beginner strength training?

[1aphy]

I want to start gaining strength and muscle, but I can't afford a gym membership or weights. What kind of excercises can I do at home and outside that don't require weights and build strength?

I'm not too concerned about gaining size. A bit of weight is okay, but mainly I just want to have more strength, endurance, and energy. So far all I do is pushups, situps, squats, and go for walks. What else can I do?

[Chantilly Bunny]

Dips, chin-ups, inverse rows, lunges, running, burpees, planks, etc.

You can do a search on Google, I assume, for body weight exercises.
Most do not require equipment.

[Keynir]

Procrastination is..

There are also complete training programs based on makeshift equipment. A stack of heavy books, a log, perhaps some stones, etc. Some regions are hard to get to without equipment (at least I've never found body-weight exercises for shoulders, but it could be just me.)

.. the art of keeping up with yesterday.

[Viking Josh]

Keynir

Procrastination is..

There are also complete training programs based on makeshift equipment. A stack of heavy books, a log, perhaps some stones, etc. Some regions are hard to get to without equipment (at least I've never found body-weight exercises for shoulders, but it could be just me.)

.. the art of keeping up with yesterday.

handstand pushups.

[Keynir]

Viking Josh

Keynir

Procrastination is..

There are also complete training programs based on makeshift equipment. A stack of heavy books, a log, perhaps some stones, etc. Some regions are hard to get to without equipment (at least I've never found body-weight exercises for shoulders, but it could be just me.)

.. the art of keeping up with yesterday.

handstand pushups.

Procrastination is..

I never thought of those.. Granted, I could never pull them off even if I tried.. Shoulder exercises have always been sort of my kryptonite.

Nice picture in your sig though. :3

.. the art of keeping up with yesterday.

[Ryuto Nagi]

Maybe you should be more specific of the type of strength you mean.

There's endurance-type strength which is what long distance athletes train for.
They use lighter weights but do many reps (between 15-25) and they tend to develop a more toned lean shape like Lance Armstrong.
This might work better for you seeing that you don't have access to a gym or heavy weights.

And then there's power-type strength that sprinters like Usain Bolt and powerlifters train for.
They use heavier weights and do less reps (between 3-8 ) but they tend to be a little more bulky (especially when you train more on the 8 rep range)


For power-type strength, maybe you could check out Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe which has an excellent strength training program for beginners

There's also a thread in the bodybuilding.com forums that gives an outline of the program in the book just in case you can't afford to buy it.

The only thing is that you will need a barbell to do them sad Maybe you could save up and at least get the bar alone? You can get good bargains if you look about on craig's list.
But both the book and the thread are still good reads because of the important principles they entail.
I don't mean to advert or anything, Gaia.



But in terms of bodyweight exercises for strength, here's something I came up with. It's something like circuit training.
Squats: 20 reps
Pushups: until just before failure
Pullups/chin ups: until just before failure
Situps/crunches: 20 reps
Seated Press: until just before failure
(use heavy books or something for the resistance)

Then take a 5-7 minute break (use it to stretch and for rehydration) and repeat the exercises in the order you see them.
By the end of the exercise day, you should have repeated all exercises 3 times.


You can probably do this 2-3 times a week but if you do, make sure you get enough rest. You can use the rest days for light-moderate cardio (active recovery)
Example-
Mon: exercise
Tue: rest
Wed: exercise
Thu: rest
Fri: exercise
Sat & Sun: rest

[awesome 5]

Push-ups, chin-ups, dips other forms of calisthenics.

It requires some equipment, such as a bar or two chairs with weights in them, but you should be fine. 3nodding

[Kaelnarae]

Convict Conditioning

Get a .pdf of this or something.

[Sunshine Lollipops Luv]

What you are doing is good. Maybe try to invest in some freeweights at a weight that is comfortable for you. Do not strain yourself! That will get you nowhere. Though with ab work do other types of abs such as bicycles and such. Your body may get used to it if you do the same thing over and over again. Running is something that is crucial. With freeweights bicep curls are good and shoulder press.
Find a sturdy chair and at the edge do tricep dips.
http://exercise.about.com/od/exerciseworkouts/ss/tricepexercises_4.htm

[Followed By Ghosts]

There is only so much you can achieve doing body weight exercises. But you still can. Doing different variants of push ups (wide, normal, diamond) work out your chest and tri. Depending which way you are facing dips can target either your chest or tri. So much you can do.