Fitness Catch-All

Paleocon wrote:

saw this article this morning and thought, " wow. I should try some of those."

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-9-best-exercises-youre-not-doing.html?mcid=facetraining

Arched-back pull-ups, hell and yes. I'd also add L-Sit pull-ups to that; they've become the gold standard of my pull work.

Bear wrote:

I've been really really trying to gear myself up for a training program that I can sustain but there's one nagging thought in the back of my head that's keeping me from jumping in full bore. That thought "what's the point"? I seem to be caught in a rut of start/stop/start/stop.

So make a point.

Sounds flippant, but I can't keep to a training program without training for something. For me, that means always having the next race on the horizon, a goal which informs and shapes your training program. At the end of the race season, I take a month off scheduled training, relax, and think about what my goals for the upcoming year are, what big races I want to shoot for, and it's that that forms the basis of that next year's training.

I'm in week 10 of my weights program and am noticing big gains in my chest/back, but my arms are still stick thin and my belly isn't getting any smaller. I have made huge changes in my diet and am finding my recovery is a lot quicker, but I'm not getting the gains I want in my arms. My legs are getting harder, but not a lot bigger.

I think I might need to mix up my routine again.

Paleocon wrote:

I'm in week 10 of my weights program and am noticing big gains in my chest/back, but my arms are still stick thin and my belly isn't getting any smaller. I have made huge changes in my diet and am finding my recovery is a lot quicker, but I'm not getting the gains I want in my arms. My legs are getting harder, but not a lot bigger.

I think I might need to mix up my routine again.

I tried this dumbbell arm circuit for the first time this morning:

seated curls
incline curls (back against the bench)
reverse incline curls (chest against the bench)
reverse grip pull ups (I threw this in there)

6-8 reps per set and I did 3 circuits. The seated and reverse incline curls weren't bad @50 lbs, hit 8 reps without much trouble. The regular incline curls though? Torture...was lucky to hit 4 on the second and third circuits but overall, forearms and biceps felt great. Did some ab work between circuits as well.

Restarting p90x except this time I'm doing a modified version for mass. Basically higher weight, lower reps, less cardio, more calories. I'm hoping to stay in the 2500-3000 a day calorie range, but I'm afraid the challenge will be getting that many calories and not eating sh*tty.

Despite my progress, I am feeling that I've stalled with Stronglifts 5x5. Anyone have any good suggestions for the natural progression from this to another program? I want to keep it similar, not really looking to integrate any machinery with my workouts, or stick to heavily to any isolation exercises... I believe heartily in exercises that work better for everything.

NSMike wrote:

Despite my progress, I am feeling that I've stalled with Stronglifts 5x5. Anyone have any good suggestions for the natural progression from this to another program?

A small tweak could be transitioning to the Starting Strength scheme, which is 3 sets of 5 (1 set of 5 for deadlift) and uses power cleans instead of rows. The reduction in volume might let you keep up the linear gains a while longer, and power cleans are fun!

A bigger change would be something like Rip's Texas Method or Wendler's 5/3/1, which are both organized around increasing weights weekly instead of each workout. The links will give you overviews but, if either one strikes your fancy, you should pick up the actual book: Practical Programming for Strength Training for Texas Method (and plenty more) or 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System for Raw Strength.

Jonman wrote:
Bear wrote:

I've been really really trying to gear myself up for a training program that I can sustain but there's one nagging thought in the back of my head that's keeping me from jumping in full bore. That thought "what's the point"? I seem to be caught in a rut of start/stop/start/stop.

So make a point.

Sounds flippant, but I can't keep to a training program without training for something. For me, that means always having the next race on the horizon, a goal which informs and shapes your training program. At the end of the race season, I take a month off scheduled training, relax, and think about what my goals for the upcoming year are, what big races I want to shoot for, and it's that that forms the basis of that next year's training.

