UKC

I've reached my mid-thirties and never managed to get properly in shape, despite climbing one a week and running 2-3 times a week i've never developed any muscle tone and still a bit flabby. Since becoming a father a year ago have really struggled to find the time to do any exercise.
Can anyone recommend any books or training plans which require about 30 mins a day which I can do at home?
What to loose the tub and gain a bit of muscle tone (not looking to be ripped)

In reply to DreadyCraig:

Pilates or yoga maybe?

In reply to DreadyCraig:

Eric Horst Condtioning for Climbing is good, helps you identify and work on weaknesses and has training plans incl aerobic, stretches, strength training you can do at home e.g. pull ups, etc.

In reply to DreadyCraig:

I can't give any advise on books for climbing training but I will say if your 'flabby' its your diet and sugar intake that needs looking at for most mate.

In reply to ADHDean:

Yeah I agree with that.the main aim is still to build up my upper body a bit, geta bit of muscle definition in my shoulders and arms.

In reply to DreadyCraig:

1. Stop eating processed food. If you can hunt it with a stick or dig it up then eat away.
2. Do sprint intervals of 10-30s with a minutes' rest in between for 5-8 sets. Repeat these 2-3 times a week.
3. Do chinning, handstands, planches and bodylevers (google Gymnastic Bodies for more info or progressions, sets and reps).
4. Skip breakfast and eat a nutritious lunch and tea. No snacking.

In reply to DreadyCraig:
If you can find some where to hang them, gymnast rings are are a pretty flexible trianing tool for chin ups, press ups, planks, levers, dips etc and are really good for core strength. You can get pretty knackered in 30 minutes with them. You can get a cheap set for about £15. There is a section in the gimmekraft book I think.

In reply to DreadyCraig:

Depends what kind of thing you're into, and what kind of long term outcome you want. For just looking better and feeling a bit stronger, the two key things are diet and strength training. There are different ways of getting there.

If you're motivated to move your lifestyle on a bit, then read 'Racing Weight' to deal with diet (or google Josh Hillis and download some of his stuff), stick with doing some cardio that you enjoy(eg get out running a couple of times a week), buy a basic bodyweight strength book like Pavel's 'Naked Warrior' and start doing some of the workouts a couple of times a week.

There are lots of alternatives to the Pavel book if you can't stomach all the Russian secret service hokum, but many strength training books will (rightly) get you in a gym squatting, pressing etc. This is the best way to achieve your goals, but is probably more of a commitment than you have suggested you can make (which is totally fair enough).

If you don't want to go to a gym, and would prefer something a bit more motivational and structured for a 'quick hit', don't dismiss the big commercial workout packages like PX90. It's designed to do at home with minimum kit. If you want something disciplined to jolt you forward, these kinds of packages will give you all the information you need and can be really effective. I know both beginners and experienced sportsmen who really like the programme and got good results. The downside with these programmes is that it can be hard to stick with them, and you still need to address the long-term lifestyle issues. On the other hand, if it gets you in shape and gives positive momentum, stick with it.

Bear in mind that all of the above is linked to your goal of losing fat and gaining a bit of muscle, and assumes that you don't want to spend hours reading training blogs and getting bogged down in arguments and disputes.

You will get a million different answers. They are all right. The approach that will work is the one that you actually carry out. Find something for diet and something for strength/training, and stick at it for six weeks. Then evaluate.

Good luck,
Mark

In reply to hamsforlegs:

One thing I would caution about with regard to commercial packages (PX90, Crossfit etc....), they will make you exhausted...but that isn't the same as making you stronger, leaner or better at whatever it is that you want to be better at. There may also be better ways of achieving the same goals.

In reply to Shani:

I suspect that's right.

On the other hand, if you are disciplined enough to do what they advise and work in at your own pace, they do work for some people.

They absolutely would not be my personal choice, but they have their place.

In reply to Shani:

I'm interested in your last point regarding skipping breakfast, as it seems at odds with conventional, medical recommendations. What's the rationale behind the suggestion?

FWIW, I couldn't last the morning if I skipped breakfast, whereas lunch I quite often skip, particularly at the w/e.

