How to get buff?

[Lauxa]

I realized recently that something I have always wanted is a toned buff physique, and I want some more info on how difficult it is to acquire. I especially want well-defined arms and shoulders, and to a lesser extent abs and glutes. I would like to focus on getting toned vs. aerobic conditioning, but I feel I will also need to increase my stretching work because I am quite tight.

I don't want to join a gym both because of the expense and hassle. I don't mind acquiring some equipment, but I also want to be careful not to bring in unneeded clutter.

Here's my current "exercise" equipment: 1 geodesic dome, 1 pair of roller blades, a unicycle, 3 1 lb juggling balls, 1 flight of stairs, 1 DDR game, 1 mini trampoline, and I think some 5 lb free weights. Also a nice large area for working out to an exercise video or some such.

So I'd like any opinions on what exercise equipment/videos I should buy or links to programs I could follow to achieve these goals. Also any estimates of what kind of daily/weekly time commitment I need to make would be highly appreciated.

And if anybody (especially you ladies) has gone from flab to fab, I'd love to hear your stories for inspiration!

[Honeywith4bees]

Hey Lauxa,

I am considered pretty muscular by female standards. I have been working out at a gym lifting weights for almost two years now. That, coupled with twice a week Yoga and almost daily cardio work, has done quite a bit to improve my physical appearance.

Without going to a gym, I would recommend bodyweight exercises such as pushups and pullups or chin ups. You can get a chin up bar for your house to install in a doorway that work quite nice. Just make sure that you get one that screws into the doorway. Doing pull ups is probably one of the best way to build your arm muscles. Pushups are also real good for your pecs and back muscles. Google bodyweight exercises for some different ideas.
Can you get some heavier dumbells? I currently use 35lb dumbells and a stability ball to do lots of different exercises such as lunges, deadlifts, (don't need the ball for those two) military press, chest flies and others. I do some ab work but have been told by many people that I trust that the more heavy weight you lift, the less you need to work your core in isolation.

Also, check out Rachel Cosgrove online. She does a lot of stuff with kettlebells too, which are cool.

Good luck Lauxa and have fun! I LOVE lifting weights!

[Lauxa]

Thanks Honey! When you lift at the gym, do you do free weights or machines? Do you rotate muscle groups? How many days a week do you lift and how long is a session? Do you generally do high reps/low weight or low reps/high weight?

I can do chin ups on my geodesic dome. Well, actually, I can't do full pull ups, but if I jump I can get up, and then do a controlled lower. Do you use both hand positions? My understanding is that palms towards you works the biceps while palms away works the lats. I do have a stability ball also, forgot to mention that before.

[Sivodna]

Lauxa, I recommend you join the forums on bodybuilding.com

(Is it ok to link like that?)

They're truly excellent. Just stay away from the misc.... it's such fun it's addictive. Seriously. Just stick with the exercise forums, there's loads of them specifically for women.

[Grandiouse]

I personally enjoy getting some sort of exercise everday. Even if I don't do cardio or weights, I will still stretch.

Bodyweight exercises are good as mentioned above. Try bodyweight squats for your legs.

You can pick any exercises as you'd like, but maybe you can do something like this to start out with:

Monday - Lower body exercises - Pick 3 and do 3 sets of 10 each
Tuesday - Cardio for 20 minutes, stretch after
Wednesday - Upper body exercises - 3 exercises and do 3 sets of 10 each
Thrusday - Cardio for 20 minutes, stretch after
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Cardio, stretch after
Sunday - Rest

Just gauge your body to see how you feel in the beginning. For example, if you are sore or tired from Monday's bodyweight workout, you can still do cardio but do it lightly at a low intensity.

Let me know if this helps.

[Lauxa]

Originally Posted by Sivodna

Lauxa, I recommend you join the forums on bodybuilding.com

(Is it ok to link like that?)

They're truly excellent. Just stay away from the misc.... it's such fun it's addictive. Seriously. Just stick with the exercise forums, there's loads of them specifically for women.

Wow Sivodna, I went by there and quickly got overwhelmed with all the info. There is just SO MUCH information, and it's so hard to tell which is the best place to start. I really like this thread on workouts you can do without equipment, but even so there are like 100 links here to evaluate. My favorite tip so far is to fill empty milk jugs with sand or water and use these for weights.

Anyways, thanks so much for your suggestion and I hope I'll be able to filter all the info into something I can use.

Edit to add: I also found this thread for beginners, and it has links to a few simple routines, so this may be a good starting point.

[Lauxa]

Originally Posted by Grandiouse

I personally enjoy getting some sort of exercise everday. Even if I don't do cardio or weights, I will still stretch.

