Gym routine for overall fitness, wellbeing and health
Discussion
Just wondering what are your opinions on a gym routine for wellbeing and overall "real world" fitness and good health...
What I mean by this, is not the seemingly one sided idea of body building, but an overall fitness that means I wont be too lacking for any situation, I've got a routine now and just wondered if its decent or not. It seems to me when most people ask for a gym routine, they are usually after, or are offered advice on weightlifting, split routine, whey protein this, creatine that... I'm not really after that, just an overall fitness routine that'll keep me in decent shape and healthy, and a basically, a critique of what I am doing at the moment.
I try to go at least 4 times a week, but usually 5, maybe 6 if I feel energetic.
I like to try and get a couple of weight sessions in a week. I usually do a full body routine comprising of a compound exercise for each body part... for example, 3 sets of between 8 and 12 reps... say squats / presses for legs, bench press / press ups for chest, rows or pull downs for upper back, hyperextensions or deadlifts for lower back, military press or shoulder press for shoulders, and then finish with a set for biceps and triceps just to finish off and some crunches.
I've neglected it of late, but I'm starting to realise that cardio is perhaps even more important for health. I am usually aching off the weights, so will use a relatively light resistance, and will do 45 minutes of strenous cardio that is almost as much as I can stand doing, getting heart rate into the 160 - 180 bhm rate... I know some say for fat loss go lower, but I'm doing it for health and fitness. Bear in mind this might not seem much but I am slightly overweight and 30, and apart from the last 3 years, totally sedentary! I'll aim to do 2 or 3 sessions of cardio.
I am not interested in whey proteins or other supplements, I feel my needs are met through my diet, I always try and get the cliched "5 a day" if not more... I wont pretend my diet is perfect, I think its not too bad though, plenty of veg and fruit, but occaisionally yes I have chocolate. Drink too much at the weekend, yes I know I shouldnt but I do, I may try and slowly cut down on this but I cant see me ever not having a drink - I dont subscribe to the theory that its as evil as some people say, at least, not for me anyway, but thats not the point - I enjoy it now and again.
What I mean by this, is not the seemingly one sided idea of body building, but an overall fitness that means I wont be too lacking for any situation, I've got a routine now and just wondered if its decent or not. It seems to me when most people ask for a gym routine, they are usually after, or are offered advice on weightlifting, split routine, whey protein this, creatine that... I'm not really after that, just an overall fitness routine that'll keep me in decent shape and healthy, and a basically, a critique of what I am doing at the moment.
I try to go at least 4 times a week, but usually 5, maybe 6 if I feel energetic.
I like to try and get a couple of weight sessions in a week. I usually do a full body routine comprising of a compound exercise for each body part... for example, 3 sets of between 8 and 12 reps... say squats / presses for legs, bench press / press ups for chest, rows or pull downs for upper back, hyperextensions or deadlifts for lower back, military press or shoulder press for shoulders, and then finish with a set for biceps and triceps just to finish off and some crunches.
I've neglected it of late, but I'm starting to realise that cardio is perhaps even more important for health. I am usually aching off the weights, so will use a relatively light resistance, and will do 45 minutes of strenous cardio that is almost as much as I can stand doing, getting heart rate into the 160 - 180 bhm rate... I know some say for fat loss go lower, but I'm doing it for health and fitness. Bear in mind this might not seem much but I am slightly overweight and 30, and apart from the last 3 years, totally sedentary! I'll aim to do 2 or 3 sessions of cardio.
I am not interested in whey proteins or other supplements, I feel my needs are met through my diet, I always try and get the cliched "5 a day" if not more... I wont pretend my diet is perfect, I think its not too bad though, plenty of veg and fruit, but occaisionally yes I have chocolate. Drink too much at the weekend, yes I know I shouldnt but I do, I may try and slowly cut down on this but I cant see me ever not having a drink - I dont subscribe to the theory that its as evil as some people say, at least, not for me anyway, but thats not the point - I enjoy it now and again.
I'd say cardio is far more important than any gym work for overall health. One of the beginner running programs (aiming at a 10k race perhaps for motivation) that are available on sites like Runners' World. Mixing that with some gym work a few times a week should be good for overall health and fitness.
Maybe try and incorporate some more bodyweight exercises into your routine, such as plyometric pushups, pullups/muscle-ups, dips etc?
You could have a fantastic all-over body workout that trains your muscles and improves your aerobic capacity too, such as this:
1) 10 Burpees
2) 10 bodyweight squats
3) 20 star jumps
4) 20 pushups
5) 10 squat jumps
6) 5 pullups/chinups
Do as one circuit non-stop, rest a minute at the end and then repeat for a total of 3-5 circuits.
