Exercise and Fitness (the 48kg remix)

[ljkeane]

Is there even any point in trying or has this particular train long since departed?

You'll be fine, my dad didn't start doing any serious distance running till he was in his late forties and he had no problems training to run some marathons (he was reasonably fit though). I don't know a lot about it myself but I think there are quite a lot of guides for how to train for marathons etc that are pretty easy to find.

[Lyanna Stark]

Cool, that sounds really promising.

Hopefully once I lose the extra weight, I'll be able to become a stronger runner pretty fast as I am now lugging around a lot of extra baggage.

[lessthanluke]

Back from gym. Squatted 527lbs and deadlifted 617lbs.

[seastarr]

HI Lyanna, and welcome! I think it is fine to run so long as you take care of yourself as you start building up your distance. Don't neglect your core strengthening and stretching, as these will keep your back and hips happy through the running, and help your joints absorb the impact in the manner they were meant to.

For myself, I have been beset by injury the past week or so. Subluxated my rib yet again--this seem to happen at least once a month. My lats and serratus muscles are all in a bunch and even breathing hurts. The good news is it is getting better. The bad news is no trapeze this weekend.

[Stego]

Is there anything that says over 30s can't start running longer distances?

Anna, you will kick the ever-loving shit out of any goal you choose to pursue, and you know this. I'm the same age as you, and I am enjoying a level of fitness that puts my last ten years to shame.

What you're doing is great. Keep it up!

ETA: Listen to Seastarr -- she is our resident guru.

[Stego]

Back from gym. Squatted 527lbs and deadlifted 617lbs.

Beast.

[cjfshaw]

I missed like 3-4 workouts this week because of school, but to make up for that I just did an awesome chest/back workout. There is so much blood rushing to my arms right now, they are a solid inch bigger than usual. Also I got really hot while working out (house temp is around 70) so I took my shirt off, I felt like the hulk while I was doing DB flies.

Based on the numbers I'm seeing it seems as though it takes ~3 weeks of consistent work for me to raise my db fly/press weight by 5 lbs and still achieve 5 sets of 20 reps.

[Eponine]

Is there anything that says over 30s can't start running longer distances? I'd love to be able to run a half marathon at some point in the future but perhaps 34 is too old if you've never really run seriously in the past? As far as I know, I have no known problems with knees, joints or anything else, and I used to be really fit and in good shape in my teens, albeit not from running.

A lot of older age group winners are people who didn't start running until their 40s or older.

Get good running shoes and continue the 2-3 miles a few times a week until that becomes comfortable. You can build into longer runs by doing long walks pushing the pram, which will get you used to being on your feet without the additional strain of adding running mileage.

[Isis]

Is there anything that says over 30s can't start running longer distances? I'd love to be able to run a half marathon at some point in the future but perhaps 34 is too old if you've never really run seriously in the past? As far as I know, I have no known problems with knees, joints or anything else, and I used to be really fit and in good shape in my teens, albeit not from running.

I was reading something the other day about starting a new exercise programme which said, 'anyone over 30 should seek medical advice before they start...' I thought, yeah, okay, blah blah....WAIT, that's me. Shit. :frown5:

My dad took up running long distances in his 60's - he'd always been active though - and he's totally into it now.

I'm still at the 'staring enviously at runners passing me by on the street' phase. I'm probably the most unfit I've ever been in my life at this point - it would kill me to run more than 100 yards right atm. But I can't wait to return to running once I'm totally finished with school next month. Just have to focus on i) impending viva and ii) refusing to revert to smoking again. After that we can be running bores together. :)

[QuietColours]

Extra dance class this week--they brought in a professional dancer (Valery Lantratov)as an instructor. He was really good, and it was a lot of fun to get more advanced combinations. Barre went really well. I got compliments on my posture and extension, and he somehow (at least temporarily) managed to break my habit of very tight hands when I concentrate hard. I have a long line of dance teachers who would love to know how he managed that.

Things went downhill in center. We started with turns, and first time through I had trouble with my focus. When giving corrections, he tried to get me to use his face as focus. The rest of my turns for the rest of the day I ended up spotting the floor. Jumps went well--I have my height and endurance back, and I turn well in the air. I had good extension on my leaps as well. Still not back to a 180 degree split jump.

After class the head instructor let me stick around to work on my pirouettes a little. I'm arching back too much and it's really throwing me off. I had a lot more control when switched to pointe shoes. I'm going to be drilling those on Monday--I wish I had access to a non-carpeted floor at some point during the week. But it's getting better, slowly.

[cjfshaw]

Today was my leg day, I didn't go to the gym I just did bodyweight squats. 5x20 w/ knees together, then 5x20 regular length, and 5x20 wide squats. My shin muscles are aching. Awesome.

[BookWyrm]

Does anyone know how long it takes for someone to lose muscle mass after a cold turkey halt to all workouts? The reason I ask is that for the last few years I've been exercising a lot, but recently I find myself at home with a lot of time and an offer to join a sleep research study for 28 days. The pay is great and I'd be able to get a LOT of reading/writing done. Unfortunately they don't allow any form of exercise except light stretching.

Does it sound like this would totally destroy my fitness? Would I be able to resume my exercises after a month of being 95% inactive?

[lessthanluke]

Does anyone know how long it takes for someone to lose muscle mass after a cold turkey halt to all workouts? The reason I ask is that for the last few years I've been exercising a lot, but recently I find myself at home with a lot of time and an offer to join a sleep research survey for 28 days. The pay is great and I'd be able to get a LOT of reading/writing done. Unfortunately they don't allow any form of exercise except light stretching.

Does it sound like this would totally destroy my fitness? Would I be able to resume my exercises after a month of being 95% inactive?

You'll be fine. May take a few weeks to get back into the swing off things.

[Stego]

Can you eat a solid high protein diet? If so, you may come back after 28 days like a wild animal. Deloading isn't a horrible thing.

Eat right, sleep well, and you will be fine.

[BookWyrm]

You'll be fine. May take a few weeks to get back into the swing off things.

Thanks! It's good to hear that, now I'm a little more comfortable throwing myself into an isolation chamber for a few weeks. ;)

Stego,

Unfortunately they choose what and when I eat, and I will be sleeping habitually (no alarm clocks or other way of telling time). I've been sleeping for less than 7 hours a night for the past two years so sleeping well and eating right will be out of my control. I'll certainly inquire about the protein thing though. It would be sick if they let me mix some wheys into all my food. :devil:

[cjfshaw]

This is somewhat off topic somewhat on topic. I've been told that if you don't workout for 3 days you lose 33% of your muscle mass. Although I've never actually looked into that myself. Anyone have the real numbers on that? I actually did try googling that just now but I didn't get what I was looking for.

[Stego]

I've been told that if you don't workout for 3 days you lose 33% of your muscle mass.

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I's not even close to true.

[cjfshaw]

That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I's not even close to true.

Agreed, but usually stuff like that is based off of something that is true. Like how much mass or strength or cardiovascular endurance you lose over what amount of time.

[Stego]

Agreed, but usually stuff like that is based off of something that is true. Like how much mass or strength or cardiovascular endurance you lose over what amount of time.

It's radically different for everyone and is based on nutrition and rest and activity.

[TheLoneliestMonk]

There's no way to put a number on that. Not even a range. How much you are eating during that time, and how many calories you are consuming would make it vary wildly... like 3 days on a treadmill with zero Calories, you would lose a lot of muscle, but 3 days without working out, if you ate a lot, you could gain muscle in that time.