Equivalent of c25k for strength training for complete beginner (at home)?

[Strengths]

I'm mid 40s and keep hearing how it's very important to do some strength training at my age. I've been trying to find out what that should be, but I'm pretty overwhelmed by the amount of information there is out there.

Does anyone know about anything similar to the c25k running programme, which starts out from absolute zero and builds up?

I'm starting completely from scratch, so I'd like something that starts really gently like c25k does. Although I'm relatively fit (I swim quite a bit), I know that going straight into a long workout for new muscles would mean being unable to walk for days.

And what exactly should I be building up to? I have no interest in pushing myself any more than is needed to be healthy: I'd like to be able to do the strength equivalent of "running 5km", I have no interest in the equivalent of a marathon!

I like that the c25k programme avoids having to think about what to do each time, it's a structured programme that will ramp up for you.

I know a PT would be ideal (also because of the risk of injury), but realistically I would feel way too self-conscious doing this in front of anyone.

I know I sound picky, but I'm not great at staying motivated, so I'm trying to be realistic about what will work. I'm more than happy to pay for content, but it would have to tick all the boxes. There seems to be so much content out there that I thought I'd have no trouble finding something, but I'm struggling!

My PT and I have a very good relationship - he's my coach and therapist! We have a good joke as well as talk about anything & everything, but I doubt he swears with clients who don't like it. He looks like a lad, but he's the very reverse of that - almost a male feminist (high praise). And he will sometimes stop me from doing more when I've got to the point of failure. The other day I failed on pulling the 11th round of a very heavy sled pull (170k) - I just couldn't pull it more than half way down the sled track, may arms & hands gave out. So he had me pushing the next 2 rounds. I trust him implicitly because he's proven again & again that he knows what he's doing. And he knows I'm motivated & a perfectionist.

Edited to add: those of you starting out, go for a wander around various gyms, and watch how the trainers are working with their clients. Mine pushes me, and that's how I like it. But there are other styles of coaching.

I've had my first weights PT this morning. It was great. No need to feel self conscious.

I really like fitbymik dumbbell workouts on YouTube she has loads and they are beginner friendly. Some are full body some target specific areas. Caroline Girvan is good but I agree with previous posters are not good for beginners although they are something you could move onto later

Wow, I didn't expect so many replies! MN is always such a great source of info. And I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one looking for this.

And yet in all that it seems like there isn't quite what I'm looking for... I think MsMartini is probably right that it's because it's better to do this face to face, which is echoed by a lot of other posters trying to convince me to try a PT. It is indeed more complicated than running! I still don't think I'll be going down the PT route. In addition to the self-consciousness I'd also just end up spending ages trying to research the right one and never actullaly doing anything about it. I just don't think it's for me.

I also found it interesting that several others would prefer a written programme rather than videos. I guess I'm trying to get the motivation and encouragement that I'd get from the PT, where I can just follow what they say, so I think I'd find it harder to refer to a book/text. The BWF Primer looks really good other than this though and I'm qutie tempted.

Couchtofitness is exactly the right idea, but does seem more general fitness. I might well give that a go for now if I can't find what I want.

Pilates is also an interesting suggestion. I've always wanted to try, but as the PP suggests, progress sounds slower. I got the impression Pilates wasn't enough in terms of "you should do strength exercises in your 40s" and I don't have the bandwidth for both.

The Peloton app one seems the closest match (based only on the written description). I like the fact they're only 20 min at first and go for several weeks. But it feels like a taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut subscribing to Peloton just for that (I know there's a free trial, but if I like it it's a lot).

Unless I've missed something, I think most of the others (nhs, madfit, sweat, fitbymik) are collections of beginner-friendly workouts, but not structured programmes. All things I might refer back to later, but not what I want to get started.

Finally, Before the Barbell ticked a lot of boxes, but there I wonder if the goal is the right one, as I don't think I'm aiming towards that sort of weight lifting. Or is that what I should be aiming for? I'm still somewhat in the dark on what my end goal should be.

