Anyone do ONLY body weight training + cardio? I'm starting and want to set realistic goals.

stuart959
stuart959 Posts: 33 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a thirty year old man currently weighing 244 pounds with a goal of roughly 180, and have decided to add body weight training to cardio as my primary exercise. My goal is to build up my body strength to not only trim down but make maneuvering in odd or tight spaces easier, think attics and crawl spaces. It's easy to see experts or natural athletes online make ridiculous goals seem reasonable. I want help forming realistic goals and expectations as well as suggestions on custom exercises beyond the standard stuff anyone can find online to help meet these goals. I have done some digging online and decided to start off easy with 3 sets of 20 squats, 3 sets of 10 inclined push ups (split between close in elbows back for triceps and wide for more chest focus), and single leg (vertical to opposite bent knee height) raises 2 sets of 5. My starting goal is to do this routine and future iterations three days a week. If I've made anything unclear please ask, also I plan to add more exercises later as strength and equipment allow.

Replies

  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Adding weight training is a good idea. Combined with proper diet, and some cardio you will definitely see some gains in strength and some losses in fat.
    Body weight exercises are pretty good, in-expensive obviously, and can be done anywhere.
    I like push-ups, and squats. I would consider lunges too.
    The leg raises you mention, I cant picture in my mind (is this for abs?)

    I would try to throw something in there for the back..quite a few decent body weight workouts for the back.

    Chin-ups are amazing, hard to do but not expensive to buy an assist strap....worked wonders for me. Allowed me to lift myself up by reducing my body weight. Only cost $30 and is now my fav. exercise.
  • dwick1017
    dwick1017 Posts: 21 Member
    It sounds like, from wanting to fit into tight spaces, you are actually interested in mobility not really body weight training. Push ups and exercises like that are not really going to help this unless you tailor them properly. Instead of doing incline push ups do deficit push ups. Your hands would be up on dumbbells or anything that allows your chest to go deeper than usual. Anything that increases your range of motion. Regular stretching doesn't do this it increases flexibility. Instead of looking for bodyweight programs look into mobility programs. I would still recommend weight training though as a supplement as it has many great benefits.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    Look into convict conditioning. Great body weight stuff. You're wise: the real is always better than the ideal! Also youll keep evolving as you go so what seems daunting now might be exciting in a year or so. Start where you are, do what you like, reinvent yourself as you go. Best wishes!!
  • lemmie177
    lemmie177 Posts: 479 Member
    scolaris wrote: »
    Look into convict conditioning. Great body weight stuff. You're wise: the real is always better than the ideal! Also youll keep evolving as you go so what seems daunting now might be exciting in a year or so. Start where you are, do what you like, reinvent yourself as you go. Best wishes!!

    +1 for Convict Conditioning. I'm doing weight training atm, but am starting to work in body weight exercises from the book. I was impressed by the author's arguments for the exercises he chooses and his focus on functional movement.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Here's some crawling drills:

    - reptilian crawls
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=K6vQgErtpco
    - alligator crawls:
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=UpBqDvYKBz8
    - alligator pushups:
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=WMLslR1h0CU

    That's for the pushing muscles. It's good to do an equal number of sets for the pulling muscles, so maybe add some bodyweight rows:
    https://youtube.com/watch?v=OYUxXMGVuuU

    Consider investing in some basic strength equipment at some point, to do deadlifts, lunges, and other functional exercises. :+1:

  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited November 2015
    Yes, I did a lot of high-rep bodyweight & cardio. I got a lot of repetitive strain injuries :/ Turns out I'm prone to them, but a lot of people get them with high rep stuff when they do it for TOO long. (It's good to start with, though.)

    My advice is: mix it up with some kind of weight training, & keep cardio low-impact & varied. Prevention > rehab. Strength training will protect your joints. Low-impact cardio will also protect your joints. Cross-training, protects joints. My message is: protect your joints (* and ligaments & tendons).

    Once you can do 3 x 20, it's time to add some resistance to that exercise. It's not a place to *start* (if the idea is to add more *reps*)
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited November 2015
    stuart959 wrote: »
    I'm a thirty year old man currently weighing 244 pounds with a goal of roughly 180, and have decided to add body weight training to cardio as my primary exercise. My goal is to build up my body strength to not only trim down but make maneuvering in odd or tight spaces easier, think attics and crawl spaces. It's easy to see experts or natural athletes online make ridiculous goals seem reasonable. I want help forming realistic goals and expectations as well as suggestions on custom exercises beyond the standard stuff anyone can find online to help meet these goals. I have done some digging online and decided to start off easy with 3 sets of 20 squats, 3 sets of 10 inclined push ups (split between close in elbows back for triceps and wide for more chest focus), and single leg (vertical to opposite bent knee height) raises 2 sets of 5. My starting goal is to do this routine and future iterations three days a week. If I've made anything unclear please ask, also I plan to add more exercises later as strength and equipment allow.

    Here's a guy around your age (maybe a couple of years older) who got into great shape with bodyweight exercise, walking, and maybe a small bit of running as cardio: http://strengthunbound.com/ He has several very good articles about dieting and bodyweight exercise.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    2 good sources already mentioned, CC & strength unbound. Add to that YAYOG, Al Kavadlo, & nerd fitness. I got really strong "just" doing body weight and running. I've since changed focus, but BW moves still make up the majority of my workouts
  • questionfear
    questionfear Posts: 527 Member
    I am doing you are your own gym (yayog) and like it a lot. Nerd Fitness has some good bodyweight exercise circuits, including ones to do in hotel rooms/small spaces.
  • stuart959
    stuart959 Posts: 33 Member
    Thank you all for the suggestions, not being great at quoting I'll summarize. Thanks for the suggestions regarding mobility training, increasing range of motion (as skill and strength allow), strength training, avoiding repetitive motion injuries and crawling drills. I now realize I forgot to mention that part of my reason for doing this is to limit injuries. I am currently unemployed from my electrician apprenticeship and I want to increase my overall fitness so I don't have another muscle blow out. That's why I am interested in compound body weight exercises.
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,741 Member
    You're smart to start taking care of your health and fitness now, particularly given your career. I have a friend who is an electrician and as he's reaching 50 years old climbing ladders and crawling through attics and crawl spaces is getting tougher and tougher.

    Great advice given above. Body weight exercises and flexibility will be important. Good luck!
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    adding some yoga or general flexibility workouts might help a bit too as well as building strength
  • successgal1
    successgal1 Posts: 996 Member
    Look into resistance bands.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    In order of importance
    1. Consistency
    2. Routine choice
  • tedlinn24
    tedlinn24 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm a CrossFit coach and the combination of functional weight training, gymnastics and metabolic training hits every area you will need. It will help you with mobility, strength and metabolic conditioning. You should give it a try. Most CrossFit boxes will offer a intro course and help you get started. You may find it challenging in some areas but the small Gaines you make will deliver great results. Just a thought.

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