BG fitness: Weightless (mostly) workouts

[Cream Soda]

Hey BG, looking for some exercises that I can do weightless or w/ little weight. I won't have access to a gym for at least another month and a half (when school starts, I'll have access to the school gym).

Looking to improve in these areas.

Chest
Thighs
Legs
Calfs
Bicep/Tricep
Aaaaabominals


Basically, I've been using these 3 exercises (but breaking them down into doing sets instead of his 21 min interval thing, though I may give that a shot soon)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHrJ1R_WAaM

Haven't really done lower body before, but from doing this the past week or so, all 3 of the exercises seem to be a good mix of upper and lower body, which is good and why I like to do it.

I've also been doing handstand push ups (currently in sets of 5, until I'm able to do more), as well as some sit ups/crunches, and a short jog (1-1.5 mi) every other day.

seem to cover a lot of areas w/ these, but don't have anything currently for biceps.

Looking for stuff I can do at home, w/o a gym or machine for now, for any of the areas listed that may add or be an improvement to my current exercises, and definitely need something for biceps.

Also, sit ups/crunches plain suck and is just something I don't enjoy doing so if there's any alternatives for abs, that'd be great.

[Wintermute]

Have you tried browsing http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ ?

Lots of good workouts that you can do with little to no equipment. Most of the stuff with equipment tends to use improvised gear instead of gyms.
Only one I have bookmarked is the Prison Workout but some of the others in the Fitness thread who'll likely pop in are more familiar with the site.

[ZarakiKujata]

If you hold a freestanding squat and strain your muscles, maybe like you're trying to take a shit, you can get a pretty wicked lower body/lower core workout.

[Cream Soda]

Checking out the prison workout page now, seems good so far. The daily apple site at first glance seems to be all about nutrition. That, I don't really have an option in. Foods expensive, I just eat what grandma makes while I'm here in CA on vacation. When I get back to FL, it's back to ramen diet.

[Chun Liroy]

Pretty sure that's already an integral part of his daily routine, Zaraki.

[Zoolander]

Finding something to do pullups/chinups on would be pretty nice and would obviously work out your biceps pretty well if you do chinups.

Pushups primarily work out your chest and triceps lol, tons of variations. I like doing one with a push up bar or something to elevate me some so that I can go lower and work the chest more.

Planks/prone bridges are a good way to do no movements and still get a killer core workout. Primary function of abs and lower back (core) is to hold you in place, not move you. Also can be a big test of will power. I generally go for two minutes, but breaking up into 3x30seconds or 3x60 seconds or whatever is great too.



Calves, just do some standing calf raises. Just find something to stand on so that your heels can hang off the edge. Stairs are obviously perfect for this, but a book or something could work too. Switch to one foot calf raises if you want to make it tougher. http://www.fitstep.com/Library/Exerc...alf_raises.htm

[kisada]

use elastic bands

[Cream Soda]

On a side note, once I get back to FL when school starts back up, I'll be doing about 60-80 miles per week on my bicycle (64 if I go 4 days a week, 80 if I go 5 days a week. 8 miles to 8 miles from school. About 15-30 lbs of shit in bookbag). Not exactly sure which part of the legs that covers though, but will probably cut that part of my exercise out and rely on the bike for that once school starts.

[Zoolander]

On a side note, once I get back to FL when school starts back up, I'll be doing about 60-80 miles per week on my bicycle (64 if I go 4 days a week, 80 if I go 5 days a week. 8 miles to 8 miles from school. About 15-30 lbs of shit in bookbag). Not exactly sure which part of the legs that covers though, but will probably cut that part of my exercise out and rely on the bike for that once school starts.

Pretty much all quads. If you have clip pedals or something then you can pull up as well as push down which will hit your hamstrings too. But normal biking is pretty much all about the quads (little bit of glutes too). Core gets engaged just from holding proper form, especially on longer rides. http://www.ehow.com/about_5157919_mu...bike-work.html

[tyven]

On a side note, once I get back to FL when school starts back up, I'll be doing about 60-80 miles per week on my bicycle (64 if I go 4 days a week, 80 if I go 5 days a week. 8 miles to 8 miles from school. About 15-30 lbs of shit in bookbag). Not exactly sure which part of the legs that covers though, but will probably cut that part of my exercise out and rely on the bike for that once school starts.

you must smell like shit in class

[Cream Soda]

you must smell like shit in class

Actually, I did for the longest time, but I'm tellin you, that Old spice odor blocker body wash fucking works miracles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7NQc3oQx9w

Shit works like a charm

[Weiing]

First: Mark's Daily Apple (MDA) is a very good site for resources on working out, diet/nutrition, and overall health. I'd say read/browse some more when you have the chance. The Prison Workout was the first thing that popped into my mind. HOwever, there are other plyometric workouts MDA lists.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-pr...-and-stronger/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/10-pr...he-upper-body/
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/15-minute-workout/

Second: Do you have a playground near by? If so, you can do pull-ups and perhaps even some crazy push-ups there (or even at home).
Calisthenics Kingz is pretty awesome... Check out their website (which links to their youtube) http://www.calisthenicskingz.net/main.htm Those are some killer body-weight workouts.

