Improving without supplements?

Bri

I've read the stickys and searched a bit, but maybe someone would have a view on my own predicament:

Usual story, 5'8 & 91/2 stone, skinny, etc. I was really fit playing diff. sports about 5-6 days a week. Got ill and never got back anywhere near where I was. I'm 21 by the way. Now I'd like to improve my fitness and bulk out a bit.

Now call me cautious but having seen the stupid effects of Creatine and so on (school was full of people taking it too much vs. those preaching of long-term damage etc) - I'm in no way inclinded to 'take' anything to help build me up. I've also completely gone off gyms, UCD student rates or not, I find them wayyy too boring and end up giving up repeatedly.

So how effective will this be:
Swimming 1-2 times a week (Lifesaving and just lengths) every week.
Aim for 50+ situps and whatever pressups I can handle once a day.
Good diet (as in I don't eat much junk but I'm not gonna work out all the carbs, etc. I should take - I eat loads, don't put on weight but I eat pretty well). As mentioned in one of the stickys, I'll try and fill out breakfast too and not make up for it later.
Play Squash (beginner) once a week. Or take up Aikido.
Casual cycling every few days.

That's it,
I'd appreciate if anyone has any comments - I've followed most of the links but I'm trying to be realistic...

Thanks in advance.
Bri.

P.S. I will take something you make yourself to help me along. Oh and it can't be dairy unforunatley!

Farls

To be honest i think your as well going to a gym, i myself wouldn't have the discipline to do sit ups/press ups at home and i have a bench and weights.

The plan you have there will just get you fitter, i don't think you'll bulk out at all.

If you want to bulk out you really have to do some bench work.

As for taking something, i used to get a blender and throw in a tin of tuna and a bananna or other fruits and drink it all...didn't taste the nicest but i was gettin the much needed protein.

I haven't trained in almost 2 months now and gettin back into the gym next week all going well hadn't time with college and work commitments there. Gonna be a sore 3 weeks ahead now!


Farlz

Runfree

Mate go to a gym.

I speak from expierence.

I had a motorbike accident broke my collarbone and then I moved aswell.
I never bothered looking for a new gym as I said sure I'll do situps etc. at home.
You get lazy and wont do it. Atleast when I was at the gym I'd know I would do something(2-3 hour workout).

To bulk up keep at the weights(I prefer free weights but every1 has their own opinion) and yes do go swimming its the greatest thing to keep fit ever(my opinion again)

As for your diet. A good balanced diet is always important but you can go wild every now and again in my opinion, just aslong as ya dont drink too many pints too many days

well there is my 2 cents

Cheers,
RunFree

ps I realy got to find a gym again

Bri

Fair enough!

What puts me off is the cost...and the boredom. It's not actually the cost it's the waste cos I hate going!

Would you say it's true that even if you do the hard-work, you can lose it all again if you took 1-3 months off/went away, etc. Or have you done some good groundwork that'll be quicker to re-gain? That's what a friend with a similar problem moaned about so I really wasn't arsed.

Thanks!

P.S. Do most gyms charge for a personal assessment/plan?

rs

Originally posted by Bri
What puts me off is the cost...and the boredom. It's not actually the cost it's the waste cos I hate going!

Boredom? bring a walkman. I find cardio pretty boring so I start and end my session with a 10 mins of cardio. That breaks it up. If you are lifting weights you'll be moving around a lot and you're much less likely to get bored.

Would you say it's true that even if you do the hard-work, you can lose it all again if you took 1-3 months off/went away, etc. Or have you done some good groundwork that'll be quicker to re-gain? That's what a friend with a similar problem moaned about so I really wasn't arsed.

If you take a month or two off you will lose some of what you have gained. It depends how long you train for I suppose. If you train for a year and take a month off you will lose some of your gains, but you will probably get it all back within a few weeks of starting to train again. If you train for 3 weeks and take 3 months off, you are not likely to get very far.

P.S. Do most gyms charge for a personal assessment/plan?

Generally most don't charge any extra for this.

Bri

Thanks.

So I guess it's quite harsh for UCD to charge 25eu (a year or two ago) for one?

I bring my iPod but I'm sorry to say that even with proper sony headphones (little silicone ear-plugs built in) I still manage to hear Now That's What I Call...blasting through! I can't see myself running with big hi-fi earphones on!

Farls

Get somebody to train with you, i normally get some of the lads go down the gym with me and if your lucky enough to get someone bigger than you and that knows what their at you'll reep the benefits quickly and bulk up in no time.

Also ye can talk and train and you'll end up lookin forward to goin down when you start to bulk a bit and notice the improvements.

Farlz

Bri

True again.

Thanks for the advice.