Beginner

Sup everyone. Well i have a few questions, as do probably everyone who first joins here.

Let me start off by saying that I have been interested in martial arts all my life, I even took karate for about a month or so when i was around 8 - 9 yrs old. But for some reason my mother took me out of it. So now im just this fat guy who does nothing but sit on his PC all day and night :.

The reason i am posting though is we just got a new punching bag. And i was wanting to know what kind of exercises I could do to get in shape with it. Now I have a lot of work to do. I mean im standing at about 5-7 to 5-8 at around 290 something lbs.....you see what im saying.

I have weights, and a weight bench...but i never use it. I lack motivation. But i do believe i am getting motivated from watching all the UFC and everything and now i for real want to get in shape.

So i'm basically wanting to know what are some basic simple routines that I can do that work fast, and are safe. Now i not only want to lose fat, but i want to gain muscle as well. So i figure this is prolly the right place to ask.

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Hmm, well you could use some cardiovascular work if you are looking to lose weight and combined with weight lifting you should bulk up pretty well too.

Try this:

-Exercise four times a week.
-Get a healthy balanced diet (Plenty of vitamins and minerals, the minimum amount of junk food possible)
-Do a combination of cardio and weights in your workouts but perhaps alternate these

You only need to do 1/2 an hour of exercise 4 times a week to lose weight as long as you are eating sensibly.

Workouts can include:
-1/2 hour swimming
-1/2 hour jogging
-1/2 hour cycling (fast)
-1/2 hour weight lifting (including bicep and tricep curls (3 sets or so of however many reps you can manage without straining yourself), bench and any other exercises suggested by other people)
-A 1/2 hour workout which uses no equipment as follows:
10 pushups (increase by 5 every week)
15 situps (increase by 5 every week)
20 half squats (increase by 5 every week)
8 burpees (increase by 3-4 every week)
3 sets of 10 paces spot running
add in stretching and either dorsal exercise or side bends with as many reps as you can manage
-Up to 10 minute session on the heavy bag with a 3 minute cool down between reps. As many reps as it takes to build up a sweat without overdoing it (causing strain/pain/complete exhaustion)

READ THIS IT IS IMPORTANT: If you haven't been exercising for a long time or have health concerns, you should really see your doctor before embarking on any exercise routine.

For punching bag techniques, I would suggest boxing style punches but I'm sure other people will reccommend other styles.

The boxing guard is basically keep your fists at eye level a couple of inches away from your face and keep your elbows IN by your chest. Never let your guard down, it's good muscle stamina training for your arms. In my experience, a jab is a punch with the leading arm and a cross is a punch with the rear arm. Hooks can come from either arm and generally follow a circular path to the target at waist/head height. Uppercuts come upwards from the chest height into the target area.

Always wear gloves or wrap your hands when using the bag.

It is important to learn how to properly form a fist and how to punch properly from someone who can show you first-hand. You can get injured if you do not have correct technique and it is very hard to explain these techniques accurately in words. I would suggest you look for a MA or boxing school near you and join up if you are keen on learning how to use the bag effectively.

Thanks a lot. A few more questions. Will that be safe? I mean I've read that it is unsafe to lose weight at a fast pace so I don't want to be unsafe about it, you know?
Also this is quite sad IMO, but I dont think i can even do 10 real push ups... so just do as many as possible and try to mvoe up 5 each week?

Another thing is....like I dont know what would be a good diet...like what to eat for breakfast lunch and all that. Any links you could provide for me?


And about my weights...I have a bent barbell...like i had someone stand on one end,,and i stood on the other to see if it would lift them up...and it bent, so would that affect anything?


But thanks again and that does sound like it would work, but the more and more info i get the better...so everyone post your thoughts....techniques etc....

thnx


oh and what are burpees? lol

Also...I smoke a lot of marijuana....but im trying to quit. Anyway how does this effect speed and reaction time? Could it decrease performance by a lot or what? Thnx

Firstly about the saftey issue:

*Go and see your doctor about everything you have been told by everyone on this site before embarking on any exercise routine*, he should know better than anyone here about your body and what you can handle. I am not a doctor, just giving you the routine I use myself. (Although there are some doctors on this site)

Do yourself a favour and print this entire discussion out *now* and take it to your doctor and discuss it with him as soon as you can.

