Beginner Bodyweight Guide?

[Flying Doormat]

To;dr, fat and looking for a good bodyweight program


Hey everyone, hope this is the right place to post this (my first post, found the forum through a google search).


I’m 30 years old, not once had a gym membership but played sports many years ago. My lifestyle and poor choices (diet) have caught up with me and I’ve started to make a change.. Anyway.


So I just decided to start doing push-ups, I didn’t google any type of progression guide or anything like that, I just started doing them.


At first I think I managed to do 10 right before bed one night, the next day I did 10 in the morning and 10 at night and kept increasing by 10 for 10 days until I got to 100 in a day (10 sets of 10).. I was watching a few YouTube videos and found out rest is important for muscle growth (I want to increase my size) and after another quick google search I decided to now do push-ups 3 x a week (the google search recommended 24-48 hours for recovery to get muscle growth).


I’m currently at 200 push ups in one day day, after reaching 100 I had a rest over the weekend and then progressed onto doing 10 sets of 11 on Monday, rest Tuesday 10 sets of 12 on Wednesday rest Thursday 10 sets of 13 on Friday rest weekend etc and just now hit 10 sets of 20.


I realise this isn’t much at all but I just want to be doing something while stuck at home


I was wondering if anyone knew of any GOOD bodyweight guides or progression chart that will help me build muscle until things get back to normal? I plan to start lifting once things start getting back to normal, until then I’d at least like to be doing something. I’m happy to keep going with my push ups I just don’t know if keep increasing the amount is the best option for muscle growth as that’s really what I’m after.


Thanks and sorry for the long post.

 

[simo74]

Firstly welcome to the forum, and secondly congratulations on the progress you have made with the push ups so for. Just starting to do something is often the hardest part. You mention you played sports in the past but haven't done much for a while. Are you doing any other activity other than the push ups ? Whats you current stats (height , weight, condition) ? What other equipment do you have available ?
What is your current goal ?

 

[Flying Doormat]

Firstly welcome to the forum, and secondly congratulations on the progress you have made with the push ups so for. Just starting to do something is often the hardest part. You mention you played sports in the past but haven't done much for a while. Are you doing any other activity other than the push ups ? Whats you current stats (height , weight, condition) ? What other equipment do you have available ?
What is your current goal ?

Thanks for the reply. I used to play sports but that would be about 10 years ago now, I stopped playing once I entered the work force and my health has gradually gone downhill since. I have just left my job (which was consuming my life) and am taking some time between jobs to get my health back on track, but will continue once I get a new job (which will be MUCH closer to home and less hours).

Apart from the pushups the only other activity I do (besides odd jobs around the house) is walk my dog, 30-40 mins 3-4 days per week, but I would like to increase the amount I’m doing beyond push ups, there’s a school not to far away where I’d like to start doing pull ups but am not sure what the best way to incorporate it is (same day as push ups? Etc).

I’m currently 95kg’s and I’m 180cm tall.

I do plan to go to the gym as I really want to start lifting but I’m in Vic (not even sure if they’re open at the moment) and would like things to settle down a bit first, I just want to do as much as I can until then (virus numbers settle down a bit).

I need to lose fat but I’m more focused on building muscle. I have just started the carnivore diet (no idea what anyone thinks about that) but it’s an experiment I’d like to try for a bit (my first day was today).

I’ve seen some small changes already by doing pushups, I’m just not sure if increasing the amount is the best progression to do if I want to build size? Or should I try to do other types of pushups instead? Or wear a backpack with weights? Also as I mentioned above ai’d really like to do pull ups (I’d like to build my non existent traps) but not sure how to incorporate them with the push ups. I’d like to get a similar size to an AFL players (about 90kg).

‘thanks again.">

Firstly welcome to the forum, and secondly congratulations on the progress you have made with the push ups so for. Just starting to do something is often the hardest part. You mention you played sports in the past but haven't done much for a while. Are you doing any other activity other than the push ups ? Whats you current stats (height , weight, condition) ? What other equipment do you have available ?
What is your current goal ?

