Working out without equipment.

Working out without equipment.

Finished

First of all, I'd just like to say I know there are a fair few of this type of guide about, however, I wanted to go into more detail and include veriations of different types of excercises. I have what I'd consider a reasonable knowledge of types of excercise, I do general MMA aswell as a little Muay Thai. I also play Rugby relatively often. I have also received guidance in the past from my dad, who has been a military fitness instructor. There will be other names for the exercises I am explaining as well as slight variations, these are the names I use and the ways I have been taught.

In this guide I will give specific muscles each exercise trains, in case you are unaware of some of them, here is a picture that will help..



I would also like to say, these exercises are not specifically designed to help you bulk up, although if you are new to training of any kind you will notice differences, they are more for helping increase base fitness.​

1. Pressups

1.1 Regular
1.2 Elevated
1.3 Wide
1.4 Explosive
1.5 Diamond
1.6 "Womens"
1.7 Staggered
1.8 Alternating Staggered​

2. Crunches/other exercises focusing on abs.

2.1 - Regular Crunches
2.2 - Bicycle kicks
2.3 - Erm (Forgot the name of these - Any help please) Toe Touches, I think.​

3. Misc.

3.1 Prison Squats.
3.2 Six count body builders.
3.3 Squat thrusts.
3.4 Bastards.
3.5 Panther Walk​

1.Press ups.

Press ups are generally a very good, rounded way to increase upper body strength without spending a fortune on equipment they are a great starting point for people looking to start gaining muscle safely rather than just going into heavy lifting without much core strength.Press-ups are great for increasing strength in core muscles such-as abs, glutes, calves and the upper and lower back aswell as giving some benifit to other muscles like the triceps, biceps and pecs. Increasing core fitness helps increase balance, fitness and overall strength, and I'd strongly recommend doing sets press-ups for a few weeks before moving on to expensive excercises such as weight lifting, etc.



-1.1 Regular

Doesn't need too much explination. Arms shoulder width apart, in line with shoulders to maximise load on pecs. If your arms start to move furthder down your body, the load shifts from your pecs to your deltriods (shoulders). KEEP A STRAIGHT BACK. Chest to the floor and back again is one rep.​

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-1.2 Elevated

Again, doesn't need too much of an explination, feet elevated off the floor as you do a regular press up. This just increases the amount of body weight you are shifting.​

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-1.3 Wide

Similar to regular, but hands more than shoulder width apart, however, your hand must still be inline with your shoulders.These type of press up shift the load from your tricepts and place more of a load on your pecs, as well as your lats.​

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-1.4 Explosive

These are often done with a clap, this isn't needed however. Similar to regular press ups, however, you're more explosive with the force excerted as you lift yourself back up, pushing yourself off the ground. This type of press up just generally adds to the burn.​

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-1.5 Diamond

Hands are placed in a 'diamond' shape, UNDER THE STERNUM, many people get this wrong, and often make the diamond shape infront of their face. this is incorrect. The hands must be postioned under the sternum (roughly inbetween your two nipples). This type of press up moves the load from your pecs to your tricepts.​

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-1.6 'Womens'

Instead of having straight legs, resting on your toes, bend at the knees and rest on them. This decreases the load by roughly 15%.​

-1.7 Staggered

These are a fairly complex take on press ups. Imagine a line whilst in press up position going from one hand to the other. Place one hand roughly 20cm above this line, and the other roughly 20cm below this line. That is the staggered press up postion. After doing a number of reps, switch which hands are above and below 'the line'.​

-1.8 Alternating Staggered

This is another take on stagered, it mixed the postioning of the staggered press up with explosive press ups. Start with one hand roughly 20 above 'the line' and the other below it. Each rep 'explode' lifting your hand off the floor, and switch whish is above/below 'the line'.​

2. Crunches/other excersises focusing on abs.

Many of these exercises are the same, working the same muscles however, there are some slight veriations. These type of excersise work your abs, sometimes called stomach muscles. Strong abs is key to a strong core, increasing the strength of your abs can increase balance as well as giving you a nice sixpack. ;P

-2.1 Regular crunch.

