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I used to work out much more intensely than I do now. It was almost 7 days a week, tons of running, ab work, boxing, etc...I no longer have time for that. I can still dedicate about an hour and a half or so a day to working out but I don't really know what to do anymore. I am 6'2. At my peak I was down to 168 and extremely toned. I am up to about 190 now and want to melt some fat away and build important muscle groups...I don't care about show muscle at all.
I enjoy running and still do that...I try to get 5-7 miles/night. However running obvious doesn't work the core, which I have been led to believe is the most important part of the body to work out.
So, in addition to my running, do you recommend I strictly focus on working the core too? Or should I work other groups? Again, I could not care less about show muscles and looking buff. I am aiming to build long term health.
I have access to the following:
Exercise Bike
Heavy Bag
Medicine Ball
The Perfect Pushup
Pull up bar
Very light leg weights
Resistance bands
Just to make my question clear, should I strictly work the core and if so what is the most effective way to do so? And if I should work more than that (aside from running) what should I work and how? Thanks for any help, I am really lost.
I used to work out much more intensely than I do now. It was almost 7 days a week, tons of running, ab work, boxing, etc...I no longer have time for that. I can still dedicate about an hour and a half or so a day to working out but I don't really know what to do anymore. I am 6'2. At my peak I was down to 168 and extremely toned. I am up to about 190 now and want to melt some fat away and build important muscle groups...I don't care about show muscle at all.
I enjoy running and still do that...I try to get 5-7 miles/night. However running obvious doesn't work the core, which I have been led to believe is the most important part of the body to work out.
So, in addition to my running, do you recommend I strictly focus on working the core too? Or should I work other groups? Again, I could not care less about show muscles and looking buff. I am aiming to build long term health.
I have access to the following:
Exercise Bike
Heavy Bag
Medicine Ball
The Perfect Pushup
Pull up bar
Very light leg weights
Resistance bands
Just to make my question clear, should I strictly work the core and if so what is the most effective way to do so? And if I should work more than that (aside from running) what should I work and how? Thanks for any help, I am really lost.
You can do a lot of ab work without any equipment. With the pullup bar, you should be able to add hanging leg raises. You are getting enough cardio exercise, what I would focus on is low rep (under 12) resistance. You don't have much to do that. I'm not completely sold on the "core" concept. It could have benefits but I think it is more of a marketing concept. Don't run with the leg weights under any circumstance.
I used to work out much more intensely than I do now. It was almost 7 days a week, tons of running, ab work, boxing, etc...I no longer have time for that. I can still dedicate about an hour and a half or so a day to working out but I don't really know what to do anymore. I am 6'2. At my peak I was down to 168 and extremely toned. I am up to about 190 now and want to melt some fat away and build important muscle groups...I don't care about show muscle at all.
I enjoy running and still do that...I try to get 5-7 miles/night. However running obvious doesn't work the core, which I have been led to believe is the most important part of the body to work out.
So, in addition to my running, do you recommend I strictly focus on working the core too? Or should I work other groups? Again, I could not care less about show muscles and looking buff. I am aiming to build long term health.
I have access to the following:
Exercise Bike Heavy Bag Medicine Ball
The Perfect Pushup Pull up bar
Very light leg weights Resistance bands
Just to make my question clear, should I strictly work the core and if so what is the most effective way to do so? And if I should work more than that (aside from running) what should I work and how? Thanks for any help, I am really lost.
Poster, I am not a fitness expert nor do I profess to be. I'm just simply sharing and making a recommendation based on my own personal fitness journey through the years. I suggest you work your entire body in addition to the core, as it is meant to work as one unit. Working exclusively on one part and not the others will lead to injury. I also like the fact that your are not concerned with looks, yet more with functionality. However, you will still reap the cosmetic by-products, yet have a functional body.
I also bolded the equipment that will be the most beneficial to you. Additionally, you can also do an intense, full body workout in 10-15 minutes using bodyweight only when you don't have much time. On weekends or when you have more time, you could incorporate weights and other equipment. An example of the full body routine would be:
You could do this circuit a few times, going from each excercise without rest. Take a minute or two between circuits. It is a simple, yet intense routine that will get your heart going, help to burn fat and strengthen your core. I do something similar during the week before work. The object is to excercise so that you feel "good", yet a bit spent when you are done.
I am personally past the point of complicated routines, gyms, fitness gimmicks and long workouts. At my age now I like to keep it simple, yet effective. I have been revamping my own workouts, cutting away what's not working and making them "portable", shorter and practical for my own needs. This in turn has renewed my enthusiasm and cut back drastically on nagging injuries.
I also replaced my long distance running (3-5 miles 3x a week) to simply walking a prescribed course, doing some sprints and dropping for pushups. I repeat this a few times. LD running at one point began to make me feel run down and got boring and repetitive. Moderate sprinting will be much easier on your joints and much more effective in long term fast loss.
If you don't have these items, a jump rope and ab wheel will also be very helpful, the latter in strengthening you core.
Poster, I am not a fitness expert nor do I profess to be. I'm just simply sharing and making a recommendation based on my own personal fitness journey through the years. I suggest you work your entire body in addition to the core, as it is meant to work as one unit. Working exclusively on one part and not the others will lead to injury. I also like the fact that your are not concerned with looks, yet more with functionality. However, you will still reap the cosmetic by-products, yet have a functional body.
I also bolded the equipment that will be the most beneficial to you. Additionally, you can also do an intense, full body workout in 10-15 minutes using bodyweight only when you don't have much time. On weekends or when you have more time, you could incorporate weights and other equipment. An example of the full body routine would be:
You could do this circuit a few times, going from each excercise without rest. Take a minute or two between circuits. It is a simple, yet intense routine that will get your heart going, help to burn fat and strengthen your core. I do something similar during the week before work. The object is to excercise so that you feel "good", yet a bit spent when you are done.
I am personally past the point of complicated routines, gyms, fitness gimmicks and long workouts. At my age now I like to keep it simple, yet effective. I have been revamping my own workouts, cutting away what's not working and making them "portable", shorter and practical for my own needs. This in turn has renewed my enthusiasm and cut back drastically on nagging injuries.
I also replaced my long distance running (3-5 miles 3x a week) to simply walking a prescribed course, doing some sprints and dropping for pushups. I repeat this a few times. LD running at one point began to make me feel run down and got boring and repetitive. Moderate sprinting will be much easier on your joints and much more effective in long term fast loss.
If you don't have these items, a jump rope and ab wheel will also be very helpful, the latter in strengthening you core.
Good luck.
I forgot to mention I do have a jump rope too. I truly appreciate the advice from everyone. Could you please tell me what you think of this routine?
Cardio 5 nights a week (either running, jump rope, or exercise bike).
In addition to that, 3 days in a row (Monday, Tues, Weds):
Core/Abs:
Crunches/sit ups with 12 pound medicine ball (I used to do sets of 50 4 times)
The bicycle (also used to do sets of 50, 4 times)
Plank/Side plank (30 seconds each, 4 times)
Mountain climbers (not sure on how much to do)
Pull-ups (used to do 5 sets of 12, I am now thinking of more sets with lower reps. Agree?)
Push ups (Do you recommend using the perfect push up to vary, or should I just do regular push ups?)
Jumping jacks (again, not sure on how many to do here, but I am in decent shape and like to push my limits)
As for leg work, I can't really do squats but I really want to strengthen my legs. What about doing some type of lunge with the medicine ball?
Again, thank you soooo much!
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