Official Workout/Fitness Thread (Re-born)

[Scabs304]

I know there are a few ex motocrossers in here and I really need to start training now for next season (I had my last race on Sunday and I rode like crap). My uncle is giving me a mountain bike, but that is only going to be feasible for me to train on for the next 2 months more than likely. I work for the YMCA so I have full access to the gym. I know I need a ton of cardio in, but wondering if anyone has any idea on getting the body ready for the high impact motocross entails on your body? To put it into perspective for at least the first day if not the first two days walking and moving is rather painful after a race for me at the moment since my joints and my muscles really hurt. Also have a bum left ankle from breaking the talus and tearing every ligament but one in it last July.

One last thing I abhor working out in a gym by myself, but believe at 27 and beat to hell and back I really am going to have to if I want to compete in sports again.

[dobrojim]

scabs-

I don't think there is a really good way to train for MX racing
other than by doing a lot of riding. (lack of) Access to a riding area
is what probably caused me to burn out on MX. You can do
all the exercises you want, and I won't say they are useless,
but there is very little in a lot of that that really prepares
you for a 20-30 min moto. It's that intense.

track workout tonight -std pyramid and was able in the
relative coolness to do the 'full' pyramid with
2x(200, 400, 800, 400, 200). The second 800 was a
sec or 2 off the intended interval so maybe I need
to focus on more longer intervals. I really like that
workout though. And I saw considerable improvement
doing it when I was prepping for the hundred.

10 K on Sunday. Come on down to W Pot park just
S of the Lincoln and run a few miles on the clock
and support research against kidney cancer.
Wonder if I can sneak in for a AgeGroup award.

[Zonkerbl]

Local fitness center has all sorts of fun fitness classes -- circuit training on monday, body blast on Wednesday, Sweatin' & Sculptin on Friday. Every week they switch up the routine, which is really nice. You don't get bored, and it's good for your body to do different stuff.

They just got a heavy bag, but it's on a stand, I avoided those because they move around too much, bad for your wrists. Anyway they had me work on it last week and I knocked it all over the room, fun.

[Induveca]

3 hour intense full body workout, heavy weight all around today. Hit all major muscles HARD. Followed it up immediately with 20 laps in Olympic pool. I am literally DEAD tired.

Good to shock the system now and then, I'm already very sore which is the best thing that can happen to a guy who has been lifting for years. Just means more muscle growth is coming.

Going to scarf down 2 grilled chicken breasts with hummus and a salad and try to pass out early.

[dobrojim]

ran a very solid 10K yesterday - 3rd in AG and a wava score of 74%

that wava score projects to a 3:15 marathon which is optimistic
I think. But I would be thrilled to go under 3:20

42:42 fwiw

was most pleased by the consistency of pace

[nate33]

Nice job, dobro.

That's what, a 6:52 per mile pace?

[dobrojim]

correct

was most pleased by the consistency of my splits. No mile
was over 7 min

[Nivek]

Did the Warrior Dash (www.warriordash.com) on Saturday in Pennsylvania. I wasn't in the kind of shape I wanted to be for a variety of reasons (including a strained Achilles about 3 weeks before the race, which relegated me to the elliptical instead of more intense workouts). Still, it's the most fun I've had in a long time. A 3.15 mile obstacle course. Obstacles included climbing a rope wall, several water challenges (including one where I lost my wedding ring), climbing a steep hill coated with the slickest mud in creation, crawling through mud and jumping over fire. Some other stuff too.

The pictures are hilarious. The race was just frigging awesome. I had two goals -- finish in less than an hour and don't end up a medical emergency (the start of my wave was delayed because of a "medical emergency" on the course). I was slow (about 45 minutes), but I finished and didn't get hurt. For next time, I'll shoot to take 15 minutes off my time.

Winning time was 17 minutes and change. Fastest guy in my group ran the course in a little over 21 minutes. He finished 143rd.

[dobrojim]

hope your spouse forgives the loss of the ring

sounds like fun

[Nivek]

My wife's been great about the ring. We already picked out another one.

Can't think of the last time I had that much fun. Talking about it has been fun too.

[Induveca]

350 on flat bench today for 6 reps, needed a spot on last rep. Moving up too fast, but I'm getting there. Eating tons of protein and just trying to reach my goal. Also dumbbell pressing 110s on each arm now, getting scary quite honestly even putting those things above my head.

Once I get my 400 goal I'll come back down to a more reasonable 300 for bench and 80s for dumbbell bench. Just fun to try to reach a goal.

[dobrojim]

Nate

got an email today from the good folks at BAA (Boston Marathon)

The race has been filling up earlier and earlier the last couple
years.

With that in mind, be aware that registration opens on Monday 10/18.
So if you are qualified after your big race this weekend, don't wait
to sign up, assuming you'd want to go and be able to go.
It'd be cool to meet you up there.

[nate33]

Nate

got an email today from the good folks at BAA (Boston Marathon)

The race has been filling up earlier and earlier the last couple
years.

With that in mind, be aware that registration opens on Monday 10/18.
So if you are qualified after your big race this weekend, don't wait
to sign up, assuming you'd want to go and be able to go.
It'd be cool to meet you up there.

