More exercise and fitness.

[a wooden chair]

So I noticed the old thread was locked and no one had started the next, if they did I missed it and expect a brutal scolding at least.

Better late than never, my new (and first!) routine. Some background on where I was, am currently at, and wish to be:

I am 5'9" and have moderate kyphosis, so I should be at least 5'11. I was never healthy, never exercised beyond what I had to do for my jobs (retail, food & beverage, etc) but maintained a steady weight around 210-220lbs. 5 years ago I started a working in an office, overnight shifts of 12 hours, and found my weight increasing to the point where I stopped weighing myself after I broke 250. Ran into some physical problems I won't discuss, changed my job, and decided to join the fitness center where my workplace's home office is located. Over a year and a half I did exclusively cardio on an elliptical to reduce impact to my spine, stopped eating so much (and so poorly) and at a conservative estimate lost 55-60 pounds. I had stopped going to the gym for stupid reasons by this point but maintained my weight between 185-195 consistently while not attending, and am now back to 5 days a week for other reasons. I plan to try for 5 days a week regularly now which is more than I had done before, and I also recently put together a routine with one of the trainers employed at the fitness center.

My goal is to drop the last 10 pounds to remain steady around 180lbs, tone up more (though I'm not expecting miracles), and increase my core strength and back muscles to help shore up for the inevitable future problems Kyphosis brings with old age.

Please tell me if it's enough for my goals at this point? I will be meeting with the trainer again in 6-8 weeks to tweak it.

Monday/Wednesday/Friday:

30 minutes of elliptical cardio - weight loss program that has a mix of high and low steps. I usually do this adjusted to 13-15/20 resistance.

2x12 chest presses

2x12 bicep curls

2x12 tricep extension

2x12 seated row

2x12 lateral raise

2x12 seated leg curls

2x12 leg extension.

Tuesday/Thursday

60 minutes of elliptical cardio, same as above cardio for settings.

afterthought edit: Forgot to mention, all the arm/chest/back stuff is being started at 50lbs, and the leg exercises at 85lbs. I'm a complete newbie to weight training and probably at the least muscled point in my life right now.

[a wooden chair]

I haven't bothered with doctors for years. I don't see how either could hurt though, it's not like I'm a brittle invalid. I'll read up more on them at least, yoga stretching would probably work wonders in general for me.

[Greywolf2375]

I haven't bothered with doctors for years. I don't see how either could hurt though, it's not like I'm a brittle invalid. I'll read up more on them at least, yoga stretching would probably work wonders in general for me.

If you're going to go to a class or studio, they're basically going to require a Dr's clearance for entry. I'd recommend going to a Dr to find out if there are certain poses that could either help more or specifics to avoid.

[Minaku]

I'm surprised you weren't sweating, Chats - when I was doing Pilates (with a trainer), that was the most I'd ever sweated doing any kind of exercise.

AWC, definitely go see a doctor.

Today is Insanity Plyo - looking forward to it!

[Minaku]

Even when it was nice and cool in the studio, I managed to get my shirt damp. I don't sweat a lot in general so that's a big deal for me.

Insanity plyo is done for today, heartrate spiked to 170something. But my resting has come down further even more to the high 60s. Lovin' it!

[Stego]

I sweat through multiple shirts every day, regardless of the season. (But the summer is rough, no doubt.)

[Nichole]

I sweat a ridiculous amount. I always sweat for an extra half hour after running. Even after showering. I'm sure my coworkers love it.

[Minaku]

I always feel like I'm not working hard enough because I'm not covered in a sheen of sweat at the end of a workout. At the end of Insanity I have a couple of beads of sweat on my hairline but I'm not dripping. At worst I get uncomfortably damp. No need to seriously towel off though.

[Nichole]

I just think everyone is different in how much they sweat. Everyone in my family are major sweaters. I went on a hike with my friend the other day and I would consider myself in better shape then her, but while I was dripping, she was just kind of glistening.

I don't really mind, I always feel better after a good sweat.

