Evilpie's get off your lazy arse and get back to the gym diaries

[Simon Galloway]

FINALLY ~ I have woken up to rediscover a desire to work out again.  Assuming I can make 3 sessions a week with no real time constraints, what is the best use of my time?  Goals would be weight/fat loss, improved cardio and general improvement in tone.  Only medical problem atm is a knee that is seriously overdue treatment, any kind of high impact stuff is out the question.  My eating habits are soo much better when I am exercising regularly.

I was thinking:  

1x swim
1x power walk/hill climb + core exercise
1x spin/boxercise class.

Any suggestions pls?

[boldie]

Will your knee be OK with the powerwalk?

Get your knee sorted and get some squats, chest press and overhead chest press etc. in there IMO. If your knee can't handle that but can handle the power walk etc it looks OK (though I don't see a lot of muscle toning excercises in there)

[outragous76]

well I have just booked my holiday so its going to be 16 days of low carb fat burning machine and keeping up the weights!

(except next saturday)

[Simon Galloway]

Will your knee be OK with the powerwalk?

Get your knee sorted and get some squats, chest press and overhead chest press etc. in there IMO. If your knee can't handle that but can handle the power walk etc it looks OK (though I don't see a lot of muscle toning excercises in there)

Back from the swimming pool, 20 lengths and I was shagged out.  Bad fitness + bad technique probably. Will try and build up a couple of lengths at a time, and may get some 1-1 coaching, should be able to do 30 mins in the water at a reasonable clip.  Knee was no probs.  It looks like 'jumper's knee' - very sharp pain at the front any time I skip/jump/play cricket etc - but yes, will try and get it sorted.

The core work will tone, and swimming is decent for all round tone.  I also like doing some chins/dips (using counter-weight to get a decent number of reps done) but emphasis very much on "tone" not "bulk" so I wasn't planning on doing much with the weights.  If I did, it would be high rep-low weight stuff I would think.

[EvilPie]

Will your knee be OK with the powerwalk?

Get your knee sorted and get some squats, chest press and overhead chest press etc. in there IMO. If your knee can't handle that but can handle the power walk etc it looks OK (though I don't see a lot of muscle toning excercises in there)

Back from the swimming pool, 20 lengths and I was shagged out.  Bad fitness + bad technique probably. Will try and build up a couple of lengths at a time, and may get some 1-1 coaching, should be able to do 30 mins in the water at a reasonable clip.  Knee was no probs.  It looks like 'jumper's knee' - very sharp pain at the front any time I skip/jump/play cricket etc - but yes, will try and get it sorted.

The core work will tone, and swimming is decent for all round tone.  I also like doing some chins/dips (using counter-weight to get a decent number of reps done) but emphasis very much on "tone" not "bulk" so I wasn't planning on doing much with the weights.  If I did, it would be high rep-low weight stuff I would think.

'Bulking' exercises also do a hell of a lot to tone you up you know.

People get really confused between the 2 and think that if they start to lift heavyish weights they'll suddenly start to develop huge muscles and look ridiculously big.

It doesn't work that way.

Aim for 8 to 10 reps on everything you do including your chins and dips.

If you're doing more it's because it's too easy and you need more weight.

If you do 25 reps it just means you're wasting the first 15 tiring yourself out to make the last 10 feel like you're actually doing something.

[kinboshi]

Will your knee be OK with the powerwalk?

Get your knee sorted and get some squats, chest press and overhead chest press etc. in there IMO. If your knee can't handle that but can handle the power walk etc it looks OK (though I don't see a lot of muscle toning excercises in there)

Back from the swimming pool, 20 lengths and I was shagged out.  Bad fitness + bad technique probably. Will try and build up a couple of lengths at a time, and may get some 1-1 coaching, should be able to do 30 mins in the water at a reasonable clip.  Knee was no probs.  It looks like 'jumper's knee' - very sharp pain at the front any time I skip/jump/play cricket etc - but yes, will try and get it sorted.

The core work will tone, and swimming is decent for all round tone.  I also like doing some chins/dips (using counter-weight to get a decent number of reps done) but emphasis very much on "tone" not "bulk" so I wasn't planning on doing much with the weights.  If I did, it would be high rep-low weight stuff I would think.

'Bulking' exercises also do a hell of a lot to tone you up you know.

People get really confused between the 2 and think that if they start to lift heavyish weights they'll suddenly start to develop huge muscles and look ridiculously big.

It doesn't work that way.

Aim for 8 to 10 reps on everything you do including your chins and dips.

If you're doing more it's because it's too easy and you need more weight.

If you do 25 reps it just means you're wasting the first 15 tiring yourself out to make the last 10 feel like you're actually doing something.

Is that the same for things like press-ups, chin-ups, crunches, etc.?

[EvilPie]

Will your knee be OK with the powerwalk?

Get your knee sorted and get some squats, chest press and overhead chest press etc. in there IMO. If your knee can't handle that but can handle the power walk etc it looks OK (though I don't see a lot of muscle toning excercises in there)

Back from the swimming pool, 20 lengths and I was shagged out.  Bad fitness + bad technique probably. Will try and build up a couple of lengths at a time, and may get some 1-1 coaching, should be able to do 30 mins in the water at a reasonable clip.  Knee was no probs.  It looks like 'jumper's knee' - very sharp pain at the front any time I skip/jump/play cricket etc - but yes, will try and get it sorted.

