Adding crunches, squats, and push ups

CkepiJinx
CkepiJinx Posts: 613 Member
edited January 27 in Fitness and Exercise
So I have a good grasp on my eating and on cardio but need to add some more depth to my routine. How often do you do crunches, squats, and push ups? I started yesterday with 2 sets of 15 for the push ups and squats, for the crunches I have a Tony Little DVD I love which is about 35 reps of six different target areas. Today I did my DVD again and three sets of 15 for the squats and push ups. I can definitely feel my abs, legs , and arms have been worked in a good way.

So how many days a week do you all do these types of exercises? Does this sound like a good place to start? How often /when do you know it's time to up your reps?

Replies

  • CkepiJinx
    CkepiJinx Posts: 613 Member
    Anybody?
  • RunnerElizabeth
    RunnerElizabeth Posts: 1,091 Member
    My suggestion to you would be to add a progressive body weight strength routine like You Are Your Own Gym (Body By You is the same program tailored for women, which is good too, but I chose to just go with YAYOG). Takes the guess work out of figuring out how to progress. Anyway YAYOG is layed out as 4 or 5 days a week for 30 minutes. I generally combine two workouts so I end up doing 3 days for an hour instead. Whatever works for you.

    Now the reason I'm suggesting this is because if you just keep adding reps to what your doing, you are essentially changing what could be a strength workout into endurance excercises, more cardio basically. To keep it as strength you need to make your movements progressively harder, if you can do more than 12 reps of an excercise, it's probably time to switch it up to something more difficult.

    Are you doing full pushups with hands on the floor and on your toes with good form for 15 reps? If so, you could try putting your toes up on a step to make it harder. There is a lot you can do with body weight. Anyway, that's my 2 cents, I'm by no means an expert just trying to figure this all out on my own and this is what is working for me.
  • CkepiJinx
    CkepiJinx Posts: 613 Member
    For push ups I am doing " girl" push ups right now, on my knees not toes, I also feel I am not going down as far as I eventually want to. Hopefully eventually I can get on my toes and off my knees ;). I will check out YAYOG too Thanx

    As far as it becoming more cardio, I am no where near that as I am just starting out. I find I like to focus on one change at a time and when that becomes natural and routine I add the next piece of the puzzle. I really want this to be a lifestyle change.

    I started last August with just fixing my diet. Once I lost about 35 lbs and felt like I had my eating where I wanted it I started exercising, first walking, then walking at an incline on a treadmill, and now I have started running. That exercise has become part of my life that I enjoy a lot.

    Now it's time to start building strength so I am starting with simple exercises I can do myself at home, crunches, squats, and push ups. I want them to become routine and normal. Once I feel I have accomplished that I would like to move to weight lifting.

    I know many will say lift now but I have to do it my way. I have a plan that is working for me and I have goals. So I appreciate any advice you have to offer. Especially about crunches, squats, and push ups as that is my focus right now. :happy:

    At this point I have lost 75 lbs from 293 lbs to 218 lbs and gone from a women's size 26 being snug to a women's size 12 fitting comfortably in shorts, from a 3x/4x to an extra large in shirts. I have lowered my resting heart rate from the 80s to the high 50s/ low 60s , my blood pressure has gone from averaging 120/90s to 90s/60s.
  • RobynLB83
    RobynLB83 Posts: 626 Member
    We do these as the warmup and cooldown of every class, and sometimes thrown in on breaks. So, 6 days per week, 400-600 crunches, 200-400 pushups, 100-300 squats? Something like that. In sets of 50, 60 or 100.
  • CkepiJinx
    CkepiJinx Posts: 613 Member
    We do these as the warmup and cooldown of every class, and sometimes thrown in on breaks. So, 6 days per week, 400-600 crunches, 200-400 pushups, 100-300 squats? Something like that. In sets of 50, 60 or 100.

    Ok that's all well and good, and awesome that you can do that, but not really useful for someone just starting out. If I tried to do that I would fail miserably and give up and not do them. How did you start? Most people can not just do 400+ crunches etc etc etc.

    Telling some one just starting out to do that high a number is just going to put them off and set them up for failure. Now talk about how you started out and how you built up to that and how long it took would be useful...
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,293 Member
    When I first started NROL4W, I did two workouts a week, because I was just too sore to do more. Now, 2 months later, I alternate lifting and running days, with a rest day thrown in when needed.

    If you like body weight exercises, "You are your own gym" is well worth a read.
  • RobynLB83
    RobynLB83 Posts: 626 Member
    We do these as the warmup and cooldown of every class, and sometimes thrown in on breaks. So, 6 days per week, 400-600 crunches, 200-400 pushups, 100-300 squats? Something like that. In sets of 50, 60 or 100.

    Ok that's all well and good, and awesome that you can do that, but not really useful for someone just starting out. If I tried to do that I would fail miserably and give up and not do them. How did you start? Most people can not just do 400+ crunches etc etc etc.

    Telling some one just starting out to do that high a number is just going to put them off and set them up for failure. Now talk about how you started out and how you built up to that and how long it took would be useful...

    That's how I started... well... that plus an random Pilipino yelling at me. That's the class, it's not modified for anyone. Even if it's your first day, you just jump in and try to keep up. You'd be surprised at what you can actually do that you think you can't.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    My suggestion to you would be to add a progressive body weight strength routine like You Are Your Own Gym (Body By You is the same program tailored for women, which is good too, but I chose to just go with YAYOG). Takes the guess work out of figuring out how to progress. Anyway YAYOG is layed out as 4 or 5 days a week for 30 minutes. I generally combine two workouts so I end up doing 3 days for an hour instead. Whatever works for you.

    Now the reason I'm suggesting this is because if you just keep adding reps to what your doing, you are essentially changing what could be a strength workout into endurance excercises, more cardio basically. To keep it as strength you need to make your movements progressively harder, if you can do more than 12 reps of an excercise, it's probably time to switch it up to something more difficult.

    Are you doing full pushups with hands on the floor and on your toes with good form for 15 reps? If so, you could try putting your toes up on a step to make it harder. There is a lot you can do with body weight. Anyway, that's my 2 cents, I'm by no means an expert just trying to figure this all out on my own and this is what is working for me.

    If you are opposed to lifting, the answer above is a good one. You Are Your Own Gym is an excellent resource for body weight training. As was mentioned, to continue to see benefit, you have to have a progressive loading program. YAYOG does that without barbells or dumbbells. Just adding more squats and crunches will only produce a minimal benefit.

    You can also check out Nerd Fitness for good body weight routines.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    A second suggestion for nerdfitness.com/

    THey have a good beginner body weight routine and lots of info

    YAYOG is a very good place to look too. Either of those will get you well on your way.
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