Actually, the more I think about it, the end goal is quite key. As there doesn't seem to be a program spelling it out, does anyone have any thoughts on what the strength equivalent of "running 5k" would look like?

Given it takes roughly 30min to run 5k, how about using a 30min strength workout as the goal? Seems as good a reasoning as any, and I'd feel comfortable committing to doing that once or twice a week long term (I already swim once or twice a week, so any more and I'd realistically start to drop stuff).

I don't think I want to go into any high intensity stuff. I'm assuming that's not necessary. I was picturing progressing through bodyweight into using dumbbells, but not really going any further.

Honestly, what you "should" be aiming for is any sort of strength training that is safe, enjoyable, sustainable and which you will progress at. Anything that meets these criteria is MUCH better than nothing! And may lead to other things in time.

Probably in terms of bang per buck of effort, eg before the barbell leading to heavy lifting (as in low reps for weights or effort that are heavy - for you) is "the best" but it is not possible for everyone.

If what you can do is three Pilates sessions a week at home then do that. Lottie Murphy who I recommended does include push ups, dips, balls and bands in her stuff.

I would try a few options and see what you like, and then stick to that for a couple of months and see how you feel.

Your end goal can be whatever you want it to be and if doing a 30 min session appeals then that might work for you.

However strength training doesn't really work like that. Anyone could do a 30 min session if they just sandbagged and didn't lift very much. You'd have to make an effort running for 30 mins but lifting weights that aren't a challenge for you wouldn't really achieve anything. Lifting is also about progressive overload, so you continually up the weights. Once a weight doesn't challenge you it's not doing much anymore.

So lifters will usually have goals of increasing their lifts. At my gym they might want to squat 20kg so then they can progress to the barbell for example. Deadlift bodyweight. It just goes on and on. So you could see where you're at when you start and pick a number you want to reach.

Or maybe your 30 mins idea but with a goal to up your weights every fortnight or something. You'd need to see what's a challenge when you start.

You also need to build in stretching and flexibility. If you want to start with body weight options Pilates is brilliant and that incorporates some stretching flexibility

I would look at Sydney Cummings on YouTube as she gives form pointers. She does programs throughout the year.

No, it usually takes longer when you are a beginner and bodyweight exercises can be some of the most challenging (pull ups, front levers etc).

The NHS recommends two full body strength workouts a week and it is hard to see how to do one of those in less than an hour with a warm up.
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/.

I would honestly start with some form of class even if at home on your own so you learn a bit about the different options, what the terms mean, and what you enjoy.

I'm glad you asked this, OP, and I'll be following to see if you find something, as that's exactly what I'm looking for too.

It's the end goal that I'm also unsure about. I don't want to join a gym, get a trainer, or take a class - timing, money, self-consciousness, and various other reasons. So I won't be progressing to barbells or anything like that. And the thought that I will have to get heavier and heavier weights kind of puts me off. I hoped I could get a program that would get me up to a decent level and then I could just be doing that 3x a week, and it would be enough for health, which is all I really want. I'm doing couch to 5k at the moment, and keep reading about how menopausal women should do weights as well, but I don't know where to start.

I have 1kg and 2kg dumbells, and never use them. I have 15-20 min a day on the days I don't do the running. But I just can't get started as there are too many programs but nothing that seems right. I don't need to do a whole body workout each time, just something that will build the strength a little bit, different muscles each time is fine with me, as I figure something is better than nothing. But I've kind of given up on the idea as it's all too intense, seems to need to lead to more intense workouts, and nothing really just for beginners to get to an OK level and maintain health - like you say, a couch to 5k equivalent. An app or a program with a list of progressive exercises to do a few times a week, and then to be able to stick at that level and at least keep healthy.

Definitely a market gap!

I've just started doing a 12 week online PT course with Michelle Morgan of PT for Mums, SoStrong with Michelle. I'm getting that clear list of what to do each day plus all the cheerleading from Michelle who wants to see us all succeed. There's a little group of us all sharing progress and tips and encouragement. The whole thing is about building strength and mobility to live your best life. I'm loving it.

