New plan, any good?

[Sunglasses Ron]

Right, I've been back to the drawing board and made a new workout plan. As a reminder to those who didn't read my previous thread, I don't have the time or money to go to a gym. The only equipment I have is a pair of dumbbells, a swiss ball and a chin-up bar. I have a healthy diet and have lost 1.5 stone so far, I'm not too fussed about losing anymore. My main goal now is to tone up. So, here is the plan:

DAY ONE:
PRESS UPS. 5 X 10 (2 SETS WITH GYM BALL)
DUMBBELL PRESSES. 4 X 10 (GYM BALL)
PULL-OVERS. 5 X 10 (GYM BALL)
DUMBBELL FLIES. 5 X 10 (GYM BALL)
TRICEP DIPS. 4 X 10 (WITH CHAIR)
NEUTRAL CHIN-UPS. (TO FATIGUE)
CLOSE GRIP CHIN-UPS. (TO FATIGUE)
BICEP CURLS. 4 X 10

• HIIT

DAY TWO:
PULL-UPS. (TO FATIGUE)
SINGLE ARM ROWS 3 X 20. (EACH SIDE)
LATERAL RAISES. 4 X 10
SHOULDER PRESSES. 5 X 10
UPRIGHT ROWS. 5 X 10
SHRUGS. 5 X 10
SUPERMAN. 4 X 10
HYPEREXTENSION. 4 X 10 (GYM BALL)

• HIIT

DAY THREE:
DUMBBELL SQUATS. 5 X 10
DUMBBELL LUNGES. 5 X 10
DUMBBELL CALF RAISES 5 X 10
HANGING LEG RAISES. 5 X 10
TRUNK TWISTS. 2 X 50
DUMBBELL SIDE BENDS. 3 X 20 (EACH SIDE)
EXERCISE BALL CRUNCHES. 4 X 10. (15 SEC PLANK BETWEEN SETS)
CROSS-BODY CRUNCHES. 4 X 10

• HIIT

• HIIT- 3 SETS/SIX REPS (1 REP=UP & DOWN STAIRS X2), REST 30 SECS AFTER EACH REP. AFTER LAST REP REST FOR 2 MINS, START AGAIN.

Despite it saying day one, day two, day three, I will have a rest day between each exercise day.

So, does this sound any good?

Please feel free to comment, criticise or edit my plan.

Thanks for reading.

[Animal]

Are your dumbbells a fixed weight?

[Sunglasses Ron]

Animal said:

Are your dumbbells a fixed weight?

I've only got a pair of 7kg at the moment but plan to get some heavier ones in the near future.

[Morba]

You'll need to get spending soon (you better realise quick that this is an expensive route to go compared to a gym where you get a lot more for your money than you will at home (over a short period).

the DBs you have are very light and wont really do anything for you after a couple of sessions, especially as you are going to be pressing a weight that you can curl (chest will be significantly stronger than bi's).

'toning' is a combination of 2 things: losing fat and gaining lean mass.
You can substitute the gaining of mass for more losing fat, if have some muscle already. If not you will be what is known as 'skinnyfat'.

might be worth looking towards other cheap ways of working out eg: b&q - buy 20/25kg bag of stones. lots can be done with a heavy bag that will get you working.

Edited by Morba on Monday 1st November 14:36

[roboxm3]

I agree with what has already been said about your current weights not being enough for a serious workout for certain muscle groups but it's fairly easy to add some 'difficulty' to your exercises in the absence of more weight e.g.

plyo / clap press-ups
single-leg / split squats
single-leg deadlifts
jump squats
pistol squats
bounding
etc etc

I'm sure youtube could throw dozens more body-weight options at you.

[Sunglasses Ron]

Ok thanks for the replies. So is the routine/plan good? and is it simply a case of getting some heavier weights then?

I've seen these http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9... and will hopefully be able to get these within the next month or two.

[Morba]

No they are terrible.
Honestly, you will be better off finding alternate ways to add weight into your routine if you will only be able to get those weights in the next few months.

If you really must buy weights then you should be able to find some deals in the free ads papers, normally there are cheap vinyl sets for not much money at all.

[Lost_BMW]

I've mentioned a decent cable resistance set up as a possible and cheaper substitute to more weights before but overall would echo Morba's suggestion of getting a decent bag that you can add weight to.

I have a (fixed weight 20Kg) Powerbag and it's good for loads of exercises - an adjustable one (e.g pack small freezer bags or similar with sand and add and remove them to vary weight for different exercises or as you grow in strength) would be even better.

Barry Gibson from Grapplefit has lots of routines based on this idea.

Have a look at some of the sandbag/ MMA training videos like this for ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx2FiCdtRjE&fea...

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohOa3KEwzLY


The only other thing I'd say is vary the exercises and areas they target more as there is some (unnecessary?) duplication of e.g. shoulders in your routine.

Cheers

[ShadownINja]

Fair enough but... "sandbag expert". Talk about a non-video. I suppose he makes good money selling bags of sand for $100 a piece with "innovative" handles.

FFS and people are asking on other videos "what sort of bag is this - it doesn't have handles?". I might post "what kind of sand do you recommend? Coarse or fine? Can I use grains of rice instead? And which side of the bed should I get out of in the morning?"

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 5th November 10:42

[Lost_BMW]

ShadownINja said:

Fair enough but... "sandbag expert". Talk about a non-video. I suppose he makes good money selling bags of sand for $100 a piece with "innovative" handles.

FFS and people are asking on other videos "what sort of bag is this - it doesn't have handles?". I might post "what kind of sand do you recommend? Coarse or fine? Can I use grains of rice instead? And which side of the bed should I get out of in the morning?"

