How to exercise properly without joining a gym?

[Narz]

Oh also, if you can afford a used weight-vest, get one! Where I lived before I used my old housemate's, actually I'm going to call him right now & ask him if I could buy it off him for the $40 I just won today in a chess tourney!

You can run with it, jump on a trampoline with it (be very careful), do stretches or push-ups with it (again be careful) and any other body-weight+ exercises.

 

[Zelig]

I have obtained six-pack abs & am much, much more flexible than I was six months ago.

Six-packs have little to do with overall health or fitness, they are just an indicator of body fat percentage.

And weight vests are minimally useful, running with them is not great for your knees, and weight belts are more useful for most important body weight exercises.

 

[Narz]

Six-packs have little to do with overall health or fitness,

Jealous?

they are just an indicator of body fat percentage.

Hogwash. They're an indicator of doing lots of ab-work. You can be skinny as a rail & not have them (I didn't). Likewise you can be heavier & still have them if you train them enough.

And weight vests are minimally useful, running with them is not great for your knees, and weight belts are more useful for most important body weight exercises.

I like them, k? Doing 20 pushups with 40 extra pounds on your torso is a lot harder than without. I've never worn a weight "belt" but it seems it would make one more prone to injury with all that weight concentrated around the lower-back area. Also, how do you bend with a heavy belt on?

Since you seem to be an expert of somekind though, what are "most important body weight exercises"?

Cheers.

 

[lumpthing]

I hate gyms too, and the whole idea of paying for exercise. Here's my gym and equipment-free exercise regime:

1. Every other day: 10-15 minutes upper body exercises (if anyone expresses interest I'll make the effort of adding what exercises).
2. Every other day: Go for a run. Start and end the run slowly. Keep running till you start to want to spit a lot (although it might be just me that produces that seems to manifest lactic acid as phlegm )
3. Combine running with every day errands (where it doesn't matter if you stink of sweat at your destination) like going to supermarket
4. Use a basket, not a trolley, at the supermarket, so that you're lifting weights all the time.

General tips:
1. There's no point doing the same kind of exercise every day, because you need to give your muscles time to recover.
2. My 10-15 minute weight-free exercise regime sounds pathetically brief. But it's briefness and convenience (no equipment) means there's a good chance you'll actually do it.

And yes, I am suitably cringing as I write this. It's called being a productivity geek.

 

[GoodGame]

Oh also, if you can afford a used weight-vest, get one! Where I lived before I used my old housemate's, actually I'm going to call him right now & ask him if I could buy it off him for the $40 I just won today in a chess tourney!

You can run with it, jump on a trampoline with it (be very careful), do stretches or push-ups with it (again be careful) and any other body-weight+ exercises.

I think they are about that cheap at walmart these days. In the past I've thrown weights in a backpack and ran with them. Possible if you say wrap them in towels, and stuff the pack tightly with towels, etc.. to keep the weights stable within the pack. Actually running to school late with school books inside is pretty similiar.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Heres from my personal favorites

1) Swimming. Great exercise, especially in the ocean. Most places have public pools that have at most a nominal fee, or an ocean.

2) Basic Calasthenics. Pushups, Situps, Jump Rope. It works, but it's boring as anything.

3) Wrestling and/or Boxing: Fun, Engaging, great workout, need someone to be willing to do it with.

 

[Zelig]

Jealous?

Nah, I am genetically predisposed to a low body fat percentage. At my skinniest point, I had a six-pack, since then, I have gained 30 pounds and still have a six-pack.

Hogwash. They're an indicator of doing lots of ab-work. You can be skinny as a rail & not have them (I didn't). Likewise you can be heavier & still have them if you train them enough.

You can also be skinny as a rail, with minimal ab strength, and still have them. If your body fat percentage is over 14% or so, you can have any amount of ab strength, but you will not be able to see definition through the fat.

Genetics as to your body type have a lot to do with how visible your abs are at different levels of body fat as well, same people can have relatively low body fat and strong abs, but still do not have much ab definition.

I like them, k? Doing 20 pushups with 40 extra pounds on your torso is a lot harder than without. I've never worn a weight "belt" but it seems it would make one more prone to injury with all that weight concentrated around the lower-back area. Also, how do you bend with a heavy belt on?

Yes, they are good for pushups. I do pushups with a plate balanced on my back, which is a bit of a hassle. I would be wary of running with them though, that is a lot of extra stress, particularly on the knees, and I can think of better knee exercises.

By weight belt, I mean a belt you hang plates off of. There is really no extra stress on the lower back when wearing a weight belt. And you do not bend with a weight belt on.

Since you seem to be an expert of somekind though, what are "most important body weight exercises"?

I said that somewhat glibly, pushups are great, pullups and chinups are some of my favorite exercises of any kind. I really like body weight exercises for ab work. (crunches, reverse crunches, body levers, in that order of difficulty). Dips, and weighted dips are also excellent, you do need a certain amount of flexibility for them though. Handstand pushups are a fun challenge to work towards. (among a lot of other cool stand, flags and stuff)

 

[Narz]

Nah, I am genetically predisposed to a low body fat percentage. At my skinniest point, I had a six-pack, since then, I have gained 30 pounds and still have a six-pack.

Maybe you are also genetically predisposed to more lean mass. Again, you can be skinny without defined abs. I know I was. Shoot, my body fat percentage was dangerously low (below 5%) for awhile & I didn't have abs.

You can also be skinny as a rail, with minimal ab strength, and still have them. If your body fat percentage is over 14% or so, you can have any amount of ab strength, but you will not be able to see definition through the fat.

