Exercise and Fitness!

[Iskaral Pust]

Out of interest how often does everyone train?

2-3 times a week at best (split between soccer, running and weights), but I can have a couple of weeks in a row when I am too busy for anything.

That's why my goal is always to just get a good exercise routine again. It's hard to do much with such a patchy schedule.

[Stego]

I had an incredibly intense leg day yesterday, but fortunately no more pulled muscles in my forehead. That was... interesting.

I'm hiring a strength coach to help me out with some of my back related lifts. I'm honestly terrified of reinjury, but I know I need to increase my deads and squats.

As to the Vitamins and studies. I am having a really hard time finding my copy of sports supplement review, which had a few hundred studies listed in it that I could look up individually. This is very unfortunate for my argument, but little else. Here's what I'm able to find on the internet:

First, though, I find it very interesting that there are so many specialized studies out there. There is actually a study about the effects of multivitamins on pregnant women with HIV in Tanzania. How random, when basic studies are so few? (They significantly delay the onset of AIDs, btw)

There's a reason for the lack of overall studies, IMO. It's sort of like gravity -- there are no studies to prove such a force exists, because there is no reason for them.

Anyway, with little input from my biased ass, reasons to take Multivitamins:

-Multivitamins reduce stress: S Afr Med J 2000 Dec;90(12):1216-23

-Multivitamins reduce birth defects: N Engl J Med 2000 Nov 30;343(22):1608-14, Ginecol Obstet Mex 2000 Dec;68:476-81, Cleft Palate Craniofac J 2001 Jan;38(1):76-83, Botto, CDC, Pediatrics 2002

May;109(5):904-8

(People who doubt multivitamins would NEVER be anti-pre-natal vitamins.)

-Multivitamins reduce cataracts: the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Kuzniarz M, Mitchell P, Cumming RG, Flood VM

-Multivitamins reduce chance of colon cancer: Jacobs EJ, Connell CJ, Chao A, McCullough ML, Rodriguez C, Thun MJ, Calle EE. Am J Epidemiol. 2003 Oct 1;158(7):621-8, Jacobs EJ; Connell CJ, Patel AV, Chao A, Rodriguez C, Seymour J, McCullough ML, Calle EE, Thun MJ. Cancer Causes Control 2001 Dec;12(10):927-34

-Multivitamin reduces alcohol related breast cancer: A 1999 JAMA study found breast CA highest for drinkers who consumed low levels of folate. The risk decreased if they took a multivit, a major source of folate.

-Multivitamin improves cognitive function in elderly: Chandra RK. Nutrition 2001 Sep;17(9):709-12

-Multivitamin improves Fertility: Czeizel, Int J Vit Nutr Res ’96;66:55

-Multivitamin improves chronic headaches: Mader R, Deutsch H, Siebert GK, Gerbershagen HU, Gruhn E, Behl M, Kubler W. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1988;58(4):436

-Multivitamin improves immune system: Pike J, Chandra RK. Int J Vitam Nutr Res 1995;65(2):117-21

If required, I can start listing vitamin deficiencies and the horrible things that occur due to them. I can also break it down to particular vitamins found in multivitamins, as multivitamin studies tend to be quite generalized. I could post hundreds with little effort. (Please don't make me. I am LAZY. Learn to love google.)

A lot of the studies that are anti-vitamin use the excuse that all results are questionable because people who use multivitamins tend to be health-conscious individuals.

Well no shit.

So, is there a conspiracy? Why would there be shit studies out there saying multivitamins are useless?

Conflicts of interest abound, and should make you skeptical of just about every “scientific finding†these days, because it is more likely than not to have a pro-drug spin on it, if it's sponsored in any way by a drug company.

[Stego]

And even if you think I'm crazy, this is a fascinating article about what your doctor does not know.

[Lucky Pierre]

The off days are where you grow and get stronger!

Out of interest how often does everyone train?

Lifting on mon/wed/fri and doing the cardio tues/thursday. At least that is what I did this week. I'm still on the fence about doing any cardio at all at this point.

Today I also did a lot of walking in the pool. Our pool isn't overly large so swiming is kind of a joke-but I can walk from one side to the other an walking while most of your body is underwater is hard...

[Stego]

I train a body part 1-2 times a week, depending on the body part.

I do cardio about 5 times a week, which is likely too much, but I have a lot of adipose tissue to get rid of. :D

[Greywolf2375]

Shoulders in 30 min...hopefully when I get back I can't lift my arms to type.

How often? if I can every day, I do...body part once a week, cardio each day...time to shift programs coming up soon.

[Stego]

elaborate pls.

I normally reply to Eponine's statements in this manner. (She says a lot of absurd stuff.)

[Eponine]

The off days are where you grow and get stronger!

Out of interest how often does everyone train?

5-6 days a week, moving toward 13 out of 14 days. One workout and one long run per week.

[Nakkie]

My workout schedule looks like this 3 days on, 1 day off:

Run + Crossfit

Swim + Crossfit

Run + Crossfit

Rest

Swim + Crossfit

Run + Crossfit

Swim + Crossfit

Rest

I add in a rest day whenever my body tells me to, other than that I follow the plan religiously. I also do Yoga twice a week.

[lokisnow]

I work out three days a week, and one day of cardio. I'm considering dropping the cardio so it won't interfere with growing and getting stronger. but I'll probably replace it with a pick me up sport like volleyball or raquetball, so I'm still getting a cardio benefit.

[Lucky Pierre]

I also do Yoga twice a week.

I think I might do this instead of dancing and cardio. It will get me out of the house and gives me a good reason to join the Y.

:)

[Liffguard]

The off days are where you grow and get stronger!

