Group: Beginners to Exercise

Beginners to Exercise
Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 970, Messages: 18927

Share and offer advice to beginners to the fitness world!

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ilift
ilift
Posts: 2
Joined: 2013/08/26
United States
2013/08/27, 12:04 AM
Preferences§1234567890-=BackspaceTabqwertyuiopReturncapslockasdfghjkl;'\shift`zxcvbnm,./shiftEnglishDeutschEspañolFrançaisItalianoPortuguêsРусскийalt altPreferencesHello everyone,
                           I am new to this community and to working out and gyms in general. I have a very specific question which I hope to get answered on this website. As of today, I cannot do a single pushup or pull-up. Friends of mine who have been gymming for a few years now told me that I shouldnt start lifting till I gain sufficient mastery over these basic bodyweight exercises. Now believe me I really want to be able to perform 100 pushups and 50 pullups at the drop of a hat. But I dont know whether I should be training for these alone, or will lifting in general help me with these bodyweight exercises.
Cheers,
Prasad
Mr_Geezer
Mr_Geezer
Posts: 91
Joined: 2013/08/08
United States
2013/08/27, 10:50 AM
Start with one.

If one is impossible, then you have a couple of options.

1- Do the push up from your knees. Rest a few seconds and do another. Do them several times a day each day. When you can do two, do sets of two with a short rest between. Eventually as you increase the daily sets and rests, you'll find that you are able to do a full push up. Then, repeat the procedure.

2- There is a movement referred to as a negative. A negative push up would be to get yourself in the up position of the push up and very slowly lower yourself down. These will make you sore but they are effective. Combine this with number one.

Finally, start walking, then fast walking and then combine short runs between walking. Look at the home workouts on this sight and do them. You need to realize that goals change and it takes crawling to walk. But if you decide that you are changing your lifestyle for good you give yourself the best probability of success. This includes learning how to eat properly. Make this enjoyable. If you try to push too hard too fast, you will hurt yourself or burn out. Nothing is worse than starting and quitting so try to set doable goals.
ilift
ilift
Posts: 2
Joined: 2013/08/26
United States
2013/08/27, 11:28 AM
Thank you for the reply. I got myself a gym membership a couple of days ago. So I have access to all sorts of equipment now. Is it a good idea to have a strength training program on the side?
I am 5'11" tall and I weigh 173lb. My latest body fat % is 18.4, which I want to bring down to around 10%. I am just out of shape.

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Mr_Geezer
Mr_Geezer
Posts: 91
Joined: 2013/08/08
United States
2013/08/27, 04:53 PM (Edited: Mr_Geezer - 2013/08/28, 11:19 AM)
Yes, generally things like push ups and most calisthenics are done as warm up or cardiac. Alternate days if you want. Take a day or two a week off to rest. Your age has a bearing on this.