Official Workout/Fitness Thread (Re-born)

[DMVleGeND]

thx for the advice nate.

[dobrojim]

run outside if you can -

[pancakes3]

ok, i'm going to put on my @sshole hat since Nate already covered the diet/lifting regimen (addendum, you should bring a notebook to chart your lifts. it'll help you better achieve your goals.

i don't mean to hurt your feelings, DMV... really i don't. but in all seriousness? 5'7, 125 is way too skinny to be playing football, even on a HS level. that is almost dangerously underweight, and you're not in shape on top of that. in football, body fat is your friend. it pads your internal organs and RIBS, cushions your falls, and really makes a difference when you're out there and you get blindsided (those helmets make you appreciate your peripheral vision in a way you never had before). you go out there, fresh newbie, with no instincts, no size, and a rudy-esque eagerness to play? you're going to get hurt, almost definitely. even if you don't play a minute of game time, in practice, you're going to get hurt. you get assigned to scout team, run a crossing pattern and some kid pops you too hard? done-zo.

i know, because happened to all of the undersized WRs on my HS squad (3 of them to be exact. 1 cracked ribs, 1 dislocated shoulder, other broken arm). great kids. tough kids. the fact is... they just weren't meant to play football. someone as lanky, and as long as you? go out for wrestling. your length and fast metabolism is going to work IN your favor instead of against. go out for track. you have a shot at making STATE in pole vault, i bet (virtually no schools even field a pole vaulter and you're built perfectly for it).

anyway, the goal is to have fun and get in better shape right? HS athletics or not, you should still follow Nate's instructions. eat healthy, lift hard, be happy.

[dobrojim]

^ can't really argue with any of that

football is definitely among the most dangerous of team sports

and not to stomp too hard on any dreams you may have, to play
even in HS but esp any level above that you have to be either
HUGE or extremely quick-fast, preferably both. All others need not apply.

[mhd]

UPDATE!!!

Down to 178 after another workout today. Have not looked and felt this great in years. Law school does that for you I've been doing the same workout as much as 5 times a week: doing a quick 1 mile jog/run, going on an elliptical at the highest incline for 30 minutes, and then captain's chair for some ab work.

Anyways, my waist has gotten real slim from where I was (my old jeans won't even come close to fitting now and they were a size 36). However, the love handles are not going as quick as I want them too. I'm assuming just keep running and working out, and they will eventually go to right?

[nate33]

@mhd

Lift weights, cut back on the carbs, eat more protein.

edit: sorry for short response. I'm typing on cell phone.

[Induveca]

mhd, a bit more detailed even.............

Try fasting cardio, do it as soon as you get up without eating.......I'd even skip the job and just do elliptical. You burn just as many calories and not as hard on your body, allows you to exercise longer. Long term running will hurt your body, unless you want to do a marathon or major competitive sports stick to the elliptical.

Replace one of your meals with MuscleMilk Light (low calorie version). If stubborn fat is hanging on, likely the last thing to go so you're going to need to cut out ALL white carbs, eat a ton of grilled chicken/tuna/salads. Try setting a goal at your size of 1500 calories a day and sticking to that along with the cardio and weightlifting.

Eat enough protein (try 75-125 g/day) and you'll keep the muslce and just lose fat.

[Zonkerbl]

well, if you're doing a lot of cardio you may actually be reducing muscle without reducing fat, especially if you're doing cardio workouts with a lot of fat on ya. I had the same problem and my doctor told me to dial it back and do less intensive fat burning workouts. It's like water torture and I have yet to see my weight respond, although I think I'm replacing some fat with muscle.

The idea is to replace carbs with protein in your diet. You will lose weight more slowly, which is good, because that's the kind of weight that stays off.

Still waiting for it to work though...

[dobrojim]

been scaling up to get ready for the National Marathon and Boston

ran 2 legs of marathon relay 2 weekends ago and thanks more
to my teammate who is a seriously fast runner, our 2 man team
finished 2nd among men over 40. I ran 16 miles on a challenging
hilly course (Greenbelt) in 2:15.

