Starting weight training again at 44 ?

[J4CKO]

Used to do weights in my twenties and recently have been feeling really flabby in my top half, legs are ok due to walking and cycling, I am kind of the reverse of when I used to do weights and used to "miss leg day" and had weedy legs but a fairly good top half !

So, I have a cabin in the garden which has enough room for a bench and was thinking I would do half an hour or so every other day rather than sitting on here, not to get "hench" just to tone up.

So, any suggestions as to how to approach it and what do I need in terms of equipment, not anticipating lifting a lot of weight,

Bench
Dumbells
Bar
Tricep bar

[MTech535]

olympic barbell set
power rack/squat rack
bench

5x5

Ibuprofen Gel?

[MoelyCrio]

You need room for the bar not the bench. 6 foot min for 5 foot olympic bar.

I'd stick to bodyweight exercises until you're sure you will stick at it.

[MoelyCrio]

You need room for the bar not the bench. 6 foot min for 5 foot olympic bar.

I'd stick to bodyweight exercises until you're sure you will stick at it.

[J4CKO]

Yeah, have measured it, the man shed is 10ft by 15ft, so plenty of room, was just thinking of seeing what is local on Gumtree/Ebay and getting some cheap stuff, then if I dont use it, stick it back on Ebay, Gumtree, if I do perhaps replace it with some better stuff.

[ch427]

If you have the room to keep it set up thats a bonus, i always struggled to motivate myself to train in my garage as i had my car in there too.

[lost in espace]

Get a rack as mentioned above and 5x5. I was you a year ago, a decent marathon runner with no upperbody strenght. Stopped being a vegi and became a carnivore, got a rack and olympic weights. Never looked back, still run marathons but cut my running miles down and concentrate on quality core stuff (5x5!!!!!!!)

Buy one off ebay, see how you get on but stick to the program religiously. If it doesn't work for you just sell it on. It will work for you.

[Foliage]

You could start with bodyweight fitness

Have a look on reddit on r/bodyweightfitness watch some youtube vids, tons and tons of really good stuff online.

Perhaps set yourself up a pull up bar, get a yoga mat to do floor work (crunches/press ups etc) on, also might be worth having a look at foam roller workouts, get yourself loosened up.

[Napper]

As a starting point again, I don't think you can go too far wrong with a bench, bar, dumbells and plates. So how you get on and how much motivation and interest you have in a month or 2. Then increase from there. A pull up bar is a great thing to use for body weight exercises too.

[chris watton]

I started again last May at the age of 47, after realising what a fattie I had become. Haven't looked back since!

My advice would be to get a cage and at least a 6'6" bar and weights, if you think you'll stick at it (I wasted money on a silly workbench and 5' bars when I first started, then stand-alone squat stands, and then what I use now, the cage with spotters and good quality bench, which I think is essential if you have the space and train alone)

ETA - I also anticipated not lifting a lot of weight......

Edited by chris watton on Monday 20th April 15:07

[J4CKO]

chris watton said:

I started again last May at the age of 47, after realising what a fattie I had become. Haven't looked back since!

My advice would be to get a cage and at least a 6'6" bar and weights, if you think you'll stick at it (I wasted money on a silly workbench and 5' bars when I first started, then stand-alone squat stands, and then what I use now, the cage with spotters and good quality bench, which I think is essential if you have the space and train alone)

ETA - I also anticipated not lifting a lot of weight......

Edited by chris watton on Monday 20th April 15:07

Back when I was mid twenties I could bench press 100 kilos, reckon I will struggle with half that now ! not after doing loads of weight as would prob just end up hurting myself getting carried away, been there.

I want to just do little and often, have the shed set up with a big telly and a mini pc to feed music/video to it, its well lit and there will be enough space, plan is to take the hound out for a walk for half and hour and then come back and nip in and do 20/30 mins of weights, rather than do 2 hours and then never bother again. If I get back into it there is a pretty decent gym at the local leisure centre and a half decent one at work, its funny, I am currently avoiding it but I remember when I used to go I would get really grumpy if I couldnt go and used to contrive ways to get an hour in.