Totally agree, and as somone who just recent rediscovered training, I am using the Nike+ app to feed my need for reward and achievement, not to mention the nice little boost you get competing with other people you know. I credit it with getting me going after a very long 5 years of stop/start/excuses.

Not to mention its fun to see your run mapped out on the GPS and see the cool cheevos and mentions you get through the app on Facebook. lol

NSMike wrote:

Despite my progress, I am feeling that I've stalled with Stronglifts 5x5. Anyone have any good suggestions for the natural progression from this to another program? I want to keep it similar, not really looking to integrate any machinery with my workouts, or stick to heavily to any isolation exercises... I believe heartily in exercises that work better for everything.

I stall often on Stronglifts, usually due to lack of sleep or diet. Although I get the sense (based on the numbers you have mentioned) that you are simply reaching the end of the gains you can genetically make without resorting to steroids. So congratulations on that, by the way!

Other than the Stronglifts prescription of backing down to 5x3 now, I don't know of any other programs to transition to since I'm not at that point yet.

Miashara started a smolov (I believe) routine that looks like it worked well. I think he just finished it. Not sure he's posting in this thread but he's in the GWJ Fitocracy group.

So yeah I'm starting P90X back tonight after saying I was going to start a few weeks ago. I'm curious if anyone here takes any preworkout supplements for energy? One big problem for me is I have the motivation to workout after work, but when I start I feel like it's taking everything I have just to make it through it because I feel like an energy less zombie. I've often wondered if I have a low testosterone problem, but I don't match any of the other symptoms.

I'm going to try some Muscle Pharm Assault for at least a month. People I know who use it said half a scoop 30 minutes before workout makes them feel like the incredible hulk.

I've messed around with some pre- and post-workout supplements, but never really felt like they gave me any more of an "edge" than just eating some fruit. Apples and bananas pre-workout, and some lean protein washed down with a small glass of chocolate milk after the workout works like a charm, but then again, I'm not trying to add lots of mass or anything.

A spoonful of peanut butter before any workout has worked wonders for me. Good mix of fat and protein for sustained energy. Also its much cheaper than any supplement.

In most cases I don't take anything prior to a workout. I just don't like having stuff in my stomach. For my first triathlon I had a banana about half an hour before start. I was burping that banana for the entire swim and most of the bike. The only exception to that is lifting weights. I eat small amount of something with protein in it. Chocolate milk after a workout is one of the best things you can drink. Carbs and protein and tastiness. Now I miss Heartland Dairy's chocolate milk. That stuff was so good.

Anyway, if you feel dead before I'd try something small and simple to see if it works for you. I, personally, wouldn't eat it right before but about 30 minutes ahead of time to let it start to digest.

I take a small "boost" at about 6:30 am for a 7 am workout. BSN sports makes it...No Xplode or some weird name like that. Works for me.

Anyone have any issues with low testosterone? I suspect there's a possibility I may have low test and I'm having blood work done next Tuesday to see. I've noticed the past year or so I'm always tired (no matter how much sleep I get), have huge mood swings and get random hot flashes. My short term memory has gone to sh*t and I get really anxious for no reason all the time now.

EvilHomer3k wrote:

In most cases I don't take anything prior to a workout. I just don't like having stuff in my stomach. For my first triathlon I had a banana about half an hour before start. I was burping that banana for the entire swim and most of the bike. The only exception to that is lifting weights. I eat small amount of something with protein in it. Chocolate milk after a workout is one of the best things you can drink. Carbs and protein and tastiness. Now I miss Heartland Dairy's chocolate milk. That stuff was so good.

Anyway, if you feel dead before I'd try something small and simple to see if it works for you. I, personally, wouldn't eat it right before but about 30 minutes ahead of time to let it start to digest.

There's your problem right there. Conventional wisdom is to eat your pre-race snack around 2 hours before your race, and merely sip at water/sports drink for the 2 hours immediately before the race. Gives your stomach time to turn that banana into energy, instead of merely having it bounce around in there while you're racing.

