the muscles used in the deadlift. My jaw dropped the first time I saw that list.

[jackbravo]

A book by Mark Rippetoe titled, "Starting Strength" illustrates the use of the barbell along with a typical program for progression that is very popular and effective. The author also is very knowledgeable about proper form and technique, so it is a great primer on barbell work.

I'm not sure where to start with this..... but I would suggest eating, a lot.

Get "Starting Strength" and figure out a way to get to lifting heavy stuff and putting it back down....then lifting it again.

Go to other internet sources and also....buy "starting strength". Its a $30 book and well worth it. You won't be able to do everything in it because of your equipment limitations. It'll help you understand what you're doing though.

Also, there is a book called "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe (I think someone above already mentioned it). It may be the best piece of equipment that you could ever have. Put it on your Christmas list! He also has a website called Starting Strength. Between that and this site, there is a ton of helpful stuff for you.

Sir, if I may interject. I think you may have missed the point of the above wall of text. You seem to be the perfect candidate for the starting strength program. Consider focusing on muscle gain by heavy compounds movements, rather than focusing on staying lean and/or isolation exercises, for the next 9-12 months by following the SS program. Best wishes.

[iportal]

I've not read this entire thread but this is how I started off...

I had a fixed weight bench. A few plates, e.g 8no 5kg plates and 4no 2.5kg plates and two dumbell handles.

I was amazed what I could do with that.

The above let me work out at home (I really wasn't a fan of the gym cost and hassle) for 6 months or so and I slowly worked up to what I have now...