Started working out

[airbornflght]

About two weeks ago. But I didn't hit the gym like most people might tend to, even if there is the colvin (campus rec) center 4 blocks away. Still too far away for me.:D

I've been doing 15-30 push ups a day and different types of cruches 3-4 times a week for the past two weeks. And while I can't say a whole lot has happened in the weight/pudgey stomach area, my arms have gotten noticeably harder and bigger. I may start the gym next school year, but for now this seems to be working for me. and when I muster up the drive to go run a mile or so it makes me feel better. Although today may calfs were so tight. it hurt to walk up stairs this morning.

[_k_]

Yeah if you start working out and see that you are building muscles but don't see any abs you need to go run. If you are getting into decent shape its usually a small amount of fat or water so it falls of fast. It was creepy how about a pound just fell off me and it was all in my stomach....start the push-up a day challenge just do one more push-up each day and try it with your crunches thats what I do keeps enough change to make me think about it and keep doing it if you don't like working out that much like I do.

[Thrax]

Your stomach will never get the definition you want without heavy cardio. Start running.

[Harudath]

Awesome :D I've actually started doing pretty much the same thing, I broke my ankle a couple years ago and totally stopped all sports and got into computers :tongue: I've been missing my old stamina and strength so I've started doing pressups, situps and other stuff :D Swimming is great too, if you don't like running and apparently 15 minutes on a trampoline is the equivalent of a 2 mile jog or something riddiculous :tongue: Good luck! :D

[Thrax]

Nothing is better cardio than running.

[Harudath]

I know, but swimming's still good :tongue: In any case I'd rather swim for a couple hours than run for half that time.

[Nomad]

Nothing is better cardio than running.

I disagree. Given the negatives experienced by many casual runners (knee problems) other forms of cardio such as biking, elliptical training, interval weight training, and swimming are just as well suited for cardiovascular fitness.

Diet is the end all, be all of cardio anyhow.

[NiGHTS]

Swimming > Running

[Harudath]

Swimming is a weird one... I find it far less strenuous than running but it's better for you :D

[airbornflght]

I don't hate runnning, I just have fairly mild asthma (my dad is asthmatic) so I get winded pretty quickly. Though I can build up my tolerance if I do it regularly.

[jokke]

I'll be the first to admit it then: I hate running. I like swimmimng better.

[Buddy J]

If it was about what you "like" to do, we'd all just eat ice cream. Sadly, that won't help. Time to start running.

[Harudath]

But that's not the point; If you're going to do excercise you may as well do a form you enjoy that works just as well as another form that you dislike. Not eating icecream cuz it's just as fattening as cake but you like it more.

[Thrax]

The point is that nothing works as well as running. Other things might be good, but none of them are quite as good as that.

[Harudath]

Here's an excercice calculator (http://www.changingshape.com/resources/calculators/caloriesburnedcalculator.asp), dunno how good it is /shrug


you don't burn as much swimming because your body does not heat up as much when it's in the water. You get the same aerobic benefit, but not the same calorie burn

[sharkydart]

you don't burn as much swimming because your body does not heat up as much when it's in the water. You get the same aerobic benefit, but not the same calorie burn

I think the main reason has nothing to do (directly) with how much your body heats up, but moreso based on oxygen expenditure. In fact, depending on the temperature of the water, and the intensity of your swimming, you may not be able to cool off fast enough just from the water surrounding you (not being able to evaporate sweat off of you). The types of muscle actions (and probably the type of muscle performing the actions) are different in swimming than in running, which probably plays a large role in oxygen consumption/energy usage. I did see evidence from a study on swimmers in different water temperatures - apparently the lower temperature of the water relates to a larger appetite after the workout - be careful not to eat too much, swimmers! Anyway...

I'd rather play soccer than run. It's one of two ways I can be tricked into running.

[Harudath]

I'd rather play soccer than run. It's one of two ways I can be tricked into running.

Haha, me too :tongue: Or tennis :D

EDIT: I could happily swim for hours and see it as leisure as well as excercise, I find running more of a... I can't think of the word :tongue: I guess a chore is closest to what I was thinking of

[UPSWeezer]

There are a few calisthenics that can really help with the stomach.

http://www.myfit.ca/exercisedatabase/search.asp?muscle=Calisthenics&type=Exercises&equipment=yes

Here are a bunch.

http://www.myfit.ca/exercisedatabase/search.asp?muscle=Abdominal

Best part is that you can do em at home and not at the gym.

[Nomad]

But that's not the point; If you're going to do excercise you may as well do a form you enjoy that works just as well as another form that you dislike.

I would agree, it's common that beginners get burnt out trying to bite off too much. I got into weight lifting, something I thought I'd dislike previously, after a year of serious cycling.

The point is that nothing works as well as running. Other things might be good, but none of them are quite as good as that.

Like I said, I disagree, with proper diet one form of cardio is as good as the next so long as you are keeping with intensity. The most important thing is that you're actually doing it.

There are a few calisthenics that can really help with the stomach.

Just realize spot reduction of fat isn't possible, so doing a thousand crunches nearly builds the muscle under your stomach, it doesn't eliminate fat.

[Harudath]

Aye, I used to do 200 situps a night cuz I was fed up of not being able to do the stuff my friends could do and I ended up with a lump of muscle at the top of my stomach because I didn't work on the lower stomach :tongue:

[GHoosdum]

I'd rather play soccer than run. It's one of two ways I can be tricked into running.

The other is to put a naked woman on the back of a truck and drive at sharky's running pace.

[sharkydart]

Yup, that would definitely work.

[LawnMM]

Muscle is built in the gym, the definition to see it is made in the kitchen. If you want a ripped abdomen you need to be one of those naturally uber skinny people or you need to be RELIGIOUS about what you eat...Period.

[UPSWeezer]

Best cardio EVER: Moonjump house!

I has just in one of these with my little bro today and it gets you tired fast. After about 20 minutes I was ready to pass out. Trampoline is good too.

[LawnMM]

The best cardio ever is generally accepted to be HIIT.

[Harudath]

Before I started doing pressups I couldn't do any pull-ups- I did 3 today :D Not many but it's a start and an improvement considering it's been like 1 week