Exercise and Fitness - Pursuit of Excellence (or improvement, for start)

[Iskaral Pust]

I'm just catching up with the thread after missing a week or so. It's funny how we all like to recommend the exercise we enjoy but almost everyone eventually gravitates to an exercise that suits their individual body type and mentality. A large proportion of the population does not have a build that is well suited to endurance running. Personally I do, but I find endurance exercise too boring and repetitive; I like variety and competition. So I naturally ended up playing soccer for most of my life. One of the team sports with lots of movement, e.g. basketball, was very likely for me, and I grew up where soccer and Gaelic football were prevalent. I was never going to be a discuss thrower or sprinter or bodybuilder. My past year or so of swimming & gym is mostly because almost 30 years of soccer eventually got repetitive too. I've had previous stints at tabletennis, badminton and the gym too.

To conclude my tangent of useless rambling: recommendations are pretty useless unless I know their body type and personality. Physiology is destiny in exercise, even though a central tenet of exercise is the exact opposite.

Last week was better than expected. I exercised on Sunday (10 days ago) and then got back to the gym on Monday evening for a legs work-out. My travel from Tuesday-Saturday was exhausting, but I squeezed in a run and weights session at a hotel gym on Friday morning and then finished with another run (shin splints!) and heavy weights session on Sunday evening. I'm planning to go back for a rowing & legs session tonight. I even ate reasonably healthy despite being at airports and hotels the entire time.

Work travel looks calmer for the next several weeks: not more than one or days per week.

[lessthanluke]

Lifted a lot of weight today. 3sec pause squats sucked, as did he Bulgarian Split Squats. I really enjoyed the circus dumbbell clean and presses though. Good work out though. Really liking the programming.

Bulgarian split squats are the devil. DB clean and press is fun!

[Liffguard]

I've just started Pavel Tsatsouline's KB routine from Enter the Kettlebell to up my game for BJJ competitions coming up. It's a really simple routine based around KB clean & press, snatches and swings.

[Arch-MaesterPhilip]

Today was day two of the program and it I felt pretty good. I think this is really going to stretch my lungs out.

[alguien]

Been training for a half marathon recently. It's been going well.

I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I've been cross-training more than ever. After every run, I do another workout with those TRX suspension things, or a 35lb kettlebell.

And. Holy. Shit. Kettlebell is hard.

But I've seen lots of quick gains in leg strength and my uphill pace.

Also, I've stopped doing crunches. These days I let the uphill runs (of which in Seattle there are many), kettlebell work, and TRX work my stomach for me.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

Trying to improve my sparring in karate, so I am working on a new stance, more of a front stance, instead of the more defencive back stance I normally use (started doing this after some drills designed to work on a defence that could shut down your opponent's offence. I am really liking it a lot. Doesn't feel any where near as passive as my normal stance :)

And I punched a tall guy in my class in the face last night. I was very proud of myself. (of course we are not supposed to actually hit each other in the face or head, and only light contact to the body)

I obviously still have a way to go on becoming a pacifist :P (referring to how I felt, as I didn't actually hurt him ;) )

People who don't like effort, don't like exercise in general.

It was running people didn't like, not effort. The two are not the same.

I work out 5+ times a week, and all over 1.5 hours each. I have put an amazing amount of effort into getting into shape this past yr and a half, losing over 70 pounds in the process.

In 2 years, I have become a brown belt in karate, a fairly quick pace and my school, and believe me, that was a hell of a lot of effort for this grandmother.

I love my karate classes, the kickboxing classes, the boot camp classes, and working out in general. Love the way it makes me feel too.

AND I STILL HATE RUNNING!

But I am getting ready for a 5k tough mudder in July, so I run 3 times a week.

Ok, I just can't help but say how proud I am for my wife, who has done her second marathon on Sunday, two years after her debut. She has improved her time by more than 42 minutes! She finished Orlen Warsaw Marathon two days ago with the net time 4:16:04.

She said it was a great run, she didn't have any crisis and she managed extraordinarily stable pace (her fastest kilometer was 5:58 and the slowest 6:05) through the whole marathon. And she didn't even have any muscle sores the day after.

I would probably have a problem to sustain such a pace in a 10K race. She's my goddess.

You should be proud! That is a great accomplishment!

Today was day two of the program and it I felt pretty good. I think this is really going to stretch my lungs out.

Great! Keep it up. While I am not exactly following C2-5K, I do a similar thing, with increasingly longer running periods with short walk breaks

Been training for a half marathon recently. It's been going well.

