I was just wondering how to put-on some muscles without going to the
gym� The place is out of the question because waiting half and hour
for some sweaty middle-aged man to let me use a rust-dead machine AND
paying through the nose for this isn't exactly my idea of healthy
activity.
You're probably wondering why i'm interested all of a sudden
in coming out of this state of sedentarism, a state in which I've been in for the past 18
years. There's a good chance I'll get *cough* drafted *cough* *cough* next
year, thanks to an old communist law that our ever-loving benefactors
forgot to eliminate (because it's inefficient; what's the point in
having a large army full of bored demoralized physically unfit
conscripts? exhausting the enemy's ammo and then forcing him to
surrender?).
For instance push-ups. Are they any good?
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Andrei on Sun Feb 5th at 3:24pm 2006
Posted by Andrei on Sun Feb 5th at 3:24pm 2006
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Sun Feb 5th at 3:44pm 2006
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Sun Feb 5th at 3:44pm 2006
There's plenty of stuff you can do without going to a gym, or even having access to a few free weights in your house.
-Pushups -- These are pretty basic, but great and probably my favorite. Try out this set. Do 1 pushup. Rest for 20 seconds. Do 2 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds. Do 3 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds. Keep doing that until you hit 12. Then rest for 40 seconds and then do 11 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds. Do 10 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds etc.... If that's too easy, make the pyramid bigger by stopping at 15 (or 20) instead of 12. If it's too hard, start decreasing once you hit 10 (or 8). Tailor it to fit your current strength and then gradually increase the difficulty.
For an added challenge (and to work your triceps) you can do the same set with diamond pushups. This is where you make a diamond with your hands, and do pushups like that. It's much harder than normal shoulder width apart hand placement.
-Another great excercise is dips. I can explain these if you don't know what they are. But basically they're great for triceps and shoulders. I do 30 seconds, rest for 15, do 30 seconds, rest for 15, and do another 30 seconds.
-You can do calf raises if you have stairs. Do 30 seconds right foot, 30 seconds left foot, 30 seconds right foot, 30 seconds left foot. Make sure to extend fully both up and down. Also, try holding yourself for half a second at the top of the calf raise, and feel yourself flex your valf.
-You can work your legs by either doing wall sits (try going for 2 minutes without stopping, then increase the time every few days) or jumps. With jumps, you want to keep your back straight, plant your hands behind your head, and jump up and down. Bend your legs to about a 100 degree angle when you land then spring back up as high as you can. When you land try to land gently, and then spring back up. Do 15 jumps every 30 seconds for 2 minutes.
-If you have access to a pullup bar in your house, do as many pullups as you can in 30 seconds (if you can only do a few, then just hold yourself with your chin above the bar until the 30 seconds is up. Rest for 30 seconds. Do another 30 seconds of pullups/bar hangs).
-Abwork. This is really important. Do Leg Lifts, Crunches, Bicycles, Planks, V-ups, Sit-Ups, Oblique crunches for 30 seconds each (no rest between excercises on these ones). If you need me to explain what some of these terms mean, I can.
Oh, in general, once you work out a specific muscle group (arms / legs) try to rest for a day. So, do an upper body workout Monday Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday etc... and then do a lower body workout Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Monday, Wedneday etc... Just alternate, giving your muscles an opportunity to rest and recover.
The only exception is abwork, which I do everyday. Alternate the ab excercises you do, but always work your abs.
Satchmo, as a longtime bodybuilder, do you see any problems with what I've suggested? I'm basing my suggestions on what I do for swimming and what I've done in the past.
-Pushups -- These are pretty basic, but great and probably my favorite. Try out this set. Do 1 pushup. Rest for 20 seconds. Do 2 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds. Do 3 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds. Keep doing that until you hit 12. Then rest for 40 seconds and then do 11 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds. Do 10 pushups. Rest for 20 seconds etc.... If that's too easy, make the pyramid bigger by stopping at 15 (or 20) instead of 12. If it's too hard, start decreasing once you hit 10 (or 8). Tailor it to fit your current strength and then gradually increase the difficulty.
For an added challenge (and to work your triceps) you can do the same set with diamond pushups. This is where you make a diamond with your hands, and do pushups like that. It's much harder than normal shoulder width apart hand placement.
-Another great excercise is dips. I can explain these if you don't know what they are. But basically they're great for triceps and shoulders. I do 30 seconds, rest for 15, do 30 seconds, rest for 15, and do another 30 seconds.
-You can do calf raises if you have stairs. Do 30 seconds right foot, 30 seconds left foot, 30 seconds right foot, 30 seconds left foot. Make sure to extend fully both up and down. Also, try holding yourself for half a second at the top of the calf raise, and feel yourself flex your valf.
