[python38]

Hi,

I'm not overweight, and look quite slim, but I don't feel very healthy on the inside, if that makes sense. I'm 15, and way too weak for my age (I can't even do a full press-up.)

What are some good exercises I can do with no equipment? I used to lift light weights, but I won't be having access to those very soon. How often should I be training? Is it worth doing stuff like running and cycling as well as pure strength exercises?

Also, how do I improve my diet? Is it worth drinking a lot of water all the time like some people recommend?

Finally, how much sleep should I be getting?

Thanks ^^.

[ch0c0h01ic]

I'm off to the gym in a few minutes but I'll reply to you when I get back in an hour or so's time.

[ch0c0h01ic]

Originally Posted by python38

I'm not overweight, and look quite slim, but I don't feel very healthy on the inside, if that makes sense.

Clean up your diet and get plenty of exercise and your body will follow suit.

Originally Posted by python38

Also, how do I improve my diet? Is it worth drinking a lot of water all the time like some people recommend?

Eat more fruit and veg, get a decent portion of protein into every meal (ie; meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, etc), get a decent amount of low GI carbs (ie; beans, lentil, oats, wholewheat pasta, brown rice) and cut back on (or cut out entirely) processed food. How you do this is up to you, if you can manage a complete transformation overnight go for it, if you can't then change things gradually, concentrate on gradually substituting your snacks and meals for progressively healthier alternatives.

Water. The majority of the people who talk about consuming vast quantities of water don't have a clue what they're talking about and their advice can actually be damaging. Consume fluids until your urine is a pale yellow colour. Dark yellow and stinky - you're dehydrated, increase your fluid intake. Very pale or even colourless - you're overhydrated, decrease or even stop your fluid intake. If you ever get headaches, you're passing large amounts of colourless urine and you're drinking a lot stop taking on fluids immediately.

Originally Posted by python38

I'm 15, and way too weak for my age (I can't even do a full press-up.)

What are some good exercises I can do with no equipment? I used to lift light weights, but I won't be having access to those very soon. How often should I be training? Is it worth doing stuff like running and cycling as well as pure strength exercises?

At the end of the day it depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to get stronger, perhaps put on a bit of muscle and lose a bit of fat then resistance training (eg; weights) is going to be the main port of call. If you want general all round fitness then it could be a good idea to integrate some HIIT/cardio.

Start gradually, if you're a complete novice it's pointless jumping into a 7 day routine, you will burn yourself, will achieve very little and may even injure yourself. Consistency and gradual progression over a long period of time is the key.

As a general rule at the beginning stick to a basic 3 day full body workout, one big lower body exercise (ie; deadlifts, squats, lunges, stepups), one big upper body push (ie; overhead press, dips, pushups, bench press) and one big upper body pull (ie; rows, chinups, pullups). Starting Strength, Stronglifts (there is a dumbbell version of the main routine), Westside for Skinny Bastards, Never Gymless and Infinite Intensity are all good programs. Then after several weeks it could be a good idea to integrate a day of HIIT per week.

In terms of equipment a pullup/chinup bar is a must really. Some adjustable dumbbells would are also pretty cheap and would certainly open up your options significantly. At the end of the day most of the routines mentioned require quite a range of kit so in some ways it can be a good idea to join a gym unless you're in it for the long haul and are adamant that you will get plenty of use out of the kit (and have the money to spare).

Originally Posted by python38

Finally, how much sleep should I be getting?

Around 8-10 hours is the ideal.

[Dark-Myth]

Well... I don't work out at the gym, but i find that walking to school and playing basketball during lunch times helps. so play sports on a regular basis, and ur strength will go up.

[D3bug]

Originally Posted by Dark-Myth

Well... I don't work out at the gym, but i find that walking to school and playing basketball during lunch times helps. so play sports on a regular basis, and ur strength will go up.

^ This. If you catch the bus to school, ask/save up for a bike (if you don't have one already) and cycle, or walk if it's close enough. It REALLY helps fitness, and with fitness comes strength. You may also want to try to pick up a sport, this would be the only other option if you couldn't walk/cycle (you'd have to cycle for more than ~40mins or some other reason). 1 hour a week will get you reasonably fit fairly quickly, at which point you can think about maybe stepping it up to 2+ hours if you enjoy it.

On another note, which was addressed by ch0c0h01ic already, DIET! Your diet must be healthy for you to become fit, take me as an example:

I cycle to my college almost every day (30-40mins 4-5miles each way, with some nice hills), swim 2 hours a week and eat just under the recommended 5 portions of fruit and veg a day (usually 3 or 4)(this is already bad, eat those veggies!). I do, however, eat a ton of stuff which isnt so healthy (I put my appetite down to doing sport a fair bit) which in turn, makes me feel a lot less fit. I also find that when I eat more healthily, even over the period of a week, I can achieve more in my swimming training.

My point here being that no matter how much exercise you do, it's useless without the healthy lifestyle to back it up!

You must also take into consideration sleep is a very important part of your fitness, I get too little and this leaves me tired and exhausted, not being able to recover from sport very quickly, get in the habit of getting around 8 hours sleep a night. Sleep helps you to recover and keeps you feeling nice and healthy

[thegoodthebadandtheTom]

thegoodthebadandthetom recommends:
eat plenty of protein-rich foods i.e. fish, eggs, to build some mass (don't go ott though)
drink at least 1.5 litres of fluids (it's really not that much tbh)
running and cycling are great if you can do them regularly, along with some gentle strength workouts e.g. push ups. these tear your muscles, but they will grow back stronger
sleep- try to get the 8 hours recommended, to grow back the muscle tissue

[mipegg]

Originally Posted by thegoodthebadandtheTom

thegoodthebadandthetom recommends:
eat plenty of protein-rich foods i.e. fish, eggs, to build some mass (don't go ott though)
drink at least 1.5 litres of fluids (it's really not that much tbh)
running and cycling are great if you can do them regularly, along with some gentle strength workouts e.g. push ups. these tear your muscles, but they will grow back stronger
sleep- try to get the 8 hours recommended, to grow back the muscle tissue

Why the **** do 'gentle' strength work if your looking to add strength?

[Rubgish]

Originally Posted by mipegg

Why the **** do 'gentle' strength work if your looking to add strength?

Because most people have no idea how the human body works in getting strong. Hence they give everyone terrible advice and then people come on here and wonder why they don't look like sex-gods after a month of doing 100 pushups a day.

[instaunt]

Originally Posted by python38

I'm 15, and way too weak for my age (I can't even do a full press-up.)

Wow. That's appalling.

Start off girly style, up on your knees. If you don't have access to equipment then press-ups are certainly your best bet.

Vary how wide you have your hands from touching to out wide past your shoulders. A couple of press-up floor grips are great too as they allow you to put them parrallel giving more focus to other parts of your body.

You need to be taking in protein. A good dose (50g) after working out and at least another 50g throughout the day. You should be taking in at least 1g of protein per 1lb of body weight every day just to maintain the muscle you have.

[crawleytownfc]

It might be good if a thread like this could be stickied? ch0c0h01ic post is exactly what noobs like myself would benfit from reading early on - cheers!