For a crunch, you lie on your back, with your knees bent pointhing to the ceiling. You arse is off the floor, and you curl your shoulders and head off the ground. If you are in the correct position you will not be able to lift them up very high, and should be able to feel a burn in your abs after relitively few reps. The difference between a sit-up and a crunch is minute, however, it is key. For a sit up, your arse is touching the floor, for a crunch, your arse is slightly lifted off the floor, this increases the load put on your abs dramatically. People who can do 100+ sit ups could stuggle to do 30 or 40 crunches. They are massively more benificial.​

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-2.2 Bicycle kicks

These are very har to get the hang of to start with. Lie on your back, with your thighs pointing towards the ceiling with your shins/lower legs horizontal at a right angle to your thighs. Your hands should be on the back of your head as though you are relaxing or taking head properly. They should be fixed in this straight line postion, imagine you are trying to keep your elbows as far from each other as you can, whilst still touching the back of your head with your hands. Now, you bring you left knee to your chest, whilst still keeping your shin horizontal, you bring your right elbow to touch your left knee, your left elbow throught to your shoulder should be touching the floor. Now repeat with your right knee/left elbow meeting and right elbow through to your shoulder touching the floor. this is counted as one rep (IE. Left knee/right elbow AND right knee/left elbow are counted as one rep together.) NOTE: You legs should not go in a circular motion, you should oly be bringing them back and forth. This will be hard to get the hang of, but with practise the technique will come. These differ from crunches as there is a more of a twisting motion.​

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-2.3 Erm (Forgot the name of these - Any help please) Toe Touches, I think.

Lie on your back, thighs vertical, but shins/lower legs at 45 degrees, hands either side of your knees. You basically try and reach as far up your leg as you can (Trying to touch your toes.) These, like the other two should start to hurt your abs after a few reps.​

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3 Misc.
-3.1 Prison Squats.

Most people do these wrong and make them easier for themselves. Feet shoulder width appart, HEELS ON THE FLOOR AT ALL TIMES. Hands behind head or out in front, and just squat down, getting your bum as low to the floor as you can without over balancing.​

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-3.2 Eight count body builders.

From standing, two foot jump forwards as far as you can, go down into press up position, do a press up, then split your legs past shouder width, bring them back together. Stand up again, you're back to the beggining.​

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-3.3 Squat thrusts.

Press up postion, bring your feet up in line with your hands, stand up, vertically jump upwards, back down, touch the floor with your hands, and 'jump' your feet backwards back into press up postion.​

-3.4 Bastards.

Basically a squat thrust with a press up tagged on to the end.​

-3.5 Panther Walk

An absolute killer. It should be done in a hall, over a distance of about 15-20m. Down into press up position, keeping your arse as close to the floor, and as low as possible. Basically jump forwards, using both your hands and feet, whislt still in press up postion.. Repeat until you get the the other end of the specified distance, then repeat going backwards back to the start.​

Any constructive criticism is openly accepted, as well as questions. Pointing out any spelling mistakes is also appreciated.​

 

Just a little advice, the yellow font is uncomfortable to read. Maybe it's because it's 3:30 am. Yeah it's hard to read.

 

Yeahh I found that a little with both white and yellow text... Could have been the font itself. Changed it now.

 

Orange, comic sans font works well, easy to read. Nice guide btw, very informative.

 

Thanks. Every seems to be making half arsed guides about stuff like this, so I just thought I'd put a whole load of effort into making a reasonable one.

I've got more stuff to put in it, I just haven't got round to it yet. I'll update in the next 2 or 3 days, hopefully.

 

what i like to advise is that the colour hurts my eyes D:

 

Ahh man, I'm having a whole load of problems with the colours. I've changed it to something that I find easier to read... I didn't find the others too bad though, idk. Any input on the new "Plum" colour would be good.

 

Great colour choice, Easy to read. Great Guide, Well done Burdock I just rekon to Add more pictures.

Also: Bottom of the guide Fix/Delete "[/font][/font]"

 

Thanks for the review, I'm planning on adding some pictures soon. Exams, I really should be revising atm.. :/ Also, cheers for pointing that out, I've changed the font like 50 times, so yeahh..

 

Updated/finished.

 

Very nice guide, although under Prison Squats, you say hands behind the head, while the image shows them out in front, Which is correct?

Spelling mistakes are corrected and in bold

 

Thanks very much. I wrote it out in notepad and copy and pasted it, so the spell check didn't come point out all my typos. I've corrected most of them, but decided against nit picking.

With the prison squats it doesn't make much difference at all. I've changed it though so people don't get confused over it.

Thanks again.

 

You should include what exercises work what muscles.

 

I have done..

 

Excellent guide, one of the best I've seen on here for fitness.

 

Thanks. Means a lot. I don't see why people on here can't just write detailed guides, tbh?

People write a couple of paragraphs and call it a guide.

 

wow nice guide. 9/10 there were definitly some tips in there i wrote down ;p

 

Thanks i didnt know about 2.3 its helping my abs shape more

 

nice guide i'v wanted to work out at home rather then the school gym all the time.. but cant afford equiptment. Thanks

 

Bro really nice guide, will be linking this to friends that have been asking me to write this !