The principles are pretty simple, but it's not so much as "get a jump rope and jump 4000x a day".
The basic parameters I'd tell someone:
- Cover the bases. Do strength training. Do cardio. Do flexibility, motor control, and p/rehab (flexibility, soft-tissue work). You can still cover most of this in 20-90 minutes/day (45-60 is preferable, less is OK in a tight spot).
- Do strength first, then cardio. It has to do with glycogen availability and training stimulus, look it up.
- Make sure your strength program is whole-body, whether you do that in 1 day or as a split. Your basic muscle groups are legs, glutes, back, chest, arms, and abs. Your basic movements are squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows & chins (back/biceps), presses (chest/triceps), and twists/bends (core/abs). These can be done with freeweights (preferred), machines, bands, cables, or bodyweight, though you'll get best results with freeweights if available and you can use them.
- Emphasize compound movements over isolation, for strength.
- Understand that intensity matters for cardio. You'll do much better getting an intense 4-minute workout (Google "Tabata intervals") than plodding lazily on a treadmill for 40 minutes. No, Tabatas aren't easy.
If you want to lose weight, eat less. If you want to gain weight, eat more. Eat real, whole, unprocessed foods, not too much, mostly plants. Eliminate harmful noxious stuff (processed carbs, trans fats). Get an appropriate balance of carbs, proteins, and fats (40/30/30 or 30/40/30 are good starting points).
If you're concerned with body weight, toss BMI out the window (it's completely bogus), and understand the basics of BMR and your estimated daily expenditure.
Agree on bar, bench, and rack. Though the bench is optional -- you can press off the floor. I'd add (or ensure the rack had) a chinning bar. And plates might also be useful ;-)
The principles are pretty simple, but it's not so much as "get a jump rope and jump 4000x a day".
The basic parameters I'd tell someone:
- Cover the bases. Do strength training. Do cardio. Do flexibility, motor control, and p/rehab (flexibility, soft-tissue work). You can still cover most of this in 20-90 minutes/day (45-60 is preferable, less is OK in a tight spot).
- Do strength first, then cardio. It has to do with glycogen availability and training stimulus, look it up.
- Make sure your strength program is whole-body, whether you do that in 1 day or as a split. Your basic muscle groups are legs, glutes, back, chest, arms, and abs. Your basic movements are squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows & chins (back/biceps), presses (chest/triceps), and twists/bends (core/abs). These can be done with freeweights (preferred), machines, bands, cables, or bodyweight, though you'll get best results with freeweights if available and you can use them.
- Emphasize compound movements over isolation, for strength.
- Understand that intensity matters for cardio. You'll do much better getting an intense 4-minute workout (Google "Tabata intervals") than plodding lazily on a treadmill for 40 minutes. No, Tabatas aren't easy.
If you want to lose weight, eat less. If you want to gain weight, eat more. Eat real, whole, unprocessed foods, not too much, mostly plants. Eliminate harmful noxious stuff (processed carbs, trans fats). Get an appropriate balance of carbs, proteins, and fats (40/30/30 or 30/40/30 are good starting points).
If you're concerned with body weight, toss BMI out the window (it's completely bogus), and understand the basics of BMR and your estimated daily expenditure.
Agree on bar, bench, and rack. Though the bench is optional -- you can press off the floor. I'd add (or ensure the rack had) a chinning bar. And plates might also be useful ;-)