"Quick fix" exercises...

[Hard-Drive]

I'm quite powerfully built, and I run a company. Actually, I'm telling porkies...and I'm a bit porky...and I'm wanting to shed a few pounds. Nothing too serious, I'm 42, 5'11", 34" waist and about 90kg but want to build up a bit of muscle, fitness, and shed some beer belly and general lard.

I am a gym member, and although I've not been for a year until recently due to a little'un arriving, I have been going back and I'm enjoying it. However a good workout and a steam/sauna is quite a time commitment, and whilst I aim to keep going 2/3 times a week, I'd love a quick "something" that I can do at home, say 30-45 mins. Basically, unless I can get there for 1900 I don't bother, and that's not always possible with work and a child.

Happy to buy a "thing" if that helps. What's the best idea? A rower? Turbo trainer for my bike? Treadmill? Or am I better with weights or resistance thingies? Don't want to spend too much, but just have something to "top up" the gym sessions that takes zero prep time/dirving etc to do.

Thanks in advance!

[mcelliott]

Turbo hitched up to zwift and a pull-up bar, throw in some press ups yo'll fit as butchers dog.

[grumbledoak]

You lose weight in the kitchen. Learn to cook. Stop eating crap. Bin the booze.

[mcelliott]

Says he wants to build a bit of muscle as well, and not end up looking like a sack of st.

[Hard-Drive]

I do eat reasonably healthy food. I wouldn't say I'm on a diet as such, however takeaways etc only feature once a week maximum if at all. However I do appreciate that nutrition is important.

But that's not what I'm after, if I have a spare 45 mins I want to do some exercise, not cook.

[justin220]

Have you looked at insanity? Or something along those lines

[Jefferson Steelflex]

The Body Coach HIIT sessions on YouTube are really good, lots of variety and take about 20 minutes. Set up your phone with an Interval Timer app as required (I have 40 secs on, 20 secs rest, 10 sets, two cycles) and copy what he does on the the videos.

If you are disciplined enough, which is quite easy, add in 3 sets of press-ups (to failure) and watch the numbers grow quickly for added motivation. That's 30 minutes right there, in your front room. No excuses.

[AndStilliRise]

Hard-Drive said:

I do eat reasonably healthy food. I wouldn't say I'm on a diet as such, however takeaways etc only feature once a week maximum if at all. However I do appreciate that nutrition is important.

But that's not what I'm after, if I have a spare 45 mins I want to do some exercise, not cook.

For me, when i don't have enough gym time, I do 200 press-ups. 10 sets of 20 or any variation. I have done 4 sets of 50. 30 mins max and each of the sets can be done on 60secs, 60secs to recover.

Makes me feel great, look great!

[LondonEagle15]

Resistance bands are good too, nice if you're tight on time and space at home

[Liokault]

Burpees, in sets of three, with full push up and jump.

Needs no kit,

Needs limited space.

Takes no time.

[anonymous-user]

As mentioned above food is very important and making sure your sugar intake is in check.

The exercises which I have found the best of building muscle and losing weight is the dead lift and the squat.

Now it took me 2-3 Months of starting very light and building up my core before progressing to bigger numbers but the different was great.

But form is everything. I thought I knew this while trying to go for a personal best but have landed up injured.

Not very bright.

[Hard-Drive]

mcelliott said:

Turbo hitched up to zwift and a pull-up bar, throw in some press ups yo'll fit as butchers dog.

Cheers for the replies...this one looks interesting...

[ORD]

I agree with McElliott. Add some full depth squats (with your bodyweight only) and you've covered pretty much all the bases - pushing and pulling for the upper body and posterior and anterior chain work for the legs; also core work in all three.

You'll want to watch plenty of videos to get your form right on the bodyweight exercises. Most people make the exercises much easier but much more dangerous by using stty form. There's an excellent push up article somewhere on T-Nation.

[chonok]

Are you able to make any classes at your gym at all?

I have just started doing the early morning HIIT/Metafit and spin class at my local gym and certainly gives you a very good workout in a short space of time.

Bonus that it is included in my membership as well.

I always find that I work harder in a group

[Don Veloci]

Liokault said:

Burpees, in sets of three, with full push up and jump.

Needs no kit,

Needs limited space.

Takes no time.

Could throw in a few other favourite exercises out of squats, sit-ups, press-ups, plank to press up, plank, mountain climbers.etc. Do 10 of each, 9 of each, 8, 7, 6, 5, down to 1. try to do it without recovery or recovery after even numbers only.
Arguably decreasing to 1 is a bit pointless so range could be varied 15-5, or 24 to 4 (In decrements of 2).

[Liokault]

Don Veloci said:

Liokault said:

Burpees, in sets of three, with full push up and jump.

Needs no kit,

Needs limited space.

Takes no time.

Could throw in a few other favourite exercises out of squats, sit-ups, press-ups, plank to press up, plank, mountain climbers.etc. Do 10 of each, 9 of each, 8, 7, 6, 5, down to 1. try to do it without recovery or recovery after even numbers only.
Arguably decreasing to 1 is a bit pointless so range could be varied 15-5, or 24 to 4 (In decrements of 2).

He said quick fix. 30 mins.


Burpees max your heart rate fast and done right work lots of muscle groups...all with zero kit and in a tiny space and over a really short period of time.

Ok, he’s happy to buy a bit of kit....I would add a barbell and add in deadlifts.

So two things going on, both can be done in a limited time with limited space.

Deadlift maybe twice a week, possibly only once if you go heavy, 5x3 will take maybe 10 mins....the burpees will take 5/10 mins, add a warm up and your probably finished well within the 30 mins and have covered cardio and muscle building.

Edited by Liokault on Tuesday 17th January 10:38

[Don Veloci]

I'm in agreement with the full burpees. Just adding other suggestions too, a wee bit of variety.

Don't understand the "sets of three" or 5x3 references though. How many reps does that equate to?

Quick fix? 10-1 of burpees/squats/sit-ups will be way less that 30 minutes.

[Foliage]

Hard-Drive said:

I do eat reasonably healthy food. I wouldn't say I'm on a diet as such, however takeaways etc only feature once a week maximum if at all. However I do appreciate that nutrition is important.

But that's not what I'm after, if I have a spare 45 mins I want to do some exercise, not cook.

That's all irrelevant, eat less, it takes less time to not eat. You don't need to cook, you need to eat less pretty simple. As for exercise, start with trying to do 10 press ups and 10 crunches when you get out of bed, and drink more water.

Also another suggestion is 10mins of yoga a day, or couch to 5k, or take your kid to the park and run around for 30mins.

These are all starting points, you'll figure out what works best for you.

[Don Veloci]

olly22n said:

5 reps, 3 times

Really? 15 full burpees is a couple of minutes at most.

[Liokault]

Don Veloci said:

olly22n said:

5 reps, 3 times

Really? 15 full burpees is a couple of minutes at most.

Deadlifts....I thought the text was fairly straight forward.