Fitness without equipment?

[The David]

Is it possible to gain a significant level of fitness without equipment? As in, no more than a jump rope or something? I really need to get in shape but equipment seems so complicated (and expensive), and I don't want to jog.

[John Hill]

Absolutely mate. In fact the best exercise you can do is walk. Walking is the best exercise you can possibly do if losing weight is one of your primary goals. The reason why walking is better than running is because running is much more intense than walking and therefore when you run your body needs a better quality fuel source than if you simply walk. This means the body primarily likes to use amino rich muscle tissue as this high quality fuel source.

If you walk however, this exercise is not as intense as running and subsequently your body doesn't need to use muscle tissue for energy as it will use fat as its fuel source instead.

You can still get a great overall workout even if you are not looking to lose weight by doing some brisk walking, light jogging or skipping to improve your cardivascular fitness level followed by some simple exercises like push ups for your chest, shoulders and triceps. Do some leg raises or sit ups to strengthen your abdominals and as your abdominals gain strength your lower back doesn't need to work so hard to support all the weight of your upper body. By doing some chin ups on any raised bar you seriously stimulate all the muscles in your back and your biceps as well.

If you are looking for more information check out the health and fitness section of my website, the link is below. Good luck with your fitness program.

John

[The David]

Originally Posted by John Hill

Walking is the best exercise you can possibly do if losing weight is one of your primary goals.

Losing weight is so low on my list of goals that it's sometimes hard to find relevant information. I'm 5'9-10, 132 lbs, and although alot of that's fat, I don't really gain any weight from eating.

[Alex Wu]

I have stayed very lean throughout high school and now into my 4th year of college. Things I have done:

Swimming - up to 5x a week in high school, can get lonely unless you have a friend who also likes it, but probably the king of cardio exercises

Jogging - never really caught on with me, I used to run 26km one day per week in my sophomore year in HS, maybe that's why I didn't like it

Hiking - do it every week in the summer as I live by the mountains

X-country skiing - very gruelling, it's actually more tiring than hiking for the same distance

Walking - the only thing I do regularly now. I go out almost every night for 20-40 minutes, walking around the block(s). I really enjoy it and miss it if I can't do it every day. It keeps the fat off, but doesn't give you lean, hard muscles to be proud of. I generally don't like doing things indoors, so I don't work out or use cardio machines.

At 132 lbs, you don't sound very heavy for someone who's 5'9". I'm 5'6-5'7 (167cm), but 125 lbs. Mind you, there's not much you can pare off my body before I look like a starving kid from the third world.

[The David]

I'm mainly wanting to build endurance and strength.

[Keith]

In one of those neat bits of synchronicity, I was just reading Phillip J Eby's blog (Dirtsimple.org) archive and he was talking about a book called "Combat Conditioning". (Hmm, and now I look back at it, that entry is also talking about the same topic as Steve's podcast of today. Spooky.)

"Combat Conditioning" [...] is a really fascinating treatise on the benefits of non-isolationist bodyweight-based exercises.

In effect, Furey argues that bodybuilding with weights creates "false" muscles, by exercising only the body's larger, more-showy muscles, leaving the ancillary postural muscles to atrophy. By contrast, bodyweight exercises work a larger set of muscles, including the ones that help with things like sitting up straight -- and preventing carpal tunnel syndrome.

There's a review of some of the techniques at Bodybuilding.com - Mike Mahler - Combat Conditioning: Five Months Without Weights!

P.S. If you want to get in shape, it really helps to know what shape you want to be. Bruce Lee, Arnold Schwarzenegger and an olympic marathon runner are all very fit, 'in shape' individuals but they are very different shapes and train in very different ways...

[Adam]

From having been in the military for quite some time, yes, you can get a significant work out with only your body and the cold, muddy ground (and a good washing machine).

The bulk of a military work out is push-ups, sit-ups, and running, and very few of the exercises require anything but your own body and a firm surface. I actually recommend using soft carpet and a pad, especially for sit-ups, because hard ground can get painful after a while.

