[tashazzz]

I've started going swimming a few times a week and I would like to start lifting weights along with this. I'm not a member of the gym at the moment as I'm going to be away a lot during the summer so it wouldn't be worth the money right now. However, I would like to start lifting a few times a week in the house, I just don't know where to begin. Could anyone give me advice on what sort of weights I should purchase to begin with and a rough idea of how often I should be using them/beginner's routine.
Thanks!

[SEHughes]

Power rack, bench, matting, barbell, plates. Will set you back £1000-2000.

[tooosh]

Shop smart and it's more like £600-800. For instance, you don't need 300kg of plates in the beginning, you don't need a rack with pulldown attachment etc.

[tashazzz]

Thanks for the replies. I'm really just looking for basic equipment at the moment. I'll be able to go to the gym in late August so I don't really want to spend a lot of money on things to use at home as they'll only be of use for a short while. I only want to build a bit of muscle, mainly using weights to tone. Is there any more compact equipment that would be useful for this in the short term?

[SEHughes]

There is no toning, there is only gaining muscle and losing fat.

If it's only a few months before you can get to a gym, maybe you'd do well to get a decent weight kettlebell and use it for various exercises, along with some bodyweight work.

[tooosh]

^Yep, bodyweight work would be my suggestion. Buy a pullup bar, do chair dips, pushups etc.

[sconter]

(Original post by tashazzz)
Thanks for the replies. I'm really just looking for basic equipment at the moment. I'll be able to go to the gym in late August so I don't really want to spend a lot of money on things to use at home as they'll only be of use for a short while. I only want to build a bit of muscle, mainly using weights to tone. Is there any more compact equipment that would be useful for this in the short term?

that is basic equipment.

join a gym.