TT's Fitness Quest
the_technocrat
IC-MotY1Indy Icrontian
OK, so I'm not exactly sure of what I'm trying to do here, but I guess here are a few points:
So yeah, all of this stuff is why I *should* be working out, but I don't. So I thought I'd start this thread to force myself into it. I've looked around online for a great fitness site where I can keep track of my activity and have it help plan out workouts and stuff, but I haven't had much luck. The closest thing I found was some app in facebook that was terrible. The park district gym that I belong to is also full of retards working only on biceps and challenging each other, so it's a little difficult to get any realistic knowledge out of them, even if they were worth talking to....
- A few months ago, I hurt my back badly, mainly due to posture at the computer and a mis-balance between chest and upper back strength. I somehow managed to injure the fascia of the vertebrae between the shoulder blades. 2 months of chiropractor and I'm better now, back to hauling 19" CRTs, etc.
- I pay $60/month for a family membership to the gym. I go maybe once every 2 weeks on average, so yeah, lame. I use the hot tub more than anything.
- I'm 5'11" and 160-165 pounds. Always have been since high school. (1997). Nothing I do changes that. I could probably eat garbage and get big, but it's so unappetizing to me it's not going to happen.
- I'm friends with a 2-time Olympic athlete and Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and also have access to a family friend who is an American Gladiator. I don't use these resources, which is ridiculous. I actually like both of them because they both do a lot of old-school isometric training with medicine balls, dragging weights around, etc.
- I have a Bowflex Sport home gym and an exercise bike here, mainly because the wife wanted it. I think I've used the bowflex three times.
- I build muscle like crazy, it's freakishly strange. Something to do with genes or something. I can literally tell the difference (as can others) after going to the gym once, even a few days later. It just 'sticks'.
So yeah, all of this stuff is why I *should* be working out, but I don't. So I thought I'd start this thread to force myself into it. I've looked around online for a great fitness site where I can keep track of my activity and have it help plan out workouts and stuff, but I haven't had much luck. The closest thing I found was some app in facebook that was terrible. The park district gym that I belong to is also full of retards working only on biceps and challenging each other, so it's a little difficult to get any realistic knowledge out of them, even if they were worth talking to....
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Comments
I'm willing to give it a try
1. Lie face down on the floor with hands palm down, fingers pointing straight ahead, and aligned at the nipple line.
2. Place hands slightly wider than shoulder width, and feet should be at hip width with toes on floor.
3. Start position: Extend the elbows and raise the body off the floor.
4. Lower your entire body (legs, hips, trunk, and head) 4-8 inches from the floor.
5. Return to the start position by extending at the elbows and pushing the body up.
6. Remember to keep the head and trunk stabilized in a neutral position by isometrically contracting the abdominal and back muscles. Never fully lock out the elbows at the start position and avoid hyperextension of the low back.
Trainer's comments:
A1
Bodyweight Squats (3 x 20 @ body weight)
1. Start by placing feet shoulder width apart and holding your arms out in front of you.
2. Proceed to squat down like you are going to sit in a chair. Your upper body will lean forward slightly and your hips will shift backwards while going down.
3. Remember to keep your knees from going out in front of your toes while squatting.
4. Repeat according to your required repetitions. If you want to make the exercise more challenging hold your arms at your sides or behind your head.
Trainer's comments:
A2 Complete in a superset with A1.
Stationary Bodyweight Lunge (3 x 15-20 @ body weight)
1) Stand with feet hip width apart. Take left leg and step back approximately 2 feet standing on the ball of the foot.
2) Start position: Feet should be positioned at a staggered stance with head and back erect and straight in a neutral position. Place hands on hips.
3) Lower body by bending at right hip and knee until thigh is parallel to floor. Body should follow a straight line down towards the floor.
4) Return to start position. Alternate or switch to other leg after prescribed reps.
5) Remember to keep head back, and hips squared and in a neutral position throughout movement.
