Exercise: What's Your Workout?

[ALenore]

stillshimpy, I'm the opposite of you.   I like doing jump rope, jumping jacks, etc.  The routines that are my favorite in NIke Training Club (my exercise app) are ones that involve a lot of jumping.  The ones I hate are the ones that have a lot of squat jumps (especially frogger, where you squat on your hands and feet and jump forward (like a frog) and back.   I have a hard time doing it for 30 seconds, much less 1 minute.   I don't mind standard squats with weights, starting from a standing position, but I have a hard time staying in a full squatting position for a long.     

[stillshimpy]

Hehe, well together we would make quite the well-rounded fitness buff, ALenore, all we'd need is someone who was really good at swimming! My right heel is surgically reconstructed, so I have a plate and six screws in the darned thing (do not pulverize your bones, folks, just a tip!).  Over the years I've really been able to up how much impact it can take, but freaking jumping jacks.  I can do them, but the next day my heel is like the wrath of some minor god.  Not a nice one either.  

 

So that's what it comes down to for me.  I can run, but anything that involves very rapid hopping just makes it angry.  

Edited October 29, 2014 by stillshimpy

[ALenore]

all we'd need is someone who was really good at swimming!

 

Well, I'm not much of a swimmer, I can stay afloat, but I don't move very fast, and I have a hard time staying in a straght line to do laps.   But since I don't have any swimming pool available for my use, it doesn't really matter.   

[KnoxForPres]

I'm impressed with anyone who can do any kind of aerobics for 62 minutes. I've never been able to do that, even when I could run for that long. Aerobics was always lots harder for me.

Even though that DVD is the most challenging I own, my body knows it and knows what's coming next. Bet if I had bought a random one at Target that intense I would have collapsed at 21 minutes last night. There is a whole lot of rinse and repeat with those things til you "really" do them.

And I happen to love DVDs at home. I'm one of the few people I know who do. When I go to my apt gym it's slightly akin to torture. I was watching Seinfeld on their TV and would say "okay, I'm going to go all out this commercial break". Next I was wanting to cry and looked down and like 52 seconds had elapsed. Unreal. So I'm in awe of anyone who could run 60 plus minutes. I can't imagine.

stillshimpy your hilarious and amazing hotel story is what forced me to go alone. I had been relying on a neighbor to go with me. I was raised by a mom who said "I promise you. When people go home at night, not one single person is thinking of what you wore or did. They're thinking about themselves". And while that's very true I think I dress pretty cute :). But as has been mentioned many times I am in no way a runner. And that intimidated me bc I feared another person there would be mocking my stride or whatever. So thank you! You stayed on that elliptical and I thought "hell yeah". I want to be like that; not scared.

eta: My mom would quote that when I was young. So say I screwed up a sentence in a speech I gave (or whatever). Didn't want it to come across I had parents that taught me if I told a boss to go to hell it would be fine, lol.

Edited October 29, 2014 by KnoxForPres

[auntlada]

Oh, I never have been able to run 60 minutes on a treadmill. It had to be outside where there was different stuff to look at and think about. And I probably couldn't do it now because I'm out of shape (and don't have an hour all at one time to exercise anyway).

 

I've been running a mile at lunch, not every day, but when I can. A mile is all I have time for since I have to clean up, get dressed for work again and then find something to eat at my desk.

[RescueMom]

And I happen to love DVDs at home. I'm one of the few people I know who do. When I go to my apt gym it's slightly akin to torture. I was watching Seinfeld on their TV and would say "okay, I'm going to go all out this commercial break". Next I was wanting to cry and looked down and like 52 seconds had elapsed. Unreal. So I'm in awe of anyone who could run 60 plus minutes. I can't imagine.

 

The first time I ran 60 seconds in a row I thought I was going to die.  It was the first day of the C25K program, I had the treadmill on 4.2 MPH with zero incline, and I was floored by how hard it was.  I managed to do the rest of the workout (8 reps of 60 seconds running total, with 90 seconds of walking in between), but it was HARD.  Harder than I ever imagined.  And I briefly thought, "I'll never be able to run three miles."  But one nice thing about being a sober alcoholic is that it is easy to shut down that kind of thinking quickly - you deal with what you have to do today, and don't worry about what's coming up.  So I did that first week of 60 second runs, trusting that the process would work, and lo and behold when it came time to run 90 seconds the following week, I did it!  It is amazing how quickly your body adapts and conditions. 

Edited October 30, 2014 by RescueMom

[stillshimpy]

stillshimpy your hilarious and amazing hotel story is what forced me to go alone. I had been relying on a neighbor to go with me. I was raised by a mom who said "I promise you. When people go home at night, not one single person is thinking of what you wore or did. They're thinking about themselves".

 

I am so glad that it helped :-)  I'm like you, I actually like to work out alone and at home. I'm assured that this means I won't stick with it, but I've worked out by myself almost my entire adult life.   Over the years we've just basically set up our own home gym, but whenever we travel anywhere I just go ahead and hit the gym.  The day after the terminator I was at a hotel working out with what appeared to be a boy's wrestling team and their coach.  'twas crowded and not the best smelling place I've ever been in.  Bunch of teenage boys and me and I have to tell you, they couldn't have cared less what the lady their mom's age was doing.  That's going to be a fairly universal truth about gyms in general. 