Bodyweight exercises are good as mentioned above. Try bodyweight squats for your legs.

You can pick any exercises as you'd like, but maybe you can do something like this to start out with:

Monday - Lower body exercises - Pick 3 and do 3 sets of 10 each
Tuesday - Cardio for 20 minutes, stretch after
Wednesday - Upper body exercises - 3 exercises and do 3 sets of 10 each
Thrusday - Cardio for 20 minutes, stretch after
Friday - Rest
Saturday - Cardio, stretch after
Sunday - Rest

Just gauge your body to see how you feel in the beginning. For example, if you are sore or tired from Monday's bodyweight workout, you can still do cardio but do it lightly at a low intensity.

Let me know if this helps.

Hey there Grandiose,

I like this post because it is so concrete and offers a good starting point, but if I am trying to build my arms/shoulders can I really get results with working out just once a week?? I would think it would take 2-3 times per week to get good results, but I am a total noob so thanks for any advice!

[Lauxa]

Okay, been looking around a bit more and want to post my findings.

Here is a list of upper body exercises I find appealing so far: (reverse) chin ups, (reverse) pull ups, seated triceps dips, push ups, hindu pushups.

And for lower body: lunges, squats, step-ups (about 2.5 ft), calf raises.

Right now, I'm thinking of doing just 2 sets of each, on a schedule like this:

Day 1 - upper
Day 2 - lower
Day 3 - rest
Day 4 - upper
Day 5 - lower
Day 6 - rest
Day 7 - rest

I'll also add some kind of ab work on the days I work out. Maybe I'll just pick 3 exercises each time, like Grandiose recommended.

Like I said, I don't want to focus on cardio, just ride my unicycle around for 15-20 minutes or take the dog on a nice walk through the forest whenever I feel like it. I do like the idea of adding stretching after a cardio workout.

Anyhow, I'll take feedback on my plan and try to finalize for a 30-day challenge in December. Thanks!

I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow from testing out some of the exercises.

[Honeywith4bees]

Originally Posted by Lauxa

Thanks Honey! When you lift at the gym, do you do free weights or machines? Do you rotate muscle groups? How many days a week do you lift and how long is a session? Do you generally do high reps/low weight or low reps/high weight?

I can do chin ups on my geodesic dome. Well, actually, I can't do full pull ups, but if I jump I can get up, and then do a controlled lower. Do you use both hand positions? My understanding is that palms towards you works the biceps while palms away works the lats. I do have a stability ball also, forgot to mention that before.

Hey Lauxa,

I use both free weights and machines at the gym, but I use free weights more because I believe that it involves using more than just the one muscle in isolation to control your movements and have steady from. Thats why bodyweight exercises are so good for you. I lift four days a week on average (I go on my lunch break), and my total workout which includes a warm up, lasts about 45 minutes. On the weekends I have the luxury of working out longer so I usually add more things in. I stick to the most weight I can handle and try to do 12 reps for three sets. Every once in awhile I will try to really max out the weight and see if I can manage 4 reps of the heavy weight, just for fun.
I like the workout you have chosen, it looks like you are hitting pretty much all your muscle groups. I like that you are working your lower body too. So many people just want their arms and their abs defined, they don't realize how important the large muscle groups of the legs are. And glad to see the rest incorporated in there too. You're body needs that rest period to repair and grow.
Nutrition is the big key in getting your body to look the way you want it too. I learned when I was doing two hours of step aerobics a day back in the 90's, but stopping for a couple of donuts on the way home!

Good luck and let us know how you progress!

[PeaceCat]

If you want to add some cross training in that will keep you challenged, you could try Capoeira, which is a Brazillian form combining elements of martial arts and music.

I've been doing it for just 7 weeks and it is by far the best full body workout I've ever had which is also fun and mentally stimulating.

I was initially attracted by the non-contact aspect of it. You "play" Capoeira against a partner, rather than "fight" with them and the focus is more on evading their attack moves and spotting opportunities to launch in with your own attacks, creating a dynamic and interesting game.

Though I'm still a bit of a newb so can't say I'm an expert on the subject.

The more advanced students in my class (with say 1-2 years experience, 2 classes per week) are very buff and strong and can do some very impressive moves (males and females alike).

There's lots of info on the web and videos (expert village has some instructional videos too).

[Lauxa]

@PeaceCat - That sounds awesome! I really enjoy martial arts, I like getting to release my energy through aggressive movements. I took a Krav Maga class for about a year, a few years back. If I need a class and/or a partner I don't think it's what I'm looking for right now, but maybe when the kids are a little older and it's easier to sneak away.