This! Exactly this! Unfortunately the answers I'm seeing are making me think this does not exist...

Maybe PPs are right and Pilates might be a good option. There's a not-too-scary Pilates instructor in my area who runs classes aimed at women my age. I could book a private session with her to get me started and then join the class. Somehow that seems less daunting than a PT! Probably because, like you, I just want to reach a basic level and I feel a PT would want to go further.

I'm personally of the opinion that, unlike general fitness, strength training is hard to really do well without proper equipment. Doing a million bodyweight squats is actually much more soul destroying than quickly banging out a set of heavy 3x5 barbell squats. Imagine trying to bicep curl a bowling bowl until failure vs curling a tin of beans til failure - even when your arm is burning you'll still be able to keep lifting the tin of beans for ages, unlike the bowling ball where you quickly reach the point of not being able to do another rep.

And women don't really need to train all that differently from men despite what people seem to think. You won't get 'bulky' because we have 10-14x less testosterone than men. You're more likely to get lean and toned.

Somebody whose name I forget said "Heavy weights don't make women bulky. Cupcakes make women bulky" and it's harsh but true. I'm in the Elite category for my weight by EXRX standards with a 150kg deadlift and I'm slim and healthy looking.

I know some above said not Caroline Girvan but you could try her CGX app as she does have a beginner program for beginners in there with advice on form etc. The app is paid but you can get a free trial. Whatever you do don't do the misnamed beginner program on YouTube though as that definitely isn't a beginner one! I did start home strength training with her but has already been doing gym citcuit classes.

I've been looking for this too so thanks for all the suggestions. (Placemarking)

It's tricky to have a generic, progressive plan like C25k because there's more varation, and slower gains in results of muscular training than there is in the process of cardio training.

As long as you gradually learn the technique/ movement and start with light/ body weight, you'll create a base to make gains by increasing time, weight or reps. In that way, strength is an easy skill to progress. Short sessions are also easier for developing a habit and it's the consistent habit that will get results.

Rest days are important. Have a day between workouts to let muscles repair and strengthen.

I have used an app called Workout Women before which has beginner and other plans on it. They also have videos demonstrating correct form. I also bought the book by Kate Rowe-Ham "Owning your menopause", with the book you get free access to her 30 day beginners and intermediate strength plans (although she trains every day which I find too much). She's on instagram so you could check her out there. Also worth looking at Caroline Circuits and Alice Living on Instagram, they both have apps/websites.

F

lurking for later

I have 1kg and 2kg dumbells, and never use them. I have 15-20 min a day on the days I don't do the running. But I just can't get started as there are too many programs but nothing that seems right. I don't need to do a whole body workout each time, just something that will build the strength a little bit, different muscles each time is fine with me, as I figure something is better than nothing.

I second everything @MsMartini says, especially about goals, and

You need to think about your end goal, then understand the physiological steps to get there. With strength (and indeed cardiovascular fitness), the main thing you're looking for in the first 6 months to a year is

progressive overload

It's the principle of Couch25K actually - your progressively push your body's CV capacity through carefully spaced intervals eg in each run you do a mix of walk/run at first, then you have longer intervals of running, and so on.

This is what will build muscular strength (or CV fitness). I'm afraid that is unlikely to happen with 2kg weights and 15 minutes a time.

The way our bodies work (for strength & CV fitness) is that they respond to stress. They adapt to better deal with the stress next time. Rest is central here. That's why the C25K doesn't have you run every day!

It's the same with strength building: you train to a point where you can't do any more reps, or you fail at a high weight (I fail regularly when I'm getting up to a higher weight - it sucks but it also means growth), or you increase the weight, or you spend more time under tension.

I'd really recommend looking some of these YouTube videos by MegSquats - she knows her stuff and she also understands the nerves of the beginner:

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And her programme, Stronger By the Day, has a home version - I think it requires some equipment, such as resistance bands. Before the Barbell is free and available on Instagram.

