I'm 28 years old and I'd like to get back into sports after 2-3 years of being inactive. I live in an apartment so there's no room for dumbbells or a bench. What are the basic exercises I can do with just my body weight for the first few weeks?
What's really going to make the difference is finding a place where you can progress without burning yourself out - even if you start with just a few reps a day, the important thing is doing it regularly rather than waiting for the perfect day to kill yourself with it. The guys are right about the basics (push-ups, squats, pull-ups on a door if you can), but honestly I'd add dips on a chair or the edge of your bed - it's discreet and it'll destroy your triceps. After two or three years off, you're gonna be surprised how much even simple exercises will burn your muscles, so really start light and listen to your body so you don't strain something.
Push-ups and squats are seriously your best friends to get started, it's simple and it works really well! Start with sets of 10-15 reps, doesn't matter if you have to do push-ups on your knees at first, the important thing is to really feel your muscles working. Add planks (hold for 20-30 sec), lunges and why not dips on a chair for your triceps, that feels great! Do this 3 times a week with a rest day between sessions, and after 2-3 weeks you'll already see that your muscles are responding better - then you can increase the reps or add harder variations.
The real key is starting with consistency rather than intensity, otherwise you're gonna get discouraged or hurt yourself after two or three weeks and just give up on everything. I've been through that myself when I got back into weightlifting after a break - I wanted to do too much too fast, I strained something in my back and didn't touch it for months. This time I learned my lesson: just three sessions a week, nothing but bodyweight, but done properly. The guys above talk about push-ups and squats, and yeah that's effective, but add dips on a chair for your triceps, alternating lunges for your legs, and planks for your core. Start with what you can do without collapsing - if you're just doing 5 push-ups that's already good, you'll build up gradually.
The other important thing is rest days. Between each session you gotta let your muscles recover, otherwise you're just gonna be tired and unmotivated. I alternate: like Monday-Wednesday-Friday. The first couple days are gonna be tough because your body isn't used to it, that's normal, you'll have soreness everywhere. But after like three or four weeks, you're really gonna start feeling the difference and that's when it gets fun.
The thing people often forget is breathing properly during exercise - you'll naturally hold your breath during push-ups or squats, but that exhausts your nervous system and you won't last as long. The others are right about consistency, but add short little sessions to that (like 10-15 minutes) rather than one big workout once a week, that lets you really get used to the movement without shocking your body that's been resting for a while.
The guys above are right about breathing and consistency, but what we really forget is to use your environment! Your stairs are perfect for step-ups in reps or dips on a step, your coffee table can work for controlled stretching, and even a wall lets you do inverted push-ups for your back. Start with just 3-4 exercises, 3 times a week with at least one rest day in between, and you'll progress naturally without any hassle! Your apartment really isn't a limitation, it's just a matter of creativity!
Log into answer.
