Recommend me a five exercise workout
Discussion
Hi guys,
I thought I would tap into some of the expertise on here as I try to re-invigorate my exercise regimen for the new year. I've got a generally decent level of cardio fitness (I can knock out a 50 minute 10k run without any problem) but would also like to include some weight training as well. The only problem is that I hate doing weights so want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time.
I've got a membership to a well equipped gym so I have plenty of choice but which five exercises would you recommend I do for a decent all-over body workout? I'm looking to tone up and build a bit of bulk but nothing too radical.
A couple of caveats - I don't really like using free weights (other than for bicep curls) as I don't have a gym buddy to spot for me and I'm a bit put off but the grunting, crashing and testosterone in the free weights area. And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!
Any input/suggestions gratefully received. Cheers.
I thought I would tap into some of the expertise on here as I try to re-invigorate my exercise regimen for the new year. I've got a generally decent level of cardio fitness (I can knock out a 50 minute 10k run without any problem) but would also like to include some weight training as well. The only problem is that I hate doing weights so want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time.
I've got a membership to a well equipped gym so I have plenty of choice but which five exercises would you recommend I do for a decent all-over body workout? I'm looking to tone up and build a bit of bulk but nothing too radical.
A couple of caveats - I don't really like using free weights (other than for bicep curls) as I don't have a gym buddy to spot for me and I'm a bit put off but the grunting, crashing and testosterone in the free weights area. And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!
Any input/suggestions gratefully received. Cheers.
Hmm... funny, I've just been working on my own little bodyweight 5 min burner that you can do at home. This is a 5 compound (many muscle groups) exercise routine that would should make rapid gains with if you're a bit of an ectomorph. This was to get back into the flow after deliberately doing 100% nothing for 2 weeks over xmas.
Basically, do as many reps as you can in 1 minute, pausing for a breather if you have to. As soon as the minute is up, switch to the next exercise with no rest.
Day 1
Situps (feet under a sofa)
Dips (between two dining room chairs)
Lying back hyper-extensions (hands behind head)
Shoulder presses (handstand, feet against a wall)
Press ups
Day 2
Dips
Lying back hyper-extensions
Shoulder presses
Press ups
Situps
Day 3
Lying back hyper-extensions
Shoulder presses
Press ups
Situps
Dips
Day 4
Shoulder presses
Press ups
Situps
Dips
Lying back hyper-extensions
Day 5
Press ups
Situps
Dips
Lying back hyper-extensions
Shoulder presses
At the start (seriously pacing myself) of week 1 I was doing;
Situps 31
Dips 12
Lying back hyper-extensions 55
Shoulder presses 15
Press ups 45
By the end of week 1 (still pacing myself) I was doing;
Situps 51
Dips 25
Lying back hyper-extensions 71
Shoulder presses 18
Press ups 70
2 days total rest.
By the end of week 2 I'm pretty much back to where I'd expect to be before xmas.
Situps 60
Dips 41
Lying back hyper-extensions 80
Shoulder presses (still struggling with balance a bit though!) 29
Press ups 78
Basically, do as many reps as you can in 1 minute, pausing for a breather if you have to. As soon as the minute is up, switch to the next exercise with no rest.
Day 1
Situps (feet under a sofa)
Dips (between two dining room chairs)
Lying back hyper-extensions (hands behind head)
Shoulder presses (handstand, feet against a wall)
Press ups
Day 2
Dips
Lying back hyper-extensions
Shoulder presses
Press ups
Situps
Day 3
Lying back hyper-extensions
Shoulder presses
Press ups
Situps
Dips
Day 4
Shoulder presses
Press ups
Situps
Dips
Lying back hyper-extensions
Day 5
Press ups
Situps
Dips
Lying back hyper-extensions
Shoulder presses
At the start (seriously pacing myself) of week 1 I was doing;
Situps 31
Dips 12
Lying back hyper-extensions 55
Shoulder presses 15
Press ups 45
By the end of week 1 (still pacing myself) I was doing;
Situps 51
Dips 25
Lying back hyper-extensions 71
Shoulder presses 18
Press ups 70
2 days total rest.
By the end of week 2 I'm pretty much back to where I'd expect to be before xmas.
Situps 60
Dips 41
Lying back hyper-extensions 80
Shoulder presses (still struggling with balance a bit though!) 29
Press ups 78
gjf764 said:
Job38 said:
1. Squat
2. Deadlift
3. Bench press
4. Pull ups
5. Shoulder press
Enjoy!
