Rapscalli

thanks both, ill take a look at snatches cleans and presses. not enough room for a turkish get up. Which are the best form videos on youtube? i see a lot on there but don’t know which i should watch...

Hi all, i do 50 kettlbell swings as soon as i get out of bed every morning. Are there any other ketllebell exercises i can do in minimal space i can add to my morning routine?

Also, one other question re diet. I need to lose weight, but need fuel to run. I run immediately after work, around 1630. I typically have a leather breakfast of porridge, or eggs beans and brown bread toast. What would you recommend i eat for lunch / afternoon snack on the days i run to ensure i have enough energy, but can still lose weight.

Hi all, thought id drop back with an update. I had a c25k app on my phone for some time, so decided to give it a go. The first run made me think there was no way i could do this, but the program is ace. Got me running 30 mins at the end (though still haven't yet got to 5k). Now running for 30 mins / 4.2km, and actually enjoying it! Even when i was fit in my teens, i never enjoyed running. But this program really gets you into running, everybody who can't run / doesn’t like running should try it! I haven't lost any weight still at 230lb / 104kg, but definitely feeling much better. Also doing 50 ketllebell swings every morning. Question - is there another kettle bell exercise i can do in very limited space?

Thanks both. Not sure how i can fit in cardio and weights. I can get to the gym 3 times per week (sometimes more, but 3 as a minimum). And since its lunch hour, i cannot take very long. I think i'll continue on the rower for the next month or 2 and then decide further goals.

Hi Slates I have around 20lb to lose to get to 210. I will revisit my goal then, but that is quite achievable by the summer. My diet is reasonable, and I am well aware that weight loss is more diet than exerxis related. However spending 30 minutes on a rowing machine certainly improves my will power when I consider a chocolate bar! Quick question re gym plan. Is alternating one week doing weights and one week cardio (rowing) a good or bad idea?

Hi All, thanks for the responses. Wouldn’t you believe it, but as i posted this thread i have come down with severe man-flu! Back to the gym next week. So i have been thinking about the best plan of attack with the time and facilities i have, and i was wondering whether one week on the rower (3 to 4 days, 20 to 30 minutes per day), and one week on the dumbbells using the "Dumbbell Only Home Or Gym Full Body Workout" alternating, would be a sensible way forward for the next couple of months? My first aim is to build up my general fitness and lose weight. Specific goals? Short term, 4500 in 20 mins on the rower, then 6750 in 30 mins. Weight get down to 15 stone. Medium term, run 5K. Longer term goals, not certain, but maybe sub 8 minute 2000m on the rower, get to a 20% body fat, be able to do 50 press ups and 10 pull-ups (my arms have always been weak!). This may seem a mis mash, but general strength, decent aerobic fitness (measured by improved rowing times) and a being relatively lean (measured by being able to run more than 10 steps!) are reasonable indicators i will be heading towards my goal. Thanks all.

Hi All, Looking for help in clarifying my goals and coming up with a plan. I am 42 years old, haven’t done much exercise in the past few years. 6ft 1 (185cm) and 16 ½ St. (231lbs, 105kg) with around a 28% body fat (according to my Fitbit scales). I have recently started a new job where I can go to the gym on lunchtimes, and have been going for the past month 3 to 5 times per week. I have just been using the rowing machine to get into the habit of going. The first day I only managed 5 minutes! Last Friday I have now reached 30 minutes, 6212m (so a slow pace), and the last split in 2:18. I felt like I could keep going for quite some time, so have now learned to pace myself with the rowing machine. My diet is reasonable, but due to a busy lifestyle, a few ready meals and takeaways are creeping in. I don’t drink any sugary soft drinks or eat many sugary foods. I have chocolate a couple of times per week, but that is seen as a treat. My legs are in reasonable shape, though unfit, my arms are skinny and weak! Only problem is I feel I am going to the gym without any direction or goals. So I ask myself, why do I want to go to the gym? Reason number one. Last year my wife and I had an amazing baby boy, and he is a livewire. If I want to play with him and keep up with him, I cannot be sedentary blob of fat, which I would be without doing anything active. I want to be able to play with him for many years to come. Reason Number two. I want to feel healthier, and have more energy. Approx. 10 years ago, I spent a year getting fit, and I got quite fit cardio wise, though because I lost so much weigh people though I looked ill! (Despite being stronger and fitter than I have ever been before or since). Reason number 3. Aesthetics. I look in the mirror and don’t really like what I see. Reason number 4. My partner is also quite sedentary. But having not long had a child and being 4 months pregnant with number 2 I feel cannot put any pressure on her to improve her fitness level at the moment. However, if I get myself fit, I think that may provide some incentive to her in the future. (This is a sensitive area!). Reason number 5. I have the facilities a 3 minute walk from my desk; my job is flexible so I can take lunch whenever is best to fit around meetings; the gym is massively subsidised by work, costing a year what some gyms cost per month; the gym facilities are pretty good, a wide variety of your typical weights machines, a couple of cross trainers, a couple of running machines, a couple of rowing machines, a smiths machine, some weird sit up machine, a couple of bikes, a cable machine, dumbbells from 1kg to heavy, a couple of benches, punch bag, kettlebells and a mats. Problem number one. I can only train either lunchtime or before work. Training at lunchtimes can sometimes be not possible due to meetings / work. I have not yet got myself out of bed in the morning to go before work! Problem number two. I dislike complicated routines, which is why I like the rowing machine, simple, get on the rower and row for x minutes at y pace. Problem number three. Time is limited. I have a max of 1 hour lunch. So realistically this leaves a max of 30 minutes training. Problem number four. As I have to work after the gym, I cannot push myself too hard, I am currently quite unfit, and if I push myself hard, feel like **** for a little while afterwards. My current rowing pace leaves me a little sweaty after 20 to 30 mins especially if I push the last 5 minutes segment; but feeling quite good. PLANS and GOALS So this is where I am asking for advice, what plans and goals would you set in my position? What tips do you have? (PS Yesterday I started the dumbbell routine somebody linked to on here from https://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.htm. Dumbbell Only Home Or Gym Full Body Workout)