A beginner's training......

A little while ago, Richard noted that his cousins had been asking him about how to start working out / training:

For two, I've got Adam, my cousin, and Ronny over in Japan (Ronny: I lived in Hayma in Honshu for five years; '84-'89). They both want to know about the working-out aspect of EvFit.

The truth is, I'm not the person to ask. This is the one aspect of the thing I've surrendered. By happenstance, I've got a trainer who knew short, intermittent, variable, and intense. I see him twice a week, and seriously: I'm 'yessir' all the way; literally, to the point I enjoy saying "yes sir" (I've had it said enough to me: my turn). He barks orders; I submit and obey. I wouldn't have it any other way, in spite of the reality that it's normally me in command of all that's around me. I read the stuff about various exercises, and I'm immediately at a loss because I don't even know the names or descriptions of the stuff I do, which is various and at different times and different days, random. It's my trainer's job; you get it?

He pointed them towards this blog - which is flattering, but I am not sure that this is the best place to start. I've been training since I was 15 - and I am now 40 - with varying degrees of OCD! This is just a place where I put things that I find interesting.

However I did keep thinking about where I would advise someone to start.....

At the most simple level I would say:

• walk lots
  
• once a week do a sprint workout - e.g., one of these
• once a week do a bodyweight circuit e.g. 10 rounds of 10squats, 10 pushups, 10 situps (there are more ideas here)

That would get you started.

Here are some other ideas:

1. While the sales page is full of over the top - almost clichéd - internet marketing hype, I do think the Turbulence Training approach is actually pretty good. It is a solid basic routine, with good functional exercises. Even the diet guidance that he is giving away in the current "abs" package is OK. If you want an idea of the package there is a free 4 week bodyweight programme here. The full training package is good though.
   
2. Try some basic bodyweight exercises. Some push-ups, squats, lunges, etc will do you no harm and will build strength, muscle and stability. You could do worse than look at some of Joel's workouts. Don't do this every day - maybe twice a week.
3. Have a look at Simplefit - there are some good ideas for exercise plus I quite like their approach to nutrition.
4. Shovelglove.....
   

Just some ideas......