Have discipline, lack a gym/budget, help me out

NamelessMC · 07-07-2007, 08:18 PM

I quit my camp a couple months ago. I've been freestyling it ever since then, but I'd really like to take my health/training seriously. Not serious like I'd want to fight, but serious like I want to be in really good shape. I have weird reasons for training MMA, but I know the benefits as far as self confidence, integrity and health.

Here's the thing though, when watching Sean Sherk's All Access I couldn't help but get the feeling, "I could be doing better than I'm doing now, I need to really find a good schedule/plan and stick to it".

I'm 5'7", 141-143 pounds natural weight. I measured my body fat % at a body building shop my friend owns, my body fat % is 13.5%. I'm not looking to get shredded or ripped but I'd like good tone and great stamina. I want to feel like I can never be in a situation where my body strength/stamina is needed and I'm unsure of myself.

What I do daily/every other day:
3x following cycle:
Jumping jacks
4x different styles of crunches
21's (curls) 2 different ways, sideways and normal
Mountain climbing from push up position
Push ups
Bench press with free weights
One legged squats
Arm circles for shoulder conditioning
Flare kicks

And I play basketball or go jogging for my cardiovascular.

Here's the thing though, I hear and see about different things that concern me about my methods:
Two muscle a day one day rest - People work out two different muscles a day then work out two different muscles the next day because supposedly resting period is important and muscle recovery
Dieting - I don't have the money for expensive supplements but I can go on a good diet if necessary
Proper technique, stuff that works and stuff that doesn't.
Sex - is it good or bad? I've heard it causes lack of adrenaline so I don't know if I should cut it out entirely, limit myself based on week or not worry about it at all.

Can you guys help me with a good work out that doesn't require a gym or expensive supplements? I have 20 pound free weights and I'm small, don't make fun of me.

Thanks! Btw, my goal is a solid 155 pounds with 10% body fat, not a lot of veining, more conditioning than muscle build but I'd like my abs and biceps to have a very solid appearance.

TheCuttlefish · 07-07-2007, 08:28 PM

If you are looking to gain strength/muscle mass I would direct you to the S&P forum, even if you don't have gym access they can help.

I hear reading the stickies is a good workout though.

PS don't go crazy watching Sherk's program. He's a professional athlete in a training camp. If he trained like that 52 weeks a year even he would burn out.

NamelessMC · 07-07-2007, 08:33 PM

Well it's a mix of both really. I don't want pure S&P and the guys on that forum get a little out of hand with reps/sets. I don't want to look bubbly. I just want tone. I want more stamina and endurance than strength and power as I favor technique and flexibility over muscle.

younggunz · 07-07-2007, 08:33 PM

Do you have enough money to buy a book? go to rossboxing and buy his home workout book

otherwise..

-go to the junkyard
get a tire

go to home depot
buy a 10 pound sledge hammer

Combine the two for 5- 1 minute rounds
1-legged squats 3 sets
Pick up the tire and do overhead squats 5 sets
Various angle pushups-200
find a place to do pullups-100
wind sprints 100x10
run hills
Use jumping jacks and counter-movement jumps to warm up
buy a jumprope
Can you afford a cheap single speed bike? use it.

otherwise, the above program should be more than enough to get you started.

go to my s&p workout log
"summer wotkout 07"

and just steal shit from there

Dan's Knuckles · 07-07-2007, 10:18 PM

Dude, you said the benefits of training in MMA for you is self confidence, integrity and health. Health can be gained form any physical activity, if it boosts your confidence awesome, but integrity is a value that you apply to MMA training and everything you do. Integrity is not something you will gain from training MMA, integrity is what nobody sees, and you don't point out, it's the little things when nobody is looking and you don't benefit from when you do the right thing, sorry to be a douche about that point, but it's a point I felt needed to be made when many athletes who get the spot light are not exactly monsters of integrity.