If you are very overweight then I would suggest going either cycling or swimming for 1/2 an hour 4 days a week.

If you cannot do 10 pushups then do 5 to start with. If you do these four times a week you should not have a problem increasing the repetitions the next week. The same goes for the other exercises, do as many as you can the first week and increase your repetitions every week by as many as you can up to the number I suggested above. DO NOT strain yourself or go overboard, it is counter productive and you could get injured.

About the food you should be eating:
http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/Food_Facts/Fact_Sheets/about%20_the_healthy_ eating_pyramid.asp http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/Nutrition_for_all_ages/Children/dietary_guidelines.a sp http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/Nutrit...Australians.asp http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/Food_Facts/Fact_Sheets/fact_sheets_index.asp

I'm giving you the Australian dietary information because tbh it's the one I use and trust.

Try to eat very few fats and oils whenever possible. Eat many fruits and vegetables and don't go overboard when eating pasta, bread, rice and potatoes.

DO NOT DIET OR STARVE YOURSELF, IT NEVER WORKS.

It is probably a bad idea to use the damaged barbell, it could affect your posture and maybe cause injury.

Here's how to do a burpee, you'll be surprised to see how difficult it is:
http://www.warriorforce.com/articles/burpeeclip.htm

As to the effects of marijuana:
http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/teenpg7-8.html http://www.nida.nih.gov/MarijBroch/teenpg9-10.html

I am certain that it will at least decrease your lung capacity and endurance, as well as slowing your reaction time and probably fine motor skills. Drugs which affect the central nervous system often have these effects, however because I am not a healthcare professional, if you want to find out the exact effects you should consult your doctor.

I would suggest you seek a support group to quit smoking and make sure your family and close friends knows you want to quit because they will help you. It can apparently be quite difficult to quit but if you really want to be healthier and happier I'm sure you will do it.

Good on you for wanting to quit! [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

P.S. To the other posters in this website (preferably doctors): Please correct me if you see anything I am saying wrong here, I do not want to be giving incorrect advice.

[This message has been edited by Leo_E_49 (edited 03-19-2005).]

Thanks a lot. I plan on using all this information you have givin me, and I will keep you guys updated on my progress, that is if you would like.

But all my life I have been overweight and unhealthy and I now do want to make a change, before I end up having a heart attack or something, like many other overweight people.

So again thanks and just let me know if you would like to be kept updated on my situation.

Later
ribbs

Well why not? I think people here could help you out with motivation. I find many inspiring stories on this website.

I'm glad that you are being proactive about your situation. You should be proud of yourself.

Good luck on your quest for a healthier lifestyle!

Thanks...and it's true, even though you don't know someone and they're still willing to help you out and give you advice, thats awsome. That is one of the good things about the internet I think.

But yea. About some of the exercises like jumping rope...I was acting like i was jumping rope the other day right, and I guess it is too much weight going on my ankles or something, but it made the top of my foot, like where the tounge of you shoe would go hurt. Everytime i walk forward on it it hurts. Not as much as it did yesturday, but there is still a little pain. So what do you think? Weight or weak ankles? Or both? lol

Possibly a combination of both. You haven't trained your muscles supporting your ankles enough yet to support your weight yet. I do however know some people who are overweight who, because they have trained their ankle strength, can do those exercises.

I would advise to refrain from doing anything involving your feet taking the impact of your bodyweight until you have lost enough weight for it not to hurt. (i.e. do not do running or jogging) This is why I suggested a 1/2 hour of cycling or swimming 4 times a week as a good starting exercise. These activities are easy on your joints and will probably help you keep fit well into old age.

Until you have lost some weight and feel more trim, it is a good idea to focus on light cardiovascular exercises combined with your weight lifting. Even going out for a brisk walk every day for 30 minutes will help (imho better than going on a tredmill if you are in a nice neighbourhood).

