Toning Question~
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What are some Calisthenics I could do in addition to the the normal crunches, push ups, lunges, squats? I don't have access to a gym currently, but I do have two 5lb hand weights. I'm mainly concerned about the the abdominals, The upper arm muscles, and the butt.
Yes! Please, someone tell "us" the answer to this question. I've been wondering if I can get the same/similar benefits with calisthenics.
No, not really.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html
I think there are some good bodyweight programs that can be used for maintaining muscle but I don't know what they are.0 -
If you're in a calorie deficit, to lose fat, you will not bulk up in the slightest. It's hard enough for women to gain muscle anyway, on a deficit it's even harder!
Strength training will help you tone up by maintaining your muscle as you lose weight. If you don't, you will lose muscle as well as fat. As a newbie you may experience small muscle gains in a deficit, but this won't last long, and the fat loss should be a lot faster than the muscle gain (that's how slow gaining muscle is!)
Start now, you'll understand why with the results
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What are some Calisthenics I could do in addition to the the normal crunches, push ups, lunges, squats? I don't have access to a gym currently, but I do have two 5lb hand weights. I'm mainly concerned about the the abdominals, The upper arm muscles, and the butt.
Yes! Please, someone tell "us" the answer to this question. I've been wondering if I can get the same/similar benefits with calisthenics.
No, not really.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html
I think there are some good bodyweight programs that can be used for maintaining muscle but I don't know what they are.
That's BS. I bulk just fine with mostly bodyweight and am an >200 lb lean guy (mutliple bulking cycles too, I bulk very clean). There is no end in sight for difficult resistance either for me either . A women will never get strong enough to run out of bodyweight only resistance, a man won't in the upper body either.
Resistance is resistance.
This article contains or links to practically everything you could ever need to know about bodyweight training:
http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/faq
The only part I disagree with is their suggestion to use barbells for the legs if possible. Pistol squats, shrimp squats, and glute ham raises will take you a long way, and only require a small amount of weight from DB's when they get too easy.0 -
Nah I get what you mean, was just putting it out there in case you think that you were going to get a 6 pack with an average body fat percentage. I guess its a bit different for everyone but I am around 16% and only have a 4 pack and its not super defined, I still need to lose more body fat myself.
Haha well yeah. I meant i'm not obese or anything :PYou need to start lifting now, so you are not burning away your muscle with the fat.
Sorry to break it to you, but if you are borderline overweight you are probably quite far off having a 6 pack, you need to have quite low body fat, but you can do it
When you are happy with where you are at keep working out and eat at maintenance.0 -
Because that's what we're told by people who want to sell us their diet and high weights, low rep plans and manufacturers of pink 2 lb. weights!
I think you meant high rep, low weight plans, at least that's what I gathered from the 2 lbs. dumbbell reference.
I did mean high rep, low weight plans! Crap. Now my joke's not even funny!0 -
Things you could do at home with some simple weights: I would suggest planks, tricep dips off of a kitchen chair or even an end table, squats, if you can spare buying something a stability ball could come in hand to do push-up off the ball and then with them with your body on the ball as it gets easier moving out to where it's just your feet on the ball. Incorporate squats with overhead presses with your weights at the same time. You could do lunges with curls at the same time. push-ups off a wall or counterop to hit another angle of your chest. YOu can do tricep kick back with your weights as well. Oh another thing that is good to have is a kettlebell. You can do lunges and control swin the kettlebell at the same time. Instead of doing regular crunches do bicyle crunches and compound crunches (c-crunches), plank twists would be good and lastly I would say to some old fashioned burpees and maybe walk out planks with a push-up... I am sure there are other several other things that just aren't coming to me at the moment. Hope this helps0
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What are some Calisthenics I could do in addition to the the normal crunches, push ups, lunges, squats? I don't have access to a gym currently, but I do have two 5lb hand weights. I'm mainly concerned about the the abdominals, The upper arm muscles, and the butt.
Yes! Please, someone tell "us" the answer to this question. I've been wondering if I can get the same/similar benefits with calisthenics.
No, not really.
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/training/weight-training-for-fat-loss-part-1.html
I think there are some good bodyweight programs that can be used for maintaining muscle but I don't know what they are.
That's BS. I bulk just fine with mostly bodyweight and am an >200 lb lean guy (mutliple bulking cycles too, I bulk very clean). There is no end in sight for difficult resistance either for me either . A women will never get strong enough to run out of bodyweight only resistance, a man won't in the upper body either.
Resistance is resistance.
