What's the best exercise for fitness


(Matthew) #21

I hope this helps:


(Pete A) #22

When I started I used my body for resistance and cardio. Instead of remaining seated… I stood up to touch my toes 20 times. Then did it the next day. I did 20 push ups against the counter. Then the next day. I got on my back and raised my legs 10 times. Then the next day.As days went by I kept adding exercises, as I was also reaping its benefits.

I was very out of shape at 220 pounds then. It was hard. I’m 140 now, so the whole experience has proved useful to get to my goals. A lot of it is psychological and I appreciate that challnge most of all. My mind would put up much resistance to doing anything if it had its way! :grinning:


(G Whistler) #23

thanks


(Matthew) #24

I made a six week cardio program consisting of nearly all their videos with no equipment needed. They are outstanding.
PM me if you want access to the program. Cheers.


(Vladaar Malane) #25

I’ve seen posts about “best choice” before. I think the best choice is whatever you do that is fun for you.

If you don’t have fun and enjoy the exercise you won’t stick with it.

I chose Calisthenics because I’m in my 40’s and the tendons and joints don’t do so well with free weights anymore, and I really like the challenge of it.


(Adam Kirby) #26

Unfortunately, “fitness” is a term I hate since it’s utterly unspecific. Fitness needs to be qualified as in - fitness for WHAT?

Fitness for running a marathon doesn’t translate into fitness for climbing a rope, or lifting heavy weights, or sparring in kickboxing.

Yeah I just wanted to rant a bit about how awful of a term fitness is. :grin:


(Bob M) #27

If you want to do “aerobics”, try warming up for a bit,then running as fast as you can for 1 minute, walk and rest for a time (maybe 1:30) to start, repeat high intensity then low intensity. Start for maybe 3-4 high intensity sessions and build up to maybe 15 minutes. Once you get to 15 minutes, you can reduce the rest time. This is what I do, only on a treadmill (plan to go outside in the cold, with minimal clothing, but haven’t been able to make that happen yet).

For “weights”, you can do pushups on a flat surface. You can do pushups with your feet on the ground and your hands on a stable platform such as a table, chair couch (it CANNOT move when you’re doing pushups). You can do pushups with your feet on a chair and your hands on the ground. Do them until you can’t do any more. For instance, if you can do 5 pushups, do those, take a very (say 10 second) short rest, do more, take a short rest, do more, until you can’t do any more.

You can do planks (you hold your body stiff while on your hands, arms extended), all kinds of exercises with no weights, only body weight.

There are studies indicating that weight lifting is better than aerobics for insulin sensitivity. HIIT (high intensity interval training, as I describe one version above) is good too.

You don’t have to “run” for HIIT. Jimmy Moore uses a tractor tire and flips it for one minute.


#28

Really!

You can’t find something to suit, in one of the millions of exercise videos on youtube?


#29

Google ‘improvised weightlifting’ & a crap tonne of stuff will come up :slightly_smiling_face:

Also this :point_down:

Resistance bands can be bought very cheaply & take up no real room whatsoever.

It’s entirely doable if you’re actually interested in doing it but if you’re not really interested you’ll only see obstacles.


(Edith) #30

There are lots of fun, inexpensive aerobics videos out there that combine aerobics and strength (using body weight) or pure aerobics. Pick one and when you find it too easy or boring get another one. As my husband likes to say, “Whatever keeps you moving.”


(G Whistler) #31

what, specifically, is caisthenics?


(G Whistler) #32

No doubt, but there’s no harm in asking if anyone eating keto on here has good experience of such a programme they could pass on, surely?


(G Whistler) #33

for general health.


(Laurie) #34

These exercises target the lats (latissimus dorsi). Google: bodyweight lat exercises no equipment. Some of the results aren’t really “no equipment,” but there’s enough info out there that you should be able to figure something out. Most of the exercises involve lying on your stomach (or on your hands and knees) and lifting your arm(s) or lifting your upper body. Some involve lying on your back and pressing into the floor. In most cases you want to position the arms between the shoulder and waist–not above the head (above the head works the shoulders more than the lats).

This guy has some good ideas:

Or you can start here:


(CharleyD) #35

Convict Conditioning is a good example of calisthenics:


The smartphone app (I use the Android one which gives it all away [so you could actually skip the book, it includes links to videos]) is really nice way to track how you’re moving up through the 6 main bodyweight exercise progressions.


(CharleyD) #36

Not sure this is really a concern. Just doing aerobic activity isn’t muscle building, nor is it muscle sparing.


(Nikki) #37

I have a treadmill now but I started working out at home with nothing except a mat (hardwood floors are slippery). I would swipe through Pinterest looking for routines and tried many things. For me what I like the most is a combination of jumping jacks, squats, pushups, mountain climbers, lunges, crunches, plank and yoga. Required no equipment and I could do it anywhere. Sometimes if I was just watching tv I would cycle through a few listed above on EVERY commercial break and break a sweat by the time the show was back on. Good luck to you, I hope you find what works best for you!


(Mike W.) #38

If you want to get “healthy”. You need to increase your LBM and lower your fat %. The easiest/most effective way to do that is through HIIT.


(G Whistler) #39

According to Thomas DeLauer HIT burns carbs. Is this true?


(G Whistler) #40

I have that book, but I can’t do some of the exercises at all. Pull ups, for the reasons stated, and the back bend stuff I find I just can’t do at all. He doesn’t give any alternatives. Things like L Sits I simply cannot do