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 5th November 10:42

Quick video clip choice aside (too many to look at and the 1st couple had too much talk - there are some useful ones out there) sandbags are a great tool - don't need handles, though the right type = strong enough, not too long and not to hard on the hands, can be useful.

As for filling, the most sensible approach is multiple small bags packed in, so easily adjusted, rather than just banging in as much as will fit, obvious point I know. If that gets too light lead shot etc can be put inside some of the bags to add mass (I'd avoid trying to smuggle in weight plates, even rubber cased ones as they have a habit of sneaking out to meet shins, as I found to my cost!)

[Fatman2]

Definitely echo what's been said above about the weight. If you're doing chins and pull ups then they'll be almost useless even quicker. I have a set from years ago from Argos (20kg set) which is good for a quick blast if I've not got time to go to the gym. I just increase the reps so that I get a workout but is nothing like pushing bigger weights.

I think Tesco are the cheapest that I've come across and if you already have the handles then just buy the weight discs.

Also if you have two steady chairs then you can do some dips to work the triceps/shoulders/chest a bit more.

[ShadownINja]

Lost_BMW said:

ShadownINja said:

Fair enough but... "sandbag expert". Talk about a non-video. I suppose he makes good money selling bags of sand for $100 a piece with "innovative" handles.

FFS and people are asking on other videos "what sort of bag is this - it doesn't have handles?". I might post "what kind of sand do you recommend? Coarse or fine? Can I use grains of rice instead? And which side of the bed should I get out of in the morning?"

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 5th November 10:42

Quick video clip choice aside (too many to look at and the 1st couple had too much talk - there are some useful ones out there) sandbags are a great tool - don't need handles, though the right type = strong enough, not too long and not to hard on the hands, can be useful.

As for filling, the most sensible approach is multiple small bags packed in, so easily adjusted, rather than just banging in as much as will fit, obvious point I know. If that gets too light lead shot etc can be put inside some of the bags to add mass (I'd avoid trying to smuggle in weight plates, even rubber cased ones as they have a habit of sneaking out to meet shins, as I found to my cost!)

Sure. What I mean is that it's all very obvious. I browsed a few videos and it was as if it was an amazing new discovery.

[Lost_BMW]

ShadownINja said:

Lost_BMW said:

ShadownINja said:

Fair enough but... "sandbag expert". Talk about a non-video. I suppose he makes good money selling bags of sand for $100 a piece with "innovative" handles.

FFS and people are asking on other videos "what sort of bag is this - it doesn't have handles?". I might post "what kind of sand do you recommend? Coarse or fine? Can I use grains of rice instead? And which side of the bed should I get out of in the morning?"

Edited by ShadownINja on Friday 5th November 10:42

Quick video clip choice aside (too many to look at and the 1st couple had too much talk - there are some useful ones out there) sandbags are a great tool - don't need handles, though the right type = strong enough, not too long and not to hard on the hands, can be useful.

As for filling, the most sensible approach is multiple small bags packed in, so easily adjusted, rather than just banging in as much as will fit, obvious point I know. If that gets too light lead shot etc can be put inside some of the bags to add mass (I'd avoid trying to smuggle in weight plates, even rubber cased ones as they have a habit of sneaking out to meet shins, as I found to my cost!)

Sure. What I mean is that it's all very obvious. I browsed a few videos and it was as if it was an amazing new discovery.

Probably the best are the MMA training videos which have a mix including bag work. A lot of exercises are common sense or easily invented - or just bag versions of standards like wood choppers, cleans, around the worlds etc. - but some things I wouldn't have thought of without articles in MMA magazines or the poster that came with my bag.

[ShadownINja]

Lost_BMW said:

Probably the best are the MMA training videos which have a mix including bag work. A lot of exercises are common sense or easily invented - or just bag versions of standards like wood choppers, cleans, around the worlds etc. - but some things I wouldn't have thought of without articles in MMA magazines or the poster that came with my bag.

I bet you could have thought of them if you had spent the time the instructor had. Just think about the muscles you want to train. That's how I do things. Wait. You actually bought a special sandbag? Did it cost more than... an army surplus kit bag? Tell me it was cheap cheap.

[Lost_BMW]

ShadownINja said:

Lost_BMW said:

Probably the best are the MMA training videos which have a mix including bag work. A lot of exercises are common sense or easily invented - or just bag versions of standards like wood choppers, cleans, around the worlds etc. - but some things I wouldn't have thought of without articles in MMA magazines or the poster that came with my bag.

I bet you could have thought of them if you had spent the time the instructor had. Just think about the muscles you want to train. That's how I do things. Wait. You actually bought a special sandbag? Did it cost more than... an army surplus kit bag? Tell me it was cheap cheap.

You're obviously not a fan but . .

yes I did have army bags and similar filled with sand (including the mistake of filling it all in one go!) or small bags of sand, but the Powerbag was well worth the cost to me (£80, go wince!) for the quality, feel and convenience in use.

And especially for the extra benefit of the nice shiny poster that came with it!

It's stood up to being thrown up in the air thousands of times, flung up and down the lawn, used as a battering ram in sparring (to practise getting back up from the floor when being battered and crushed), used as a platform for plyo work etc. etc. and still shows hardly a scuff let alone a scratch or burst seem. It's a

In all it's great and when my training cycle shifts again I'll be off to Jordan for more, not the Army Stores.

[ShadownINja]

It's not that I'm not a fan but not a fan of the apparent hype I perceive in the video comments. What's wrong with the army bags, then?

[Lost_BMW]

ShadownINja said:

It's not that I'm not a fan but not a fan of the apparent hype I perceive in the video comments. What's wrong with the army bags, then?

Not posh enough.