Exercise & Fitness VII

[seastarr]

Vethnar, beta-alanine can be good for sprinters too. You can parctice longer and do more sprints in a session. But of course it's up to you if you want to try it.

Why take supplements? Because they might help you perform better and reach your goals. For me training without goals is like a job where you whip a tree all day long. It's boring and after years and years you haven't achieved anything. I think it's great if someone can train without goals and stay motivated but most people do need a goal to keep the motivation. I bet you have goals too seastarr. Like being able to do certain yoga positions or keep yourself in shape or improve your mental health or... something, anything.

In weightlifting you are constantly chasing some goal since in order to improve something you have to neglect somethign else. So in order to constantly improve you need to periodize and prioritize in an endless cycle.

Oh, and what could be more fun than exceeding yourself. That's why I do what I do at least.

Yes, I do have goals. And I try to turn my attention away from them, as a mental practice. Not all the time, but the point is to move away from the clinginess of needing linear accomplishments for motivation. The point is to really stop being so oriented towards achievements, and focus more on process. I'm betting that's going to be a hard one for you to swallow. It's a hard one for me to swallow--I'd love to be able to do a whole bunch of postures that I can't do yet, but I have to ask myself "why?" Why do I want that achievement so much?

The answer to that question is usually fairly vain and self-centered and full of my own pride in myself. The truth is that I am completely programmed towards pushing and achieving and always trying to improve myself, but my latest lesson I'm trying to get through is in turning that aspect of my brain off. It's hard, and counter-intuitive, but I definitely see the value in it as a life lesson and a transformative process. It's making me more patient with myself and others. It's making me question how and why I do things.

In yoga you are seeking goals, too, but they are more abstract, and you are trying to maximize your attention, so you never get to "neglect something in order to improve something else." You cannot have that singular focus. My teacher says: "you have to open all the eyes of your skin at once." I think what he is talking about is having maximum attention and awareness to the moment, you cannot be looking towards the future or the past, towards an expectation or a goal. You cannot achieve a deeper knee bend at the expense of your spine.

That said, am I being a little extreme here for the sake of being a counter-point to all the very intense achievement orientation in this thread?

Of course.

I have certainly known the satisfaction of setting and accomplishing goals. I am just trying to work on finding my motivations from a different source these days.

[Lucky Pierre]

New routine makes today a rest day... and not working out this morning has totally thrown off my day... But I'm thankful for the rest since the last two days were brutal.

[ztemhead]

It doesn't work with a single usage. You would feel absolutely nothing. Creatine works pretty much only after a loading phase or prolonged usage.

I thought it was your contention that it didn't work, period. And also, I know we've discussed this before, but aren't all the "loading phase" ones a thing of the past like the Reliant-K Dodge and acid wash jeans? From the mists of long ago, I remember what you're talking about, doubling up scoops of the stuff for a period of a week or so; but the label of the NoEXPLODE!!! mentions nothing of it. A while back I asked the guy at the GNC about the "loading phase" and he looked at me like I was a country rube visiting the big city for the first time before explaining that's not how they do it anymore.

Finn's pretty well describing how I feel. Right now I'm enjoying the fact that increased weight --> increased metabolism/ calorie burn, increased strength, etc. If I could do weights every day I would, but the two limiting factors are time and my body's ability to recover. Ideally, the creatine will help me with these things, working out with more intensity, and recovering fast enough that I can do it more frequently.

yes I know I'm too goal oriented. It's not the first time I've been told this. Long term, I'd love to change, but (because I hate talking in absolutes) I think the odds of being able to switch from a goals person to a path person are like three to one against. Either way it's okay, I'll take having a healthier, stronger body as a consolation prize.

[cjfshaw]

What is a loading phase? I've never heard of it before.

[ztemhead]

What is a loading phase? I've never heard of it before.

it's from before your time, youngin'.

[Vethnar]

Vethnar, beta-alanine can be good for sprinters too. You can parctice longer and do more sprints in a session. But of course it's up to you if you want to try it.

Well, Google helped me find this web page, and it didn't look that exciting to me. Besides, it looks like it's very expensive, and just not worth the money, at least not while I'm still improving rapidly just by training regularly.

