This is the workout routine I intend to do every day over the summer and other days off school, and some of it during the rest of the days of the year. I've already tried this routine out, and it seemed okay, but I'd like some input. I don't know the terms for anything, you'll have to excuse me. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note that I am (about) 5' 7" and (about) 130lbs with very little noticable body fat and of an athletic (rather than muscular) build. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- stretching (I don't think I need any advice there. I do this before my routine) running (well, jogging - about 2 miles) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 100 situps (legs straight, hands behind head) 100 situps (knes bent, hands behind head) (Is there even a difference betweeen these or am I just doing 200 situps?) 100 situps (feet crossed and legs elevated, knees bent, hands behind head) 100 situps (the ones where you're laying on you're stomach and look like a dying fish while you're doing them) 100 situps (the ones where you're on your side - 50 to each side) 100 pushups (...regular pushups) 100 pushups (the ones where you clap in between pushups) 100 pushups (using two chairs - clapping between each) wall.. squats, or whatever (sitting against wall - 5 minutes timed) leg raises (bah... sometimes skip these... - 3 minutes timed) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I repeat this three times before my run and three times after (with a 15 minutes break between running and the routine) - probably should more? I do bag work and wooden dummy technique when I can, as well as using balance equipment, but only have access to these things three days out of the week. I sparr whenever there's a chance (I won't get into my addiction here). Anyway, how is this? Any advice on improving my routine? Note that I have access to no gym equipment, and don't need a reference to Prophet's thread either (though I'm considering doing that).
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bbinfo.php?page=TrainingatHome search online, here is a start. your suggested program is too chest heavy without balancing any work for your back. also, too many sit-ups, imho not a bad start, but there are plenty of better plans out there for you to follow. even if you have no weights or gym equipment
200 clapping push ups? and then you repeat that workout 3 times? and then go for a run and do it another 3 times afterwards? sorry to be a non believer but you must either be at an olympic level of fitness or have really bad form. everything you are doing is cardio. which is great if you plan on running a marathon, not so great if you want to fight. I would suggest you throw some weights into that routine- what kind of weight equipment (if any) do you have to work with?
However, you have to admit that different situps really spice up the workout First and foremost, you have to figure out what is your ultimate goal? If it's just general fitness, then include few pullups and your fine, otherwise you need to throw away all that (well almost all of it).
It's a miserable workout, but I'm sure it's certainly not anything near Olympic level. I've seen other workouts where everything is done 50 times rather than 100 but they do it 5 times. My workout isn't much more work if you do the math. I've tried it once, I dunno what it'd be like doing it every day (I'm assuming it can only do good). My form is not bad, it's that my will power is good (at times..). I don't do 200 clapping pushups in a row, there are situps in between. I don't think I could do 200 in a row. How is this so difficult with a 15 minute break between sets and running? None. Well, that's not actually true. My instructor has one machine that you sit at and pull downward, and I believe there is a leg attachment (which works the abdomen I believe?) available. But I have access to this only three days out of the week, without much time to use it. When I'm not in school, I'm there an hour and a half early (during the little kids' class) and could work the machine if I'm not helping my instructor. I can always go to Wal-Mart and get some hand weights - they're all the same I'm sure. lol, yes. The different situps work different areas... Fitness for fighting is my ultimate goal. But are you not supposed to work all areas of the body for combat? Ah, pullups. I tried pullups on a tree... I'll get a bar. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hand weights and a pullup bar? Anything else... inexpensive?
Too long... 5600+ exercices every week would kill me, and i wouldn't get anything else done. Try the Tabata method, quicker and it really pushes your exhaustion level. Fartlek running is good, especially if you want to train for sparring. Janda situps should also help cutdown on the number of situps you're doing, and maybe a few core strength exercises would be nice.
Well, seeing as I have no idea what you just said (Tabata? Fartlek? Janda??), I have a bit of research to do. BTW, thanks for the link, err, whoever posted it.
links tabata - http://www.t-nation.com/findArticle.do?article=04-046-training fartlek - http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/fartlek.htm janda - http://www.cbass.com/HardestSitup.htm
maybe you could do your cardio on alternate days as that routine is an injury waiting to happen , especially done every day. if you continued to focus so much on abs and not on lower back you would get a posture imbalance. so the number of sets you do on abs should match the number on lower back or at least be close. same goes for chest and upper back as mentioned so if you could get a pull up bar would beb great. as for equipment that is good but inexpensive. if you have space for a bench, even a small one get it.dumbells , get more weight then you need because you will need to progress. dyna bands/resistance bands.you can do alot with these.one exercise is rows which work the exact opposite muscles of a push up.im sure there is a thread here with a list and explanation of all exercises.resistance bands are very convinient and no storage problems,there are different strenghts,make sure you get a strong one.they are not as good as dumbells but inexpensive,convinient and can bring anywhere. stretching: before training is warming up and preventing injury,hold stretches for a max of 10 seconds after training is cooling down, recovery etc hold for around 30 seconds. hope this helps. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
*takes notes* Will do. Uhuh. Okay, so, pull-up bar, resistance bands... a weight bench and dumbells. Got it. You mean a minimum?? It has. Thank you. Thanks for the links, Comaboy, and a Happy New Year to everyone, from me as well.
1) True. 2) Not true. Two different muscle groups, meaning they won't necessarily need to be worked the same as the abdominals. 3) Also not true. Once again, two different muscle groups. If you bench 200 and do rows with 150, each for 10 reps, does that necessarily mean you have a muscle imbalance? Not necessarily. 4) Werd! 5) Resistance bands are a fun, cheap alternative to weights, so definitely! And the rows, like you said, can help balance out the pushups. 6) Stretching before weights can rob performance if you're going for strength, but a warmup is definitely needed, just not necessarily stretching at first. Afterwards, stretching is good, and feels great. 7) Happy New Year! My 2g's...
1)cool 2)cool but they do need to be worked enough to be strong.Neglecting the old erector spinae is a bad call 3)no but doin hundreds of reps of chest work and zero for the back will.best to have a balance 4) 5)indeed they would 6)thats more or less what i was saying.stretches for 7-10 seconds wont really rob performance before training like 30-60 second static stretching will.just to use it as part of the warm up and prep. 7)And Many Happy Returns!
Tsumetai: just regarding the stretching.Basically holding stretches for a long period of time reduces your muscular contraction strenght. If you train for flexability seperatley (give it its own sessions,make sure to keep warm throughout) and stretch all muscle groups you used in a workout for 30 seconds twice this will make you flexable enough for your workouts.If you still feel like a stretch before hand do your normal routine as you would but only hold for 7-10 second and do this after the warm up. Thats basically all the equipment you need.if you shop around you might be able to get a deal where they would throw in a barbell as well to give you more options. best of luck with it!
You're right, it's bad to neglect the erector spinae, and the lats, posterior delts, and any other fun little back muscle. But anyways.
if you can do dips and chins, here is something I came up with pistols one leg deads chins dips handstand pushups
