I'm 36, unfit due to drink and cigarettes and work stress, but I want to start running and put a bit of muscle on, and get fit. I don't box but I do adore the sport and have done since I was 8. I'm 10st, 140 in lbs tops, maybe at times closer to 9st7. I can eat what I want and never put weight on. How do I start getting fit without doing myself an injury? Tips?
Ween yourself off the drink and cigarettes. Eat healthy, clean food. Lots of colourful, different vegetables. Start training (run, swim, ride, lift, pull, push, stretch).
People may or may not give you lots of complicated advice that's just too hard for real people to stick to, so you want something simple and effective that will tone you up and maybe even develop a bit of muscle. I recommend: Burpees. A dreaded exercise but one of the absolute best - it's a a string of compound movements in itself that will work you from top to bottom; from the push up position, do one, then do a squat thrust, then jump up high. Back down and repeat. So it's: push up, legs in, legs out, legs in, jump up. Push up, legs in, legs out, legs in, jump up. These will be very gruelling at first but you'll just have to grind it out. Aim for for sets of eight, ten, twelve, whatever you feel comfortable with up until twenty - after that, you do them faster and faster and the rests in between become shorter. Now all you have to do is eat more, drink less alcohol and smoke less, and I guarantee your body shape, strength and stamina will improve. Except if you're a real ectomorph like myself who has a hard time putting on weight even when they eat a skip load every day. If lack of food isn't your problem and you're still slim and want to put on muscle, I'd go for a slightly different workout. Pull ups, dips and squats with your girlfriend/wife/husband on your back.
