Exercise and Fitness: Keep the Car Running

[Jabronius Maximus]

I haven't found a protein shake that I can stomach that doesn't have 8 gillion calories in it. What sort are you drinking?

From bodybuilding.com (or whatever online supplement website you can find in your region), I got Cellucor, COR-whey. The cinnamon swirl flavour tastes like the leftover milk from cinnamon toast crunch. It's lower in calories than most powders I've used, and it's very light on the fat and carbs. 130 kcal per scoop I believe. ON gold standard is usually light on the cals too.

You can also check out MyProtein.com. It's a website that sells just straight unflavoured whey for good prices (and you'd add your own flavour, or even drink it unflavoured).

[Iskaral Pust]

I need to own my own private jet so that when i do have to travel I can be comfortable. It's amazing how flights jack me up...course I'm also a horrible passenger, so I do it to myself as well. Been struggling with my lower back since I got back from my trip. Not to the point of pain, but it is tightening up quickly. just in time for the CF games WODs....which for me will be just "the WOD".

I use an inflatable lumbar pillow when I fly. It helps my lower back a lot.

[baxus]

20hrs one way? I would snap.

And crackle and pop, but I think my mind would snap.

I haven't taken such a long bus ride in over a decade.

Luckily, I will be taking the trip with a group of people very dear to me so that should help time pass more quickly.

Also, I intend to sleep through as much of it as possible ;)

Today we did 13.5km run in the hills (~500m elevation) and it was rather challenging.

We did a rather slow 6'20" per km but I'm not disappointed since we haven't ran that trail at all this winter.

We'll have to do better next time.

[aceluby]

So I did one of the toughest workout videos I've ever done yesterday. I was already kind of hung over, but it seriously kicked my ass. I was still tired today, but still managed to do a 30 min HIIT circuit which actually loosened me up a bit. I think I'm going to add this video to my weekend schedule from here on out. I haven't panted and sweat like that since baseball practice in college.

[Greywolf2375]

I use an inflatable lumbar pillow when I fly. It helps my lower back a lot.

I may try that. It doesn't help the "we can't pull over if there is a problem, we crash" aspect I have a problem with as well - but I'll take any help I can get!

[Iskaral Pust]

Saturday I ran 2 miles then bench press, cable row, pull ups and arms.

Sunday I rowed a gentle 1k (4:30) then squats, leg press, leg lift and leg curl.

Squatting is a great exercise but I hate the Smith machine in my gym. Having to twist the bar back 45 degrees throughout each set caused my carpal tunnel to flare up last night and ruin my sleep. This Smith machine has too much resistance in the bar twist. I much prefer a free squat. I think this means I need to abandon the squat again. It's not worth carpal tunnel keeping me awake all night.

Since this is only my second legs day of 2015, I was smart and stuck to 80-90% of my max weights, so only 320lbs leg press, 220lbs leg lift and 180lbs leg curl. Last time after heavier weights my legs were stiff for days and I did not run or swim for the rest of that week.

I noticed a big discrepancy between resistance machines. On vacation recently I was using a bench press machine where I could easily press 250lbs. Back in my home gym I was working hard to press 200lbs. I'd prefer to just use a barbell and free weights but those are not available in the gym in my building (I could walk to the gym where I swim, but it's much less convenient). And the Smith machine is useless for bench press for the same reason above.

[Liffguard]

Saturday I ran 2 miles then bench press, cable row, pull ups and arms.

Sunday I rowed a gentle 1k (4:30) then squats, leg press, leg lift and leg curl.

Squatting is a great exercise but I hate the Smith machine in my gym. Having to twist the bar back 45 degrees throughout each set caused my carpal tunnel to flare up last night and ruin my sleep. This Smith machine has too much resistance in the bar twist. I much prefer a free squat. I think this means I need to abandon the squat again. It's not worth carpal tunnel keeping me awake all night.

Since this is only my second legs day of 2015, I was smart and stuck to 80-90% of my max weights, so only 320lbs leg press, 220lbs leg lift and 180lbs leg curl. Last time after heavier weights my legs were stiff for days and I did not run or swim for the rest of that week.

I noticed a big discrepancy between resistance machines. On vacation recently I was using a bench press machine where I could easily press 250lbs. Back in my home gym I was working hard to press 200lbs. I'd prefer to just use a barbell and free weights but those are not available in the gym in my building (I could walk to the gym where I swim, but it's much less convenient). And the Smith machine is useless for bench press for the same reason above.

I'd recommend against using a Smith machine to squat. Most people won't naturally squat the bar through an exact verticle motion but the smith machine forces you into doing just that.

As far as the machines go; different machines have different leverage and different pulley systems, so the actual strength required to lift the same amount of weight is also different.

[Iskaral Pust]

I'd recommend against using a Smith machine to squat. Most people won't naturally squat the bar through an exact verticle motion but the smith machine forces you into doing just that.

I agree completely. The strictly vertical motion is terrible for squats and even worse for bench press, where you can feel it straining the front of your shoulder. It's a useless piece of equipment compared to an open rack/cage for an olympic barbell.

