Carmack said:
I'm around 5' 7"/115-120 pounds. I have 1 dumb bar weighing 30 pounds, 2 free weights weighing between 7-10 lbs (not sure exactly) and no bench. I'm interested in building strength rather than looks or bulking up. I know very little about weight lifting. What types of exercises should I do? How many reps? and how often should I do them?
I dont know if you are still seeking input or not.
It sounds like you have about 50 pounds of weights or less. You mentioned that you have no bench; thus, I expect that you have no squat rack either.
As for getting stronger without getting without getting bigger, that is not always that easy. One of the best ways to get stronger is by lifting weights, especially free weights. If your goal is to increase your overall body strength, you should work the big muscle groups such as legs, back, and chest. The best weight lifting exercises for these areas are squats, misc. pulls, and the bench press.
But, these exercises will not only make you stronger, they will also increase your appetite. Of course, you dont have to eat a lot of food when you lift. If you dont eat more, you should be able to keep your weight down.
Ive heard of another way of getting stronger without getting noticeably bigger. You can do this by specializing in one exercise for one of the smaller muscle groups. For example, you could specialize in curls. By doing this, you could eventually build up to a respectable curl without gaining too much weight.
Using the equipment that you have, you might workout three days per week. Do 8 to 12 reps (start with 1 set and work up to 3 or more):
Pull-ups with weight
Dips with weight
Lunges
You can also toss in some exercises without weights -- handstand push-ups (against a wall), sit-ups/crunches, and push-ups. (Its amazing how many push-ups a guy can work up to.)
Eventually, you will probably want to try your hand at lifting more weights. If you are lifting in your bedroom, setting up your home gym with several hundred pounds of weights is probably unreasonable. However, if you are lifting in the garage or basement, you shouldnt have too much trouble with setting up a little gym. You might even look around for another place to lift, such as a YMCA, professional gym, community center (often free in some cities), etc.
If you do decide to get into heavier weights, I suggest that you start with 8 to 12 reps, 3 days per week, for a few basic exercises, such as:
Press behind the Neck
Bench Press
Upright Row
Bent Rows
Curls
Calf Raises
Squats
And, end the workout with some abdominal work.
After doing these exercises for a few months, you will probably have learned enough to move on to a different routine; but, this is a good place to begin.
Hope this helps.