I've been able to get to the track a few times in the last
couple weeks and did my standard pyramid workout at
least 1x a week the last 3 weeks. Ran 20 mi last Sunday
and was able to hold pace OK over the last 5 miles.

Was planning to run 28-30 miles on Sunday but the weather
looks bad so that may not happen unless I can find someone
to do it tomorrow instead.

I've typically done comparatively poorly in my spring
marathons vs my fall marathons. Maybe this year will
be different. That said, I've gained my usual winter
fat again this year and weigh at least 10 lbs more than
I did when I last ran a marathon.

Speaking of fall marathons, I need to figure out which one to run.
Marine Corp is closed as is Chicago. I'd like to run a new state.
I have VA, DC, MD, DE, MA and NY already in the book.
Thinking either NC or PA so as to keep travel simple and cheap.
Steamtown in/near Scranton is considered a fast race but I also
just came across this race in western NC that has a net 2700 ft
downhill and is run on dirt roads at least for part of it. Sounds
intriguing.

ps - got an 8K coming up in DC next weekend. Come on out runners.

Vermont 100 is coming soon (July).

[dandridge 10]

Been reading this thread for a while and have received some good tips. Thanks.

I have done cardio at least 2-3x a week (usually basketball, running and cycling) for many years, but 3 months ago added 2-3x a week strength training to my routine. Basically, I've concentrated on upper body and core in my strength training as I feel my legs get enough workout during my cardio exercises. Basically, my workout consists of the following, which takes about 1 1/2 hour for the workout (all the exercises are 3 sets/8-10 reps with 1 minute break between sets, unless noted otherwise):

bench press
incline bench press
lat pulldown
cable cross overs
dumbell bench press
row
dips
chin ups (right now, all I can do is 3 sets/4 reps)
shoulder press (sometimes)
reverse crunches (50)
medicine ball workout rotating side to side while leaning back with legs just above ground (2 sets/25 reps)
bycycle kicks (3 sets/60 reps)
incline sit ups (2 sets/25 reps)
captain chair leg raises (3 sets/20 reps)
If have time, hatchet choppers on cable machine for obliques (3 sets/15 reps)

I have been doing basically the same workout for 3 months, except I have added more weight when I feel I am not struggling to finish my last set). I definitely have noticed a difference in my appearance and in my strength in the last three months. However, I have some questions for the experts out there.

Questions:
1. Do I need to change up my routine after 3 months or can I still expect to see results if I continue doing the same routine while increasing weights (or using weights doing ab exercises)?
2. I want to look fit and tone, but don't want to be a muscle head (my wife is worried that I'm going to end up looking like a weightlifter). Is there something I should be doing differently to add muscle and trim down, but not add too much muscle?
4. Any other recommendations?

Thanks a bunch.

[Induveca]

If you're looking too bulky, you probably have too much fat. I doubt you're benching 80-120 pound dumbbells.

Honestly I'd keep moving up the weight until you feel major pain and increase the cardio.

In terms of switching up the routine, definitely a good idea to change routine regularly. For instance, my chest exercise one day may be:

3 Sets incline bench (2nd step up from flat)
3 Sets incline bench (3rd step up from flat)
3 Sets incline bench (4th step up from flat)

I do crazy things like that every week at least once to keep my body guessing, and it works. If you have an iPhone grab the iFitness application, it gives you a ton of good ideas for different ways to workout specific muscles. Think they have 200 exercises now, all with photos/detailed instructions.

Lastly, you could get an online trainer. They are actually pretty good. YOu have to take pictures of yourself shirtless from the front/back/a few different angles. Send them your stats weight/height/age etc, any blood pressure issues and they'll construct a diet/regimen for you that's guaranteed to work.

Supplements are great, but it pains me to see overweight guys in the gym doing the completely wrong exercises, getting very puffy gaining muscle but it's all under a layer of fat. Same thing goes for painfully thin cardio people who look like freaks and lack muscle to the point where they look extremely unhealthy.

