Question for the Gurus: Best (simple) exercises for chest/abs?

[mvaliz]

Hello there! I'm daring to actually enter a part of MMO-Champ I never even knew existed... the "Sports & Fitness" forum section! :P

So, got a few simple question for all you fitness gurus out there...

I'm in the process of loosing weight (at 290lbs right now) and I'm thinking might be the perfect time to start SLOOOWWWLLLYYY working on my abs and chest to look good, perhaps, a year later. (particularly as I'll probably end up with serious flabby skin at the end)

I'm figuring now is a good time to start with small simple exercises a few reps a day while I still have the weight on me (It's like having 10 barbells attached to your abdomen! :P) and take advantage of the extra weight while I got it still.

I don't belong to a Gym, and honestly don't want to spend money to lift weights when I can get a job at the UPS and get paid money to lift weights...

So, what I'm looking for are SIMPLE-to-basic small exercises I can do in short-term right now that focuses on Abs and Chest. Things I can do at home, preferably without any equipment (for the moment).

My food intake is mostly protein... and the only carbs I intake is via 1 glass of fresh-made Carrot/Fuji Apple/Pomegranate juice (tastes like the Nectar of the GODS!). Keeping my daily calorie count under 1,500c

Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks much! ^_^

[Foto]

For chest; push ups, if you cant do at least 10 push ups on flat ground angle yourself up onto a chair/couch/bed/table to make it easier for yourself.

Abs hold yourself in a plank position for as long as you can - just google simply ab exercises and just try them and see what you like

[Deleted]

Yeah push ups and plank sounds alright. You can also do regular crunches, just make sure you don't bend your neck to much. Also if you can't do a push up with your legs extended you can start off with the girl version with your knees on the ground.

[Letmesleep]

Both Foto and Yilar had great points. With proper form, push ups get both abs and chest, though regular push ups may be really hard to do at that weight. Don't be afraid to do "girl" push ups like Yilar suggested; lots of people aren't strong enough to do regular ones. Keep in mind that your abs won't be activated when doing "girl" push ups because you're using your knees to stabilize you, not your core. On crunches you want to protect your neck, so make sure your form is right. I think planks may be easier for you to do than crunches. Good luck!

In terms of diet, I'm not sure how tall you are but 1500 calories is..not a lot for a man. One thing you want to avoid when trying to get healthy is burning out. Eat enough calories to lose at a steady rate, not starve the fat off. If you try to blitz the whole process your body will reject it, you'll get frustrated, and you'll give up. <---read that again for your own sake. Take it slow and steady, and realize it doesn't have to all fall off RIGHT NOW. Don't starve yourself because your body will actually think it's starving and hold on to all the fat cells while eating muscle tissue instead.

[Abominator]

Sorry to say this but push ups and/or any bodyweight exercise will not build you any sort of muscle, you might gain some size if you add weight to your body but it will be negligible. You can only hope to gain a minor amount of strength and fitness, emphasis on minor. Also a lot of people on here will recent your for comparing going to the gym and lifting weights with lifting weights such as packages at UPS, it's a really silly comparison.

[mvaliz]

For chest; push ups, if you cant do at least 10 push ups on flat ground angle yourself up onto a chair/couch/bed/table to make it easier for yourself.

Abs hold yourself in a plank position for as long as you can - just google simply ab exercises and just try them and see what you like

Thanks much! ^_^ I was already considering pushups, but didn't think of the plank position for abs! That's perfect!

Yeah, I tried googling simple ab and chest exercises first - and I got tons of "top 10" crap I had to delve through - most of which required expensive workout equipment (none of them, for example, recommended the plank exercise. Closest was the bicycle). That's why I came here... you can't really go into specifics when typing in a google search. ^_^

Thanks again ^_^

[Neazy]

Sorry to say this but push ups and/or any bodyweight exercise will not build you any sort of muscle, you might gain some size if you add weight to your body but it will be negligible. You can only hope to gain a minor amount of strength and fitness, emphasis on minor. Also a lot of people on here will recent your for comparing going to the gym and lifting weights with lifting weights such as packages at UPS, it's a really silly comparison.

I'm with this guy. Push ups will get a skinny guy toned, but they won't make you strong.

You're a big dude, and to be honest I have no idea how people are supposed to go from being that big to being strong so I won't even try to recommend exercises for you. But I do know one thing for sure: there's no replacement for a gym membership and lifting actual weights.

[Buttfear]

You can't focus on just your chest and get any results.

In my experience you need to do back as well as chest or you'll mess your shoulders up.

I'd join a gym and focus on deadlifts(both normal and straight leg), squats, pull ups, upright rows (with a barbell), and finally bench press.

[Deleted]

You can't focus on just your chest and get any results.

In my experience you need to do back as well as chest or you'll mess your shoulders up.

I'd join a gym and focus on deadlifts(both normal and straight leg), squats, pull ups, upright rows (with a barbell), and finally bench press.

