Looking for strength training exercises
5
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894 days
ktuominen posted 32 weeks ago.
I'm a big fan of wall sits and step ups. For the wall sit you just support yourself against a wall with your knees bent near a 90 degree angle and hold for anywhere from 30-90 seconds. Rest and repeat for as much as you have in the tank. Increase time as strengthening occurs. Good quad burn.
For step ups, hold those dumbells, find a bench and place one foot on top of the bench. Push up with the foot on the bench and bring the foot that was on the floor up with a knee thrust so you balance on the one foot that began on top of the bench. It's a great thigh/glute strengthener and ankle/foot stablizing exercise. Try not to cheat with the foot that starts on the floor. Lean forward for more quad exercise. 3 sets of 10 is a good place to start.
Then of course there are always Squats. As far as bang for the buck you cannot beat these. Just have someone make sure your form is good so you don't hurt yourself. Lunges with or without weight will also do the trick.
To substitute for lat pull downs good old fashion chin ups with or without assistance as required. Swimming, of course, with focus on a good roll will also get those shoulders/lats. Have fun!
19
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424 days
sccrutch posted 32 weeks ago.
To simulate lat pulldowns, take your resistance band, put the handles in each hand, and wrap a couple of loops around each hand, until it is tight when you lift it over your head with arms fully extended, hands beyond shoulder width. Then pull the hands away from eachother, so that your arms are fully extended sideways, with the band tight across your chest (does that make sense?).
As for leg press.....I would think about walking lunges, with or without dumbells as added weight. Do about three sets of 1 to 1.5 minutes each, and you'll feel it. Also, a few sets of standing broad jumps are an excellent way to build both leg and core strength. Just stand with equal weight on both feet, then use your arms to generate momentum, and jump as far as you can, off both feet, landing on both feet, then repeat about 3 or 4 times.
88
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718 days
deedlit posted 32 weeks ago.
Thanks for the answer :o)
I'm already doing squats, but I like the idea of adding the wall sits and lunges.
As for the lat pull downs, as I need to find an exercise that I would be able to do at home, it's hard for me to find a way to do chin ups. I swim of course, and the lat pull downs exercise I'm looking for is to strengthen the muscles used for swimming.
I'm already doing seated row with the stretch cords, and I've been able to find a door strap for the stretch cords, to try and do the lat pull down that way.
I'm just a bit worried about how much weight (or in that case pull) the door can sustain!
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Caroline
http://aquabike.blogspot.com/
88
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718 days
deedlit posted 32 weeks ago.
sccrutch, thanks for you answer as well, just read it after posting my answer.
These are interesting options, and I think I will vary my workouts and use these as well.
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Caroline
http://aquabike.blogspot.com/
469
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462 days
Socket posted 32 weeks ago.
For chin-ups I have a bar that wedges into a doorway. It is convenient, non-permanent, and is good for pushups (normal ones kill my wrists).
19
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424 days
sccrutch posted 32 weeks ago.
...On that band exercise, I forgot to mention the obvious....do multiple repeats, simulating the pull down. When raising the arms back to the up position, make sure that you maintain at least some degree of tension in the band.
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227 days
Chiflado posted 32 weeks ago.
Or instead of chin ups (in which you hold onto the bar with an underhanded grip.) You can do pull ups (which you hold onto the bar with an overhand grip... they are harder than chin ups.) And about your problem with not having a bar. If your fingers are strong enough (and your door frame is strong enough) you can do them on a door frame (assuiming your door frame has a ledge on top.)
Also if you want a way to work your legs more than just just regular ol' body weight squats, you can do one legged squats (pistols.) Obviously you would be doing lower reps with them, but would have more resistance (with your body weight being on one leg instead of two.) To do a full fledged pistol (going all the way down to where your hams are pressed against your calves) takes some good leg strength and balance.
88
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718 days
deedlit posted 32 weeks ago.
Chiflado wrote:
Or instead of chin ups (in which you hold onto the bar with an underhanded grip.) You can do pull ups (which you hold onto the bar with an overhand grip... they are harder than chin ups.) And about your problem with not having a bar. If your fingers are strong enough (and your door frame is strong enough) you can do them on a door frame (assuiming your door frame has a ledge on top.)
My fingers aren't even strong enough for using a bar...so I can't even imagine being able to hold on to the door frame! I blame arthritis for that hehe
Even though these exercises seem to be a good way to get stronger, I'll have to leave it to others.
For now, at least I'm getting a good workout with pull downs without requiring a too heavy weight.
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Caroline
http://aquabike.blogspot.com/
2337
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1237 days
Triguy98 posted 32 weeks ago.
Push ups, pull ups, dips, lunges, squats. One really doesnt really need anything else.
Life is short. Play hard and get dirty doing it.
427
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345 days
Sully800 posted 32 weeks ago.
Pull ups simulate lat pull down better than chin ups.
36
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227 days
Chiflado posted 32 weeks ago.
Also, take a look at this article... http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0356.htm
Basically they did a study in which they put one group of swimmers on a regimen of weight assisted dips and pull ups and the other group on traditional weight training stuff (both also swam.) The ones on the weight assisted pull ups and dips had some improvement while the traditionally weight trained athletes didn't really improve. (if I understood the article correctly.)
With the right equipment if you can't do regular body weight pull ups and dips, you can do weight assisted ones to help you out in doing the pull ups and dips.
It's January, and a lot of new year "resolutioners" are taking over the tiny gym in my condo's rec center. I guess I don't have the patience to wait for the machines/dumbbells to be available. I've been thinking about it before, but I was not sure with what type of exercises I could replace 2 of my main sets.
I have dumbbells, and a resistance band.
I want to do an equivalent, or as close as possible, to lat pull downs, and leg press...
What should I do? I don't mind having multiple sets to replace them.
Thanks!
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Caroline
http://aquabike.blogspot.com/