Improving upper body without the gym?

[Frimley111R]

I do quite a lot of cardio and general fitness via circuit training and mountain biking and a bit of running. However I'd like to develop my upper body more so that I have a bit more of a triangle shaped torso. I have spent time in the gym but am getting bored of it now and haven't been for a few weeks. What else can I do that will develop my upper body without going into the gym?

[Slink]

I dont get that, how people 'get bored' down the gym?

your there for a reason, to build muscle and get stronger, surely as you do alot of cardio and other stuff you enjoy physical exertion so ergo, should enjoy the gym work?

i dont bother with the gym, but have all the equipment i want at home, but i never get bored.

perhaps try chaining the routines that you are doing every time you go, so monday is leg day, tuesday is back day, wednesday arms and shoulders and so on.

[_bryan_]

Google calisthenics...

[TheJimi]

If you get bored in the gym, you're not training hard enough.

So my answer is - train harder

[Big E 118]

_bryan_ said:

Google calisthenics...

As above.

Go down the park or get a chin up bar, check out the strength of this guy http://youtu.be/PKfOuHJ_EXA

[anonymous-user]

lifting weights and hitting pb's in the gym is probs the greatest feeling ever and also that pump! if you're getting bored and haven't gone to the gym for a few weeks shows you're not serious and I doubt you will be able to achieve your goals regardless of the workout, anyway have you considered kettlebells?

There are a ton of different workouts you can do with them and most of them are home friendly with lots of youtube vids for help.

[AnonSpoilSport]

Easily do-able if you work hard enough, consistently and eat and rest adequately.

Push ups with different hand spacing and if they get too easy - or just for variety - with feet raised to different heights, esp. with push up bars (a tenner at TESCO) for a better stretch, dips and chins(!) Weighted vests could help if your strength is good compared to bodyweight.

Won't be anymore interesting though...

[ewenm]

Take up rock climbing - good climbers are classically triangular and it's a lot more interesting than the gym IMO.

[AnonSpoilSport]

ewenm said:

Take up rock climbing - good climbers are classically triangular and it's a lot more interesting than the gym IMO.

The ones who fail do look rather... flat, though?

[mattikake]

Pull-up bar, £9.99
Chain, £5.99
Dumbbell plates 2x5kg, 2x7.5kg, 2x10kg, £70
Two dining room chairs.

Pull-ups and dips, vary grip, very speed, vary lean angle, add plates to chain attach round waist, 1 year = triangle.

[Hoofy]

Rock climbing is a good shout. You'll be doing hundreds of full and assisted pull ups in different directions over the course of a 3 hour session.

This is my back from regular indoor climbing and before I ever started strength training:

(Obviously, I ate too much but you can see the tapered shape.)

AnonSpoilSport said:

Won't be anymore interesting though...

Ultimately, you need to commit time and energy along with consistency of training and diet.

WRT calisthenics/bodyweight stuff, you need to make sure it's always tough. If you're finding you can bang out hundreds of a given exercise, then you're not going to continue to develop the strength. In other words, it should be bd difficult the whole time.

I still stick to 3xN (where N < 15) for reps, whether I'm doing planche training, front levers, pull ups or dips. If you find that N is creeping up then it's time to figure out how to make it harder.

Edit: actually, looking at the date that pic was taken, I was only climbing once or twice a month in 2011 so you don't need to climb that regularly.

Edited by Hoofy on Wednesday 26th June 22:30

[Hoofy]

Here's a good video for ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw

Let us know when you've ticked all 44.

[Flibble]

Climbing is definitely a good one - I'm fairly triangular despite doing no strength training other than climbing. Much less tedious than gym stuff to my mind - you have to problem solve the moves rather than just picking up a weight and waving it around.

One thing - it's quite easy to injure yourself climbing (tendons especially), but you will have awesome grip strength.

[CalNaughtonJnr]

Hoofy said:

Here's a good video for ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw

Let us know when you've ticked all 44.

I knew what that was before I even clicked on it! My trainer posted it on fb a couple of days ago - some of the stuff is insane!

[cornet]

ewenm said:

Take up rock climbing - good climbers are classically triangular and it's a lot more interesting than the gym IMO.

Bouldering might be a better fit since it's more easily accessible (don't need to learn about ropes) and you can concentrate problems that you actually need your upper body for (overhands etc...). That said, good climbers climb with their legs and not their upper body.

Most people when they start use their upper body far too much and try to "brute force" problems. However if you are sufficiently strong enough you can "campus" problems (using hands only) or most climbing centres will have a dedicated campus board.

[Tiggsy]

CalNaughtonJnr said:

Hoofy said:

Here's a good video for ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw

Let us know when you've ticked all 44.

I knew what that was before I even clicked on it! My trainer posted it on fb a couple of days ago - some of the stuff is insane!

I imagine that blokes core is like a tree trunk....probably a steel one!

[Fozziebear]

Try wider bars and a rigid front end on your mountain bike, the hit a hard trail!

[Frimley111R]

Slink said:

I dont get that, how people 'get bored' down the gym?

your there for a reason, to build muscle and get stronger, surely as you do alot of cardio and other stuff you enjoy physical exertion so ergo, should enjoy the gym work?

i dont bother with the gym, but have all the equipment i want at home, but i never get bored.

perhaps try chaining the routines that you are doing every time you go, so monday is leg day, tuesday is back day, wednesday arms and shoulders and so on.

I think its the 'doing it on your own' element too. I like cicuit training and mtb as its social but in the gym I just 'go through the motions'. I do vary my routine and do all the usual types of muscle development though.

[Frimley111R]

Tiggsy said:

CalNaughtonJnr said:

Hoofy said:

Here's a good video for ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw

Let us know when you've ticked all 44.

I knew what that was before I even clicked on it! My trainer posted it on fb a couple of days ago - some of the stuff is insane!

I imagine that blokes core is like a tree trunk....probably a steel one!

Blimey. I'll get back to you after 44 days...or weeks....maybe.

[pilchardthecat]

Hoofy said:

Here's a good video for ideas:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POdzasJklxw

Let us know when you've ticked all 44.

Thanks for that - there are a few there that i haven't heard of or tried. ... and one or two i expect i won't be able to do