Have you talked to the advanced students about their exercise routines? Is Capoeira the only fitness training they do all week?

[Lauxa]

Originally Posted by Honeywith4bees

I like the workout you have chosen, it looks like you are hitting pretty much all your muscle groups. I like that you are working your lower body too. So many people just want their arms and their abs defined, they don't realize how important the large muscle groups of the legs are. And glad to see the rest incorporated in there too. You're body needs that rest period to repair and grow.

Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my routine, it really gives me a good feeling going forward!

I tried my lower body workout this morning and I liked everything except the lunges. I didn't find them very challenging, and also I don't have a large space to "walk" the lunges down. So I'm going to keep looking for a better exercise for glutes. Maybe the steps and squats work the glutes enough and I can just drop the lunges.

Nutrition is the big key in getting your body to look the way you want it too. I learned when I was doing two hours of step aerobics a day back in the 90's, but stopping for a couple of donuts on the way home!

I guess so, but I am blessed with a fairly lean physique. I think if I can just add some muscles I'll be looking pretty good.

Good luck and let us know how you progress!

I will, and thank you for your support and encouragement!

[Honeywith4bees]

Originally Posted by Lauxa

I tried my lower body workout this morning and I liked everything except the lunges. I didn't find them very challenging, and also I don't have a large space to "walk" the lunges down. So I'm going to keep looking for a better exercise for glutes. Maybe the steps and squats work the glutes enough and I can just drop the lunges.

I love lunges. I always feel them for a day or two afterwards the way I do them. Sometimes I do a walking lunge, sometimes I just lunge forward, then step back, then switch legs and repeat. I always use dumbells when lunging, sometimes I just hold them straight down, other times I curl as I lung. Do you bring your knee down to almost touching when you lunge?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

I like your routine Lauxa. I'd say that you might just add some yoga in to give you flexibility, suppleness and excellent tone. When I was taking classes, I did both physical conditioning (mix of cardio and weight training) and yoga. I felt the yoga added sleekness that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise, but of course that's just my observation.

Anyway, I look forward to following your challenge.

[Honeywith4bees]

They say that Yoga can actually add an inch to your height due to learning and practicing proper alignment. Now I'm not short to begin with (5'9), but recently I saw some women that I have not seen in about 6 months and both women remarked that it looked like I had grown taller! Could be the Yoga, could be that I am much more toned and muscular now than I was six months ago, who knows . . . but yeah, yoga is awesome!

[Lauxa]

Okay, I gave lunges another try, and they were good. I was trying to do the walking lunges earlier and was just getting frustrated by my lack of space. I felt them mostly in my hamstrings... and the steps and squats I also feel mostly in my hamstring. Is that too much hamstring for a single workout? I was hoping to get more glutes, and did find a "glutes push-ups" exercise that seems more targeted. Although then I read that you are supposed to squeeze the glutes on the way back up from lunges. Well, I guess it will just take a while to figure it all out.

@aspiring - Yes, I like yoga, but I want to keep my beginning routine short and simple. But if I were adding yoga occasionally, what day would I do it? Yoga does flexibility work, but it also uses strength and it kind of works the whole body. Is it going to mess me up to do yoga on a day when some muscle group is supposed to be resting?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Lauxa

@aspiring - Yes, I like yoga, but I want to keep my beginning routine short and simple. But if I were adding yoga occasionally, what day would I do it? Yoga does flexibility work, but it also uses strength and it kind of works the whole body. Is it going to mess me up to do yoga on a day when some muscle group is supposed to be resting?

That I'm not sure about. At the time I was doing both classes (this was college) the physical conditioning class was MWF and the Yoga was TTh. I did nothing on weekends. It seemed to work out fine, I wasn't unduely sore and didn't ever get injured. But I don't know if that's advisable or not??

[Grandiouse]

I like the way your workout routine looks, Lauxa.

Yes, yoga does require strength but the stretching aspect of it will help out with recovery. Adding it in on rest days if you want should be okay. Maybe focus on the easier poses and not so much the ones that require tremendous strength.

[PeaceCat]

Originally Posted by Lauxa

@PeaceCat - That sounds awesome!...
Have you talked to the advanced students about their exercise routines? Is Capoeira the only fitness training they do all week?

Hi Lauxa,

Capoeira is great! I spoke to a couple of the advanced students and it seems that some also do yoga, Tai Chi, plus general ad-hoc workouts in the gym and practice specific moves in their own time as well as get together in small groups for informal practice.

