No weights yet..

Beau x1

Sorry if this has been asked before, just wondering, I have no weights but would like to start getting in shape - don't suppose there's anything I can use until my wallet can purchase some, or any alternative excercises to build muscle?

Also, I'm a bit stuck on what weights I need. What weight should they be? I figured I'd start off with a pair of dumbbells?

Just fyi I'm a scrawny guy, 5 ft 7.5ish, not much body fat at all weigh about 8.5stone.
Cheers!

rubadub

www.simplefit.org for bodyweight exercises. A chinup bar is only €11 in argos. You could also make gymnastic rings looking in my signature link, these can be hung over a bit of wood placed across the hole in your attic.

This is a good weights set for the money. Do not be tempted to get the cheaper vinyl/cement sets, they are brutal and you will end up getting iron in the end

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=30001&partNumber=3008250

If you are serious about lifting you might want to get this though.

http://irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_15&products_id=259

It is usually a lot cheaper to buy a set like those, I started with just 20kg dumbbells, but ended up buying new bars and plates separate and it costs a lot more.

Beau x1

Hey rubadub, thanks for all the information and links provided.

I think I'll definitely purchase a chinup bar - as for the dumbbells in the set you provided, would they be a bit too heavy for me to work out on to begin with? Just wondering.

I'm scrawny as well so I'm going to have to add on weight in order to gain muscle too. The problem is, I find it very hard to do so due to my naturally fast metabolism. I've read up on some stuff, but its kind of a confusing task as some eating 'guides' will contradict others on eating plans.

As for seriousness; I'm not serious in the way I want to be completely ripped to shreds although I would like a bit of muscle in the aesthetically pleasing way.

Thanks.

ronbyrne2005

Go to a public park when it's quiet. Warm up by running then do various pull ups/chin ups on playground frames. Alternate with push ups. Don't worry if you can only do a few pull ups at first, rest then repeat a few times. Do other bodyweight exercises and lift anything like logs in garden/park over your head (with proper form/technique). Increase your calorie intake and eat good quality food, aim for around 30% calories from protein, 40% from carbs and 30% from mainly healthy fats. When your body has recovered from your workout ,say after 2/3 days repeat workout. After few weeks your strength will be increasing and you will be able to do more bodyweight exercises etc.

basically theres loads a beginner can do without buying weights and benches. Train till you can do no more repititions, and dont worry too much about diet, just eat good healthy food and if you start getting fat cut back on calories and/or increase cardio.
Do you live near a public gym? u can use them for a few euro at a time and if you go there to do the exercises you cant do easily at home without weights.

Beau x1

Hey ronbyrne, thanks for the great advice. I'm gonna buy a chinup bar from argos as soon as I can.

As for public gyms, I live in Bray so I don't know how close that is to any public facilities.

I'll have to do some cardio, although maybe not too much as I don't weigh all that heavy? Am I doing this to burn the fat I'll be eating or to burn off what is there already (which isn't that much at all, I'm a scrawny guy).

The Freeman

http://www.gain-weight-muscle-fast.com/

can't praise this site enough, i was the same. skinny til now and thougt it was just genetic and i couldn't put on weight but that aint the case and in the last 3 weeks i have put on over 4 kilos:)

your diet is very important, you need to consume 1lb per pound of weight that you weigh and it needs to be spread over 6 meals, 40% protein 40% good carbs(bread, brown rice, wholemeal bread) and 20 or 30% good quality fats...here is a good article and very concise http://www.gain-weight-muscle-fast.com/food-to-gain-weight-fat.html



it can be hard to prepare 6 meals per day and very time consuming so supplementing could be an option for you also

Beau x1

Thanks a lot freeman, site looks pretty informative! I might supplement a bit too, yeah - can't imagine myself being able to eat 6 meals a day :eek:

What would I use to supplement (any good brand names out there?)

Steroids are a no-no, haha.

Beau x1

I've been eating plenty of quality food (6 meals etc), been doing push ups and crunches for the last couple of days. Look at myself in the mirror topless and I feel/look a bit fat, even though I'm a scrawny guy. Is that normal? On the bright side I feel great from working out, provides a feel-good sensation.

rubadub

Beau x1 wrote: »

I think I'll definitely purchase a chinup bar - as for the dumbbells in the set you provided, would they be a bit too heavy for me to work out on to begin with? Just wondering.

It is 50kg in total, that includes the bars weight, not just 50kg of plates. It would be fine for you since it has small plates so you can start low. You could even use empty bars! They are small plates though, a 2L of coke weighs 2kg to give you an idea. 24cans of beer is around 12kg.

You will get a LOT stronger than you are in a short time, then the gains slow a lot. So when you get the 50kg set it might seem too much but in a few months you will be using it all.

I got a 20kg dumbell set years ago and thought it too much! Now I have 25kg of plates on a single dumbell for doing overhead presses, I have ~140kg of plates in total and am not big at all. You will be able to deadlift a lot of weight too, with those small diameter plates you can rest them on a pile of blankets or old clothes. This will cushion the floor and raise the bar to a suitable height.

Also you can be economical with plates by combining them with your own weight. I do chinups & dips with 30kg of plates on a belt. I do not bench press at all now, I do dips instead, but if I was to bench I would probably need 80kg to match the workout I get from my 30kg dips.


Check out www.exrx.net a brilliant site

In the park near me (cabinteely) there are chinup bars and dip bars etc (for adults). But just look around your area for places or structures that you could do chins & dips on. I have found a good few in my area, the newest was a sort of stone stile going into a park that you can do dips on. Also outside a clubhouse in a local pitch there was a railing which has a 90degree angle on it where you can do dips.

brianthebard

Beau x1 wrote: »

Hey ronbyrne, thanks for the great advice. I'm gonna buy a chinup bar from argos as soon as I can.

As for public gyms, I live in Bray so I don't know how close that is to any public facilities.

I'll have to do some cardio, although maybe not too much as I don't weigh all that heavy? Am I doing this to burn the fat I'll be eating or to burn off what is there already (which isn't that much at all, I'm a scrawny guy).

the fat you eat is needed for your body to function properly,it doesnt just turn to flab.

The Freeman

Beau x1 wrote: »

Thanks a lot freeman, site looks pretty informative! I might supplement a bit too, yeah - can't imagine myself being able to eat 6 meals a day :eek:

What would I use to supplement (any good brand names out there?)

Steroids are a no-no, haha.

i personally get my stuff off www.nutritionconnection.ie, free delivery and very fast too, your boy fat is a bit high is all, keep up with the set of crunches and you'll see a differance in a couple of weeks, i was the same a few months ago too and then i did LEG RAISE AND THRUST, PLANK, BICYCLE AND BACK EXTENSIONS(google those to or even throw them in to youtube to get an idea of how to perform them)

optimum nutrition 100% whey is one of the market leaders(won a few awards) and comes in in like 20 od flavours so i'm sure you'll find something suitable.


a great way to reduce your body fat is is to go for a 45-60 min jog first thing in the morning and knock back a cup of coffee beforehand(caffiene is a great fat-burner)

i hear ya also with conflicting information, most of this is companies trying to get you to buy their product or another is people giving an incredible amount of bad information and haven't a clue what they are talking about, some i have witnessed on this section of boards too.

correction 16 flavours with the on 100% whey

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/opt/whey.html