 

Your mom was right, as I suspect you already know, and it's the thing that I wish everyone knew about gyms: No one is looking at you and judging your performance except for you.  There's the occasional person who thinks it's a singles bar, but for the most part every single person there is deeply invested in their own hope of "Hello, universal overlords?  Please don't let me face-plant/die.  Also, if I could magically get those quarterlies done before noon, that would be swell and what the hell am I going to eat for dinner?  Maybe I'll go out.  Wait! I think I have cheese.  I'll have cheese.  And jelly.  Maybe jelly for dessert. " and then they wonder about something equally enthralling like "Did I set the DVR?" 

 

Essentially, unless you burst into flames, people around us are in their own personal universes.  I mean, unless someone is doing something weird/threatening/amusing or needs medical intervention, how much time do you spend concentrating on the people around you? 

 

Boy, hotel gyms can really test ones resolve when it comes to working out, because many of them just have equipment and no TV.  Forget no music and if they do have TV? It's tuned to CNN, the least riveting, but also generally the least controversial of programming.  

 

 

 

But one nice thing about being a sober alcoholic is that it is easy to shut down that kind of thinking quickly - you deal with what you have to do today, and don't worry about what's coming up.

 

Hey, well done on being sober and living a healthier lifestyle in general.  I'm not in any kind of recovery, but I do know that Serenity prayer and thanks to my husband's family I know several people in various stages of recovery (including the perpetually impending kind) and I have to say, the rules governing recovery are sort of good ones just in general.  Harm someone?  Make amends.  Be honest with yourself.  Concentrate on the now.  That sort of thing.  

 

However, the other day I was listening to NPR, talking about happiness.  What it is.  Why people are always trying to find an answer to the "how to be" and not accepting the answers (like...don't worry so much about the stuff you can't impact) and they had one moment in that data set that I think everyone here can "Oh hell no!" for a specific set of circumstances.  

 

To boil down this half hour segment to a sentence, the gist was that people are happiest when they concentrate fully on what they are doing at any given time.  That it is when our mind wanders that we tend to let it wind down unpleasant paths that make us unhappy (ran the argument of this NPR segment) and my mind immediately went to exercise because it just doesn't work that way for almost anyone.  So that's the "oh hell no" thing. It is best to have something to focus upon outside of the activity. Music, TV, Breathing, something.

 

 But the segment's point was that people are happiest when the focus on what they are doing, even if it is tedious, or mundane not because that's the path to happiness and success, but rather because most of the time when people let their minds wander, they start thinking about things that they can't change, that worry them, that sadden them, anger them, frustrate them or convince them that they "can't" do something. That we tend to engage in a lot of self-torture that's unnecessary. 

 

It was an interesting piece, I thought.  I'm sure I look like a moron doing about half of what I do to exercise.  If anyone was secretly filming doing any kind of kickboxing workout, I'm positive they'd be a) on the floor laughing or b) convinced that I had some hyper-specific and entirely dire medical condition that was gravely impacting my Neuromuscular Junction, but eh, so what?  I know this will come as a complete shock to absolutely no one, but I've never really been all that effortlessly cool or elegant and it's really not likely to strike any time soon. 

 

So maybe the secret to happiness and exercise are closely related:  figure out what to give a damn about and make that list relatively small and personal.  Who knows?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 30, 2014 by stillshimpy

[ethalfrida]

Good morning, excellent reads as usual.

 

So, in your experience (and I am asking everyone) is it best to let muscles heal for 48 hours or 7 to 10 days. This is regarding weight lifting. I am reading articles where the time lapse varies so much it is confusing. One thing I've noticed is the weight loss from building muscle is constant so I have to eat more. But my lifting class is twice a week on Mon and Wed. That's when I do cardio too so that certainly is not 7 to 10 days. What has been your best routine/recovery period?

[stillshimpy]

I've never actually encountered the 7-10 day recommended recovery period.  Is that for an injury or pull?  Or for when you are just getting back into it? I'll go on here in a second (because I always do) but soreness and pain are your most accurate guidelines.  You can still workout when you are mildly sore, even if you've had the 48 rest period, but you should never workout through actual pain.  That's the one I personally adhere to.  

 

The one that I've always read about and mostly adhered to, is to not work the same muscle group with weight training two days running.  So you either need to do full body, the next day moderate cardio or a stretching routine, full body again the next day , or you could do upper-body with cardio one day, cardio (or active rest...meaning at least take a walk, don't just hang out on the couch, maybe stretch) the next, lower-body with cardio optional the next workout, next day yoga/cardio/rest or active rest etc.  Rest and recovery days are a tiny bit deceptive as a term, because you can exercise every day of your life, just not at a high intensity and for people who have been doing it for a really long time?  They can and do.  I know a lot of people in Colorado who are extremely active and they just don't take rest days.  It's not wise (it ups your risk of over-training and injury), but people do it. 

 

Now there's a big difference between muscle soreness and injury soreness and when you're first starting out you're going to be sore.  No...SORE.  The best plan may be to try and workout 3-4 times a week (this is all in general terms), or "most" days a week so that you're active more days than you're resting/or recovering.  Rest and recovery days are not necessarily the same things.  But you can tell when you need a recovery period usually.  Over-training has a bunch of symptoms...not making progress is one.  Fatigue.  Excessive soreness.  A weakened immune system.  Dreading working out.  Mental exhaustion.  