I think its interesting to note though that because I go to Capoeira classes at a University, most participants are university students, which means that a) they have free gym memberships b) they do lots of walking around campus and town and c) they can meet up for informal practice in halls or on campus grounds.

I think what I like about it is that it combines fitness with something fun and social, I'm normally very introverted but through going to Capoeira I have 1:1 time with new people each week (when we have to pair up for practice) and I've even been invited to one of the informal meet ups, which is cool

[Lauxa]

Originally Posted by Grandiouse

I like the way your workout routine looks, Lauxa.

Yes, yoga does require strength but the stretching aspect of it will help out with recovery. Adding it in on rest days if you want should be okay. Maybe focus on the easier poses and not so much the ones that require tremendous strength.

Thanks Grandiouse, that was just what I needed to hear this morning.

I think I knew that an easy stretching yoga wouldn't be damaging, but I was just "blocking it out" to have an excuse to do nothing on rest days. But I have the perfect 20 minute easy yoga video, and after reading your post I went ahead and did it.

I'm pretty sore today, but that's pretty normal for just starting back up with working out, hopefully the stretching will help the recovery.

[Lauxa]

Originally Posted by PeaceCat

I spoke to a couple of the advanced students and it seems that some also do yoga, Tai Chi, plus general ad-hoc workouts in the gym and practice specific moves in their own time as well as get together in small groups for informal practice.

Thanks for checking into this for me PeaceCat!

I think what I like about it is that it combines fitness with something fun and social, I'm normally very introverted but through going to Capoeira I have 1:1 time with new people each week (when we have to pair up for practice) and I've even been invited to one of the informal meet ups, which is cool

This definitely sounds like something I would enjoy and I'll keep it in mind for the future.

[Grandiouse]

Keep up the good work and commitement! Let us know how your workouts go

[Lauxa]

Checking in. I've been doing my workouts regularly since the 11/20 post. After my first arms day I was sore for days right below my ribcage, but it hasn't been so bad since.

So I'm going to stay with my 11/19 workout plan for my 30-day trial for December (with a little head start). If I'm feeling really motivated, I may do up to 5 exercises each for arms and legs, but 3 exercises is all that's required to meet my goal for the trial. Abs are bonus as well. 2 sets of 10 is the goal, although no penalty for not being able to get to 10.

Doing 2 sets of 3 exercises only takes about 20 minutes, so this should be very doable.

I'm going to keep my exercise log on this thread as well. Because I can.

Today's workout -
Hindu push-ups: 8 + 8
Reverse pull-ups: 8 + 7
Chair tricep dips: 8 + 5

[Nasir]

I am a martial arts instructor, and I do a full-body work out (2 - 3 days a week).

If you want to make massive gains, you should push yourself to muscle failure (where you can no longer execute the technique properly). When you work the whole body your testosterone (muscle building hormone) will be unleashed to it's full extent. It's best to start with the legs as these contain the most testosterone, and then proceed to move up your body (all in the same session, without segmenting different body parts for different days).

Here are some exercises you might consider:

Calf Raises
Squats
Supermans
Crunches
Pushups (Elbows out & pointing to your left & right)
Pushups (Elbows in & pointing behind you)
Pull ups
Dips


This site will explain these massive gain concepts in more detail: Bodybuilding.com - Shannon Pittman - Arthur Jones In Brief!

Here is a great site for body-weight exercises: Tutorials

[Lauxa]

Thanks Nasir, I'll check out those sites!

Today's workout -
Frog squats: 10 + 10
Step ups: 10 + 10
Glute push-ups: 10 + 10

[Nasir]

Originally Posted by Lauxa

Thanks Nasir, I'll check out those sites!

Today's workout -
Frog squats: 10 + 10
Step ups: 10 + 10
Glute push-ups: 10 + 10

No problem. Keep it up, and you'll be sure to notice some gains soon. My best wishes on your success.

[Lauxa]

Today's workout:
Hindu push-ups: 10 + 10
Push-ups, knees down, elbows out: 5 + 5
Tricep chair dips: 7 + 5
Tables: 10 + 10

I especially love the hindu push-ups, my back and shoulders pop about a hundred times each time I do one.

[Lauxa]

Yesterday workout:
Chair steps: 10 + 10
Frog squats: 10 + 10
Lunges: 12 + 10

[Lauxa]

Originally Posted by Nasir

Here is a great site for body-weight exercises: Tutorials

Oh my God, those exercises are way too advanced! "Clapping handstand pushups" LOL!

[Lauxa]

I found a nice bodyweight exercises site more at my level and wanted to share:

Bodyweight Exercises for Strength and Toning