The core work will tone, and swimming is decent for all round tone.  I also like doing some chins/dips (using counter-weight to get a decent number of reps done) but emphasis very much on "tone" not "bulk" so I wasn't planning on doing much with the weights.  If I did, it would be high rep-low weight stuff I would think.

'Bulking' exercises also do a hell of a lot to tone you up you know.

People get really confused between the 2 and think that if they start to lift heavyish weights they'll suddenly start to develop huge muscles and look ridiculously big.

It doesn't work that way.

Aim for 8 to 10 reps on everything you do including your chins and dips.

If you're doing more it's because it's too easy and you need more weight.

If you do 25 reps it just means you're wasting the first 15 tiring yourself out to make the last 10 feel like you're actually doing something.

Is that the same for things like press-ups, chin-ups, crunches, etc.?

Yes.

That's why you have to do variants of the above to make them more difficult.

Press ups you could elevate your feet or do them on a medicine ball.

Chin ups you strap a few k to yourself.

Crunches you can do more slowly.

Obviously with body weight exercises there comes a point where all you can do is more and more of the same thing becasue there's no way to make them more difficult.

If your goal is to be able to do 200 press ups then just keep doing them. You'll get to a point where the first 100 aren't doing anything for you so it becomes possible to do 200.

Same as your running I suppose. I wouldn't have thought you even feel the first mile of a marathon. It's pretty much part of your warm up. The only reason for doing it is to get yourself to mile number 26.

[EvilPie]

Think I'm about due a bump.

I've been ridiculously busy at work the last 6 weeks so I haven't bothered with any training updates.

It's been really tough training recently because I've been working a lot of hours and there's no way I'd have stuck to it without the prop with Cos.

I'm not sure what will happen once it's over and won. I really enjoy training but the temptation to skive of would almost definitely have got me at some point over the last few weeks.

Anyway, thanks to the prop making me train it's all still going pretty well.

I've had a bit of a shoulder injury which has made things tough and brought the dumbell challenge to more or less a standstill.

I'm managing to get through it though by careful selection of exercises which don't aggravate the problem.

I might have one last push at the dumbells before Christmas to see if I can manage the 50s. It won't be the full 10 reps as planned but maybe I can force a few out just for fun.

Would be good to hear how everybody else is getting on.

Any updates from any of the guys who are targeting weight loss? I'd be interested to see if anybody's managed to stick to it.

[mondatoo]

I've been losing weight pretty steadily over the last few months, I didn't go on a diet specifically, I just basically knew I was a little overweight and that my diet was pretty shit. Think I've mentioned itt before but I find losing weight super easy, I've not really been depriving myself of much, had a kebab on Saturday nomnom, but I rarely have takeaways, I prefer the stuff I cook over a takeaway anyway and I'm pretty much never going hungry. I have breakfast which is generally cereal, sometimes just have fruit, then I have a main meal and then supper which again is mostly cereal. I had stopped eating cereal for a few years but I like it so it's pretty easy doing that. When I started I was roughly about 16 and a half stone, I'm now 14st 4 and don't really want too lose anymore. Probably they only think I miss is bread, I used to eat a ton of bread, had 3 slices of toast twice a day and normally had 2/3 slices with dinner as well as having 4 slices when having sandwiches for lunch, now I rarely have any bread at all.

[Karabiner]

I've missed your thunderous break at 9-ball although the balls have probably been relieved.

[EvilPie]

I've missed your thunderous break at 9-ball although the balls have probably been relieved.

Once the shoulder's fixed I'll be back to full power Ralph.

That's a promise.

[outragous76]

im still very happily bouncing between 14 st and 14st 4 - max was 14 6 but that was after 8 days of all inclusive binge holiday so it soon came off

not really getting much muscle action going as work has been bonkers and had a few thigs going on

still really happy with the weight. its now 10 weeks on since my bet and i wore my "thin suit" to a function on tuesday and im easily still in it! Im trying to use 14 4 as  a ceiling and 14 7 as an emergency action point - seems to be working well enough

[RED-DOG]

I lost 3 stone, but allowed a stone to creep back on. Making a serious attempt to shed it again by Christmas. lost 3lb this week.

[Simon Galloway]

Perfect timing, had a terrible October and it all turned to custard.  Mood and bad food habits are so redic high correlated for me.  Started again this week, very low carbs and fairly low cals for a while to kick start things, couple of swims and 1 cardio session just to get back into things.  Feel better already and much more in control, which is obv good for body and mind.

Am off to Prague early Dec for a few days which may involve alcohol, but other than that, I intend to have a strong run-in to Christmas and beyond.

[StuartHopkin]

14 10 when i went back to the gym properly, low point was 13 2 and at the moment around 13 5, nothing happening though now as its Xmas so hopefully the gym will maintain and next year with the half and full marathon i will get below the 13 mark.

Curry?