Seeking General Information

So, I'm 47, a touch overweight, and was injured recently at work. As part of my physical therapy, I had to do some weight lifting. I didn't notice any change, but my wife did and started caressing my biceps.

Who doesn't want to look good for the wife?

So, I've developed a bit of an interest in getting into better shape. The problem is, I know very little.

Today, I officially started. I did some wide push-ups. I could only do 5. About 20 minutes later, I did another 5. Twenty minutes after that, I managed 6.

So, that's 6 reps and 3 sets? I've read that 12-15 is the optimum number of reps, but I don't know how many sets I should do.

Presumably this should build triceps and maybe pecs? What about biceps? I don't have a pull-up bar, so don't recommend that. I went to a gym nearby (VASA), but they just said that everything was online and shooed me out. It left me a little cold.

Any advice?

[QUOTE=Dumoti;1605707891]So, I'm 47, a touch overweight, and was injured recently at work. As part of my physical therapy, I had to do some weight lifting. I didn't notice any change, but my wife did and started caressing my biceps.

Who doesn't want to look good for the wife?

So, I've developed a bit of an interest in getting into better shape. The problem is, I know very little.

Today, I officially started. I did some wide push-ups. I could only do 5. About 20 minutes later, I did another 5. Twenty minutes after that, I managed 6.

So, that's 6 reps and 3 sets? I've read that 12-15 is the optimum number of reps, but I don't know how many sets I should do.

Presumably this should build triceps and maybe pecs? What about biceps? I don't have a pull-up bar, so don't recommend that. I went to a gym nearby (VASA), but they just said that everything was online and shooed me out. It left me a little cold.

Any advice?[/QUOTE]

Can't speak for gyms, but pushups is a good start. No bicep activation, though. Even though you said not to recommend pullups, I recommend them anyway. [i]Get[/i] a bar. They're not expensive. You must have some interest in fitness, since you've been a member for 4 years. Start doing some general bodyweight exercises, and when the gyms open back up again, transition to light weights.

[QUOTE=Dumoti;1605707891]So, I'm 47, a touch overweight, and was injured recently at work. As part of my physical therapy, I had to do some weight lifting. I didn't notice any change, but my wife did and started caressing my biceps.

Who doesn't want to look good for the wife?

So, I've developed a bit of an interest in getting into better shape. The problem is, I know very little.

Today, I officially started. I did some wide push-ups. I could only do 5. About 20 minutes later, I did another 5. Twenty minutes after that, I managed 6.

So, that's 6 reps and 3 sets? I've read that 12-15 is the optimum number of reps, but I don't know how many sets I should do.

Presumably this should build triceps and maybe pecs? What about biceps? I don't have a pull-up bar, so don't recommend that. I went to a gym nearby (VASA), but they just said that everything was online and shooed me out. It left me a little cold.

Any advice?[/QUOTE]

Train your legs, women appreciate strong legs and glutes too. Squats, lunges, deadlifts are enough.

Find a different gym if you can. If they wouldn't help a new client, then become a client somewhere else.

Do pullups, you need to work your back. It gives a masculine V shape to your upper body, and it's good for shoulder health. Get a strong pullup bar that won't fall.

what I was doing lately is mini circuits. Pullups. You can pull up on just about anything, open the door, grab and pull till it falls off. This is your back, lats, and biceps, you wanted biceps, right?

Then horizontal pullup. You can do that by sliding legs under table and grabbing on tabletop. Here is your back and biceps again.

Next one is elevated legs, close grip, tucked in elbows pushups. This is your tricpep and front delts. Then widen grip and bring out elbows and continue for you chest. Like 20-20 or whatever you can manage.

Then, dips. Don’t ask me how you can arrange those at home - find the way.

Then, hand stand against the wall, and vertical pushups. This is upper delts.

Then we switch to situps or WHY for core.

Sissy squats for quads. And my favorite - hamstring pushups.

If you feel like, do a few pistol squats for a candy prize.

This in a nutshell a full body calistenics covid doeverythinathome workout

I would hire a qualified personal trainer to help you through some basics.
Just telling you what you should do really doesn't help you that much.
You need some hands on experience with guidance if your serious.
Good luck

Good on you for making the decision to get started, that's the hardest part! Lots of good information here on the site, start reading the stickies. Lots of smart people here on the forum, ask questions, listen to the answers.

Hey,

You have to want to get in better shape for yourself too. Getting in better shape for your wife is understandable and anything that can motivate you to start lifting is good...but after a while you will need to be into for yourself or it won't last. You have a lot of research to do.

Like everything else, ask yourself how bad do you want it? (to get in good shape-hopefully for you bad, ha)

Your pushup plan is not bad at all. Daily pushups. But you can have a whole workout regimen in addition to this. Just make sure you workout all the muscle groups of your body so you're proportional. Mostly everybody makes newbie mistakes. If you do your research right, you could save yourself a few years in wasting time just doing curls.

Again if you just want to pump up your biceps you will improve your arms but they say its like ornaments on a Christmas tree. You need a base.
Chest exercises and curls are what a lot of guys do who aren't really into it, and to each their own!
But TRY to squat in a rack sooner then later...... try to deadlift too. Research the squat and the deadlift. Start super light and BUILD.

These exercises will work so many muscle groups rather then just one. And they really give you a lot of bang for your buck.
You'll be surprised what other muscles your wife likes right?
All of a sudden your bit by the barbell bug and your learning, having fun and getting strong.

Hope this helps! Good luck on the journey.

Okay, so I joined planet fitness and today was my first day. I did some sort of a rowing machine @ 55 pounds. At first, I thought it was a two-handed lift, so I did 15 reps. Then, I read the diagrams and realized how it worked. After that, I did 30 rows (15 per arm). Four sets went without a hitch.

Next, I went to another machine that required pushing a weight up. I did 55 lbs like the other machine, but I found it much harder. The first set went fine, but the second set had me struggling to make 15. The third set I only did 12 and the last set was only 7.

Tomorrow I want to work on lower body. There's some sort of stair climbing machine, which I think is more cardio than workout. Any suggestions? My plan is m,w,f upper and tu, th lower body.

Help a newbie out.

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