Hey guys, I'm new here, and need some help with my daily routine. The deal is that I am traveling on the road for the next two months, and have been now for two months. Thus I have no access to a gym. At home I cycle a lot to work on my leg strength, but now I'd really like to work on my chest, to define my abs and pecs. I'm not looking to get massive muscles, just to get toned. I'm 20 years old, 5'8", 130 pounds, thin and generally fit, but I want to get some muscle definition and am hoping to get a decent looking chest before returning home (to my girlfriend) in two months. Obviously I will continue working after that, but as I am traveling now on my own I have the most time to commit to a daily workout.
The routine that I have been practicing for about the last 3 weeks is just push ups and crunches
For push ups I do reps of 3, standing up after each 3, and I do 40 sets, making 120. This is a method someone recommended to me.
Recently I switched to doing sequential sets, starting with 1, getting up, then 2, getting up, then 3, and I do it up til 15, which totals 120.
I am just doing regular push ups, always full ones, touching my chest to the ground and coming all the way back up.
Is this the best way for me to be doing push ups? Should I try and do different kinds of push ups? Is it better to do 40 sets of 3 or do increasing sequences? Or is it better just to do sets of 20?
As for crunches I start with lower abs doing 20 raising my legs up in the air from a bended knee to straight up 90 degrees, and then lowering them down to almost touching the ground (sorry I dont know the official name), then i do twenty little lifts with my legs straight out in front of me lifting them 1 or two feet off the ground. then i hold for about 30 seconds with legs straight a foot of the ground.
Then for the rest I start by doing 100 normal crunches. Then 50 right oblique with knees bent to the side folded on each other, 50 left oblique, then 50 with legs raised straight 90 degrees in the air with feet twisted over each other. Then 50 with legs in a v shape in the air spread apart. then 50 in butterfly position with legs on the ground and palms of feet touching each other and knees bent, then 50 legs straight laid flat on the ground. then 50 bicycle crunches. then 50 alternating feet over each other top to bottom while legs held straight a foot of the ground and hands held out to the side a few inches off the ground.
Then after this i do 4 or 5 minutes of jumping jacks just for the hell of it.
So, is this routine good at all? I really have no idea what I'm doing, and am just fumbling in the dark to try and find the best way to better myself physically. Im stuck with no weights, no gym, and sometimes, depending on the crappyness of the hotel im staying in, i don't even have room to lay down fully on the floor. plus im traveling all over india so its hot. but i do have will and commitment and a drive to get a good looking chest before i get back.
The routine is just pieced together from bits and bobs i picked up in various places, tell me what i should drop or add. Is the crunches routine doing anything? is it necessary to do all those different kinds of crunches? is 50 of each enough? is the lower ab workout accomplishing anything? whats the best way and the most effective method/routine for push ups? should i try and use a backpack? sorry for the million questions, but I really need help.
Also, so far I've been doing this everyday, mostly in the morning, and i eat a breakfast bar and take my vitamins (mens multivitamin, flax seed, maximum vegetables, calcium) about 20 mins or half an hour before doing it. is this good?
Obviously you can see I'm new to this and not experienced, so hopefully you guys with a lot more knowledge and expertise can help. I do love working out and I am excited to get down a good, solid routine that will help me accomplish the most I can in the next two months and beyond. Thanks in advance for the advice.
With gratitude,
Harley
The routine that I have been practicing for about the last 3 weeks is just push ups and crunches
For push ups I do reps of 3, standing up after each 3, and I do 40 sets, making 120. This is a method someone recommended to me.
Recently I switched to doing sequential sets, starting with 1, getting up, then 2, getting up, then 3, and I do it up til 15, which totals 120.
I am just doing regular push ups, always full ones, touching my chest to the ground and coming all the way back up.
Is this the best way for me to be doing push ups? Should I try and do different kinds of push ups? Is it better to do 40 sets of 3 or do increasing sequences? Or is it better just to do sets of 20?
As for crunches I start with lower abs doing 20 raising my legs up in the air from a bended knee to straight up 90 degrees, and then lowering them down to almost touching the ground (sorry I dont know the official name), then i do twenty little lifts with my legs straight out in front of me lifting them 1 or two feet off the ground. then i hold for about 30 seconds with legs straight a foot of the ground.
Then for the rest I start by doing 100 normal crunches. Then 50 right oblique with knees bent to the side folded on each other, 50 left oblique, then 50 with legs raised straight 90 degrees in the air with feet twisted over each other. Then 50 with legs in a v shape in the air spread apart. then 50 in butterfly position with legs on the ground and palms of feet touching each other and knees bent, then 50 legs straight laid flat on the ground. then 50 bicycle crunches. then 50 alternating feet over each other top to bottom while legs held straight a foot of the ground and hands held out to the side a few inches off the ground.
Then after this i do 4 or 5 minutes of jumping jacks just for the hell of it.
So, is this routine good at all? I really have no idea what I'm doing, and am just fumbling in the dark to try and find the best way to better myself physically. Im stuck with no weights, no gym, and sometimes, depending on the crappyness of the hotel im staying in, i don't even have room to lay down fully on the floor. plus im traveling all over india so its hot. but i do have will and commitment and a drive to get a good looking chest before i get back.
The routine is just pieced together from bits and bobs i picked up in various places, tell me what i should drop or add. Is the crunches routine doing anything? is it necessary to do all those different kinds of crunches? is 50 of each enough? is the lower ab workout accomplishing anything? whats the best way and the most effective method/routine for push ups? should i try and use a backpack? sorry for the million questions, but I really need help.
Also, so far I've been doing this everyday, mostly in the morning, and i eat a breakfast bar and take my vitamins (mens multivitamin, flax seed, maximum vegetables, calcium) about 20 mins or half an hour before doing it. is this good?
Obviously you can see I'm new to this and not experienced, so hopefully you guys with a lot more knowledge and expertise can help. I do love working out and I am excited to get down a good, solid routine that will help me accomplish the most I can in the next two months and beyond. Thanks in advance for the advice.
With gratitude,
Harley