 

General health guidelines recommend 30 minutes of moderate activity at least 5 days a week.  So basically 2.5 hours per week is the recommend minimum, but that does include things like brisk walking and it doesn't have to be done in full 30 increments, it can be cumulative over the course of the day.   If you're pretty fit you can exceed.  I do and whereas I did have surgery, it wasn't for anything related to working out.  

 

I have worked with a couple of professional trainers in the past too, and I just haven't ever heard of a recovery period that spans a week.  Now, for injury I've had to take that and longer off.  But as for a instance, I had surgery in July and only took 10 days off of working out and only 3 days off from activity.  

That's different because I was looking at maintaining fitness, so I was really concerned with de-conditioning.  I did actually de-condition and it took me a full month to get back to my previous fitness level.  Now at different points in my life I used to workout three days a week and I just wasn't making the kind of progress I wanted to in terms of strength.  The formula I've heard is that for every week you take off, you lose about a month's worth of progress when you're in the shape you want to be in.  So I think, again, this will be individual to you and I may be wrong, that a week to ten days is pretty excessive as a recovery period, unless you're new to it and even then, that's a length of time that risk negating the progress you're making.  

 

The only time I take true recovery periods is when I've done a weight increase, but I don't do back-to-back intense "work the exact same muscle group" workouts, unless you want to count core or yoga.  Basically I really let the amount of soreness dictate how much recovery I'll take.  About seven years ago I had to get back in shape after having to take a break and then I remember being so sore that there was no question of having to take the recovery days...I had to.  When I was just coming back from surgery this summer, I did a workout that I swear to God left me in more pain than the actual surgery. I was making involuntary sounds just stepping off curbs (it was plie squats with weights that did it to me a workout I'd done countless times in the past) , and then I did have to wait almost a full week to work that particular muscle group again. 

 

So I think that might be the ultimate answer.   What's your body telling you? That will be your best guideline.    Like you, I get ravenously hungry from sustained cardio, but much less-so from weight-training.   Now it occurs to me to add, I'm not a power-lifter.  I never have been, never will be and don't wish to be one.  So the heaviest I go on a single free weight is twenty pounds, so that might be the difference in why I'm unfamiliar with the 7*10 day period.  When reading articles it helps to make sure they are actually geared towards what you're doing.

 

ETA: Wait, just remembered one kind of workout I can only do once a week when it's in my rotation:  A kettle-bell workout.   My left shoulder is prone to repetitive motion problems and swinging a kettlebell does it.  So I have to take a full seven days between that...but I can tell because of the "Ow.  Not muscle sore...joint sore."  and just for me personally?  That's one I have to listen to or pay the consequences.  

 

Knox, a friend of mine put this up on Facebook for a friend of hers that is running her first marathon, but I snagged the link for you :  What to eat before a race.  It's not just geared towards marathon distance and contains information for a 5k too :)  

 

ETA2, sorry to anyone who saw the link I posted first, if you're wondering that's a dog we're looking at in one of the local shelters. 

Edited October 30, 2014 by stillshimpy

[ALenore]

stillshimpy, great advice.  That's been my experience in working out, to give the muscles one day rest.  I used to do upper body one day and lower body the next, but now I do whole body routines every other day, alternating with cardio.  One thing I have found is that exercises (or even ordinary movement) can work out very specific muscles.  I do various Nike Training Club workouts, and sometimes I'll do a new exercise, like one I did the other day where you lie on your back, bend one leg and put the foot on a foam roller,  raise the other leg up, and the roll the foot on the roller.  Sounds easy, but the next day muscles in my upper buttocks were killing me.  I actually like it when I have sore muscles after exercising, because it means that I needed to work out those muscles.   

[stillshimpy]

So today I was really quite aware that I had angered the muscle group referred to as the glutes.  That's right, people, oh my aching butt.  Every time I would stand up, or sit down or (god forbid) have to pick something off of the floor, I was reminded "Hey...ow.  No, really.  Ow. What have I done?" 

 

And I couldn't remember.  I mean, for much longer than you might think, I kept going back over my workouts for the last two, three, four, finally five days.  Yesterday I'd done upper body for forty minutes, with a pretty significant weight increase, and really wasn't sore in my upper body, so I wasn't associating it with that.  Then 

 I did twenty minutes of HIIT cardio.  Sunday?   60 minutes on the elliptical, but that would never cause the "please let me never drop anything again.  Gravity is evil.  Chairs are evil.  Stairs?  Extremely evil!"  

 

But I could figure out what the hell I'd done to myself.  Saturday I'd done two hours of yoga, but I wasn't even a little sore from that yesterday and for an alarmingly long time I couldn't remember what I'd done on Friday, but it hardly mattered as that ought to be way too far in the past to suddenly manifest with the burning butt muscle pain of '14.   

 

Then I finally, finally remembered: Squat thrusts yesterday.  I'd done them with a bunch of mountain climbers in that HIIT segment.  Not just any squat thrusts, "up and over" squat thrusts.  Shown here at 13:05.  So I'm fairly certain that's why my butt hurts so much, when I told my husband "hey, I did these..." I actually tried to simply show him one and it was hilarious.  I made a sound like the Swiss Miss being mugged mid yodel.  Instead I ended up showing him the video and his natural question was "How in the world did you forget doing those?!?"  and I'm going to go with trauma based repression, because oh my god.  Note I said I did 20 minutes and that's a 30 minute workout.  That? Is because I was going to die.  Imminently.  