All I've basically done is alternate between an aerobic exercise and a bodyweight anaerobic exercise. You can pretty much substitute in any exercises, but bodyweight movements allow you to move from one exercise to another very quickly and you can have a very productive workout in a short space of time.
If you really want to test yourself, try a 100 challenge (i.e. 100 reps of a given exercise against the clock). 100 burpees is a killer!
Experiment!
Animal
You could have a fantastic all-over body workout that trains your muscles and improves your aerobic capacity too, such as this:
1) 10 Burpees
2) 10 bodyweight squats
3) 20 star jumps
4) 20 pushups
5) 10 squat jumps
6) 5 pullups/chinups
Do as one circuit non-stop, rest a minute at the end and then repeat for a total of 3-5 circuits.
All I've basically done is alternate between an aerobic exercise and a bodyweight anaerobic exercise. You can pretty much substitute in any exercises, but bodyweight movements allow you to move from one exercise to another very quickly and you can have a very productive workout in a short space of time.
If you really want to test yourself, try a 100 challenge (i.e. 100 reps of a given exercise against the clock). 100 burpees is a killer!
Experiment!
Animal
Animal said:
Maybe try and incorporate some more bodyweight exercises into your routine, such as plyometric pushups, pullups/muscle-ups, dips etc?
You could have a fantastic all-over body workout that trains your muscles and improves your aerobic capacity too, such as this:
1) 10 Burpees
2) 10 bodyweight squats
3) 20 star jumps
4) 20 pushups
5) 10 squat jumps
6) 5 pullups/chinups
Do as one circuit non-stop, rest a minute at the end and then repeat for a total of 3-5 circuits.
All I've basically done is alternate between an aerobic exercise and a bodyweight anaerobic exercise. You can pretty much substitute in any exercises, but bodyweight movements allow you to move from one exercise to another very quickly and you can have a very productive workout in a short space of time.
If you really want to test yourself, try a 100 challenge (i.e. 100 reps of a given exercise against the clock). 100 burpees is a killer!
Experiment!
Animal
I like, with some cycling in betweenYou could have a fantastic all-over body workout that trains your muscles and improves your aerobic capacity too, such as this:
1) 10 Burpees
2) 10 bodyweight squats
3) 20 star jumps
4) 20 pushups
5) 10 squat jumps
6) 5 pullups/chinups
Do as one circuit non-stop, rest a minute at the end and then repeat for a total of 3-5 circuits.
All I've basically done is alternate between an aerobic exercise and a bodyweight anaerobic exercise. You can pretty much substitute in any exercises, but bodyweight movements allow you to move from one exercise to another very quickly and you can have a very productive workout in a short space of time.
If you really want to test yourself, try a 100 challenge (i.e. 100 reps of a given exercise against the clock). 100 burpees is a killer!
Experiment!
Animal
Good advice above.
I would add go careful on the running. You are far more likely to pick up injuries than non-weight bearing cardio like cycling, X-trainer, stepper etc. Don't go mad initially and don't increase the distance by more than 10% per week.
If you are after weight loss then there is no substitute for time rather than intensity. 1 1/2 hours on a bike cycling round some beautiful country roads in the sunshine is great and a wonderful experience, and the weight will fall off.
When in the gym concentrate on keeping the reps up. That way you will build lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism, not build comedy muscles which (from what I can see) leads you into the temptation of shaving your chest
Finally, you need to consider this a permanent lifestyle change not a flash-in-the-pan exercise.
Good luck.
I would add go careful on the running. You are far more likely to pick up injuries than non-weight bearing cardio like cycling, X-trainer, stepper etc. Don't go mad initially and don't increase the distance by more than 10% per week.
If you are after weight loss then there is no substitute for time rather than intensity. 1 1/2 hours on a bike cycling round some beautiful country roads in the sunshine is great and a wonderful experience, and the weight will fall off.
When in the gym concentrate on keeping the reps up. That way you will build lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism, not build comedy muscles which (from what I can see) leads you into the temptation of shaving your chest
Finally, you need to consider this a permanent lifestyle change not a flash-in-the-pan exercise.
Good luck.
Thanks for the replies, so it seems like a circuit style of training is the way to go, with some bodyweight exercises (should these been done daily?) thrown in for good measure.
Interesting comment on the reps on weights, I have always been told (but suspect its the usual old info that gets circulated on the internet being repeated perhaps), and was always led to believe that higher reps was of no real benefit other than for "the pump".
I was thinking of trying the 100 press up challenge too.
Interesting comment on the reps on weights, I have always been told (but suspect its the usual old info that gets circulated on the internet being repeated perhaps), and was always led to believe that higher reps was of no real benefit other than for "the pump".
I was thinking of trying the 100 press up challenge too.