I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I've been cross-training more than ever. After every run, I do another workout with those TRX suspension things, or a 35lb kettlebell.

And. Holy. Shit. Kettlebell is hard.

But I've seen lots of quick gains in leg strength and my uphill pace.

Also, I've stopped doing crunches. These days I let the uphill runs (of which in Seattle there are many), kettlebell work, and TRX work my stomach for me.

This is what I am doing as well and will for the next month+

I love/hate it :P

[baxus]

Scheduled my laser eye surgery for May 20th.

Recovery process requires no demanding physical activity for about a month afterwards.

That sucks, but seeing world in HD after 17 years or so is definitely worth it.

Also, I'm taking a medical on Wednesday.

Really looking forward to seeing how my muscle mass and body fat percentage compare to my previous medical 6 months ago.

[satori26]

It was running people didn't like, not effort. The two are not the same.

I guess I did a bad job of explaining myself. I was responding to the notion that people who don't like endurance running or endurance sports in general don't like it because of the effort. I think people who don't like running usually don't like it because of the tedium. My point here was the if you don't like something that takes effort, whatever effort, you probably won't like exercise, regardless of what exercise it is.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

I guess I did a bad job of explaining myself. I was responding to the notion that people who don't like endurance running or endurance sports in general don't like it because of the effort. I think people who don't like running usually don't like it because of the tedium. My point here was the if you don't like something that takes effort, whatever effort, you probably won't like exercise, regardless of what exercise it is.

I understood, I just happen to think you are wrong and came across as judgemental and dismissive.

[zelticgar]

I think there are a fair number of people who dont like running that find something else they are passionate about. My wife loves spin class, Barre, zumba, and generally any kind of class type cardio but does not enjoy running or cycling. She is not afraid of effort but prefers other activities.

On the other hand your point about correlating dislike of a particular activity as not enjoying the effort is absolutely valid. I'm the resident running expert in my work and amongst my circle of friends and i tend to get a lot of people approaching me asking about how to start programs. Inevitably most of them fall off due to not enjoying the activity. I always suggest they change it up, try hiking, cycling, walking or whatever. My point is do anything you like as long as you are up and moving for a sustained period during the day. I notice a lot of people just prefer to a life of relaxation and don't want to put effort in.

[satori26]

I understood, I just happen to think you are wrong and came across as judgemental and dismissive.

That wasn't my intention. I apologize for that.

[Quorra]

Does anyone have any "duh" moments of awareness where it finally hit home to you, or you finally comprehended something about fitness or about your body that you afterwards felt should have been obvious - or it was something you'd always been told but you never quite "got it" - to the point where you basically slap your forehead and exclaim "Oh! Duh!"

1. You can't do something until you try to do it. Obviously! If you can't do push-ups very well, you have to try to do them until you can do them. I had trouble with push-ups so I did modified push-ups thinking that if I just kept doing that then eventually I'd be strong enough to do them fully. I did them for so long, and I still wasn't able to really do real push-ups until I started really doing them. Duh! You can't circle the base of the mountain and expect to get to the top. If you can only do 3 push-ups then your goal is 4, not 20 modified push-ups. A modified exercise should be seen as its own exercise.
   
2. Related to that is, you can't get stronger until you lift heavier weights. Duh! Lifting small weights over and over doesn't get you strong enough for heavier weights it just gets you endurance. The way to lift heavier weights is by lifting heavier weights - even if you can only lift it once, that's a better way to your goal than lifting less weight 10 times.
   
3. Strength is the foundation for all athleticism. Duh! Look at athletes, they have muscles. It's so obvious! But I thought if I practiced the sport or the technique then I'd get better at it. That practice does improve technique and muscle memory but you can't DO it without the strength to do it. No matter what it is. Ballet, for example, has really specific technique and the dancers all look skinny but they are really, really strong. What they're doing takes muscles - and practice, but muscles! I got so much better at dancing when I worked out between practices.
   

Now I'm sort of out of shape especially for dance, yeah okay, but at least I know this now. I get it!

[Arkhangel]

Sexism sucks. If I were a guy, people would be saying 'Wow Arkhangelo, you're much stronger than you used to be!' Because I'm a girl, what they actually say is 'Wow Arkhangel, you're skinnier than you used to be!'

Because I'm a woman and that's what matters, right? Who cares if I'm stronger or faster or have double the endurance I did before so long as I'm thinner.