The real trick is to find enough variety to keep it interesting. There are at least a dozen different push-up variations that work out slightly different muscles, no-resistance upper body exercises (except the weight of your arms, which after a while, you realize can be quite substantial), and several varieties of sit-ups and crunches that can be switched out. Despite how it appears, there are also plenty of variation to running, such as sprints, running with weights (a heavy backpack, but make certain that it is evenly distributed), running backwards, etc.

The real fun comes, though, when you can find about a dozen people who all have active imaginations and don't mind yelling and having fun while they work out. Find some veterans who want to get back into shape, and you're guaranteed a good time.

[Taggart]

You may look into Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning program. It consists of only three exercises and doesn't use any equipment.

Some links:
http://www.cbass.com/Furey.htm
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mahler19.htm
http://www.mattfurey.com/conditioning_book.html

[Gordon]

Originally Posted by The David

Losing weight is so low on my list of goals that it's sometimes hard to find relevant information. I'm 5'9-10, 132 lbs, and although alot of that's fat, I don't really gain any weight from eating.

I don't think you need to lose any weight,...you are at good weight for your height. Just stick to the getting fit bit.

Yup, walking briskly every day and simple exercise, pressup and trunk curls (I vaguely remember those!!!)

I would love a six pack as opposed to my family pack I seem to have.

Good luck with getting fit.

G

[Dan.Linehan]

Squats, squats, squats. Try doing about 60 bodyweight squats and see what happens..

One legged squats if normal squats are too easy. Good luck. Try to stand up from your chair right now using only one leg. If you can, repeat that with 3 sets of 8 reps =)

Pushups are crucial --> there are dozens of variations (tricep, chest, fingertip)

Sprints, jumprope. Nothing wrong with those..

Handstands.. and after you can hold a handstand for a minte, try doing handstand pushups.

Handstands are killer on your abs and core, holding one for a minute is like doing a hundred crunches... and way more fun in my opinion.

Squats wil tone the crap out of your ass, which is a good thing for most anyone.

You can buy a ab wheel for like $7 that I promise will absolutly pulverize any gut or lovehandles that you might have, and bad backs by gradually building up your core back muscles -->

Amazon.com: Ironman Double Ab Wheel: Sports & Outdoors

meh, that should be a good start. Hope this helps,

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by Taggart

You may look into Matt Furey's Combat Conditioning program. It consists of only three exercises and doesn't use any equipment.

Some links:
Matt Furey
Bodybuilding.com - Mike Mahler - Combat Conditioning: Five Months Without Weights!
Matt Furey Combat Conditioning

I would also strongly advise http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html Ross Enamait over Matt Furey. Matt Furey has a poor reputation from saying stuff like if eating chicken will make you turn into a weak animal because chickens are weak, while eating only red meat will make you stong because cattle are strong... blah.

And for the record - the "hindu squat" is not some ancient chinese secret.. its just a normal bodyweight squat: Lower body exercises > Hindu squat

[LivingWarrior]

I really need to get in shape but equipment seems so complicated (and expensive)

If you really want to maximize your strength and endurance building, I would not rule out free weights from your regimen. I am not sure what your experience is with free weights, but the movements, although sometimes challenging at first, become very manageable. If you have access to a gym you can save some $ (although dumbells at home are very useful.) At the same time, seeing regular faces at the gym, for me at least, makes returning a regular and easy thing.

[Bruce Achterberg]

Originally Posted by The David

Is it possible to gain a significant level of fitness without equipment? As in, no more than a jump rope or something? I really need to get in shape but equipment seems so complicated (and expensive), and I don't want to jog.

That depends on your definition of "significant" and "fitness". For example, I think it's laughable to think you can make significant gains without the inclusion of at least some equipment aid, but that's because what I associate with the word "significant" when it comes to training happens to be pretty hardcore. Many people would think differently, so there’s no real general consensus.

Either way, if you're still looking for some more advice I'd be happy to give you some, but first I’d need a bit of information from you so I can make any advice I give relevant to you.

