Pussies. I had a leg workout the other say, 20 rep squats, 4 sets. I threw up, and then proceeded to fall down the last 4 steps out the gym.

Nah you're not pussies What you are experiencing is delayed onset muscle soreness and for a vast majority of people is worst the day after the day after the workout, it can be truely crippling. 2 days after my above workout I could not bend down without just collapsing and that night I slept downstairs because I couldn't face walking up them. Ah good times...

So anyone else into bodybuilding? It is my life! Currently I am cutting the fat and am struggling to eat enough food, ROFFLE.

I go to the gym 8 times a week give or take.

This week has been intentionally easy for me. The 10k is Monday and I've only run twice - light runs both times. Hopefully the rest will keep me fresh and I'll be able to run like the wind.

I'm gonna be optimistic and say that everyone else is still busting their asses but just not posting about it.

I just changed my hours at work so I come in an hour earlier but have 2 hours for lunch so I can go to the gym. I belong to a smaller gym so it is not very busy at all and I can do whatever I want. I started that workout this week from jeff and el guapo and I am in love with it already. There is just something that makes going to the gym easier when you have everything you need to do all together in a workout book so you can record everything you do. It just makes it feel more organized as opposed to only using the machines or free weights that are open and/or improvising the workout as you go along.

I am HELLA sore from squats and lunges but it's a great feeling. For my cardio everyday I try to do 10 mins on the eliptical, 8-12 mins on the bike, and finish up with 5 mins on the stepper -- the stepper kicks my ass, but the burn feels so good afterwards.

Here is a great quote I read the other day: "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels."

I'm supposed to be one.. I'm a girl

I just think it is too strong of a workout for someone trying to lose weight and not bodybuild. Yes I want to build muscle eventually, but slowly and I'd rather lose more weight first before doing it. I don't like seeing the scale go up a pound whether it is muscle or now.

I think just give it some time and the soreness will get more tolerable and go away. Also it is good to go by inches and not pounds so judge by the way your clothes fit/feel and worry less about the scale. The lbs will drop if your clothes are getting bigger.

Been to thr gym 8 times this week, I am really enjoying my weekend break...

Believe me.. I know all about this. After all I did lose 120 Lbs.

I just would rather see the scale move right now. Its a mind game thing. If I am not seeing it move.. then I automatically assume I am not doing it right.

By the way.. I am still going to tell you all that I was "hurt" not just sore. I had the work out on Tuesday. Today is Sunday and I can FINALLY walk up the stairs almost normal. I still for some reason can not go down normal and still going to sit down in a chair hurts. The lower the chair, the more it hurts.

I never realized that it takes 2 different muscle groups. One to go UP stairs and one to go DOWN stairs. I apparently hurt the down muscle group worse than the up muscle group.. however it took almost a week for either one to start feeling any better.

But you didn't hurt them... You just worked them incredibly hard on your workout.

And yes, hamstrings and quads.

Either way.. Now I feel like I only need crutches to go down the stairs.

It's a good sign, if you did the same workout this week, the effects wouldn't be as bad because your legs would be a bit more used to it.

Awww I was going to do a 20 rep squat set today (you do it with your 10 rep max and just keep going, resting between reps, usually ends in fainting, vomitting and stumbling home) but I can't do it now. I'll have to do it next week

I beat my official goal of a sub-48 minute 10k on Memorial Day, finishing in 47:44. I had a super-secret goal of finishing in 47:30, but I'm not greedy so I'm pleased with my results. Considering that in January I was probably in the worst shape I've ever been in and had multiple family members and friends comment recently that I've lost a "distinct beer belly", I'm pretty pumped about the progress I've made in five months.

The trick now is to keep it up, which I'm really not worried about. For whatever reason, I actually want to keep at it instead of being content and taking it easy. I'm going to try to do a few races over the summer with my nephew (who killed me in the 10k) so that'll keep me motivated.

Anyway, I've still got some work to do but I'm definitely happy with what I've gotten accomplished so far this year.

I've just started running too. I've always had a problem with getting shin splints though. any suggestions on avoiding them? or at least minimizing and treating them? I've already ordered a ridiculously priced pair of shoes so hopefully that will help.

1. Don't run on pavement if you can avoid it
2. Make sure your shoes are in good shape (if you run a lot they will only last about 6 months)
3. Stretch, you can stretch you shins out with some pilates exercises that work very well
4. Run with good form, this is probably the most key element. If you are banging your feet into the ground its going to affect your legs and shins and the rest of you body too.
5. Get pedicures (they rub your shins) or as I like to call the "Yu Rikes"

yeah I'm pretty sure numbers 1 and 4 are my main problems. 1 not so much from running but that I walk on a concrete floor all day in dress shoes, so I think thats why they're hurting the most now. 4 because I've never even tried to change my form to anything other than "move forward quickly." guess i need to do some research on what kind of form I should have.


edit: oh, and number 5? GAAAAAAYYYYYYY.