It doesn't work with a single usage. You would feel absolutely nothing.

True, apart from the placebo effect, which can be tremendously powerful in the weight room. Especially when doing olympic lifts, I've found that confidence is a very important part of the game. Just convincing myself that it's possible to bring those heavy weights up from the floor to my shoulders or over my head with a single explosive motion is often half the challenge. As long as my brain thinks it is impossible, I can't convince my body to try 100%.

Yes, I do have goals. And I try to turn my attention away from them, as a mental practice. Not all the time, but the point is to move away from the clinginess of needing linear accomplishments for motivation. The point is to really stop being so oriented towards achievements, and focus more on process. I'm betting that's going to be a hard one for you to swallow. It's a hard one for me to swallow--I'd love to be able to do a whole bunch of postures that I can't do yet, but I have to ask myself "why?" Why do I want that achievement so much?

I understand what you're saying, and to some extent I even agree. I am not a very competitive person, and I am not very oriented towards achievements per se. I just happen to enjoy sprinting, hurdling and jumping, and the general feeling of being fast and bouncy. Because faster always equals more fun, I do what I can to make myself stronger and more explosive. And in the long run, there is no other way to keep improving your strength than always trying to lift a tiny bit heavier weights than in the previous workout. Even if you are not by nature interested in numbers, you are more or less forced to write down your workouts and keep track of your progress. When you reach a plateau where it just doesn't seem to be possible to improve, it's time to experiment with new assistance exercises, more sleep, higher/lower workout frequency, more and/or healthier food, or perhaps creatine (by far the least effective of the lot, in my experience).

[Vethnar]

What is a loading phase? I've never heard of it before.

When you start taking creatine, some people claim that you should begin with a brief period of about one week (called the "loading phase") where you use a much higher daily intake, and drink copious amounts of water. By the end of the loading phase, your muscles are supposed to be visibly bigger and heavier (true, in my experience), and also measurably stronger and more endurant (not true, in my experience -- the kilos I gained were just useless extra body mass).

Other people claim that the loading phase isn't really necessary. The long-term effect of creatine supplementation is apparently exactly the same if you start taking just a small amount of creatine daily from the beginning; it just takes a few weeks rather than a single week before you notice any difference. In other words, unless you are very impatient, there is no need to use a loading phase. In fact, I think there is little point in using creatine at all.

[Stego]

-You don't feel anything without a loading phase or prolonged usage.

-There is no such thing as creatine technology. Don't believe the nonsense. It has not changed. (My last attempt with this shit was, oh.... 5 months ago.)

-If you are getting your advice from the clerk at GNC, then you might as well not be getting any advice at all.

[ztemhead]

logically I don't understand why the makers of the stuff would not suggest doing a "loading phase" if it meant you would be using more of their product.

that's neither here nor there. I'm on it for what looks to be a two month supply and tracking results as I always do. In my population size of 1, you all will see the data. If I can see a 10% bump in the amount I bench press and squat, I'll consider it a success. I have no vested interest in fudging numbers or spending money I don't have to, so I'll do my best to keep it as accurate as possible.

Today I did squats with a spotter, which was interesting. Interesting and useful because he caught me as I hit failure.

[Stego]

I bet I could increase your bench by 10% just by correcting your form. :D Videotape your lifts and we can help.

[cjfshaw]

...In my population size of 1, you all will see the data...

lol, that brightened my day a bit. I would get such an earful from my profs if I tried conducting an experiment w/ a population of 1.

[Nous]

Nice workout today. Four 1-2-3 clean and press ladders with 24 kg kettlebell, with both hands, followed by U.S Department of Energy Man-maker. The Man-maker consisted of snatches with 16 kg kettlebell: 100, 80, 60, 40 and 20 reps, with 400 m jogs in between.

[Liffguard]

The Man-maker consisted of snatches with 16 kg kettlebell: 100, 80, 60, 40 and 20 reps, with 400 m jogs in between.

Nice. Are those reps total or per hand?

[Nous]

Nice. Are those reps total or per hand?

Total. I'm definitely not up to double that amount of reps!

