The General Fitness Thread!

[Joanne]

It will probably help your muscles. What I used to do though was interchange working days with rest days. Rest days I would spend about 30 minutes stretching. Maybe do some yoga or something. Still burns calories, but beneficial for the muscles/

[Patrick]

When muscles are sore, sometimes gentle exercise (such as swimming) actually helps the pain and makes them feel better. Mainly due to the stretching, so carry on as you would. Listen to your body, if your in serious pain, rest. The same goes for joint pain.

[hardtailstar]

2 weeks holiday I must start!

 

reoccurring theme here....

[jdoyle]

back to swimming after the Xmas/New Year break. 5:30-6:30am Tuesdays instead of the Thursday and Friday evening sessions. Shock to the system.

[Joanne]

reoccurring theme here....

 

No better day to start than TODAY! *lies back in chair with chocolate bar*

[Latham]

Last year I signed up for the Manchester 10k (first ever race) in May on New Year's Day and it helped motivate me to go to the gym before running outside on a regular basis.

 

This year I've already signed up to the Birmingham 10K in May and the Half Marathon in October. I find it good motivation - particularly when I have less fitter-than-me friends (and I'm nowhere near the pinnacle of fitness) taking part as well and the self--I mean healthy competitive desire to beat them.

[hardtailstar]

No better day to start than TODAY! *lies back in chair with chocolate bar*

 

I know, I am planning in walking to where I am going tonight but it's eating that is my downfall.

 

I know what to do but its the actually doing it I don't do!

[Joanne]

I've been using my fitness pal for the last 3 weeks and it's opened my eyes to portion control. Recommend it. You can just scan in barcodes. So last night I had some calories left over, so I scanned the Terry's chocolate orange and the portion was 4 segments... so I had 4 segments, whereas before I would have eaten half!

[unixman_again]

It's well known that once a Terry's Chocolate Orange is opened they go off very quickly and the only solution is to eat it all in one go. I had one last night. For Xmas, my sister gave me a giant Ferrero Rocher, together with the aforementioned Choc Orange, which I carried back from Australia. Very nice! I think she is trying to encourage me to put on weight

[CHR1S]

Now the twins are getting to a more independent stage I am slowly getting my time back of an evening. I built my new chin-up bar last night and attempted what can only be described as 2 very feeble wriggle ups! I was able to do more in the past....honest.

 

So, good people of Edugeek, with my limited time and basic home equipment how would you proceed to initially build strength with the longer term goal of bulking up.

 

I have the chin-up bar, which doubles as a push up bar.

Some dumbbells and somewhere in my shed a barbell set.

 

Id like to use my own weight as much as possible, then use weights much further down the line. (more for weight storage and use issues than exercise preference.)

 

Edit- I can complete pull-ups easily with incorrect technique, biceps strength mainly, I would like to work on my back strength too and core ideally.

Edited January 15, 2016 by CHR1S

[witch]

You should go for exercises that work more than one set of muscles. The plank,side plank and the bridge rather than situps, do pressups - both wide and narrow, The Dead Bug lift (look it up). Superman works well too as does the bicycle crunch

[crispybits]

Also if you're not strong enough to do body weight exercises with good form get the barbells out and find some (preferably compound) exercises that hit the muscle groups you need to work on. Say you weigh 80kg, you're trying to jump straight to some factor of that with body weight moves, whereas you could start way down at 5-10kgs with the barbells and work up to the bodyweight stuff.

 

Also I like this site (tho never completed any of the programs to finish, but that's due to my own lack of staying power):

 

Hundred Pushups

[Joanne]

Another 2 weeks another 3lbs down. Didn't measure my waist this week though... I really do suspect muscle loss because my clothes don't feel looser!!

[CHR1S]

Also if you're not strong enough to do body weight exercises with good form get the barbells out and find some (preferably compound) exercises that hit the muscle groups you need to work on. Say you weigh 80kg, you're trying to jump straight to some factor of that with body weight moves, whereas you could start way down at 5-10kgs with the barbells and work up to the bodyweight stuff.

