Anyway...time to crack on. Im going to try and put in a very basic routine which any beginner should stick to. This is really aimed at people who are looking for something suitable but dont know where to start out. If you are just starting out and reading this, its time to get working! Adapt it to your lifestyle as you will, this is just a rough idea.
This should be done 5 days a week, if not 5 then 3 days a week. Get your arse out of bed at 6am so you can start getting a feeling of what its like to get up early(ish) and get dressed ready for some morning training. Have a quick wash to wake yourself up and get downstairs for some food. The first thing you should be drinking is water, get a pint of that down your neck as you get ready. Try to take in a couple of bananas and a slice of toast or two. If you feel you need a bit more water, then drink some more. Please dont gulp it down, take it in throughout the hour so you dont need a piss because you'll be drinking on what was an almost empty stomach.
At 7am, you should be switched on and ready to go. Make sure you have eaten - never train on an empty stomach or you'll regret it. Get out on that road and get running. You should have planned your run the night before but that will make sense to you when you've done reading this, and that includes timeing it. Im talking at least 3miles. If you cant do 3miles, then 2miles, if you cant do that then 1.5 miles (i say 1.5 because that is the bare, absolute, 100% minimum you should at least be able to run because the PJFT is 1.5miles - its not far at all guys.) Anyway, lets assume you can run that 3miles. You want to be aiming for below 20mins 3mile time at least. But if you cant do that straight away, dont worry. On this 3miler of yours you want to be picking points which you are going to increase your pace on.
This could be a hill or even just a certain distance from a tree to a letterbox. Between those two points increase your running pace to near enough sprinting, which is about 70-80% of your running speed. This should be done over a gap of 8-12 seconds of putting that amount of effort in, once thats been done return to you're normal running pace. You might be breathing out of your arse by now but just keep pressing on because you should do this about 3-5 times on the run.
This is called interval training and without a shadow of a doubt, it WILL help you're running times and your fitness. Its all to do with your hearts recovery rate because it is getting used to being over-worked. Once you have finished your run, get back in and get some water down your neck. If you're out of breath - good, because now its time to work even more. Im going on the assumption that you have adequate space and facilities (whatever they are) to do your pull-ups, press-ups, sit-ups and tricep-dips. But if not, the local park is great for it, dont worry about people watching, laughing or whatever, just keep focused on what you want and dont care about what other people think.
You should be aiming for 4 sets of 10 reps for each, do them one after the other, if you need a 10-30 second gap inbetween them then take them. If you're absolute crap at pull-ups as i was when i started out, then just do as many as you can for 4 sets. If you cant even do one just hang there for about a minute each set. The reason behind this is so that your arms can get used to holding your body weight, your grip will also improve because of this too. Still on that matter, if you cant do one then you're going to have to do them later on in the day when someone can help you do assisted pull-ups. Please make sure that when you do these, only you control your body weight going down without any help.
When doing all of these movements, i cannt stress enough the importance of Form. Having good form allows us to gain the maximum benefit from any exercise, thus making us better! I cannot stress that enough, please remember to do them correctly at all times as it will help you in the long run. With your press-ups (and i will post a routine of press-ups at the end of this) should be done marine style. Hands shoulder width apart with elbows pressed against your lats (your sides). Start off arms out straight, legs fully extended, feet together, eyes forward so you're looking straight ahead. When you go down it should be a good 2-3 seconds down, breathing in as you do so. When you get down make sure you have pretty much touched or even touched the floor and then push straight back up, again 2-3 seconds, keep thouse arms straight and exhale as you push upwards. Its as simple as that. Tricep dips are easy enough. Imagine you do them on a park bench, turn around so you have youg back to it, sit down on it with your palms in the bench, push your hips forward so your arse is over the edge, the pals on your hands should be on the edge of the bench as well, keep your legs straight, let yourself go down until your arse is close enough to the floor and push yourself back up again. Keep those reps strict, good form throughout again. Sit ups are simple as well, if you cant get someone to hold your feet, then oput them underneath your sofa at home or something. Lay back so yo ar fully flat, figer tips on the temples, keep your knees together, look forward and on your way up keep your back straight and keep your eyes forward, breathing in. As you go up, make sure your elbows pass your knees and then you can go back down again as you exhale. Again, keep those reps good, 2-3 seconds up and down. Form is everything.
Personally i think its better to start off getting used to doing press-ups, sit-ups etc after your runs because it immediately shocks the body into adapting quicker so it can cope with the tasks it is undertaking. Once you have finished you're training, get some water down your neck again and tuck into some food. Wholemeal carbohydrates, weetabix, shredded wheat, brown break, oats etc. Get them down your neck to boost your energy back up again. Throughout your day please remember to take in water and keep yourself hydrated, you'll should be drinking a good 2litres of water or more throughout your day because you'll end up sweating out alot. You'll learn how to take in your water according to your workload. No matter what job you do, make sure you have a large lunch because some people get in late and dont have time to eat and then go and train as it gets to late and it costs valuable recovery time made up in sleeping! Eat big and eat right when you have your lunch, if that fails then have smaller meals though our your day ok.
It is almost impossible for me to write up a program to cater for everyones needs but if you are just starting out and have taken the time to read this (which i appreciate) then i hope you can fit it in around your lifestyle. If thats good enough for you then great, im glad i have achieved what i set out to do.
That press-up routine i mentioned earlier: This is a drop-set/super-set exercise. Its very simple. Start out in the usual press-up stance, feet and legs together, eyes forward etc. This time though, start out with your arms wider than shoulder width so you are doing wide arm press-ups. Smash out 10. Then go into the marine style press-ups, smash out 10. Then go into close handed press-ups. Extend both arms out in front of you and bring your hand together so your thumbs and index fingers are in a diamond type shape, with your palsm on the floor. Truth be told it looks more the like the suit of Spades from a deck of cards but you get the idea. Get into the usual press-up postion only this time, your legs will be spread out about shoulder width or slightly wider to help with your balance and your hands should be positioned around your chest-neck area. Smash out 10.
Once you hand done this, give yourself a 10-30 second break and go again, this time doing 9 reps for each.
It works out: 10,10,10
9,9,9
8,8,8
7,7,7
6,6,6
5,5,5
4,4,4
3,3,3
2,2,2
1,1,1 (on these last ones, when you go down, hold for 10 seconds and then push back up!)
That is designed to increase your endurance ok, and it works.
Finally i would like to include something that someone else has put up, and its absolutely bang on, when it comes to the mental attitude to training: Please read this: http://www.mfat.co.uk/forums/viewtopic. ... 01f979a831
I hope i have been of some help. Again, this is welcome to any questions and suggestions etc.
All the best everyone.