I have been trying to lift weights and do core exercises 3-4 times a week, and I've been trying to get back into running. I started training for a half marathon that my wife and I are going to run in March. It's really difficult to run here in the Florida heat. When it's below 80, and the humidity is low, I can easily make 5K, but I have a tough time hitting 3 miles when it's this hot outside.

Combine that with the fact that I seem to have torn something in my back, and I'm not doing so well. Hopefully, some rest helps and I can get back to training. I just hope I don't lose what progress I have made in the past 6 weeks or so on this week trying to get my back to 100%.

Any ideas as to what I should do? I have heard that my injury could have been caused by lack of core strength, but I really don't think it is as I've been working my core for a while and I've never had a problem like this before.

So I'm a slightly overweight (6' 1" 215lb) near 30 year old who has never been good at sports or physical fitness. From birth through college I had a high motabolizm and was always slim. The second I graduated college and my ass hit the desk I started to develop a bit of a gut. I've pretty much hovered around 215ish for the past 7 years or so, always thinking "Well I'm not at my ideal weight but I'm not super fat so why bother." Maybe it's because I can see the big 3-0 on the horizon, but I want to start to get myself back into shape. The problem is, I don't know thing 1 about exercise or how to start. I've joined gyms in the past but I always start strong and then peter out. Also at the moment cash is quite tight so I'm wary on dumping $40ish a month into a gym membership. So, fitness gurus, I need guidance. What can I do on the cheap to get me back on the road to being fit?

Radical Ans wrote:

So, fitness gurus, I need guidance. What can I do on the cheap to get me back on the road to being fit?

Got any friends that play any team sports that you might be interested in? Cost of admission to an ultimate frisbee team is probably not that high, and doing stuff with friends can be fierce-powerful motivation.

Sounds to me like ongoing motivation is going to be the biggest challenge to overcome. It's both a tough and an easy nut to crack. Find something you genuinely enjoy doing, and that problem is solved. If you find going to the gym boring, you're wasting money on a gym membership, right? The tough part of that problem is the finding the thing you really enjoy, and on that, you're kind of on your own. Are there sports that you've always been interested in but never tried?

JillSammich wrote:

I have been trying to lift weights and do core exercises 3-4 times a week, and I've been trying to get back into running. I started training for a half marathon that my wife and I are going to run in March. It's really difficult to run here in the Florida heat. When it's below 80, and the humidity is low, I can easily make 5K, but I have a tough time hitting 3 miles when it's this hot outside.

Combine that with the fact that I seem to have torn something in my back, and I'm not doing so well. Hopefully, some rest helps and I can get back to training. I just hope I don't lose what progress I have made in the past 6 weeks or so on this week trying to get my back to 100%.

Any ideas as to what I should do? I have heard that my injury could have been caused by lack of core strength, but I really don't think it is as I've been working my core for a while and I've never had a problem like this before.

IANAD, of course, but what you should do is rest! Then, when you're reasonably sure that it's healed, rest some more! Then, and only then, do you get slowly and gently ease yourself back into it. At the first sign (and I mean *first* sign) or pain or a recurrence in the injury, stop what you're doing, and rest-up again.

I've learned the hard way about not giving injuries enough time to heal, and then re-injuring them, and it sucks.

The good news is that you have plenty of time between now and March to get to being able to run a half. No worries, there. You will lose some fitness while you're resting up, it's inevitable. Don't sweat it. That fitness will come right back once you start training again.

As for not being able to run the same distance in the Florida heat, you're damn right it's harder when it's hotter. Obvious solution is to slow down when it's balls-hot, as well making sure you hydrate more, and even make sure you're keeping your electrolytes topped up (with a sports drink or electrolyte-rich beverage like Nuun tablets). Although those last two points probably aren't an issue at the distances you're currently running, they will become an issue as your mileage continues to ramp up. My rough rule of thumb is that water will get the job done for up to an hour - anything longer than that and I switch out to a sports drink, but I don't live somewhere super hot, so you might want to revise those numbers downwards a little.

