More exercise and fitness.

[lokisnow]

I've been off my workouts because I picked up a cold over the weekend. So yesterday, frustrated, I decided to do some wii fit yoga (the wii informed me it'd been more than 150 days since I turned it on, lol). wii fit yoga isn't actual yoga, but it does provide some good stretching, so I figured it was better than nothing. And now my delts are sore today, I'm sort of impressed and think I'll add 16 minutes of yoga to my mornings just to wake up and limber up for the day.

[Stego]

A 400 meter run? That's it?

*giggle snicker*

We went on a short 8 mile run last night. THAT'S cardio. :)

The workout she just mentioned would destroy you, Emilie. :D

[ithanos]

(PS I still haven't braved the rowing machine. I've wanted to for the longest time but I have never used it and in my gym the one rowing machine is right in a place where everyone has to walk by, so I'm intimidated!)

As others have said, don't be intimidated. Speaking from only two experiences on the machine I highly recommend it (though if my gym had it located where yours is i too would have been intimidated). Have you thought of asking if it could be moved to another less prominent location?

first off, good job on deciding to start working out and actually doing it (not as easy as it seems)

i don't think there's any downside to working out with a friend who is in better shape. don't try to lift the same weights he does and pay special attention to doing the exercise properly and you're good to go.

Thanks, I think my friend, and his brother in law who he trains with, are more than happy to have me tag along and I'm just as happy to continue following their workout at up to 25% (upper body) / 50% (lower body) of the weight they're lifting. At least until Christmas when I'll reassess and consider the routine.

you telling me drags on that machine means nothing to me

not all rowing machines are the same. even two machines made by the same manufacturer, same model can be quite different due to different amount of use they've seen, (im)proper maintenance etc. you should set drag factor (find it in the settings) to a value of 115-120 for a most effective workout.

This was a Concept2 machine and the (manual) setting was on the side of the flywheel. 5 was midway and 10 was the highest setting, but I'll take your advice and check the setting on the monitor.

26 strokes per minute can be fine depending on what you want from a workout, but 30 strokes per minute is too much.

if you want to work on your strength, keep the strokerate lower (20-22 is fine) while trying to maintain the same projected time for 500m.

...

i point out again, proper technique is the key

Noted, I'm keen to follow proper technique and I found a Concept2 video highlighting common errors in technique and it offers some exercises to help keep good form which i'll try out next workout.

[Minaku]

The workout she just mentioned would destroy you, Emilie. :D

Thanks for having my back, Stego.

I lied about the 7s. That's today. Yesterday was all Olympic lifts.

[Greywolf2375]

I've been off my workouts because I picked up a cold over the weekend. So yesterday, frustrated, I decided to do some wii fit yoga (the wii informed me it'd been more than 150 days since I turned it on, lol). wii fit yoga isn't actual yoga, but it does provide some good stretching, so I figured it was better than nothing. And now my delts are sore today, I'm sort of impressed and think I'll add 16 minutes of yoga to my mornings just to wake up and limber up for the day.

This is something I've been trying to work into my regimen as well. I love the stretch program in P90x, feel like a different person after doing it - I just need to get my lazy butt out of bed earlier or not spend 20 minutes playing Dragon Age on FB.

[BigFatCoward]

stick me down for the 400m is about the worst distance to run. the police riot training involves a 500m run with full riot kit and a long shield. it is a killer, the shield blows all over the place and the visor on your helmet stops you breathing properly.. would much rather plod along for 5 miles at a brisk jog.

training been going very well recently. been trying to eat correctly and noticing the diet is making more difference than an extra hour in the gym per session would do. if i could just cut down on the beer i'd be laughing.

[Minaku]

This is something I've been trying to work into my regimen as well. I love the stretch program in P90x, feel like a different person after doing it - I just need to get my lazy butt out of bed earlier or not spend 20 minutes playing Dragon Age on FB.

Stretching has always been my favorite part of exercise. It helps that I'm still very flexible from when I was a dancer.

Edit: My mind wants to go to Crossfit but my body is telling me, "Uh... no." Guess I'll cancel. I made it 4 days in a row. Maybe next week I can get all 5 days in.

[Stego]

That's very aggressive, Mina. Maybe take a day off in the middle?

