Most basic no equipment exercises?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I’m a really, really skinny guy, I am a little underweight and I spend most of my time sitting and I don’t really do any physically hard work, I don’t even walk for more than a mile a day, not even half of that, so I don’t even have a real need for food, I eat a little and I get full and thus I just keep on being underweight all the time and I had a health problem before, that was probably related to that, plus I also don’t feel comfortable during the summer when I have to wear short clothes,etc.

So I decided to change that and start doing some exercises to get in a at least normal shape, but I don’t know which combination of exercises would be good for the entire body, so can anyone make me a small plan? For example something like “do this x times in Tuesday, then this in Thursday,…”

As I said in the title, exercises without weights would be the best, so that I could do them right at home. I read on the internet that you can gain muscles by doing non weights exercises as well, so that shouldn’t be a problem. I don’t have a wish to get big muscles, just to not be totally skinny.

I currently do push ups, chin ups and pull ups, squats and crunches. Are those enough for what I need and is it ok if I do all body parts in one day or should I only do legs one day, other muscles the other day,etc?

2

Planks are good for abs, even better than crunches.

Wall sits are good too.

I would addlunges to your leg work out. Since you’re not doing a lot you can do all of these every other day.

What cardio are you doing? Running, stair stepping, rowing, zumba?

3

You’re not a body builder or serious athlete, so no reason you shouldn’t do all body parts in one day, every day, if you want.

The exercise you’re doing is fine but you’ll have to provide more information about how you do it. How many sets? How many reps? Too exhaustion?

To put on mass you’ll need to eat more. There is no getting around that. Introducing some free weights (i.e. dumbbells) would help a great deal as well.

4

Google the Neila Rey workouts, they’re fun and get the job done if you’re working out at home:

I made a 5 day workout plan for myself (based on a different workout plan I found online) and tweaked it for my friends who are just beginning - if you’ll PM me your email address I’d be happy to send you the spreadsheet.

(PS: I am a slightly underweight female who never exercised consistently until a year ago. I feel like a new person.)

5

Make sure you’re using proper form. Youtube can help you with that. I’ve seen people with horrible form and all they will do is hurt themselves.

6

Since you must have a bar, you can add all kinds of wonderful hanging abs exercises -
Legs-to-L’s, Knees-to-chest, In-and_outs, Windshield wipers, hanging planks (when you are strong enough). Also, you can progress to wide-grp pullups, which are more of a lat exercise than an arm exercise.

Also, as you progress you can start doing inverted pushups (on the wall), since you really aren’t doing any shoulder work right now.

7

Look into core workouts. These workouts use body weight to achieve total body fitness. Building large muscles aren’t their focus, but you will typically build muscle all over your body. You will get a body more like a soccer player than a weightlifter.

An example most people have heard of is the P90X series. That series is more advanced than you can do, but it gives you an idea of the type of workout. You should find a similar core workout which is geared more towards beginners.

Since you are just starting out, I recommend you follow a video program at first. This way you’ll get a proper workout and be able to mimic someone who has proper form. Your library will likely have many fitness DVDs which offer core workouts. There are also many streaming channel options for working out. Don’t feel like you can only follow one program. Feel free to alternate several different workouts to keep it more interesting.

Some core programs make use of a few hand weights. If you want those, check craigslist and goodwill and you can typically get them almost free.

And just some advice for a beginner… The first few workouts will be challenging and you will be sore. Go a little bit easy at first. It will take a bit of time for your body to adapt. Don’t give it up before you’ve given it a dedicated effort. Commit to doing the workout for 3 times per week and for at least 6 weeks. Pick specific times to workout so that you don’t push it off and skip. I guarantee you that you will feel very differently about working out at the end of the 6 weeks. It’s very common for beginners to give up after just a few workouts. Realize that there is a bit of physical and mental resistance you have to work through and keep going through it. Once you get used to it, you may find you actually look forward to working out and the results it delivers.

8

In the sentence I’ve bolded, you actually explain why you do have a real need for more food. Being underweight is one reason you need to eat more, as are the health problems caused by being underweight. As far as bodyweight exercises:

Chest: pushups.

