Using Bodyweight Exercises/Interval Training to Replace Weight Training

[T-Money]

Hi All.
Just a FYI. We've had a couple of discussion recently re. strength training and the limitations that some cardios suggest. I've been researching the effectiveness of bodyweight training for adding muscle and burning fat. There are a couple of good books. The one I'm a big fan of is You are Your Own Gym by Mark Lauren (www.marklauren.com). Because my cardio told me push ups and pull ups were OK, I've started doing strength training with body weight exercises and like the results so far. It is also a cheap way to get a workout because you don't need equipment. Since running has always been considered OK by my cardio, I'm also looking into high intensity interval training as a way of kicking up the calorie burning by doing sprints, jumping rope, biking, etc. If anyone has consulted their cardio on either bodyweight training or interval training, please chime in. Also, if you have any comments on this general plan for losing weight/adding muscle, I'd love to hear what you think.
T

 

[Philip B]

Exercise?

Exercise?

My cardiologist didn't put any restrictions on me for exercise stuff following my AVR surgery. He's been happy with my efforts to maintain my exercise program. During a check-up about a year after my AVR surgery, he made a comment that he wished more of his patients would stick with their exercise programs after OHS because he has too much repeat business.

-Philip

 

[JeffM]

Hi T,

Have you looked into P90X or CrossFit? While some of the exercises in these programs use weights, the focus is on lighter stuff, solid form and keeping cardiovascular intensity high in order to maximize time spent exercising. A lot of what they do can be done without weights. Additionally, I've found new or variations on familiar exercises by doing google searches and I've incorporated many of these moves into my workouts. It's amazing how much strength building one can do with just a yoga ball and a Bosu. I'm partial to pull-ups but since I don't have a bar in my house, I need to go to our (free!) community gym for that. I personally prefer to do 12 to 20 reps of an exercise as I believe this provides the max benefit in terms of strength building and muscular endurance. Everyone has his own philosophy, but I'm a big fan of getting the most out of my time spent, so I'm not big on dozens or hundreds of reps of any one exercise....cycling being the exception, but that is unavoidable if I'm to be able to ride the distances, speeds necessary to keep up with my competitive peers.

 

[tprice54]

I'll chime in on the running intervals. I would not do them more than once a week. Alternate intervals with long runs, easy runs. Too much of any one can lead to injuries.

 

[Philip B]

Fun Factor

Fun Factor

Don't forget the fun factor with your exercise program. If you enjoy running intervals, run intervals.

Another issue involves your training goals. I focus my training routines on working within specific heart rate zones. I typically structure my training routines to put me into the high end of my zones for specific periods of time. I can see where your work with intervals could help you push your heart rate to the high end. Is that what you're after?

I've never really liked running too much. Interval running used to be a way to get running over with quickly. As my joints have grown older, I've started jogging more frequently because the impact of jogging doesn't hurt my joints as much.

-Philip

 

[epstns]

I did pretty much what you're suggesting -- for about 30 years. What started me on the body-weight exercise was Army Basic Training. They manage to get almost anyone into shape, without the use of weights, equipment or tools. At my peak, I was doing over 150 push-ups every morning - must have looked like the old Mighty Mouse cartoon. . .

Now I'm on hold - no weights or running until after surgery, but I think it did help me to hold out as long as I have.

 

[SumoRunner]

I do pushups, etc. in the off season. Most runners don't take an off season but I just hate running in winter, so I do very little of it in Jan-Feb. Each year during that time I work on the upper body and let the legs and feet heal from whatever damage I did the rest of the year. I follow the www.onehundredpushups.com plan but continue beyond the 6 weeks. I worked up to 300-350 three days a week with a max of 420 by late March then started tapering off as I picked up the running mileage again.

Arms, chest & shoulders were ripped, but the belly was still too prominent. Sigh.

 

[nate_c]

I'll chime in on the running intervals. I would not do them more than once a week. Alternate intervals with long runs, easy runs. Too much of any one can lead to injuries.

Hey, Tom. I'm curious about your post. I've always liked intervals, and I tend to do full interval sessions about once a week. Did you mean to suggest this limitation for valve reasons, or just general running strategy so as not to over-train? If you'd heard, for example, that intervals can be especially hard on replacement valves or something to that effect, I'd be interested in knowing more, especially since these days I think many of us probably add strides to the ends of most runs (short, high-intensity intervals of about 30 seconds or so).

 

[BillCobit]

I've had to find alternatives to weights as I've gotten older. I've used some of the exercises from bodyrock.tv (which I've learned are also similar to routines recommended by Mens' Health magazine). When I was a young man I was oriented toward hypertrophy-inducing exercises, but my joints can't take the heavy weights anymore (and the "heavy" weights have gotten lighter :redface2. I have found bodyweight exercises to be good for preserving functional strength and avoiding injury.