[seastarr]

Good morning everyone! Having crawled out of my mystic cave in the mountain, I am ready to go do some Pilates this morning. It's going to be low chair, and it's going to make my legs shake.

[ztemhead]

lol, that brightened my day a bit. I would get such an earful from my profs if I tried conducting an experiment w/ a population of 1.

possibly meaningless observation #1- I suspect the NoEXPLODE!!! made my body suck up a couple pounds of water in the last two days. Yeah I've had a bunch more carbs than I usually do, but not three pounds' worth.

[Vethnar]

Today it wasn't exercise, but serious business: I had signed up for my first 200 meter race in the current millennium. I was feeling fit and fast, and thought I had a good chance of getting below 24 seconds, despite the awful conditions (rain, wind, a bit too cold).

Then I pulled a hamstring while warming up. Not only did I miss the race, I will probably also be stuck doing nothing but boring upper body exercises for at least a couple of weeks. I was just barely able to limp home afterwards.

It hurts.

:cry:

[Fleeing Finn]

Today it wasn't exercise, but serious business: I had signed up for my first 200 meter race in the current millennium. I was feeling fit and fast, and thought I had a good chance of getting below 24 seconds, despite the awful conditions (rain, wind, a bit too cold).

Then I pulled a hamstring while warming up. Not only did I miss the race, I will probably also be stuck doing nothing but boring upper body exercises for at least a couple of weeks. I was just barely able to limp home afterwards.

It hurts.

:cry:

That sucks Vet :(

Hamstring injuries being very common in your sport I'd like to ask if you do any hamstring training in the gym? I have some exercises in mind that have been good for sprinters in building bulletproof hamstrings.

[Vethnar]

That sucks Vet :(

Hamstring injuries being very common in your sport

They are. I have always been lucky and never got them -- until today.

I'd like to ask if you do any hamstring training in the gym? I have some exercises in mind that have been good for sprinters in building bulletproof hamstrings.

I don't do much in the way of hamstring-specific training, but of course I do some exercises which strengthens the hamstrings along with other muscles (like deadlifts, back squats, cleans and snatches). I don't think any of these exercises really do anything to reduce the risk of hamstring injuries. If you know some exercises which do, I would of course be happy to learn about them. :)

I also try to spend 10 minutes every day doing seastarr's famous hamstring stretch. A question for seastarr: Do you have any recommendations about how and how much to stretch while recovering from a hamstring injury?

[seastarr]

I also try to spend 10 minutes every day doing seastarr's famous hamstring stretch. A question for seastarr: Do you have any recommendations about how and how much to stretch while recovering from a hamstring injury?

Can you describe more specifically what you were doing when you injured it, particularly, were the muscles extended or fully engaged? (if you can discern this, I know it is hard, and it might be some of each...)

If you have a strained muscle, laying off intense stretching and intense effort is probably a good idea.

One therapy you might consider is rolling the hamstrings with a foam roller.

I hope the pictures give you an idea of how to position yourself, then it is just a matter of rolling the roller along the length of the muscle, from just above the knee to right below the sitz bones. You do this by lifting hips into air and swinging them gently back and forth (good for your center, too).

I generally do this on a variety of angles by first holding the thighs parallel (as in picture), and then externally rotating thighs in hip sockets (so toes and knees face out), and rolling down the lateral hamstrings, and then internally rotating thighs in hip sockets (so toes and knees point in) and rolling the medial hamstrings.

Another great rolling exercise is to shift onto the outer thigh so you are more stacked into a side-lying position and rolling the IT band down the outer edge of the thigh. That one'll probably make you want to cry, but it's one of those "hurts so good" situations.

Also, you can do "the wiggles." Lying on the back with knees bent and soles of feet flat, wiggle your thighs back and forth. You should actually shoot for the muscles getting jiggly, so it feels like the bellies of the hamstrings are literally waving around. I find this can be helpful when the hammies are irritated and in a sort of semi-cramp--helps them to settle back down and relax.

After a few days, I would start to work back in mild hamstring stretches. You need to go by feel to see if that is the right approach for you.

Good luck.

ETA: Nothing, actually.