[ljkeane]

I'm four weeks into the new rugby season after missing most of the last season and a half with a couple of knee operations. I'm really pleased with the way my knee's held up so far, it definitely feels a lot more solid, although my fitness isn't quite were I'd like it to be. I need to get myself down to the gym a bit more I suppose. Overall it's just good to be a back playing and able to train as well, I even got punched the other week so I must be back into the swing of things.

On the sweating front I tend to sweat a decent amount but that's probably because I'm bit of a fat bastard.

[Liffguard]

In the last thread I mentioned competing in the BMF Beat the Instructor Final. Just posting 'cause they put up a pretty cool video recently.

[a wooden chair]

In the last thread I mentioned competing in the BMF Beat the Instructor Final. Just posting 'cause they put up a pretty cool video recently.

I curled into a ball of knotted pain just from watching that. Congratulations Liffguard!

I'll see about going to a doctor, I tend to avoid them for anti-pill reasons as they want to immediately focus on getting me lobotomized with anti-depressants before helping me with my spine. I guess I could lie about my mental state next time around just to avoid that. The fitness center I go to has classes for Pilates among many other offerings (boot camp, tons of musical workout routines I always hear blarring, etc) I think, doubt they'd bother with asking me for a doctor's note as I already fibbed a bit on my application when I joined.

[Tammy]

Recently I took up swimming as I needed a new challenge. I'm not much of a runner; I run and I love to run but running for more than 5-7 miles and I start to get antsy and need something new. So after spending months on every other cardio thing I could think of besides aerobics classes, I decided swimming would help to keep it interesting.

Before a couple of months ago, I don't know how many years it had been before I tried to swim a lap in the pool, but it was pretty pathetic when I did try. I was doing 500 yards (10 laps at my pool) and it took me 30 minutes, which is snail pace. I realized that I spent more time at the end of the pool catching my breath than I was actually swimming. It was pretty surprising considering that I have pretty good cardio conditioning. The first couple weeks, I took it pretty slow as I tried to learn how to breathe properly while swimming.

I've been swimming pretty regularly for about 7 weeks now, and I am finally noticing a big difference. I can now swim continuously for over 30 minutes, as long as I switch up my strokes. I hit being able to do a 500 yard continuous freestyle swim yesterday. Finally today I felt like I was getting a strong sustained cardio workout just because I was able to keep moving for so long.

Still, it's strange to think that at 45 minutes I'm just starting to hit the first mile when running I'd be closing in on mile 5 (I'm a slow runner).

What's strange is that I lift weights, but have stopped since I've been swimming just because of how swore and tired my arms get after a long swim, but I'm noticing more definition in my biceps/triceps now swimming than when I was lifting. I figure in a few more weeks, my arms will have adjusted and I can resume normal lifting practices.

@a wooden chair,

Have you ever looked into weather swimming would help with the kophosis?

[baxus]

Before a couple of months ago, I don't know how many years it had been before I tried to swim a lap in the pool, but it was pretty pathetic when I did try. I was doing 500 yards (10 laps at my pool) and it took me 30 minutes, which is snail pace. I realized that I spent more time at the end of the pool catching my breath than I was actually swimming. It was pretty surprising considering that I have pretty good cardio conditioning. The first couple weeks, I took it pretty slow as I tried to learn how to breathe properly while swimming.

swimming is a great workout, but it is also very different effort than other cardio workouts.

last autumn, i told some of my friends from rowing about these timeslots reserved for college students at a pool and they joined me for a swim. now, these guys have all been into rowing for over a year, had been in a pretty good shape when it came to running, cycling or rowing. i was about 5 minutes late that day and when i came to the side of the pool a few of them were already holding on for dear life at the side of the pool ;)

I've been swimming pretty regularly for about 7 weeks now, and I am finally noticing a big difference. I can now swim continuously for over 30 minutes, as long as I switch up my strokes. I hit being able to do a 500 yard continuous freestyle swim yesterday. Finally today I felt like I was getting a strong sustained cardio workout just because I was able to keep moving for so long.

it's great to hear about your progress.

i used to switch strokes as well, started with half a lap freestyle and the other half breaststroke, worked my way to a lap freestyle, half a lap breaststroke. that way i get a good continuous workout throughout the whole timeslot. that way i got up to 2200m in 45 minutes, before i stopped going because i couldn't fit it in my schedule any more.

i must start again, as soon as possible :)

Still, it's strange to think that at 45 minutes I'm just starting to hit the first mile when running I'd be closing in on mile 5 (I'm a slow runner).