You’ve already noted losing weight is a low priority and said you'r 5'9-10 and 132 lbs, so if you could give me some info on the following, I’ll see what I can do:

• Body type (you’ll primarily be one of three body types, either an ectomorph, mesomorph, or endomorph -- check out the body type link for more information)

• Training goals (whether it be strength, stamina/endurance, speed, muscular tone/conditioning, muscle size, all-round versatility, to do well in a particular sport/activity, or any combination thereof. They don’t need to be specific or anything, just something like “strength and speed”)

• A brief training history (if you have one. If your curious as to why this is important, its so I give you advice that is appropriate for your level of experience)

• Current conditioning (ie. Do you have good, or at least average, strength? Stamina/endurance? Speed? Tone/conditioning?)

• Supportive practices (ie. Are you eating healthy? Are you sleeping enough?)

• Time availability (ie. Do you have much time to do training or is it something you’d have to fit into your current, busy schedule?)

• Availability in terms of facilities and equipment and willingness to change your current situation (ie. Do you have a fully decked out home gym, or a couple of dumbbells lying around? Are willing to pay for going to the gym, or are you trying to do this on a low budget?)

[The David]

For example, I think it's laughable to think you can make significant gains without the inclusion of at least some equipment aid

What kind of equipment aid is necessary? I'm referring more to the expensive machinery that takes up alot of space.

Body type: Ectomorph. If that article is accurate, I'm even more of an ectomorph than I had previously thought.

Training goals: Stamina/endurance is a priority. Having better muscles would help, but my circumstances don't really demand it. Also, I have incredibly poor concentration and border on hyperactivity, so I think exercising more often would help. I'm not in sports right now, I just want to be healthier.

A brief training history: Hahaha...not much at all, except for occasional trips to the cardio room, and one semester of Tae Kwon Do. I've never been in that great of shape and am generally more of an 'intellectual meloncholic' type (which is really bad, because I'm really ADD).

Current conditioning: Can I just say 'pretty bad' and leave it at that? Seriously, the only positive thing I can say about my health is that I rarely get sick.

Supportive practices: Ehh, alright. The last two weeks or so haven't been hat great, but a trip to the supermarket today brought a pretty drastic change. I'm actually sleeping more than enough and am trying to cut back. I've gotten pretty lazy over the holidays, I guess.

Time availability: I will be getting a job pretty soon, but I would be lucky to get full time. I don't have many responsibilities right now. If I know exactly what I'm supposed to do, I will make time for it.

Availability in terms of facilities and equipment and willingness to change your current situation: I live right outside a college that has a pretty decent gym, that I might get a membership at. I don't have any equipment at home, and it isn't really in my budget and I don't know if I'd have room for it. I am willing to change if I know what I need to do to change (the last time I tried to get in shape, I knew absolutely nothing and ended up getting mildly injured for awhile).

[munish]

Expensive Urine (comic).

Expensive Urine (comic)

[Bruce Achterberg]

Originally Posted by The David

What kind of equipment aid is necessary? I'm referring more to the expensive machinery that takes up alot of space.

I wasn't terribly specific, was I.

What I mean by "equipment" is really anything that aids you in your training practices, be it a machine of some sort (eg. a lat pull down machine, a pec fly machine, a treadmill or elliptical machine, etc.), a dumbbell, a barbell, some sort of crazy "ab crunch" equipment that you see on TV, a massive tree branch that you tie to yourself and pull behind you as you go running (I wouldn’t recommend this... it’s quite challenging, but rather painful), ankle weights, a pull-up/chin-up bar, a punching bag, a bench press, a normal training bench, a squat rack, “grippers” (used for increasing grip/forearm/wrist strength), some sort of weapon that you do fighting training with (such as a staff, a nunchaku, a sword, baton, etc.), punching into hot sand (a fairly old school practice used to condition your fists for punching into things), etc.