I dunno about that exact figure. This person seems to have a fair amount of bodyfat & still maintains abs.

Genetics as to your body type have a lot to do with how visible your abs are at different levels of body fat as well, same people can have relatively low body fat and strong abs, but still do not have much ab definition.

I hear you. At boarding school we had this dorm-parent with a decent sized beerbelly, that to our surprise was very solid. I'm sure his abs are stronger than mine are now. Nevertheless, I enjoy the look (the line going down the middle of my lower torso more than the "packs") & I know for a fact my core is at least much stronger than they were before because I can do stuff like lift up my girlfriend & carry her around & spin her around in positions that normally would cause me a lot of lower back pain.

Yes, they are good for pushups. I do pushups with a plate balanced on my back, which is a bit of a hassle. I would be wary of running with them though, that is a lot of extra stress, particularly on the knees, and I can think of better knee exercises.

A good precaution. I generally run barefoot on bare Earth but even so, I can see the concern. I'd love to be able to swim with a weightvest, shoot I'd love to be able to swim, period (no gyms around me with pools )).

By weight belt, I mean a belt you hang plates off of. There is really no extra stress on the lower back when wearing a weight belt. And you do not bend with a weight belt on.

Ok, I was thinking of something like this.

I said that somewhat glibly, pushups are great, pullups and chinups are some of my favorite exercises of any kind. I really like body weight exercises for ab work. (crunches, reverse crunches, body levers, in that order of difficulty). Dips, and weighted dips are also excellent, you do need a certain amount of flexibility for them though. Handstand pushups are a fun challenge to work towards. (among a lot of other cool stand, flags and stuff)

Cool. Sorry I was a bit short/defensive before. Didn't mean to me. I'm very proud of my abs & all & you were dissing them.



BTW, you should post some pics in Member Photos of you doing some training, might pump up some of the rest of us.

 

[TheAlamo]

Get a job involving lots of physical labor. I have one, and although it's only until I finish my degree, I get good exercise at it (and get paid well to boot).

 

[sophie]

I was thinking about getting in shape starting next year. I was thinking about doing long runs every other day, and doing pushups and eight minute abs every day.

 

[Kozmos]

Here's my workout schedule (not during the holidays though ie now)

Mondays, Wednesday, Friday: 200 push ups, 400 situps, 200 crunches
Tuesday, Thursdays: 200 push ups, 400 situps, 30 min run outside

I've played a lot with the numbers to find the right amount of exercise in respect with the amount of free time I can devote to it each day, so you should adjust your exercise to your own time schedule.

Also if you can get someone, sparring is a great weekend exercise. I love kicking ass and getting my ass kicked.

 

[warpus]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I will go through this thread once I have a bit more time. (i.e. likely in the new year)

 

[REDY]

400 situps, 200 crunches

Kozmos, are you profesional culturist or you try to kill stomaches of innocent lemmings?

 

[Zelig]

I dunno about that exact figure. This person seems to have a fair amount of bodyfat & still maintains abs.

Well, I was going 14% as an approximate maximum for men for visible abs. Disregarding the implants, I'd estimate her body fat at maybe 8%. Those are obliques on the side, not lovehandles.

I hear you. At boarding school we had this dorm-parent with a decent sized beerbelly, that to our surprise was very solid.

Visceral fat can do that.

 

[Narz]

Here's my workout schedule (not during the holidays though ie now)

Mondays, Wednesday, Friday: 200 push ups, 400 situps, 200 crunches
Tuesday, Thursdays: 200 push ups, 400 situps, 30 min run outside

I've played a lot with the numbers to find the right amount of exercise in respect with the amount of free time I can devote to it each day, so you should adjust your exercise to your own time schedule.

Also if you can get someone, sparring is a great weekend exercise. I love kicking ass and getting my ass kicked.

You should post some pics too.

How many push-ups can you do at once (without resting)?

 

[storealex]

The most important thing is not which training form you use, which program your swear to etc. What's important is that you train at a regular basis. If you use your body five times a week, you will get results. Just be sure to use your entire body, and do both weight and cardio training.

The most important thing is just finding something you like, and do it often.

 

[Kozmos]

You should post some pics too.

How many push-ups can you do at once (without resting)?

I might in a month or two, I have a lot of fat to burn because of Xmas food

I could about 40 or 50 before I went on vacation...I'm guessing it's about 30 and something now. I've been hit with a flu before vacation so it's been a month since I last exercised good and proper. It's really beginning to itch me as I feel my body loosening up and just as I've started to get some tangible results.

 

[Narz]

Well get it together Koz, so you can inspire the rest of us.

 

[tycoonist]

back when i played football a few years ago (soccer you heathens), our coach got us together every friday and made us do this totally brutal workout. it was only about 45 minutes, but it felt like hours and by the end you just wanted to break down and cry from exhaustion. but, when it was all over, it felt so good... and the results were impressive. it was pretty much the only exercise i did apart from a couple of hours of football itself, and by the end of the term, i was in fantastic shape. the point of this long story is that, in my opinion, about an hour of totally horrible, bodybreaking exercise once a week is far better than regular exercise every day.

the stuff we did was simple too... sprints up and down, 20m, back and forth 4-7 times. then sets of either push-ups or sit-ups, then back to the sprints.

although if you can pull off kozmos' workout, i guess that would be fine too

 

[warpus]

The most important thing is not which training form you use, which program your swear to etc. What's important is that you train at a regular basis. If you use your body five times a week, you will get results. Just be sure to use your entire body, and do both weight and cardio training.

The most important thing is just finding something you like, and do it often.

Often = 5 times a week? Or could I get away with 3 times a week?