 

And I think I know why I so fully forgot about those things, because somewhere in my mind all day, as I flinched at the sight of stairs and took three minutes to carry a vacuum up them I knew:  peak soreness occurs at 48 hours, not 24.   

 

The Ghost of Ows Yet to Come is mocking me.  

 

ETA:  Today upon waking, my husband asked me "What's the morning butt report?"  and really, not anywhere near as bad as the legendary soreness of Plie squats where I'd experience situation-based anxiety when I spotted a curb in the distance.  But I guess if you're looking for a very effective glute exercise, that must be it, because god knows I work that muscle group out all the time and it clearly hits part of it that I normally don't work as hard.  

Edited November 12, 2014 by stillshimpy

[DeLurker]

 

Good grief! Sorry for the dissertation.

ramble - this is from a few months back, but these are things that affect (effect?  never could get those two straight) our lives and acknowledging is the first step in dealing with it (to the extent it is something that can be dealt with; sometimes it can only be processed and accepted).

 

I've got physical disabilities from an incident 7 years ago.  My balance sucks as a result, I've got a significant loss of feeling in my right arm and leg and just an overall deterioration in coordination and ability.  But I have improved, although sometimes it was one step forward, two steps back.  Anyway...this is my "life crap" but it no longer defines me and means I have to get creative on figuring out workarounds when things don't work like they used to.

 

I have an adult trike (balance issues) which I love and use it to ride up to the local market several times a week.  I also ride it just because I like it.  If I want an indulgence at the store, I never buy it when I see it.  I tell myself if I still want it tomorrow, I can ride up and get it.  I almost never still want it the next day and if I do, I at least ride my trike to go and fetch it.

 

I used to go to a gym several times a week and take yoga classes there, but that is all in the past.  I really miss the yoga class - I had tried several before that, but always found them intimidating.  The instructors had zero body fat & intense; all the students were super serious (Los Angeles, so whatever).  At my gym, the woman who's yoga class I went to was probably mid-40s, 15 lbs overweight and just incredibly pleasant.  She was SO freakin' flexible though and her classes were fantastic.  With balance issues now, yoga is not really do-able, but I still do what stretching I can and sometimes do a program on the Wii (using a chair for balance).

 

I like using the resistance bands for various stretching - I think they work out well and can be done almost anywhere.  I also do an exercise my Mom showed me - just bend from the waist placing your hands on the ground so you form a triangle.  Bend from the knees going down as low as possible 10x.  She does it daily just to stay limber and to get the blood flowing.  I do it while my coffee is brewing.

 

I have one of those large exercise balls - I like using it and there are about a zillion things you can do.  I like it best for sit-ups.  My family has freakishly strong abdominal muscles so sit-ups I've always been good at (offset by my freakishly weak upper arm strength).  I tend to start with sit-ups and end with them because I am good at it and that makes me feel more motivated to start and better when I finish.

 

I bought a jump rope last year - still working up the nerve to try it.  Coordinating the different body parts is one of the challenges I have, but I'll get there eventually.

[Shannon L.]

I didn't know this thread existed!  I lost 75lbs over 2 years (I took my time, obviously :) and have been maintaining for a year now.  My work out is probably a bit much, but fear of going back to where I was + OCD = a lot of exercise.  Also, I exercise a lot so I can eat more ;)

 

At least 5-6 days a week (sometimes 7), I walk anywhere from an hour and 15 min, to an hour and a half, up and down the foothills behind my house.  I have two large dogs that I have to walk separately, so the bloodhound--the more active of the two-- who needs a good, hard walk, gets 45 minutes, and our shepherd mix, is so well behaved that I can walk her from 20-45 minutes as time permits.  I usually go 45 with her, too.

 

Once a week, I go to 24 Hour Fitness for a one hour Body Pump class and I go twice a week for Zumba Fitness (and with this teacher, I can really eat on those days!).

 

I'm getting bored with Body Pump (actually, it's mostly the drive I hate since it's a ways away because it's the only class during the week that fits my schedule), so I'm considering trying a Venyasa Flow type of yoga.  I tried it once and was surprised at how sweaty I got and how sore my muscles were afterward.  It was quite a workout. 

[stillshimpy]

Vinyasa Flow is fun and it really is nicely strengthening and yeah, it is a workout :-) I did a multi-level flow class on Saturday and whereas I could usually do the level 2 option, the level 3 is just not going to happen for me.   Part of the reason I like doing yoga at home is that every now and then I end up stumbling out of pose in a truly ungainly fashion and I'm always so glad I'm not taking out a room-full of people like dominoes.  

[editorgrrl]

I have lousy balance, and I do yoga. I just arrive early enough to get a space along the perimeter of the room, then use the wall when necessary.

[stillshimpy]

Well, and then I swear too.  Mindfully, of course.  Prolifically and mindfully :-) 

 

My husband can always tell when I've changed workouts, because he'll be somewhere else in the house and hear me ....inquiring as to the seriousness of the suggestion, shall we say.  Mindfully!  

[Athena]

Vinyasa is one of my favourite types of yoga as well. I do it in hot yoga so it is often called Hot Flow by some studios. Great workout as it can be cardio and very strengthening all the while stretching. In class, I take a place in the front (with a mirror) and no one in front. I always avoid the centre unless it's near the instructor.

 

I've been doing less running these days, but yesterday, I did 4km. The last 2km was almost all uphills. I am oddly addicted to going uphill. Not so much going downhill though.