-You can work your legs by either doing wall sits (try going for 2 minutes without stopping, then increase the time every few days) or jumps. With jumps, you want to keep your back straight, plant your hands behind your head, and jump up and down. Bend your legs to about a 100 degree angle when you land then spring back up as high as you can. When you land try to land gently, and then spring back up. Do 15 jumps every 30 seconds for 2 minutes.
-If you have access to a pullup bar in your house, do as many pullups as you can in 30 seconds (if you can only do a few, then just hold yourself with your chin above the bar until the 30 seconds is up. Rest for 30 seconds. Do another 30 seconds of pullups/bar hangs).
-Abwork. This is really important. Do Leg Lifts, Crunches, Bicycles, Planks, V-ups, Sit-Ups, Oblique crunches for 30 seconds each (no rest between excercises on these ones). If you need me to explain what some of these terms mean, I can.
Oh, in general, once you work out a specific muscle group (arms / legs) try to rest for a day. So, do an upper body workout Monday Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday etc... and then do a lower body workout Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Monday, Wedneday etc... Just alternate, giving your muscles an opportunity to rest and recover.
The only exception is abwork, which I do everyday. Alternate the ab excercises you do, but always work your abs.
Satchmo, as a longtime bodybuilder, do you see any problems with what I've suggested? I'm basing my suggestions on what I do for swimming and what I've done in the past.
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 3:48pm 2006
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Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 3:48pm 2006
I can tell you from personal experience. If you do not have something to turn into muscle, you will just end up a wiry skinny taunt person.
You need the proper proteins and foods to make muscle. Exercise alone will not make you bulky.
As far as exercise goes. You need to first decide how you want to look when you are finished.
Body building (which I discourage) is the process of taking tiny weights and lifting it thousands of times.
Weight lifting is maximum weight, with few reps.
Both give massively different results.
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Sun Feb 5th at 4:05pm 2006
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Sun Feb 5th at 4:05pm 2006
Oh additionally, I heard somewhere that the protein you eat 30 minutes after exercising goes almost directly to repair your muscles. Can anyone confirm this?
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 4:59pm 2006
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Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 4:59pm 2006
? quoting Addicted to Morphine
Oh additionally, I heard somewhere that the protein you eat 30 minutes after exercising goes almost directly to repair your muscles. Can anyone confirm this?
Confirm? Not me but methinks its like that old wives tale about not swimming within 30 minutes of eating.
If I remember my biology, 30 minutes doesn't sound like enough time for digestion to commence let alone, go to any particular muscle. It seems to me that a muscle would be the last body part to know when you ate last.
I can confirm that, eating before bed makes the most difference. Be it turned to fat, or muscle. If I were you, I would sleep on my repairs.
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Andrei on Sun Feb 5th at 5:39pm 2006
Posted by Andrei on Sun Feb 5th at 5:39pm 2006
Wow, those diamond push-ups are great! I did a set of 10 just now and it feels as if I made 30 normal ones in a row. 
That felt like being shotgunned in the face because it that pretty much describes my condition.
? quote:
I can tell you from personal experience. If you do not have
something to turn into muscle, you will just end up a wiry skinny taunt
person.
That felt like being shotgunned in the face because it that pretty much describes my condition.
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 5:50pm 2006
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Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 5:50pm 2006
I did not gain mass until long after I turned 18.
From then on I still tended toward slender but I had a massive chest cause I tended to work mainly on the upper body.
Until I turned about 35 and mid-age started creeping in I stayed slim. I am now pushing 200lbs. all the time. I can still lift much but tend to wind quickly due to my sedentary job.
You need to find a GNC store, or its equivalent and get some mass builder.
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Sun Feb 5th at 6:02pm 2006
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Sun Feb 5th at 6:02pm 2006
Andrei, don't lose heart. It's still possible for you to get much stronger. Maybe you wont put on 20 pounds, but you'll notice some more size and definitely more strength.
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Naklajat on Sun Feb 5th at 7:17pm 2006
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Posted by Naklajat on Sun Feb 5th at 7:17pm 2006
It's a misconception that the bigger you are the better. Just eat healthy and excercise a lot. And by excercise I don't mean lift weights, aerobic workouts are much more effective and healthy than straining your muscles as much as you can.
Food:
Natural stuff, not McDonalds or synthetic protein shakes or whatever. Fish is very good for you, make it a staple of your diet and you won't regret it. Eat lots and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, cut down on wheat bread and if at all possible limit your intake of red meat to once a week or so. Drink lots of water, like 4-6 full glasses a day, and don't drink too much milk, soda or coffee. Stay away from preservatives like sodium nitrites. Don't over-eat just to cram as much protein as possible down your gullet, eat three meals a day (or even four smaller ones), don't eat too fast, and once you're full stop eating. Try to eat a balanced breakfast every day, key word being "balanced," it will give you more energy throughout the day, and you'll be able to concentrate better. Make all your meals balanced if you can, balance is the key to health. I'm losing track now because I'm just typing things as I think of them.
