Please help with a strength training programme - at home

[susie-q]

I can't get to a gym but I do have (heavy-ish) dumbbells at home and a gym ball. I want to start a strength training program as I am dieting but not quite sure which exercises to do that would benefit me the most in the shortest possible time. 

Can any of you fitness experts please suggest a programme for me? I'd like to do a split routine: Tuesday/Wednesday and Friday/Saturday.

And for other activities, unfortunately, I'm fighting off a flare-up of plantar fasciitis at the moment so not doing any designated long walks but I have been swimming (breaststroke) for 30 minutes a few times a week to try to increase my calorie burn. In my everyday routine plus with a little push I can achieve 10k-12k steps.

I have 43lbs to lose, just starting to accurately log my intake. Trying to average a 850-1000 deficit for a few weeks to get a good start, then plan to drop to -750. My sedentary burn seems to be (according to FitBit) around 2000 (if I only achieve 6k steps and don't exercise ) and I'm pushing for a 2500 goal burn and an eating goal of 1500. Sometimes I only achieve 2200 - 2350, so in that case I don't eat at 1000 deficit, only down to just above my BMR (fitbit estimate at 1470). I am 5'5.5 and weigh 179lbs, female just turned 50.

I'd be really grateful for your workout suggestions!

[Heybales · Accepted solution]

So first, before you do weight bearing exercising or with additional weight on your feet, confirm you have arch inserts to support the load, because right now your plantar should not be in order to heal fastest.

Second - good diet plan, drawing the line in the sand somewhere to stop lower level eating at. You will need to log these exercises manually though to have best estimate of daily burn, because they will be badly underestimated based on just steps. If done at level discussed, heavy for you, they are under Weight Liftig - power lifting. And while the calorie burn may seem low compared to cardio, it's true. But you get a bigger fat burn next 24-36 hrs you would not get from cardio.

That said, 4 x weekly is great, allows split routine, 2 x upper body, 2 x lower body. It can take 30 min.

Compound exercise is best (meaning don't waste time with curls or tricep extensions, eveny single pull or push working bigger muscles will  work those muscles too) to engage the most muscle, and the biggest muscles.

For lower body and light weight available, you may need to do 1 legged routines to have enough weight to be useful.

Depending on time available for a beginner, sets from 2 - 3, and reps from 12-15 are just great. Last rep of last set should be very difficult to maintain proper good form. But don't do the rep if you lose it.

1st set should be about 1/2 the weight as warmup, 10 reps fine.

1-3 min rest between sets, depending on how big the muscle. Bigger is longer.

For how to do exercises with dumbbells, just point to body part being worked and look up the ways it can be done, looking under dumbbell or bodyweight section.

http://www.exrx.net/Lists/WtFemale.html

Lower body

Squats - quads & glutes

Calf raises standing and seated - gastroc & soleus

Deadlift - glutes

Planks front and sides - abs & obs

Straight-leg Deadlift - hamstrings

Upper body

Shoulder press - deltoid

Pull-ups - lats (bar to do those on? may need to do just negatives first, chair up, lower slowly with muscle)

Bench press - pecs

Bent-over Row - back

Upright Row - deltoid

That order mainly switches between push and pull and which side of body is being worked to spread the load out.

[susie-q]

You know, HeyBales, this is the exact perfect reply I was looking for!

I had seen the website from another of your posts but I wasn't sure which exercises to pick (and there were so many) and you have placed them for me in a great order! I don't have a bench but I can do the chest press on my gym ball.

I wasn't sure how to log the activity either, so that is really useful info.

You are so generous with your time and information, and I'm really grateful (and I'm a big fan of all your posts!)

[whome]

@susie-q You can also "vote" for Heybales' post by clicking on the box in the lower right corner of his post, if you find it helpful, and it seems you do.

[susie-q]

Done! (Thanks, I'm new to posting!) 🙂