Substitute for weightlifting?

[Firiel]

Right now, I'm working out six times a week... cardio on all days and weightlifting on three. Summer's coming up which means I won't have access to my school's gym. Cardio will be no problem for me. I'll be able to run and I'll have access to a swimming pool. I'd like to find a replacement for weightlifting, though. I'd be willing to shell out a little bit of money for a couple of dumbbells, but I really want to find a cheap, effective alternative. I do have a few routines from my track days that are pseudo-weightlifting routines that use body weight instead of free weights. I can use those if nothing better comes up.

 

So, does anyone know of a good alternative to weightlifting?

[guynextdoor]

Invest in some resistance cables.

[mmmd]

resistance cables, body weight exercises.

 

or just find a way to do dips, pullups and pushups and you'll be mostly fine.

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

Well, silly as it may sound, you could use household items to lift weights. Maybe pickle jars for light weights, a jug full of water, something like that?

 

Obviously you'd have to be careful if you didn't know the exact weight, but I'm sure you could find something weighted objects to do reps with!

 

Also, go to garage sales or check craigslist or ebay for cheap used dumbbells, too. I'm sure you can find something super cheap that way. I know they're usually quite pricey.

Hope this helps.

[Cognitive_Canine]

You can buy 2 sets of dumbbells pretty cheaply and do a range of exercises with them.

 

Most of my exercises can be done with a 6 pound weight and a 10 pound weight. Also, ankle or wrists rates while doing cardio is one of the best things you can add to your routine, in my opinion.

[IphigeniaSaysHi]

Also, ankle or wrists rates while doing cardio is one of the best things you can add to your routine, in my opinion.

 

Without a doubt, greatest investments!

[itsallgrand]

You could do super sets/compound sets that requires only one barbell + some weights, and one set of dumbbells.

Many of the exercises use body weight tho and the fact that you are doing all the exercises through w/out stopping, then take a minute break, then do it again.

 

I personally use this as my backup plan to get a strength workout in - because if you are really pressed, you can do it without weights even. You can mix up exercises as you see fit but try to hit certain muscle groups during a session repeatedly.

 

Another option is if you have a medicine ball - you can get a good burn with that.

[Firiel]

Great ideas so far, guys... thanks! I'm thinking about resistance cables right now. They look like they are generally cheaper than dumbbells.

[Brownstone322]

Despite what you wrote, I still recommend a set of dumbbells and an adjustable bench. You can do damn near everything with dumbbells and a bench except maybe lat pull-downs and leg extensions/curls.

 

There are plenty of body-weight exercises, I supose, but I say the dumbbells/bench combo offers huge bang for your buck.

[coldplay.]

define weight lifting... if your looking to sub out Olympic exercises, or dumbells its important to know.

[Firiel]

define weight lifting... if your looking to sub out Olympic exercises, or dumbells its important to know.

 

Not Olympic exercises... I've done various "weight training" routines in the past. It depends on where I'm working out, honestly. I tend to work out in my school's fitness center because it's open early in the morning. So there I use mostly dumbbells because that's what they have there... some machines as well. This past summer, I worked out at a place that had free weights so I did more of the typical bench, squat, and cleans. I've also done routines that use body weight.

 

The reason I don't want to invest a lot of money is because I hope to get a job lifeguarding at a local YMCA when I move in the fall. Then I'd have access to a weight room again. Also, with my current lifts, I use as light as 8lb dumbbells to as heavy as 25-30lb dumbbells... but as I'll have to revamp my lifting schedule anyway, I might as well revamp it to cut down on the amount of dumbbells I use.

[jsudz2430]

doing different variations of simple body weight exercises can really help too. That way you're not working the same muscle in the same fashion each time. Pushups, situps, pullups if you get a pull up bar, google pushup variations and the same for the situps and pullups and see what you come up with.

[coldplay.]

Ya i didnt expect that you'd be doing the straight up power lifting stuff, but hey its good to ask before giving advice. You could invest in a weighted medicine ball and do all sorts of exercises, but basically that can be subbed with any weighted object, the benefit of that is that it would develop more lean muscle compared to bulk. The issue you'd run into is with the cost of buying basic lifting equipment, like for example a weighted rope, weighted ankle bands for running, a kettle bell or medicine ball, you could pay for an entire summer at planet fitness with full equipement as its only like 9 dollars a month.

 

I agree with resistance bands though, because they have the best range of motion, so the muscles u will develop will be even more defined, probably the cheapest method you can use too!