Can't really be bothered to join a gym, but I do have a set of dumbells so I've been trying http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html workout. It's probably [censored], since everything one person says about fitness is immediately contradicted by another.

Edit: Doing Monday on a Wednesday, come at me bro.

I use dumbbells exclusively too (used to frequent the Y). Personally, I only care about biceps. Period. So dumbbells suit me fine.

Yup, stretching is pretty important. I stretch each muscle group I work after the workout, and rest it 3 days to an entire week depending on the intensity of the workout. Hitting a certain group once or twice is good enough, even if all you want is definition. If I work out after a long break I'm sore for 2 or 3 days, but when I'm generally working out week after week, I don't get too sore. Or maybe I get used to it, either way, I don't feel it after a while.

Also, sleep is really important. At least 8 hours of continuous sleep. Also, you shouldn't have any food before sleeping, especially carbs. Stretch before sleeping, and sleep slightly hungry = wake up leaner, since your body goes into a state of mild to minor ketosis. Some people like that flat, hard look in their muscles, such as myself, but real bodybuilders like to look fuller, meatier, and just generally bulkier. To look really statuesque, keto diet for two weeks, 100% carb deplete and tons of water. Then on the day before your competition/photoshoot or whatever, load up with carbs. Pancakes, maple syrup, anything and everything you can get your hands on. This achieves a really toned and defined, yet bulky and powerful looking body, and looks great. One maintains this peak state for 3 or 4 days before reverting to a regular diet, as extended periods of low body fat percentage can be dangerous.

For some reason this past February I was inspired to seriously start increasing my overall endurance and strength (I lead a pretty sedentary lifestyle), so I started doing a short 30-minute workout five days a week for a little over three months. In that time, I've gained 5-10 pounds of muscle mass and my endurance and respiration (I'm mildly asthmatic) have both improved considerably.


I'm also pretty energetic now. Although I still don't hold much interest in any kind of organized sport, I've got a huge yard with lots of trees and rubbish and the area I live in is dotted with many public swimming pools, so there's plenty of opportunity for running, climbing, and swimming, and I take advantage of it all as much as possible.

I am a tad big myself, but some people think I am like 100 pounds over, but really I am only 20 pounds over my healthy spot. But I do take my dogs for a walk from time to time.

Last year I lost 50 lbs by just... doing it. I ate less, ensuring that every day my caloric intake was within 40 kCal* of a certain number. Really, it's a lot like lifting an X-Wing out of the Dagobah swamps - you either do, or you don't. There is no try.

For actual exercise, I subscribe to the "mess around" school of thought. I have a pull up bar in my door frame, and I do chin-ups / pull ups when I feel like it (for example - when I lose a boss battle). I take a similar approach to squats, push-ups, et cetera. For cardio, I do High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) when running because I just don't have the patience to do 45 minutes of 6mph. I can do long times, but just not long times at steady rates. I try to do HIIT whenever I'm not feeling beat up from the last time, but I don't stick to a schedule or anything.

I actually preform silly exorcisms all the time, in addition to invoking evil spirits. I'm a magic nerd, and like the supernatural traditions of mankind.

*according to the "nutrition facts" product labels, which are pretty good, but obviously not perfect. For most things, they're lucky to have two sig figs.

I really can't!

Pick walk or six.
You'll need both at some point.

I need to do more exercise and eat healither. Even though I'm nearly stick thin I'm incredibly unfit, can't even go up the stairs in work without getting out of breath, though it might just be the stuffy air

I'm skinny but dangerously unfit. Just as well because I would only run in the case of zombie apocalypse, for 200 meters, then collapse out of breath feeling sick for the next few hours! I can't stand the feeling of persperation so unless my doctor told me my head would explode if I did not work out then I don't see myself getting fit any time soon.

Skinny and generally healthy but not in the best fitness class. Mostly because I CBA to do it. I don't really find enjoyment in running or bike riding, my work has me active most of the time..so that helps a little bit.

I work out every once in a while with the weights I have, and a pull up bar..which I actually use daily..sometimes to just stretch..sometimes to just bust out a few pull-ups. Every time I try to work out, I give up eventually because I lose interest.

I wouldn't trade my pair of 10 pound dumb bells for any gym membership in the world. Best work out tool I've ever owned.

For people worried about being too fat or too small I think proper nutrition, calories in vs calories out is more important than exercise. It is a lot easier to put in too many calories than take them out by working them off.
I don't have any healthy food recipes the healthiest thing I ever did in my diet was cutting out soda pop, cola is flat out awful wrecks teeth, it has nutritional value, it's ingredients are just bad for you.

There's nothing a 10lb db will help you achieve...not for someone whose been working out for more than a week anyway. Unless you're training for endurance (i.e. high reps).

I endorse this. Pull-up bar is the best way to start, and I still use mine. Not many exercises I can think of use as many muscles and joints, is low impact, inexpensive, convenient, stretches and kicks starts circulation, and there seems to be some deep primal drive within our psych when we see the bar to "climb for survival". And it's fun.


