Any advice for the overweight and inflexible?

I've been working on getting back into shape after a decade of moving only from couch to cubicle and back. I've been doing traditional weight training combined with swimming and good nutrition for the past 6 months, and so far things are going well. I've lost around 55 lbs, but still have another 200 lbs to drop.

I'm confident my current program will give me the strength and weight loss results I'm looking for, but I'm concerned about mobility. My range of motion is terrible compared to my younger days, especially around my shoulders, and I'm worried about injuring myself weight training.

What would you recommend for someone like me? I was thinking about getting the GB starter pack, but I'm concerned it may be too advanced given my current weight and level of fitness. Is this the case? Should I just focus on weight loss and not worry about mobility, or is there something in the middle that I should look at for mobility, like maybe Pilates, and come back to GB at a later date when I am in better shape?

Mobility is a totally new concept for me. I don't recall anyone talking about this back in the 90s when I last used to work out regularly, so any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

MystrT said:

I've been working on getting back into shape after a decade of moving only from couch to cubicle and back. I've been doing traditional weight training combined with swimming and good nutrition for the past 6 months, and so far things are going well. I've lost around 55 lbs, but still have another 200 lbs to drop.

I'm confident my current program will give me the strength and weight loss results I'm looking for, but I'm concerned about mobility. My range of motion is terrible compared to my younger days, especially around my shoulders, and I'm worried about injuring myself weight training.

What would you recommend for someone like me? I was thinking about getting the GB starter pack, but I'm concerned it may be too advanced given my current weight and level of fitness. Is this the case? Should I just focus on weight loss and not worry about mobility, or is there something in the middle that I should look at for mobility, like maybe Pilates, and come back to GB at a later date when I am in better shape?

Mobility is a totally new concept for me. I don't recall anyone talking about this back in the 90s when I last used to work out regularly, so any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I heard a lot of good feedback about Foundation Course and I think is a very good place to start for develop both your mobility and your strength and also you can mix Foundation with Handstand Course for better results

Foundation is meant to be started at the very beginning. If you still find work sets to be too demanding use the mobility drills as strength work until you build up. It is very well programmed and you will require no prior experience or fitness level besides being able to mode around a little bit.

I suggest that you focus on loosing weight in the beginning. Try foundation and see how that works. Also add in cardio. If you are very overweight then try doing just steady state cardio. If you want to be fancy you can even try it fasted with two sessions a day. If you feel relatively able you can start some hiit training which is typically a better use of time but can be daunting at first and may even be risky if you are very overweight because if the physical demands (depending on exercise choice).

Diet can also help accelerate results and in obese trainees I would say is one of the biggest factors.

Congrats on the progress. Glad to hear you are Good luck to you!

Yes, great progress and good luck with realising your body's potential.

Congrats on the 55lbs! 

It sounds like you are well on the way to changing your life

If you still have 200lbs to lose, you should be doing only low impact cardio. Swimming is an excellent choice which I see you are already doing. If you can fit it in your day try going for an our leisure walk outside. If time is short, try some incline walking on the treadmill.

I would have reservations of doing too much stationary bike as it may reenforce already bad sitting/work posture. Also I wouldn't even play with fasting for now. Fasting is tool that needs to be used wisely. Focus more and transforming your diet and lifestyle and building positive habits, and the weight will fall off.

Quick note on diet,  go easy on the carbs and control the blood sugar. Overweight people are usually quite insulin resistant and we want to limit spiking on the blood sugar level. On the same note, dont skimp on the 'healhty fats' either. (Coconut oil, olive oil, avocado, Grass-fed butter, organic meat etc) as dietary fats are needed to make the hormones in the body.

I cant speak of the foundation course as I have not begun them yet. However, as a former gymnast and now Cirque du Soleil artist, I can tell you right now, you shouldn't be doing handstands. The weight would be far too much for the joints to support.

You can definitely start doing mobility now.  Look into squat and lunging progressions to start increasing the range of movement in the hips and also look into increasing external rotation in the shoulder (usually start with stretching the Pecs and Lats).  A easy test to start is to Stand relaxed with your arms by your sides. Ideally your palms should face parallel to your body. If they face behind, you this indicates too much internal rotation in the shoulder which will limit overhead extension (to name a few).

Thats just as super brief idea where to start.   Hope it helps.

Thanks everyone for the fantastic advice. I will definitely follow the recommendations in this thread, and I really appreciate folks taking the time to reply.

I would recommend starting Foundation One and Handstand One.  You have a lot of extra weight, so bodyweight exercises will certainly be very challenging; start very slow.  For Foundation, you will gain strength quickly, and as your body weight drops, you'll progress quickly.  For Handstand, I would just do the mobility exercises (which are golden) and avoid putting any weight on your head or hands until your weight is at a manageable level.

If you can master your bodyweight now, just imagine how powerful you'll be when your body is 200 pounds lighter!  

Thanks so much for asking this.  After being a high school athlete and competitive martial artist, I sat down (literally) in academia and have put on about 10-15 lbs a year for the past 20 years.   I've peeled off 30 lbs over the past few months with a paleo template diet and walking 30 minutes a day, but also have almost 200 lbs of excess left.

So did you start the course yet?  How has it worked out?  Did you find success with your mobility?

A quick update to DerikG and others who are wondering about my progress -

I have continued my weight loss plan.  So far I have lost 80 pounds from where I started at the beginning of the year.  

My main focus remains on weight loss, but I purchased the GB starter pack and have been doing the mobility exercises as a supplement to my routine.  The strength portion the program remains a bit out of reach for me personally until I drop some more weight, as a lot of the program is body weight based, but I feel the mobility part of the program has helped.  I find myself making progress and enjoying the exercises as I continue to shed pounds.    

Overall I am happy with the purchase, and I am looking forward to the point where I reach a weight that allows me to begin on the strength side as well so as to get the maximum benefit from this program.  

Thanks to all who have offered me advice and encouragement!