Pullup Bars

[GASlick]

Alright, I'm gonna give this a whirl.  I bought a simple pull up bar and two 10 lb dumbbells from Walmart Saturday.

I came with a DVD and a workout poster.  It seems pretty straight forward, 30 min circuit workout with the bar the first day then cardio the next.  Rotates every other day.  I'm not anywhere near ready for the P90X commitment I keep hearing about.  I"m not fooling myself on that one!   

I'm actually 15 lbs underweight for my height.  I'm in decent shape, just wanna "fill in" some.  I started today.  We'll see.........

[ozzie]

Take some photos of yourself, front and back, before you get into it to far. That way you can monitor your progress. At some point you'll probably feel like you're not getting anywhere. Taking a look at your "before" pix at that point will show you the progress you are actually making. Good luck! 

[Sooner Steve]

I keep saying I am starting P90X but still have not.  My mother bought it for me in mid-October but work and family time did not allow.  I wanted to start today but had to move out of my old office.  Hopefully I can start tomorrow.  Good suggestion about before pictures. I think that could be good motivation.

My son has one of those pullup bars.  I can do 5 before I die.  Of course, I'm not at my ideal weight shall we say.

[GASlick]

I only weigh 160lbs as it is.  At 5'11", I should be hovering around 175/180.  Hopefully if I build some muscle mass the weight will  come up.

Great idea with the pics!  I'll do that.  I did exactly 4 and 3/4 pull ups, 4 chin ups, and 20 crunches.  Pitiful, I know!  LOL

[Razor X]

Great idea with the pics!  I'll do that.  I did exactly 4 and 3/4 pull ups, 4 chin ups, and 20 crunches.  Pitiful, I know!  LOL

Actually, that's not bad at all for someone who's just starting out.

[Dome of Steele]

Hey Slick,
Be sure to up your protein and food intake if you want to pack on a few lbs.  Keep it as clean as you can.  I've heard powerlifting nuts say 1 gram of protein for every pound of body weight you have, that's more than most can eat but you get the idea!  Best of luck, stick to it to get the results you want to achieve!  And no whining! lol

[jamesh75]

I agree with Ozzie on taking pictures of yourself.  I know it does sound kinda strange, but you'll be able to see your progress much better that way over just looking at yourself in the mirror.  I did that when I first started working out many years ago and it really helped with my motivation.  BTW, I did a picture once a month from the front, and side.

[Grr8 Franzini]

Id agree with Dome of Steel, up your food intake while working out. That will put on the weight and most of it will be muscle. I would actually recommend 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight ! Good luck and keep up the good work. Stay healthy!

Andy

[GASlick]

Week one is done!  I had my wife take pics on the first day and again yesterday.  Today is my "rest day".  I've been alternating the circuit with the bar and free weights with the treadmill for 30 mins every other day.

So far, with the pics I can't tell a difference; HOWEVER, I can tell a huge difference in my endurance, stamina and just generally feeling better.

As far as uping my food intake it's been no problem!  lol  I've been eating every few hours just because my metabolism has shot up I guess.  Lots of lean protien like chicken and fish, vegetables and salad.  Also been eating breakfast every morning which is something I've not always been a fan of.  Black coffee WAS my breakfast.  LOL

So, I will carry on and hopefully have a "six pack" before summer! 

[GASlick]

Alright, I've started week three.  The pullup bar just frustrated me, so I've been using the dumbells for curls, holding them while doing leg lunges etc......  Been using the pull up bar on the floor for crunches and sit ups.  Also been doing pushups.  I've been pretty consistent with my routine.  Workout one day, treadmill the next day, rest every seventh day. 

I can tell from the pics now, that I've lost some of my "beer reserve"  around my stomach.  lol  I can even see the beginnings of two upper abs!!  whoo hoo

I've also gained three pounds.  Everything seems to be on track.

And we carry on.........

[Razor X]

Alright, I've started week three.  The pullup bar just frustrated me, so I've been using the dumbells for curls, holding them while doing leg lunges etc...... 

Have you tried doing chin-ups (palms facing you) instead of pull-ups (palms facing away from you)?  Chin-ups work out the biceps more and are a little easier to do.  If you start with those, it might be less frustrating and when you build up some more strength, you can start working on pull-ups.

[GASlick]

Thanks Razor.  I'll give that a try.

[Kratos]

You can always have someone spot and assist you while you do your pull ups. You want to slowly build your strength and endurance so you decrease the risk of injury.

[Alexander215]

You can always have someone spot and assist you while you do your pull ups. You want to slowly build your strength and endurance so you decrease the risk of injury.

You can also use a chair to do assisted pullups 

[GASlick]

I tried the chin ups and they seem to be a little easier.  I could do more of them.
I know it's just a work in progress.  Over time I'll build up my strength.  I'm an "instant gratification" sort of guy, so I'm learning patience as well.

Thanks for the tips guys.  Much appreciated!