No Money = No Weight Training

Training
1

At uni, poor as fuck so can’t afford the money for the gym membership, also cant afford to pay the one off session fee.

Heres the plan:

Started running lately and doing pushups and pullups.

Workout looks like this.

Workout 1 - 1 mile run (time it - current time is 7.30)

Workout 2 - 1 mile run, taking it easy. mobility/stretching

Workout 3 - 1 mile run with a all out 200m sprint up a hill.

on 2 different days a bodyweight circuit type thing :
-Pushups of different kinds done in a big superset
-Pull ups on a scaffholding outside my accomodation
-Situps,
-Jumping squats

Any suggestions?

2

Pistol squats are cool if you find jumping squats too easy or hard on the joints.

Bands are good for adding resistance (or assisting chins and pistols)

3

Odd object lifts. Find a big ass rock and deadlift it. Find a smaller big ass rock and clean and jerk/throw it. Keg lifts (should be some kegs around somewhere). Find a cheap duffel bag on Craigslist or equivalent and fill it with sand/gravel and lift/carry/throw it various ways. Car pushes (should be some busted ass cars around somewhere). The football/rugby team may have a blocking sled you could push. CT’s neural charge stuff is mostly bodyweight based. Unilateral movements like one arm push ups, skater squats and pistols can increase the resistance without a tonne of weight.

Give this look, you may see something:

http://www.T-Nation.com/article/most_recent/third_world_workouts

4

If I were you, I would find a way to do pull-ups, and become a beast with pull-ups and pushups. Don’t do them in a circuit. Since these are your major strength exercises, you should be doing them with the end goal of getting strong on them, not conditioning yourself. I’d rather be a guy who can do 100+ pushups and 20+ pull-ups with ease than a guy who can run through a bodyweight circuit.

Also, if you’re handy, you can fashion a dip station yourself. I’ve seen instructions for building a dip station on Youtube. As for lower-body strength, pick up heavy things and carry them for distance and up hills.

As for conditioning, I’d recommend finding a hill or a track to sprint on. Carries will work your lungs as well.

5

One more idea: look up “Dragon Flags.” These are an ab exercise that has been written about on T-Nation. In college, I was able to do them by lying perpendicular on my bed (so your head is on the edge of one side and your legs and ass are hanging off the other side). I’d then reach over my head and grab the bed frame to support myself. Just make sure your bed frame is stable enough to support your weight.

6

Cheapo adjustable dbs.

7

Pistol squats
Bulgarian split squats
Lunge variations
GHR- feet hooked or somebody holding them
Single-leg glute bridging
Single-leg calf raise on bottom of step
Various jumps for explosiveness- vertical, long, box, hurdle-style over things, depth, unilateral, etc.

Pull ups-vary grip, tempo, rest periods, pause at top, horizontal, etc.

Press ups- conventional, close-grip, handstand, hindu, single-arm, raised feet, offset grip, super-slow, clapping, t-press ups, spiderman, 1.5s, etc.

Plank and side plank variations

If partner is available, various carries- “piggy back,” fireman carry, baby carry, donkey calf raises/ squats, etc.

Logs, bricks, tyres, shopping trolley full of stuff for prowler substitute, sack of potatoes, etc.

Isometrics against a building?

8

Not sure how it is across the pond, but here (at least in Houston) there are neighborhood and public rec centers that have free weightrooms, some of which are fairly well stocked. Definitely worth looking into.

9

Thanks for the feedback you lot.
I’m gonna put alot of it into motion.

With the pushups I’m gonna do variations where I can only perform ten
im going to work on my pistols - can do about 3 with my right leg (sqautting so my bum is practically on the floor) but 0 with my left leg.

I might even throw in some good old fashioned crunches and sit ups on top of pullups.

Instead of sprints, I’m going to work to get my mile down to below 6 minutes - this will involve fartlek sessions of sprints and jogging. One of my lecturers has persuaded me to join the Territorial army (who is a medical officer in the TA) whilst I’m studying cause I want to join the regular army after my degree so if I can do a fast mile I can blitz the 1.5 mile test.

Ps. Im bringing my dumbells up after xmas.

10

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Not sure how it is across the pond, but here (at least in Houston) there are neighborhood and public rec centers that have free weightrooms, some of which are fairly well stocked. Definitely worth looking into.[/quote]

Unfortunately that aint the case (where I’m staying anyway) it even costs £4 a shot to go swimming but after that you have to sign up to their pay monthly scheme. Pretty awesome thing though. Free use of exercise equipment might, at least, make some people more active and less obese.

11

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
Not sure how it is across the pond, but here (at least in Houston) there are neighborhood and public rec centers that have free weightrooms, some of which are fairly well stocked. Definitely worth looking into.[/quote]

Unfortunately that aint the case (where I’m staying anyway) it even costs £4 a shot to go swimming but after that you have to sign up to their pay monthly scheme. Pretty awesome thing though. Free use of exercise equipment might, at least, make some people more active and less obese.

12

That sucks. Why not try different pushup, pullup and bodyweight squat variations on 3 nonconsecutive days a week? There’s also tons of books and probably websites on bodyweight workouts. Think one is called “never gymless”, or something comparable. Good luck dude.

13

Why not try getting a job with all the free time you have while at uni?

