Bodyweight Exercises

There was a time when I was incredibly fit and muscular. I am unfortunately not currently in that state and I have decided to correct that situation. I’ve committed to again establishing a regular fitness and diet regimen.

As I approach my 58th birthday, I am not happy with my current fitness level or my physical appearance. I am not much overweight. Maybe 5 or 10 pounds. But I want to look better and I know a bit more dedication to my fitness and overall health would make me happier and I would feel better physically.

My knowledge on how to get fit through proper exercise and diet is fairly robust. With a past background as a competitive gymnast, professional dancer, yoga practitioner and trained aerobics instructor, as well as lots of study in the fitness and health realms, I know how to get fit. But knowing is the easy part. Actually doing it is the hard part.

I also know that I have a very busy life and that going to a gym regularly is probably not a viable option. Gyms also tend to place an inordinate amount of focus on weight training and that’s not of much interest to me anymore. When it comes to exercise, what I want is an approach that can be done anywhere, anytime and with little or no equipment needed. For me to rely on going to a gym regularly would likely doom an exercise regimen to ultimate failure.

What’s generally referred to as “bodyweight exercises” tends to be the best option for me and lately I’ve been following Mike Fitch’s Global Bodyweight Training blog and web site for some great bodyweight exercise tips. I also recommend Mark Lauren’s You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible of Bodyweight Exercises. It’s a great book with good scientific background on the hows and whys of bodyweight exercises along with a great selection of exercises and programs.

Check out Mike Fitch’s video below to see an exercise I’ve chosen as one of the exercises I aspire to be able to do someday soon.

Also, since I have decided to embark on this fitness quest, I have decided to chronicle some of my journey here on this blog. I will occasionally report my progress, what I learn and discover along the way, any fitness or diet strategies I learn or develop, and share it all with you in the hopes that whatever you might read or view will help you in some small way in your own personal fitness and health endeavors.

Wish me luck.