[emma675]

I'm a swimmer! I swim 4 times a week (I'm aiming for 5 times a week, but I had thyroid surgery and I have to slowly increase my stamina so I don't throw my medication levels off). I also get dragged several miles around the neighborhood 6 days a week by a large, enthusiatic dog, so I've got the cardio down pat. What I need now is some weight training--I am losing weight, but I need to start toning things up.

[Shannon L.]

emma675, where are you swimming?  At a gym? 

[emma675]

Shannon L., I saved up and bought myself an iPool. It's a small, above ground, resistance swimming pool--it's basically the size of a small SUV and it's in part of my garage. It was a little weird at first (you swim in place, you don't move forward), but I'm totally used to it now. I used to swim at the local YMCA where they had an indoor pool, but I got tired of dealing with kiddos and having to fight for a lane and they didn't keep the water heated enough. Then they put up a sign one day that said "If you have active diarrhea, please do not get in the pool". That was the final straw for me, that sign went up because that was actually a problem! I still gag thinking about it.

[Shannon L.]

I've seen those!  They looked cool, but like they'd take some time to get used to.  Do you have a 24 Hour Fitness near you?  I think the monthly price is reasonable and they have a Body Pump class that is really good.  It's an hour long class that you can make it as easy or as difficult as you want and they work every muscle group. I know a lot of people prefer to work on the machines alone, but I need the group and instruction to make myself actually do it.  Left to my own devices, I'll cheat myself every time.  Anyway, you said you needed to do some weight training, so I thought I'd throw it out there.  They also have several other classes that are fun, too. 

[stillshimpy]

Very cool, emma!  My son was a lifeguard as his first job, so yeah, there are some things that happen in community pools that is best not to dwell upon for the peace of mind of all.  Those swim spas are cool :-)  

 

So I just checked Knox's race date to be sure, because I figured we were coming up on it.  Looks like next weekend!  How's the training going? 

[emma675]

Thanks for the recommendation, Shannon L.! I'm actually looking into some yoga and ballet videos online--I'm one of those weird people who works out better alone instead of in a group. I tend to get a little competitive and push myself further than I should and end up pulling things.

 

The iPool is the best thing I've bought myself in years. I have no excuse not to swim because the pool is mere steps from my house and I can heat it up as much as I want (I've basically been swimming in a hot tub this week, I've got the heater cranked up so high!).

 

And stillshimpy I can't even think about community pools now without shivering. After I saw that sign at the Y, I turned and ran back to the showers to scrub myself down and I hadn't even gotten into the pool!

[PRgal]

I use the elliptical four times a week for about 50 minutes, take (ballet) barre once a week and work with a trainer another day.  I also take hour-long walks almost daily and try to eat well.  I've found that over the past few years, I've become a slightly intolerant to starchier foods such as potatoes, rice and most breads so I tend to only include them in two meals each day. 

[stillshimpy]

The iPool is the best thing I've bought myself in years. I have no excuse not to swim because the pool is mere steps from my house and I can heat it up as much as I want (I've basically been swimming in a hot tub this week, I've got the heater cranked up so high!).

 

That is so neat!  It's wonderful when something lives up to and then exceeds expectations, especially when it was a treat you planned for and saved to get.  

 

Today I did metabolic conditioning and had one of those blood sugar crashes afterward that are almost amusing.  Hard workout, but holy moley, after showering I would have pitied anything that tried to get between me and food.  Almost anything with high intensity intervals can do that, but this was a really pronounced one.   

Edited November 18, 2014 by stillshimpy

[KnoxForPres]

Overdue update. When I was 22 I shattered my ankle (compound fracture). Well, as I've been "training" for this 5k I couldn't help but notice my right ankle ached and hurt and hurt some more. About 2 or 3 weeks ago I realized in this time span it was not relistic for me. Plus, Reese had been training and was completing in 40 mins. It didn't seem fair that her aunt should be a hindrance instead of a motivator

So I had a serious conversation with my sister and her best friend is running it with Reese. This girl could run a 5k in her sleep, is a wonderful mother and kind and will motivate. On a personal note, I've kept up my Firm DVD workouts. I do them 5 to 6 times a week. It's odd as they are rather intense but don't hurt my ankle. I think I alter my gait to adjust to the pain when running and that didn't help matters

I want to say a sincere thank you to all of you who were encouraging and offered advice, sites, ideas etc that were so helpful. As I said before, lots more read than post so who kmows how many people you helped who are hitting the road running. Such a great group of people. Thanks again.

[stillshimpy]

I'm glad you listened to your body and still found a way to get a running partner for you niece, Knox.  It was smart of you to heed the signs and it's absolutely okay to decide, at any point with any exercise program, that something different might be the better choice for you. 

 

It's great that you're still exercising! Congratulations on taking that back up.  I hope your niece's race goes well too :-)

[KnoxForPres]

I'm glad you listened to your body and still found a way to get a running partner for you niece, Knox. It was smart of you to heed the signs and it's absolutely okay to decide, at any point with any exercise program, that something different might be the better choice for you.

It's great that you're still exercising! Congratulations on taking that back up. I hope your niece's race goes well too :-)

Thank you for your kind response. That was nice to read. As much as I hated "quitting" it was so apparent that I was not the best person to do this.