Exercise is best when it's social or piques personal interest. Or if you have the type of mind that is disciplined for monotonous and repetitive grinding. Social doesn't need to be competitive, but sharing a passion helps; Biking, hiking, surfing, sailing/boating, climbing, walking, etc.

Coming out of the military and sports in high school, I found those years to be my most satisfactory in enjoyment when it came to regimented exercise. I discovered that my potential was far greater when I had a "team goal". Beyond that exercise became a mundane and pointless task; I was healthy, and I guess it was just my mind's way of telling me to relax and enjoy life.

I guess my point is, find your motivation and preferably let that monkey rest on your back.

WE MUST EXORCISE THE DEMONS!!

(poltergeist)

I'm looking to get into a decent weight training program (To build a little more muscle, but I don't want to be huge).

I could probably do with a few pointers though... I can't afford a gym membership currently but I do luckily have some equipment at home.

I've got:

Bench Press and olympic bar with some weights
2 DB's and weights
Squat Rack
Multi gym machine with a few different exercises, none of which seem too useful.
Bench for doing situps - can attach a weight to this that you can lift with your legs too

Got to make something fit inside the kit above!

Is your bench adjustable so that you can do incline db presses/flyes?

Since Jan. 1 I've bumped up my exercise an average of 30 minutes per day, eat more vegetables, and drink more water. All pretty easy to do. I seem to be plateauing at roughly a roughly 25# loss. Would still like to lose another 10-15 pounds. It wouldn't be my fighting weight (145# while benching over 200 and squating near 300), but my fighting years were 20 years ago

Excersize is some fast walking with a bit of short running (trying to slowly work up to things and testing a bum knee), and a light wegiht/cardio routine.

Even with a moderately active job, I find that it's still easy for me to put on weight....it'll be entersting bucking the 5 yeay they gain it back trend.

INteresting reading a couple posts about mindset for exercise. My wife made the same choices, but hates to exercise. She's always struggled with weight, seen the rebounds, and doesn't really like to exercise alone. She ash trouble getting the momentum because it's so difficult for her to start. She's never been one for pushing herself physically, so the social aspect is what works for her. However, she still needs to get to a place where she doesn't feel guilty about slowing others down.

That's pretty good. If you want to break the plateau, I suggest switching up exercises. What works best for a lot of people is swimming, so if you have access to a pool, and the timing, then definitely go for it. If you've been doing LISS, go for HIIT, and if you've been doing HIIT, start some LISS. If you can lose 25, another 15 isn't a problem, you can do it.

You have to copy the 'view progress photos' link.

I see... Heavens, this site is hard to navigate around... This may take a while...

Edit: http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/xxamzxx/more.php?section=progresspics

Afraid not It's pretty ancient. Would that be a big advantage?

I could probably buy one when I get paid next, will it likely be any bigger than an average bench? Space is probably the next most limiting factor for me.

slightly longer maybe, but I doubt it would be too much bigger. If you can fit in a regular bench, then you could fit an adjustable one as well.

You see, the thing is the incline dumbell presses/flyes is where the money is at when it comes to chest work outs. Especially upper chest. It's what stands out the most, and really lays out all the ground work for a nice looking chest. Now I'm not saying it's essential, and you can do great with a regular bench, but if you happened to have an incline one, it would be better for your chest.

If short on space or cash, an alternative is to buy a big exercise ball, wedge it against a wall and use that for your incline sets.

But once again, it isn't absolutely pivotal, so if it's any trouble, don't bother with it. You can still form a good structure without one.

Edit: If you feel like working your upper chest, you could always do weighted incline push ups. All you need for that is a bed or a chair.

Edit: I'm no CPT, but if you would like, I could help with making you a schedule and providing tips. Just ask me what you need, and I'll tell you what I know.

Best tip I could ever give is http://www.simplyshredded.com/.

It's got everything you could ever ask for.

Thanks, will look into that.

A few tips and a starting schedule would be fantastic to be honest. I'm a complete blank canvas really in terms of training with weights, never done it before. I did used to play alot of football (soccer) and I've always been more of a cardio guy.

Not sure if you need anymore info from me to make sure I don't kill myself while training? I'm a big guy anyway but I'm a little over my optimum weight at the minute, really want to get on top of it and sort it out though.

In fact that's a lie, I've bench pressed before at school but I always felt it more in my arms than in my actual chest. The strength in my arms always failed me before I got anywhere near feeling any kind of 'burn' in my chest.

Arms typically do fail first, so a chest routine usually does a large/heavy exercise like a press first, the does another exercise such as flies second.

Regarding incline benches, if you're not too far along in an exercise regime, don't forget that elevating your feet for pshups can also work, or putting some think phone books under your hands to get deeper - just watch your cranial pressure and over extending your shoulders

I would imagine I can't do many pushups currently. I'm probably creating a really bad image for myself here, I'm by no means overweight to look at... I just know I have a very low power to weight ratio. I'm 6'2 and weight around 14 stone.