I miss the fitness threads and the fitness Doms!

[cathrynb]

.....

 

[brioche]

Funny - I've actually just started the chocolate milk thing - I heard about that somewhere else. I drink it after workouts now. I usually have chicken breast too.
My biceps are all better. Normally I would be working them again on Tuesday but I have a course so I'm taking a week off.

 

[Homburg]

Funny - I've actually just started the chocolate milk thing - I heard about that somewhere else. I drink it after workouts now. I usually have chicken breast too.
My biceps are all better. Normally I would be working them again on Tuesday but I have a course so I'm taking a week off.

Glad to hear it. I should probably start doing more with my PWO. Might help with my soreness

--

Did some light trail riding over the weekend. Would've liked to do more but, of all things, my bike wasn't cooperating. It will be time for some bike maintenance this week.

 

[ultramarineblue]

Not so much with exercise this week. I walked a little today and walked Monday. Hopefully tomorrow will have time for exercise.

 

[Keroin]

Deck building and tennis seems to be my fitness regime as of late. Today's hammer swinging also came with a nice near-death adrenalin rush. Whoo, been a long time since I had one of those!

 

[Bandit58]

It's still so cold in the evenings here that I have to force myself to leave my nice warm lounge and blankie to get to the gym....but it's worth it

My lower back was a little stiff today, until I went and did my pump class. I'm moving a lot easier - not sure if it was the workout or the stretching afterwards.

I hate shoulder presses I can only manage 1kg (in each hand) and a max of 4kg on the bar. It's the one exercise where I haven't been able to up my weights, it sucks

 

[ultramarineblue]

I had a great workout today. I'm so glad I did it too. I sure wasn't wanting to do anything after work but as usual, it made me feel much better.

 

[Homburg]

Cycle 5, Wave C
Overhead press day

60x5
75x5
90x3 Warm-ups done
110x5
125x3
140x5 Rep calc says 163#

Got #6 about halfway up when the hitch got me. There's a point where the deltoids are losing leverage and the triceps are gaining it. That spot is the hand-off. The delts run out and the tris catch the weight. Your nervous system is wired so that you don't notice it. Unfortunately, that is where the fail is going to happen if you get it off the bottom. Whee.

This is the last real session of the cycle. Classically, we don't do much for deload week. Dunno how that is going to work. LB's job situation is quite up in the air, so he doesn't know if he's going to be here or not. For now, we're going to keep on keeping on like he's gonna be here.

 

[cowslinger64]

Hello everybody...it's been a while...but I have kept up with my workout regimen. Kicked ass today, and have only missed a handful of days in months.


I have a question for you fitness gurus...

What is a good heart rate to shoot for when you are working out? I am still in the losing weight mode, and for instance today, after 85 minutes of pretty intense working out, My heart rate was shown to be around 180...somewhere around double what resting is. I've never really checked it at resting, and btw I am going off the heart rate monitors on the treadmill...and Ive been on all of them in that gym and they seem to be pretty consistent.

Any ideas?


thanks.



Homburg....I recommend doing Arnold presses for delt work....if you do them right, you never really use your triceps at all. Its a great way to work all three heads of the deltoid. I tried to find a link to someone doing them....but in all the videos I saw, they were doing it wrong.

Take two dumbells, and sit on a bench, preferably one with a back. Hold the dumbbells in front of you, with your palms facing you, and your arms curled. If you looked straight forward, you would seem them just on each side of your head. Take the dumbbell and press it straight up and twist the dumbbell as you do, your palms should now be facing forward, and your hands should be just above your head, and do NOT raise them much over your head...then bring them back down, and twist in the air back to position. you will be able to see how this isolates the delt, and you will not use your triceps...its hard to do, much more strain that a regular shoulder press...hope that helps ya.

 

[Homburg]

Hello everybody...it's been a while...but I have kept up with my workout regimen. Kicked ass today, and have only missed a handful of days in months.


I have a question for you fitness gurus...

What is a good heart rate to shoot for when you are working out? I am still in the losing weight mode, and for instance today, after 85 minutes of pretty intense working out, My heart rate was shown to be around 180...somewhere around double what resting is. I've never really checked it at resting, and btw I am going off the heart rate monitors on the treadmill...and Ive been on all of them in that gym and they seem to be pretty consistent.