5 miles in 45 minutes (under 6"/km) is not that fast but it's not that slow either.

of course, it depends on the distance you are running and your workout plan.

[a wooden chair]

@a wooden chair,

Have you ever looked into weather swimming would help with the kophosis?

Reducing my weight and building muscle cannot hurt it, but swimming won't help it beyond that. Vertibrae crushed into wedge shapes will regretfully always be that way unless I get surgery. Maybe once summer comes around I'll hit up the local lakes though and make my rounds.

[Minaku]

What's strange is that I lift weights, but have stopped since I've been swimming just because of how swore and tired my arms get after a long swim, but I'm noticing more definition in my biceps/triceps now swimming than when I was lifting. I figure in a few more weeks, my arms will have adjusted and I can resume normal lifting practices.

What is your diet? Fat loss has a lot to do with what you eat, although a good mix of cardio and weights will help with definition.

[Tammy]

swimming is a great workout, but it is also very different effort than other cardio workouts.

last autumn, i told some of my friends from rowing about these timeslots reserved for college students at a pool and they joined me for a swim. now, these guys have all been into rowing for over a year, had been in a pretty good shape when it came to running, cycling or rowing. i was about 5 minutes late that day and when i came to the side of the pool a few of them were already holding on for dear life at the side of the pool ;)

it's great to hear about your progress.

i used to switch strokes as well, started with half a lap freestyle and the other half breaststroke, worked my way to a lap freestyle, half a lap breaststroke. that way i get a good continuous workout throughout the whole timeslot. that way i got up to 2200m in 45 minutes, before i stopped going because i couldn't fit it in my schedule any more.

i must start again, as soon as possible :)

5 miles in 45 minutes (under 6"/km) is not that fast but it's not that slow either.

of course, it depends on the distance you are running and your workout plan.

Rowing is another exercise that takes awhile to build up to. I love the rowing machine at the gym because even when it's packed and there are no other machines available there is almost always a couple ergs available. It's amazing how you can be very competent at one cardio exercise and barely able to do another. I have a friend who is a marathon runner; she runs a minimum of 10 miles a day 6 days a week, but complained that she could only do 8 minutes on an erg the one time she tried.

SN: I love your avatar. One of my friends lent me the backstory books a few days ago; I love OotS.

[Tammy]

What is your diet? Fat loss has a lot to do with what you eat, although a good mix of cardio and weights will help with definition.

My diet's pretty basic. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, chicken, shrimp and very few processed foods. I was only eating protein at breakfast and dinner, but over the past few months I've added protein to lunch and a couple snacks because I was noticing that I was feeling quite tired a lot - it seems to have helped with that.

[Muttering Bill]

I've finally managed to run 5k in less than half an hour. 29:53 specifically. No, it's not fast, but it's an achievement for me, so I'm quite happy with it. Did that both Sunday and Monday.

I decided to set a new goal for myself: 8:00 m/m pace for 4 miles. I'm going to try it once a week; set the pace on the treadmill, and just run until I feel that I need to stop. First attempt was Tuesday. I made it 1.5 miles (12 minutes). Yeah, I've got long way to go, but that's about what I expected from the first try.

Yesterday I ran a slow 8 miles (1:27:21). The last mile was a little rough because by that point I had sweat so much that my shoes were soaked and were slipping on the (treadmill) belt a little. Otherwise I felt like I probably could have gone another couple of miles.

My legs are very sore today, so I'm going to take and easy half hour tonight - about 2.75 miles.

[mor2]

that's very good, personally I'd suggest playing with the programs, instead of faster pace, because in my experience it gets to easy to get used to the treadmill (especially if you watch TV or with a good play list) to the point that you barely breaking a sweat, in comparison to running outside were I thought i would die trying to finish the same distance in the same time.