(I'll do it!)

I had shin splints when I was a teen. Chiropractor cured them, something about my hips being out of alignment.

I'm not a big fan of chiro's, but it worked then.

Good job on the run, dolfen.

Just joined a gym!

Basically, I've been going pretty consistently for about 6-9months, but I feel I'm not getting the most out of my workouts. Any particular excercises I should be doing? What excercise with the dumbbells? Sprints/Long runs/bike etc.?
Also, I'm interested to hear what supplements people encourage.

I'm training for Rugby mainly (Prop - No. 1, basically need to be tough and strong, when someone gets tackled, my main job is to the ruck and clear everyone off and guard the ball for those unfamiliar w/ rugby) but I also want to improve my speed and lose weight.


So, any tips are much appreciated. ty

Thanks, pal. I was pretty happy with it.


Have you been able to get back to the gym yet?

hmm... for the rugby strength training, I would recommend doing some "power" exercises, or whatever you call them, like deadlifts, squats, bench presses, military presses, stuff like that. all of that with heavy weights and low reps, about as much weight as you can do 6 - 8 reps with but only 6 - 8 reps is what you want. those are good exercises to get power and brute strength, good for pushing people around.


now as far as improving your speed, I'm not as familiar with particular exercises, at least weightlifting exercises, so I don't know how much help I'd be there. if you're talking about running, I'd do sprints of various types. one thats always good, and I can't think of what they call it right now but its super popular amongst high school coaches, is where you stand at a starting point, sprint to another point like 5 meters away and touch the ground, sprint back to the starting point and touch the ground, then sprint to a point 10 meters away, then 20. if you've ever done these you know how horrible yet effective they can be. really helps with explosiveness off the line.


as far as losing weight, if you do the above stuff, you'll have a hard time NOT losing weight if you're doing them right. just don't eat 13 pizzas a day. that helps too.

Suicides.

aaaahhhh yes. fitting name, no?

plyometrics, its kills but its worth it

Yeah,thanks for your help man.

Yeah, God those suicides (also called '150s') are absolutely brutal, I'd say they are probably one of the hardest things I've done. Anyway, tyvm for your help

Softball tonight. Back to the gym tomorrow night. Also walked 18 holes yesterday, which has to be better than nothing.

I just ran a mile. might not be a lot to the runners here but its the longest I've run without stopping since high school, and I am not young. if my body holds up and I keep this up, I should be able to get my last 5 pounds of fat off pretty damn shortly. running is just ten times more of a workout than anything I can do on my exercise bike. not even close.

Nice. The distance doesn't matter if you're busting your ass and getting some benefit out of it. Keep it up.

I used to slack off alot at the gym. Kinda lazy. If you want to have a really intense energized work out, i would suggest trying this stuff called N.0 explode. you use it to get energized and to maximze your "EV" and getting the most out of your workouts.

Also, prov obvious but make sure you have a protein drink after your workouts!

With the 10k behind me, I'm going to scale back my running a bit. I'm still going to run, but shorter distances for a bit. I also want to start throwing some ab workouts into the mix, but I have 2 big problems: I hate ab workouts and I don't really know any good ones.

Basically, if some magical, brief, effective, and simple ab workout exists, let me know. I'm mostly going to focus on lower abs and obliques.

And I realize I can easily find a ton of ab workouts myself, but I figure I'd ask here, too, to see what everyone recommends.

I've always been a fan of good old fashioned sit-ups on the incline at the gym.





sidenote: Now I'm imagining you doing sit-ups with no shirt on at the gym. If you wear a shirt, don't tell me. I like my little daydream the way it is.

ab exercises I do are (and I don't know the technical name for them, so I'll assign my own and describe them) the double ended sit ups, where you pull your knees up when you do your situps, like the ones he did in american psycho (oddest description of an exercise ever); then leg lifts: lie flat on your back, lift your legs up 6 inches, hold for 10 seconds, down, repeat a lot. after a while you can mix in spreading your feet out in a V for 10 seconds too. that works more of the sides I believe. both of those work the lower part of the abs for that v thing that comes down that makes the ladies swoon. YEAH YOU KNOW DOG. excuse me, that happens sometimes. AAAAnyways... I also do side dips, where you hold a weight to your side, the bend over to that side at the waist, then back up. works your side muscles too. good stuff. finally the plank and side planks are pretty awesome, but you'll have to look those up because I'm tired of typing.

Apparently time to start working on your endurance.

hey I'll have you know that I... fuck it.

