Oki dokey, First off, I have to say, I've never really lifted weights in any sort of 'serious' way. I've had a few weights lying around at my in-laws, and I've recently picked them up and brought them home. I've started working on a little program of bench press, squats and curls. The weight I'm lifting is pitiful, but it's making me work - so I'm working on the assumption that it's something I really need to work on. I'm lifting Press - 26.8kg Squat - 26.8kg Curl - 24.6kg So yeah, I'm pitiful. I'm planning on getting some more weight discs as I get stronger, so hopefully I'll be able to increase the weight as I can deal with it. I've looked at 100 Consecutive Pushups challenge before, and basically I'm using this program for my attempts at weight work, rather than just trying to lift without any real objective... Thoughts? Encouragements? Ridicule? Anything??
Is that 100 pushup thing the iphone app? If you are limited by your weights then see how you go with more. Technique can alter things surprisingly too. When I used to lift a lot of weights I think the method that worked for me most was called "matrix" or "pyramid" training. (something like that". Was a huge book from a library that was a good strength test in itself! I find too much weight lifting these days hampers my training though.
I don't have an iphone but I can send text messages and make calls The weights I have at the moment are working me enough at the moment (which is quite sad - I'm aware that tinkerbell the fairy could lift more than me)...
Flexibilty mostly. I find if I work my arms/shoulders too much I can no longer clasp my hand behind my back when stretching. (as an example) I think with continued weights that may resolve itself (with maybe more stretching too) Feels...restrictive.
I started my little program on Monday: At first, I could do: Bench Press - 13 reps @ 26.8kg Squat - 7 reps @ 26.8kg Curl - 4 reps @ 24.6kg I'm doing three days a week, so today was my second day. On Monday I did: BP - 10, 12, 7, 7, 9+ Squat - 6, 6, 4, 4, 5+ Curl - 2, 3, 2, 2, 3+ Today: BP - 10, 12, 8, 8, 12+ Squat - 6, 8, 6, 6, 7+ Curl - 3, 4, 2, 3, 4+ On Friday I'll be going for: BP - 11, 15, 9 ,9, 13+ Squat - 8, 10, 7, 7, 10+ Curl - 4, 5, 4, 4, 5+
If you really want to get stronger, you'll need to do fewer reps with much heavier weights. I highly recommend buying the book (it has great info on technique): http://startingstrength.com/ or to get you started see here: http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki http://www.startingstrengthtraining.com/workouts/ or you could try Stronglifts: http://stronglifts.com/
Look at Tom Kurz's work. His website is good or Stretching Scientifically. MAP has some very good info too, Van Zandt put some cracking stuff in those threads.
what frodo said. if nothing else, add a pulling movement there (pull-ups, rows), or you're going to ruin your shoulders doing only bench pressing. doing some dynamic qigong-type work (day, baduanjin or yi jin jing) before lifting will also massively help you warm-up and loosen up, and i'd recommend doing some after bench pressing, to stretch the chest and anterior shoulder musculature.
i'd stop curling until you get that squat up! what facilities (weights, track, stones, bricks, tires etc) do you have access to?
Zaad & Princess Haru, I have a grand total of: x2 10kg barbell discs x4 2.3kg barbell discs x4 1.1kg barbell discs These two: x2 Car wheels (tyre and metal wheely thing) FishofDoom: I'm gradually working on pullups in the park where I practice in the mornings (there's a 'fitness trail' with all sorts of bars etc), and I also go through Tim Cartmell's 'Xing Yi Neigong' set, as well as the 9-Circles set I learned from one of my teachers. Like I say, I'm planning on investing in some more kit, but at the moment money is tight so family comes first. Thanks for all the advice so far!
With limited equipment and weights, my advice would be to do some unilateral training (you'll get a bit more bang for your buck out of the lighter weights that way) - split squats, Bulgarian split squats, pistols, single leg Romanian deadlifts, 1 arm rows, landmine presses, suitcase deadlifts, etc
There could be more weight in those tyres/wheels than any of your weights. If you have some scales I would check this out. Plenty of exercises you could adapt with them (if you have the space). Floor press, sandbag type loading, sled towing (with some rope), maybe (though dunno the strength of that ez curl bar) could fix one each end for bumper plates