This is the perfect answer!2. Deadlift
3. Bench press
4. Pull ups
5. Shoulder press
Enjoy!
Don't worry about the grunting, it's not obligatory
Reps and set wise, 5 x 5, or 4 x 8 - something along those kind of lines.
I hate to call you a hypocrite but...
The whole "not too happy with being in the weights room" is a fear of being around the reuglar user and is most often than not unfounded. It just takes a bit of time to get comfortable with your surrondings and you'll probably find the guys and girls in the weights area to be very accomidating and helpful, as long as you don't act like a tool yourself. And you don't need a spot, just lift within your means.
As an S&C coach I would ALWAYS recommend using proper free weights, machines generally have no place in a my gym and bodyweight stuff can only go so far.
lauda said:
Hi guys,
I've got a membership to a well equipped gym so I have plenty of choice but which five exercises would you recommend I do for a decent all-over body workout? I'm looking to tone up and build a bit of bulk but nothing too radical.
And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!
Any input/suggestions gratefully received. Cheers.
SO you give this... I've got a membership to a well equipped gym so I have plenty of choice but which five exercises would you recommend I do for a decent all-over body workout? I'm looking to tone up and build a bit of bulk but nothing too radical.
And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!
Any input/suggestions gratefully received. Cheers.
mattikake said:
Day 1
Situps (feet under a sofa)
Dips (between two dining room chairs)
Lying back hyper-extensions (hands behind head)
Shoulder presses (handstand, feet against a wall)
Press ups
An at home workout, with the aforementioned sit ups, that will amost certainly have more of a cardio effect in the long run rather than anything else, with absaloutely no leg work in what so ever!Situps (feet under a sofa)
Dips (between two dining room chairs)
Lying back hyper-extensions (hands behind head)
Shoulder presses (handstand, feet against a wall)
Press ups
The whole "not too happy with being in the weights room" is a fear of being around the reuglar user and is most often than not unfounded. It just takes a bit of time to get comfortable with your surrondings and you'll probably find the guys and girls in the weights area to be very accomidating and helpful, as long as you don't act like a tool yourself. And you don't need a spot, just lift within your means.
As an S&C coach I would ALWAYS recommend using proper free weights, machines generally have no place in a my gym and bodyweight stuff can only go so far.
Touche.
Yeah ok. So it's Friday night and I did my own bit of scan reading.
Suggesting a diametrically opposite to the lift big philosophy isn't really hypocritical, it's just... diametrically opposed. There seems to be a bro attitude often on here that big compound sets to massive weight is the only way to go, and that's no so. It tickles the feck out of me. 
I don't always pick a stuck record that says lift bodyweight or lift light or lift heavy every... single... time at all.
He said to "build a bit of bulk but nothing too radical". Bodyweight is still weight. 80kg on your triceps, pecs or whatever isn't exactly nothing. Have a look at a male gymnast.
"The only problem is that I hate doing weights so want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time."
Well he hates weights. I suggested none. He wants minimum gym time, I suggested 5 minutes and not even in gym (although nothing to stop you doing it in a gym, exact or with equipment).
He can "knock out a 50 minute 10k run without any problem" so leg exercises aren't a major requirement. Nor is he clearly built for power.
"want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time". Oh these will get maximum and fast results, almost by the day. That's fast. Really motivationally fast.
"I don't really like using free weights (other than for bicep curls) as I don't have a gym buddy to spot for me and I'm a bit put off but the grunting, crashing and testosterone in the free weights area" He doesn't like to... Raarrrrr! Init? Rarrrr! Look bird! Rarrrrr!
"And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!" Tough. Core core core. Or injury injury injury.
He's not a bro, so he didn't appear, at this time, for someone to suggest cracking out the bros with a nice fat crowbar and boshin his schlong on a wall with it big, init.
lol
Each to their own of course.
Rarrr! etc.
Yeah ok. So it's Friday night and I did my own bit of scan reading.
Suggesting a diametrically opposite to the lift big philosophy isn't really hypocritical, it's just... diametrically opposed. There seems to be a bro attitude often on here that big compound sets to massive weight is the only way to go, and that's no so. It tickles the feck out of me. I don't always pick a stuck record that says lift bodyweight or lift light or lift heavy every... single... time at all.He said to "build a bit of bulk but nothing too radical". Bodyweight is still weight. 80kg on your triceps, pecs or whatever isn't exactly nothing. Have a look at a male gymnast.
"The only problem is that I hate doing weights so want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time."
