I am 58, terminally unfit and not very limber. 5feet lbs and now 181 lbs. down 18 from start weight.

I swim 10 or 15 lengths of a small pool each day or every other day.

I walk as much as I can to and from work and to the market and I bicycle the same area.

I don't have the money for any kit.

How would a gentle work out start for me? What can I do? or should I wait until the weight is down more?

Thanks for considering

I am 58, terminally unfit and not very limber. 5feet lbs and now 181 lbs. down 18 from start weight.

I swim 10 or 15 lengths of a small pool each day or every other day.

I walk as much as I can to and from work and to the market and I bicycle the same area.

I don't have the money for any kit.

How would a gentle work out start for me? What can I do? or should I wait until the weight is down more?


Thanks for considering

Well considering you are managing to do the swimming every day, I suppose the first thing I'd suggest is to up the intensity and try to work in some interval like training into the swimming. Maybe try swimming a lap as fast as you can, then a slow recovery lap, fast, slow etc.

You are already swimming.  That's it.

In the book burn the fat, feed the muscle, he said start with the correct diet first.  Patience.  ( only targetted losing 2 lbs per month, how's that for patience? )

i will try that thing with water bottles or the dumbbells if I can find them.

I am too embarrassed to go in the gym as yet and also find it as boring as hell.

Also I have a new bike with much smaller wheels and it is very hard to ride compared with the one that got stolen.

So biking - even a short distance and small weights on a tabata basis at home should be ok.

Never Gymless by rosstraining.com

Best $25 you'll spend.  Show's you workouts to do without a gym and their progressions...

A simple circuit of pushups, pullups, pike presses, single leg squats and lunges would be fine.  Do that circuit 4x in a row every other day.

Use assistance or modify as needed.  Like if you can't do a pike press, get something heavy and lift it overhead... get a set of bands or bungee cords to assist you on pullups, do girl pushups, both leg squats, etc... you get the point.

Two questions... aren't you British (bri'ish)? What's with the crazy Imperial measurements? Heh

Secondly, I'd recommend burpies. They're easy to do and cover a lot in one simple exercise. Descending sets is a good way to do it (do 10, rest, 9, rest, etc)

erm... someone just described burpies to me..
and I said terminally unfit and I meant it!! NO WAY could i do anything that difficult - not now at least.
another two stone and a lot more swimming and maybe.

Crazy Imperial measurements? like stone do you mean?

I did some burpees today... did a conditioning drill...

30 sec burpees with the knee tuck
30 sec mountain climbers
30 sec jumping jacks (active rest)
30 sec burpees with the knee tuck
30 sec mountain climbers
30 sec jumping jacks (active rest)

Rest 1 min

Repeat 3 more times... 

Better than traditional cardio work and took like 20 min... 

Quote from: phrakture on February 08, 2010, 07:55:23 AM

Two questions... aren't you British (bri'ish)? What's with the crazy Imperial measurements? Heh

Secondly, I'd recommend burpies. They're easy to do and cover a lot in one simple exercise. Descending sets is a good way to do it (do 10, rest, 9, rest, etc)

erm... someone just described burpies to me..
and I said terminally unfit and I meant it!! NO WAY could i do anything that difficult - not now at least.
another two stone and a lot more swimming and maybe.

Crazy Imperial measurements? like stone do you mean?

Yah I second the burpees.  I tried to do them this morning.  There's too much stuff in the way and I can't "jump" my legs back under me into a crouch.  Burpees are not a beginner exercise by any means.  Give us an alternative!