Exercise for Noobs

[shanmonster]

I came up with a workout for total novices who want to get used to exercising without feeling like they have an impossible task ahead of them. I recommended this one to my Mom, but who knows if she sticks with it or not.

Do the following two times in a row within a half hour. Do it three times a week. And once it no longer challenges you, I can step it up for you....

• 10 jumping jacks
  
• plank for 30 seconds
  
• 10 jumping jacks
  
• side plank for 30 seconds
  
• 10 jumping jacks
  
• side plank (other side) for 30 seconds
  
• 10 jumping jacks
  
• reverse plank 30 seconds
  
• 10 crunches
  
• 10 exercise ball squats against a wall
  
• 10 wall pushups
  
• 10 heel raises to ceiling
  

I will have to make some exercise videos to demonstrate some of this. No time right now, though. Gotta go meet with a client shortly.

Comments

[alagbon.livejournal.com]

This is of interest to me as I've been wanting to start an exercise program. Problem is that of all the things on the list I'm only certain about what jumping jacks and crunches are. Regular pushups I know, but not wall ones...

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I'll see if I can make some videos this week. Maybe one run-through of the whole workout.

[alagbon.livejournal.com]

Thank you! With the weather I haven't been walking nearly enough, and I need to be more active in general; and I have a few gym-related hangups (both psychological and financial) which make a home program an excellent idea.

[breefolk.livejournal.com]

I totally need videos, cause I am so a noob...

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I'll see if I can make some videos this week.

[icedrake.livejournal.com]

Sold. Maybe publicly mentioning the intent to do this will keep me from abandoning the undertaking a week in...

Also, what's your view on http://hundredpushups.com and its brethren?

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I think it's a good way to get good at push-ups (or whatever other exercise). Push-ups are certainly good exercise, but they don't work the whole body. That being said, I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with it, as long as people aren't under the mistaken impression that they'll automagically be good at other exercises, just because they can crank out 100 good form pushups.

I'm not sure what my own pushup maximum is. I know it isn't 100, though. Pushups aren't my strong point. I did manage to do 31 in 1 minute, but I also think I was really close to my maximum.