Bodyweight exercises for beginners

39 watchers

sallykate Jan 2021 2:27pm, 21 Jan 2021 7,453 posts	0 sallykate I'm intrigued by this and may spend February seeing if I can add bodyweight exercises into my routine. On pull ups, I've never managed one unassisted but my favourite machine back in my gym bunny days was the assisted pullups, with weights providing counterbalance. I think I was pulling about 2/3 of my weight - not entirely sure, it was a very long time ago.
Homeless Kodo Jan 2021 6:02pm, 22 Jan 2021 1,377 posts	0 Homeless Kodo It does pay to return to basics, if they don’t kill you. YTWs, Tripods & Low Hang pulls & some other stuff absolutely flattened me today.
Sharkie Jan 2021 6:10pm, 22 Jan 2021 17,217 posts	0 Sharkie My jumps group conditioning sessions include hanging leg raises. I'm excused on account of being Very Old (68 tomorrow) but am keen to master them. As they're basically hanging from a bar then swinging your legs up from the hips up so they're held parallel with the ground I'm assuming that's very much an 'active' hang, HK? Am I right? I find it quite difficult.
Nellers Jan 2021 7:22pm, 22 Jan 2021 38,096 posts	0 Nellers That's a very active hang Sharkie! In CrossFit one of the moves is called "Toes to bar" and it's exactly what it sounds like: Hang from the bar, bend and the hips and touch your toes on the bar. No chance! I'm just about capable of the simpler "knees to elbows" but not for many reps, but I'm working on it.
Homeless Kodo Jan 2021 7:33pm, 22 Jan 2021 1,378 posts	0 Homeless Kodo Depends on what you mean by active. Leg raises are active in terms of hip movement/flexion but you can still be in a passive/dead hang while doing them. The active component, from my understanding, in relation to a pull ups refers to upper body activation.
MisterTea Jan 2021 9:15am, 26 Jan 2021 5,572 posts	0 MisterTea So I started with the beginners programme yesterday. Only did the press-ups but feeling it this morning. I’m slightly nervous about the various exercises that require me hanging off door handles - afraid of breaking the doors! Today’s session is all floor based.
HappyG(rrr) Jan 2021 9:16am, 26 Jan 2021 37,271 posts	0 HappyG(rrr) I must do something today. Probably not going to run at lunch time (blisters from skiing on Sunday!) so gives me a slot to do it in. G
GimmeMedals Jan 2021 11:12am, 26 Jan 2021 19,614 posts	0 GimmeMedals Fortunately we have old doors with knobs, not handles, on our upstairs rooms and they work well for those exercises, Mister Tea. I’d be less confident on handles.
GimmeMedals Feb 2021 3:17pm, 5 Feb 2021 19,746 posts	0 GimmeMedals I'm doing 30 day challenges for squats, sit ups, wall-sit and forearm planks this month, using various Apps. I'm doing ok but always relieved when there's a rest day. I'm keeping on with 30 press ups most days too.
jennyh Feb 2021 6:31pm, 13 Feb 2021 5,575 posts	0 jennyh Well done GM! I think I need to start up with the 30 day challenges again - I’ve gone through phases of doing these in the various lockdowns, but without doing it as a daily/almost daily challenge, I seem to lack the motivation to do any bodyweight exercises