As for core strength, that could be the source of your injury. How long has it been since you've done any kind of regular running? If the answer is several years, my money would be on poor form combined with a lack of musculo-skeletal conditioning. It takes time (and I mean 6-18 months) of regular running to develop conditioning. That said, more core strength is unlikely to be a bad thing

Radical Ans wrote:

So, fitness gurus, I need guidance. What can I do on the cheap to get me back on the road to being fit?

Get control over your diet if you want to lose weight. For working out, Nerd Fitness has some body weight exercise routines that you can do at home and don't require any equipment. Couple those with walking or jogging in a local park.

I'm like you. Not an athlete. If you put a little effort in, do the routines regularly, and eliminate calories, you will see results in a month or two.

Radical Ans wrote:

So I'm a slightly overweight (6' 1" 215lb) near 30 year old who has never been good at sports or physical fitness. From birth through college I had a high motabolizm and was always slim. The second I graduated college and my ass hit the desk I started to develop a bit of a gut. I've pretty much hovered around 215ish for the past 7 years or so, always thinking "Well I'm not at my ideal weight but I'm not super fat so why bother." Maybe it's because I can see the big 3-0 on the horizon, but I want to start to get myself back into shape. The problem is, I don't know thing 1 about exercise or how to start. I've joined gyms in the past but I always start strong and then peter out. Also at the moment cash is quite tight so I'm wary on dumping $40ish a month into a gym membership. So, fitness gurus, I need guidance. What can I do on the cheap to get me back on the road to being fit?

Do you mind working out at home say for an hour or so?

Gumbie wrote:
Radical Ans wrote:

So I'm a slightly overweight (6' 1" 215lb) near 30 year old who has never been good at sports or physical fitness. From birth through college I had a high motabolizm and was always slim. The second I graduated college and my ass hit the desk I started to develop a bit of a gut. I've pretty much hovered around 215ish for the past 7 years or so, always thinking "Well I'm not at my ideal weight but I'm not super fat so why bother." Maybe it's because I can see the big 3-0 on the horizon, but I want to start to get myself back into shape. The problem is, I don't know thing 1 about exercise or how to start. I've joined gyms in the past but I always start strong and then peter out. Also at the moment cash is quite tight so I'm wary on dumping $40ish a month into a gym membership. So, fitness gurus, I need guidance. What can I do on the cheap to get me back on the road to being fit?

Do you mind working out at home say for an hour or so?

Not in the least.

Radical Ans wrote:
Gumbie wrote:
Radical Ans wrote:

So I'm a slightly overweight (6' 1" 215lb) near 30 year old who has never been good at sports or physical fitness. From birth through college I had a high motabolizm and was always slim. The second I graduated college and my ass hit the desk I started to develop a bit of a gut. I've pretty much hovered around 215ish for the past 7 years or so, always thinking "Well I'm not at my ideal weight but I'm not super fat so why bother." Maybe it's because I can see the big 3-0 on the horizon, but I want to start to get myself back into shape. The problem is, I don't know thing 1 about exercise or how to start. I've joined gyms in the past but I always start strong and then peter out. Also at the moment cash is quite tight so I'm wary on dumping $40ish a month into a gym membership. So, fitness gurus, I need guidance. What can I do on the cheap to get me back on the road to being fit?

Do you mind working out at home say for an hour or so?

Not in the least.

If general fitness is your goal, you can get a fantastic workout with little more than your body-weight and some floor space. Add a pull-up bar and perhaps a kettlebell, and you're set.