You can do cardio and weight training in moderation and gain astrouding results ONLY with a solid diet.

[nate33]

Speaking of fall marathons, I need to figure out which one to run.
Marine Corp is closed as is Chicago. I'd like to run a new state.
I have VA, DC, MD, DE, MA and NY already in the book.
Thinking either NC or PA so as to keep travel simple and cheap.

You could run the Columbus marathon with me.

Actually, I'm not 100% sure if I'll do a marathon this year. I've had chronic achilles tendonitis all winter long and it just won't go away. It mostly hurts when I play basketball, but running bothers it a little too. I've only been able to do really low mileage (6-8 miles a week). What I really need to do is stop playing basketball for a month so I can heal up.

[Zonkerbl]

Questions:
1. Do I need to change up my routine after 3 months or can I still expect to see results if I continue doing the same routine while increasing weights (or using weights doing ab exercises)?
2. I want to look fit and tone, but don't want to be a muscle head (my wife is worried that I'm going to end up looking like a weightlifter). Is there something I should be doing differently to add muscle and trim down, but not add too much muscle?
4. Any other recommendations?

Thanks a bunch.

1. Yes, after three months your body gets used to a certain routine and it helps to force it to get used to something new.
2. As long as you are doing 10 reps or more in all your sets you won't bulk up too much.
3. You didn't say anything about your diet. Diet is 75% of how you look.

[Ruzious]

Speaking of fall marathons, I need to figure out which one to run.
Marine Corp is closed as is Chicago. I'd like to run a new state.
I have VA, DC, MD, DE, MA and NY already in the book.
Thinking either NC or PA so as to keep travel simple and cheap.

You could run the Columbus marathon with me.

Actually, I'm not 100% sure if I'll do a marathon this year. I've had chronic achilles tendonitis all winter long and it just won't go away. It mostly hurts when I play basketball, but running bothers it a little too. I've only been able to do really low mileage (6-8 miles a week). What I really need to do is stop playing basketball for a month so I can heal up.

I hope you don't follow in my footsteps, so to speak. I'd recommend seeing a sports doctor who is expert at orthotic devices. Chronic achilles tendonitis can't be ignored. You are absolutely correct that you have to stop playing basketball. If you're like I was, the only time of the day when your achilles feels good is when you're running - that's a sign that you've probably waited too long to take care of it.

[dobrojim]

I'm now leaning towards Steamtown. There are several people in
my running club that are going there plus I have friends that
have a place up near Elk Mtn just a little north of there.

Orthotics rescued me as a runner. I had suffered periodic
bouts of achilles tendonitis before getting orthotics from
a podiatrist. But not in the 6 years since then.

[sashae]

Also worthwhile to go to a chiropractor. I've had vicious tendinitis for a while, and my local voodoo witch doctor chiropractor (there's a lot of bs chiros out there, and some good ones) totally fixed it. Worth a shot -- tendinitis gets aggravated by stiff calf muscles, so really rolling/stretching your calves can help.

[nate33]

Thanks guys. Good advice.

[dobrojim]

solid run last night before the rain - did an out and back on the W&OD from
Herndon with 3 friends. With about 1.5 miles to go another runner blew
by us. My friends challenged me to chase him down. I was not quite able
to do it but still put on a surge that felt good. My friends were impressed as well.

on a completely unrelated note - I do want to start playing some pick up
games at the Y but I need shoes. Looking for suggestions here. I'm not
looking to make some already rich NBA player richer, just some basic
shoes that won't wear out in a month of playing.

[verbal8]

on a completely unrelated note - I do want to start playing some pick up
games at the Y but I need shoes. Looking for suggestions here. I'm not
looking to make some already rich NBA player richer, just some basic
shoes that won't wear out in a month of playing.

Are you going to play at the Reston Y?

[dobrojim]

yes. I hope so anyway, if my activities on the hardwood could
be described that way. That might be generous.

edit to add - Dang V8, I never noticed you were a fellow Restonian.
You go to the Y there?