I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

[Yygdrasil]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

Internet arguing is definitely a spectator sport.

Who's arguing? I'm passing time at work that would otherwise be filled up with funny cat pictures and video clips of the newest "Harlem Shake" craze. This is way more fun.

[Armando]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

I really don't mind the direction the thread has taken, but it's probably better suited to the Bored At Work thread.

[Yygdrasil]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

That's because... (insert: youdontevenliftbro meme here).

I couldn't find a good one... but you get it.

[Aksannyi]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

[Armando]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

Do you even lift?

YEEEAH!

[Fliegar]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

Holy crap! What happened in the few hours I was gone? I think I nearly pissed myself laughing.

I'm not a medical expert, nor do I have any interest in pursuing anything in the field. I typically get sick after staying outside in the cold for extended periods of time, but I know not to attribute me getting sick to the temperature alone. One thing I DO attribute to the cold is the fact that my hair has frozen nearly solid a few times I decided to shovel after having a shower. Delicious -35C weather.

There are times where I question if I have a brain, looking back at some of the things I've done. >:U

Also, I had a follower on my run today! She ended up falling on her ass twice due to the ice, but it was nice company.

[Truece]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

A bit late to the party but you're doing great Yyg!

(with the adding lean mass, not the, erm, debating)

[Yygdrasil]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

lol thanks

[Vyuru]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

Blargy, might as well get it over with.

Before pics

I highly dislike my picture being taken..... >.> But a before pic will help me feel good about where I've come from.

The goal:

Lose some weight, but I primarily want to get more fit. More of an athletic toned fit than body builder fit if that makes sense.

Pre circuit workout is about an hour long yoga DVD. It is yoga, but it turns out that this dvd has a number of stretches that we used to do for fencing, so IMO this is more like a total body stretching session. Pre leg workout is focused on stretching of legs.

Workout is:

Monday: Circuit
Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Circuit
Thursday: Legs
Friday: Circuit
Saturday: Legs
Sunday: Rest day/start circuit anew

I might be better off with two rest days, I'm not sure on this one.

Circuit:

Jump Squats
Push Ups
30 sec plank
Lunges (no weight)
Chin Ups
AB Crunches
Step Ups (no weight)
Shoulder Push Press
Trunk Twist

The above is a general workout recommended to me by one of the other firefighters. Now I've lost alot of muscle mass along with all of the weight I lost, especially in my back and shoulders. The workout also didn't target a couple of other muscles groups that I didn't want to leave out, so I have added onto the above workout by adding:

Hammer Curls
Reverse Dips
Wrist Curls
Wrist Extensions
Chest Flys
Rows
Lying Leg Raises
Lying Twists

I've been working my way up to two sets of 15 rep per set. I was doing pretty good for awhile there in trimming up and putting on some muscle, then I fell off the wagon and I'm getting back on it.

Legs:

Legs have been a mix of tackling Mt Peak in Enumclaw, running, and recently doing 600+ Step ups each leg with 40-50 lbs of weight. Mt Peak FYI is about a 1,800 foot rise in 1 mile of trail, for two miles round trip. Going up the first time I can make it in about 20 minutes, going up the second time takes considerably longer.

Crazy I know, but I'm doing the Big Climb. The Big Climb is a fund raiser for blood cancers and I'll be climbing a building in Seattle with 1,311 steps. Since I wasn't able to sign up in time for the Scott's Climb, and bunker gear is prohibited in the Big Climb, I promised my brother and sister firefighters that I'd be going up in a weighted vest to simulate bunker gear and SCBA. So I'm trying to train for it. I need to work out a good routine for legs and I haven't got one yet, nor do I have a really good cardio routine. I'm also very likely to move most of the ab exercises to leg workout days.

I need to do more research on leg exercises, but what I am thinking of is:

Deadlift
Leg Lift
Calf Raise
Stairclimbers (I think that's what it is called)

These would hit the major muscle groups, toss in some running, ab workout, and 2-3 sets and I think I'd be pretty happy with this.

Overall still working my way through to find what works for me. Also of note, I do not go to a gym, I've got a squat rack that I can use for pullups, a bench press, dumbbells, and a TRX suspension trainer doohicky.

My biggest thing is that I have to plan out my days, otherwise I have too much wasted time and odds are I may miss my workout.

Any comments/suggestions welcome. I'd be very interested to hear anyone's opinion on good ab and cardio workouts.

[Armando]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

You've got a squat rack and a bench press at home and you're doing machine exercises? You should be doing squats, deadlifts, and alternating between press/bench press. As for cardio, anything that keeps your heart rate up for 20 (preferably 30) minutes works. I just jog, because I can just zone out and listen to music the whole time.

I wouldn't worry about abs, they're a vanity muscle. There's no useful movement that involves curling up.

[Yygdrasil]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

^what Armando said. GOD I WISH I HAD A PROPER BENCH AT HOME!!!

[Vyuru]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

I'm using freeweights, dumbbells mostly, so I'm a little confused when you mention machine exercises.

I'll give the jogging a whirl for cardio.

And while you make a good point about the abs, can't I be just a little vain? ; ;

[Mezlo]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

I wouldn't worry about abs, they're a vanity muscle. There's no useful movement that involves curling up.

I never did abs either, but this is not true. Abs exercises strengthen your core, and strengthening your core will make you stronger. There are alot of other muscles and exercises you can do to help strengthen your core, abs aren't the main focus for strengthening your core, but I wouldn't say to ignore them, especially if it's something you wanted to work on.

[Armando]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

I'm using freeweights, dumbbells mostly, so I'm a little confused when you mention machine exercises.

My bad, should've read more carefully. I thought the TRX suspension trainer was one of those cable/pulley machines, and thought some of the exercises (e.g. rows) were the cable variant. Still, those exercises are way too targeted on specific muscles.

And while you make a good point about the abs, can't I be just a little vain? ; ;

Vanity is fine, but if it's looks you're after then what you want is to lose weight. Crunches won't help your abs show through your fat, nor will they force your body to burn fat in the belly region faster. Bodybuilders wouldn't look nearly as impressive as they do if they didn't have ridiculously low body fat to go with their freakishly over-sized muscles. In fact, you don't even necessarily need to lift weights to look ripped, but lifting weights also helps burn fat so it's win/win.

Abs exercises strengthen your core, and strengthening your core will make you stronger.

Well, that's true, and what I said is a bit misleading. You want a strong core to keep your torso rigid when you're doing deadlifts or squats. What I should've said is that crunches don't help your abs get better at that function - squats and deadlifts will. At worst they're a liability (squats are hard enough on their own...do you really want to do them with sore abs?) Since they're not particularly useful for strength or looks, I wouldn't recommend them.

[Mezlo]

Re: I work out! (well not yet... but I need to)

GOD I WISH I HAD A PROPER BENCH AT HOME!!!

I wouldn't imagine a proper bench would be all that expensive. Do you already have the weights? The weights would be the most expensive part of that investment...