Approaching My Fitness Range

EccentricDad

I expect in the next few weeks I'll be finally at my ideal scale weight but now it's time to build some muscle and have some definition to show through my new slender limbs. The problem is, I am SOOOOO out of shape. I don't want to jump into something like the 30 day shred and just cause myself some injury because I don't have health insurance. And I don't want any advice about the gym because I don't have money, time, or courage for that. So what do you recommend? What can I do at home that will help build muscle so I can be ready for 30ds or insanity?

EvgeniZyntx

Your body is your gym - google it.

Planks
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Dips
Squats
Lunges
Jumps

Go!

Determinednoob

I recommend you make some time, save some money, and find some courage. You can only build so much muscle without the equipment needed. You could start with bodyweight stuff and stuff done with home made equipment, or even just some dumbbells and a bench.

EccentricDad

I recommend you make some time, save some money, and find some courage. You can only build so much muscle without the equipment needed. You could start with bodyweight stuff and stuff done with home made equipment, or even just some dumbbells and a bench.

I'm with you on that but you don't really know HOW out of shape I am. I have a difficulty lifting 34 lbs cannisters of cat liter with two hands. I've been this way since I was a teen with the exception of when I was in football. But even in football, I focused more on squats then I did on bench press. I could squat 1,000 lbs but I could only BP a little over 100.

And as far as courage, it's not because of the egos I'd be around; it's because of the fact of going to a new place without someone there with me. I never take initiative without someone guiding me and showing me how to do it; some would respect that because that means I'm not being impulsive or showing signs of f*ckarounditis.

EccentricDad

Your body is your gym - google it.

Planks
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Dips
Squats
Lunges
Jumps

Go!

All about this, any work out dvd's that I should look into so I can have some idea of what intensity to do it at?

flechero

Try this dumb bell routine... http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html

You can start slow and work up to your goals.

You can get a 110lb barbell set with dumb bell handles for $79 at Academy; or similar set at most sporting goods stores. (it;s cheaper to buy the weights as a barbell set) You won't need more than this- 50 lbs each for quite some time.

Determinednoob

Start with an empty bar. If that is too much start with dumbbell variants with 10s or 15s or 20s. On her first day my wife did barbell back squats with 75, bench with 55, deadlifts with 115, ohp with 45, rows with 60. Are you really telling me you are not as strong as my totally out of shape 5'7" wife?

EvgeniZyntx

All about this, any work out dvd's that I should look into so I can have some idea of what intensity to do it at?

Here is one guide, don't believe the hype - just try it.

http://www.mensfitnessmagazine.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Your-Body-is-Your-Gym-Workout.pdf
http://www.mensfitnessmagazine.com.au/2012/01/your-body-is-your-gym-2/

Check out the app you are your own gym - it has some input on intensity and frequency.
I don't do DVDs much for these types of moves but you can look into 30 day shred if you are looking for a DVD-like workout that includes some of these elements (and cardio)...

EccentricDad

Start with an empty bar. If that is too much start with dumbbell variants with 10s or 15s or 20s. On her first day my wife did barbell back squats with 75, bench with 55, deadlifts with 115, ohp with 45, rows with 60. Are you really telling me you are not as strong as my totally out of shape 5'7" wife?

Don't go there. Different genes have different affects on body. My brother, father, grandfather, and uncles all have the same body build issues. Massive leg power, modest arm power. Seriously, we are bean poles. That's why people look at my diary and go "OMG you're starving!!!" but with Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) at approximately 1617 calories per day, what do you expect? Clearly I was born to be a running athlete, not a competitive body builder.

lavieboheme1229

Your body is your gym - google it.

Planks
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Dips
Squats
Lunges
Jumps

Go!

All about this, any work out dvd's that I should look into so I can have some idea of what intensity to do it at?

Do the intensity you can. you don't need a DVD for that.

I am with you. I started 30DS this morning. I have no upper body strength (I'm with you on the cat litter- except for me it's dog food). So I've been doing push ups, crunches on the ball, whatever I can do for the past month or so. I have 3 pound hand weights and a set of resistance bands. The resistance bands are an amazing place to start. Now that I'm not lugging around as much weight, I started 30DS. Honestly, even if you haven't been "practicing" for a month, you could do 30DS without hurting yourself. She shows you how to do it right and wrong, so you can identify your movement and not hurt yourself.

Lleldiranne

30 DS is actually (IMO) a great place to start. It has modifications, so you can go with your level and increase as you get stronger.

If you have access to a gym, a trainer is a great resource. He can teach you the proper forms to avoid injury.

knk1553

30DS is a great start.

