My free daily(ish) lunchtime workout

[Legend83]

Trying to get in shape before my wedding in August. 'In shape' in this context means toning and growing a bit of muscle, as I am not overweight, rather I am scrawnier than I would like.

So most lunchtimes at work I go for a 30 min jog round the park (to try and get rid of the cake fat on my abs) incorporating:

- 5-10 pull-ups off the footy goalposts (usually reps of 2-3 as these are bds)

- 20-30 upward rows using the rugby pitch fences

- 10-20 tri-dips on the rugby pitch fences

This is often combined with a home work-out which includes a mix of lunges, burpees, many many press-ups and inclined narrow press-ups.

I try and get as much protein in my diet as possible - protein shake with 4 weetabix for breakfast, chicken/tuna based sandwich for lunch, nuts as snacks etc.

Do the fitness bods reckon this will make much difference over the next 3-4 months? Or am I wasting my time?

[AndyAudi]

I've posted a request on the Sports forum for some get fit quick advice, but no reply as yet.

I followed the programme below for a few weeks and noticed (look & feel) an improvement to my upper body
http://www.hundredpushups.com/index.html

I only did it as it looked easy and straight forward

[Legend83]

AndyAudi said:

I've posted a request on the Sports forum for some get fit quick advice, but no reply as yet.

I followed the programme below for a few weeks and noticed (look & feel) an improvement to my upper body
http://www.hundredpushups.com/index.html

I only did it as it looked easy and straight forward

Yeah, I have been doing this too. Although I was warned that I should vary my exercises as too much work on one area just makes you look odd!

Try doing incline press-ups to get the top of you chest working harder.

[Ken Sington]

Every successful diet comes down to one very simple mantra, eat less, move more, so on that basis you should see results. Look to cut calories as much as you can though; is it really necessary to eat 4 weetabix for breakfast? Cut it down to 2 and look to reduce portion sizes wherever you can. Don't eat nuts as snacks either. Even unsalted, there is a lot of fat in nuts. Eat fruit instead.

You also want to work out your exercise zones so you find the endurance zone where your body is primarily burning fat for fuel during exercise. This will be somewhere around 70% of your maximum heart rate. Have a Google and you should be able to find plenty on this subject.

Combine these two approaches and you'll be a racing snake before you know it.

[_DeeJay_]

Ken Sington said:

Every successful diet comes down to one very simple mantra, eat less, move more, so on that basis you should see results. Look to cut calories as much as you can though; is it really necessary to eat 4 weetabix for breakfast? Cut it down to 2 and look to reduce portion sizes wherever you can. Don't eat nuts as snacks either. Even unsalted, there is a lot of fat in nuts. Eat fruit instead.

You also want to work out your exercise zones so you find the endurance zone where your body is primarily burning fat for fuel during exercise. This will be somewhere around 70% of your maximum heart rate. Have a Google and you should be able to find plenty on this subject.

Combine these two approaches and you'll be a racing snake before you know it.

Erm, I'm not sure how that will help him being scrawnier than he would like?

From what I understood, you're interested in bulking up so you need protein and exercise. Three or four months will certainly make a difference, but I'd reduce your time running and concentrate more on the weight training exercises.

[Ken Sington]

Oops, got as far as getting in shape and obviously missed the next bit. I shall go and eat a lb of lard in penitence

[VXED]

Ken Sington said:

Every successful diet comes down to one very simple mantra, eat less, move more, so on that basis you should see results. Look to cut calories as much as you can though; is it really necessary to eat 4 weetabix for breakfast? Cut it down to 2 and look to reduce portion sizes wherever you can.

Have you ever read a weetabix packet and looked at the tiny calorie count?
Without checking i believe 2 with semi-skimmed milk is about 125-130 calories. Hardly a breakfast is it, especially when it should be your largest meal of the day!!

I used to have 4 for breakfast each day, but found that i'd be starving by 9am, so i have 6 usually, and i'm so skinny i can play hide ansd seek with a lampost.

[CyprusCraig]

Invest in a kettlebell for home workouts... then do this.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/kettlebell_5x5_training.htm

[Wildfire]

If you want to bulk up, put some muscle on, then you need to be doing weights really. I do 3 sets of up to 10 with someone spotting when I wanted to put on bulk fast, along with a very high protein diet.

Now I tend to do less as I don't want to get too big. But as said before and in a different thread, diet is key to losing fat. If you eat a calorie defficiant diet you will burn more fat when you do exercise. I am trying to hit the gym for at least 40 min each day, longer if I can.