In reply to DreadyCraig:

You may not like the brutality of it, so let's start easy. This is what muscle tone is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle_tone
It does not have much (if anything) to do with how you look like.

Please read the following two articles and don't be put off by the language and the straightforward message:
http://crossfitimpulse.com/lies-damned-lies-and-muscle-tone
http://www.leangains.com/search/label/Training (read just the first long article from 27/Sep/2011 for now)

Please note that Martin Berkhan, the author of the second article, trained less than 2 hours a week to get where he is.
I currently do the same: 2-2.5h a week heavy weights training and in my case it is a single session, although admittedly that comes on top of the climbing training (my priority).
Results are good: better look and much better strength.

In short I agree with Mark: diet and strength training should help.
(Some heavy exercises can be done at home, like weighted pull-ups).

In reply to Fraser:

If you want to read scientific background for skipping breakfast again please read Martin Berkhan's website:
http://www.leangains.com

In reply to Fraser:



'conventional, medical recommendations' are often WAY behind the evidence curve. They still caution against red meat and saturated fat. They still advise grain heavy diets (from a limited source of grains, largely regardless of processing methods), fruit juices and margarine.

Fat has three broad roles (ignore any pun), i) to protect your inner organs, ii) to insulate, iii) to provide a source of fuel.

We are interested in number 3. You are fasting when you are asleep. You are in a state of fat-burning when you wake up in the morning. You are eating your fat stores. What's not to like? Why cut lipolysis short?

During this overnight fast there are various hormonal changes that ramp up fat burning, autophagy etc... and approach a state of optimum return on investment at around the 16 hours mark (Read "Eat Stop Eat" for details of this).

If you can't skip breakfast then the metabolic pathway governing your fat burning appears to be compromised. You can up-regulate it though.

In reply to Shani:


Once again please, this time in English.

In reply to seankenny:


You can improve your ability to metabolize fat.

In reply to ADHDean:

I have always found I can eat what I like if I exercise. If I don't exercise and eat healthily it has little effect.

In reply to marsbar:

I used to be like that. As I've got older the position has reversed.

Now I find that I can exercise as much as I want but don't really need to eat more. If I exercise but don't eat healthily it has little effect.

Bad times.

In reply to all:
Skipping breakfast does work if your very disciplined with your diet through the day. Without meaning to sound rude I am guessing if your looking to lose weight then your not great with self discipline when it comes to the fridge. But then most of us aren't.

The trouble with missing meal 1 is you tend to make up for it through the day. An easier alternative is carb back loading. Which in layman terms is to eat your carbs around your workouts. 45 mins before, during and just after. Sounds mad I know but trust me it works.

Your body has two fuel sources, carbohydrates and fat. It can only use one source at a time. So you can program your body to use fat by eating a good amount of fat through the day. And restricting your carbon intake to around your workout when you need as much energy as possible. By doing this your body will burn the fat you hold upon your self in the process. But its not easy. You will feel energy lows at times and you need to know what foods are high and low in carbs and fat.

In reply to ADHDean:

I have read some research that shows eating a high protein breakfast in the morning satisifies appetite more than a high carbohydrate breakfast, such that the former means less total calories are consumed throughout the day. (I can search for the reference if required.)

In reply to Shani:

You will find research contradicting every theory imaginable if you look for them. The industry is just like that. I have tried every combination imaginable and can category tell you if you wish to hold on to muscle mass and burn fat you NEED to eat a high protein breakfast. You body will only burn fat or carbohydrates for a length of time before it starts looking for another source. Which only leaves muscle. You body will enter a state of catablisim (spelling :-/) which means it breaks down muscle mass in order to not need quite as many calories to maintain.

If Craig or any one else wishes to build a bit of muscle along the way (very hard while losing fat though) then its best to air on the side of caution I would say and have a nice high protein, moderate to high fat low carb breakfast.

A good example, 250g minced beef with spinach or 4-6 WHOLE eggs cook how you like but if frying get on the 'Coconut oil' band wagon. Google its benefits, amazing stuff. Its transformed my diet and metabolic rate.

In reply to DreadyCraig:

Yoga & tobata's