I don't use heart rate as a marker when doing steady-state energy systems work. I use the conversation 'rule' as a guideline. Simply put, if you are having trouble holding a conversation, you're probably working hard enough for long-term energy systems stuff. If, however, you can talk, you need to push harder. Out of breath and can't talk at all? Probably too much for endurance stuff unless you're doing interval work of some sort.

Homburg....I recommend doing Arnold presses for delt work....if you do them right, you never really use your triceps at all. Its a great way to work all three heads of the deltoid. I tried to find a link to someone doing them....but in all the videos I saw, they were doing it wrong.

Take two dumbells, and sit on a bench, preferably one with a back. Hold the dumbbells in front of you, with your palms facing you, and your arms curled. If you looked straight forward, you would seem them just on each side of your head. Take the dumbbell and press it straight up and twist the dumbbell as you do, your palms should now be facing forward, and your hands should be just above your head, and do NOT raise them much over your head...then bring them back down, and twist in the air back to position. you will be able to see how this isolates the delt, and you will not use your triceps...its hard to do, much more strain that a regular shoulder press...hope that helps ya.

See, I don't want to isolate. Isolation goes against biomechanics. I'm not working my delts. I'm working to get a better overhead press.

That said, the arnold press can be really good for rehabbing bad shoulders in some cases.

 

[Seurat]

got up before anybody else in the house. 10.87 miles in an hour 10 minutes, with a stop at the market. Only real excercise I've had in a week more than two weeks; I am sure some body part will be complaing loudly later.

 

[Netzach]

barre class and two pump classes this week - I'm aiming for that magic 4x per week next week. Annoyed that the only step class that's not advanced is 9am Fri. TOO EARLY. Weight is up to ugh 162 - post workout ravenousness - what do people do? Other than choose smarter?

 

[Homburg]

barre class and two pump classes this week - I'm aiming for that magic 4x per week next week. Annoyed that the only step class that's not advanced is 9am Fri. TOO EARLY. Weight is up to ugh 162 - post workout ravenousness - what do people do? Other than choose smarter?

A good PWO drink helps with that. Unfortunately, I don't know how well your system would tolerate the easy standby of low-fat chocolate milk, but, barring that, something like Surge or one of the others. It's just a combo of easy digesting proteins and sugars that get that nutrients in right then and there.

Other than that, I would just say don't sweat it. The weight gain is probably muscle growth. If it is, be happy! Muscle is metabolically active tissue, and will help to burn more calories even when at rest.

Frankly, ignore the scale. Tape yourself. Get measurements at waist, hip neck, etc, and watch those. Or watch non-stretch clothing for changes in fit. Weight is a crap metric for health. Sure, it's easy, and it's what most people watch, but it doesn't mean as much as actual size measurements.

 

[Homburg]

Exercise lately has been work my ass off every weekend trying to replace the transmission. Been sore as shit too, as I'm doing much of the heavy lifting. Whee.

 

[ultramarineblue]

Bad ass workout tonight.

 

[VelvetSin]

I've lurked this thread and am impressed! I have a question though. My favorite cardio is a long run but that's not possible for another six weeks before I'm cleared to ease back into it (sprained ankle ). The few times I've sprained in the past it's taken a few more weeks after I'm cleared to rebuild distance and speed again. It was annoying. I have access to a pool but never go (it's full of elderly, but beggars can't be choosers I guess). If I wrap well and swim laps in the meantime, will that be suitably low-stress but keep stamina up so it won't take so long to get back to where I was?

 

[VelvetSin]

I have a question for you fitness gurus...

What is a good heart rate to shoot for when you are working out? I am still in the losing weight mode, and for instance today, after 85 minutes of pretty intense working out, My heart rate was shown to be around 180...somewhere around double what resting is. I've never really checked it at resting, and btw I am going off the heart rate monitors on the treadmill...and Ive been on all of them in that gym and they seem to be pretty consistent.

Any ideas?

I'm not a guru I don't think, but here are some suggestions.