Well he hates weights. I suggested none. He wants minimum gym time, I suggested 5 minutes and not even in gym (although nothing to stop you doing it in a gym, exact or with equipment).
He can "knock out a 50 minute 10k run without any problem" so leg exercises aren't a major requirement. Nor is he clearly built for power.
"want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time". Oh these will get maximum and fast results, almost by the day. That's fast. Really motivationally fast.
"I don't really like using free weights (other than for bicep curls) as I don't have a gym buddy to spot for me and I'm a bit put off but the grunting, crashing and testosterone in the free weights area" He doesn't like to... Raarrrrr! Init? Rarrrr! Look bird! Rarrrrr!
"And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!" Tough. Core core core. Or injury injury injury.
He's not a bro, so he didn't appear, at this time, for someone to suggest cracking out the bros with a nice fat crowbar and boshin his schlong on a wall with it big, init.
lol
Each to their own of course.
Rarrr! etc.
Edited by mattikake on Friday 18th January 21:08
I don't know what it is about your posting style, but I can't not get involved!...
"He can "knock out a 50 minute 10k run without any problem" so leg exercises aren't a major requirement.
This is one of THE most frustrating things to here and it is something you hear all the time of people who are too lazy to squat and deadlift. Doing a 10K run IS NOT THE SAME as training your legs.
"want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time". Oh these will get maximum and fast results, almost by the day. That's fast. Really motivationally fast.
I disagree. I'm not sure why you think doing a few, upperbody bodyweight exercises is really going to achieve, especially as they are all pretty much push exercises with no real back work.
"And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!" Tough. Core core core. Or injury injury injury.
Sit ups are a terrible core exercise. They work your superficial abs to a certain extent, but they don't even do that too well.
I think the reason I find your posts so hard to ignore is because you state your, often misguided, opinion in such a matter of fact way. And by saying that I don't mean to be rude or offend you, but I often find myself disagreeing with a lot of things you say.
"He can "knock out a 50 minute 10k run without any problem" so leg exercises aren't a major requirement.
This is one of THE most frustrating things to here and it is something you hear all the time of people who are too lazy to squat and deadlift. Doing a 10K run IS NOT THE SAME as training your legs.
"want to try and focus my efforts to get maximum results in the minimum gym time". Oh these will get maximum and fast results, almost by the day. That's fast. Really motivationally fast.
I disagree. I'm not sure why you think doing a few, upperbody bodyweight exercises is really going to achieve, especially as they are all pretty much push exercises with no real back work.
"And I also hate doing sit-ups so please don't recommend these!" Tough. Core core core. Or injury injury injury.
Sit ups are a terrible core exercise. They work your superficial abs to a certain extent, but they don't even do that too well.
I think the reason I find your posts so hard to ignore is because you state your, often misguided, opinion in such a matter of fact way. And by saying that I don't mean to be rude or offend you, but I often find myself disagreeing with a lot of things you say.
I'm schooled and have several letters after my name... but that doesn't really mean anything. (seriously) Given that human hypertrophy isn't an exact science and is the only true fact we know, there's always going to be different ideas. This is the only matter-of-fact there is. So disagree away mon. Lifting big isn't the only way, there are many, yet on PH, it seems to be the *only* way.
[Must be something to do with displacement v's compression.]
I'd guess that he'll see faster results my way than your way.
Generally, I'm reading between 'his' lines. Suggesting that he has a good level of cardio fitness suggests he doesn't want to lose that, affect that, nor feels the need to alter that. It also suggests he is ectomorphic, which would also suggest, considering his other wordings, that lifting "bro" is not his style, requirement, need or desire.
(he probably already has a partner)
I was going to include pull-ups in that routine, but figured it's not quite so easily accessible as the rest. A 5 minute workout does not imply that is the ONLY workout... nor did it.
Situps engage a good range of core muscles from hip flexors to upper abs, even a good level of playsma. Back hyper extensions also offer a full range all the way along the multifidus range as well as promotes flexibility. Situps are fully antagonistic of back hyper exentions = solid core balance as well as flexibility. Just a suggestion. IMO and it is IMO, situps and back hyper extensions are far more worthy as core exercises than deads because with deads (and military etc.) there is a certain amount of natural fear and that means holding back, especially without a spotter as the OP doesn't. ...Unless you fancy a bit of beefy man-love in which case you'll go for the dead or the hospital bed.
(Not that that is a common saying or anything...)
The guy clearly isn't a bro munda wunda and doesn't want to rarrr in the face of passers by and an unconditional schlong-tastic slimey face-slap. A good cum face is best kept private for your other half.
