march fitness skills thread

Any Cal. said:
Heh, maybe that is your bodies way of saying you need the extra rest days/calories. If you can take time off, but still get stronger, go to it! Maybe cut 1 session a week, and see if you can still keep getting stronger. It might also make things easier on your schedule, so you're less stressed, which would help things as well.

I have pretty poor recovery ability, but am going 2 days a week, and make decent gains on it, and when I do exercises that are heavy on the CNS, still have to deload fairly often on top of that.
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Naah, current total volume and number of days isn't that much. It's actually very low, I can handle a lot more and do have a decent recovery ability. I'd just need one hour more sleep per night and allocate some time for foam rolling and stretching once a week. But the schedule is what it is, i'll just have to hang in there. Only a couple more months and then my masters thesis should be finished..

Anyweis, I'm off to x-country skiing for 1-2 hours, the weather is beautiful.
 
Well, I made it back today. I finally remembered how to deadlift again, so am stoked about it. I had hurt my back a while ago, and have only done them maybe 5 or 6 times in the last 6-7 months. After doing a couple light sets of 20 the other day for active recovery, I remembered the movement I guess. It went pretty well today. I did a bunch of 90% pulls, and tried for a PR, but missed it 4-5" off the floor. Will try for that one again before too long.

Trying to up my cardio a bit, but not too much, just 'cause I don't like it.:D
 
Any Cal. said:
Well, I made it back today. I finally remembered how to deadlift again, so am stoked about it. I had hurt my back a while ago, and have only done them maybe 5 or 6 times in the last 6-7 months.
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Three more weeks... then I'm ok'd to do anything I want after my shoulder surgery 5 months ago. Deadlifts are SO on the top of the to-do-list. :thumbup:

Trying to up my cardio a bit, but not too much, just 'cause I don't like it.:D
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Yeah, why do 10 000 repetitions when 1 is totally sufficient and anything over three is "Many". :D

Oh, and I did chin ups on Saturday for the first time in six months. 2 easy sets of five. Pretty cool, I had no idea what I'd be able to do.
 
Hooray!! I deadlifted on Saturday, 150kg for 5 reps. Felt absolutely phenomenal. I also benched a bit, buty who cares... The late and legendary strongman Jón Páll Sigmarsson said it: "There is no point in being alive if you cannot do the deadlift."
 
I am not out of this yet, and am starting to lose weight slowly. My endurance is increasing, and I have a routine that I can do everyday. My weight shot up to 280 pounds, But I am back to about 275. My next real challenge is that I am going overseas and this will affect how I eat and exercise. Probably in a more positive way. I will be gone for two to six months.
One very positive effect exercising has done is the guys I work with are starting to work out also. There is more mutual support and feedback.
 
Good work, Christof and Rick!!!! That's some amazing stuff.

I'm only down 5 or so lbs overall but I look and feel a lot better. I'm less concerned with the scale and more concerned with how my clothes fit, how I feel, and my mental well being that comes from the former two.

Nice job to all you guys for getting off your ass and doing something!!!
 
Good deal HawGorn. For several months when I had hurt my back, I kept trying to do deadlifts without using my back.:D Glad you're back in the saddle.

I am starting a new program, the Wendler 5/3/1, to see how it works out. For the last month I had been beating myself up due to going too heavy all the time, so figure a decent program will help me regulate intensity. 5/3/1 is neat because you can tailor it in days of the week, intensity in work sets, and amount of accessory work according to goals.

Also, lately I have been so beat down I was reading about foam rolling, which seemed like a good idea. I ended up using 4" pipe as a roller, and it seems to work like a heavy massage on sore muscles, I'm anxious to see how it works out in the long run.
 
Thanks Any Cal. I've heard a lot of good about the 5/3/1. I need to try it out someday, maybe after the summer.

Foam rolling is good. I started with a 4" foam but eventually moved to a 6" PVC pipe after getting more "unwound". I used to roll and then stretch afterwards every Saturday. A whole body session took 2-3hours. It really does wonders, it is one of the best recovery modalities you can do by yourself. You can also use a tennis ball, a golf ball or lacross ball to dig deeper or smaller spots.
 
picked up a bike last week , I got a cannondale quick 5, hoping to get a lot of miles on it this summer,

still working out, eating right....healthy livin..


keep at it guys
jimi
 
Way to go Jimi... it's been a while, bud. Gotta come out for a woods walk again. We'll both tread lighter this time.:thumbup:

BTW.... if you're gettin the itch to hammer out a few knives... (I hope you don't stop all together)... come on over... the shop has changed quite a bit.



