So I want to build up my chest, shoulders and arms....
Discussion
....but I have no idea where to start. Never been into weights or the gym or anything like this. Complete beginner!
So I run 10k roughly 4 times a week with a longer run at the weekends. These weekend runs are going to get longer and longer as I work my way to doing a marathon in September. This itself is great and a hell of a challenge, but I'd also like to get onto building a bit of muscle from my belly upwards.
I've not got the time to go to a gym at the moment, however will be moving closer to work in a couple of months so will have more time then. Until then, I'd like to find something to do to get started in the evenings whilst the missus watches her crap on telly. Ideally nothing to expensive and fairly simple.
So hench types of PH, can you 1) recommend me something to do for the time being to get me into it and 2) recommend what I should do when I've moved and got more time. I was thinking of joining a gym and getting some sort of trainer for a few hours a week to set me stuff to do and tell me how to do it properly. I'm terrified of hurting myself doing weights etc wrong!
So I run 10k roughly 4 times a week with a longer run at the weekends. These weekend runs are going to get longer and longer as I work my way to doing a marathon in September. This itself is great and a hell of a challenge, but I'd also like to get onto building a bit of muscle from my belly upwards.
I've not got the time to go to a gym at the moment, however will be moving closer to work in a couple of months so will have more time then. Until then, I'd like to find something to do to get started in the evenings whilst the missus watches her crap on telly. Ideally nothing to expensive and fairly simple.
So hench types of PH, can you 1) recommend me something to do for the time being to get me into it and 2) recommend what I should do when I've moved and got more time. I was thinking of joining a gym and getting some sort of trainer for a few hours a week to set me stuff to do and tell me how to do it properly. I'm terrified of hurting myself doing weights etc wrong!
Have a look at this 60yr old guy...
He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
If a gym isn't convenient then do some press ups for the time being. You can place your hands together, shoulder width apart or far apart to work different parts of your chest/shoulders/triceps.
When you do get to a gym you should get a few personal trainer sessions (most places will give you a session or two for free) so you know the basic techniques for the weight exercises. After that you can just read up different routines on the internet/health magazines instead of hiring a PT to spend half the time chit chatting with.
Best idea would be to go with a friend so you push each other and have a spotter.
When you do get to a gym you should get a few personal trainer sessions (most places will give you a session or two for free) so you know the basic techniques for the weight exercises. After that you can just read up different routines on the internet/health magazines instead of hiring a PT to spend half the time chit chatting with.
Best idea would be to go with a friend so you push each other and have a spotter.
Running 10k four times a week doesn't exactly go hand in hand with building muscle, which put simply requires around 45 minutes of lifting heavy weights followed by lots and lots of rest and food.
I don't see how you can eat enough food let alone have the rest time to allow your body to grow. It would be best to hit the weights when you can take a break from your running.
Just to add that there is no problem doing body weight exercises in the meantime, but just don't expect any significant results.
I don't see how you can eat enough food let alone have the rest time to allow your body to grow. It would be best to hit the weights when you can take a break from your running.
Just to add that there is no problem doing body weight exercises in the meantime, but just don't expect any significant results.
Edited by Warnie on Friday 21st February 11:53
Thanks for the quick replies!
DocJock said:
Have a look at this 60yr old guy...
He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
Thanks, will check it out tonight.He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
Shaoxter said:
If a gym isn't convenient then do some press ups for the time being. You can place your hands together, shoulder width apart or far apart to work different parts of your chest/shoulders/triceps.
When you do get to a gym you should get a few personal trainer sessions (most places will give you a session or two for free) so you know the basic techniques for the weight exercises. After that you can just read up different routines on the internet/health magazines instead of hiring a PT to spend half the time chit chatting with.
Best idea would be to go with a friend so you push each other and have a spotter.
So simple press ups then? IT'll be a new area we're moving to so I'll be going by myself to start out with anyway. When you do get to a gym you should get a few personal trainer sessions (most places will give you a session or two for free) so you know the basic techniques for the weight exercises. After that you can just read up different routines on the internet/health magazines instead of hiring a PT to spend half the time chit chatting with.
Best idea would be to go with a friend so you push each other and have a spotter.
Warnie said:
Running 10k four times a week doesn't exactly go hand in hand with building muscle, which put simply requires around 45 minutes of lifting heavy weights followed by lots and lots of rest and food.
I don't see how you can eat enough food let alone have the rest time to allow your body to grow. It would be best to hit the weights when you can take a break from your running.
Just to add that there is no problem doing body weight exercises in the meantime, but just don't expect any significant results.
I guessed with the running it would be harder, not going to give that up though. I don't see how you can eat enough food let alone have the rest time to allow your body to grow. It would be best to hit the weights when you can take a break from your running.
Just to add that there is no problem doing body weight exercises in the meantime, but just don't expect any significant results.
Edited by Warnie on Friday 21st February 11:53
Running any more than 10 mins at a time is a a catabolic activity - it will tear down your body it's the opposite of what you want when gaining muscle.
If you want to gain muscle you would want to create a calorie excess (to gain weight) and and combine that with appropriate exercises.
