i'm trying to get back in shape and get a little more muscle and i really don't know what to do since i don't have any weights can y'all help me out?

Basically, anything where you change the plane of your body will help with core strength. Pushups, situps, tricep dips, and squats can make a decent workout on their own. You can add wind sprints, crazy eights, and other stuff as you become more comfortable with those first few exercises.

I mentioned it on another thread, but I'm a big proponent of the Shovelglove technique. I'd suggest it to anyone wanting to tone, especially their upper body.

If you're looking to build muscle without using weights, body weight exercises (like the pushups that were already mentioned) are a good way to go.

Hey Tur,

Really great question, and one that is very close to my heart. As you will see from my photo's I have kind got it right:

http://www.therlsh.net/introductions-f8/i-am-nemo-t307.htm

The way I got my physique is by:

{1} ~ a high protein, low fat, low carb diet of 2000 calories a day or less, {I am personally a pescatarian so that really help} and it is predmonitently this fact that got me my physique. The Main thing to do is try to avoid any beige coloured foods it those little suckers that will always get ya. No ammount of exercise will help unless you have you have your diet right first.

{2} ~ Swimming, there simply is no better exerise I personally swim for an hour or more in open water early in the morning five days a week. It builds the best most effective hydrodynamically strong kind of muscle.

{3} ~ Yoga and industrial-strength calisthenics, everyday before I swim I do half an hour of this combining of the two, it really does help you build your peronsal strength muscle and flexabiliy all important factors in performing well as a R.L.S.H. and this does not require any costly weights or equipment.

I have built my body without the use of a single weight or peice of equipment, to prove that it can be done, and it worked really well for me. If you would like any further advice please do not hesitate to contact me either here, at my private E~Mail, nemo@itbloke.net or through Skype, my username is: itbloke, I am currently coaching and mentoring quite a few people using skype, so if you want me to try get you a program together I would be delighted to do so. Just download Skype and we can have a chat about how I can help you.

Kind Regards and best of Luck my dear fellow, ~ Nemo.

the thing bout gaining muscle is i can't do much without getting really tired idk if i'm starting off to hard or whatever the problem. I have a hard time losing the fat even with exercise some goes for the muscle i'm basically stuck. Also to the swimming thing there aren't any places around here to swim

Hey Tur,

Yer I can understand your problem there, its really tough, however if your having the problems you are, I can assure you it is usually diet related, would be quite happy to have chat with you and try and work it out chap, I really know how hard it can be, you can either download skype or I can call you on your landline, {I get totally free calls to landlines anywhere in the world.}

When I was in the Navy I had to deal with problems like this quite often, when I was training people for my unit, kinda got it worked out now because of it, as you can tell. Beleive it or not 50% of my physique comes purely from diet, I have been helping young Yamato of this board with his diet and Exercise, he was having the same problem as you, now he is going from strength to strength, he can't beleive what a difference a simple change of diet made.

I really would love to help if I can, but best of luck anyway, I am sure that you will get there in the end.

Kind Regards ~ Nemo.

Hmmm....with me, I have the opposite problem. I am looking to gain both muscle AND fat.

Hey Cicada,

Again I am afraid to say it is mostly down to the correct diet, if you want to have chat about it I am quite happy to do so on Skype, my user name is itbloke.

kind Regards ~ Nemo.
Floreat Etona, Et in Arcadia Ego!

I wish I knew how to swim. You're right, it's just about the best workout EVER. Its just like Apollo Creed said in Rocky 3, "...He'll use muscles he didn't even know he had..."

Hey,

I'm a certified personal trainer under ACE, I've worked for 24, Ballys, LA Fitness, and LA Boxing. I can help you out, pm me. Or take Nemo's advice, he's doing something right.

Finally remembered where I had this bookmarked. This page is right up your alley if your resources are limited.

The Prison Workout

Nemo, your diet data may help us all. Publish it please.

If you're just wanting to add mass, but you want to do it right, here are a few things you can do with your diet. I'll assume you're already on a decent strength training routine.

