I get a lot of questions – “a lot” is probably an exaggeration – I get a couple of questions tossed my way about being able to get a good workout in without spending a fortune buying expensive equipment and without having to join a gym. And it is a good question to say, after all, there are a ton of infomercials and ads just pounding away about the need to have this or that. There are $1,000 contraptions that are guaranteed to give you a ripped body with just 3, 30 minute workouts a week.
Or devices that swivel, swoosh, swoop and whatever else that start with “sw.”
Okay, enough of that nonsense. When I was in high school, a few of pooled our money and turned a dank little portion of my folk’s cellar into a gym. A friend made squats by welding a metal tube to a tire wheel. You don’t need to go that route. But that’s just to tell that you do not need expensive to pump iron, lead, or your own body!
Whether you are an adult on a budget or a teen in high school, everything you need to get in a consistent, progressively harder workout is sitting there right with you. By that I mean your body and gravity.
In addition to that, if you want some weights, than head to craigslist and search your neighborhood. I guarantee (man, there goes that guarantee) you can find cheap benches, barbells, and dumbbells – if you want it.
Here are the basic tools you need, either get them used, on craigslist or local classified – or you can also check out Amazon or your local Kmart.
My basic scheme is an alternating workout where you do one half of your body one day and the other half the next day.
Although a lot of gurus’ (I am not one – a guru that is) recommend doing whole body work outs three times a week. I started out that way and billions and billions of other have (and continue to) done this.
But now I am not so sure that there is enough rest time between body parts. After all, even though you are only doing half your body in session in my routine, your whole body is still involved. Anyways, the routine is this:
Monday – Work Out #1
- Warm-up – Run in place for 10 minutes
- Quadriceps – Dumbbell Lunges (2 to 3 sets of 15 reps, with 1 minute rest between sets)
- Hamstrings – Stiff Legged Deadlifts ( 3 sets of 15 reps, with 1 minute rest between sets)
- Back (Lats) – Pull ups (3 sets of max reps, with 1 minute rest between sets)
- Biceps – Standing Dumbbell Curls (2 sets of 12 reps, with 1 minute rest between sets)
- Forearms – Reverse Barbell curls (2 sets of 15 reps, with 1 minute rest between sets)
- Abs – Hanging Leg Raises (2 sets of max, with 1 minute rest between sets)
Tuesday – 30 minutes of Aerobics (either brisk walk or jog)
Wednesday – Work Out #2
- Warm-up – Run in place for 10 minutes
- Chest – Pushups (3 sets of max, with 1 minute rest between sets) can elevate feet on chair
- Shoulders – Standing Military Press (3 sets of 12 reps, with 1 minute rest)
- Traps – Narrow Grip Upright Rows (2 sets of 12 reps, with 1 minute rest)
- Triceps – Overhead One Arm Dumbbell Extension (2 sets of 15 reps with 1 minute rest)
- Calves – One Legged Calf Raises (2 sets of 20 reps, no rest – just alternate from leg to leg)
- Abs – Crunches
Thursday – 30 minutes of Aerobics (either brisk walk or jog)
Friday – Repeat Work Out #1
Saturday – 30 minutes of Aerobics (either brisk walk or jog)
Sunday – Repeat Work Out #2
Monday – Rest
Tuesday – Repeat Cycle
Over an eight day period, you will work each body part twice but your overall body will be hit four times. On the four non weight days, you can do aerobics on three of those days and rest on one.
Your objective per work out session
- Total workout time should be 45 minutes
- Warm up involves running in place for 5 to 10 minutes and light, light stretching just to limber up.
- No more than 1 minute rest between sets
- First set is light to moderate and last set is failure at 12 reps or so
- Stretch the body parts worked after the work out for about 5 minutes
- Do not skip abs
Lastly,
Take a few pictures before you start. Take pictures every 30 days or so. Judge your progress on your strength levels, how you feel, and how you look.
Throw your scale away and don’t even think about the tape measure. If you are getting stronger, feeling good, and look good – you’re doing great.
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