1. Go pick up a heart rate monitor to maximize your workout and burn. The best ones have a chest strap so it can do continuous readings and record better, but they have some that are just wrist watches (you have to stop working out to touch sensors to get a recording and since it's not continuous, any spikes or dips in heart rate done when you aren't doing a reading will get missed). The continuous ones can also record exactly the calories burned so you don't have to do the calculations. There are a ton of different brands, but I'd recommend Polar or Garmin (Polar for accuracy during cardio, or Garmin if you like to go running in places you aren't completely familiar with since a lot of those have good pedometers and GPS tracking).
2. Your new heart rate monitor will tell you and probably beep (if you turn that setting on) when your heart rate is under or too far above an ideal cardio range, but you can also check out calculators on the web (google "target heart rate"). This one looks decent.

The main point though was to get a heart rate monitor. You can get a good Polar for between $60-90 and it's worth every penny to keep your workouts optimal. I still use one once a week or so to make sure my routines don't get too routine so I know when to change things up.

........

My contribution - I hit the pool this morning and B went with me so I wouldn't feel so geriatric and he was bored with running by himself. It was great! Ace wrapping for swimming was fail, and water resistance probably wasn't the best, but a gimpy backstroke helped take the water resistance stress off the sprain so I have something I can do while mending to relieve the runners high withdrawals since sedate walking just made me mad.

 

[brioche]

Maybe a neoprene brace would work better in the water? I know Body Glove used to have neoprene swimsuits...

I have gained weight. I think it might be water weight since TMI woman stuff ahead TMI

I've been having my period for the past two months.

At any rate my hormones are clearly wacky so I'm not happy. I'm also going off a happy med (unrelated) so that doesn't help either.

 

[Tabea]

My contribution - I hit the pool this morning and B went with me so I wouldn't feel so geriatric and he was bored with running by himself. It was great! Ace wrapping for swimming was fail, and water resistance probably wasn't the best, but a gimpy backstroke helped take the water resistance stress off the sprain so I have something I can do while mending to relieve the runners high withdrawals since sedate walking just made me mad.

To rest your foot you could ask the pool attendant for a pull buoy.

After your foot has healed some more you could try if bicycling works for you.

 

[ultramarineblue]

I've got to incorporate calf and achilles stretches into my daily routine regardless of whether or not I work out. I broke one of my legs several years ago and didn't have physical therapy. So now I can't squat flat-footed.

 

[cathrynb]

.....

 

[Cattypuss]

I'd be very grateful for some opinions from the excer-perts here on a matter of blood chemistry....

[Brief background] I have suffered repeatedly, and severely, from clinical depression since I was 17 (over 25 years ago now) and the bouts of depression have been awful - typically forcing me to spend two years at a time doing nothing but stare at the wallpaper/ceiling and wish I was dead, every waking minute. My depression is at least partly genetic (my brother suffers severely too, as did my dad and his dad before him). I have always been treated with a combination of drugs and talking therapies. I am determined never to take drugs again, however, because they have such strong side-efects for me and even on drugs I sta EXTREMELY ill for a good two years at a time, so I'm not sure they even work that well on me - and I've tried many over the years.[/brief background]

After a year or so of being mentally pretty healthy, I have fallen into moderate depression again. I know that this will lead to severe depression quickly unless I do something radical.

I have been told be several people that vigorous exercise can alter blood chemistry ina way that is very beneficial to depression. That, if you push yourself at the right intensity for the right length of time, in each session two things will happen - (1) the overload of stress-chemicals in the blood will get "burnt off" and (2) shortly following this, there will be a release of endorphins.

I want.

Now, I'm 43 years old, I'm about 35 pounds overweight (but losing weight - have been for a while now). I can walk in the hills all day long - 10+mile hilly hikes are no bother at all. But I have never in my life pushed myself 'cardio-vascularly'. I mean, I've never gone past the "I need a breather" stage without taking that breather - and I've never done ANY exercise more vigorous than walking.

From what I've been told, to get the anti-stress, anti-depressant effect from exercise, you have to push through and go beyond the "I don't think I can keep going" stage, until you get your second wind and, about 20-25 minutes after starting the exercise, the blood chemistry starts to change in ways that are beneficial.