Rachel Henley is also fantastic - I don't know if she has a website or YouTube demos, but her Instagram is excellent: Henleyfitness.

(And no, I don't have any commercial association with either trainer! - I've been heavy weightlifting for over 7 years now - took it up in my late 50s and have been sucked into how amazing it is to get strong & fit in this way. I work with a PT who is amazing, and I do metcon (metabollic conditioning - the principles on which HIIT workouts are based), as well as strength. I'm healthier & fitter than most of the 20 year old undergrads I teach. My PT tells me his aim is that I'll still be doing burpees when I'm 90 and he's 65!

Interesting point about using equipment to get shorter workouts, the tin/bowling ball example gets the point across well.

However it again seems like one of the key points is what we're aiming for. To continue with the running analogy, as that's hopefully something we all have a similiar basic understanding of, the goal is to run 5km. My DH achieved this a while ago, and although he is bombarded with advice on how to improve his time every time he talks to other runners, he has no interest in that. He just wants to maintain the ability to run 5km in a somewhat reasonable time (under 30min) and that's enough for him.

Swimming is what I understand. My high school (abroad) had a minimum requirement that we all needed to swim for 30min and achieve at least 40 laps (1km) in that time. At the moment I swim an hour and aim for 2.5km because I can do that without putting myself under too much pressure, but I still consider the 1km in 30min my "healthy goal", and as long as I'm achieving that benchmark I'm happy. I have no interest in performance, so still haven't bothered to learn how to tumble turn, although that would doubtless improve my times.

So for all those saying that weight training is about constant improvement, is that just what people who are into weight training like to do? I know a lot of runner/swimmers who are always trying to push themselves and improve. They can't get their heads around the fact that DH and I are happy to stay at the same level indefinitely. Is there something inherently different about weights that would require constant improvement more so than other activities?

I think the question us complete newbies are asking is: what should a reasonably fit human be able to achieve with a bit of work? We are then happy to just maintain that level and not progress further. As many of us are simply trying to act on the advice that menopausal women should work on strength, we'd like to know how far we need to go to achieve that.

What is becoming much clearer to me is that the answer to this is indeed way more complex than for running/swimming. With strength there are 3 variables you can play with (time, weight, reps), whereas running/swimming only have 2 (time, distance). There's also the fact that you have to work many different muscles, so that just makes the number of variations explode exponentially.

I think I will stick with the idea of starting with Pilates while I mull over the weight stuff and revisit this later. Thank you all for the interesting discussions!

I don't know why you're so fixated on the desire not to improve. But yes, of course you can get to a level and maintain. However, your body will adapt and you get fewer of the benefits of strength training.

Look, "fitness" is not a thing or a destination: it's a process.

This explains a lot! I tried the Youtube one 😆

Exactly, I agree with @LittleBigHead , it will just get very boring if you stop progressive overload/changing your workout - and you won't get so many of the benefits. And nothing is as hard as your first proper workout - you get stronger so you NEED heavier weights or harder exercises etc to make it a workout! We all use our muscles every day - you may well be deadlifting today if you get a large parcel delivered. To train your muscles properly including for your old age (which is what I want) you need structure and progress. You just gradually, gradually increase by tiny increments, a rep here, a kilo there, so you barely notice. I don;t know why you;d call an arbitrary halt on that.I know it can seem intimidating - I started weight lifting aged 51 and have had to give my head numerous wobbles along - but it is worth losing your preconceptions, reading up on what works (look at Stacy Sims for example, nerd fitness is also good for structuring workouts), and at the least making sure you hit the two full, body workouts a week as recommended by the NHS (and if you look at that you will see the cardio target is time with raised HR - for strength training it is working your muscles - so quite different).

For home workouts, bands and bodyweight exercises (Pilates or Calisthenics) are your friends.

Good luck to anyone starting out! I'll shut up now 😀