I feel with the running you are doing I doubt you'll want to gain any weight right now since it would effect your performance.
By all means start doing some resistance exercises to get your body used to them (and actually as suggested press-ups and pull-ups are a good place to start) but don't expect any increases in muscle mass until you start eating more and running a lot less.
If you want to gain muscle you would want to create a calorie excess (to gain weight) and and combine that with appropriate exercises.
I feel with the running you are doing I doubt you'll want to gain any weight right now since it would effect your performance.
By all means start doing some resistance exercises to get your body used to them (and actually as suggested press-ups and pull-ups are a good place to start) but don't expect any increases in muscle mass until you start eating more and running a lot less.
declasm said:
Running any more than 10 mins at a time is a a catabolic activity - it will tear down your body it's the opposite of what you want when gaining muscle.
So I'm going to waste away running so much? I think I'm going to start the push up/pull up thing until I move, then join a gym and get somebody who knows what they're doing to instruct me there. It'll be interesting to see if this simple approach makes any difference. Either way it'll be a challenge, doubt I could do more than half a dozen at the moment!
chrisp84 said:
So I'm going to waste away running so much?
I think I'm going to start the push up/pull up thing until I move, then join a gym and get somebody who knows what they're doing to instruct me there. It'll be interesting to see if this simple approach makes any difference. Either way it'll be a challenge, doubt I could do more than half a dozen at the moment!
No cheating, palms facing away.I think I'm going to start the push up/pull up thing until I move, then join a gym and get somebody who knows what they're doing to instruct me there. It'll be interesting to see if this simple approach makes any difference. Either way it'll be a challenge, doubt I could do more than half a dozen at the moment!
DocJock said:
Have a look at this 60yr old guy...
He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
Poor form on those pull ups - arms not fully extended!!He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
Mine are better than that!
but I can only manage 4 proper ones
I ran a marathon last year, I had exactly the same goal as you!
I joined a gym to try and build some muscle, very quickly found that it was a waste of time. I toned up slightly, however never built any muscle mass. So I focused on core exercises and exercises to boost/help my running. I found this helped with my running massively!
Basically long distance running eats your muscle. Especially when you start doing your 15+ mile long runs at the weekend.
What marathon are you doing?
I joined a gym to try and build some muscle, very quickly found that it was a waste of time. I toned up slightly, however never built any muscle mass. So I focused on core exercises and exercises to boost/help my running. I found this helped with my running massively!
Basically long distance running eats your muscle. Especially when you start doing your 15+ mile long runs at the weekend.
What marathon are you doing?
DocJock said:
Have a look at this 60yr old guy...
He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
I think I'd rather have a face full of most of my own teeth before concentrating on looking buff at that age! He does bodyweight exercises, push-ups/pull-ups/dips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR64elkEozA
Warnie said:
Running 10k four times a week doesn't exactly go hand in hand with building muscle,
It will be fine, he's training for 26.2 miles. 4x6 miles a week is child's play.
Warnie said:
which put simply requires around 45 minutes of lifting heavy weights followed by lots and lots of rest and food.
No. Hypertrophy requires medium weights. He will need neither lots of food nor rest. And lifting x2 a week following a circuit would be ideal - it's a popular distance runner's routine.
Pretty much mission impossible I would've said with the amount of running you're doing.
In order to build muscle anywhere near effectively you need to be eating around 1000 calories above your body's maintenance level i.e. around 3500 calories a day, which is not as easy as just stuffing your face all day; they need to be the right calories.
There's a few sites on the net that will enable you to work out how many calories your 10k runs burn off and I reckon if you do the maths, between what your running burns off, and what your body needs to consume in order to build muscle, you just physically wouldn't be able to eat enough food to bulk up.
These numbers are VERY rough so do your own research but if you want to build muscle you should consume at least 3000 cals a day; a 10k run is likely to burn off, say, 1500 cals(?), so you need to be consuming somewhere around TWICE the average person's daily food intake to build muscle AND keep up the running, and even if the numbers themselves stack up I just don't see it happening because the two activities are so opposite in terms of what they do to, and require from, your body.
In short, if you're not giving up a good chunk of running, you're not getting bigger.
In order to build muscle anywhere near effectively you need to be eating around 1000 calories above your body's maintenance level i.e. around 3500 calories a day, which is not as easy as just stuffing your face all day; they need to be the right calories.
There's a few sites on the net that will enable you to work out how many calories your 10k runs burn off and I reckon if you do the maths, between what your running burns off, and what your body needs to consume in order to build muscle, you just physically wouldn't be able to eat enough food to bulk up.
These numbers are VERY rough so do your own research but if you want to build muscle you should consume at least 3000 cals a day; a 10k run is likely to burn off, say, 1500 cals(?), so you need to be consuming somewhere around TWICE the average person's daily food intake to build muscle AND keep up the running, and even if the numbers themselves stack up I just don't see it happening because the two activities are so opposite in terms of what they do to, and require from, your body.
In short, if you're not giving up a good chunk of running, you're not getting bigger.
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