Exercise and Fitness (the 48kg remix)

[QuietColours]

My whole body's trembling and I think I'm going to throw up. Weights are awesome. I'm definitely seeing progress, faster than I did with a more body weight centered approach. I'm not sure how much of that due to the difference in weights and how much is due to not knowing much about weights, so I'm doing the same several exercises instead of switching it up so often. I know switching it up is good, but I was almost never doing the same workout twice. I get bored easily, but weights are still novel enough to keep my interest. But I'm also up on push-up reps and I can see the added strength in gymnastics. I still can't do a pull-up, but we just got a set of gymnastics rings to hang up in the basement, so hopefully having those to work with will help.

The only thing I don't like about the weights is that they kill my little and ring fingers--I feel it from the knuckle into the forearms, especially on front raises. I'm guessing it's a strength issue with the smaller muscles or tendons?

With some of the other things I've been working on, I should be safe to move my front tuck onto the floor this week, and I'm consistently doing round off back handsprings onto a mat on the floor. I can almost do them without thinking between the round off and the back handspring; when I do it without thinking, I'll take away the mat. I have awesome cartwheels on high beam, can do a squat on-jump to high bar about half the time, and almost got my kip last week. I can do five hanging leg lifts (up from half a one in December). I'll test my handstand push-ups when my arms aren't shaking. My shoulder flexibility is improved a little; I haven't been working on my splits as much. Still, not bad for two months of work!

[Stego]

But for someone as big as Stego, I think that running 3 miles is extremely impressive.

Jeez, man, I'm getting smaller every day. :P

[Liffguard]

Noone can sprint 3 miles, unless their sprinting speed is miserable. But for someone as big as Stego, I think that running (as opposed to just jogging) 3 miles is extremely impressive.

When I'm in good shape, I can sprint about 200-300 meters, run about 600-800 meters, and jog about 10-15 km. The single time I've "competed" at a distance longer than 400 meters was an 800 meters at the end of a very informal heptathlon competition with a group of friends. I jogged the first 500 meters and finished with a 300 meter sprint, and ended up with a rather unimpressive time of 2:08 (if I recall correctly). I don't think my time would have been much better if I had tried running all the way from the start.

Just out of curiosity, at what pace would you draw the line between running and jogging? Of course, it's different for everyone and one man's intense run will be the next's slow jog, but what would you say is the average?

[Vethnar]

Just out of curiosity, at what pace would you draw the line between running and jogging? Of course, it's different for everyone and one man's intense run will be the next's slow jog, but what would you say is the average?

The principal difference is not one of speed: Jogging and running are two rather different ways of moving, at least in my interpretation of the two words.

Jogging is similar to walking, except that there is a period in which neither foot is in contact with the ground. Most of the physical effort is done during the period of ground contact; little or no effort is made to actively lift the knees or bring the front foot backwards before it hits the ground.

Running is a much more vigorous way of moving. The runner actively lifts the knees in front and brings the foot back aggressively, trying to maximize the angular velocity of the leg at the time it hits the ground, and to minimize the duration of ground contact. Compared to jogging, much more effort is made during the time in the air, and bigger muscle groups are used (in particular, the posterior chain and the hip flexors are used more actively). There is also a difference in the position of the body when the foot hits the ground: The hips and knees are closer to full extension when running, and the foot is not as far in front of the body.

Drawing a line in terms of pace is difficult, not only because it is different for everyone, but also because it depends on how long the pace is maintained. I think I can jog a single lap (400 meters) in about 75 seconds, but I can't sustain that jogging speed for longer distances, because my calves tire too quickly. For distances of 5 km and above, I guess my maximal jogging pace would be somewhere around 100 seconds per lap (which means about 4 minutes per km, or about 6:30 per mile). This is probably a little faster than the average person of my age, but much slower than most people who do endurance training regularly.

[cjfshaw]

ugh, yesterday was just one of those days where I had a complete lack of energy all day. I managed to do chest/back but it was a pretty pitiful workout. Better than nothing I guess.

[turinturambar]

Last night was not my night. I decided to give my body a break and go away from the weight training and play some basketball. Halfway into the second game I got a charliehorse. Smoothed it out and gritted my teeth and played on through the pain, only to roll my ankle 5 minutes later after coming down on somebody's size 15s. Later in the shower as I was stepping out of the tub, my right calf cramped up again so I instinctively switched my weight over to my left foot, which had the bum ankle.... The ankle gave out and I took a nose dive to the floor.

[Stego]

ugh, yesterday was just one of those days where I had a complete lack of energy all day. I managed to do chest/back but it was a pretty pitiful workout. Better than nothing I guess.

5 Hour Energy!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Not trying to advertise, man. I get no money from them. But they jack me up.

