Best way to tone up.

[Marcg868]

Basically im trying to put on the weight and muscle tone that i used to have back on.

I dont want body building results, but i do want to be a bit broader than i currently am, on my shoulders and arms etc

Now because i cant really afford the gym at the moment. Is there some decent exercise i could do at home, i only have dumb bells at the moment, so any other equipment that isnt going to cost the earth?

Also what ways can i adjust my diet, just so i can bulk up fast.

Ive been doing my weights at home now for 6 weeks and not noticing much difference apart from Veinier arms !
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JACK, MISS YOU LOADS YOU LEGEND.

[AJI]

Do press-ups. Buy some press up bars from argos or somewhere, that's what I did.

If you put them close together it excercised your forearms, put them shoulder width and it excercises your upper arms more, and put them greater than shoulder width apart and it does your chest more. Wherever you put them, it excercises your abs because you're using them to keep your body straight from your toes to your shoulders.

Bars are better than pressups on just your hands because it doesn't put too much pressure on your wrists, you can keep your wrist in line with your forearms which means you don't fatigue as quickly.

They only cost about a tenner so they won't break the bank.
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[pa_broon74]

Press ups are good, as explained above.

Keeping them close together with your elbows tucked in to your sides (arms parallel to your body) will excercise your triceps which is a hard muscle to work on.

To develop the three heads of muscle on the shoulders I usually do dumbell push ups (sitting vertically, lifting the weights to meet above your head.) I never know what these excercises are called... Also starting with the bells held down by your sides, keep your arms straight and lift them straight out in front of you or to the side. (If you see what I mean.)

Never sure whether to do both arms at the same time or one by one, the latter is much easier. If you're looking to tone up up, lots of reps with lighter weights, if you're looking to build body mass, heavy weights/less reps and up your protein intake.

Obviously since I'm still a bit of a fat bastard even after having been at the gym for 5 or more years, you can either take this advice or leave it.

Good luck.
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Didn't catch anything.

[Ahmato_]

The only thing I can do is echo what the lads above have said. I suggest you take in as much protein as possible, but you probably already knew that.

Oh, and don't stop. I've found if I skip a night because I'm tired or something good is on the telly, its hard to get back into the swing of things properly.


GL
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SavageKymco wrote: lol yea yea, im just gettin food here, keep my strength up you know. all this killing takes a lot out of a guy Ha ha

[killa]

There are some good home work out vids on metacafe.com
Some are from mens health forums and are piss easy to do, there's even one where you use a sofa!!
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Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.
Bike:- Yamaha TRX850 | Killas Biking History | Killas Gaming History | Killas autmotive history

[_Will_]

Eat more, do weights and a little bit of cardio, simple as that.

You want to be eating complex carbs, lean protein, good fats.
I.E fish, egg whites, chicken, wholegrains, pulses.

Weights 2-3 times a week with a 2 day rest inbetween.
Pressups, crunches, squats will all help.

To gain muscle you need to be eating lots for hypertrophy to work.

You won't get a bodybuilder type physique, its like a full time job to maintain. The above won't do that in a million years
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[craigie b]

Right, you can take snippets of advice from many people here (myself included) who have various degrees of experience, success and results. Then start everyday doing x press ups, x sit ups then get bored and disappointed that fuck all happened.

Or you can seek a world class experts advice, for peanuts IMO by simply buying one of this guys books.

https://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html

https://www.rosstraining.com/infiniteintensity.html



I started this program 4 weeks ago and have noticed body mass change all ready, as long as you follow the program...may require a gym though.....

https://www.building-muscle101.com/

[st3v3]

I'm sorry but I never trust all these... Supplement type diet things and body builders courses, I see it like steroids, if you don't keep to them you lose the advantage they gave, which you never really worked for, more of a "get big quick" scheme..

I prefer to work out at home as the likes of pa_broon suggested, 10 mins hard work every night can after a while show its effect and there's not much more satisfying.


Or do I have this all wrong?
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[craigie b]

Ross Enamit (SP?) is a world class athlete trainer, has trained some big names in boxing and knows his shit, which is sports science. There is nothing magical about his routines and advice. You work fucking hard and that's how you get results.

10 minutes a night will see you in two month with no further gains. Fact is you stop that, you lose that gains.

