Bodyweight training - better results, no gym fees

The value of bodyweight exercise – using your own body as resistance instead of machines or equipment – is often underestimated. But Virgin Active’s National Product Development Manager, Ceri Hannan, says that bodyweight exercise has stood the test of time as an effective stand-alone workout or as an integral part of health club classes.

Ceri highlights the key benefits of working with your own bodyweight:

1. High output, low investment. The main benefit of bodyweight training is to build strength without investing hours of time a week.

2. Better balance and flexibility. Relying on only your body to workout also improves balance and flexibility.

3. Control and variety. Many strength training or cardio routines can get feel monotonous but with bodyweight training, you’re completely in control of your routine.

4. Anywhere anytime. Another plus is that bodyweight training requires no special equipment or training gear.

5. Keeping it lean. The short bursts of exercise that make up a bodyweight routine have been proven to help with weight loss more effectively than long cardio sessions.

Raggamuffin wrote:I've always thought it was a more natural way to exercise, but I still can't be bothered with it. Isn't just being active enough? After all, our ancestors didn't bother with all that stuff did they?

*THE Ben Reilly* wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:I've always thought it was a more natural way to exercise, but I still can't be bothered with it. Isn't just being active enough? After all, our ancestors didn't bother with all that stuff did they?

Heck yeah, they did. There was an ancient man, I think they said he must have lived 10,000 ago, who froze on a mountainside and was very well preserved. They said he was in his 40s and had the body of one of today's elite athletes.

EDIT - Okay no, they probably didn't exercise the way we do today, but that's just because they led a physically demanding life, which kept them in shape just by living it.

eddie wrote:Your body is designed to move, it’s designed to be made of muscle, not fat. Being fat isn’t good for you.

Movement keeps everything ticking over, without it, all sorts of problems start.

*THE Ben Reilly* wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:I've always thought it was a more natural way to exercise, but I still can't be bothered with it. Isn't just being active enough? After all, our ancestors didn't bother with all that stuff did they?

Heck yeah, they did. There was an ancient man, I think they said he must have lived 10,000 ago, who froze on a mountainside and was very well preserved. They said he was in his 40s and had the body of one of today's elite athletes.

EDIT - Okay no, they probably didn't exercise the way we do today, but that's just because they led a physically demanding life, which kept them in shape just by living it.

Raggamuffin wrote:I've always thought it was a more natural way to exercise, but I still can't be bothered with it. Isn't just being active enough? After all, our ancestors didn't bother with all that stuff did they?

eddie wrote:Your body is designed to move, it’s designed to be made of muscle, not fat. Being fat isn’t good for you.

Movement keeps everything ticking over, without it, all sorts of problems start.

Raggamuffin wrote:

*THE Ben Reilly* wrote:

Heck yeah, they did. There was an ancient man, I think they said he must have lived 10,000 ago, who froze on a mountainside and was very well preserved. They said he was in his 40s and had the body of one of today's elite athletes.

EDIT - Okay no, they probably didn't exercise the way we do today, but that's just because they led a physically demanding life, which kept them in shape just by living it.

That's what I mean. They didn't set aside time to do specific exercises, they just did what their bodies were designed to so. I suppose it depends on what you do all day. I have quite a physical job, so I think of it as exercise.

Re flexibility, just things like reaching up, bending down, etc should be enough. Dancing is good - keeps you supple.

For the life of me, I can't see how things like squats work anyway.

HoratioTarr wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

That's what I mean. They didn't set aside time to do specific exercises, they just did what their bodies were designed to so. I suppose it depends on what you do all day. I have quite a physical job, so I think of it as exercise.

Re flexibility, just things like reaching up, bending down, etc should be enough. Dancing is good - keeps you supple.

For the life of me, I can't see how things like squats work anyway.

Anything that jars or overworks the joints is going to cause more wear and tear.  It's a no brainer really.   I remember watching an interview with Darcy Bussell, she said she has no cartilage left in her knees.  

I hate jogging.  My boobs have never been conducive to it.  I'm built for comfort not speed.

eddie wrote:You don’t need to go to the gym to keep fit and well.
You can do twenty minutes of body weight exercise whilst watching TV or cooking etc.

A lot of people’s skeletal and muscle aches and pains are due to improper use of the body.

nicko wrote:You can exercise your right arm [or left] in the Pub !

Raggamuffin wrote:

eddie wrote:You don’t need to go to the gym to keep fit and well.
You can do twenty minutes of body weight exercise whilst watching TV or cooking etc.

A lot of people’s skeletal and muscle aches and pains are due to improper use of the body.

But why should you need to do specific exercises? We should get all the exercise we need just doing normal things. Specific exercise is just a substitute for those normal things because a lot of people are so sedentary these days.

I like stretching exercises though - they do actually feel nice.

*THE Ben Reilly* wrote:

Raggamuffin wrote:

But why should you need to do specific exercises? We should get all the exercise we need just doing normal things. Specific exercise is just a substitute for those normal things because a lot of people are so sedentary these days.

I like stretching exercises though - they do actually feel nice.

You sort of answered your own question - we need specific exercises because we don't get the exercise we need doing normal things.

Raggamuffin wrote:

*THE Ben Reilly* wrote:

You sort of answered your own question - we need specific exercises because we don't get the exercise we need doing normal things.

I think I get enough exercise doing normal things - apart from maybe not sprinting enough.