14

[quote]ESX wrote:
Why not try getting a job with all the free time you have while at uni? [/quote]

As much as I’d like to matey boy Uni comes first. I have 9-5 lectures monday through friday. Then as I have been told by my tutor and lecturers I need to put in a minimum of 30 hours independant study per week (even more at the moment, as I have exams in January) - On top of the unpaid clinical work placements I have to attend, which would impede my ability to keep a job, as I could be placed anywhere in the country for up to 5 weeks at a time, whilst having to subsequently pay for two lots of accomodation.

Also as it goes, I’m not shy of work. I work regular 80 hour weeks throughout the summer to fund myself through university as I dont qualify for a full student loan or a bursary.

So yea, getting a job has crossed my mind on numerous occasions but it isnt really a good idea at this moment in time.

15

[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
That sucks. Why not try different pushup, pullup and bodyweight squat variations on 3 nonconsecutive days a week? There’s also tons of books and probably websites on bodyweight workouts. Think one is called “never gymless”, or something comparable. Good luck dude.[/quote]

Cheers man, I might put one of those books on my xmas list.

16

Uni doesn’t have a gymnasium? What about parks, do you have any parks nearby? Could always become a beast like Hannibal and just do bar work, cardio, sprints, bodyweight stuff. Get a jump rope. Just about as invaluable as a good pair of minimalist running shoes (so you CAN lift, run, and do everything in them.)

I may end up like this next year, moving to Australia for the Uni.

Also what the fuck are you studying?! Sounds like some intense Pre-Med stuff.

17

[quote]kidRiot wrote:
Uni doesn’t have a gymnasium? What about parks, do you have any parks nearby? Could always become a beast like Hannibal and just do bar work, cardio, sprints, bodyweight stuff. Get a jump rope. Just about as invaluable as a good pair of minimalist running shoes (so you CAN lift, run, and do everything in them.)

I may end up like this next year, moving to Australia for the Uni.

Also what the fuck are you studying?! Sounds like some intense Pre-Med stuff.[/quote]

The uni has a gym, but I have to pay for it and I don’t have the money, and, it is also shit. No parks, but a nice woods to run in. So I’m stuck with bodyweight stuff (pullups whilst the scaffholding is still up) which I enjoy, cause I can just drop down and do some pushups or practice pistols sporadically whilst studying.

I have the mimimalist shoes covered - stocked up on cheap pairs of �£3 plimsols/pumps, which are pretty much like walking round in a pair of socks.

I shall have to invest in a jump rope although all I seem to do is trip over them.

I’m a first year Physiotherapy student - We have a crazy ammount of work to do but I love it. Hoping to go into research of some kind after I finish my degree (chronic musculoskeletal pain and neuro are the apple of my eye at the moment)

What are you going to be studying?

18

At first with skipping rope, it took me a few days to get down the whole “Running in place” between the rope. But damn, once you get into the groove, it’s easy and feels great, especially if you’re a big dude skipping rope like a boss (like me : P ) Just prepare for your arches in feet to be sore until you get use to it. Took me a few months until the soreness stopped.

As far as jump rope, I just buy the 5$ one that comes in a tube. The rope is clean colored plastic rope. Im very picky with jump ropes. I’ve tried at least 5 until I found one I liked. I don’t know what accomadations is like, I assume a dorm room. Call up a fire department and ask if they have any damage or old lines they don’t want, you can make some good battleropes for mere dollars. If you’re in a dorm, you can probably shove them somewhere to store.

There was a famous wrestler in India in the early 1900s. He was huge. Every morning, he’d wake at 3am, and do 1000 Hindu Pushups and 1000 Hindu Squats. He was a big guy too. Work up to that maybe?

I’ll be studying Exercise Science and Sports Management dual major.

19

Some suggestions (some of which you have already heard or are doing):
Jumping Rope
Low Intensity Steady State running/hiking
Intervals (800m, 400m, 200m, 100m, 50m)
1 or 2 mile runs as fast as possible
Bodyweight exercises (you can increase intensity by using more difficult variations or adding some books or jugs of water to a backpack)(if you have a friend training with you, you can use your buddy as extra weight)

One cheap alternative to weights is to get a sandbag. Buy a cheap seabag from a military surplus store or online (something similar would work). Buy some heavy duty garbage bags and some zipties and ducttape (you can also just tie a knot in the garbage bags after they are filled. You can get 50lb bags of play sand for cheap as fuck from a hardware store. I like to double bag the garbage bags and fill a couple up with 25lbs of sand. When all is said and done you have a sandbag that is adjustable in increments of 25lbs. Occasionally bags will rip or pop but generally mine has held up extremely well.

Another alternative would be to save up some cash and buy a kettlebell. Assuming you’re a man, 50lbs should be a solid investment. There is a ton of things you can do with one kettlebell.

If you check out rosstraining, ross is like the fucking exercise mcguyver.

20

^Agree.

I have two of Ross’s books, Infinite Intensity and Never Gymless. Both are great books, definitely worth it. He has a few other books, i’ll probably pick up his Jump Rope book.

You said there are woods nearby? Make a DIY set of gymastic rings, string them on a sturdy branch. Tons of shit right there. Not to mention, keep working on rings, you’ll gain some intense strength and thick muscle fibers.