Back: wide-grip pullups.

Triceps: “Star” pushups, bka “close grip pushups”.

Biceps: chinups.

Shoulders: Inverted push ups.

Abs: crunches, leg lifts, hanging leg lifts, etc.

Legs/butt: bodyweight squats.

9

XBX or 5BX

XBX is more focused on flexibility and 5BX on strength.

XBX was designed for women and 5BX for men, but I don’t think stuff like that matters any more.

10

I keep falling back to old fashioned army-style PT with some pull-ups/chin-ups thrown in. Easy to do almost anywhere and not that bad for toning.

11

Dump the crunches (useless and will result in lower back strain) and replace them with planks, spidermans, mountain climbers, and other core-strengthening exercises (you can find plenty of examples on Youtube.com or elsewhere). Pushups, chin-ups, pull-ups, and bodyweight squats (working up to pistol or shrimp squats) are all good, provided you do them with good form. Proper form and technique is far more important than quantity. For dynamic bodyweight exercises, almost nothing beats burpees, but again, do them with proper form.

It sounds like your issue is as much nutrition as exercise; doing exercises will improve fitness, of course, but without proper nutrition you will not put on muscle (bulk) and poor nutrition will lead to further problems and potential injuries as your body will not be able to recover. You will find a lot of confusing information about nutrition and supplements from various online sites and magazines, but the fundamentals of nutrition are very simple; you need to have a ratio of carbohydrates:lipids(fats):protein of about 55:25:20 to 50:30:20, and the quantity of protein should be at least 1 gram per pound of bodyweight. Carbs should be mostly complex carbs (whole grains, sweet potatoes, green leafy vegetables, colorful fruits, et cetera) and a minimum of processed foods with added sugar. Fats should be minimally processed plant oils (olive oil, avocado oil, various nut oils), fish oils, or animal fats (butter, lard, et cetera) with a good balance of healthy monounsaturated and fully saturated fats; no hydrogenated oils or process grain oils (corn “oil”, canola oil, et cetera…I can tell you from firsthand experience where these oils come from, and believe me, you do not want to know). Proteins should be from natural animal or animal product sources; relying on protein only from legumes, soya, and other vegetable sources makes it very difficult to get a good balance of the essential amino acids unless you really know what you are doing. You do not need supplements unless you find that you have a vitamin or mineral deficiency, or cannot physically consume enough calories in natural form, in which case you should consult a registered dietician (not a “nutritionist”) who is conversant with athlete nutrition; many RDs are highly focused on abnormal nutrition (e.g. pre-diabetes or diabetic nutrition) which is not helpful for you. Basically, you should eat food that you can identify the source. I’m going to state this again just to be clear: without good nutrition you will not put on muscle mass and risk injury; it is physically impossible to improve your physical state without good nutrition, which are the fuel and building blocks for muscle and other tissue.

Gold Medal Bodies is a good site that is focused almost exclusively on pure bodyweight and assisted bodyweight (parallette and ring) training; although it is based on gymnastic conditioning training, it is presented at a basic level for non-gymnasts without requiring protective gear or gym space. Even if you do not opt to try one of their structured programs there is enough free content to keep you busy for quite a while, and they are heavily focused on learning good technique and developing agility and flexibility, as well as avoiding injury (which is not as common with bodyweight training as with free weights or machines but can still happen, especially with dynamic movements). The “Integral Strength” program is an inexpensive way to try out their programs, requires no equipment, and will develop a surprising amount of practical strength if you are starting from a nothing. Steven Low’s Eat. Move. Improve. site is an excellent resource that also focuses heavily on the nutrition aspect as well as exercise.

