Hey, can anyone help? I just got some free weights, and I need to come up with a workout regime that I can do at home. I don't have a bench, and everything I keep finding at the store includes excercises requiring a bench, so I have to leave out most of the workout, I am so frustrated! Can anyone help me come up with a workout that would target all of the main muscle groups, preferably with upper body and lower body separate, so I can do on different days? What I have are 3, 5, 8, and 10 lb free weights and a simple resistance band... any ideas? Thanks!

First, the low weight available to you will only serve to keep your muscles toned and increase their endurance. Any size and strength gain will be very moderate. But that's not bad at all if good muscle tone and endurance is what you are after. If not, then you will have to systematically increase weight resistance in order to cause muscular hypertrophy. The repetitions will have to be low, let's say eight or six.

But for endurance and definition, ten or fifteen are fine.



Always warm up by doing calisthenics and stretching before each workout and after each workout. This decreases the chace of injury.


For the upper body:


Deltoids:
Frontal dumbbell raises
Lateral Dumbbell raises


Trapeziums:

Upright rowing


Biceps
Dumbbell Curls


Latisimus Dorsi

Dumbbell rowing to chest
Dumbbell rowing to waist.

This targets both upper and lower lats.




Major Pectorals, triceps, frontal delts

Pushups



Lower Body Workout


Frontal thighs

Half squats while holding dumbells at sides.
Don't let the knees go beyond the toes.
Keep back straight.
Use a back supporter to decrease injury possibility.




Back of thighs

Leg Curls

If you have no bench, You might try leg weights or iron boots into which dumbbells can be fitted.
Curl the leg while standing.

Calves

Toe raises

Point feet outward, straight ahead, inward.
One set of ten for each position.
This will get the different calf heads.

BTW

Remember, aerobics are very essential as well.

How old are you? What is your weight?

You may want to consider buying a pair of adjustable dumbells if you are looking to gain strength. Like starman said, you can use the light weights you have for stamina and toning, however, I would personally recommend doing as many as you can until you feel a nice burn.

I'm here if you have any more questions.

http://www.ironwoodyfitness.com/Kettle_Grips/kettle_grips.html

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