Third: If you want--get a sledgehammer http://www.marksdailyapple.com/sledgehammer-workout/
or Sandbag http://www.marksdailyapple.com/the-sandbag-workout/

Fourth: When you bike to school, it's working your quads, sure...but it's building endurance, not building muscle. You would need to do some form of strength training to really keep those muscles in tact, especially with how much you'll be biking. I don't think one should ever think "if I use X muscle while doing X cardio, I won't touch it with my lifting/strength training routine". It's about doing a mix/balance of everything.

Fifth: Why do you care so much about your biceps? Only thing that really helps to target biceps (...) doing bodyweight/at-home workouts is PULL UPS!

[Cream Soda]

Just don't want them to look out of proportion really when everything else is getting tone and/or larger, then flex and have nothing, lol. Don't want them to fall behind.

I'll check out all the links when I get back, thanks, headed to 7-11 for my free slurpee.

Also, I'll have to check if there's a park near by. Pull ups vs chin ups for biceps? and any alternatives if no park near by?

[Mistress Stowastiq]

I will ask my husband since he is all into the Jackie Chan improvisation work out props. I do know a lot of ballet exercises that do wonders for fitness so I will pm you when I write some stuff up. Good luck with the fitness.

Oh and the bike riding is a great idea, bikers have amazing legs. Get a GOOD seat that provides ergonomic space instead of constant pressure to the prostate area.[Very important] for long term riding on a bike seat. Evil things can happen to your parts if you have a crappy seat that was not properly designed for men. Perhaps check online research about how to provide circulation to the area during long term riding, if you do not have the access to a fancy seat.

[Myth]

Biceps are a tricky one. Only thing I can think of is taking two gallon milk jugs and filling them with water, which weighs ~8 lbs. I guess you could fill them with sand, but not sure how much weight that would get you. I'm also the same as you and hate sit-ups and crunches mainly because after a while they don't work you as hard. So lately I've been doing some P90X type workouts for my abdominals and they really seem to challenge my core strength/endurance, even for someone who runs as much as me.

P90X Ab Ripper X: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtOZDvJ1lDo

I'm also a fan of one legged squats. They really help with your balance and ankle strength. Usually you can start off with no weight, but once you get more comfortable it helps to hold weight at your sides. The lower you dip the more it should work your glutes.

[Weiing]

Just don't want them to look out of proportion really when everything else is getting tone and/or larger, then flex and have nothing, lol. Don't want them to fall behind.

I'll check out all the links when I get back, thanks, headed to 7-11 for my free slurpee.

Also, I'll have to check if there's a park near by. Pull ups vs chin ups for biceps? and any alternatives if no park near by?

Apparently (call in Meat/residue) chin-ups and neutral-grip (hands facing each other) pull-ups are better than wide-grip pull-ups in general, and for biceps. If no playground/park nearby to do pull-ups, Iron Gyms or any house ones are $20? Correct me if I'm wrong. Can even do it on a nice, sturdy tree branch. Got trees? Other ideas for the urbanite: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/urban-workouts/

If you're training properly, your muscles should be growing proportionately. I really don't understand the fascination with big biceps/upper arms in general.

[richardd]

If you're training properly, your muscles should be growing proportionately. I really don't understand the fascination with big biceps/upper arms in general.

its what grabs woman's attention the most from a distance. well. IF they like bigger guys. woman nowadays like men with ribcages and abs who can do the wave with their skinny arm fat

[Weiing]

its what grabs woman's attention the most from a distance. well. IF they like bigger guys. woman nowadays like men with ribcages and abs who can do the wave with their skinny arm fat when they move it around a lot

I'm actually more into guys who have nice, muscular thighs. Guys with big arms + no legs...make me puke. Guys with big arms + nice, muscular thighs are alright, since they have the latter half.

Yeah. No-muscle/uber skinny guyz r hawt, 2

[Myth]

If you're training properly, your muscles should be growing proportionately. I really don't understand the fascination with big biceps/upper arms in general.

For guys the fascination with bigger upper arms/bigger muscles in general is because it appears more masculine

Also, I'm terrible with the difference between chin ups and pull ups, but from what I remember a grip that has your palms facing you works biceps more. And then a grip that is wider begins to put more emphasis on the back muscles.

[Cream Soda]

Well been doing the bike thing 9 months on 3 months off for 3 years now going on the 4th so yea they're already up there, lol. Had to change my boxer brand because they were too tight on my legs (even tho fight waist perfectly) and cutting circulation, lol


Edit: The 3 months off is obviously summer vacation. No need to ride my bike to school and back when I'm not taking class >.>