Been doing a bit of physio recently, mainly for a pinging bicep tendon. As part of that I have realised that all the exercise I do is endurance based rather than power. So I want to change that a bit. He’s been getting me to do some presses of various sorts (with the most embarrassingly light weights ( truth be told I did the first three sessions with an empty bar 😳)

Anyway, I figure a bit of light weights work would be a good idea, so want to buy some. The standing presses ( or whatever they are called) I did were with 25kg, but I guess the whole point is to increase that.

I have no idea what I need, but assume a set that goes to 50kg or so would be the way forward. I have no intention of bulking up specifically, just getting a bit stronger and trying to keep muscles balanced.

Ideally I like to buy some post Covid stuff rather than new, but to illustrate the options:

40kg barbell set for £30 https://www.gumtree.com/p/weight-sets/weight-plates-and-bars-sets-40kg-brand-new-in-boxes-/1440270837

52kg barbell set for £125 seems to come with a seat to rest on between efforts…https://www.gumtree.com/p/weight-sets/weight-bench-bars-and-52.5kg-of-weights-brand-new-/1440186194

35kg from Argos for£60..https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6044273?clickSR=slp:term:barbell:1:20:1

Any suggestions on what to buy?
Anyone selling?
Is it worth getting the bench above to provide variety?
What are the usual pitfalls ( presumably shelling out stacks of cash and never using them 🙂 )

Me:
50 years old
82kg
183cm
Skinny
Been rock climbing for 35 years, but always avoided steep stuff. Can probably do 3 pullups just now. In the past could do 2 finger pullups.
Got a fingerboard and pullup bar ( + elastics ☺)
Son’s got dip bars.
Got a few light dumbells, up to 5kg.

I used to do loads of weight training when I was younger, and loved it.

It’s like any hobby really, there’s that cost/quality correlation and you can spend little or huge amounts.

Weight training kit seems to come up fairly regularly (and occasionally in the classified here) so hopefully you can find some post-pandemic bargains.

Personally I’d go for a cast iron set (rather than vinyl), it’s easy to buy more plates if you need them and yes, a bench would be great, especially for chest work.

If you are going to press overhead shoulder mobility is key, learn to stack the spine and don’t arch your back. Overhead squats and lunges build serious strength.

Gimme a minute to put that through Google translate 🙂

I’m about 15 weeks in after setting myself up with an adjustable squat rack and weights set. For a couple of years prior to that I’d been using resistance bands and body weight exercises.

Don’t bother with vinyl weight sets, cast iron all the way and I’d be looking for at least 100kg of plates, you’ll be lifting heavier than 50kg within weeks with some of the compound exercises. For example I’m dead lifting 107.5kg now up from 50kg when I started.

This is the bench and rack I’m using, picked up on Facebook market place for £130 along with 80kg of plates, barbell and dumbbell. I’ve since picked up another 120 kg of plates on facebook.

Squat rack

You aren’t going to bulk up all of a sudden, it takes years to build up size especially at our age (I’m 49) and 50kg isn’t going to help a great deal to build strength.

This is the routine I’ve been doing, although I’ve split it over 5 days instead of three

Monday (Chest/Shoulder/Triceps)
Flat Bench Press – 3×8
Incline Dumbbell Bench – 3×8
Skull Crushers – 3×8
Close Grip Bench Press – 3×8
Seated Dumbbell Military Press -3×8
Lateral Dumbbell Raises – 3×8

Wednesday (Back/Biceps)
Dead lifts – 3×8
Bent over one arm Dumbbell rows – 3×8
Chin Ups 3×8 (Or Lat pull downs if you can’t do chins yet)
Barbell Bicep Curl -3×8
One arm Dumbbell hammer Curls – 3×8

Friday (Legs/Abs)
Barbell Squats – 3×8
Dumbbell Lunges – 3×8
Hip thrusts – 3×8
Calf Raises-4×10

My tuppence is don’t bother with a barbell set and get dumbbells. If you are just trying to add a little bit of strength work then they allow for a more natural movement. They also take up considerably less space.

Inclined to agree with YoKaiser, everythings better with dumbells. Apart from deadlifts, deadlifts are better (for me) with barbells.
And 50kg will be too little in no time at all- you’ll soon be moving more than that without putting on any obvious muscle.
(53 yo, 183, 77kg, skinny, regular weight training)

Some people seem to think that lifting weights will automatically turn you into Arnold Schwarzenegger 😀 That’s not the case, at all. As a beginner you can gain significant strength without increasing mass at all. Dumbbells are good, barbell far better IMO but increased cost & space requirement.

Getting a barbell set and bench takes quite a bit of space which I guess is ok if you have it.

I do not so I have gone for kettlebells to use at home. These are very flexible and can be used for a wide variety of exercises. Not as good as a barbell for building muscle but they have really helped me build core strength which has helped a lot for long audax type rides and I feel I have more functional strength since using them.

What I find great is that it is easy to move them out onto the patio and exercise outside when the weather/light is suitable.

One issue with kettlebells is they are not cheap but you can do a good workout starting with just a 12 or 16 kg and make them more challenging by adding reps as you progress.

Get the 5*5 stronglifts app.

Loadsa info…

Many thanks

I’d echo to go for cast iron plates rather than vinyl ones. They’ll literally last forever.

That said, the last few years the cost per kg of weights has gone up massively. Hopefully you can find something that someone impulse bought over lockdown then realised they aren’t / won’t use them.

I’d get one of these bars:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304246876583?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=ydmsgntfqva&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=P8vL0CMYTrq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

It’s an Olympic style bar but only 5ft long (instead of 7) so it takes up less room. They’re much nicer than spinlock style bars if you’re doing stuff like deadlifts / clean and jerk / snatch etc.

Try to find some secondhand iron Olympic plates to go on them.

A bench is nice to have got bench press / dumbbell work but maybe start out with a bar and the big style lifts and see how you like it.

I’ve got a bench that does decline / flat / incline plus that 5’ bar and iron plates. Then for bodymax ‘adjustabells’ which I use for most training sessions too. They have gone up loads in cost since I bought them sadly.

You aren’t going to bulk up all of a sudden, it takes years to build up size especially at our age (I’m 49) and 50kg isn’t going to help a great deal to build strength.

Yep pushing a few weights won’t turn you into the rock, it’s the eating and compound v that does that 🙂

Cage,adjustable bench,strong lifts and a short Olympic bar and 100kg of nice rubber coated plates. Or find a nice free weight gym and use theirs to see if it’s going to work out for you before you spend.

You don’t need tons of gear but you do need the essentials.

Had the adjustable Powerblok barbells for years but tbh preferred barbell and more weight, may be worth going to a proper gym and getting a few lessons on correct form if you go for more weight.