Out of interest how often does everyone train?

I aim for ten sessions, but probably average at about eight, with one day off for recovery per week.

Two weight sessions

Three cardio sessions

Three BJJ sessions

[Stego]

I would never insinuate that one ought not to eat actual food, Triskele.

Nakkie,

I see you are doing crossfit and their programs look great. What exactly are you doing? The basic powerlifting moves like squats, snatches, cleans, etc? Any kettlebells? Ropes? Medicine ball stuff?

I've been looking to incorporate kettlebells in my workouts for a while now.

[seastarr]

Stego, Thanks for all the citations. They were similar to what I was finding yesterday. I can certainly see the value of dietary supplementation for any range of health problems or circumstances that create more intense demands on the body/immune system/metabolism. I'm not sure whether or not someone like me needs one. I am normal and healthy and do not have any special circumstances or intense training. I guess I just feel like supplements are less expensive pharmaceuticals with less stringent testing standards, and I am not interested. I prefer to eat my nutrients, and drink my hydration. I would never consider eating a protein bar or a shake in lieu of real food, either. Give me nuts, berries, meat, and vegetables, please.

My training:

I work out everyday without fail. I do different things to keep it varied, but everyday I do a minimum of my bike commute 1-2 roundtrips, 10 minutes each way at a high speed, with one hill that I call the "little burner." I try to go as fast as I feel safe.

I do pilates mat 5X a week, and walks or hikes with my dogs daily. From there, things get more creative. Reformer or cadillac sessions 1-2X a week, maybe another piece of pilates equipment once or twice a week. I try to get to yoga at least once, sometimes twice a week. Kettlebells get in there every so often, or a dance class, or playing on my swing or climbing wall (it's not up right now, but hopefully soon!) Other than that I just live. I am lucky not to have a sedentary job.

[Nakkie]

Well, I've been crossfitting for a while now, some info about it:

http://www.crossfit.com/

-that's their main website, it has workouts posted every day, as well as videos and demos for every movement and workout that they prescribe.

http://www.crossfitbrandx.com/index.php/fo...fa9cdcec3157228

-that's a forum run by a Crossfit gym that posts scaled versions of the workouts so that people who are just getting into it can actually complete some of the WODs (Workout of the Day)

http://www.navyseals.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=84

-These are the WODs I do, more advanced, more focus on running and overall stamina.

As far as what lifts are involved, it's mostly anything to do with free-weights where you do the exercise standing up, think Olympic lifts, Squats, Dead Lifts, etc... Basically lifts which give a full body workout as opposed to isolating any one part of the body. The program also includes liberal doses of calisthenics (Push ups, ab exercises, pull ups), and wraps it all up in a format designed to provide intense metabolic conditioning all at once.

As far as the kettlebell work goes, it is the devil and a wretched bitch, but it gets serious results.

[daremo]

My workout schedule looks like this 3 days on, 1 day off:

Run + Crossfit

Swim + Crossfit

Run + Crossfit

Rest

Swim + Crossfit

Run + Crossfit

Swim + Crossfit

Rest

I add in a rest day whenever my body tells me to, other than that I follow the plan religiously. I also do Yoga twice a week.

Where do you do crossfit at or do you just collect the stares at the regular gym like I used to?

[Nakkie]

Collect stares, the regular crowd gets used to your insanity after a bit and just leaves you to your thing...

[daremo]

Collect stares, the regular crowd gets used to your insanity after a bit and just leaves you to your thing...

Don't I know it. It's the best when one of the trainers try to tell you what you are doing wrong.

[Nakkie]

I find that the best thing to do with trainers is pretend they aren't there. Eventually they get frustrated and leave you alone, either that or they get intimidated and leave you alone. I've actually had a woman who was making use of her free trainer session come up to me during one of my workouts and ask me if I could be her trainer, in front of the guy getting paid to do it.

[lokisnow]

The stares are possibly the most fun thing about doing crossfit. I'm giving it up because I'm really not in shape to do full scale workouts, and it's not really designed for scaling, I don't think it works as well, as scaling isn't part of the official program. If I could afford the 400 a month to go to the santa monica crossfit gym for the privelege of TWO workouts per week I might get the results I want with all that personal attention, but I can't and I've never had much success with crossfit over the last three years.

For example, if someone has rickets, vitamin D supplementation will undoubtedly help them. If someone has scurvy, vitamin C will help.

It's a good thing we figured out rickets, pellegra and scurvy back in the day. if such a finding were possible to make today (which it wouldn't since no serious money would ever invest in the research and there would be scads and scads of people debunking the "unproven nonsense and unscientific hypothesis and irressponsible hope-mongering that suggests nutrition is a factor in this disease") we would however be investing hundreds of millions, if not billions, every year into curing the disease with drug based cures. It's likely the suggested diet for those on scurvy would be a low vitamin C diet because studies had shown that was best at improving patients overall health, even if their overall mortality went up under such a diet, it was probably 'better' for them. I imagine we would find a cure for scurvy that would work by stopping the body's ability to process vitamin C, this would cause a host of side effects, including death and heart attacks, but it would be a SUPERSTAR BESTSELLER drug, so no one would care, the drug would work, because once you 100% eliminate a pernicious molecule like C from the body, you can begin restoring overall health, but Scurvy won't go away until you can get rid of all the vitamin C, becuase that's what the disease feeds off of.

Or we might discover that it's vitamin C deficiency, but I don't think our odds of finding that out under our current system of scorning nutrition as something that can scientifically be studied are very good.

any similarity to cholesterol in the above preposterous situation is entirely coincidental and not at all intentional. ;)