Paths from my couch to EVERYWHERE
January 2, 2018 11:58 PM Subscribe
I loved Couch to 5K, the program designed to take a person from being a sedentary non-runner to being a 5K-runner. I'd like to find other programs which take you from zero to being a solid beginner. These could be in sports (Couch to Yoga/Weights/Swimming) or other fields (Couch to Cooking/Being Well Read/Meditating/Political Activism/Gardening/Woodwork/Birdwatching/Having a Clean House/Whatever), and they could be free or paid.
My three main criteria are that the programs be for absolute beginners, that they last approximately 1-12 months, and that they include interesting gradated material designed to help a person through the steps of learning (i.e. not just a book on the subject of learning to cook, though a book designed to be worked through over a set period of time could work).
Basically I want to learn new things, at home, with a lot of structure, and to have my hand held while I do it. Thanks, Askme!
My three main criteria are that the programs be for absolute beginners, that they last approximately 1-12 months, and that they include interesting gradated material designed to help a person through the steps of learning (i.e. not just a book on the subject of learning to cook, though a book designed to be worked through over a set period of time could work).
Basically I want to learn new things, at home, with a lot of structure, and to have my hand held while I do it. Thanks, Askme!
Wanikani teaches you to read Japanese kanji from scratch.
Starting Strength seems to be the canonical beginner's weightlifting program.
posted by corvine at 3:03 AM on January 3, 2018 [7 favorites]
Starting Strength seems to be the canonical beginner's weightlifting program.
posted by corvine at 3:03 AM on January 3, 2018 [7 favorites]
Headspace for meditation. First 10 days are free, and for absolute beginners. If you purchase a subscription, the meditations gradually become longer and less guided.
posted by pear at 5:59 AM on January 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by pear at 5:59 AM on January 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
Check out Ruth Kazez's site for Zero to 700, Zero to 1650, or Couch to Ironman. The Zeroto1Mile swimming Facebook group has the nicest, most helpful people on the internet. I have learned so much from them.
posted by jgirl at 6:57 AM on January 3, 2018
posted by jgirl at 6:57 AM on January 3, 2018
FlyLady.net's daily emails - clean the house and create a daily task routine that works for your life.
Apartment Therapy's January Cure- fix up your home.
If decluttering is of interest, Marie Kondo's book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up is available as an app.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:48 AM on January 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
Apartment Therapy's January Cure- fix up your home.
If decluttering is of interest, Marie Kondo's book The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up is available as an app.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 7:48 AM on January 3, 2018 [4 favorites]
The folk who produce the NHS Couch to 5K podcast also have a five-week progressive podcast on building strength and flexibility.
posted by penguin pie at 8:20 AM on January 3, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by penguin pie at 8:20 AM on January 3, 2018 [5 favorites]
Hope this isn't chatty, but I'm looking for the same thing for indoor cyclng/spinning. I'll be watching this with interest. Thank you for posting this question!
posted by onecircleaday at 11:28 AM on January 3, 2018
posted by onecircleaday at 11:28 AM on January 3, 2018
Starting Strength *is* the canonical intro-to-powerlifting. It doesn't cover olympic weightlifting or bodybuilding, but the goal is to get someone strong, as safely as possible, as quickly as possible.
It focuses on only four exercises; squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press. It takes 60-90m, three times a week. You don't come out of workouts all that tired, but you *do* lift more weight every single workout... for many months.
You need to own or have access to free weights, a bench, and a squat rack or cage. Once the weights get heavy, getting a coach (or occasional coaching) helps, although there's an active online forum, Reddit forum, and Facebook group where you can post video of yourself to get feedback.
Mark Rippetoe wrote the book, regularly answers questions on the forums, and is a jovial dude who also runs seminars. There's a ton of Youtube content so you can just watch and learn. FWIW, Mark's taught the program to 80 year olds, to severely obese individuals, and to lanky bastards; it works for absolute beginners, although "you need some gear" is the tough part.
As one of those lanky folks, I can now pick up around 400lbs off the floor without injury and I'm still getting better, so I've gotta say it worked exactly as promised.
posted by talldean at 10:36 PM on January 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
It focuses on only four exercises; squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press. It takes 60-90m, three times a week. You don't come out of workouts all that tired, but you *do* lift more weight every single workout... for many months.
You need to own or have access to free weights, a bench, and a squat rack or cage. Once the weights get heavy, getting a coach (or occasional coaching) helps, although there's an active online forum, Reddit forum, and Facebook group where you can post video of yourself to get feedback.
Mark Rippetoe wrote the book, regularly answers questions on the forums, and is a jovial dude who also runs seminars. There's a ton of Youtube content so you can just watch and learn. FWIW, Mark's taught the program to 80 year olds, to severely obese individuals, and to lanky bastards; it works for absolute beginners, although "you need some gear" is the tough part.
As one of those lanky folks, I can now pick up around 400lbs off the floor without injury and I'm still getting better, so I've gotta say it worked exactly as promised.
posted by talldean at 10:36 PM on January 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
This cookbookIs truly lovely and progressive-lesson-based.
"Creative development" isn't exactly power lifting, but The Artists Way really works (and has weekly assignments).
posted by athirstforsalt at 7:17 AM on January 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
"Creative development" isn't exactly power lifting, but The Artists Way really works (and has weekly assignments).
posted by athirstforsalt at 7:17 AM on January 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hungrytiger at 12:03 AM on January 3, 2018 [6 favorites]