[peterbound]

I agree completely. The strictly vertical motion is terrible for squats and even worse for bench press, where you can feel it straining the front of your shoulder. It's a useless piece of equipment compared to an open rack/cage for an olympic barbell.

It is?

You do, actually, want the bar to stay pretty straight as you move through the motion. It should be straying from over you heels by much. If it is, your doing it wrong.

But ya. Free weight squats is the way to go.

[Balefont]

Not everyone's body mechanics work in the same motion (femur length alone will alter one's squat from another) which is another reason why I avoid machines.

[Inigima]

First 5.10d.

[Elder Sister]

Yoga class today. I have a business dinner to go to afterwards, and somehow managed to wear my yoga pants under a big overshirt with some black pants. I'm wondering how it's going to look after I roll around on it for an hour. :O

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

Classes cancelled last night and tonight. I am kind of glad as I have gotten pretty sick. I am now hoping my test gets postponed. My instructor thinks it is likely (due to weather). At first I was kind of pissed at the idea of waiting another week, but now that I am sick, I am thankful.

(pissed for several reasons, one is I stopped lifting and doing other workouts last week to avoid the possibility of injury and now I will only have 2 weeks after the test (after 2 weeks off) to try and finish strong in the body makeover contest; #2 is I just didn't want to wait anymore, since I had injured myself before the November test)

I am sort if whiney when I'm sick...sorry about that, but getting sick pisses me off too. I made such an effort to avoid injury, but fell to the germs the child brought home (he was sick first, then the husband, now my turn)

[ithanos]

Feelin ya Lany. Misery loves company and all that :) It sucks.

Came down with a fever last Sunday so have avoided workouts this week. The loss of strength is what annoys most because oly lifting has progressed well. Recovering fast but don't want to return until full strength is restored which is looking to be from next week - sucks.

Does offer me time to reflect on nutritional balance. Had a great balance of 4-5 days paleo-ish with 2-3 days of anything goes (in moderation). Adhered to it for over 3 yrs and reaped great benefits. But in the last 6 months that balance has swung towards 4-5 days of indulging poor nutrition. And I'm loath to admit those days invariably include alcohol. Nothing wrong with the exploration of fermentation, but the added days oft come with poor food choices. Need to reaffirm my self-control.

I recall, somewhere up-thread, Jabronius mentioning willpower. Came across (on a tangent from the six-pack ab guy on youtube of all things) some of Kelly McGonigal's Willpower talks. Fascinating stuff - this science of self-control. And McGonigal is a great speaker, elucidating her field with well reasoned points. Plus she's easy on the eye. Ended up borrowing her book from the library. It suggests willpower is an evolved capacity that we can exercise and develop, like a muscle. And that too much willpower can be undesirable, so one needs to find a balance to suit their lifestyle and goals. The book is structured on her public course on willpower so the reader can carry out exercises after each chapter to develop their self control.

However I couldn't develop willpower in time to finish the book before its return date (couldn't renew it more than once) - go figure :) Will have to buy the book and revisit it sometime.

[Greywolf2375]

Hit two PRs for clean and jerk over the weekend. Friday night 175lbs, Monday night 205lbs. Definitely not challenging the leaderboard, but finding out just how much more I can challenge myself when doing these.

[Iskaral Pust]

Early morning workout today, my fourth of the year so far (it was one of my new year resolutions to try these). But with clocks going forward this weekend I expect I won't have another for a while.

I'm definitely noticing some benefits of a better diet since vacation, with definition improving. We have another family vacation to Hawaii at the end of this month. I'm sure that restaurant food for a full 10 days will set me back again, but in the meantime I'm eating a higher proportion of home-cooked food and cutting out most dessert/snacks.

No swimming since vacation so that it does not strain my shoulder again and keep me out of the gym. I'll return at some point, perhaps next week, and hopefully manage a more symmetrical form in the water.

[baxus]

Off to my long-awaited vacation tomorrow.

Quite a long bus ride starts tomorrow afternoon and ends on Saturday which means I'll be on the slopes first thing Sunday morning.

I can't even begin to explain how much I'm looking forward to it. :D

[TerraPrime]

Congrats on the PRs Grey :-)

[baxus]

Thanks, Leap. :thumbsup:

As for your run, hills are a rather tough terrain to run in.

1.2 miles uphill (a bit under 2km) in 11 minutes is a great result.

After my holiday, I will do some more running in the hills and some longer distance runs in order to prep for my hometown half-marathon on April 18th.

Hit two PRs for clean and jerk over the weekend. Friday night 175lbs, Monday night 205lbs. Definitely not challenging the leaderboard, but finding out just how much more I can challenge myself when doing these.

I missed this post earlier.

Congrats on your PRs.

It may not be challenging the leaderboard, as you put it, but it's the best you've ever done. So far... ;)

[peterbound]

Not everyone's body mechanics work in the same motion (femur length alone will alter one's squat from another) which is another reason why I avoid machines.

This shouldn't change bar path, just body mechanics to accommodate said path.

But ya, use free weights.