Also, because you are attempting to do these exercises it indicates to me that you have not seen your doctor about this routine. It is VERY (and I mean VERY) important that you see your doctor before you start ANY exercise routine and confirm that it is safe for you BEFORE you start. The reason that I say this is because you have never really exercised in your life and I do not know what condition your body is in or whether you have any blood, breathing, muscle, etc, disorders. I would tell anyone who is overweight to see their doctor FIRST when they have been given a possible routine.

MAKE SURE YOU PRINT THIS ENTIRE THREAD OUT TODAY. (Or copy it down word for word if you can't print) Then go along to your doctor AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and discuss your routine with him. Talk about how you are planning to pace yourself and when (date) you are going to introduce new exercises into your routine. Talk to him about what is safe for you and what nutritional requirements you have. IF YOU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT then you will pay the consultation fee. (if your doctor sees you for free like students get here in the UK, even better)

Hey Ribbs,

This doesn’t directly answer your question but your post really struck a chord for me. In some ways I used to be like you, except I was a very scrawny 5'11", 130lbs. I smoked pot on a nearly daily basis, smoked 1 1/2 packs of cigarettes a day and drank to get drunk several times a week. The problem with pot is it limits your ambition and energy and often leads to depression. It's really hard to like yourself and get things done if you smoke a lot of pot. Every day I’d tell myself I was going to start getting things done and every day I’d just end up getting stoned and depressesd and another empty day older. Though it was occasionally pleasant in the long run pot is a dreary and depressing drug that saps your life force. It’s really hard to change your life when you’re stoned all the time.

When I was 26 I got sick of my non-life and went to Narcotics Anonymous (NA) which, despite its misleading name is for anyone with any kind of drug problem whether its pot, heroin, prescription drugs, alcohol...whatever. People who shot heroin for 30 years sit side by side with 15 year olds who’ve been smoking pot for a few months, the only thing they might have in common is they want to get and stay clean and are there to help themselves and each other. It was a bit scary at first but the people there were very nice and I ended up making a lot of solid long term friendships. I even found a couple of girlfriends there. It really changed my life in a very significant and positive way. I’m 46 and 170 lbs now and still don’t smoke pot or cigarettes or drink, the strongest thing I use is coffee and I limit that to two cups a day.

If there are no NA meetings in your area you might want to try AA, they don’t usually care what your drug of choice was, or some other 12 step program. You might also want to get in touch with a therapist of some sort. I found that for me it was really really important to have positive people around to help me get and stay clean. It made all the difference. It’s much more difficult to do it alone, if not impossible. Also being around people who are knowledgeable about addiction will help make you aware of “soft” addictions such as watching TV, sitting at the computer, porn, shopping, etc and can help you with those things if necessary.

Having positive people around also goes for working out. If there are no MA schools around join a gym or health club with friendly and helpful people to work out with. It’s a lot harder to slack off when you’re surrounded by witnesses. Also, if you’re paying you’re more motivated to get your money’s worth. You might be self conscious about your weight but most people will admire you for taking action and be very nice and helpful, I know, I’ve seen it at the MA schools I’ve attended.

You will have setbacks, everyone does, but keep on trying and trying and trying and you will succeed.

lol thanks man, but I honestly don't think I need NA classes. I can do this without them IMHO. However, I do plan on joining a MA school. The only ones around here (that I know of) are Kickboxing(which is the one I would probably join) and Karate.

The kick boxing one has a gym in it, and I believe if your a member you can go and use it anytime you want. I've also heard that the instructer there is better than the one at the karate place, so I dunno.

But 1st I have to let my system clean out, then I plan to go get a job at tyson(A chicken factory) it pays pretty good, and has good insurance(which I really need right now, because of cavities) and like 3 of my friends plan on going to. so we're gonna car pool or something.

But thanks again for all your replies and support, I look forward to my new future and what it's going to bring. Hopefully happiness and a sense of well being.

Thnx
ribbs