At home workout

[herulach]

Anyone got any good at home style workout ideas? I really havent got any time to go to the gym any more, and the other half has let it be known shes not too chuffed about the corresponding decline in muscle tone. So currently im doing:
Chin ups 2 or 3 sets of as many as i can manage (5 at the moment, which i know is pathetic before anyone starts)
Press ups, close grip, rasied arms, raised feet (on side of bed) couple of sets of 15 each

Anyone got any good @ home shoulder exercises? THe legs sort themselves out with the riding, so thats not a big deal, but ive yet to find a non weighted shoulder exercise.

[Koolpc]

Why don't you buy some dumbells and then you would have quite a few different exercises available for different body parts!

[herulach]

3 reasons:
I dont have anywhere to keep them (student house)
A set heavy enough would cost the earth
You cant do that much without a proper bench

[Koolpc]

I see, but you have room to exsercise! Can't you sell your pc, then you would have the room!! lol (Just kidding!).

[herulach]

to be fair, i could just use the pc, it must weigh 30 kilos

[Taz]

Here's some suggestions that require very little space and little or no equipment:

1. Stretching can be done anywhere and you don't need much room or equipment (just your body!).

2. Buy a gym (Swiss) ball and a wobble cushion (from medical/sports equipment suppliers). Use the gym ball as your chair and rest your feet on the wobble cushion. Your core muscles will be constantly exercised and your balance and posture will improve.

3. Every time you go through an open doorway, reach up to the top of the frame and stretch you back muscles. Then stretch your chest muscles by extending one arm horizontally (palm down) so that the side of your hand is against the doorframe. Stand with your feet together and rotate your body slowly until you feel your chest muscles stretch. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat with other side.

4. When lying in bed just lift your legs 6 inches using just your stomach muscles. Hold for 30 seconds and breath normally during this. Relax and repeat until you can't do any more.

5. Press-ups. I guess you know how to do these. For more difficult ones, try doing them on your knucles (make sure you tightly clench your fists first to avoid damage to your hand). For an even harder variation, prop up your feet on the edge of the bed so that your arms and chest are supporting nearly all of your body weight.

6. For stomach/side muscles: lay on the floor on your side in a straight line, resting on your forearm, tucked underneath you. Make sure your elbow is below the line of your shoulders. Using you side stomach and back muscles only, lift your body a few inches off the ground so that your legs, spine and head form a straight line. Breath normally and hold for 30 seconds. Repate two more times. Then repeat the whole process for the other side.

7. For calves: stand straight up and then, using your calf muscles, stand on your toes. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 2 more times.

8. For upper legs: stand straight and using your thigh and buttock muscles only, lower your body so that your thighs are perpendicular to your calves. Hold for 30 seconds, stand up and repeat twice.

Hope that helps! My personal trainer taught me those for use in hotel rooms where I don't have access to a gym.

[s29feb]

Upsidedown press-up or basically a press up whilst doing a hand stand against the wall = a very heavey shoulder press, go to argos and buy the press up bars circa a fiver they are an excellent little piece of kit for home training

[s29feb]

Breath normally and hold for 30 seconds. Repate two more times. Then repeat the whole process for the other side.

Sorry not having a go at you, but I would not do this. I'm going to go into a bit of a Sports Science/Clinical Exercise Specialist rant... sorry I don't know the circumstances for you being told this but it is a bit pants in my estimation.

There is a method of traing that uses very slow controlled contractions but they are always dynamic - ie always moving.

This static isometric contraction though does very little as a muscle has to be worked through its whole range to improve it's cross sectional strength and therefore size etc.

When you do this you can actullay occlude the blood flow and if its the torso, or legs you can impede venous return and cause dizziness or fainting ( the veins work using one way valves and the muscle contracting "pulses" the blood along). You might feel like its a "good workout" but you are only releasing agents that will cause discomfort without actually improving much you starve the muscle of oxygen adn build lactate and other pain noicereceptors such as potassiom ions that wont "flsuh" until you move again.

Most excersies should be carried out in a slow controlled manner however I would reccomend a 3,3 tempo - lower for a count of three then have a slight pause before lifting for a count of three. You can then vary this by lowering slow and "explodiong" up to develop muscle power (power is strength times speed).

Finally while I'm at it I suppose I better explain that to get "tone" back you would be best doing higher rep work so sets of 15-25 as this is enduarnce and toning and without boring you further - sprinter are not marathon runners and vice versa.

I'm a sports science graduate that specialised in strenght training and have went on to become a clinical exercise specialist developing exercise training and programmes for instructors to deliver to the older adult and individuals with chronic conditions.

If you want to know the basics of physiology and training in a very easy to read and digest package try:

Physiology for Sportspeople: A Serious User's Guide to the Body by Peter G. Bursztyn

[Whiternoise]

you can get fairly small dumbells that you can slip under the bed..?