I recommend Girls on the Run to anyone who has daughters, nieces, etc. Both girls are so excited to run and I've noticed an increase in Reese' confidence. I want to grab her by the shoulders and look her in the eyes and say "Never lose that. No matter what. The world is cruel but hold on to it". Of course she would go "Aunt Knoxforpres, you are weird. I'm going to go jump on the trampoline" haha. But it really has given the girl a boost of confidence that is so awesome to see.

[KnoxForPres]

Reese ran it in 38.45 and Avery in 34.10! I talked to my sister a bit today after the race and got a bit more knowledge. Girls on the Run also has talks where they share things like "don't be afraid if you stink when you shoot a basketball. Do it with everything you have and be proud. Kick that soccer ball as hard as you've kicked it". Man, what great advice. I was probably 32 when I got real, honest ok-ness with myself so to have that told to you as a kid not from mom and dad only ...priceless.

[briochetwist]

So, today I tested for, and received, my second degree black belt in uechi ryu karate.  Not bad for a 44 year old woman, if I say so myself!  :)

[KnoxForPres]

So, today I tested for, and received, my second degree black belt in uechi ryu karate. Not bad for a 44 year old woman, if I say so myself! :)

Umm if you define not bad as bad ass! Wow! That is awesome! What an inspiration and you must feel so empowered. Good for you and keep on keepin on :)

[briochetwist]

Umm if you define not bad as bad ass! Wow! That is awesome! What an inspiration and you must feel so empowered. Good for you and keep on keepin on :)

Thank you so much! I do feel empowered, also bruised and battered, but still pretty damn empowered. I didn't start exercising until I hit 40. If I can do it, anyone can do it. :) Edited November 23, 2014 by briochetwist

[emma675]

briochetwist, kicking ass and taking names. Way to go!

[briochetwist]

Wow, briochetwist, second degree black belt only four years after starting? *bows in respect*

 

Why thank you, this stay at home mom was able to attend classes 5x week.  :)  Turns out it's the only sport I've ever been good at in my entire life!

 

I should also add that I had two kids who'd taken it for years, so I had a lot of help at home.

Edited November 23, 2014 by briochetwist

[stillshimpy]

You did GREAT, briochetwist!  Congratulations and that is far beyond "not bad" and into "truly very impressive!"  Well done and hard won, go you!   

 

. Man, what great advice. I was probably 32 when I got real, honest ok-ness with myself so to have that told to you as a kid not from mom and dad only ...priceless.

 

That is fabulous advice at any age, but is truly invaluable for young women in our and any culture :D 

[Fabricationary]

Does anyone here own and routinely use home fitness equipment - treadmills, ellipticals, and other electronics?  If so, how much maintenance/repair work have you had to invest in it?  I'm shopping for a specific machine (a Precor elliptical, which I used at my gym daily for ~5 years until they recently got rid of it), and I'm trying to figure out how often I might need to have it serviced or repaired if I use it 30-60 minutes/day.  I've been getting offers from about a half dozen companies for refurbished Precors, and the offers actually vary a lot in terms of price, depending on whether the retailer is Precor-certified and what kind of extensive maintenance they offer.  I'd greatly appreciate any advice/tips.

Edited December 12, 2014 by Fabricationary

[stillshimpy]

I have an Octane elliptical that I have had for seven years.  I bought it new, moved it twice into different houses and never have had to have it serviced.  

 

It's used very frequently.  Now just recently at higher resistance levels it has made a slight sound ...like a friction noise...and it I used some silicone spray (which was what I was instructed to do at the time of purchase) and I haven't had the problem since.  

 

I've also had a bowflex and I traded that years ago to my trainer at the time, because I was replacing it with the elliptical.  I've had a treadmill in the past and didn't have to have that serviced at any point either.  Now there is a difference between equipment meant for a professional setting and a home setting, and all of my equipment has been designed for home use. As for what that difference is, usually cost.  

 

Unless you're just really interested in using that brand of elliptical, you might wish to look at home machines too, just to get an idea of the price difference and to compare warranty options.  If something is coming from a used gym environment, it will have seen a lot more wear and tear and constant use, is my point, so it's hard to compare to home equipment service needs (they typically don't have any servicing needs). 

Edited December 12, 2014 by stillshimpy

[Fabricationary]

Thank you, stillshimpy!  It's good to know that you haven't had many service problems, even with frequent use of your current elliptical and other past equipment you've had.

 

In my case, I'm pretty picky about workout machines.  I've tried a lot, and I've used this particular brand and model of elliptical I'm now looking to purchase for years, and I really enjoy the workout I get from it.  It is a commercial grade machine designed for heavy use, but I do pretty intense workouts on it (I turn the resistance 90% of the way up and pump and fast as hard as I can).    My options for purchasing a refurbished machine look something like this:

 

1.  Cheapest option - ~$2K - a machine refurbished by a local fitness company with a 90 day warranty.  This company is not a Precor-certified refurbisher - it would just be local (but still knowledgable) techs performing the refurbishing.  They would do an in-house install (and lug the 500-pound machine up my steps, which I couldn't do!), and I could probably call them (or my local gym) for help with maintenance beyond the 90 days.    The one bad thing: they don't have this particular elliptical in stock right now, and it could be weeks/months before they get one again (and I'm looking to have this machine purchased and installed before the end of 2014).

 

2.  Next cheapest option - ~2.6K - a machine sold by a Precor-certified refurbishing company across the country from me.  They would have an external shipping company ship it curbside.  I'd have to find local people to help me bring it in my house and set it up.  There's a 90-day warranty; after that, I'd be on my own for tech services.

