A few months ago I did the couch-to-5k program to get myself started in jogging. It worked perfectly well. But while I'm now able to jog 5k without a problem, I still don't really have much functional strength when it comes to upper torso and arms.

So, I'd like to know if anyone of you fitness buffs know any similar program to build some functional (or even just core) strength?

The most important points for me are:

• No weights or other gimmicks
• No gym
• No seriously sore muscles after exercises

I can't stand gyms (don't ask me why, I just really, really hate them) and don't want to collect several thousand weights to train at home.
Furthermore, I hate being sore for several days after working out. I don't mind if it takes a while longer to build some reasonable strength, if it means I don't have to break my muscles down to submolecular particles as result of some hard-ass 500lbs bench press. I've got that woossie-ass mental shortcoming where I won't continue traning programs if it takes me three days to be able to move again without wanting to take all sorts of painkillers.

Another rather important point is, I'm not aiming for muscle mass, I just want to get stronger.

So, anyone know of some training program that'll help a pansy like me get stronger?

Read Pavel Tsatsouline's "The Naked Warrior." It would suit you perfectly.

No matter what, at the beginning, you're going to be sore. There's really no way around it. But, since you're not using weights it won't be too bad.

I'd advise getting a chin-up bar and a body ball at your house. Then you can do your pull ups, push-ups, and core exercises to build strength.

Something like:

3x Pull ups (hands forward) to failure
- alternate days, do chin-ups (hands facing you)

3x push-ups to failure
- mix up your pushups with wide hands, close hands, triangles, claps, legs on body ball, etc. for the best variety and development of your arms and chest.

Body ball crunches, leg extensions, back extensions (body ball exercises are hard to explain, you need someone to show 'em to you)

That's a decent start, and after a couple weeks you should have little-to-no soreness, and might be more interested in heading to the gym.

Read some of the reviews, some more on GTG. This sounds pretty awesome, going to order it. Thanks for the tip.

Yeah, sure I'm going to feel some stiffness, but if I was able to go from not-able-to-jog-to-the-fridge to 5k without being sore once, I'd be surprised if it weren't possible for other areas, too.

Other than that, thanks for the training ideas. We've got that ball at home (my wife loves pilates and that type of stuff), just need to get that bar for the lifts somewhere. I should also be able to get some detailed descriptions of the exercises you've mentioned on the web, I guess.

Thanks for helping.

You might need to get a different size body ball, your wife's is likely too small for you.

therabands make a great home gym

Why not just get a kettlebell or two? You can do plenty of exercises with them and they don't take up any space.

I just hate working with weights. Kinda irrational, I know, and weirdest part of all is that I've got no idea why. Maybe I got killed by a kettlebell in an earlier life?

You don't have to get sore at the beginning. But if you want to get sore, working to failure is sure the way to do it.

It's pretty cheap if you get it on Amazon.com. If you get it from Pavel's site directly, you'll pay full price.

I've also heard good things about Ross Enamait's "Never Gymless". I'd check that one out as well.

I think the one I got of Ross's was Underground Warrior. It was all bodyweight exercises. Really good. Spare in style, cut to the chase, but a huge variety of exercises. I've been sort of collecting bodyweight exercises for a really long time now, and Ross surprised me by still having some I hadn't thought of.

you could develop a decent routine using just bodyweight exercises, it'd take a while to work up to it but if you absolutely hate weights, i see no other way. pulls ups/chin ups, push ups, hand stand push ups, dips, air squats, etc....some gymnastics stuff