Oh in case you hadn't noticed, I'm p!st and on my 4th set of front levers as I pass the pullup bar across my door on the way to the p!sser...
But then, I don't have to walk around with my c0ck slung over my right shoulder.
[Must be something to do with displacement v's compression.]
I'd guess that he'll see faster results my way than your way.
Generally, I'm reading between 'his' lines. Suggesting that he has a good level of cardio fitness suggests he doesn't want to lose that, affect that, nor feels the need to alter that. It also suggests he is ectomorphic, which would also suggest, considering his other wordings, that lifting "bro" is not his style, requirement, need or desire.
(he probably already has a partner)
I was going to include pull-ups in that routine, but figured it's not quite so easily accessible as the rest. A 5 minute workout does not imply that is the ONLY workout... nor did it.
Situps engage a good range of core muscles from hip flexors to upper abs, even a good level of playsma. Back hyper extensions also offer a full range all the way along the multifidus range as well as promotes flexibility. Situps are fully antagonistic of back hyper exentions = solid core balance as well as flexibility. Just a suggestion. IMO and it is IMO, situps and back hyper extensions are far more worthy as core exercises than deads because with deads (and military etc.) there is a certain amount of natural fear and that means holding back, especially without a spotter as the OP doesn't. ...Unless you fancy a bit of beefy man-love in which case you'll go for the dead or the hospital bed.
(Not that that is a common saying or anything...)
The guy clearly isn't a bro munda wunda and doesn't want to rarrr in the face of passers by and an unconditional schlong-tastic slimey face-slap. A good cum face is best kept private for your other half.
Oh in case you hadn't noticed, I'm p!st and on my 4th set of front levers as I pass the pullup bar across my door on the way to the p!sser...
But then, I don't have to walk around with my c0ck slung over my right shoulder.
Edited by mattikake on Friday 18th January 21:57
"Look at male gymnasts"
Exactly, guys who train for hours a day, 6days a week for 10+ years and weigh about 11 stone. Exactly what anyone with limited time to train and an aversion to the gym wants to avoid at all costs.
The 5 exercise set ind deads, squats and bench is proven over many many years or exceptional results. It would be my choice all day.
Exactly, guys who train for hours a day, 6days a week for 10+ years and weigh about 11 stone. Exactly what anyone with limited time to train and an aversion to the gym wants to avoid at all costs.
The 5 exercise set ind deads, squats and bench is proven over many many years or exceptional results. It would be my choice all day.
I have done a lot of reading on this stuff and unfortunatley for you if you want to cut down your exercises to just 5 and get maximum results then heavy free weight lifts are the way to go. Anyway to get the weights at home to avoid gym issues?
I dont think a spotter is necessary if you are careful.
I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows, overhead press.
The reasults come slowly but surely.
I dont think a spotter is necessary if you are careful.
I do squats, deadlifts, bench press, rows, overhead press.
The reasults come slowly but surely.
The only exercise on the list where you would benefit from a spotter is bench, which you can easily do with dumb bells if you're worried.
A spotter for dead lifts, what do they do, cuddle you?
http://youtu.be/_MvUQI0heqg
A spotter for dead lifts, what do they do, cuddle you?
http://youtu.be/_MvUQI0heqg
Edited by GBDG on Saturday 19th January 00:13
Wait what? doing Squats and DL on the same day is bad? Whenever I go 3x a week I always do the same thing in the following order.
Squat, Deadlift, bench press, overhead/military press. Should I be splitting them somehow? I've not done pull ups because.. I'm too crap to even do 1! Is there some kind of lift/workout I can do that might make assist in being able to doing it?
Squat, Deadlift, bench press, overhead/military press. Should I be splitting them somehow? I've not done pull ups because.. I'm too crap to even do 1! Is there some kind of lift/workout I can do that might make assist in being able to doing it?
ambuletz said:
I've not done pull ups because.. I'm too crap to even do 1! Is there some kind of lift/workout I can do that might make assist in being able to doing it?
So many guides to how to do it, it's not even worth a reply. Google "how to do pull ups" and take your pick! But do some kind of assisted work to make it easier eg using your legs.It's a bit like how you got to benching what you do now - you didn't start on what you did now. You started with a lighter weight so a similar approach needs to be applied.
mattikake said:
The guy clearly isn't a bro munda wunda and doesn't want to rarrr in the face of passers by and an unconditional schlong-tastic slimey face-slap. A good cum face is best kept private for your other half.
WTF are you on about?Edited by mattikake on Friday 18th January 21:57
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