Weight training with only light weights

[IReisner]

I've only been at this fitness thing for three weeks, so pretty much clueless.  I have a personal trainer who isn't so good at responding to text messages or I'd be asking him this.  

I kind of want to hide indoors with the freezing weather coming up this weekend (I suspect this won't be the last time) and do my workout at home.  I have an in home elliptical, so cardio isn't the issue, but strength training is.  Some of it (lunges, leg lifts, push ups, etc) are no brainers, but some is a little tricky.

In addition to the no-brainer stuff, he has me doing:
bicep culrs at 10 lbs
tricep extensions at 8 lbs
deadlifts at 18 lbs
lateral pulldowns at 30 lbs
kettleball squats at 18 lbs

I have tiny hand weights.  1 lb, 2 lb, 3 lb, and 5 lb.  None are heavy enough for any of the above.  I also have an abs roller and a chin bar, not that I can do chins, but I can do lateral rows with a towel or stretchy cord or something, and I can hang from it in building up to do chins.

I'm half tempted to just tape two five pounders together to make a ten, etc through the rest, but I'm likely to drop one on my foot or my cat.  I'm also tempted to use the cat for bicep curls.  She's the right weight.

So, given my limited inventory, and the muscle groups I'm supposed to be working, any suggestions?  Either alternative exercises that use the same muscles with what I do have, or changing the number of reps or, well, anything?  See aformentioned clueless.

Also, it it normal for weight not to fluctuate throughout the day? Like first thing in the morning and last thing at night being completely identical?  I've never seen that before though before all I did was Weight Watchers, no exercise aside from really light cardio.

[Heybales]

I hope he is doing the curls and extensions last - because every move that pulls uses the bicep and pushes uses the tricep - and some compound moves would be better use of time then those, and should be done first before tiring out the supporting muscle.

Like bench press, overhead press, bent over row, ect.

Your lat (not lateral) pulldowns are along those lines - uses the biceps to engage the lats.

Pushups are using triceps to engage the pecs.

Anyway, you could increase your pushups to wear out your triceps, and then 5 lbs with more reps may be enough for extensions when done at end of workout.

Same idea with pullups for lats and biceps.

But yeah, kinda maxed out there.

Here is map of muscles - pick the one you need - look at the body weight exercises for it. May be able to improvise. Like 1-legged stuff for lower body.

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

[emili]

You can try using unopened sugar or flour if you have big bags of them - put them in a bag and lift them. Other than that, if its for just a few days, I would work out with my own body weight and not worry about adding weight. You can do pushups, dips, all kinds of planks that really get your muscles engaged. there is so much information out there about how to get the most effective workout - just please use a reliable source. if the author is wearing a bikini while planking- move on to the next article. Jillian Michaels probably has videos on youtube that could give you some ideas.

[terriannne]

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@IReisner wrote:

I'm also tempted to use the cat for bicep curls.  She's the right weight.

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The world's most docile cats demonstrate how they help their human exercise.

Filled water bottle make great impromptu weights too--they're usually shaped to be held, meaning they're a bit better than a couple of smaller weights gaffer-taped together or something 🙂

[too_spicy]

Honestly, you can use anything semi-heavy with a handle to lift weights (think milk or water gallons, laundry baskets with stuff in them, any kind of loaded basket really). All of your weights are still relatively light, so it's not like you need an olympic barbell to do your lifts, so just use what you have around the house. 

The hardest movement is probably going to be your lat pull-down, and I think maybe doing an isometric movement is a good bet there. Basically, use your chin-up bar and tense your muscles like you're trying to do a pull-up, even if you don't go up very far. Of course, don't flex to the point that you injure yourself, just tire those mucles out. Even not doing actual pull-ups can be an awesome workout.

The key thing here is that you won't have your trainer to correct you on form, and depending on what item you use, it might be difficult to use the standard form that you would if you were in the gym. I doubt that you would injure yourself lifting the rX weights, but you still don't want to get into any bad habits with your form. Try to mimic the form that you would use in the gym as best you can, but if you feel like something isn't right, then stop.