[Minaku]

Is it? I thought you crazy Crossfitters went 6 days a week. It's been a bit rough on my body but I've been able to recover well so far. Except for today. I looked at the 7s. I think I'll opt for yoga instead.

[baxus]

This was a Concept2 machine and the (manual) setting was on the side of the flywheel. 5 was midway and 10 was the highest setting, but I'll take your advice and check the setting on the monitor.

most rowing machines are concept2 and i know what you meant by "5" and "10" but as i said, those settings are not universal for all machines, not even for all concept2 machines ;)

Noted, I'm keen to follow proper technique and I found a Concept2 video highlighting common errors in technique and it offers some exercises to help keep good form which i'll try out next workout.

you might want to try stopping in different positions* during the stroke at first, at least until you get the hang of basic technique. it may be a bit boring, but it pays off in the long run.

*i may not be using the correct terms for rowing, since i don't know all of them in english. i apologize for misunderstandings that may occur:)

[alguien]

I never felt like the 400m or 800m races were much of a sprint. Now, 200m and below were sprints. That being said nothing turned my legs to jello like the 400m.

I was never fast enough to be competitive in a 200m or 100m sprint. It was cool to watch those guys though. But really, its like 10-20 seconds and you're done. Lots of athletic ability needed, not a lot of guts.

I guess sprint is a little too strong a word for what I was describing, but it wasn't like the 1600 where you could plan your race and pick which lap you could make your move.

A 400m was as fast as you can for a lap.

And an 800m was doing that, TWICE. God that was tough.

[Frosty]

Anyone got ideas on ab routines variations.

Currently doing Roman Chair - (which I will never give up) incline situps, those funny handlebar leglifts, crunches on huge pilates ball and pikes. Obliques coming on nice and I know their is a damn sixpack in there wanting out so badly...

[cjfshaw]

I was never fast enough to be competitive in a 200m or 100m sprint. It was cool to watch those guys though. But really, its like 10-20 seconds and you're done. Lots of athletic ability needed, not a lot of guts.

I guess sprint is a little too strong a word for what I was describing, but it wasn't like the 1600 where you could plan your race and pick which lap you could make your move.

A 400m was as fast as you can for a lap.

And an 800m was doing that, TWICE. God that was tough.

I believe it was always called a dash at the meets I went to.

[Stego]

Obliques coming on nice and I know their is a damn sixpack in there wanting out so badly...

Six packs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.

[Eponine]

My strongest distance was the 3000. I started as an 800/1600m runner, but moved up a little every year because I didn't have the speed/talent. My last race was a 10K on the track.

But when people say sprinting is harder, it seems like they're often comparing an all out 400 (bc who would jog just 400 meters?) with, say, a 24 minute 5K. A 2:10 800 runner is about equivalent to a 16:39 5K runner, and I'm sure most people would find that just as hard.

Went for a 5k in snowshoes today, ran about 2/3 of it - and I didn't walk the rest because I wanted to. I could have done the loop again, slowly, if I'd wanted to - after a certain point, the distance wasn't the problem. It's just every time I came to a hill, I almost died. Didn't help that I spent a week at sea level and this was the first exercise I'd done since returning and it was about 8000 ft. But excuses, excuses, next time I won't walk.

ETA: Also, not to brag or anything, (totally untrue, that), but I've always been able to see my abs.

[Alcibiades]

All of you may have inspired me to give the rowing machine a go. I had a brief rowing career in college (I was a port in an 8 man shell), so it won't feel that foreign to me. I am awfully tired of the elliptical machine. Generally I spend 30 minutes getting cardio on the elliptical then do some lifting, so I'd like to do a straight swap of elliptical for rowing machine.

[peterbound]

Stretching has always been my favorite part of exercise. It helps that I'm still very flexible from when I was a dancer.

Edit: My mind wants to go to Crossfit but my body is telling me, "Uh... no." Guess I'll cancel. I made it 4 days in a row. Maybe next week I can get all 5 days in.

3 on 1 off, 2 on 1 off. Take it easy Mina.

[Alcibiades]

I fucking love your "Rick Perry - Man of Science" avatar.

Hehe, I love it too. When I posted it, I never thought he wouldn't be conservative enough.