Animal said:
Pothole said:
I like, with some cycling in between
Provided you can get on the bike and up to speed within 10 seconds (seriously!) Anything else just takes too long. I'd rather save that kind of cardio for afterwards when I can just do some steady-state aerobic exercise.Best,
Animal
Animal said:
Maybe try and incorporate some more bodyweight exercises into your routine, such as plyometric pushups, pullups/muscle-ups, dips etc?
You could have a fantastic all-over body workout that trains your muscles and improves your aerobic capacity too, such as this:
1) 10 Burpees
2) 10 bodyweight squats
3) 20 star jumps
4) 20 pushups
5) 10 squat jumps
6) 5 pullups/chinups
Do as one circuit non-stop, rest a minute at the end and then repeat for a total of 3-5 circuits.
All I've basically done is alternate between an aerobic exercise and a bodyweight anaerobic exercise. You can pretty much substitute in any exercises, but bodyweight movements allow you to move from one exercise to another very quickly and you can have a very productive workout in a short space of time.
If you really want to test yourself, try a 100 challenge (i.e. 100 reps of a given exercise against the clock). 100 burpees is a killer!
Experiment!
Animal
Sounds good. I have started doing 100 11kg Kettle Bell swings alternating 10 reps one arm, then swapping until a total of 100. Technique is similar to single hand swing (third exercise in this video) with loose arm behind the back. You could have a fantastic all-over body workout that trains your muscles and improves your aerobic capacity too, such as this:
1) 10 Burpees
2) 10 bodyweight squats
3) 20 star jumps
4) 20 pushups
5) 10 squat jumps
6) 5 pullups/chinups
Do as one circuit non-stop, rest a minute at the end and then repeat for a total of 3-5 circuits.
All I've basically done is alternate between an aerobic exercise and a bodyweight anaerobic exercise. You can pretty much substitute in any exercises, but bodyweight movements allow you to move from one exercise to another very quickly and you can have a very productive workout in a short space of time.
If you really want to test yourself, try a 100 challenge (i.e. 100 reps of a given exercise against the clock). 100 burpees is a killer!
Experiment!
Animal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR9KNdpen1g
Very very tired after!!
Kin hell that kettle drill looks painful. I'd do some damage either to me or the surrounding environment with those.
Anyway, a but of a hijack but i've just started back training today after about 5 years. Previous stuff doesn't really matter given the time difference and my goals have changed this time anyway.
I would like to lose 1-2stones over the next 6 months, which i don't think will be that difficult.
I arranged for the in house 'trainer' guy to give me a one to one on this sort of training and after 15 mins on the tread mill i was done in! Zero stamina and was sweating like a piggy!
he kept saying 'five more minutes' if i could have breathed at that point i'd have killed him.
Anyway, i done the 15 mins and moved onto the resistance stuff, he said i should stay away from free weights as i have no experience, but i hadn't told him my previous.
Anyhow, hopefully i'll get back into it, but as a question how do you keep to a weight loss only routine? I seem to get bored very quickly so i think i'll need to break it up with some interesting stuff once in a while.
Sorry for the hijack again!
D.
Anyway, a but of a hijack but i've just started back training today after about 5 years. Previous stuff doesn't really matter given the time difference and my goals have changed this time anyway.
I would like to lose 1-2stones over the next 6 months, which i don't think will be that difficult.
I arranged for the in house 'trainer' guy to give me a one to one on this sort of training and after 15 mins on the tread mill i was done in! Zero stamina and was sweating like a piggy!
he kept saying 'five more minutes' if i could have breathed at that point i'd have killed him.
Anyway, i done the 15 mins and moved onto the resistance stuff, he said i should stay away from free weights as i have no experience, but i hadn't told him my previous.
Anyhow, hopefully i'll get back into it, but as a question how do you keep to a weight loss only routine? I seem to get bored very quickly so i think i'll need to break it up with some interesting stuff once in a while.
Sorry for the hijack again!
D.
Digger said:
Sounds good. I have started doing 100 11kg Kettle Bell swings alternating 10 reps one arm, then swapping until a total of 100. Technique is similar to single hand swing (third exercise in this video) with loose arm behind the back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR9KNdpen1g
Very very tired after!!
Gah! Those 'squats' are just deadlifts with a tiny weight! You're lucky having kettlebells, my gym only has dumbbells, but as a good alternative I've been doing dumbbell swings (a 15kg dumbbell in each hand) - 3 sets of 15 reps at the end of a workout is a good finisher!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pR9KNdpen1g
Very very tired after!!
That bloke is brave doing those barefoot though!
Davie: I don't think it really matters if you decide you want to add some variety - you'll probably train harder and increase the intensity of your exercise as a result. The biggest problem with training for fat loss is diet. I reached a point a couple of weeks ago where I was so sick of being hungry that I just started eating loads!
It's all very well saying that fat loss is a simple function of more calories out than calories in, but when the pie calls I am it's helpless servant!
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