Also, why do you do 4 types of crunches? How come you do 21 curls? I'm just curious for your reasons for those two numbers.
The truth is, you can get in very good shape conditioning-wise without much equipment, but to get real strong, you will need equipment for resistance training, if you have space but not lots of money, you can probably make kettle bells real easy, just with some empty pails, some concrete mix and water and some metal that you can use for handles.
As for conditioning, just do what you can, run, swim, jump rope, do burpees, all that stuff works, it's just a matter of figuring out what works for you with the right knowledge of how to do it.

The benefits of splits can probably be found in the S&P forum. The reason people do splits is to allow good rest between workouts, because you cannot build muscle working the same muscles day after day after day. I believe you need 48 hours rest between strength training workouts for the same muscle groups.

TheCuttlefish · 07-07-2007, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NamelessMC

Well it's a mix of both really. I don't want pure S&P and the guys on that forum get a little out of hand with reps/sets. I don't want to look bubbly. I just want tone. I want more stamina and endurance than strength and power as I favor technique and flexibility over muscle.

After reading this is is decided YOU MUST GO TO S&P

There are so many misconceptions in your post... but I geuss I'll help you out right quick

I don't want pure S&P

You want to get bigger and stronger? Yes you do.

the guys on that forum get a little out of hand with reps/sets

Or do they get not out of hand enough?

I don't want to look bubbly

Weight training is not going to make you look like a body builder unless you weight train like a body builder. If you weight train like a fighter that's what you will look like.

I just want tone

There's no such thing as tone. Well not in a strength building sense at least. If you lower your body fat you will have more "tone" it has nothing to do with getting stronger or better conditioned or anything.

I want more stamina and endurance than strength and power
They arn't mutualy exclusive. Not only can you do both at once in your program, there are plenty of workouts that crossover. 20 rep squat program is a nice one as well as strongman type stuff (sledge hammer work, tire flipping as mentioned) Again I'm going by what you said. If your goal is to gain 15-20 pounds of muscle and have it be functional you are going to have to do strength programs.

I favor technique

An excellent sentiment actualy. Technique trumps strength. However if you are so concerned about technique you should really be in a GYM.

and flexibility over muscle

Actualy a well designed strength program will drasticly improve flexibility. Lifting through a full range of motion with complex lifts is a great way to improve flexibility. Studies have shown that olympic lifters are second in flexibility only to olympic gymnasts.

That's about it. Conditioning is important but if you want to acheive your goals you will need to do resistance work. Good news is you don't need a gym to do this (though you sound pretty young so you should have access to a school gym). You can buy a power rack and a bench plus some weight fairly inexpensively at garage sales. However if you are really strapped, odd objects will work fine. Sandbags, tires, logs.

Anyway

Dan's Knuckles · 07-08-2007, 11:43 AM

TheCuttlefish, you are the man, excellent post.

Lemonrise5 · 07-08-2007, 01:30 PM

See bodyweightculture.com video. You'll get plenty of cheap ways to work out.

MonkeyPus · 07-11-2007, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NamelessMC

Sex - is it good or bad? I've heard it causes lack of adrenaline so I don't know if I should cut it out entirely, limit myself based on week or not worry about it at all.

Umm ... sex is good. Is anything worth going without sex? I've had regular sex for a long time and have made all sorts of gains in conditioning and strength training. I think if there is any gain for going without sex, its insignificant; its just a myth. If anything I can see that you might put your pent up sexual frustration into your training but if you're disciplined it would matter. I think regular sex could even be beneficial as it would increase your testosterone production. More testosterone = more muscle.

shoffma1999 · 07-11-2007, 09:28 AM

Step 1: Go to the Strength and Power Forum
Step 2: Open the "Baddest Lifting Videos Sticky" thread
Step 3: Watch the videos in post #5 "Ross Enamait scares me: 1 2 3"

This will show you some absolutely killer workouts you can do on a limited budget, limited space, and will give you incredible functional strength (like what you are looking for). CAUTION - this dudes routine may scare you a bit, but if you get to the point where you can do the shit he does, you will be looking and feeling pretty damn good.