| blackberrybunny
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Hi everybody!
I hate exercising, and simply have refused to even try it in the past. Now I am thinking, lookie here, I have lost 48 lbs so far! If I can do THAT, then maybe I could at least look into a website on exercising, which might get me to moving my lazy butt!
So I was thinking that because I'm stuck at home, since I am legally blind, and cannot drive, I need something I can do at home. I can't afford fancy machines, or equipment, and I only have 2 5lb weights... I'm interested in using one's own body weight as resistance. I want to build muslce in my upper arms, and my legs. (What I'm really looking to do is bust my fat giggly thunder thighs!) I know pushups fall into the category of exercises using one's own body weight as resistance. But I need more.
So I'm looking for a site that is simple, for a newbie like me. Explains how to do the exercises, and hopefully has diagrams! Anybody got any good bookmarks that might fall into this category? Thanks so much! Maybe I need a DVD or something, but I'm not sure how well I could stand and do the exercises AND see the tv all at once, since I am legally blind. But I could try---I could watch the DVD over and over and try to copy it......... ??? |
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Sun Jun 03, 2007 2:40 pm |
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| julta
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BBB one place you can try is Sparks People. They not only have the place to track your food intake and exercise but you can also design a strength program. You can pick and choose the exercises you want, using the equipment (or no equipment) you want. They also show you how to do them. I think you would find it very helpful.
You can do it! :D |
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Sun Jun 03, 2007 3:56 pm |
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| blackberrybunny
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| I already Spark to keep tabs on my foods. I'll check them out about their fitness part of the site. I never thought to look there! I love sparkpeople.com! |
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Sun Jun 03, 2007 5:48 pm |
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| blackberrybunny
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| Okay, I looked and Spark isn't quite what I'm looking for. Anyone ee have any ideas? TIA> |
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Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:12 pm |
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| luvs_torun
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Here are some resistance exercises you can do without any special equipment. You can also take these and make them into a "circuit training" type of workout. (Working fast through each set with little or no rest between.)
Resistance Exercises: (I like to do 3 sets of 15 each when doing resistance)
1. Chest
Wall Push-Ups
Stand facing a wall with your feet about 1 to 2 feet back from it.
Place your hands on the wall just outside shoulder-width apart.
Bending only at the elbows, lower yourself forward towards the wall then push yourself away from it.
Keep your body stiff and straight during the movement.
2. Back
Standing Rows
These are done from a standing position.
Loop a towel around a vertical pole or column or another fixed object so that the ends of the towel are pointing towards you and the towel is wrapped around the far side of the pole.
Have your feet close up to the pole and lean back gripping on the ends of the towel and keeping your body stiff and straight.
Row yourself up with both arms.
Keep your back arched and row with your back.
3. Shoulders
Presses
Use something around the house for weight, e.g. soup cans or milk jugs with water in them.
From a seated or standing position, hold the weights just above your shoulders.
Push them up overhead slowly.
4. Legs
Squats
Place your feet about shoulder width apart.
Keeping your torso vertical and a slight arch in your lower back, start the movement by bending the knees.
Go only as far down as you feel comfortable when first starting out. If you can go down until your thighs are just below parallel, do so. This is the full range goal.
Using leg power, push yourself back up to the start position. Use your grip on the bar only for balance unless you absolutely need to pull yourself up.
As you get stronger with squats, don't use the bar anymore. When you can do good, full-range reps without the bar, you can start using weight.
For weight, use two duffel bags (evenly loaded) or two milk jugs, etc. Hold them at your sides and squat.
5. Abdominals
Crunches
Lie down flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
Hold your hands wherever you feel comfortable (on your chest or beside your head - just be sure you don't pull on your head).
The typical crunch is taught by instructing you to simply roll your upper torso forward. This is fine to start with.
To increase the effectiveness of the crunch movement, push your chest and head up towards the ceiling pushing your lower back flat onto the floor.
Your anatomy will automatically cause you to follow a crunching pattern.
Hold at the top of the movement for a second and squeeze hard.
6. Biceps
Curls
Stand with your knees slightly bent, arms at your sides, holding your resistance bags or two dumbells in your hands.
The curl movement happens only at the elbow. With your upper arm pinned at your side and bending only at the elbow, lift the weight up to shoulder level.
Your palm should be facing forward all the way up and all the way down.
Squeeze hard at the top then lower slowly.
Do the same with the other arm, alternating back and forth.
7. Triceps
Bench Dips
These can be done on the edge of a chair or bench.
Sit on the side edge of a flat bench or the front edge of a chair.
Place your hands on the edge of the chair right beside your glutes and grip the edge.
To start with, your feet should be flat on the floor about two feet in front of you with your knees bent.
Move yourself off the chair so you are now supporting yourself on your hands.
Bend your arms, dipping your body down. Go down only as far as you feel comfortable, being careful not to bounce out of the bottom.
Push back up, squeezing the triceps.
It is important to keep your back close to the edge of the bench as you do these to minimize shoulder stress.
When you're done the set, push yourself back onto the chair.
8. Calves
Standing Calf Raises
This exercise can be done on the edges of stairs, wood blocks, books, etc.
Do both legs at the same time to start with then, as you get stronger, do them one leg at a time.
Hold a bag in your hand for resistance as you get stronger
Stand on the edge of the block with only the balls of your feet on the block.
Keeping knees stiff and bending only at the ankles, lower your heels down towards the floor.
Go down until you feel a strong stretch in your calves.
Reverse the direction without bouncing and push up as high as you can.
Do this movement slowly to feel the contraction all the way up. |
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Sun Jun 03, 2007 7:45 pm |
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| blackberrybunny
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| Thanks Luvs_Torun! Those are just the types of things I am looking for. I'm going to start working on these tomorrow! |
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Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:24 am |
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| luvs_torun
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blackberrybunny wrote: Thanks Luvs_Torun! Those are just the types of things I am looking for. I'm going to start working on these tomorrow!
You're welcome bbb... hope you and the hubby had a great day on his b-day! |
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Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:47 am |
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