 

Also I like this site (tho never completed any of the programs to finish, but that's due to my own lack of staying power):

 

Hundred Pushups

 

Thanks @crispybits

 

Finding my recovery times are longer than I ever remembered, the burning in my abs especially! But on a positive @witch 's core exercises are great! Must remember to stretch more!

[kennysarmy]

One week in to my healthy eating and a bit more exercise and I've gone from 13st 11 to 13st 9 - target weight is 13st

 

I did make the mistake of weighing myself in my clothes though - so I guess I'm even closer to my target

[eyetea]

Also if you're not strong enough to do body weight exercises with good form get the barbells out and find some (preferably compound) exercises that hit the muscle groups you need to work on. Say you weigh 80kg, you're trying to jump straight to some factor of that with body weight moves, whereas you could start way down at 5-10kgs with the barbells and work up to the bodyweight stuff.

 

Also I like this site (tho never completed any of the programs to finish, but that's due to my own lack of staying power):

 

Hundred Pushups

 

I'll be trying this, going to start this evening!

[Poults]

Anyone use Bluetooth earphones? I'm looking for some that hook over the ear as i cant keep normal ones in my ears apart from the latest apple ones (sort of golf club shaped) but i cant find any in that sort of design. Looking to spend about £20-£30 and need to be able to stand some serious sweat!

[Joanne]

Anyone use Bluetooth earphones? I'm looking for some that hook over the ear as i cant keep normal ones in my ears apart from the latest apple ones (sort of golf club shaped) but i cant find any in that sort of design. Looking to spend about £20-£30 and need to be able to stand some serious sweat!

 

like dis? Buy Jabra Step Bluetooth Headphones - Black at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Headphones and earphones.

[Poults]

like dis? Buy Jabra Step Bluetooth Headphones - Black at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Headphones and earphones.

 

Yes that sort of thing, was after some reviews of sound quality as it can be a bit of a mine field with cheaper headphones.

[Joanne]

Going off the reviews I'd say these were pap. I have some over ear ones that were £40. Sound isn't great on them, but I didn't really need it to be when at the gym. Good enough for lifting weights in a noisy environment.

[jdoyle]

Anyone use Bluetooth earphones? I'm looking for some that hook over the ear as i cant keep normal ones in my ears apart from the latest apple ones (sort of golf club shaped) but i cant find any in that sort of design. Looking to spend about £20-£30 and need to be able to stand some serious sweat!

 

I don't wear earphones but did see a similar thread on TheRunningBug forum.

[eyetea]

In regards to the gym, do you lot think PT's are worth it? Toying with the idea of getting one (probably a joint session with my brother) to set up a routine for us. Our aims are similar - both want to get fitter for mountain walking (improved duration up steep inclines, plus recovery when resting!). I also want to be able to run a 5km without stopping, and ideally enter in to a park run or even better a charity run. Weight loss is being monitored, but is an added bonus rather than a focus.

 

Is there anything you'd change to my current routine, which is (3x a week):

 

Small amount of light stretching

1km on rowing machine

5km on treadmill (currently cross of running at 10km, walking at 6.5km)

5 sets of 15 reps on several weight machines (weights are whatever I start to struggle with for the last 2 reps)

10km on static bike

 

Also do between 1 - 1.5km swimming once a week.

 

Combining this with healthier eating lunch is alternating between salad and soup, and 2 bits of fruit, and improved portion control in the evenings for dinner!

 

Any tips on improving the routine or just in general would be much appreciated.

 

J

[witch]

A PT for setting up an exercise plan is a great idea - he/she will study you and see your strengths and weaknesses and set up stuff specially for you. Might take more than one session though but no more than 3.

As for exercises - looks reasonable although you could do with mixing it up a bit rather than doing the same thing every time.

You can maximise your weights exercises or so my PT says, by doing the pyramid - 8-10 reps of something pretty heavy, 10-12 of a medium and then 15 reps of something near what you are doing now. Very short breather between sets.

[crispybits]

Just to add to what witch said, it's better if you can to use free weights rather than machines. Machines will guide the weights along very set paths and you will exercise an extremely narrow range of muscles, whereas with free weights your body is forced to stop the weight falling off to one side or wherever so the extra work done stabilising the weight into the proper positions gives you better overall strength conditioning.

[eyetea]

But the free weight section is scary!