Exercise

[Hauldren Collider]

So, hell's frozen over, because I've started exercising. I'm not trying to lose weight, as if I lost any weight I'd probably die (~130 lbs). On the other hand, I'm not very athletic. So I've started swimming regularly with a group of friends and I plan to try lifting weights. The goal is not to bulk up, the goal is to be able to lift boxes and not have to struggle. Basically to be reasonably fit. I'm not going for Albie-style caveman hunter-gatherer fitness, I'm just trying to become a little more athletic, and start good health habits while I am still young.

So does anyone have any advice? I really don't know anything about this, and neither does anyone in the group I exercise with. I'm not going on any sort of diet, just exercising.

Thanks.

[DaShi]

Kendo

[Hauldren Collider]

Yeah, I don't think there's much fencing equipment in the university gym.

Also, I have been informed by friends that there are basically two kinds of exercise, cardiovascular and...whatever the hell you classify lifting weights. I'll call it weightlifting. Whatever. Point is, for "cardiovascular" exercise, I plan to continue swimming, but I specifically don't really know what to do in terms of weightlifting. What machines do you use, what weight should I set them at...and what questions do I not know enough to ask?

[DaShi]

All you need is a wooden stick and some koreans to hit with it. Chinese, if you're cheap.

[Hauldren Collider]

There are a lot of Koreans here, but I don't think campus police would turn a blind eye to my activities.

[giblets]

prediction: only al will give you serious advice

[Hauldren Collider]

Well that sucks, because it is specifically his advice I am not looking for. I'm well aware of his opinions on the matter....

[giblets]

Now that I made the prediction I don't think it'll come true.

[Uncle Sparky]

I swim. Best cardio... and you end up cleaner than when you start your workout.

Good luck!

[Barnabas]

Don't do any weight lifting until you stop growing

[Hauldren Collider]

I've stopped growing.

[EPW]

Try to do it everyday, do cardio one day and weights the other. Also, reasses your diet.

[Docfeelgood]

Don't do any weight lifting until you stop growing

Up or sideways?

[onodera]

For strength training you should go to a gym and pay for several sessions with a personal trainer. He'll show you the exercises you need.
You'll need to train at least:
Quadriceps femoris
Biceps femoris
Triceps surae
Erector spinae
Latissimus dorsi
Trapezius
Rectus abdominus
Pectoralis major
Deltoides
Biceps brachii
Triceps brachii
And a bunch of forearm muscles

Try to learn at least 2 exercises for each muscle, so you can vary your training regimen.

[Proteus_MST]

You could also get yourself some equipment for home,
like a set of Dumbbells (as well as a set of fitting different weights, so you can adjust the weight of the Dumbbells for different exercises) and maybe Barbells (although these maybe not as necessary, as usually for every barbell exercise there are similar dumbbell exercises that train the same muscle groups)
and maybe you can get yourself a bench.

Normally this (as well as enough place to train [it should contain at least enough space to be able to lie down for some exercises]) should be enough for training (no need for all the machines you have in a gym )
And you should get yourself a good book that contains exercises for your body training and ideally doesn´t cover training for the muscles, but also stretching exercises (extremly important aside from the muscle training itself, to maintain the flexibility of your muscles) as well as cardio (there is a good book in german, by Kenton Robinson, that covers all these things and contains a huge range of exercises, but AFAIK it hasn´t been translated into english yet: http://www.amazon.de/Effektives-Body.../dp/3828918123 )

(I for my part do it (i.e. bodytraining/stretching) twice qa week, as a counterweight to the 4-5 times / week that I spend on a treadmill with interval training (together with a pulsemeter, so that I can always specify the area of my training ... i.e. usually basic endurance or raising my lactate threshold)