Rick
 
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I do Crossfit and follow the paleothic diet (I consider it to be a way of life than a diet). If you've never heard of it just google it and you'll pull up some good information. I was about 190-195 when I started paleo, I lost 10-15 lbs in 2 weeks. I am now at 180 and feel great. If you are having trouble losing those last 10 lbs or so, just check out paleo and give it a try. you'd be amazed at the amount of energy you'll end up having and the health benefits to boot.
 
Magnussen said:
Way to go Jimi... it's been a while, bud. Gotta come out for a woods walk again. We'll both tread lighter this time.:thumbup:

BTW.... if you're gettin the itch to hammer out a few knives... (I hope you don't stop all together)... come on over... the shop has changed quite a bit.



Rick
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Thanks for the invite, I really can say I haven't any desire to make knives though..for the first time in I don't know how long my hands are clean , I'm not hacking up black shit and I don't have one single burn on my arms or hands:) gotta feelin this is a permant thing , between work/studying up,working out and the family what time I do have is spent either on the guitar, bass or bodhran.

woods walk would be nice, now I 'm all clean shaven and professional looking I don't have to worry about taking a round for looking like bigfoot.


cya
jimi
 
pendi35 said:
I do Crossfit and follow the paleothic diet (I consider it to be a way of life than a diet). If you've never heard of it just google it and you'll pull up some good information. I was about 190-195 when I started paleo, I lost 10-15 lbs in 2 weeks. I am now at 180 and feel great. If you are having trouble losing those last 10 lbs or so, just check out paleo and give it a try. you'd be amazed at the amount of energy you'll end up having and the health benefits to boot.
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A few of us were/are paleo. I'm in the were category. I went from strict paleo to paleo for athletes to now eating whole grains and some dairy in addition to the typical paleo, which I consider just a healthier diet for people who need a ton of protein and complex carbs. Although I'm not paleo anymore, I do consider it an excellent philosophy. It just became too difficult for me to get the protein and complex carbs I now need.
 
I haven't posted much because, basically, the past 4-6 weeks have been total crap as far as physical fitness goes. Oh, I've also gained 4lbs of fat, while I've been sitting on my ass doing nothing.

Anyways, this past week has been almost good.

I ran 4 times this past week, and worked out 3 times. I've been tired and sore all week, especially after Tuesday's leg workout.

My run distances were:

Monday morning, 4.5 miles, evening, 2 miles

Wednesday morning, 4.5 miles (was supposed to be a 10K, but after 4.5 miles I was wore the hell out)

Friday, I didn't run. I was lazy and used the cold as an excuse.

Saturday, after my shoulders/arms workout, I ran 2 miles

I think next week will not be as rough. Still no date for the postponed 10K; I imagine it will be mid-April.

I want to loose the damn 4 extra fat-lbs I'm toting around before the end of the month. That pisses me off, not that I gained 4 lbs, but that I knowingly ate like a hog and did no exercise for 4-6 weeks. I'm angry and will make myself pay for that.
 
C_Kyle said:
I want to loose the damn 4 extra fat-lbs I'm toting around before the end of the month. That pisses me off, not that I gained 4 lbs, but that I knowingly ate like a hog and did no exercise for 4-6 weeks. I'm angry and will make myself pay for that.
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You are in a rough spot with all the running and working out. All the running is conditioning your body to be extremely efficient with your calories, which means that it is easy to pack on fat. It also means that working out is a bit tough because your body doesn't want to put on muscle, as it will have to pack it around for miles every week. I am not saying that working out is bad, but it would probably be neural gains rather than physical ones. It also means that with the load on the CNS from lifting, paired with the physical stresses of running, that you are messing up hormone signals that would normally occur from lifting, and signaling your body that you are in a survival situation, so need to be extremely efficient w/ your calories (pack on weight)

I don't know what is wrong w/ 4lbs, depending on how you put it on. If your waist didn't get any bigger, it may be water weight, muscle gain, food in your gut, etc. Don't sweat it too bad.

