Clean room

[Albion]

Hello :highfive:

I am new here and somewhat of a novice to this area. I have bought a few books and magazines on the subject but can't help but think I am not exercising my whole body evenly so am always on the lookout for a course to ill-in my gaps of both exercise and physiology as I don't want to make any mistakes (I have a dodgy knee, can this course help with that? It hasn't been damaged as such, it has just always been a weak spot for me...)


Some books promote exercising in certain orders (ie largest muscles first) for best results but others don't mention this. What do you think of this subject?
Do all of your books cover nutrition or just some?
How practical are the exercises to perform in a 'clean room' environment where one is not able to use any equipment, even chairs?
Which is the course you would most recommend or are they all comparable with each other?
Is the most recent one the most advanced or does it just cover a different area?


Regards,

A.

[Alan_OldStudent]

Hi Albion,

Welcome to our forum.

I am slammed with work, so this won't be the answer, but it's a key.

To answer your question, the guys here need to know a few things about what your goals are and something about you personally.

We know you have to exercise in a small area without equipment. But will you have access to a mirror?
What is your age group. Are you in your 20s, a teen, in your 60s?
Any health problems that might influence your ability to exercise?
What goals do you have? Do you want to get stronger, get bigger, get thinner, get more definition, get in condition for a particular sport or martial art?
Can you exercise a modest amount of time on a regular basis


Answer some of these questions or give us other clues about what you want, and guys (and some pretty sharp women who come here too) will hop in and give you some ideas on how you can find the best answers to your questions.

Regards,

Alan

[Albion]

Hello :)

Sorry for not explaining myself more clearly, it was very sloppy and I was rude to not introduce myself before I jumped in so before I giver a more thorough posting about my situation.

My name is Adrian and I am 35 and come from England (hence the name forum name Albion). I am currently an IT contractor but am working on a new business (again in IT) which is taking up much of my time. I am looking for a suitable location for it and am hoping to be able to take it forwards in early 2009...

With regards to my exercise goals and state of health I am in pretty good health (other than hay-fever, an allergy to my cat and a slight allergy to dairy I don't know of any other health problems. When I was a teenager I developed a problem with my knees which meant I was not able to do anything physical like PE (I hated this but knew I had to take care otherwise I may seriously hurt myself. The doctor told me it was because I had grown very tall very quickly and so my knees were weaker than other boys my age. He told me there was a bone in my knee that had not fused properly and that if I strained it too much it would break off and I would require surgery (I don't know what it was called as he never told me), he did say it was quite common in boys (and presumably girls) who grow very quickly. Even though I am much older now I still get twinges occasionally and want to take care of it once and for all and not let it stop me from doing anything. I have been told by my doctor that I am fine to do physical activities now as long as I am careful. Can these exercises enable me to resolve this problem?

Apart from this goal I want to build some extra muscle though not get too big, just focus on toning up and strength because I want to take part in more physical pastimes such as sponsored events (not marathons). I also wish to lose some body fat, I am not concerned about my weight as I know that is just the result of the make-up of my body (muscle weighs more than fat, etc.

With regards to the course, I bought Mr. Petersons new book about Isometrics and am eagerly looking forward to receiving that. I also got my first tub of whey protein powder today (eBay's finest :P) but have yet to receive my order from ANR (http://www.appliednutritionalresearch.com/) and because they don't (or didn't at the time) have any procedures to expedite their deliveries I am not expecting to receive my order until after Christmas, probably sometime in the first half of January :S

Anyway, I have to go now but plan to return here as often as time permits.

Take care all.

A.

[omad0n]

Well Albion, welcome to the forums, and thanks for introducing yourself :). I also don't have all the answers, but I'll offer up what I can. I have PYTP as well as the miracle 7 a workout journal and trinity of health dvd and the power T's. From the book side, all 3 books have had nutritional info, and while maybe not relevant to you personally so does the Wendi's book targeted for women.

I won't say that all exercises can be performed in a clean room, but I would say that many can. So long as you have floor space to lay out and do a pushup you'll have plenty of room to do various exercises. Since you're just starting out, forgive me if I'm wrong, the clean room is especially nice since you'll be building up into harder exercises.

I think you'll find differing opinions on the site as to which methods are best suited for getting into shape. Some of us are fans of isometrics, others DVR's, others (like myself) power calisthenics. All in all though I think you'd find most of us agree that you need to experiment and find what's best for you. In so much as, what your body responds well to, and what sort of exercising you like.

From my own experience, it can be frustrating at times when there's so much information, and so much variety to choose from and people keep saying, well do what works best for you. Really though, we're all well meaning, I swear! Don't give up there are lots of knowledgeable people who are more than happy to help. With time you'll begin to understand and implement the "do what you know works best for you" philosophy. A good place to see what others are doing is browse the workout log session. Don't bother worrying about the numbers, but you can get a feel for what some people do with their overall routines.

I can't really cover the book you bought as I haven't bought it, but my observation tells me the books are complimentary and yet separate at the same time. They have a lot to offer in their own right, in a way I feel like they specialize in their own categories. For reasons like that I'm eagerly awaiting Mr Peterson's Pushup book as it will give a lot more for my preference in workouts (power cals.)

Well I believe I've prattled on for far too long, hope something in their was helpful. If you've ever any questions feel free to ask in the forums, or send me a PM. I'm more than happy to share my experience with you. All the best.

[Alan_OldStudent]

Hi Albion (Adrian),

I'm going to agree with what omad0n says about finding your own best routine.

First off, I'd say avoid any exercise that makes your knee joints hurt. Here's a mantra: "Joint pain bad, occasional mild muscle pain okay" (but only if it "hurts good.")

To lose weight, eat lots of veggies, some whole grains, moderate amounts of meat or other animal protein (if not vegetarian), and not too much oil or fat. Try to get a sensible eating routine that you can do for life. Then walk a lot. See if you can get in at least a half-hour a day 3 times a week.

Then I'd get the Pushing Yourself To Power (PYTP) and read it cover to cover for some really interesting history and information about exercise. That's not to knock the isometrics book, which I also have and love. But I think the PYTP is an encyclopedia for general physical fitness and diet. As I have said many times before, take from it what seems of value for you.

Then do the exercises in Chapter 1 that you are capable of performing, beginning on page 54. They are really almost the same as Charles Atlas's first lesson, a foundation.

When you have done Chapter 1 for 3 weeks, skip ahead to page 86 and do the DVR routine. Play with that for a month and slowly develop a program based on those 2 chapters, concentrating on what you enjoy and what feels good. Then you can slowly expand and modify your routine with other exercises from any of John's books or ones you invent or learn elsewhere.

I've saved the most important bit of advice for the last. Make exercise a joyful and fun experience, one that leaves you energized instead of worn out. The best reason for exercise is to feel good. Don't make yourself feel bad, or you'll fail at this project. Make yourself feel good. That means don't overdo it. Just keep plugging away. At age 35, you're old enough to have a bit of perspective about not wanting to do things overnight. And you're young enough that you can look forward to years of healthful living and physical fitness into your senior years (my age group). Take the long-term view, my friend.

Regards,

Alan

[Albion]

Thanks for the replies and I am sorry I have not replied sooner, it has been manic here I have decided to work through the Isometric course found in the book on this site and will then supplement it with something else when I feel the time is right. I am taking it slowly for the time being because I have to be careful of my knees (my nephew dropped his new scooter on my bad one over Christmas which meant I was limping for days :bulgy-eyes:

I will remember to keep you all posted on my progress though :)

Take care,

A.