Essentially to me it seems you're making excuses, just do it. Do a weight you're comfortable with, don't push yourself and work on proper form with little or no weight until you get it down and then start adding weight. Just youtube how to do bodyweight exericses that that person listed, play around on google, there are plenty of workouts. Check out bodyrock.tv, but if you think 30DS is too intense, then no way you'll ever attempt bodyrock. Learn to be uncomfortable, thats the only way you're body is going to change. Strong legs and weak upperbody is mostly your choice, not entirely genetics. You're legs will always be stronger than your upperbody. No one is telling you to be a bodybuilder, they're telliing you what you asked, which is suggestions on workouts.

Sorry for being blunt and what you'll consider rude, but its just excuses, and as long as you have excuses, you'll never do what you should and never have the body you want. Discomfort is ok, and good, I started insanity this week, and guess what, walking to the bathroom is painful and my abs hurt when I laugh or cough, but guess what, I'm sucking it up and doing it again tonight because thats the only way my body is going to change to the body I want it to be. No pain, no gain.

chivalryder

Two books: You Are Your Own Gym and Convict Conditioning. Get them both, read them both, pick a program to follow (I'm doing Convict Conditioning's program) and just do it. They both start with super, super easy exercises, and slowly ramp up the difficulty. They are both strength training though. You'll want to run or cycle or swim or something for cardio, if you choose to do so.

I should add: If you want to build muscle, you're going to have to eat MORE than your TDEE. 1500 kcal/day or less isn't going to cut it. You're going to have to well over 2000 kcal/day to do anything to your muscles.

ummommyme

Bodyrocktv.com is a great place to start(just modify to your fitness level). A woman with a blog called peanutbutterfingers has lots of circuits.

DopeItUp

I recommend you make some time, save some money, and find some courage. You can only build so much muscle without the equipment needed. You could start with bodyweight stuff and stuff done with home made equipment, or even just some dumbbells and a bench.

Excellent advice. I will second it. Start off with as many of the basic bodyweight exercises as you can do. Progress to working out with heavier dumbbells and barbell work too. You're gonna need a gym or a substantial investment at home. This is if you want to build the muscle you're talking about. Things like insanity and 30ds do not really build muscle (maybe a tiny bit at the start).

EccentricDad

Essentially to me it seems you're making excuses, just do it..........No pain, no gain.

I thought that too until I did two pull ups and injured my right pec. Took a month to heal after using the RICE method. Sorry but I'm not going to injure myself again. The "no pain, no gain" method is how people get themselves real hurt; like need surgery to put the muscle back on the bone hurt. :noway:

And as far as the "excuses" part, keep your "man up" aggressive tactics to yourself. Clearly you believe in tough love and tough love doesn't work on HSP's.

EccentricDad

I'm calling you on this. If you were squatting 1000 lbs you'd be setting world records. No one squats 1000 and benches 100.

Missed this part. No seriously, I could max squat over a 1000 lbs in high school. I could cling and jerk over 1300 too. But now, ask me to do reps with it and I wouldn't be able to. In football tech I spent the entire day on the leg machine while everyone else was benching and doing more uniform all over exercises. I couldn't do anything but use my legs. No joke. As far as my max on arms, I probably maxed out on bench press at 135.

Gramps251

Sorry for my ignorance but what is HSP? I did a search and found this

"What are symptoms of HSP?

Classically, HSP causes skin rash, pain in the abdomen, and joint inflammation (arthritis). Not all features need be present for the diagnosis. The rash of skin lesions appears in gravity-dependent areas, such as the legs. The joints most frequently affected with pain and swelling are the ankles and the knees. Patients with HSP can develop fever. Inflammation of the blood vessels in the kidneys can cause blood and/or protein in the urine. Serious kidney complications are infrequent but can occur."

If this is the same thing, what does it have to do with inability to deal with tough love?

andreanicole686

30 ds isn't going to cause you injury. She has many ways you can go at a slower pace for her dvds. I started 30 ds before doing anything besides cardio.

EccentricDad

Maybe my goal is to build endurance and to be able to hold up my own body weight. What do you think I should do to achieve THAT?

peuglow

I'm calling you on this. If you were squatting 1000 lbs you'd be setting world records. No one squats 1000 and benches 100.

Missed this part. No seriously, I could max squat over a 1000 lbs in high school. I could cling and jerk over 1300 too. But now, ask me to do reps with it and I wouldn't be able to. In football tech I spent the entire day on the leg machine while everyone else was benching and doing more uniform all over exercises. I couldn't do anything but use my legs. No joke. As far as my max on arms, I probably maxed out on bench press at 135.

You can clean and jerk 1300? Now I know you're lying. I played football for 11 years, through high schoo, college, and semi pro. You're full of it, because I played with All-Americans who weren't doing CLOSE to that.