Weights:
Don't. You might not be able to look like a body builder without lifting weights, but the human body wasn't really meant to have that much muscle. You can bulk up some by doing pushups, lunges, swimming, running, etc., and your body will look more natural and healthy than if you get ripped/buff lifting weights.
Pushups:
Pushups are the closest thing to weights I would recommend. Do different kinds too, like diamonds, pushups with your arms wide apart, keeping your elbows in, pointing your hands toward eachother. If you're dead-set on bulking up you can do lots of pushups, just as long as your elbows don't start to hurt a lot. Also try doing a set of pushups followed by a set or sit-ups/crunches, followed by more pushups, etc, until you're worn out.
Running:
Try not to run on pavement too much, as the impact is bad on your knees and shins. Also If your city is polluted try to get as far away as possible to run, smog is bad for your lungs.
Swimming:
is very good for you. If you have a pool near by go and swim a few days a week, the more the better. It improves flexibility, strength, cardiovascular health. And don't forget to bring a towel![<img src=]()
" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif"> (sorry I couldn't resist)
Stretching:
Yes, the poor forgotten stretch... I'd go as far as to say it's the second most important thing on this list, the first being the diet. Trust me, if you start doing stretches every morning you'll feel 400000000% better in a week (well, maybe not that much, but still). Stretch before and after you excercise too, it'll give you healthy, happy muscles.
Like I said, balance is the key to health, balance your excercise so that your whole body gets stronger, not just your pecs and biceps. I'd recommend starting to eat better as soon as possible, since thats one of the most important factors in health.
And GNC is quackery.
-Naklajat
Food:
Natural stuff, not McDonalds or synthetic protein shakes or whatever. Fish is very good for you, make it a staple of your diet and you won't regret it. Eat lots and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, cut down on wheat bread and if at all possible limit your intake of red meat to once a week or so. Drink lots of water, like 4-6 full glasses a day, and don't drink too much milk, soda or coffee. Stay away from preservatives like sodium nitrites. Don't over-eat just to cram as much protein as possible down your gullet, eat three meals a day (or even four smaller ones), don't eat too fast, and once you're full stop eating. Try to eat a balanced breakfast every day, key word being "balanced," it will give you more energy throughout the day, and you'll be able to concentrate better. Make all your meals balanced if you can, balance is the key to health. I'm losing track now because I'm just typing things as I think of them.
Weights:
Don't. You might not be able to look like a body builder without lifting weights, but the human body wasn't really meant to have that much muscle. You can bulk up some by doing pushups, lunges, swimming, running, etc., and your body will look more natural and healthy than if you get ripped/buff lifting weights.
Pushups:
Pushups are the closest thing to weights I would recommend. Do different kinds too, like diamonds, pushups with your arms wide apart, keeping your elbows in, pointing your hands toward eachother. If you're dead-set on bulking up you can do lots of pushups, just as long as your elbows don't start to hurt a lot. Also try doing a set of pushups followed by a set or sit-ups/crunches, followed by more pushups, etc, until you're worn out.
Running:
Try not to run on pavement too much, as the impact is bad on your knees and shins. Also If your city is polluted try to get as far away as possible to run, smog is bad for your lungs.
Swimming:
is very good for you. If you have a pool near by go and swim a few days a week, the more the better. It improves flexibility, strength, cardiovascular health. And don't forget to bring a towel
Stretching:
Yes, the poor forgotten stretch... I'd go as far as to say it's the second most important thing on this list, the first being the diet. Trust me, if you start doing stretches every morning you'll feel 400000000% better in a week (well, maybe not that much, but still). Stretch before and after you excercise too, it'll give you healthy, happy muscles.
Like I said, balance is the key to health, balance your excercise so that your whole body gets stronger, not just your pecs and biceps. I'd recommend starting to eat better as soon as possible, since thats one of the most important factors in health.
And GNC is quackery.
-Naklajat
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by parakeet on Sun Feb 5th at 7:25pm 2006
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Posted by parakeet on Sun Feb 5th at 7:25pm 2006
My dad made me chop wood today , it's perfect for me ^_________^. and it's fun too
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 7:36pm 2006
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Posted by Orpheus on Sun Feb 5th at 7:36pm 2006
? quoting Baron von Snickers
It's a misconception that the bigger you are the better.
