getting into athletic shape

[Luke]

So no machines, running, or lifting and you want to look like Brad Pitt, hmm....

As some others suggested plyometrics are great exercises that can be a lot of fun and really improve your explosiveness (jumping, quickness, cutting ability, hitting, throwing) and athletic performance. I play tennis and basketball and to help with my quickness and vertical jump, I really have fun with thebox jump which can be found midway down this page...LegPlymos

Stick with swimming as it's low impact which will lead to fewer injuries, will work a lot of muscles enroute to building an "athletic" body and most importanly, you like it! With that last component your liklihood to stick with it is greatly increased and that to me is paramount to any excercise regiment.

Also, if you haven't tried them lately, simple pushups are good alternative to weights, machines and a gym. They require only a floor and you, but help to build your upper body. And if you want Brad's abs, try bicycle kicks: Best_Ab_Exercises

Good Luck!

[Thremp]

tdarko,

I wasn't disagreeing. Most people have a large misconception about most people with that build though. So in essence creating a goal where you do even really know where to go, is misguided.

[Jetboy2]

[ QUOTE ]

I'm happy with how i look. I am 5'10 160ish, reasonably muscular. I haven't lifted in a long time and I have no plans to.

My goal would be to look like Brad Pitt in Snatch.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's very obvious that you are not happy with how you look! Otherwise, why would you want to look like someone else? You're happy with how you look; why change it?

[JaBlue]

Lets get this straight: i am not adverse to working hard. The main thing is I want to work in a way that is fun for me, and right now this doesn't really mean lifting weights. I also want to use my time as efficiently as possible for the most part.

Last time I went swimming I did 10x50m freestyle sprints with 1 minute rest in between. By the 6th or 7th set I was tired as all hell but I kept going because I enjoyed it. In my experience that kind of thing takes a hell of a lot more determination and hard work than getting that last rep.

and Jetboy, the logic leading up to your conclusion is not valid.

[thirddan]

"Last time I went swimming I did 10x50m freestyle sprints with 1 minute rest in between. By the 6th or 7th set I was tired as all hell but I kept going because I enjoyed it. In my experience that kind of thing takes a hell of a lot more determination and hard work than getting that last rep. "

how does doing more of something you enjoy (even if its tiring) require more determination that doing an extra rep of weights?

do a similar thing with sprinting...20 seconds sprinting then 60 seconds walking repeat until vomit...hiit outside the gym...

[Rearden]

Ja,

Many of the answers with respect to including plyo are the best for the criteria you have listed. Plyo inclusion isnt the problem neither are your goals; your plan to get there is.

If building muscle and acheiving athletic prowess were easy... everyone would acheive it. Think about it. To use a simple analogy your request is like claiming a desire to get good at poker... while refusing to read, review hands, seek coaching, etc. People would laugh if you said that in other forums. With the gym equivalent there are options however. Plyo, simple sprinting, heck even adding more pickup basketball games will help. They would pale in comparison though to serious lifting and a focused diet.

You are right to try to stay away from machines. Your desire not to pound out your knees is fine (swimming could be just fine as cardio). But, your refusal to lift weights just doesnt make sense.

I also don't understand the comments of those that would post that they dont want to get "too big" lifting weights. I promise you you wont touch a barbell and add 20lb slabs of muscle to your frame... in order to add such size and acheive a level of quality (as in not counting bulking weight but rather muscle weight after bulking and then cutting) it will take work, determination, and oh yeah... lots of lifting.

Also... why is Brad Pitt always used as the example for ideal male body types by some... I've never understood that. Is he actually that close to what some people find ideal or is he just an easy reference by virtue of being in popular movies and being featured shirtless a la fight club?

[jah7_fsu1]

[ QUOTE ]
The main thing is I want to work in a way that is fun for me, and right now this doesn't really mean lifting weights. I also want to use my time as efficiently as possible for the most part.

[/ QUOTE ]

So do more swimming. I'm sort of getting confused here. Do a google search for swimming workouts if you need help designing them. This will help get you in better athletic shape. Strength training would as well, but if you don't want to do it, don't!

[ QUOTE ]
"Last time I went swimming I did 10x50m freestyle sprints with 1 minute rest in between. By the 6th or 7th set I was tired as all hell but I kept going because I enjoyed it. In my experience that kind of thing takes a hell of a lot more determination and hard work than getting that last rep."

[/ QUOTE ]

Let's not get into the whole what is harder debate. I don't think anyone called you adverse to hard work really, and if they did who cares? You know your a hard worker obviously.

[thirddan]

what about bodyweight tabata work?

like doing as many bodyweight squats as you can in 1 min, rest 30 seconds, repeat trying to improve each time?

[Rearden]

[ QUOTE ]
The main thing is I want to work in a way that is fun for me, and right now this doesn't really mean lifting weights. I also want to use my time as efficiently as possible for the most part.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, which is it?

If you want to have fun working out... ok cool. Swimming is awesome (I love swimming). Avoiding the weights, ok fine, many people avoid weights.

If you want to be as efficient as possible and aren't afraid of hard work then why are you so aggresively avoiding perhaps the single most efficient and effective method to athletic prowess and image shapping....

You're either not being honest with yourself or not being honest with us man. Just pick a policy and go with it... (and again Im not saying the "fun" option is bad... it's your choice. Just that such an option isn't as efficient. The more efficient option in this case is something you don't want to do for whatever reason)

[Jetboy2]

Huh? My logic?

You have 2 conflicting goals. One, you're happy. Two, you want to look like someone else.

Which one is it?