[J4CKO]

ch427 said:

If you have the room to keep it set up thats a bonus, i always struggled to motivate myself to train in my garage as i had my car in there too.

Need to remove a table from the cabin, its handy but there are two other work surfaces, that will provide plenty of space as its a full size pine kitchen table.

[chris watton]

J4CKO said:

Back when I was mid twenties I could bench press 100 kilos, reckon I will struggle with half that now ! not after doing loads of weight as would prob just end up hurting myself getting carried away, been there.

I was the same - from around 13-20 I weight trained, and could bench press over 250lbs (about 113kg). When I started again last year, after a almost 30 year hiatious, I also thought the same as you. But after a while, I got hooked, what I used to do all those years ago came flooding back. Am up to 112.5kg on bench press (albeit 1 rep max right now). I never dreamed I could have done that 11 months ago!

I just set myself up a few goals, the forst 6 moths was to lose the fat, with the first three months of that just re-learning form with light weights. After six months, the gloves were off and now am all out doing my best to add muscle and strength via permanent change in eating habits and exercise.

It does become quite addictive. Well, for me at least...

I started simply because I wanted to lose weight, now I want more!

[J4CKO]

Cheers, made a start rejigging the man cave last night in readiness, am selling a spare bike that will pay for the weights.

Will do a bit more tonight and look out for some kit with a view to going and getting something this week so I can get started.

Edited by J4CKO on Tuesday 21st April 10:13

Aiming to use the area on the right and remove the table.

Edited by J4CKO on Tuesday 21st April 10:13

[Gio G]

I turned 40 last year and needed to lose weight and get fit. Back in November I invested in a PT and joined a body building gym locally, which I love. My PT ensures that my form is correct and works me hard. Make sure you get your food right, along with the weights, you will see huge improvements.

Like someone already suggested, doing weights does become addictive, just make sure your form is good, as can lead to injury.

Good luck OP.

G

[Zod]

Will the floor in the shed stand up to a bar loaded with 100kg+ dropped from mid-shin height?

[2.5pi]

Zod said:

Will the floor in the shed stand up to a bar loaded with 100kg+ dropped from mid-shin height?

My shed floor couldn't

I'm now a happy daily gym user and loving it

[chris watton]

Zod said:

Will the floor in the shed stand up to a bar loaded with 100kg+ dropped from mid-shin height?

Very good point!

Imagine when you're squatting up to 150kg and as you squat down, your feet go through the floor - the carnage!

[LordGrover]

That's quite a small area and low ceiling. FTR I'm 52 and started weights about ten years ago, only really 'getting it' a few years ago. I wasted a lot of time faffing about doing lots of 'accessory' exercises and gaining very little.
I have a similar setup to chris_w above; power cage, flat bench, oly bar and plates in the garage. 3 x 3 meters is minimum layout but 3 x 4 is way more comfy.
Once you start squatting, benching, deadlifting and pressing you'll notice a massive improvement very quickly, and they keep coming though increases slow a bit.

[J4CKO]

I can only work with what I have space wise, it is enough space for what I want to do for now, I suppose I could do some kind of extension to the shed but not sure how the wife would like that, already a bit of a shanty town from the back of it (looks lovely from the front). I will do what I can at home and can always go to the local leisure centre for stuff I cant do at home.

Anyway, been clearing the crap and re-arranging the shed and I have won a load of gym gear on Ebay for 56 quid.

Bench
Incline bench
100 kilos of metal weights plus a few plastic ones
Bar
barbell
Exercise bike
Rower
load of other stuff

The ad was terrible so I think I got a bargain, exercise bike and rower will get fettled and stuck back on Ebay, I could go out and buy new stuff but I like a bargain and am hoping this will cost me nothing, I like to show the kids that throwing money at stuff in a rush is not always the way to go.

My eldest is keen, he goes to the gym anyway so likes the idea of being able to do some at home.