Thanks for the reply. I used to play sports but that would be about 10 years ago now, I stopped playing once I entered the work force and my health has gradually gone downhill since. I have just left my job (which was consuming my life) and am taking some time between jobs to get my health back on track, but will continue once I get a new job (which will be MUCH closer to home and less hours).

Apart from the pushups the only other activity I do (besides odd jobs around the house) is walk my dog, 30-40 mins 3-4 days per week, but I would like to increase the amount I’m doing beyond push ups, there’s a school not to far away where I’d like to start doing pull ups but am not sure what the best way to incorporate it is (same day as push ups? Etc).

I’m currently 95kg’s and I’m 180cm tall.

I do plan to go to the gym as I really want to start lifting but I’m in Vic (not even sure if they’re open at the moment) and would like things to settle down a bit first, I just want to do as much as I can until then (virus numbers settle down a bit).

I need to lose fat but I’m more focused on building muscle. I have just started the carnivore diet (no idea what anyone thinks about that) but it’s an experiment I’d like to try for a bit (my first day was today).

I’ve seen some small changes already by doing pushups, I’m just not sure if increasing the amount is the best progression to do if I want to build size? Or should I try to do other types of pushups instead? Or wear a backpack with weights? Also as I mentioned above ai’d really like to do pull ups (I’d like to build my non existent traps) but not sure how to incorporate them with the push ups. I’d like to get a similar size to an AFL players (about 90kg).

‘thanks again./media/" />

 

[simo74]

Ok so there are a number of simple body weight exercises you can do from home with little or no equipment. Doing body weight movements along are probably not going to grow a large amount of muscle but the good news is, going body weight sessions at home will get you into the routine of training, will increase strength, help you burn a little fat, increase your conditioning and is a great way to get ready to join a gym and start weight training.

Try googling body weight exercises and you will find lots of helpful websites with pics and videos on how to do the exercises. Here is a small list of ones I like but there are lots more.

Push ups (lots of variations of push ups, feet elevated, hands narrow, hands wide)
Plank holds
Bodyweight squat or goblet squats
Rear elevated split squat (sometimes called Bulgarian split squat)
Walking lunges
Over head lunges
Chair dips
Pull ups (if you have a bar)
Inverted Rows (can be done under a table)
Burpees

There are lots of ways to set up a training session. Again heaps of workouts online, google is your friend. I have given an example below:

Pick 5 or 6 exercises.

Push ups - 3 sets, max reps
Bodyweight squats - 3 sets - 20 reps
Walking lunges - 3 sets 20 lunges (10 each leg)
Plank Holds - 3 sets 30 seconds
Chair dips - 3 sets, 10 reps
Burpees - 4 sets, 5 reps

I would complete 1 set of each exercise like a circuit and then repeat. So you start with push ups and do as many as you can, maybe 20 reps. You then catch your breath and move to body weight squats and do 20 squats, catch your breath, then move to walking lunges and do 20 (10 each leg), catch you breath ........ work your way through all the exercises. Then have a short break 2 mins to fully catch your breath. This is one set of each exercise. Now just do it all again 2 more times.

Do this session 3-4 days a week, days rest in between. Once you done this a few times It will get easier. You have lots of options to make it harder. You can add reps, so do 30 instead of 20. You can try to get faster, you can add another set, so do this 4 times instead of three. You can add resistance but adding weight. A back pack with a few backs of rice of flour will do the Trick.

I hope this helps a bit. Remember the most important thing now is to start something and set up those consistent good behaviours. Once the gyms open you will find it much easier to transition.

Good luck

 

[kevin814]

If you're new to working out, bodyweight exercises are a great place to start. Without the added weight from free weights or exercise machines, bodyweight exercises ensure you can learn correct form with lower risk of injury.