Doing a few push ups and crunches is better that nothing, while I agree it would be much more beneficial to hit the gym hardcore most overweight people are affraid to show themselfs because people do stare at them and it's an uncomfortable feeling. Also it's no easy feat staying motivated to goto the gym all the time and sticking with a strict diet, missing out on a few gym sessions can easily tip the scale and push people into giving up.

Btw 1500 calories is extremely little for a person your size. You'll just end up with a bunch of flabby skin that you need surgery to remove by dropping the weight that fast. At 290 pounds (@6'1 and age:25) you consume like 3000-3500 calories on an average day with little or no activity. I would suggest you double the diet, increase your activity and accept you're in it for the long run.

[mvaliz]

I'm with this guy. Push ups will get a skinny guy toned, but they won't make you strong.

You're a big dude, and to be honest I have no idea how people are supposed to go from being that big to being strong so I won't even try to recommend exercises for you. But I do know one thing for sure: there's no replacement for a gym membership and lifting actual weights.

I'm not looking for bulky strength - probably more of a chiseled toned look with definition of abs/chest. I'm not interested in bench-pressing cars (nor looking like I can bench press cars). I'm just more interested in looking nice with my shirt off... ^_^

[Deleted]

Doing push-ups and planks can go a long way. It's true that by just using your bodyweight its pretty limited to what you can archive, but its better than nothing right. Planks itself can build great abs without anything additional added, just keep increasing endurance in the exercise. If you do pushups several times a week you might find yourself getting too strong to really benefit from the exercise, if you want you can find some household items and place on your back to add weight, or get some bands for extra resistance. For just a toned look this will be more than sufficient. However i would really suggest adding some sort of a pull exercise as well. While you might not care for that, its stupid to go without, not only does a toned chest stupid with a flappy back, but more importantly doing only push exercises will most likely give you what is called forward-posture which means basicly is a ugly posture to have naturally. Find something outdoors where you can do some pulls-ups, or lie below a table, grap the edges and pull your upper body up is some simple and great exercises to go along with push-ups.

[mvaliz]

Doing push-ups and planks can go a long way. It's true that by just using your bodyweight its pretty limited to what you can archive, but its better than nothing right. Planks itself can build great abs without anything additional added, just keep increasing endurance in the exercise. If you do pushups several times a week you might find yourself getting too strong to really benefit from the exercise, if you want you can find some household items and place on your back to add weight, or get some bands for extra resistance. For just a toned look this will be more than sufficient. However i would really suggest adding some sort of a pull exercise as well. While you might not care for that, its stupid to go without, not only does a toned chest stupid with a flappy back, but more importantly doing only push exercises will most likely give you what is called forward-posture which means basicly is a ugly posture to have naturally. Find something outdoors where you can do some pulls-ups, or lie below a table, grap the edges and pull your upper body up is some simple and great exercises to go along with push-ups.

Hrmmm... I haven't thought of that angle. You're talking shoulders/upper back, right?

Being 290 I most certainly cannot do a single pull-up - but the table one sounds doable at this stage. THANKS! ^_^

[Neazy]

I'm not looking for bulky strength - probably more of a chiseled toned look with definition of abs/chest. I'm not interested in bench-pressing cars (nor looking like I can bench press cars). I'm just more interested in looking nice with my shirt off... ^_^

In that case try reading up on lifestyle changes. Your diet of 1500 calories/day doesn't sound sustainable for very long. If you want to get toned, you're gonna need to break virtually every habit you have and replace them with healthy habits. It's going to be fucking hard, and it's going to take a long time. Slow and steady really does win the race in situations like these; it's better to take 2 years to reach your goal than reach half of your goal within 6 months but give up at that point because it's too taxing to maintain that kind of lifestyle.

[briktal]

I'm not looking for bulky strength - probably more of a chiseled toned look with definition of abs/chest. I'm not interested in bench-pressing cars (nor looking like I can bench press cars). I'm just more interested in looking nice with my shirt off... ^_^

You aren't going to accidentally get huge. That takes years of work.

[Extoz]

I would'nt advise pushups or planking as you are 290lbs,

The added stress on your back performing these excersices could lead to a bad back problem,

Bench press as heavy as you can 5 reps of 5 (5x5) - this will increase your strenght and also you will gain some size if you are new to lifting (not much)

and I wouldnt worry about abs to much If you do stabalizing excersices like Bench press with your feet crossed in the air, or any form of free weights that should be enough to get a strong core, then when you loose some more weight focus on the abs abit more then (try sprinting if you can, no better ab workout)

Congrats on the results thus far man!

[Phrumtastic]

well since you're 290 if you dont got a gym around you or dont have money then home workouts are you best bet. Some suggest plank and pushups if you're able to do it, with correct form you will being working your core which is essential for balance, strength. Also eating the right foods is great, vegetables with some sort of carb and protein. Water is life too.

[freelapdance]

Great abs are made in the kitchen not the gym. You need a balance of work out, diet and rest to get the best results possible. As for chest doing sets of dips, close grip bench press and flys will do the job.