So, a question for Rodeo or any other Orgers that want to chime in. I have to get fit quickly, really quickly, for something coming up in three weeks. This is not about weight loss, I don't have a dress to fit into, moreover that I need to do a range of fitness tests and I need to pass them all.

I am reasonably fit, though I tend to run more than anything. I think I'll be okay with the beep test. However there is a strength test and other tests to get through and I don't really want to join a gym for the sake of three weeks. What I would like to know is how to strengthen my upper body to the max at home, using no weights (or stuff I can find around the house), in as little time as possible, without doing myself an injury. This will be as well as doing some pretty challenging running tests that I've set myself and regular pilates from YouTube to strenghten my core. I also do the free full body workout on the Seven app daily.

Any suggestions very welcome.

I just got back from the gym!

OK, my best answer to your question is.....push-ups. It's the best upper-body exercise I know of, and you don't anything but floor space to do it.

The next-best exercise I know of is pull-ups. But you have to have a bar somewhere you can use.

Good luck, I know you'll do great!

I would add dips to this list and anything you can lift for biceps as well.

Here's a link for dips just to clarify, they are not easy.

https://www.manvsweight.c...s-at-home/

[Edited 4/25/19 12:01pm]

Is there a list of food and other things to stay away from? Or just eat 1 meal a day?

RodeoSchro said:

I just got back from the gym!

OK, my best answer to your question is.....push-ups. It's the best upper-body exercise I know of, and you don't anything but floor space to do it.

The next-best exercise I know of is pull-ups. But you have to have a bar somewhere you can use.

Good luck, I know you'll do great!

Thanks Rodeo, I should confess I hate push-ups. I can barely do them, even if I kneel. My upper body is that weak. At pilates once the instructor told us three ways to do them and I managed three, yes three, and I was so proud of myself! I hope you can see why I'm panicking a little. However not to be deterred I'm going to take you advice. Even if I only do a few each day it's better than not doing any.

We have a pull-up bar at the park, where they have a small outdoor gym. All I can do is hang off it. I literally cannot pull myself up an inch. What a wimp I am.

S2DG said:

I would add dips to this list and anything you can lift for biceps as well.

Here's a link for dips just to clarify, they are not easy.

https://www.manvsweight.c...s-at-home/

[Edited 4/25/19 12:01pm]

Thanks! I'm going to have a go with the chair one later today. I'll let you know how it goes.

luv4u said:

Is there a list of food and other things to stay away from? Or just eat 1 meal a day?

To be honest, I hadn't really considered changing my diet aside from adding more protein (I'm veggie so I'm always conscious of my protein intake) as I don't need to lose weight (well, I think we could all lose a few pounds but nothing major). But it wouldn't hurt me to cut out the stuff that weighs me down such as bread for a couple of weeks. I couldn't do one meal a day, I love my food too much.

maplenpg said:

RodeoSchro said:

I just got back from the gym!

OK, my best answer to your question is.....push-ups. It's the best upper-body exercise I know of, and you don't anything but floor space to do it.

The next-best exercise I know of is pull-ups. But you have to have a bar somewhere you can use.

Good luck, I know you'll do great!

Thanks Rodeo, I should confess I hate push-ups. I can barely do them, even if I kneel. My upper body is that weak. At pilates once the instructor told us three ways to do them and I managed three, yes three, and I was so proud of myself! I hope you can see why I'm panicking a little. However not to be deterred I'm going to take you advice. Even if I only do a few each day it's better than not doing any.

We have a pull-up bar at the park, where they have a small outdoor gym. All I can do is hang off it. I literally cannot pull myself up an inch. What a wimp I am.

Rome wasn't built in a day!

All that matters is GAINS. In other words, if you can do a little more today than you did yesterday, you're gaining on it.

I didn't start off doing 100 push-ups a day. In the beginning, I was lucky to do 25. But keep with it, because your body will amaze you with its ability to get stronger quickly.

I'm in your corner!

Rodeo exercises?

RodeoSchro said:

maplenpg said:

Thanks Rodeo, I should confess I hate push-ups. I can barely do them, even if I kneel. My upper body is that weak. At pilates once the instructor told us three ways to do them and I managed three, yes three, and I was so proud of myself! I hope you can see why I'm panicking a little. However not to be deterred I'm going to take you advice. Even if I only do a few each day it's better than not doing any.

We have a pull-up bar at the park, where they have a small outdoor gym. All I can do is hang off it. I literally cannot pull myself up an inch. What a wimp I am.

Rome wasn't built in a day!

All that matters is GAINS. In other words, if you can do a little more today than you did yesterday, you're gaining on it.

I didn't start off doing 100 push-ups a day. In the beginning, I was lucky to do 25. But keep with it, because your body will amaze you with its ability to get stronger quickly.

I'm in your corner!

You're absolutely right. I pushed myself today. Watched a youtube video on how to do push-ups properly and did SIX! That's amazing for me! I also got a proper chair for some tricep dips, they hurt, omg they really did. I did a youtube upper body workout too as well as my usual Seven workout - my arms have that nice feeling where they're not painful but I know I've been working them. I'm gonna get there. It'll be painful but I'm giving it my all.

2freaky4church1 said:

Rodeo exercises?

I'm a badass motherfucker.

maplenpg said:

RodeoSchro said:

Rome wasn't built in a day!

All that matters is GAINS. In other words, if you can do a little more today than you did yesterday, you're gaining on it.

I didn't start off doing 100 push-ups a day. In the beginning, I was lucky to do 25. But keep with it, because your body will amaze you with its ability to get stronger quickly.

I'm in your corner!

You're absolutely right. I pushed myself today. Watched a youtube video on how to do push-ups properly and did SIX! That's amazing for me! I also got a proper chair for some tricep dips, they hurt, omg they really did. I did a youtube upper body workout too as well as my usual Seven workout - my arms have that nice feeling where they're not painful but I know I've been working them. I'm gonna get there. It'll be painful but I'm giving it my all.

Nice work! Dips are so hard but you will be working triceps a little with push ups and other excercises.

A little every day, over time will show results.

S2DG said:

maplenpg said:

You're absolutely right. I pushed myself today. Watched a youtube video on how to do push-ups properly and did SIX! That's amazing for me! I also got a proper chair for some tricep dips, they hurt, omg they really did. I did a youtube upper body workout too as well as my usual Seven workout - my arms have that nice feeling where they're not painful but I know I've been working them. I'm gonna get there. It'll be painful but I'm giving it my all.

Nice work! Dips are so hard but you will be working triceps a little with push ups and other excercises.

A little every day, over time will show results.

Thanks, I'm gonna keep at it. If nothing else I'm good at perserverance. I will not, as a forty something female, be shown to be far less fit than the twenty somethings (I can cope with being less fit, but there is no way I'm going to show myself up by being way behind). I'm gonna keep at it.

Top tip - just went on the treadmill as it's raining out. Chose Rave Unto the Year 2000 to accompany me. I really, really shouldn't have tried to wave my arms in time with the audience about 8 minutes in!

u rockin YMCA?

2freaky4church1 said: