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Want To Workout Without a
Gym
by:
Gary Matthews
If you are like me, then you will probably
know that using free weights and machines is the fastest and
most efficient way there is to improve your metabolism and
strength but for many reasons these may not be convenient or
readily accessible to you.
You may also have no access to a commercial
gym, home gym or are on business trip, but there can be a
solution, a strength-training workout without the need of
expensive machines.
As with any exercise, whether you are using
your own body weight, machines or free weights, if the
resistance doesn't increase, your muscles won't be worked to
their maximum capacity and the stimulus these fibres need to
grow will be missing.
Exercises done correctly will build the lean
muscle and increase your metabolism in the same way as
performing exercises at a gymnasium, but without the time
constraints and associated costs.
These exercises can be easily done in a
bedroom, hotel room, a park, school yard, ceiling rafters in a
garage or in a doorway and all you have to do is use your
imagination. There will always be a way to add more resistance
to your workouts.
Please remember: It doesn't matter where you
are working out - at home, a hotel, or a park - always warm up
properly before beginning your session, and cool down and
stretch when you are finished.
Leg Exercises
Squats -
They build muscle in the thighs, shape the
buttocks and improve endurance. Position your feet about 13 to
17 inches apart or at shoulder width, keeping the back
straight and your head up. If you want you can use something
that will give you some support, i.e. a desk, bookcase, sink
etc.
Now squat down to where the tops of the thighs
are parallel to the floor, hold for a second and then stand
up, but don't bounce at the bottom of the movement, use a nice
fluid motion. Always exhale your breath as you stand up.
Lunges -
Stand straight in correct posture; now stand
with one leg forward and one leg back. Keeping your abdominal
muscles tight and chest up, lower your upper body down,
bending your leg (don't step out too far).
You should have about one to two feet between
your feet at this stage, the further forward you step, and the
more your gluteus and hamstring muscles will have to work.
Do not allow your knee to go forward beyond
your toes as you come down and stop where your feel
comfortable (try not to let your back come forward) then push
directly back up. Do all your reps on one leg then switch legs
and do all your reps on the other leg.
Back Exercises
Chin-ups -
Chin-ups are a great upper body workout,
particularly targeting your biceps, deltoid and lat muscles.
Use a doorway chin-up bar, ceiling rafters in a garage or grab
the moulding of your door frame, position your hands with an
under hand grip and hang down stretching the lats, slowly
raise your body until your chin reaches the bar level.
Pause a moment before slowly lowering yourself
back to the starting position. Don't swing or use momentum to
get your body to the top, just use the target muscles. Doorway
chinning bars remove from the doorway when you are not using
them and can be put up and taken down in seconds.
Bent Over Row -
Take up a position with your right hand and
right knee braced on a sturdy bed or some other flat surface
that will provide a good support. Now pick up a dumbbell or
something heavy that you can hold onto with your left hand.
Visualize your arms as hooks and slowly bring
the dumbbell or object up to the side of your chest, keeping
your back straight, then lower the weight back down to arms
length, no lower, on extremes, safe form only please.
Concentrate on your back muscles. Reverse the
whole procedure and do the exercise now with your right arm.
Chest Exercises
Push-Up -
The push up is used for building chest,
shoulders and arms. Lie face down on the floor with your hands
about shoulder width apart and keeping your palms turned
slightly inward. Now push-up until your arms are straight,
lower and repeat for repetitions.
To make it more difficult elevate your feet.
Try placing the toes of your feet on a stable, elevated
surface such as a bench, chair or a stair.
Straightening your body, position your hands
on the floor at shoulder width, lower your body until your
chest touches the floor at the bottom, and then return to the
starting position in a nice fluid motion.
Dips -
This exercise can be done between two sturdy
chairs or other surfaces that provide stability. The dip is
another great upper body exercise. It's a compound movement as
well and involves working all the muscles that the push up
works.
Keep your head up and body as vertical as
possible. For the beginning of the movement, start at the top
(arms fully extended) and lower yourself until your upper arms
are parallel to the seat of the chairs, hold and then push up
to the top of the movement until your arms are fully extended
again.
Keep looking straight ahead and don't bounce
at the bottom of the movement.
Adding Weight
Although the simple weight of your own body is
enough resistance to provide an effective workout we need
progressive overload (added resistance) to become stronger.
So all we need to do is add some weight
wherever we can find some. Because there are no metal plates
and fancy machines to use it doesn't matter because the body
doesn't care where it is as long as it's receiving resistance
of some kind.
You can use heavy books clasped in your hands.
You can buy some cheap weighted dumbbells or ankle weights. A
weighted vest will also allow you to add resistance for both
chin-ups and push-ups.
Try to buy one that will let you remove and
add weight as you see fit. Also a backpack filled with books
can be perfect for most of the exercises and is a cheap
alternative.
How about a couple of buckets and fill them
with a certain level of water? As you get stronger fill them
with more water. This is perfect because depending on the
exercise, all you need to do is to increase or decrease the
amount of water in the buckets for the required amount of
resistance.
To
wrap things up we know that using free weights and
machines are the fastest and most efficient way there is to
gain lean muscle and strength, but by performing the exercises
in this article you'll find that they will provide you with the
same benefits as going to a gym.
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About The Author
Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness
eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain.
Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com
right now for your 'free' weight loss or muscle building
e-courses.
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