P90x and P90x Plus Ab workouts FTW.

Six pack in no time IMO.

Yeah, I wouldn't say I'm a fan but I rock some incline situps every now and then. When I used to work out with a partner we incorporated the medicine ball into it, too. That made me hate it so much more.




Even odder that I knew exactly what you meant from that.

Thanks for the suggestions, though. I've done some of those, will look into the others.







Thanks.

I'm gathering workouts today like it's going out of style.

and now that we're on the subject, well I don't really have a question, but DAMN my freaking calves hurt from running miles the past 2 days. I may have to take tonight off and go again tomorrow. at least I'm not getting shin splints anymore. I think that must have been basically due to inactivity in that region (not my penis this time!).

Good idea, take a night off. My lower legs always get way more sore than anything from running, but I have pretty awful form so take that for what it's worth.

once i lose the fat ill have a 6 pack and damn that 15 minutes of horror after all the shit they put you through during the workout before the abs....god i love p90x

I went running yesterday afternoon for the first time since tuesday. first time I actually could without the fear of my calves actually separating from my body and running away themselves, so it was nice. there were some good points and some bad points about my run however. good: ran with my new aisics running shoes. like running on clouds. very nice. also, ran one and a half miles. making progress fairly quickly, but I couldn't really tell how well I was doing because of... bad: it was about 96 degrees outside and quite humid. I'm pretty sure death was imminent during the last lap. the whole "not being able to breathe actual oxygen" thing may have been a hindrance to my performance, I'm not sure.


either way, I think I've definitely found my favorite exercise. its pretty quick relative to the workout you get, its simple, and you can actually feel like you're accomplishing something when you're running. riding the stationary bike is basically just annoying. it works, but it takes forever and its booooooring. I only wish I had started earlier in the year. then I wouldn't have to be doing this last minute ass busting before the beach.

They're 'V' situps, the leg raises are good too, but tend to do more upper abs than lower

A fairly easy ab exercise is to have a pole parallel to the ground, across you neck, with your hands on either end - keep your feet planted and pivot your upper body until each hand is nearly in front of your face, alternating - do it until fail

I'm just tryin to get back into shape again, started bike riding as running bores the crap out of me - doing a few weights again, once I drop a couple of pounds i'll start using protein again and get into the weights more heavily

But bend your knees cause you can dislocate them is you get too into it, lol.

You just listed every reason I like running. The only part I don't like is the act of running.

Nice work. Keep making progress.




Last week went pretty well, with my new plan of less running and more (other things). My basic plan here is to see how many days in a row I can do anything active, even if it's just getting out and walking 9 or 18 holes on the golf course. Since June 1, I've either golfed, played softball, run, did abs, did push-ups, or various combinations of all of the above. I ran 3 times at 2 miles each run.

Oh and I forgot to mention...I only did a few of the suggested ab exercises last week, but it's sad how weak my abs have become. The leg raises killed me.

Leg raises are killer

Just got back from a 10mile bike ride, did about the same yesterday, great weather in the UK at the mo' so i'm loving it - I'm getting to the point where I wanna ride further and can get past certain points by which I used to be dead by, so good for motivation

Hoping to be able to do 3sets of 40pressups minimum by the end of the month

YO! I'm back.

So I ended school a little over amonth ago, I binged for a bit, then got an intership and I started on day shifts and then got moved to nights and now I' doing days again, so I never took the time to find the time to go to the gym in May, lame.

But I went tonigth and I'm starting the 4 week program that has been circulating. Week 1 day 1, so far so good. I play some tennis and I'll be doing some beach volleyball soon too so hopefully within a month or 2 I should see some results. I have no idea what my weight is. I've been saying 240-250 for like 6 months now but i'm must be over that, I just haven't checked yet, maybe 275, shiiiiiiiiiiit who knows, hopefully not. I'm 6'3 and I remember being comfortable with myself at 225ish about 2-3 years ago. I don't really remember when the weight started, university + beer + break up = me now.

i started the Abs diet from mens health, it's available online and suggest 6 meals a day. I got a blender and I'm downing shakes, eating better and cutting down on beer.

so ya, I happy right now, later all.

I finally joined yesterday. Going today after work for the first time.

Nice one - I usually take it easy for the first 3 or 4 sessions after coming back from a break as I find it counterproductive to lift weights hard and then not be able to do anything through aching for the next 4 days!

I plan to ride the bike/other cardio, then after Vegas (6/18-6/23) start with the workout plan that has been sent around here.

Nice. Good luck.



I ran 2.0 miles last night, walked 9 holes, and did some push-ups.

20 min (+2 min cool down) intense ride on the bike.

Did a few machines, not much weight, not sore at all today.

20 min (+2 min cool down) light ride on the bike.