Thanks for the heads up, dobro. As of now, I do not intend to run the Boston Marathon even if I qualify. I'm not sure if I like the wear and tear of marathon training. I'm glad that I'm doing it this once, and I'll be even happier of I achieve my goal of qualifying for Boston, but I don't foresee myself being a regular marathon runner. I'm happy enough running 8-15 miles a week to stay in shape while also having the time and energy to lift weights and play basketball.

[Induveca]

Nate did you pick up any Universal/Animal supplements? Just curious what you're using if anything to lift.

I just hit week 4 of Animal Pak/Test/Pump and my strength is really going through the roof. It's tough to believe most of the things, but if you browse bodybuilding.com and the gigantic community and thousands of opinions and logs it's good to get a feel for what actually works and what doesn't. I personally am an Animal guy, since they go back to 83 and a lot of their products have been used by professionals going on 30 years.

Not stumping for them, just saying don't be that wary of supplements. Without some of my stuff I'd be exhausted halfway through my sets. For instance today I decided to go without taking Animal Pump (creatine/NO supp) and sure enough I got exhausted and just didn't feel that focused.

Anyways, lifts weren't that strong today. Only hit around 290 on incline chest and only 80 pound dumbbells. Think I need 3-4 days off for my body to recoop. I could have DONE more just you need such intensity and focus at that weight and I could tell it just wasn't there. No need to injure myself.

[nate33]

I use Body Fortress whey powder that I buy cheap from Walmart. Right now, I'm not lifting all that hard (just a half-hour upper-body workout twice a week to maintain muscle mass) so I'm not too concerned with obtaining the highest quality supplements available.

At this point in time, I weigh 158 pounds and I can bench 185 six times (with no spotter). I was able to bench 200 seven times last Spring when I was working out harder. Once I'm done with the marathon, I'm going to try to put on about 10 pounds of muscle - maybe see if I can bench about 220. I'll give the Animal stuff a try.

[Scabs304]

I actually went and worked out today by myself. This is very rare since I don't like to work out and can only find it bearable normally if I have someone to at least communicate with. I felt the need to go get some bike time in since I didn't get to ride mine in classes today because of the rain. I put in the usual 30 minutes on the bike and I was pretty much dead. Got only 10 miles in which is a decent pace I guess, but I can get 10 miles in normally on my bmx bike in half an hour so think it was pretty subpar. Also can't lift any weights at the moment with the arms because of two sprained wrists. So I did 30 minutes of cardio on bike with legs rubber still was able to leg press the whole stack. I've somehow maintained a reasonable amount of strength just by teaching classes and racing twice in the last 3 months with a concussion and back contusion in there at the beginning of the period. Need to get motivated for next season bad though.

[dobrojim]

I forget Nate's last name but I see several Nate's from OH
in the results for Columbus yesterday. Times ranging from
3:29 to 4:29

I'm guessing either the 3:29 or the next fastest Nate
at 3:42.

which is it? inquiring minds...

I think I'm poised for a solid MCM although I'm starting
to experience a slight case of the cruds. If it gets worse,
it could be an issue.

[Induveca]

Currently sitting pretty at 335 pounds on incline/flat and decline. Trying to build up symmetrically on all points of chest development. The 400 pounds seems a long way off, and another ridiculous issue which keeps popping up is.........

Every one of my damn friends when they have more then 3 drinks decides to do impromptu arm wrestling challenges to see if they have any hope of beating me. Unfortunately this happened this past Friday, I unfortunately had 3 glasses of wine. I indulged for just a moment and held his arm back in a moment of idiotic masculinity. Later I realize I was sitting while they were standing and using all their weight and my elbow hurts for 2 or 3 days.

Sigh......regardless I'm sticking to 275-300 for a few days so I don't do more damage. Amazing how alcohol can make one revert back to being 17 when surrounded by old friends.

That being said, the 330 I could do 6 reps on each with no problem on a 3rd set of the following weight split:

275 x 10
305 x 8
335 x 6

Good stuff. I think I could do 400 pounds x1 if I got help on the initial lift. But I want to do a single rep from the bar down and back up without help. My logic is best way to do it is keep moving up for reps. I think next week I'll just go for 6x4x2 reps starting at 315/345/375 and see what happens.

[Ed Wood]

My current mix of class and work allows me a fair amount of free time during the week and I've been taking advantage of it to get into the gym for jiu-jitsu just about every day. Other than the obvious benefits of good exercise and a good time I find myself becoming increasingly flexible, to an extent which is starting to surprise me. I've never considered myself a very flexible person but I'm damn near able to get my feet behind my head at this point and after hiding my shame for the entirety of my life I've worked out how to manage a cartwheel.

I've made noise to this effect before but jiu-jitsu or any kind of grappling really will get you in shape but fast if you really work hard and you will certainly be the terror of any impromptu wrestling matches you choose to engage a friend in. But running a zillion miles is certainly another way to get your exercise, this thread has made that very clear.

[Scabs304]

Everyone that runs should come run in the Turkey Chase. I'm in charge of the Tot Trot so sign the kids up for that. Turkeychase.com