If you have to lose some weight, start eating heavier, do some squats heavy, and run a bunch less. This will tell your body it is OK to burn the calories you are putting in, will up your metabolism from the heavier lifting, and reduce some of the cortisol production you are likely building from the frequent running, so you don't mess up the hormone signals from the lifting.

Just so you're aware, I am not a doctor, or trainer, and 1/2 or more doctors and trainers would probably disagree with me. I am also posting on the internet, which automatically makes me 80% wrong. :D

Oh, ETA...I just lost 5lbs that I picked up using a pack of NewmanOs(natural Oreo things) and a bunch of Guinness(everyone should know what that is) as a post workout supplement on two different days. Apparently squats and deadlifts can use them for fuel, just not as quickly as healthier foods. :D Scale weight doesn't matter too much, unless it becomes a trend that continues.
 
C Kyle, Any Cal. is sort of right. You can't have the cake and eat it too, you can't have very mixed goals at the same time. You need to pick one (or two relatively similar) goal at a time, and go after it. If your primary goal is the 10K then that is your goal, not the 4lbs or weightloss in general, or getting squat and deadlift numbers up. If (and when) you lose some blubber while training towards that goal then fine.

Hit the weights moderately hard for a few sets total, and that's it. Not 5 sets of squats followed by split squats followed by deadlifts followed by leg curls or what have you. And when you want more strength and muscle mass, cut down the running. 2-3x week for 20mins is plenty for mainintainig the aerobic base.
 
Had my best day on the bike this year:D Not much, but I did the almost 6 mile loop around my house (plus a little extra up and down a hill to see a friend that was in town this weekend), then packed up the dog and bike to hit a dirt road for an extra 1.5 miles. I'm just hitting the point where my butt isn't pained just sitting on the bike, so I'll start seeing some gains in distance here soon. My goal is to be able to start riding the bike (at least a couple days a week) to work in about a month. 6.5 miles each way which isn't too bad, but the ride home is about 99.99% uphill. After a 10 hour shift, and at 4:00 am, it might be a little rough yet but I'm getting there.
 
AnyCal and HawGorn,

Thanks for the input.

I've been reading for a few days about running and strength training together. I kind of feel like I'm bouncing around between different things, which I don't like. Running has always been my primary goal, but weight training sort of took over. It's pretty addictive, and I always have the idea in my head to do more, more, more.

Anyways, here's what I want.

1. I want to consistently run 8-12 miles, 4 times per week (1 being a trail run). I'm not really concerned with times because after 1-2 months, my run times start to drop into a decent time.

2. I want to loose the last 15lbs of fat. This will also produce good definition for me, so I'll look better.

3a. Strength training...I'm almost fine with where I'm at. I'd like a little more strength in arms, shoulders, and chest.

3b. I have a few spots that I would like better-looking; shoulders, arms, and quads. Not much to improve, really, just a little growth and I'll be happy.

I may move to a whole-body weight training workout, 3 times per week, instead of splitting it into muscle groups. With my time constraint, I think the amount of exercises will be limited so I won't be doing a bunch of reps and bunch of different exercises for one muscle group.

I want to add HIIT training sessions into this. I have one fartlek run that I can turn into a HIIT session. Maybe I can add another HIIT run into the mix. I read that I should not run the day after my leg workout. I'm going to correct this problem right now. Last week, Wednesday's run was horribly rough, and I felt sore and tired for the rest of the week.

Here's an example of this week's training:

Monday: Morning: 4 mile run(completed). Evening: HIIT run (20sec/2.5min/5rep).

Tuesday: Morning: Either the whole-body workout, or legs. Evening: Short cardio/core exercises.

Wednesday: Morning: Rest. Evening: Short cardio/core exercises.

Thursday: Morning: Either the whole-body workout, or chest/back. Evening: HIIT run (20sec/2.5min/5rep).

Friday: Morning: 4 mile run. Evening: Short cardio/core exercises.

Saturday: Morning: Either the whole-body workout, or shoulders/arms. After workout: 2 mile run at a slow pace.

Input is greatly appreciated. I'm trying to put together a whole-body workout. I have a few exercises that I know I want to include:

Deep squats, walking lunges, pull-ups, inverted rows, barbell curls, bench-press, military-press.

I'm not sure how to arrange them to make a decent full-body workout, though.
 
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