The Health, Wellness, weight loss, and fitness thread

[D.o.S.]

I have a chair. I have a bench. my arms. my legs. my snowboard?

[Achtane]

I'm interested in the same thing.
Pushups, situps, uh...
...get a jumprope?

[D.o.S.]

Right on. Unfortunately, jumping jacks/jumprope are no go--I had knee surgery in october, and my knee still isn't strong enough to deal with full extension and hopping for more than, say, five. It gets super sore super quickly if I'm jumping and landing on it.

I think I'll steal the rest of that, though, and just do it in the afternoons and evenings. Thanks!

[yallerhon]

The (really) basic principles of a balanced training session involve a pushing exercise, a pulling exercise, and something for legs.

Example pushing exercises:

Push-ups
Bench Press (dumbbells or barbell)
Shoulder / military press (dumbbells or barbell)
Dips


Example pulling exercises:

Pull/chin-ups
Bent-over row
Lat pull-down
Seated row
Deadlift (also often included in legs)


Example leg exercises:

Squats
Deadlift
Lunges

The exercises you pick will depend on equipment available, your goals, and training / injury history. The number of sets/reps you decide on will also depend on those things.

If your goal is fat-loss, pick one exercise from each of the above three groups, perform a set of each back-to-back (circuit style), rest for ~60 seconds, and repeat 2-3 more times. Pick a weight / level of resistance that is difficult (but attainable) to accomplish in 12-15 repetitions.

Hopefully that is general yet informative enough to follow.

[gunslinger_burrito]

I've started using sand bags as weights this week. Doing deadlifts and such with 100lbs worth in a duffle bag last week, and then tomorrow I'm stepping up another 60lbs. Going to do the deadlifts again, and try to figure out a way to do squats. It's still heavy enough that I can't clean it high enough in order to squat. Gotta try and heft it up onto a counter top or something.

Yesterday I did 50 pullups in I-don't-remember-how-many sets, but did at least 4 sets of 5 reps with my 35lb kettlebell hung from my shoulders with a strap.
Also did dips with the kettlebell, and did sets of pushups on cinder blocks with a 50lb sandbag in my backpack. That shit was brutal.

I'm working on my handstand pushups too. I can do a bunch on the floor, but I've started to do them on the cinder blocks and it's wayyy harder. So far I can only do sets of 3, maybe 4 on them.

[benjuro]

The (really) basic principles of a balanced training session involve a pushing exercise, a pulling exercise, and something for legs.

Example pushing exercises:

Push-ups
Bench Press (dumbbells or barbell)
Shoulder / military press (dumbbells or barbell)
Dips


Example pulling exercises:

Pull/chin-ups
Bent-over row
Lat pull-down
Seated row
Deadlift (also often included in legs)


Example leg exercises:

Squats
Deadlift
Lunges

This is awesome, wish I knew what more of these things were

Anyway, after injuring my neck 6 or 8 weeks ago I'm back on the treadmill, sit-ups and pushups too. Despite being off for so long and dealing with physical therapy and a lack of much other exercise, recently I noticed my work pants were looking/feeling way baggy...and this weekend I pulled out my bin of pre-fat pants and VOILA. The jeans I was in three years ago fit easily, with a two inch smaller waist than what I've been wearing since
Bummer I have to buy new work clothes but I'm pretty psyched. Hope to be back at my fighting weight before summer.

[Jwar]

The (really) basic principles of a balanced training session involve a pushing exercise, a pulling exercise, and something for legs.

Example pushing exercises:

Push-ups
Bench Press (dumbbells or barbell)
Shoulder / military press (dumbbells or barbell)
Dips


Example pulling exercises:

Pull/chin-ups
Bent-over row
Lat pull-down
Seated row
Deadlift (also often included in legs)


Example leg exercises:

Squats
Deadlift
Lunges

The exercises you pick will depend on equipment available, your goals, and training / injury history. The number of sets/reps you decide on will also depend on those things.

If your goal is fat-loss, pick one exercise from each of the above three groups, perform a set of each back-to-back (circuit style), rest for ~60 seconds, and repeat 2-3 more times. Pick a weight / level of resistance that is difficult (but attainable) to accomplish in 12-15 repetitions.