What the people who tell me this don't seem to comprehend is that I have no experience of that "I don't think I can keep going" stage because I've never pushed myself. So I'm not confident of recognising it when I reach it. I suspect I will end up either not going at it hard enough, or going at it too hard - both of which would be unhelpful in their own ways.

Anyone know what I'm takling about? If so, is there a heart-rate I should be aiming for or something? Something to help me know I'm doing it "right", to get the results I want?

Right now all I care about is the anti-depressant effect. The thighs of steel can come later

FWIW, I'm reasonably healthy - gave up smoking 5+ years ago, almost never drink, eat lots of fresh and healthy foods. I carry all my excess weight on my bum and hips and thighs so I'm not a high heart-attack risk, and my blood pressure, measured last week, was 113/63.

Sorry for the length of this.

 

[Keroin]

I'd be very grateful for some opinions from the excer-perts here on a matter of blood chemistry....

OK, I know nothing about blood chemistry but plenty about pushing cardiovascular limits. First, toss the heart rate monitor. Runners use the "conversation" method to generally determine how hard they are working. In other words, during your cardio, if you can talk and hold a conversation you are in the weight control/fat burning zone. To get to the aerobic zone, you have to work hard enough that talking becomes very difficult, if not impossible.

Now, be warned, if you aren't used to pushing yourself, it ain't no piece of cake and you may not have the endurance to get to the "second wind" stage.

The best way I've found to build up cardio when I want to push through to the next level is through wind sprints.

Do a warm up jog/run for about 15-20 min. When you reach a long stretch of road or path that has some kind of markers (telephone poles, trees, etc), stop. Pick a marker that you are going to sprint to. From a stationary position, explode into a sprint, as fast as you can and push yourself as hard as you can until you reach the marker. This will not be easy or fun. It will hurt. A lot. Walk slowly for 30 - 60 seconds, then repeat the sprint. Try doing at least three sprints the first time out. Gradually build up to 6-10 and/or lengthen the distance.

If you do this two or three times a week, you'll notice a dramatic increase in your cardio ability.

Now, as far as pushing yourself just generally, you want to warm up for at least 10 min first. Then increase your speed until you get to the point where you can't talk. (If you're alone, try singing a little tune - I know, weird, but it's what I do. If you can sing, you're not working hard enough, go faster.)

The reason I don't like heart monitors is you get too wrapped up in the numbers and lose focus on feeling your body.

*HOWEVER* You should talk to a doctor before you do any of this. **

 

[midwestyankee]

From what I've been told, to get the anti-stress, anti-depressant effect from exercise, you have to push through and go beyond the "I don't think I can keep going" stage, until you get your second wind and, about 20-25 minutes after starting the exercise, the blood chemistry starts to change in ways that are beneficial.

Just a quick thought: the anti-stress and anti-depressant effect will begin almost immediately if you shift your exercise routine into a different (i.e., higher) gear. You don't need to push yourself far beyond your current capabilities in order to feel a helluva lot better about yourself and about the future. All you need is new goals, some resolve to meet them, and the experience of making progress toward those goals.

Now, once you're capable of pushing yourself a good bit harder than you do in your current exercise walks you will definitely also feel an additional level of joy (some people use "endorphin rush" but I like the word "joy") from your exercise. There's just not a whole lot that feels better than the raised level of joy you get when you've pushed your body hard enough to release those lovely endorphins.

 

[Keroin]

Just a quick thought: the anti-stress and anti-depressant effect will begin almost immediately if you shift your exercise routine into a different (i.e., higher) gear. You don't need to push yourself far beyond your current capabilities in order to feel a helluva lot better about yourself and about the future. All you need is new goals, some resolve to meet them, and the experience of making progress toward those goals.

Now, once you're capable of pushing yourself a good bit harder than you do in your current exercise walks you will definitely also feel an additional level of joy (some people use "endorphin rush" but I like the word "joy") from your exercise. There's just not a whole lot that feels better than the raised level of joy you get when you've pushed your body hard enough to release those lovely endorphins.

Yep. QFT!