Weight room essentials and alternatives?

the keen edge

O.K. here's the craic, I'm 33 year old male, quite good level of fitness. 6' 2" 85kg.

I do a 5 mile run 2/3 mornings per week, plus 20 minutes of interval sprinting on a footie pitch 2 mornings per week. I also swim a couple of morning a week, however I'm an improving swimmer, so the fitness benifits from my swimming would be negligible.
So, I'm resonabily happy with my cardio workout.

After an sabbatical of about two years,(due to working commitments), I've recently I took out a gym membership again.
The gym I've joined is pretty well equipped, but man it is busy, particularly the weight lifting area. As I'm in there at morning time before college, I cant really be waiting around to use each and every piece of equipment.
I have a slender/atheletic build, and hours of weight training does little for my body type, so I'm not that fussed.

I do however have a ambition in the gym, and that is my core.
I've never really spent time on the core area of my body, above any exercise, sit ups and the like are hell to me. And in all honesty I have been guilty of given up and throwing in the towel when it came to the hard work where core fitness was concerned. So for the next few months it is my ambition to succeed here.

So, I was hoping someone could point me in the direction of a core workout programme?.
Also what do people think of my plan of giving the weights room a wide berth?. Are say bench presses or squats requisites?. There is a rack of dumbbells in the aerobics studio, incorporating a few exercises using them may suffice?.

I currently do a couple of sets (2x10) of both pull ups and dips, and will continue doing these.
So anyone else out there avoiding the weight room and getting results?.
I suppose calisthenics would be an area of interest to me. Anybody built a complete workout programme from them?.

the keen edge

Just want to bump this.

Although I thought this was the correct spot, seeing as I'm not getting much feedback maybe I should be posting in a different forum?. Maybe one of the mod's or someone could suggest an alternative location?.

itsallaboutheL

Too many words.

Brian?

Don't avoid the weights would be my answer.

I am not sure what you want to achieve with your core.

Mellor

The reason you haven't seen much response is because it isn't that clear what you want to achieve. "Your core" is a bit vague.

Basically it sounds like you want somebody to justify you not lifting weights.

A few points that stood out to me;

I have a slender/atheletic build, and hours of weight training does little for my body type, so I'm not that fussed
I doubt its you body type that refused to chnge, more likely is that your training wasn't suitable and your diet wasn't suited to your goal.


Are say bench presses or squats requisites?. There is a rack of dumbbells in the aerobics studio, incorporating a few exercises using them may suffice?.


Bench and Squats aren't total must have exercises, people survive without them. But unless there is a medical condition or reason not to do them, I don't see why you should. The dumbells in the aerobics studio are most likely far too light to be of any benefit. This also relates to my comments about the previous training not being suitable.

the keen edge

Mellor wrote: »

The reason you haven't seen much response is because it isn't that clear what you want to achieve. "Your core" is a bit vague.

Basically it sounds like you want somebody to justify you not lifting weights.

A few points that stood out to me;

I have a slender/atheletic build, and hours of weight training does little for my body type, so I'm not that fussed
I doubt its you body type that refused to chnge, more likely is that your training wasn't suitable and your diet wasn't suited to your goal.


Are say bench presses or squats requisites?. There is a rack of dumbbells in the aerobics studio, incorporating a few exercises using them may suffice?.


Bench and Squats aren't total must have exercises, people survive without them. But unless there is a medical condition or reason not to do them, I don't see why you should. The dumbells in the aerobics studio are most likely far too light to be of any benefit. This also relates to my comments about the previous training not being suitable.

Thanks for the response.

Bit confused as to how my core is a vague term?.
I thought core training is a very common exercise, I wont add a link to a wiki definition as I'm not quite sure if your pulling my leg or not!.

And TBH I cant see where your picking up the looking for justification for not lifting weights?.
I clearly said that the weights room is a bit busy, I'm pressed for time and what are peoples thoughts on avoiding it.

Again the reasons I would prefer to avoid BP and squats are as above.

I do appreciate your response, maybe my OP lacked clarity.
I have in the past done some proper weight training, a mate use to compete in power lifting at a national level, and I trained under his supervision for a couple of years. I didn't say, or mean to imply, that my body wouldn't change, rather that I do have a decent level of strength and muscle mass, naturally.

Older and IMO wiser, I now believe that for me if I have x amount of hours to spend in the gym, those hours can be better spent on some type of calisthenic based workout.
In addition to some small bit of weight training, I'd now prefer to spent more time on exercise that promotes flexibly and strength in the trunk of my body(my core!)

The reason for starting this thread was in the hope of hearing first hand how other may have developed such a type of programme; rather than following some workout found online.

the keen edge

briankeating wrote: »

Don't avoid the weights would be my answer.

I am not sure what you want to achieve with your core.

Just general strength throughout the core, nothing to specific.

What is the deal with exercises using a Swiss ball, good job or late night tv fad?.

Kadongy

1h pushups, pistols, pullups, broomhandle overhead squats can make up a decent basic routine if building mass is not the biggest priority. It's an excellent routine if you are looking for the best ratio of effectiveness against time/money/convenience. You can do it anywhere really. This routine would strengthen your core significantly.

SteelyDanJalapeno

If you want to spend the least amount amount of time possible in the weights area but still get the most possible from it, then its not gonna really work,

But, your best bet imo, would be some of the exercises that target alot of muscles at once, at most of them surround your core.

BenchPress
Pull ups
Dips
Planks, crunches
Squats

Mellor

the keen edge wrote: »

Bit confused as to how my core is a vague term?.
I thought core training is a very common exercise, I wont add a link to a wiki definition as I'm not quite sure if your pulling my leg or not!.

I knew what part of your body your refered to by "Core".
But you didn't what you wanted to achieve, you goal was simply "core" and in that sense it was vague.

It could of been anything from general strength, sports related, or even some Abz for the beach. Not uncommon in threads tbh.
You've since described what your goal is in the post above, thats covered now.

There is nothing stopping you getting very strong with calisthenic alone. But I don't know if a good route to do so. I don't see why you can't include a mix of weights plus worthwhile calisthenic stuff. Crunches, for example, are a pretty bad way to manage your time, especially if in a hurry.

You also don't need to use each and every piece of equipment. I normally only need to wait for my first exercise (the flat bench or the squat rack for example). After that is free weights, dips or pull-ups for the remaining 4 or so exercises.