At-home exercises

[mtnboy]

As I no longer find myself at college anymore, I don't have free access to a gym. I've thought about getting a membership, but it is too expensive (esp. as I don't have a job right now) and I might be leaving town soon. So I've decided to start doing some home exercises. I've got a "power resistance tube" and jump rope from Gold's Gym, free weights (10-50 lbs) an indoor pool membership, and plenty of places to run. What else should I get that will help me get larger and/or more defined torso and arms?

 

[chrisw87]

-barbell if you don't have it to go with the dumbells.

- A decent bench that can be used as a standard flat bench but also has leg pads to be used as a reclining situp bench.
my local sport store sells them for around $100.

your own body!

 

[birddog7]

Push ups, and pull ups are good upper body exercises too. Core strength exercises are important too. You don't just want to work only your upper body.

I peeked at your gallery, and you look great now. Some muscle toning, and you'll have a body fit for an underwear model! Good luck!

 

[chrisw87]

There are a few of us Jubbers currently losing weight so consider making a progress thread if you like for motivation.

I just completed a good workout in my living room, hopefully good enough to burn some good calories over the next day or so.

2 sets of 8 reps of the following (30 sec rest between exercises, failure on 8th rep)
weights include bar weight.

Deadlift: 120lbs
Deadlift row: 120lbs
Barbell curl: 100lbs
Dumbell front and lateral raises: 40lbs per dumbell.
Squats: 143lbs

*rest for 1 minute, light stretching, water*

Dumbell curls till failure on 30lbs
Hammer curls till failure on 30lbs
*30 sec rest*
2-arm rear tricep extension till failure on 40lbs.
Pushup position plank until failure.

30 sec rest then

*Pushup position plank, moving to a semi squat position then jumping up. Repeating movement as quick as possible for 25 reps.

*Jumping jacks for 25 reps

repeat the above cycle for 5 minutes.

REST!

I don't have much space in my apartment, but that provided a decent workout and enough cardio at the end to get my heart rate up decently high.

 

[mtnboy]

Here are a couple pics I took today, and then I've also posted a link to one of my previous posts. Can you tell if I've actually improved, or do I look the same? Sometimes I think that I've gotten a bit more toned, but then I look again and I look the same as I did a few weeks ago. I don't know if you can actually tell if I've improved, so if anyone has any suggestions on how to take pictures that show improvements better, I'd love to hear them

http://www.justusboys.com/forum/showthread.php?t=363014

 

[KaraBulut]

It looks like you have added a bit more tone. It's diifficult to tell based upon the pictures. If you get a chance, make some pics with your arms relaxed and at your side. That will give a better idea of whether you're making progress.

The other thing that you can do is get a tape measure and track the measurements on your upper arm, shoulders, chest, waist and butt. You'll see progress in the measurements before you'll see it in the pictures.

 

[mtnboy]

How are these?

 

[KaraBulut]

The second set of pics help.

To add more tone and muscle to your upper body, you will need to do more work with weights. Chest press will help add more depth to your back and chest, dumbbell flys will help add more mass to your pecs- particularly the area over your sternum.

You can also use the dumbbells do to some lateral raises to help build your upper arm and deltoids.