[cjfshaw]

Actually I looked for that stuff during midterm week but I couldn't find any. I tried '7 hour energy' and it was one of the worst things I've tasted in my entire life. Imagine the worst medicine you've ever had, right after you've brushed your teeth and gargled w/ listerine. Blegh. I tried to get some energy by eating a 3-chicken breast sandwhich, a banana, a few glasses of milk, and some pistachios. It kind of worked.

[Xray the Enforcer]

I am about to weep with joy -- today was my first day back at the gym since my headmeat relapse back in October (and all the various drug side-effects that I've been struggling with since then). I am sure tomorrow those tears will be from pain, but I welcome them. Holy gods, does it feel good to be back.

[zollo]

I am about to weep with joy -- today was my first day back at the gym since my headmeat relapse back in October (and all the various drug side-effects that I've been struggling with since then). I am sure tomorrow those tears will be from pain, but I welcome them. Holy gods, does it feel good to be back.

Very good to hear, Xray. Wishing you many more adrenaline kicks like that! :)

Been running more extensively than usual (don't think I have ever jogged btw... ) as I will be starting touch rugby training soon. Wouldn't want to be much slower than the rest of the team... one of whom is apparently a quite famous former rugby player. Also, guess once who my coach will be...

[Xray the Enforcer]

I will be starting touch rugby training soon

Vestrit should start a cult, as clearly he's capable of seducing even stalwart Dutchmen to the Dark Side.

[seastarr]

I spent all day yesterday teaching an advanced cadillac workshop, which involved pull ups and more pull ups. Pull ups in every body configuration you can imagine, and my arms are quite sore. I am happy to report that the soreness is pleasant and my irritated rib is only faintly complaining.

Back to trapeze full force tomorrow. Over the weekend I learned how to climb a rope. This sounds silly, because I assume most people learned to climb ropes in gym class, but I never took gym class in school because of dance, so rope climbing was never a skill I learned. I am glad to have it in the tool box--you never know when rope climbing may come in handy.

[Greywolf2375]

5 Hour Energy!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Not trying to advertise, man. I get no money from them. But they jack me up.

you ...you...you sound like a deranged choo choo train.

took the weekend off for bachelor party activities. Plenty of left armed 22oz curls, but not so much anything else.

back to the grind tomorrow, pretty sure I would die today if I went. Weather seems to be turning, so we may start putting in some jogs around the park near our house to get some cardio in that actually lets us move from pt A to pt B. treadmills, stair climbers, stationary bikes...we hates them.

[Stego]

I am about to weep with joy -- today was my first day back at the gym since my headmeat relapse back in October (and all the various drug side-effects that I've been struggling with since then). I am sure tomorrow those tears will be from pain, but I welcome them. Holy gods, does it feel good to be back.

So proud of you, Martha! Keep it up!

[Stego]

(don't think I have ever jogged btw... )

Your legs are too long to ever 'just jog.'

[Stego]

Since I'm the only one who posts in this thread these days....

I had an amazing back workout yesterday. I've actually maxed out on my gyms dumbbells for a number of exercises (One arm rows and shrugs yesterday, for instance.) and I'm looking at changing gyms to one that offers heavier dumbbells. (My gyms largest are 125lbs)

Now I realize these are not huge by any means, but shedding a gym because you've outgrown their equipment is fucking motivating. I suppose I should just ask my gym to get new dumbbells. I may do that today.

Today is leg day.

I'm thinking about getting back into doing squats. I know I shouldn't, but I fucking yearn to do them. Hell, I coach my wife through them every week and I feel like a douche because it's never my turn. It's not even for my legs --- my legs are absurdly strong right now. I really want to strengthen my core. I want to build up layers of muscle over my weak ass spine. Someone talk me off the ledge?

Should I try pilates for that? Will I lose my man card for now and all time?

Ther latest addition to my workouts are plyometric box jumps. I fucking love these things. I can literally feel my athleticism improving. I have serious ups for a big fat guy, too. :D

[lessthanluke]

My gym has 200lb dumbells :D

I did safety squat bar good mornings today and now I can barely walk haha

[Stego]

My gym has 200lb dumbells :D

Yeah, yeah.

[Liffguard]

I'm thinking about getting back into doing squats. I know I shouldn't, but I fucking yearn to do them. Hell, I coach my wife through them every week and I feel like a douche because it's never my turn. It's not even for my legs --- my legs are absurdly strong right now. I really want to strengthen my core. I want to build up layers of muscle over my weak ass spine. Someone talk me off the ledge?

I remember you talking at one point about how you were worried in the past that you might never walk again. Are you really ready to take the risk of making that a possibility again?

[Stego]

I remember you talking at one point about how you were worried in the past that you might never walk again. Are you really ready to take the risk of making that a possibility again?

Valid. Absolutely valid.