1. Eat several relatively small meals instead of two or three big ones. Make sure that your body has protein in it by consuming some every 3 hours or so. This will help to ensure that you don't break down muscle. If necessary, you can supplement with whey protein during the day. At night, a lot of people recommend an egg-based protein (casein, I think?).

2. Up your calories. You still want all of your foods to be good foods. The "nothing beige" rule is probably as good a guideline as any, though I'd disagree where whole grains are concerned (not sure if those count as beige). You do want to get most of your calories from protein. 70/20/10 is a good split. Fish is good, but I tend to eat a lot of boneless skinless chicken breasts. Take a week to count every calorie that goes into your body. Write down every meal and every snack. I've been doing this for about a month and a half, and I've lost 18.5 lbs. You'd be amazed how much easier it makes it to stick to a plan. If you're in the 2k range, move up to 2500 and see if that helps. If it doesn't, start adding another 200 or so calories every week.

3. Buy a scale that measures bodyfat percentage. If you're trying to add muscle, then weight is only part of the equation. These scales can be had relatively cheaply.

4. Do lots of weight training. Go easy on the cardio. Note that this is very different from just skipping cardio. Try to do 30 minutes, just as you normally should, but do movements that also require strength (swimming, pilates, box jumping, whatever). I've heard some bodybuilders say that cardio "burns up" muscle. While that's not technically true, the calories you burn via cardio are calories that your body can't use for building muscle, which goes back to #2.

5. Supplements really do work, but they're not necessary. The only necessary supplement is a multivitamin, because there's so much processed crap in our food thesedays. Above and beyond that, I'd recommend a good whey protein if you're having trouble getting protein at every meal. The other stuff (creatine, NO, etc) works, but the effects aren't worth the economic costs IMO.

Well, that's what I can think of offhand. However, I'd dare say that you want to focus on adding lean mass. Don't worry about adding fat. As you get older, it will definitely get easier to add fat, but past a certain point, it's much harder to spur muscles into growth.

I was in the middle of typing up my diet and workout plans when I got disconnected and couldnt be bothered going through it again. But basically I am more than happy to offer diet or workout tips to anyone and will even make up personal exercise plans based on each persons individual circumstances. I have 3 years experience in making PEP's and fitness instructing as well as my own experience in weight, cardio, mma and wrestling training. At the minute I am swamped with coursework and final exams so Im out of training for the next two to thre weeks so if anyone wants any help with diet or exercise plans please feel free to drop me a PM and il be glad to help out.

I'm in the process of losing size myself. In four months I dropped 2 pants sizes...I'm hoping to go down one more size, then I think I'll be good to go.


1. Eat healthy. This may mean eating whole grains or cutting out white starchy foods (potatos, white rice, white flour, and white sugar) or increasing your veggies. This is probably the most important part of losing the fat and gaining the muscle. Typically it helps to lower your carbs and increase your protein. I suggest a protein shake within 30 minutes after you work out.

2. Will power. It takes a whole lot of will power to keep on yourself with the dietary change and the exercise. I tend to think "What Would Batman Do?" because he never gives up.

3. Cardio Exercise - This is going to increase your endurance, burn the fat, and make you feel a whole lot better. Running, kickboxing, swimming, etc

4. Weight Training - This is going to increase your muscle mass.

i'm really new to all of this

i'd like to put on my muscle as well, and while i do have a limited number of weights, my complex also has a pool which i would really like to take advantage. but not being strong swimmer (like REALLY bad) what else can i do in the pool to help my body?

First off, Welcome Nightbird. Please feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduction forum.

Secondly, you can help to really help to tone your body by doing in the water boxing or kickboxing. Water has more resistance than air, so you should be able to build your body up more efficiently


Edit: Great to see another California based hero

You can always swim laps with a snorkel mask and flippers. That way you don't have to worry about breathing - which seems to be the biggest problem for bad swimmers.

Water aerobics are fun AND you never really feel like you overheat because you're in water. I recommend having a water bottle handy though because you will dehydrate before you realize it.