 

3.  Next cheapest option - $3.3K - a machine sold by a Precor-certified refurbishing company in the same state as me (but ~150 miles away).  Same warranty.

 

4.  Most expensive option - $4.5K - a machine sold by a non-Precor-certified company out in Cali.  They claim to totally rebuild the machine, and the price would include all maintenance/service/parts for life.  I talked to a salesman over the phone who was saying I would get 20-30 years of wear from this machine, and I struggled to hold back my laughter.  

 

This model I'm looking to buy is already 5+ years old, no longer sold new by Precor anymore (this is a 100 series; they're now selling the 800 series), and it lacks a touchscreen, built-in-monitor, iPod connectivity, etc.  I imagine 20-30 years from now, workout machines will be a lot more tech-compatible and have a lot more biometric functionality.  I'm looking to buy this model for my personal use for the next 5-7 years.

 

Anyway, I'm leaning toward #1...my concerns are just that I don't know when they will have this machine back in stock, and I'm trying to gauge the likelihood of my having to put hundreds of dollars into repair work myself in the 5-7 years I plan to own and use this machine.  I don't know how much of a difference it will make it if I purchase a machine that is refurbished by a smaller company vs. a Precor-certified company in the long-run.  For what it's worth, the guy at my gym who is in charge of buying and selling fitness equipment told me that he sells this elliptical to refurbishing companies for up to $1.5K (whereas the brand new machine that's not sold anymore costs $10K), so all the rest of the money I'm paying is for labor/parts, tax, shipping, and installation.  Most companies seem to have a ridiculous markup.

Edited December 12, 2014 by Fabricationary

[stillshimpy]

In my case, I'm pretty picky about workout machines.  I've tried a lot, and I've used this particular brand and model of elliptical I'm now looking to purchase for years, and I really enjoy the workout I get from it.

 

No, I hear you on that.  Half the time the ellipticals I encounter in hotels drive me batty and I'm so glad to get home to my own.  Most of the time the stride is way too short, when we bought ours we researched to find the brands with longest stride so that my husband would have the option of using it too, he's 6'3" - 6'4" (apparently he has begun shrinking and now moves ever closer to the 6'3" mark) , plus half of them have wildly inaccurate distance calculators.  I had one tell I'd gone the equivalent of 1.3 miles in 50 minutes.  If I was hopping on one foot, with fairly significant nosebleed I'd cover more than that in fifty minutes.  

 

So anyway, I do know what you mean, some machines are much better than others.  

 

Sounds like the first option is your best one, that price isn't bad.  It's a little less than what mine was new, seven years ago.  The fewer bells and whistles it has though, the fewer things that can break, so that is one plus.  Also, something from a commercial setting has been used to being used throughout the course of day, so no matter what you are doing, you'll be giving it lighter use overall than it would have had in its past life.  

 

Plus, if you go with someone local, you'll have an existing relationship if something does go wrong.  

[iPad]

I bought an elliptical from someone on craigslist. It was either spend $6K on a brand new machine or risk $1.2K on a used machine. I took the risk, paid the $1.2K, plus $150 to have it delivered at home, used it 3 times and it died. The machine was in very good condition from what I could see but obviously there was something wrong with it. I contacted a repairman at a local gym and he said it was "the computer" and needed to order the part which is about $300

 

It's been about 2 years and I haven't gotten around to getting it fixed or even throwing it in the trash as it's just sitting there taking up valuable space.

 

So, my advice, go for the safest you can afford, I often think that I would've been better off spending the $6K, even if I didn't end up using it for whatever reason, I could probably sell it easier than this piece of crap.

 

Good luck!

[magicdog]

Well, I'm finally going to bite the bullet and get myself back into shape.

 

I'm going with DDP Yoga.  It seems good to use for any age or fitness level;  if I can regain some flexibility as well as weight loss all the better.  Before starting the routine though I have to learn the poses first (though I can go back to study them if I'm not doing them correctly). 

 

Has anyone else tried this one or know someone who has?  I have seen great results on the DDP website (expected) and Youtube has plenty of vids (some on DDP channel, many others not) showing success with the program.  The program also includes specific recommendations for changing eating habits (even showing what foods should be eaten with another - some combinations are not good), and recipes.  I've made a few of the recipes and they're quite good.

[stillshimpy]

Hey magicdog :-)  What a great decision and I'm sure you'll find it a really worthwhile one.  I haven't personally known anyone who used that program. but I did follow that link and watched the video on the homepage.  

 

Boy, it's fantastic that the former paratrooper regained so much mobility.  I'm a little surprised at the inclusion of that video though, as several of those video clips are essentially material from the "things to avoid" annals of fitness.  The program clearly worked for him, but there were several moments (particularly when he fell face forward) that ....really...dude should have been doing that stuff with a little more attention to safety.  Admittedly, I guess if what hurt you in the first place was jumping out of planes for a living, maybe toppling in the dining room takes on a different perspective.  

 

I know Yoga is incredibly beneficial for people.  It's not typically associated with a lot of weight loss, but it can be a heck of a workout.  If you are brand-new to fitness or just getting back to it, you might want to see if your local Y or Yoga studio offers a few classes to assist you in learning those poses.  

 

I do yoga and workout at home a lot, but it's important to learn form on a lot of those ....and this is just my personal opinion....if you aren't fit already, it's a really good idea to take a class.  A lot of yoga poses are far more challenging than they look.  I did start at home, being super careful with hatha yoga, working into vinyasa flow and I've never actually injured myself during yoga....but I did actually come fairly close once in a triangle pose.  