[Legend83]

[quote=Wildfire]If you want to bulk up, put some muscle on, then you need to be doing weights really. [quote]

Presumably body-weight exercises such as pull-ups will increase muscle capacity though?

I am mixing it up with a home workout to, including dumbell work e.g. upward rows, shoulder presses etc.

[Wildfire]

They will, do but a full free weights work out will see a much better increase. I was quite ill about a year ago and dropped a lot of weight, fat and muscle, and for a few months I followed a high protein diet along with free weights and I put on a good amount of muscle in around 3 months. Sadly now it is getting covered with fat due to a change in job and available time.

[stackmonkey]

Pull ups are a good overall workout for the upper back. Once you can do 5-6 reps, you should improve quite quickly up to 10. Vary your grip to emphasise different muscles.
over-arm wide grip, over-arm narrow (shoulder width) grip, under arm (shoulder width) grip.

[bazking69]

My lunchtime workout involves nothing more exertive than a brisk half an hour walk.

[pokethepope]

Pop down to Argos or go on the internet and get a cheap pack of free weights for about £30-£60(gym would be ideal if you want to bulk up, but a weight set will only cost the same as 1-2 months gym membership). Even with a simple dumbell set you can do so many different exercises - you'll see a much greater improvement with these than doing just body weight exercises.

[Legend83]

pokethepope said:

Pop down to Argos or go on the internet and get a cheap pack of free weights for about £30-£60(gym would be ideal if you want to bulk up, but a weight set will only cost the same as 1-2 months gym membership). Even with a simple dumbell set you can do so many different exercises - you'll see a much greater improvement with these than doing just body weight exercises.

Ok, perhaps 2 days a week of my lunchtime work-out then 2 days of free-weights at home? I want to do some cardio to try and reveal the abs (currently covered by a small layer of "too many cakes" fat!).

[VXED]

Legend83 said:

pokethepope said:

Pop down to Argos or go on the internet and get a cheap pack of free weights for about £30-£60(gym would be ideal if you want to bulk up, but a weight set will only cost the same as 1-2 months gym membership). Even with a simple dumbell set you can do so many different exercises - you'll see a much greater improvement with these than doing just body weight exercises.

Ok, perhaps 2 days a week of my lunchtime work-out then 2 days of free-weights at home? I want to do some cardio to try and reveal the abs (currently covered by a small layer of "too many cakes" fat!).

The key to revealing your abs is mainly down to your diet. 6 meals a day of 300-400 calories seems to be working for me, plus some cardio and a few situps.

[Digger]

Legend83 said:

AndyAudi said:

I've posted a request on the Sports forum for some get fit quick advice, but no reply as yet.

I followed the programme below for a few weeks and noticed (look & feel) an improvement to my upper body
http://www.hundredpushups.com/index.html

I only did it as it looked easy and straight forward

Yeah, I have been doing this too. Although I was warned that I should vary my exercises as too much work on one area just makes you look odd!

Try doing incline press-ups to get the top of you chest working harder.

Quick correction there, incline press for lower chest, decline press for upper. . .IIRC.

[Legend83]

An Update:

Been doing the following regime for the past 2 months now:

2 days - 30 minute jog including 15-20 pull-ups on goalposts and 30 incline pull-ups on fence posts

2 days - 45 minute session of 30-40 press-ups, 40 tri-dips, 10 press-up to bicep-curl to shoulder-press, 30 upward rows.

3 days of rest

Combined with a typical diet of 4 Weetabix and milk plus a shake (breakfast), sliced chicken, tuna and salad for mid-morning snack and lunch, and finally a meal of chicken and pasta/steak/lean beef burgers/seafood.

It is not an overly stressful regime but I have certainly noticed a difference, as have others.

Particular areas of good growth are my traps and back muscles, and my triceps. I would say I am getting more ripped than bulky though.

My chest is not growing much though, particularly where it meets my neck - any tips for this?

[SoapyShowerBoy]

Incline flys
Incline press

Have you the use of a gym?

if not, feet on a chair, back pack with weight in it, and do press ups

Edited by SoapyShowerBoy on Thursday 4th June 11:42

[Legend83]

SoapyShowerBoy said:

Incline flys
Incline press

Have you the use of a gym?

if not, feet on a chair, back pack with weight in it, and do press ups

Edited by SoapyShowerBoy on Thursday 4th June 11:42

No gym - all home exercise. Been doing mostly incline press-ups but still seem to have more definition in my lower pecs than my upper.

Can I do incline dumbell flys if I sit on a bean bag with my back at say 60 degrees? Or am I risking injury not using a proper bench?