This article contains or links to practically everything you could ever need to know about bodyweight training:
http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/faq
The only part I disagree with is their suggestion to use barbells for the legs if possible. Pistol squats, shrimp squats, and glute ham raises will take you a long way, and only require a small amount of weight from DB's when they get too easy.
I'm distinguishing "calisthenics" from "good bodyweight programs". What most people think of as calisthenics is not enough to maintain muscle in a deficit according to Lyle McDonald. I said I knew there were some good programs out there, I just didn't know where to find them. Thanks for the link.0 -
Lifting is always good.
If you are wanting to lose weight or gain muscle (those two things will depend on your calorie intake) lifting is always beneficial.
Also you are a woman so strength/weight training is incredible important for your future health.0 -
Because that's what we're told by people who want to sell us their diet and high weights, low rep plans and manufacturers of pink 2 lb. weights!
I think you meant high rep, low weight plans, at least that's what I gathered from the 2 lbs. dumbbell reference.
Relative to the 2 lb dumbbell, it is still low rep though.
Working to true muscle failure with a 2 lb DB would be one heck of an exercise in willpower. Marathon curling sessions with thousands of reps.....
I don't know if you heard me counting but I did over a thousand....0 -
So I'm curious. How do you make a push up harder in prone position without adding weight on the body? Or a pullup? Or a deadlift? We've spoken about this before and my stance was that just because someone who couldn't do a pullup at 200lbs, but now can at 150lbs doesn't mean they got stronger essentially, but your argument was that it was BS. Realistically, a 50lbs difference in weight makes a difference.That's BS. I bulk just fine with mostly bodyweight and am an >200 lb lean guy (mutliple bulking cycles too, I bulk very clean). There is no end in sight for difficult resistance either for me either . A women will never get strong enough to run out of bodyweight only resistance, a man won't in the upper body either.
Resistance is resistance.
This article contains or links to practically everything you could ever need to know about bodyweight training:
http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/faq
The only part I disagree with is their suggestion to use barbells for the legs if possible. Pistol squats, shrimp squats, and glute ham raises will take you a long way, and only require a small amount of weight from DB's when they get too easy.
Now that's not to say that you CAN'T get stronger from body weight exercises (even with leg exercises), but eventually you'll tap out because unless you're adding body weight (which is how you may have bulked up more), it's no longer progressive.
Enlighten me with your knowledge. I'm willing to learn.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
You could always do barre at home. Get a dvd like Change Your Body by Bar Method and just use a chair and some small weights. Works on your seat, thighs, abs, arms, etc.0
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Listen to these people they know what they are talking about. Don't be afraid to lift heavy. You won't look like she-hulk from doing squats.
This.0 -
So I'm curious. How do you make a push up harder in prone position without adding weight on the body? Or a pullup? Or a deadlift? We've spoken about this before and my stance was that just because someone who couldn't do a pullup at 200lbs, but now can at 150lbs doesn't mean they got stronger essentially, but your argument was that it was BS. Realistically, a 50lbs difference in weight makes a difference.That's BS. I bulk just fine with mostly bodyweight and am an >200 lb lean guy (mutliple bulking cycles too, I bulk very clean). There is no end in sight for difficult resistance either for me either . A women will never get strong enough to run out of bodyweight only resistance, a man won't in the upper body either.
Resistance is resistance.
This article contains or links to practically everything you could ever need to know about bodyweight training:
http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/faq
The only part I disagree with is their suggestion to use barbells for the legs if possible. Pistol squats, shrimp squats, and glute ham raises will take you a long way, and only require a small amount of weight from DB's when they get too easy.
Now that's not to say that you CAN'T get stronger from body weight exercises (even with leg exercises), but eventually you'll tap out because unless you're adding body weight (which is how you may have bulked up more), it's no longer progressive.
Enlighten me with your knowledge. I'm willing to learn.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Pushup options:
One Arm Pushups - Remove an arm. Progressively move the legs closer together (a feet together one arm pushup is HARD). Begin to elevate the legs. NO ROTATION ALLOWED
Pseudo Planche Pushups - Move your hands toward your waist. This increases the moment (and this load) applied to the shoulder a great deal. Reps have to be up and down, straight waist, with full arm lockout. The standard pushup is a high leverage position. Moving the hands reduces the leverage a lot. Next step, elevate your feet. Next step, do them with elevated feet using only a wall. Using only a wall is very, very hard. These can also be modified by moving your hands out away from the body, like an arrow when viewed from above, hits the muscles a little different, a hair harder.