Its also a misconception that the meek will inherit the earth too but when you are getting stomped, its nice to know that a bit of mass will give you an edge. 
I know a few healthy people, who will probably not live any longer than unhealthy ones so...
Anyway.. Be careful about your views on others misconceptions, unless your girlfriend has her period, then tell everyone.
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Myrk- on Mon Feb 6th at 12:17am 2006
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Posted by Myrk- on Mon Feb 6th at 12:17am 2006
Play drums... Get an electric kit so its silent. The bass drum and hi hat help build muscles in the legs, and arm muscle is built up through rolls and shizzle. Your chest and back etc all get worked out from the movements between.
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Orpheus on Mon Feb 6th at 12:34am 2006
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Posted by Orpheus on Mon Feb 6th at 12:34am 2006
? quoting Myrk-
Play drums... Get an electric kit so its silent. The bass drum and hi hat help build muscles in the legs, and arm muscle is built up through rolls and shizzle. Your chest and back etc all get worked out from the movements between.
Actually, anything that gets the heart rate up is good, as long as its not fear or something like that of course.
I'll tell you another easy way to build yourself up. Carry lots of weight around. Wear heavy clothes (if the weather will allow), and boots. If you can find a surplus store, get a backpack and fill it with sand.
If you do it daily, in about a month you'll notice a big change when you take all that crap off.
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by mazemaster on Mon Feb 6th at 1:22am 2006
Posted by mazemaster on Mon Feb 6th at 1:22am 2006
If you've been sedentary for the last 18 years, like von snickers and orph say, you probably need aerobic exercise more than anything else. Biking, running, hiking etc. Maybe some core too (abs, back) since you use your core for pretty much everything.
I'd say in order of importance:
1) Diet
2) Aerobic exercise
3) Core
4) Pushups/Pullups/Chinups
Lifting weights in the gym will make you look ripped, but it doesn't help as much with gaining functional strength.
I'd say in order of importance:
1) Diet
2) Aerobic exercise
3) Core
4) Pushups/Pullups/Chinups
Lifting weights in the gym will make you look ripped, but it doesn't help as much with gaining functional strength.
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by fishy on Mon Feb 6th at 1:41am 2006
Posted by fishy on Mon Feb 6th at 1:41am 2006
sweat at least once a day.
i eat paint
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Mon Feb 6th at 1:45am 2006
Posted by Addicted to Morphine on Mon Feb 6th at 1:45am 2006
Do something active but make sure its something you enjoy. Forcing yourself to run when you hate running wont work well. But, if you love soccer and you can get a game going with some friends you wont mind running so much ![<img src=]()
" SRC="images/smiles/icon_smile.gif">
Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by wil5on on Mon Feb 6th at 2:27am 2006
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Posted by wil5on on Mon Feb 6th at 2:27am 2006
? quoting Orpheus
If you can find a surplus store, get a backpack and fill it with sand.
Given how much crap I generally carry around in my backpack every day, and how unfit I am, I dont think thats such a good idea. It will probably f**k up your posture like it did mine.
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Nickelplate on Mon Feb 6th at 3:08am 2006
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Posted by Nickelplate on Mon Feb 6th at 3:08am 2006
I can honestly say that I am a healthy, muscular guy. But i was not always this way.
My last year in Highschool, I weighed 145lbs and I was thin and looked good. After my forst 2 years of college I weighed about 189lbs. I carried the weight well, but I really noteiced, even if lots of ppl didn't. So I started my own diet and excercize plan. I'll tell you what I did that led to me weighing 162lbs and having a hot bod. lol.
- Eat a lot of fruit during the day (apples, bananas, grapes, citrus) and dried fruit is good too.
- DO lift weights. Small amounts are just as good as large. You just get about 20lb hang-weights and do curls and bench-presses. there are LOTS of other excercises you can do with these.
- I stopped eating unclean foods; pork, shellfish, ostrich (lol), etc.. and I feel healthier.
- I know you don't need to lose weight, but I did by NOT FREAKIN EATING SO MUCH!
- never take the elevator.
- don't drink soda
that stuff helped me lose almost 30lbs. and I have about 10-15 lbs of muscle put on to look like THIS!
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by French Toast on Mon Feb 6th at 3:08am 2006
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Posted by French Toast on Mon Feb 6th at 3:08am 2006
I like to keep a balance. I'll skate/snowboard for an hour or two
or three each day, then play computer for that same amount of time. ![<img src=]()
" SRC="images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif">
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Re: Exercising and putting on muscles
Posted by Dr Brasso on Mon Feb 6th at 3:14am 2006
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Posted by Dr Brasso on Mon Feb 6th at 3:14am 2006
looks like charles manson on steroids... //runs really fast for old man 
Doc B... 
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