Radical Ans wrote:

So I'm a slightly overweight (6' 1" 215lb) near 30 year old who has never been good at sports or physical fitness. From birth through college I had a high motabolizm and was always slim. The second I graduated college and my ass hit the desk I started to develop a bit of a gut. I've pretty much hovered around 215ish for the past 7 years or so, always thinking "Well I'm not at my ideal weight but I'm not super fat so why bother." Maybe it's because I can see the big 3-0 on the horizon, but I want to start to get myself back into shape. The problem is, I don't know thing 1 about exercise or how to start. I've joined gyms in the past but I always start strong and then peter out. Also at the moment cash is quite tight so I'm wary on dumping $40ish a month into a gym membership. So, fitness gurus, I need guidance. What can I do on the cheap to get me back on the road to being fit?

Start slow. Don't try jumping into the shark pool your fist time out. Jonman's advice is great. Find something you enjoy doing with a friend and do that. It could be a pickup game of basketball, biking, soccer, whatever. There are probably some local clubs for soccer, rugby, biking, or some other things that could be fun.

I recommend strength training exercises if you want to lose weight. Lots of people just change their diet to lose weight. That loses fat but also loses muscle. As others have said you can do a lot with just bodyweight exercises. I suggest doing sets of push-ups, squats, crunches, and pull-ups for the basics. If you can't find a good place to do pull-ups you can do reverse-push-ups (inverted rows) on a desk or table. I would start with 5 sets with reps done until failure. Just do as many as you can each time. Don't worry if it is 50 or 5. I'd do them in order of pull-ups, squats, crunches, push-ups. Feel free to do them in front of the tv. I would do that about 3 times a week to start (you can do more but 3 a week is a good start).

on the topic of too fast too soon, I started running again using the Nike+ app on my phone for some motivation and it was going great. logged 11 miles over a 10 day period, felt great and decided to play some pick up soccer last Sunday for 1hr and 45min and haven't been able to run since. I probably should have taken it a bit slower and called it after an hour of soccer.

hoping to get back into the swing today. wish me luck.

RooneyFan wrote:

on the topic of too fast too soon, I started running again using the Nike+ app on my phone for some motivation and it was going great. logged 11 miles over a 10 day period, felt great and decided to play some pick up soccer last Sunday for 1hr and 45min and haven't been able to run since. I probably should have taken it a bit slower and called it after an hour of soccer.

hoping to get back into the swing today. wish me luck.

Good luck. I know I can't wait to get back to my run schedule. Back is still hurting and no amount of stretching seems to help. It's really frustrating, but I may end up breaking down and going to a doctor or something. I really really need to get back to running. I miss it.

JillSammich wrote:
RooneyFan wrote:

on the topic of too fast too soon, I started running again using the Nike+ app on my phone for some motivation and it was going great. logged 11 miles over a 10 day period, felt great and decided to play some pick up soccer last Sunday for 1hr and 45min and haven't been able to run since. I probably should have taken it a bit slower and called it after an hour of soccer.

hoping to get back into the swing today. wish me luck.

Good luck. I know I can't wait to get back to my run schedule. Back is still hurting and no amount of stretching seems to help. It's really frustrating, but I may end up breaking down and going to a doctor or something. I really really need to get back to running. I miss it.

definately if you can. as someone who has lived with back pain from a herniated disc (Lumbar) knowing what the problem is helps. could be just muscular or could be disc related. ok now for the tough to hear part. after 5 days of true rest, it's time to get moving again (so long as you didn't suffer trauma so get seen first if you think it could be). in all the research I have done ere is no benefit to dealing with back pain via rest. there is some evidence that moving albeit with the help of some type of pain med (Advil, aleive , etc) has shown better results in terms of relieving back pain.

hope you feel better soon either way.

On motivation. What do you do to push yourself? When you are going up a hill and the urge to stop and walk gets to be too much? When biking up a hill and your legs are begging you to sit down, down shift, and take it easy?

When biking I try to look down and focus on pedaling rather than how far it is to the top of the hill. That works form me on the steep short hills but I find that it's the long, gradual, hills that sap my will. I usually bike alone to work so I don't have anyone with me to push. Sometimes I'll see someone in front of me and that helps to push to pass them.