Trainer's comments:
B1
Pullup (3 x 15-20 @ body weight)
1) Position hands wider than shoulder width apart with overhand grip (palms facing forward).
2) Start position: Hang with arms fully extended and elbows facing away from body. Feet may be crossed with knees bent.
3) Pull body up until bar is below chin level.
4) Return to start position.
5) Remember to keep the movement controlled with the body stable to minimize momentum and body sway. If the bar is too high, it is advisable to use a step to ensure proper hand placement as well as safety.
Trainer's comments:
B2 Complete in a superset with B1.
8 Count Body Builders (3 x 15 @ body weight)
Start in a standing position and bend your knees and place your hands on the ground.
Extend your legs back into a push up position.
Bring your knees back in towards chest and stand back up.
This should be a continuous motion and be fluid.
Trainer's comments:
WITHOUT THE PUSHUP C1
Plank (3 x 45sec @ body weight)
1. Start by placing your forearms on the ground and forming a plank with your forearms and feet.
2. Hold this position keeping your body parallel to the ground for the required time.
Trainer's comments:
C2 Complete in a superset with C1.
oh sorry, I wasn't very clear there. That's what the 2 months of chiro/PT did. all better in that dept.
muscles will grow to compensate for extra gut weight
j/k best of luck with this.
I couldn't do all of it, just went until muscles wouldn't respond any more. Instead of 3x20 I did reps at 3x15.
Stupid, I won't be doing that again, waste of a day's workout.
holy crap my Mom is allergic to corn products too! It's ridiculous how much stuff is made out corn, and at least for my mom, it gets more sensitive. We baked her an ice cream pie for her birthday tomor...err today and we saw that one of the chocolate chip brands we were sampling had corn in it, so we had to wash our hands! with soap and water before being allowed to handle anything else
anyways good luck with your workouts, I plan to make better of MU's rec center next semester. And special support to Thrax in his training to be the m-f'ing juggernaut:bigggrin:
if you're not used to working out, I think there needs to be a Week 0 before starting the 16-week program. It's a little unrealistic to think you can go from zero to 60 pushups + the rest of the routine right out of the gate...
I think I will do Week 1 again next week, and work my way up to 100% of the goals laid out in Week 1 before moving on to Week 2.
I did that as well. Especially on the pullups - but eventually if you're not used to doing it, the arms just stop listening to me after a while. :-)
I can't do more than 10 in a set, some people do just not have dominant upper body strength. If you can do between 10-20, you're in a fairly good range (We are talking about pull-ups not chin-ups). Typically I pick a number to work for, say 35 and I'll do:
10, 8, 8, 5, 4
I'll utilize as many sets as needed. On the flip size, you can utilize additional weight in a lower rep range which can produce more effective results. Take dips for example, I can do 20 bodyweight dips, but instead I add 60# to my bodyweight and shoot for two sets of 6-8 reps.
of course, I haven't done anything in a while 'cause of screwed-up holiday scheduling, so I'm not happy about that...
also, I think I'm going to work on a more easy-to-read version of the 16-week plan, the website isn't put together that well...
edit: made some progress, I'll put more in later. Time to hit the gym.
I added a "Week 0" on the sheet, 'cause it's not realistic to come out of the gate doing 60 pullups, 60 pushups, then the rest of the workout...
I was scheduled to work out again last night but instead drove to DHL to sit in line, since I have a job and can't wait at my house all day to get a package. :-\
Did week zero-b again. Crappy stuff kept getting in the way, I'm trying to learn to tell people 'no' on days when I have to work out.
Plus, they allow you to stretch farther, since they elevate you off the ground by several inches. It marginally increases the difficulty of the exercise, but it also gives you a greater benefit.
they work in that I don't have pain due to joint binding when I can't go through a "natural" movement. I suppose they increase the amt of muscle being exercised due to this. It's definitely harder to do pushups with it.
You need to find motivation deeper than aesthetics.
Well, clearly that's not enough either, or you don't truly want it.