Hopefully that is general yet informative enough to follow.

Not necessarily. If you're doing a split routine, like I normally do, you work a few major muscle groups and then that's it. For instance, today is all legs for me, maybe core, can't remember. Yesterday shoulders. Day before bi's, tris, and lower abs. Just depends on the program you're doing and what your goals are. Generally it is good to have a mixture of pushing and pulling exercises though, not a necessity for general exercise with every routine though.

Oh and dead lift is ALL legs. You may be using some stabilizer muscles, but that's a major hamstring and quad work out.

[yallerhon]

Not necessarily. If you're doing a split routine, like I normally do, you work a few major muscle groups and then that's it. For instance, today is all legs for me, maybe core, can't remember. Yesterday shoulders. Day before bi's, tris, and lower abs. Just depends on the program you're doing and what your goals are. Generally it is good to have a mixture of pushing and pulling exercises though, not a necessity for general exercise with every routine though.

Oh and dead lift is ALL legs. You may be using some stabilizer muscles, but that's a major hamstring and quad work out.

My information was tailored to a lay-person looking to do a fairly all-inclusive full-body workout, performed 2-3 times per week; not someone looking for a bodypart split or pure strength-based routine.

Beginner and intermediate trainees will find the deadlift to be taxing on the hamstrings, glutes, erectors, traps, rhomboids, biceps and forearms. It is considered an almost full-body movement to most people in the training industry. Lifters with a more developed CNS / muscular activation will be able to further isolate the movement (and perform variations of it) to fire almost exclusively the glutes and hamstrings (and grip if they're not using wraps).

[Jwar]

I guess it also depends on the type of deadlift you're doing. Romanian is more of a full body than straight leg. So I agree. I meant though, it's target muscle group is obviously legs, the rest are used as stabilizer muscles. Including the core.

Lay people can do split routines too but I'd suggest working on stabilization strength first. I'd gladly give examples of programs too. It's good practice for me. I'm about to graduate from training school, so I love fitness!

[yallerhon]

I guess it also depends on the type of deadlift you're doing. Romanian is more of a full body than straight leg. So I agree. I meant though, it's target muscle group is obviously legs, the rest are used as stabilizer muscles. Including the core.

Lay people can do split routines too but I'd suggest working on stabilization strength first. I'd gladly give examples of programs too. It's good practice for me. I'm about to graduate from training school, so I love fitness!

Glad to hear it! Post some programs here (or privately if you'd like) if you'd like any feedback on them; and/or contact me privately if you'd like to talk shop re training clients. I have been a PT & strength coach since '05.

[skullservant]

4 miles on the elliptical today at the gym
Almost 13 miles on the bike last week

[benjuro]

Lay people can do split routines too but I'd suggest working on stabilization strength first. I'd gladly give examples of programs too. It's good practice for me. I'm about to graduate from training school, so I love fitness!

I'd love some examples...I need some help with upper body stuff especially, as I've always been a biker/runner/soccer player, my legs are in good shape but upper body strength is poor. I've got some 3- and 5-lb weights at home, and a treadmill...not looking to get jacked, but to gain some strength/muscle

[hbombgraphics]

hey jwar

Ive worked as a trainer so maybe I can chime in. if there are things I can't help you with i will, instead of making shit up, refer you to someone who can.

if you're motivated i can help you - if all you've got is "i want to be healthy" then i'm not going to give you the full scope of things before you nail the basics of eating right and getting proper sleep!

so if there's anything PM me, i might check this thread from time to time see yall

thanks for checking in,

Proper sleep is my biggest struggle
I feel like if I could master sleep and water drinking I would be way ahead

[D.o.S.]

I feels y'all on the not enough water and sleep.

Three weeks of not smoking and my lungs feel a whole lot better. Yay lungs.

On the flip side, I rode with some super intense riders today and it kind of kicked my ass--but now I know I need to work on my core strength, since I've been told that's the key to always having 540's and other larger spins. Which I want in my bag all the time. Badly.

So what are some core-strengthening exercises I can do at home sans equipment?

[D.o.S.]

Awriite. Any tips on duration and frequency? I'm slowly winding down the busiest two weeks of work, so I'll have enough free time to put together some kind of regular workout schedule.