Although you can build virtually unlimited strength with just pure bodyweight and some ingenuity, a few items of equipment can certainly be helpful and/or fun. A jump rope is inexpensive and helps to develop both endurance and coordination, and can be used for a surprising number of different types of exercise. Elastic bands can also be useful for both strengthening exercise and pre/rehab exercises. A sandbag (you can make your own or buy the relatively inexpensive ones with different grips that are very durable) can be used for strength endurance in a vast multitude of ways. Parallettes (short parallel bars that are just a few inches to a foot above the ground) are light and portable but can substantially enhance any bodyweight exercise from pushups to handstands just by letting you go deeper and do dynamics that are difficult on a bare mat. Suspended rings (lightweight plastic or wooden rings, not intended for swinging gymnastics) are inexpensive, can be put up anywhere with overhead space, and can provide a challenge to the strongest athlete forever just by variations in form. Kettlebells, steel clubs, and maces are fantastic conditioning tools with multiple uses; you can find resources on how to make your own but as with any weighted exercise device you are probably better off buying from a reputable manufacturer.

Whatever you do, find something that is fun and challenging for you so you don’t get bored or frustrated when you don’t see the immediate size gains you may hope for, and focus more on functional goals (e.g. doing twenty burpees in perfect form or holding an L-sit for 60 seconds) rather than superficial ones like weight or bicep measurements, and take the time to get comfortable with the form before trying to increase volume so as to avoid injury, which just derails you from your goals.

Good luck to you,

Stranger

12

Some guys are just skinny. There are guys a the gym that have been there every day I’ve been there for 5 years and, God bless them, they don’t look an ounce different.

Maybe you just use your body to advantage, it works for Mick Jagger.

The one thing you should be good at is obv. running. With your body type, maybe a program for several weeks, you’ll be totally buzzing as the distance builds and you get that chemical kick. Beautiful :slight_smile:

13

Not only is this not helpful to the o.p., it is also just wrong. Body composition is not some innate mystical trait than only certain annointed people can develop or control, and anybody doing strength training for five years and not gaining mass is doing something seriously wrong, most likely on the nutrition side (e.g. not getting enough protein and he necessary carbohydrates to build muscle). The o.p. as much as admits to having a nutritional deficiency in terms of overall caloric intake, so just figuring out a way to increase intake, which may mean drinking a milkshake with protein powder if he can’t get enough with normal meals, and then doing the requisite volume of strength-training exercise to build muscle. While people have different natural body proportions and basal metabolic rates, the notion that a healthy person has to be resigned to being “just skinny” is flatly wrong.

Stranger

14

The problem with asking a question like this is that you will get so many different right answers that it can be overwhelming. And you’ve gotten several right answers already!

Let’s prioritize.

Answer one. What you have come up with is fine and will lead to improvements in strength and some muscle mass (of course coupled with decent nutrition). Those exercises are enough and you do not need to split work outs at this point. You have intelligently stuck with major compound exercises with a “push” and a “pull” group for upper body and a big lower body muscle group. Only must have to add in is to keep it progressive. That can be adding more reps, more sets, more variety, and/or making the exercises harder in a variety of ways (as you do that form becomes increasingly more important

Answer two. A wide variety of other combinations can work too. You’ve been pointed to some wonderful body weight exercise focused resources to use as possible templates and those sites usually have guidance on ways to make it progressive. All sorts of things to add along the way to help keep in fun! Yeah, burpees, and box jumps, the gymnastic inspired plans like the planche progression, wall supported hand stand pushups … but none are essential. Do not let the decision over what is “the best” slow down your starting your starting your plan now. These are things to add in as ways to keep yourself challenged. The biggest improvement comes from the change of doing nothing to something. Everything else is relatively marginal.

Answer three. You can add simple weight training into you mix easily and without spending a dime. Start off with used milk jugs filled with water as improvised kettlebells and do things like the Turkish Get Up
Good luck!

15

Are you sure you’re not confusing sit-ups with crunches? I disagree strongly that crunches are useless and, if executed with proper form, I’ve never heard of them being associated with lower back strains (unlike sit-ups, which do cause such strain and IMO are useless). Rather than ditch them altogether, I’d simply add them to the exercises you list here. I’ve been doing crunches for 20 years, never had an issue.

16

Agree with Ambivalid.

If you do bodyweight, and work your muscles to fatigue, it is an effective workout.

17

You don’t need to buy weights to use weights. You could use soup cans as lighter free weights, and jugs or buckets filled with whatever you want for heavier weights.

