Should I start on BtGB and if so, what's best?

Hi everyone! Been reading the forums and coming across a lot of good stuff about how to begin training and all but I think my situation is a bit unique. So a little background about me:

28 this year, born with a heart condition (fixed but no strenuous activities for me).

Not much physical activity throughout my life (see above for why).

A tad bit overweight (1.64m and 79kg; roughy 5'5 and 180lbs).

Strength and stamina are pretty poor as you would expect. 3 flights of stairs and I need to catch my breath. I can squeeze out about 30 pushups and 30 squats but I'll be winded, soft and floppy after.

So I read around and seems that most forumers here have been working out or play sports and/or are young so my question is, given my condition and restrictions (health and logistics-wise: I can't put up a set of rings where I live and there's no gymnasium around my area either), should I start a gymnastics program/routine?

I figured that it might be good for me because I won't be stressing out my heart with strenuous movements, but do I need to lose weight first? Do some other stuff to build a base?

Will a gymnastics program help me lose weight? And most importantly, what do you guys advise I start with or do?

My goals are to get fit, build strength and look good naked (heh) and seems that gymnastics could be it for me but I really like to hear from you guys what you think before I plunge into something. Thanks much, and sorry if you feel this is repeated, but I can't find anything that speaks to my situation. Thanks!

Maddened said:

So I read around and seems that most forumers here have been working out or play sports and/or are young so my question is, given my condition and restrictions (health and logistics-wise: I can't put up a set of rings where I live and there's no gymnasium around my area either), should I start a gymnastics program/routine?

It's never too late to start anything. I didn't play any sort of sports growing up, and was a generally inactive video gamer until around 25.

Yea, you won't need rings for a long time. Right now you just need something like chairs for a parallel bar set to do supports and a playground bar to hang off of. Obviously a gym membership would fit this bill too! I think you have access to a floor either way

Start off with the prerequisites and get some serious nutritional counseling. You should definitely drop 30-40 lbs over the next year or so at least, which is a reasonable and EASILY attainable goal for you even considering your condition.

What is the name of what you have? Do you have prolapsed valves or something else?

What is the maximum heart rate that your physician recommends you be allowed to reach?

As long as you can walk (preferably up hills) you can drop that fat no problem, but you need to get doctor approval first.

After that info is supplied I can give you general pointers right here or if you like I can be hired for a reasonable fee to help you with a detailed plan. I would obviously need a complete list of whatever meds you are on, if any, and you would want to double check with your doctor to make sure nothing I recommend rings any alarm bells with him either way.

you're in good hands with slizzardman!

anyway, strength training, like any training, is as intense as you make it be, so do start, but start very slowly, what will make the difference is that little bit you do every day. Your daily habits will change your body composition more than any sporadic strenous training. Healthy diet and taking the most of any chance to move a little more will set the beginning of a more active life.

Think of changes over the years, enjoy the ride and make it safe.

Hi guys, thanks for the advice and replies. I took some time to reply because I was trying to pin down my doctor to ask him the questions that slizzardman put to me. Basic info below:

1) I have ventricular septal defect (VSD), it was patched in 1985 when I was a baby and there is still some leakage but is otherwise not life-threatening. I'm not on any nor do I need any medication.

2) Max heartrate is hard to tell because the problem with VSD is that oxygenated blood keeps getting pumped into the veins and lungs and heart could be badly taxed if the heartrate goes up too much. How much is too much differs from patient to patient and there isn't a fixed number that doctors can give. He does suggest that I avoid aerobic workouts and that anything less intense should be safe.

3) I actually watch what I eat and I haven't gained weight for the last... many years (lost a few pounds last year even) but it's just hard for me to lose weight it seems. I take about half hour to one hour walks every other day after dinner also.

So it looks like I'm good to go for gymnastics training.

My question is, should I first lose the weight then start BtGB or will starting on BtGB itself help me lose weight? I read that muscle burn more calories and I have read the article slizzardman posted on one of the threads (an article titled f***arounitis) within which there seems to be a suggestion that weight lifting is enough to drop pounds. So I'm wondering if doing FSPs and FBEs would have the same effect.

Thanks for the help guys...

I think you should but be wary of things that tax you too metabolically just to be on the safe side. I'll leave it up to you to decide on stuff like the springs during the Dynamic GB WODs.

Focus on developing strength.

if your diet is watched closely then adding muscles to your frame will certainly raise your metabolism a bit.

start with the prerequisites and make sure you're not fatigued even during or after workouts. Our muscles were made to be used, nothing more, nothing less. Use them at your own pace, listen to your body it will tell you when to make it a bit harder or easier. Don't do anything strenuous.

Check out for a pilates class, it will lay good foundations for future developments in gymnastics and it will take you further than most people think.

Thanks everyone for your generous help. Just want to check something as it's a little confusing for me. By prerequisites, you are referring to the 60s dead hang, 60s plank, 60s PB support etc.? I remember reading a thread where there was a list of these things but I didn't bookmark it sadly. Is this what you mean by the prerequisites I should get down pat first?

my post on this topic can give you few insight:

viewtopic.php?f=18&t=5265

Again I warmly suggest you pilates, check out this amazing book if you don't wanna join a class:

The Complete Book of Pilates for Men: The Lifetime Plan for Strength, Power & Peak Performance by Daniel Lyon

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Book-Pil ... 013&sr=8-2

pilates has its roots in gymnastics after all...

Thanks for the book recommendation swarovski! I've checked out the book link and half the book contains movements that require a reformer. I've looked it up and wow it's big and expensive. But I suppose you mean for me to just go through the mat work right? Any titles on just pure mat work you would recommend?

And big thanks for the link. It was exactly the thread I was talking about. Thank you!

I've got the book myself and I can guarantee you that every single exercise in it is performed on a mat. How can you say that it's expensive, it come for less than 15 bucks?

another good one that I have but it's a bit older and much softer (with far less exercises in it) is:

http://www.amazon.com/Pilates-Body-Moti ... t_ep_dpt_3

still not a joke at all!

Haha... I meant the Reformer machine is expensive. My bad. Thank you so much for the recommendations. I will put in an order for the book right away.

And no I don't think Pilates is a joke, I think it's hard!

hahaha... I misunderstood you then!

let me know what you think about that book, I've just checked out my copy, there are 40 mat exercises + 66 reformer on the MAT, 106 mat exercises in total, I'm sure it will take you few years to become proficient on those. All very well illustrated with a straightforward program to follow. If I hadn't join a gym class and fell in love with rings I'd probably stick to that book, one of my favourite on practical application of fitness. A real gem imo.

there are 3 levels (beg-int-adv) for both programs (traditional and reformer) you can only progress to reformer beginner if you are proficient at traditional advanced program, which means to master the 6 contrology principles on ALL 40 exercises.

Concentration

Control

Centering

Flow

Precision

Breathing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilates

enjoy the ride.

I'd second Pilates for Men - I picked it up awhile ago and it's got some really useful stuff in it (once I got past thinking Pilates was just for girls).