Point is, if your going to even waste ten minutes of your time why not make sure you do ten minutes of stuff that you know will work rather than get a bunch of half arsed replies from people on a bike forum? ANd there are guys on here who know their shit, but their advice will get diluted out by others who don't, thus giving the poor fella even more confusion!

If you don't know what will work then go find someone who does know, for certain, and get their advice.

At which point did you read supplement in my last post? All I pointed at was materials that contained training advice, dietary advice, and training routines. There's nothing magical or false about a spot of hard work.

[pa_broon74]

Half arsed replies on a bike forum might be more useful than you'd imagine. What makes you think the comments on body building forums are any more (or less) veracious?

bwfc said in the OP that he didn't want to be a body builder, just tone up. I suppose if you wanted to be a world class athlete you might take advantage of Ross Enamit's advice, but if you just want to shed the bingo wings and love handles perhaps the reasonable utterings here will suffice after all.

I'd agree with the ten minute thing though, it won't be enough. 30 mins three or four times week will see results after a while. You do need to keep at it though.

I hate going to the gym but enjoy finishing, the thought of going in is crap but you know you'll come out feeling refreshed and enervated.

Obviously, my body is a temple though... Takes up the whole block...
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Didn't catch anything.

[craigie b]

[pa_broon74]

I think you're over complicating it, if you read the original post you see he doesn't really want to join a gym & doesn't want to be a body builder.

[_Will_]

[craigie b]

[TUG]

man i used to be toned, but after my accident i lost all focus, it takes dedication, and about 90% of your spare time none stop, every min u have push ups, i used to do em at work even.
i have a bench and bar and dumbells, i bought for roughly £120 and are made by York very good stuff has lasted 2 yrs and still look new with regular use. you will see results instantly too btw after a good couple of days of hard work
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Haz ER-5, innit!

[pa_broon74]

[st3v3]

[craigie b]

[Itchy]

what? BWFC trying to gain bulk? ,

Not possible for some BG info BWFC looks like a famine victim at the best of times, tall and very thin....

however ...

chin ups loads of the damned things,

and upsidedown situps (thats where you hang from the ceiling),

I do have this spring loaded muscle thing that Kev used to use , and he used to be a pretty beefy bloke (but its more a tendon thing)
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[st3v3]

Itchy...

Craigee bee, Don't matter, forget it.
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Roger wrote: Women don't get damp for clingy puppies. Get some better happy pills, hit the gym & buy a medallion the size of a dinner plate. Job done

[_Will_]

[bazza]

As a confirmed lardass and spectacularly unfit specimen, I'd recommend having a look round this guy's site. Plenty of advice, videos and interesting things to break up the exercise routine boredom - I mean, a sledgehammer? Sandbags?


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[TomR6]

You said you've got dumbells, I'd advise getting a 'powerbar' it lets you do pull ups in your doorway and wide grip pressups.

Other than that, do dips in the corner of your kitchen work surfaces, and vary your pressup incline, put your feet on something higher.

Don't be afraid of taking protein shakes, they help. They arn't going to make you huge.

With the dumbells, I'd do some dumbell presses and military presses. Freeweights are very good. You good do squats aswell with the dumbells in each hand, remember to push through your heels though, not your toes.
I'd try and get a barbell and a bench.

More importantly, a good figure is made in the kitchen. Clean your diet etc.
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2005 Yamaha R6

[Itchy]

you can borrow me spring loaded bar if you want, as said its not mine it was left to me ,
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Johnny GSX-R]

Best thing to do is visit a website dedicated to the subject Mark.

I spent months on weights and taking supliments until i met a chap called 'Dorian Yates'.. He gave me advice i'll never forget.
"Buy my book and take 3 gym sessions off to read it and THEN go back and do as i advised".
All these dumb arse excersises were wasting energy for nothing in return. I started to take notice of the book and very quickly gained a massive ammount of muscle mass, so much in fact that i was drug tested at work only 6 months after.
I trained for 3 hrs a night over 6 nights a week for 2 years. I got so broad that people were commenting on my size, especially across the shoulders.

Mark, stay away from heavy weight and concentrate solely on comfortable to lift stuff. I nearly popped a bollock each time i went, nearly followed through on several occasions