Body weight workouts

KrunchyMama

So I did really well for a while with the logging calories, eating better, and moving more, and have lost 15 lbs. I've stalled though, mainly with my diet and logging. I know where I need to make diet changes, but I have just been so tired lately. Like fall-asleep-in-my-kids-bed-at-7pm tired. I don't have a 'life' routine, and I get bored of routines pretty quickly anyway. So instead of focusing on cardio (because I'm eating at or above maintenance right now anyway), I was thinking doing strength training exercises. Things like push-ups, tricep dips, burpees, squats, bicycle crunches, etc. My question is, should I just pick a random number and say 'Ok, I'm going to do 3 reps of 25 for this exercise' or should I see how many I can do in a minute then go from there? Or should I go until I just can't do anymore? I don't have free weights, and am on a really tight budget so I can't buy any right now. I do have Insanity, which I normally really enjoy, but lately I have been getting exhausted just doing the warm-up. And it's not the kind I can just push through, it's the kind of tired where I'm yawning and I could fall asleep if I laid down. I do take a multi-vitamin, and B12 too. And trying to drink more water (for the last little while it's been 1L a day, but for the last week I've been trying to drink 2L+). If stats help, I'm 5'7", 180 lbs. 31 years old, and currently eating about 2500-2700 calories a day. Thanks!

girlviernes

I like the Nerd Fitness Beginner Body Weight Workout. I think it's a good place to start. http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

Set a goal of at least one cycle (about 7 minutes) 3 times a week. Most of the time you'll probably do 2-3 cycles. When that is fairly easy, it's time to progress.

rybo

NF cited above is a great place to start. There are a lot of resources out there for body weight stuff
You are your own gym
Convict conditioning
Al kavadlo
Strength unbound
Beginning bodyweight

KrunchyMama

I have done the NF body weight workout before, love that site! I was hoping to add more activities though. Maybe I should just customize it, and only do 2 reps with more exercises

KrunchyMama

Thanks for the other resources, I'll check them out!

SingRunTing

"You are your own gym"

hilts1969

KrunchyMama wrote: »

So I did really well for a while with the logging calories, eating better, and moving more, and have lost 15 lbs. I've stalled though, mainly with my diet and logging. I know where I need to make diet changes, but I have just been so tired lately. Like fall-asleep-in-my-kids-bed-at-7pm tired. I don't have a 'life' routine, and I get bored of routines pretty quickly anyway. So instead of focusing on cardio (because I'm eating at or above maintenance right now anyway), I was thinking doing strength training exercises. Things like push-ups, tricep dips, burpees, squats, bicycle crunches, etc. My question is, should I just pick a random number and say 'Ok, I'm going to do 3 reps of 25 for this exercise' or should I see how many I can do in a minute then go from there? Or should I go until I just can't do anymore? I don't have free weights, and am on a really tight budget so I can't buy any right now. I do have Insanity, which I normally really enjoy, but lately I have been getting exhausted just doing the warm-up. And it's not the kind I can just push through, it's the kind of tired where I'm yawning and I could fall asleep if I laid down. I do take a multi-vitamin, and B12 too. And trying to drink more water (for the last little while it's been 1L a day, but for the last week I've been trying to drink 2L+). If stats help, I'm 5'7", 180 lbs. 31 years old, and currently eating about 2500-2700 calories a day. Thanks!

There are endless apps programs fitness guru's etc that can help but to it will always come down to pushing yourself, pick your exercises, pick your sets(3 is as good as any) 1st set till you fail, rest, 2nd set till you fail,rest 3rd set to you fail

you will get more reps as you progress if you push yourself, dependant on time either do more reps till you fail or make the exercise harder, simple and works

no point in picking 3 sets of 10 of anything if your capable of more, your just cheating yourself, if your not sweating and knackered at the end of your workout then it was pointless

girlviernes

Hmmm, I don't think it's a great plan to try to go to failure on every set, nor do you need to be completely knackered or a workout is pointless. The idea is to consistently push yourself and progress, but going balls to the wall in every workout is not sustainable and can make you vulnerable to injury.

hilts1969

girlviernes wrote: »

Hmmm, I don't think it's a great plan to try to go to failure on every set, nor do you need to be completely knackered or a workout is pointless. The idea is to consistently push yourself and progress, but going balls to the wall in every workout is not sustainable and can make you vulnerable to injury.

nonsense, how do you push yourself without going to failure, those who succeed don't have your outlook, we are talking exercise here for the op, if you are doing push ups do them till you can't get anymore, your arms wobble and you stop, they don't fall off and an ambulance is called

someone like steve redgrave trained till he was physically sick that is extreme, doing push ups till your knackered isn't even close

rybo

hilts1969 wrote: »

girlviernes wrote: »

Hmmm, I don't think it's a great plan to try to go to failure on every set, nor do you need to be completely knackered or a workout is pointless. The idea is to consistently push yourself and progress, but going balls to the wall in every workout is not sustainable and can make you vulnerable to injury.

nonsense, how do you push yourself without going to failure, those who succeed don't have your outlook, we are talking exercise here for the op, if you are doing push ups do them till you can't get anymore, your arms wobble and you stop, they don't fall off and an ambulance is called

someone like steve redgrave trained till he was physically sick that is extreme, doing push ups till your knackered isn't even close

Going to failure every set or every workout is not a good long term plan.

hilts1969

rybo wrote: »

hilts1969 wrote: »

girlviernes wrote: »

Hmmm, I don't think it's a great plan to try to go to failure on every set, nor do you need to be completely knackered or a workout is pointless. The idea is to consistently push yourself and progress, but going balls to the wall in every workout is not sustainable and can make you vulnerable to injury.

nonsense, how do you push yourself without going to failure, those who succeed don't have your outlook, we are talking exercise here for the op, if you are doing push ups do them till you can't get anymore, your arms wobble and you stop, they don't fall off and an ambulance is called

someone like steve redgrave trained till he was physically sick that is extreme, doing push ups till your knackered isn't even close

Going to failure every set or every workout is not a good long term plan.

depends on your definition of failure, there is a reason why some people reach their goals and others don't

the guy/girl who pushes themselves will always be better than the cop out who believes bro science and quits 2 reps short of the life ending failure

girlviernes

hilts1969 wrote: »

rybo wrote: »

hilts1969 wrote: »

girlviernes wrote: »

Hmmm, I don't think it's a great plan to try to go to failure on every set, nor do you need to be completely knackered or a workout is pointless. The idea is to consistently push yourself and progress, but going balls to the wall in every workout is not sustainable and can make you vulnerable to injury.

nonsense, how do you push yourself without going to failure, those who succeed don't have your outlook, we are talking exercise here for the op, if you are doing push ups do them till you can't get anymore, your arms wobble and you stop, they don't fall off and an ambulance is called

someone like steve redgrave trained till he was physically sick that is extreme, doing push ups till your knackered isn't even close

Going to failure every set or every workout is not a good long term plan.

depends on your definition of failure, there is a reason why some people reach their goals and others don't

the guy/girl who pushes themselves will always be better than the cop out who believes bro science and quits 2 reps short of the life ending failure

LOL at your dismissal of the "broscience." Did any one here say "life ending failure?"

Actually, the person who is consistent over the long term is always the winner. If you take yourself out of the game through injury, overtraining, or unrealistic expectations, you lose. While your strategy hopefully works for you, it is dumb to insist it's the best strategy for all.