Planche Pushups - Remove your feet from the ground, so that the only part of your body touching the ground is your hands. Hips must remain level with the shoulders (it is a pushup, not a dip) at all times. Arms must come to lockout each rep. Start out with knees tucked to your chest (will need hand holds for ground clearance), extend them as you get stronger. The same prime movers of the pushup also have to hold your body rotated in a very deleveraged position. This magnifies the load of the pushup a great deal. Very few people are strong enough to even do the most basic variant.
In the incredibly unlikely event that planche pushups are too easy, you can add ankle weights. As the position is extremely deleveraged, a tiny bit of weight has a huge effect.
Pullups:
Same deal. Remove an arm (or work toward it with one arm emphasized pulls), add front lever elements to magnify the load. As an example, take the yewki, start in a dead hang with a straight body, rotate 90 degrees during the pull and pull your abs to the bar, your body should be perfectly straight and horizontal at top of the rep. Holding the rotated position greatly magnifies the load on your prime movers. Other lever-pulls are lever rows and ice cream makers. Straight arm 360 pulls are also pretty hard when you go slow and extend your legs as much as possible.
Closest thing to a deadlift is a glute ham raise. Gyms have glute ham raise apparatuses, but most homemade apparatuses (pillow/towel and foot hold) will have the support below the knee, not above the knee, increasing the moment applied to the hams/glutes and making the exercise much more difficult (with low leverage, a couple inches is a huge difference). If these start getting easy, hold a small weight overhead. Body should be straight at the waist, no butt sticking up (holding the waist open isometrically is the hardest part of the movement, hinging at the bottom, as many do on the gym apparatus, makes it easier). Most people will spend most of their time using progressively less and less hand assist, an unassisted GHR with support below the knee is HARD. Holding the bottom position also increases the difficulty.0 -
What are some Calisthenics I could do in addition to the the normal crunches, push ups, lunges, squats? I don't have access to a gym currently, but I do have two 5lb hand weights. I'm mainly concerned about the the abdominals, The upper arm muscles, and the butt.
Look up "blogilates" or "pop-pilates" on youtube. Her workouts are short, but they burn! I do her "what makes you bootyful" and her "drive-by inner thighs" challenges after I do weight training that focuses on the lower body.0 -
I can see one handed pushups affecting the chest area, but from a kinesiology standpoint, the planche is more a tricep exercise than chest exercise.
So I'm curious. How do you make a push up harder in prone position without adding weight on the body? Or a pullup? Or a deadlift? We've spoken about this before and my stance was that just because someone who couldn't do a pullup at 200lbs, but now can at 150lbs doesn't mean they got stronger essentially, but your argument was that it was BS. Realistically, a 50lbs difference in weight makes a difference.That's BS. I bulk just fine with mostly bodyweight and am an >200 lb lean guy (mutliple bulking cycles too, I bulk very clean). There is no end in sight for difficult resistance either for me either . A women will never get strong enough to run out of bodyweight only resistance, a man won't in the upper body either.
Resistance is resistance.
This article contains or links to practically everything you could ever need to know about bodyweight training:
http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/faq
The only part I disagree with is their suggestion to use barbells for the legs if possible. Pistol squats, shrimp squats, and glute ham raises will take you a long way, and only require a small amount of weight from DB's when they get too easy.
Now that's not to say that you CAN'T get stronger from body weight exercises (even with leg exercises), but eventually you'll tap out because unless you're adding body weight (which is how you may have bulked up more), it's no longer progressive.
Enlighten me with your knowledge. I'm willing to learn.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Pushup options:
One Arm Pushups - Remove an arm. Progressively move the legs closer together (a feet together one arm pushup is HARD). Begin to elevate the legs. NO ROTATION ALLOWED
Pseudo Planche Pushups - Move your hands toward your waist. This increases the moment (and this load) applied to the shoulder a great deal. Reps have to be up and down, straight waist, with full arm lockout. The standard pushup is a high leverage position. Moving the hands reduces the leverage a lot. Next step, elevate your feet. Next step, do them with elevated feet using only a wall. Using only a wall is very, very hard. These can also be modified by moving your hands out away from the body, like an arrow when viewed from above, hits the muscles a little different, a hair harder.
Planche Pushups - Remove your feet from the ground, so that the only part of your body touching the ground is your hands. Hips must remain level with the shoulders (it is a pushup, not a dip) at all times. Arms must come to lockout each rep. Start out with knees tucked to your chest (will need hand holds for ground clearance), extend them as you get stronger. The same prime movers of the pushup also have to hold your body rotated in a very deleveraged position. This magnifies the load of the pushup a great deal. Very few people are strong enough to even do the most basic variant.