[HairBearHero]

Sexism sucks. If I were a guy, people would be saying 'Wow Arkhangelo, you're much stronger than you used to be!' Because I'm a girl, what they actually say is 'Wow Arkhangel, you're skinnier than you used to be!'

Because I'm a woman and that's what matters, right? Who cares if I'm stronger or faster or have double the endurance I did before so long as I'm thinner.

Not disagreeing with the idea that women's looks are commented on rather than their accomplishments, but unless they've seen your workout numbers, the weight loss is just more immediately obvious. When I did my first season rowing I got (by my standards) ridiculously fit, but people still commented on the missing 10kg.

[Quorra]

Sexism sucks. If I were a guy, people would be saying 'Wow Arkhangelo, you're much stronger than you used to be!' Because I'm a girl, what they actually say is 'Wow Arkhangel, you're skinnier than you used to be!'

Because I'm a woman and that's what matters, right? Who cares if I'm stronger or faster or have double the endurance I did before so long as I'm thinner.

I agree with HairBearHero a bit on this. Women are complimented on losing weight b/c usually that's the goal most women declare. But observers can't usually SEE that you've gotten stronger and increased endurance.

People will comment on a guy's looks too, if they packed on muscle, like "you got huge!" without caring what that means. I mean, the guys would probably be happy with that because huge probably equates strength.

I got nuthin'

[satori26]

I agree with HairBearHero a bit on this. Women are complimented on losing weight b/c usually that's the goal most women declare. But observers can't usually SEE that you've gotten stronger and increased endurance.

People will comment on a guy's looks too, if they packed on muscle, like "you got huge!" without caring what that means. I mean, the guys would probably be happy with that because huge probably equates strength.

I got nuthin'

Yeah, most people are just trying to say nice things when they compliment a woman on losing weight, but unfortunately if often just perpetuates a negative body image. I have a love/hate relationship with such comments myself.

[Quorra]

I basically get the same commentary as my sister, really. Although without the ''your hair looks lovely!'' stuff.

I basically get the same commentary as my sister, really. Although without the ''your hair looks lovely!'' stuff.

I'm sorry. I'm sure your hair is perfectly lovely!

[Isis]

Tomorrow I'm going to start a 30 day challenge: 30 x 90 minute Bikram yoga sessions in 30 days.

I'm kind of excited and scared at the same time. I think what is concerning me the most is knowledge that I'll have to do at least a couple of doubles (two classes in one day, possibly even back to back). I've yet to do that so I'm intimidated in advance about how I'll cope with it. I'm also worried about doing nothing but yoga for 30 days, i.e no other type of exercise (I just figure I'm not going to have time). I guess that's only a temporary break.

I've only been doing yoga for about two months now but I've seen lots of benefits already: people have said my skin is glowing, I sleep better, my shoulders magically got further away from my head, my asthma seems way better*, and I'm definitely feeling less stiff in my hips/lower back (which is why I wanted to go in the first place). So I'm really curious to see what effect this 30 day challenge has on me.

*one of the instructors told me she has an autoimmune fibrosis condition affecting her lungs and that doing Bikram has been evidenced (by medical tests) to show an improvement in her lung function. As a biologist I was pretty intrigued by this and did a bit of reading about it and apparently working out in the heat is a little bit like working out at altitude.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

That sounds pretty intense Isis. Good luck!

[ithanos]

Not an exercise 'Oh Duh!' moment, but a nutrition one.

I had gotten into a real groove with my nutrition and I was scouting a local food market's website for specials. I came across a special on a well known brand of tinned meals. There was a variety of beef, chicken and vegetarian to pick from and I was able to examine the ingredients and nutrition label online, which was great - each meal variety had a decent balance of all that's good for you. The other thing that caught my eye was the tin size - 120g, which I thought, cool - I'll have them as mid-morning/late afternoon meals, or devour 2 for lunch or dinner.

So I went down to the store and traipsed along the food isles where this brand's products are usually stocked and couldn't find the specials. Then I went in search of a store attendant and found one in another section and I asked her to please direct me to where this special was. She pointed to stacked pallet right behind me and beamed 'Yes the Baby foods specials! Here they are. How old's your little one?'

Oh dear, awkward.

I don't have any kids, in another life maybe but not this one. I don't know how I missed that these were baby foods when I was on the website, but I'd probably become myopic in my search for foods to eat.

Anyway I mumble something something its for my sister she has a one year old and ended up taking a box of 15. I would have actually given them to my sister to feed my nephew but she lives in Australia. They tasted pretty damn good. Babies have it awesome!