ExRx.net

hello!

im looking for some advise/opinions on my [body] weight training at home (funds are an issue, but im making the most of things). i do these exercises almost every day, and usually a few times a day, from 2 to 5 times, roughly

push ups
pike press
situps/twisted situps
bench dips
chin ups

for my legs i bomb up and down my stairs, switching my starting foot each time (not sure if that makes a difference but it feels like the right thing to do!)

i dont do it to failure, but split up the exercise. for example, if my max is 50 on an exercise, ill do 20/20/20 with maybe 20 seconds rest in between. i do run up and down my stairs to failure though haha!

im aware that im doing a lot of pushing exercises and not much pulling, which is probably not be ideal? i am not sure of any other pulling exercises though? i wondered if i could do the inverted row (bodyweight) but im not sure where in my house i could do that!

incase any one was curious, i eat well and have a good sleeping pattern, so this exercise is not being wasted by a lazy lifestyle

thanks in advance for any advise, ideas for improvements, etc!

For inverted rows, you could get some gymnastic rings and hang them from a pull-up bar (or a tree, or anything). If money's too tight for that, you could drape a towel around something (pull-up bar or anything sturdy) and hold onto that when you row. Another option would be to do tuck lever pull-ups (and later, front lever pull-ups) on your chinning bar, but you'll have to be able to hold a tuck lever for awhile to do that. Here's a progression: http://www.beastskills.com/tutorials/tutorials/58 ... There's some other good body weight stuff on that website, too. Find some way to do some kind of rowing. Lots of body weight routines are deficient in it.

I also advise that you do one-legged squats (aka pistols). You may not be able to go down all the way at first, but that's ok. Here's a good guide: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... _leg_squat

Oh yeah, and a set of resistance bands is pretty cheap and they're useful.

All good ideas. Another use for the resistance bands is for pand pull aparts and face pulls. Both work the rhomboids directly, the face pulls also nicely hitting the external rotators and rear delts. I usually use a heavy band (moderate reps) for the face pulls and a light band (very high reps) for the pull aparts. They're not a replacement for heavy rows though. Ring rows would be my choice. You can adjust the resistance by elevating the rings to make it easier or elevating the feet or adding a weight vest to make it harder.

Edit: rings aren't terribly expensive but if you just want them for pullups, you can make your own with a couple or cargo straps and some handles made of PVC pipe. I have a couple of those in the garage and they work great for that purpose. They work great for roll outs and suspension pushups and dips as well.

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Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

I think your routine looks pretty cool. Definitely invest in something that'll let you do a vertical pull. Very important.

I agree with Stuward's entire post.

Especially the part where he agrees with me.

Seriously though, ring rows and facepulls are ace.

Sometimes you can also try stuff like curl-ups, leg raises and planks instead of situps. Some kind of rubber band core work variations are also doable. I've succeded with Pallof Presses. But yeah it looks alright. If you got the energy I would maybe add something for glutes, like hip thrusts. They are easy to do at home.

Chad Waterbury has also suggested PLP program: Pull-up, Lunge, Push-up. It's pretty interesting, check it out if you want:
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_art ... _challenge

Bret Contreras has his own home routine too.
http://bretcontreras.com/2011/04/home-w ... equipment/

Your's is a good program aswell, no doubt. But here's some material if you want to try something else every now and then

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Prove the impossible!

thanks for all the [speedy] advice and kind words!

i will buy some resistance bands, they are a great idea. would -- http:// http://www.you tube. com/watch?v=8r0HZ8_u-7U -- and -- http:// http://www.you tube. com/watch?v=POHGnlgxAkc -- be considered the correct way to do it? (sorry ive had to space it, i cant post links yet)

as for rows, ill have a go at inverted rows on the underside of my table, thanks dub for the bret contreras video. i hadnt thought of this! in the comments section there was mention that bench dips can be quite bad for the shoulder, is this the case? if so would it be safer trying to find a way to do tricep dips?

lastly (thanks for all the info to look through!) would i be better doing the single leg hip thrust, the "pistol" squat, or both? i plan to keep running the stairs too, as i want to maintain fairly good cardio levels, i play football (soccer) regularly but the stairs feel like they work my legs very well!

You can do dips between 2 chairs and that should work. I can't see videos at work so maybe someone else will comment on those you've posted. The hip thrust and pistol are different. I think you would do well to do both.

_________________
Let thy food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.~Hippocrates
Strength is the adaptation that leads to all other adaptations that you really care about - Charles Staley
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Thanks TimD

For my experience with bands, I always do band pull-aparts, behind the neck pull-aparts and shoulder dislocations. Until I get harder bands, everythings done with light bands.
But yeah, to the point. Those videos look to be alright. I never insert hip/lower body movement to pull-aparts. But I quess that can't harm at all. It might even be useful. But not necessary. Facepulls looked alright also.


Make sure the table doesn't come down on you! To the latter question I will not answer, as here are many better shoulder specialists here, who know more about the issue. I can see where the mention is coming from, but I'm not sure if it's that serious or harmful. It comes from the people who don't like behind the neck OH-presses and such.

I'm not sure if running the stairs is equal to workout exercises. With lots of reps it's quite similar, they are both anaerobic lactic exercises. But, running the stairs aren't really the same like low-squats or some serious posterior chain work. I would probably recommend lower body exercises, atleast once or twice a week. Maybe you can alter the two, or sometimes do both. Depends on your liking.

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Prove the impossible!

watch the downstair running, - knees will thank you

Carry heavy stuff.

haha dub! im hoping the table will take my weight!

i do my body weights to keep myself in good shape. i see the stairs as seperate and there for cardio work. im not trying to become a body builder with body weight training, just trying to look after what ive got!

oscar - do you mean i should be running up the stairs, walking down?

the stairs are just cardio, i can always jog too, but if im honest i enjoyed the extra resistance i got on the stairs

I wouldn't do the bench dips, they put your shoulder into extreme internal rotation and load up the very motion that causes impingement. I would think pull ups would be enough. Progress to feet elevated and then on to handstand push ups

For inverted rows--you already have a pull-up bar, right? You can make 2 loops of rope or webbing, hang them from your bar, and put a piece of pipe or a broom stick or something through the bottom of the loops. You can make it any height you want.

Do you have a place you can exercise outside? If so, consider using rocks. You may have to do some searching to find the right sizes of rocks, but you can use them for deadlifts, cleans, clean and press, throwing, squats. etc.

You can have a partner put rocks on your back for weighted planks or pushups. You can hold them for a squat variation that is not unlike goblet squats.

Plus, it looks really cool to work out with rocks.

If you wanted to get more elaborate, you could make sand bags. Lots of info on the web about that. Google "sand bag exercise" or something. Make lots of 10-pound bags (5 kg, if you prefer) using zip lock bags and a dietary scale (bathroom scales are way too inaccurate), and seal them with a piece of heavy tape like duct tape. Then use the little bags to load a big bag. You can use duffel bags or back packs, or flour sacks, or rice sacks, or feed sacks (which I think you can get free from feed stores, etc.). Depending on how you seal up the big bag, you can change the weight from time to time by adding or subtracting the small zip-locks.

Do you have kids? Kids make good weights.

You can use all kinds of things to load squats--sand bags, kids, suitcases, old car parts, jerry cans full of water, kitchen appliances.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan

or really, what aree you spending your money on now?
Because, I tell you, having a pwer cage or gym membership is pretty nice and mouch easier for longer term progression

Ara, where do you live?

If in the US, there are quite a few places that have community rec centers, some of which have some pretty nice gyms, and are not very expensive.

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Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter.--Francis Chan