Pulling to the abs makes it more a row than an actual pullup. Switching to one hand changes the "width" of the pull (the "spread" of your scapula) since leverage with straight legs would force one to pull straight up, unlike with hands in a Y position.Pullups:
Same deal. Remove an arm (or work toward it with one arm emphasized pulls), add front lever elements to magnify the load. As an example, take the yewki, start in a dead hang with a straight body, rotate 90 degrees during the pull and pull your abs to the bar, your body should be perfectly straight and horizontal at top of the rep. Holding the rotated position greatly magnifies the load on your prime movers. Other lever-pulls are lever rows and ice cream makers. Straight arm 360 pulls are also pretty hard when you go slow and extend your legs as much as possible.
But totally different exercise compared to a deadlift.Closest thing to a deadlift is a glute ham raise. Gyms have glute ham raise apparatuses, but most homemade apparatuses (pillow/towel and foot hold) will have the support below the knee, not above the knee, increasing the moment applied to the hams/glutes and making the exercise much more difficult (with low leverage, a couple inches is a huge difference). If these start getting easy, hold a small weight overhead. Body should be straight at the waist, no butt sticking up (holding the waist open isometrically is the hardest part of the movement, hinging at the bottom, as many do on the gym apparatus, makes it easier). Most people will spend most of their time using progressively less and less hand assist, an unassisted GHR with support below the knee is HARD. Holding the bottom position also increases the difficulty.
Again, I DON'T disagree that you can definitely increase strength with body weight exercises, however there will be a limit that body weight alone (even if you could master the HARDEST movements) will limit certain movements. This is why even people who have mastered it will add weights (preferably dumbells) to their body weight movements.
I'm not debating that one can't do it with body weight alone. I DO believe that a combination of both weight and body weight exercises provide more options especially for those who want to do a pullup, but use a pulldown machine to work on strengthening themselves up until they can do a pullup.
I do appreciate you giving information on the body weight options so that those who don't have access to a gym have avenues that can still be used.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I can see one handed pushups affecting the chest area, but from a kinesiology standpoint, the planche is more a tricep exercise than chest exercise.
So I'm curious. How do you make a push up harder in prone position without adding weight on the body? Or a pullup? Or a deadlift? We've spoken about this before and my stance was that just because someone who couldn't do a pullup at 200lbs, but now can at 150lbs doesn't mean they got stronger essentially, but your argument was that it was BS. Realistically, a 50lbs difference in weight makes a difference.That's BS. I bulk just fine with mostly bodyweight and am an >200 lb lean guy (mutliple bulking cycles too, I bulk very clean). There is no end in sight for difficult resistance either for me either . A women will never get strong enough to run out of bodyweight only resistance, a man won't in the upper body either.
Resistance is resistance.
This article contains or links to practically everything you could ever need to know about bodyweight training:
http://www.reddit.com/r/bodyweightfitness/wiki/faq
The only part I disagree with is their suggestion to use barbells for the legs if possible. Pistol squats, shrimp squats, and glute ham raises will take you a long way, and only require a small amount of weight from DB's when they get too easy.
Now that's not to say that you CAN'T get stronger from body weight exercises (even with leg exercises), but eventually you'll tap out because unless you're adding body weight (which is how you may have bulked up more), it's no longer progressive.
Enlighten me with your knowledge. I'm willing to learn.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Pushup options:
One Arm Pushups - Remove an arm. Progressively move the legs closer together (a feet together one arm pushup is HARD). Begin to elevate the legs. NO ROTATION ALLOWED
Pseudo Planche Pushups - Move your hands toward your waist. This increases the moment (and this load) applied to the shoulder a great deal. Reps have to be up and down, straight waist, with full arm lockout. The standard pushup is a high leverage position. Moving the hands reduces the leverage a lot. Next step, elevate your feet. Next step, do them with elevated feet using only a wall. Using only a wall is very, very hard. These can also be modified by moving your hands out away from the body, like an arrow when viewed from above, hits the muscles a little different, a hair harder.
Planche Pushups - Remove your feet from the ground, so that the only part of your body touching the ground is your hands. Hips must remain level with the shoulders (it is a pushup, not a dip) at all times. Arms must come to lockout each rep. Start out with knees tucked to your chest (will need hand holds for ground clearance), extend them as you get stronger. The same prime movers of the pushup also have to hold your body rotated in a very deleveraged position. This magnifies the load of the pushup a great deal. Very few people are strong enough to even do the most basic variant.