 

So yes, I know people who have great results with Yoga, and I think it's a fantastic choice.   

 

I did actually take the time to look at a couple of DDP yoga videos on youtube and whereas I think it looks like a challenging program that should bring your results, I'd personally suggest a beginner class, in person before you attempt his beginner series.  Just so you can learn how everything feels.  

 

Now, I'm no expert and you clearly know yourself, but just taking a look at the videos that came up on a search....go in with plenty of prep, please, he actually starts with a pose that you really need to make sure you understand how to distribute your weight before attempting.  

 

Just my opinion, of course, and I wish you every success in the world.  Please let us know how it goes.  

[emma675]

I'm going to start doing yoga in the new year, too. I get plenty of cardio by swimming, but I need to work on my flexibility and muscle toning now. I've got a couple of beginner yoga YouTube videos bookmarked because I do better working out at home than I do going to classes (but I have taken yoga classes before so I know a lot of the poses). I find that I'm overly competitive in classes where I can compare myself to others and end up pushing myself further than I'm ready for. At home, there's only me and the dog, who is quite good at downward dog poses, though.

Edited December 31, 2014 by emma675d

[stillshimpy]

emma, did you check out that video series?  It's not doing Yoga alone or at home that makes me think it would be a good idea to learn the poses via a class in approaching that one -- I do all forms of exercise in a home environment -- it was actually that particular series approach to Yoga that makes me think it would be a good idea to hit a beginner class to get really sound and strong foundations before trying it.  

 

It looked a little bit like P90X's approach to Yoga.  Sort of speedy.  

 

I mean, whatever is going to work for you, magicdog, but that is a rapidly transitioning form of yoga and just to be on the safe side, a few classes before you hit the home approach for that one might be a good plan. 

[emma675]

I agree, stillshimpy, those videos looked quite challenging for a beginner. I definitely couldn't do them! I think it wouldn't hurt anyone who's interested in yoga to do a few beginner classes--I'm glad I did. The poses don't work as well if you're doing them wrong; I needed help with planks in the beginning, I didn't realize I was keeping my butt too high in the air and it wasn't working my abs as well as it should.

[Fabricationary]

The yoga series that I've been doing at home is the Namaste series by Kate Potter.  Seasons 1 and 2 are great for beginners/intermediates, while season 3 is faster-paced and more challenging (but there are 1-2 more advanced practices in seasons 1 and 2 as well).   Also, all 3 series were filmed in gorgeous Vancouver, so there's a lot of pretty nature shots in the background.

 

Namaste TV has posted several full-length episodes on Youtube, so you can try them out if you're interested:

 

Season 1 episode - 

 

Season 2 episode - 

 

Season 3 episode (more advanced) - 

 

With seasons 1-2, all the episodes follow the same pattern - a ~7 minute warmup (there are 3-4 different ones), a 12 minute dynamic flow (starting with a breath-body link, then adding new poses and linking them all together one-at-a-time), and a ~7 minute relaxation (stretches and shavasana).  Season 3 has the same general format, but it's faster-paced and harder to follow in my opinion.

 

You can buy individual episodes on iTunes or complete series on iTunes/Amazon/Namaste TV's website.  (I can also point you to some other links with streaming videos/downloads.)

[stillshimpy]

Thanks for those links, Fabricationary , I will have to check those out.  

 

I didn't realize I was keeping my butt too high in the air and it wasn't working my abs as well as it should.

 

Hehe, I had the same problem when I first met the plank.  I was working with a trainer at the time though, so he basically repositioned me and the difference was really sort of remarkable.   

[stillshimpy]

Oh good grief, my thighs hate the ever living everything out of me today, because I accidentally introduced them to something called a "Turkish Get-Up".  I don't actually use a particularly heavy kettle-bell, the heaviest I go on that is fifteen pounds, because I have a repetitive motion problem in my left shoulder, so I have to keep the weight fairly low on that.  

 

But I have a 15, a 12, a 10, an 8 and a 5 pound bell.  I'd never done this workout before, but thought I had, it was just a slightly different variation of another of fitnessblender's kettlebell workouts and even though I realized that early on, I figured "oh okay, this is a different workout than I thought, but I'm sure I know all the exercises by now."  I also somehow missed that there were two rounds rather than a series of different exercises.  By the second round on those things I was swearing my head off.  I started with a 12 pound and then tried 10 and was all the way down to eight by the second set.  

 

Oh my GAWD. my quads despise me today.  

 

There reason can be seen here at 8:09.  I think today will essentially have to be a rest day.  Ow.  

 

Edited January 2, 2015 by stillshimpy

[emma675]

Ugh, my pool's heater has been on the fritz and I'm waiting on a replacement part to come in so I haven't been able to swim in almost 10 days. The part doesn't get in until Tuesday and then it will take a day to refill the pool and bring it up to a nice heat again, so it will be over two weeks by the time I can get swimming again. It's driving me nuts! Looks like I'll be doing some daily yoga until then to keep up my activity level. I never thought I'd be a person who gets antsy because I can't do my favorite form of exercise, lol!

[DimaTheRussian]

I usually run at least for thirty minutes in the morning before work and then on the weekend go to the gym for at least one sparring session.Outside of that I do pull ups,push ups and sit ups once in the morning and at night.