From the information you've given, you shouldn't need much equipment at all. You'd probably benefit most from something like a skipping rope, maybe some ankle weights (you could use them for skipping once it becomes too easy -- but with what I'll be recommending, that will be a while ), and a going to the gym. A gym membership would be good, but it really depends on what payment options you have available (ie. whether it is feasible and reasonable financially to pay for just one-off visits, pay for a monthly visit pass, or if you are required to actually get a full membership and pay yearly) and how much you want to be going to the gym. Weight training isn't absolutely necessary if stamina/endurance is your priority, although I'd personally choose some rather then none due to the efficiency of weigh training (that’s just me, though). Anyway, I'll give more info on this a bit later.

Originally Posted by The David

Body type: Ectomorph. If that article is accurate, I'm even more of an ectomorph than I had previously thought.

I wouldn’t be too concerned about the accuracy of the article and the description of an ectomorph, other then this part:

These people [ectomorphs] are slim and possibly underweight, and will often have a hard time gaining weight and building muscle mass [...]

Source: Somatotype - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It’s just easier to give training advice to someone when you know how their body is likely to respond to certain training (not everyone will respond the same, but from my experience, the somatype body analysis is a good guideline).

Anyway, thanks for getting back to me with that information. I’m a little busy at the moment and can’t respond to your right now in any sort of depth or detail (it will take me a while to write out a decent post), but I’ll definitely get back to you.

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by The David

I'm mainly wanting to build endurance and strength.

Have you considered Parkour?

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Parkour is a physical discipline inspired by human movement. It focuses on uninterrupted, efficient forward motion over, under, around and through obstacles (both human-made and natural) in one's environment. Such movement may involve running, jumping, climbing and more complex techniques. The goal of parkour is to adapt one's movement to any given obstacle in one's path.

According to founder David Belle, the spirit of parkour is guided in part by the notions of "escape" and "reach", that is, the idea of using physical agility and quick thinking to get out of difficult situations, and to be able to go anywhere that one desires

To some people parkour is an extreme sport; to others a discipline more comparable to martial arts. Some consider it a combination of the two, comparing parkour to the stunts and techniques of Hong Kong martial arts star Jackie Chan (who gained his skills while training for Beijing Opera), whose fight and chase scenes take place in industrial or urban environments. Still others see it as an art form akin to dance: a way to encapsulate human movement in its most beautiful form. Parkour is often associated with freedom, in the ability to overcome confining obstacles in one's surroundings, such as railings, staircases, or walls. It also encompasses freedom on non-physical levels. The practice of parkour requires considerable physical and mental dedication, and many adherents describe it as a "way of life."

American Parkour - Home

[Ezza]

After seeing Casino Royale with one of my ex-girlfriends (who proceeded to drool at Daniel Craig through much of the movie, especially when he had his shirt off), I looked up what he did to get fit, and it sounds along the lines of what you are looking for:

Daniel Craig's Training Program- The New James Bond

Essentially, it's "functional fitness" which is basically strength and endurance you (as a secret agent) would actually use in the real world.
The only equipment as such is a jump-rope (not exactly large or expensive), and a chin-up/pull-up bar, for which you could substitute a suitable high door frame, although that is not ideal.
But primarily it's about running, jumping, pushups, crunches - things you can do virtually anywhere as long as the ground is available, which it generally is :-).

Ezza

OOps.. I just noticed that you said you don't want to jog. That is quite a limitation, unfortunately, as you really should do some kind of cardio type exercise in order to achieve good fitness, but you can still gain strength/muscle without running - you just won't improve your endurance much.

[Erki]

Isn't skipping also a cardio exercise if you do it long enough? I would prefer riding a bike though.

[Ezza]

Originally Posted by Erki

Isn't skipping also a cardio exercise if you do it long enough? I would prefer riding a bike though.

Yes, although it's not something you can really do at a low intensity (like walking vs jogging) - with a rope you are always jumping

As for the bike, that's a good substitute for jogging but as the OP didn't want to jog, I also infer "not leave the house" which rules out cycling as well. (plus a bike is equipment - especially if you don't already own one).

Swimming is also an excellent form of exercise, but of course requires a pool or other reasonably sized body of water - whether one considers this equipment I am not sure!