18

Seriously? If you do an internet search on “Are crunches bad for you?” or “Are cunches good for you?” will result in thousands of articles on fitness sites, the vast majority of which categorically advise against both crunches and sit-ups. Here is an article American Council on Exercise about why crunches are not good for you, and what you should do instead. Crunches are a non-functional “isolation” exercise that has no parallel in normal biokinematics, working on one small set of muscles without reinforcing the supporting muscles, and puts a strain on the unsupported lower back. This is not novel or new information.

Stranger

19

There is no one right answer. The thing is there are a TON of bodyweight fitness plans out there you can follow. The trick is to choose one and follow it and as someone posted before also improve your nutrition. Choose something you are willing to do on a regular schedule, ideally 3 or 4 days a week and run or take a long damn walk the other days.

When I started working out first I read lots and lots of sites and smashed together my own plan, but here is a good beginner plan to do from Nerd Fitness. It’s exactly where I started. Once I had the habit of doing this, and just this I started to add in other bodyweight exercises that seemed doable and I saw on other sites, until I had about 12 different exercises that I’d do every time.

Then I got bored and downloaded one of those 7-minute fitness apps but made the setting so that the whole routine took about 25 minutes. Did that for a month or so got bored and then discovered workout videos and it turns out thats my jam and I do them on the regular for almost 2 years now. Some people hate them because they can get boring and also because a particular company - that happen to make my favorite videos - are a shameless soulless MLM, but you can avoid that part of it.

The most important thing isn’t finding the perfect workout - there’s no such thing. Find the one that you are willing to do. Not willing to do forever, or even for a month, or a week but are willing to get up and do today or at the very latest tomorrow morning. And when you get bored or hit a plateau then do something else. But do something, 3 or 4 days a week. And eat right.

20

Op here, since there’s almost 20 replies, I can’t reply to everyone, but I’ll just say thanks to everyone.

I have a few more questions, since food was mentioned as being practically more important than the exercises themselves, what normal everyday food would you recommend? I don’t want to eat whey, supplements, special berries from Mongolia,etc and that’s the sort of stuff that most bodybuilding sites recommend, what average food, like beef, pork, chicken, fish, salad,etc. should I eat? What about soup? The only non-everydayish thing I eat are peanuts.

I think that my main problem is not that much what food I’m choosing, but the amount, I wake up around 10, eat around 12 (usually one plate of soup and another plate of meat, spaghetti, pizza, spinach, fish and some salad), then I usually don’t eat anything until 6pm, when I usually eat a plate of meat and that’s pretty much it, I just don’t feel hungry for more, I try forcing myself to eat more and more, but I simply can’t. I don’t even eat candy that much, I occasionally eat a small chocolate and that’s it. I went to the doctor 2, 3 years ago and he gave me some vitamins to boost my appetite, but they didn’t do much since I didn’t do almost any physical work and simply didn’t feel hungry at all, so hopefully exercising will make me feel more hungry.

I have a friend who only eats average everyday foods like I mentioned, he doesn’t workout at all and he is stronger and I think a little heavier than most guys, he is healthy, not overweight at all, so it’s obviously possible to get in shape even without special food, so what should be my top 5 or top 10 main foods? Also, what about calories? Yesterday I’ve read somewhere that proteins, some carbs,etc. are good for you, but that low calories are also good, how can low calories be good, isn’t that the single main thing that you should be adding?
One more more question, it was already said that I could do the exercises that I counted (squats, push ups, chin ups,etc) on a single day, but, would doing all body parts on the same day be as effective as doing the upper part on one day and lower on the other? Some logic that I have, which may be totally incorrect, is that you can build only a limited amount of muscle per exercise, especially if you can’t eat a lot like me and that if you do only your upper body, all the ,muscle making nutrients" will go there, but if you do all parts, the same amount of nutrients would just spread in your entire body and you won’t make a big difference, think of nutrients as water for example, if you have a small container (upper body) like a bottle and a big one (entire body), like a pool, if you pour the same amount of water in both containers, you’ll only see the difference in the small container. Perhaps I’m totally wrong…or right, am I?