Pulling to the abs makes it more a row than an actual pullup. Switching to one hand changes the "width" of the pull (the "spread" of your scapula) since leverage with straight legs would force one to pull straight up, unlike with hands in a Y position.Pullups:
Same deal. Remove an arm (or work toward it with one arm emphasized pulls), add front lever elements to magnify the load. As an example, take the yewki, start in a dead hang with a straight body, rotate 90 degrees during the pull and pull your abs to the bar, your body should be perfectly straight and horizontal at top of the rep. Holding the rotated position greatly magnifies the load on your prime movers. Other lever-pulls are lever rows and ice cream makers. Straight arm 360 pulls are also pretty hard when you go slow and extend your legs as much as possible.
But totally different exercise compared to a deadlift.Closest thing to a deadlift is a glute ham raise. Gyms have glute ham raise apparatuses, but most homemade apparatuses (pillow/towel and foot hold) will have the support below the knee, not above the knee, increasing the moment applied to the hams/glutes and making the exercise much more difficult (with low leverage, a couple inches is a huge difference). If these start getting easy, hold a small weight overhead. Body should be straight at the waist, no butt sticking up (holding the waist open isometrically is the hardest part of the movement, hinging at the bottom, as many do on the gym apparatus, makes it easier). Most people will spend most of their time using progressively less and less hand assist, an unassisted GHR with support below the knee is HARD. Holding the bottom position also increases the difficulty.
Again, I DON'T disagree that you can definitely increase strength with body weight exercises, however there will be a limit that body weight alone (even if you could master the HARDEST movements) will limit certain movements. This is why even people who have mastered it will add weights (preferably dumbells) to their body weight movements.
I'm not debating that one can't do it with body weight alone. I DO believe that a combination of both weight and body weight exercises provide more options especially for those who want to do a pullup, but use a pulldown machine to work on strengthening themselves up until they can do a pullup.
I do appreciate you giving information on the body weight options so that those who don't have access to a gym have avenues that can still be used.
A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
If you feel a planche in your triceps, either:
- Your triceps are comically weak compared to the rest of your upper body.
- You're doing it wrong.
Planches and variations are chest exercises more than anything else, though the forearms, biceps, shoulders, and traps will get a good workout as well. At the point of maximum tension, the straight arm lockout, your triceps do nothing, your bodyweight will apply a huge amound of rotational torque to your elbows, holding your arms straight. You have to tense the triceps in order to control the biceps, but the biceps carry the load in the upper arm, preventing elbow hyperextension. During the bent arm pushup portion, the load on the triceps is no greater than a dip, and if you are strong enough to do a basic tuck planche pushup, BW dips should be very easy, doing 30 or more should be no issue. All of the load is on the shoulder joint (deltoids, pecs, and traps), not the elbow joint. Calling a planche/planche pushup a tricep exercise is kinda like calling a regular pushup a glute exercise; yes they play a role, but if it is limiting you, something is terribly wrong with your strength profile.
Remember a planche pushup can be thought of as an an extreme chest dip. Instead of leaning forward a little, you lean forward a full 90 degrees and use your chest/shoulders to hold your hips up. A dip station is one of the best places to do planche pushups. Making that roation and holding it is many orders of magnitude more difficult than a BW dip, the triceps do no more though than they do in a BW dip, if anything they do less because the ROM at the elbow is a little smaller.
Rows and pullups work the same muscles for the most part, though rows work the back along the spine much better than a pullup. Remember a pullup is NOT a pure vertical pull, you either have to lean back or pull eccetric to the bar, a pure vertical pull is a BW bicep curl.
Note, I did not say one hand pullups (the grabbing the wrist variant that is no more difficult than a regular pull, except on your grip), I said one arm pull, as in the other arm does not assist in the pull. One arm pullups are HARD, near the physical limits of human performance, even the strongest of the strong are hard pressed to more than a couple reps.
Yes a GHR is a totally different exercise, about the only similarity is that it primarily works the posterior chain, lower back-glutes-hamstrings. However what BW work lacks in trunk braced leg work, it makes up for with trunck braced upper body work (L-sit, front/back lever, planche, + variants), which has no equivalent with weights. The supercompound exercises with BW are in the upper body.
Most people will get more mileage out of DB rows than the pulldown machine, working up to pullups, IMHO.
One could master the hardest movements in the lower body, but I do not beleive it is possible in the upper body. Olympic level ring specialists are the strongest of the strong relative to their bodyweight, even the best of the best are only capable of holding the hardest stuff a couple seconds or doing a rep or two (as in it is near 1-2-3RM level work for them), should you somehow surpass this point, go get yourself a gold medal.
Even in the lower body, a small collection of dumbbells is plenty to provide infinite resistance, one would never need more than that.0 -
For visible abs you may well have to get to bodyfat percentage that is lower than "normal". I.e. like 15%. I'm at between 14% and 16% and I still don't really have a six pack.0
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