New Year Fitness Thred

[snowsprite]

I had to take like 2 months off from fitness starting in October and I said I was going to work out again in the new year. i'd actually like to get where I was about 3 years ago where I was working out every single nite and in the best shape of my life probably.

So far, I've made it to at least 3 classes a week (cardio kickbox, boxing circuit training, strength, and once I went to Zumba). But one good thing is if I've had to miss class due to some other thing coming up I've managed to drag my sorry ass to the gym and at least do the machines.

Like tonight I went over there and jumped rope for 25 minutes (gasp, choke)and then worked quads and legs for another 20 minutes. I might try to do abs before bed, but I'm on to drinking beer right now. (hey, I said I wanted to get fit...not give up beer)

Anyway, I am psyched that I have been able to drag myself over there despite being tired/busy/etc. I keep saying even if it's only for 20 min or 1/2 hour it's better than staying at home and doing nothing and wishing I'd gone to work out. Baby steps...

Also, it helps that this weekend I updated my ipod. I made a Gym mix that I really like listening to. I was jumping rope to george clinton's "Atomic Dog" and Pitbull "Culo." It helped!
[/blog]

So what are you doing/planning to do for fitness now and why?

My reason is I want to get stronger for ski season and upcoming bike season in Spring. I would luv to compete in a marathon at some point too.

And of course I'd like to be able to beat up a ninja someday.

Sprite

[rspacher]

Always want to be fit for skiing...golfing/hiking in the summer...
But at my age...51 this year...i go to the gym because i have to...
I have noticed that if i don't go...after a couple of weeks my joints ache...and make noises when they shouldn't...
I have tried doing the crossfit...but just could get into it...but i have used some of there methods...
My workouts consist mainly of strength training..
I decided i need more cardio...so I run 400m around the track between lifts...or row 500m...kind of like what they refer to as METCON...
Let me tell you it will flat make your heart and lungs do some work...
Try to do this 3 times a week in addition to skiing every Sunday...sometimes i ski more in the week...
Don't have quite the motivation or ambition i used to have when i was younger, but sure as hell i wont become a couch potatoe as i get older...I see way too many people my age that cant walk a flight of stairs without sucking wind...

[Singel]

I was too lazy to read much of the text in those posts, so I am definitely too lazy to work out.

I need to get back at it - it feels great when you do it every day, but day 1 and 2 are the hardest. Maybe February.

[Cyber Cop]

So what are you doing/planning to do for fitness now and why?

My reason is I want to get stronger for ski season and upcoming bike season in Spring. I would luv to compete in a marathon at some point too.

And of course I'd like to be able to beat up a ninja someday.

Sprite

I have a deal with myself that for every day I earn my turns I get one lift served day. Right now I have 7 uphill days and 5 lift served days. I've also been hitting the stepper at the gym. But I'm still fat and I still smoke, so I think I'm kind of working against myself. My motivation? Powder. And I am a ninja.

[steve]

For me the big thing is to run every day in 2010. So far so good. What's been really different is that my schedule has changed drastically. Rather than trying to fit in my run during lunch or after work, I've up early every morning to get the run in before breakfast.. leaving the house between 5 and 6 and getting at least a half-hour on the 'mill. It has made the biggest difference.. knowing that when I get out of work at 5, I'm pretty much done with my day and can veg.

I have a 100-mile race in March (Umstead) and a 48-hour race in May. Then in the summer, I might be going out to badwater to crew/pace a friend.

I beat up a pirate in 2009. I recommend you do that as well (for practice) before attempting a Ninja, because those little japanese bastards are faster and therefore hard to hit.

Psyched to hear you'd like to do a marathon, please keep me posted on that.

Oh!! BTW.. Want to do the ride to montauk with me in June?? http://www.ridetomontauk.com/Home_Page.html

[SkiEvil]

P90X and P90X+

[mnflyfish]

I started my marathon training again on the 1st but this year I'm more focused on weight training, strength, etc. I've been climbing indoors two days a week, then treadmill and free weights. I have also cleaned to house of all the holiday food and everyone's eating better. As for goals, nothing really all that crazy. Beat my personal best in my main race of the year but that's not until Oct, I have my eye on a off road Tri in Sept, but other than that, have a fun summer. A lot of this will take a back seat to our new pup. She's going to be training as a SAR dog so that will take the priority.

Jay

[ak_powder_monkey]

I skate 2-4 times a week, and started weight training again. I also watch hockey while on an inclined treadmill with a pack. I am sore as shit

[Viva]

My running's been kinda sketch the past couple of years, but I recently agreed to pace a friend at a 100 miler, so there's an urgent need to fast-track my way to marathon/50K distance by late June.

After that I don't know what I'm gonna do. Kinda would like to race again, but I ain't doing it just for the sake of it.

[fish]

I joined a gym last week. Only been there 3 or 4 times so far... and only for cardio. If I end up skiing that day I don't go to the gym. I used to run 5 miles a day on the treadmill when I was in the service. I had to stop running a couple years ago because I had a horrible sprain from skateboarding and that still bothers me. I can only do low impact stuff at the gym now, like the stairmaster, bike, and eliptical. I should start lifting, but I really have no idea what I'm doing anyways.

I just got a dog and she's been taking up most of my time lately. Haven't been to the gym since last week, but I go hiking with her. As a result I'm sore as shit right now, too.

[4-TEEF'S Ghost]

I started a mixture of weight and high intensity interval training last May. Dropped 50lbs, put 10 back on over the holidays but now I'm rededicated and have been working hard all of January.

For me its three HARD workouts per week. Workouts are 45minutes to one hour of weight lifting mixed with pushups, burpees, planks, box jumps, airdyne intervals, etc. I break things into sets with a minimum of two exercises, 5-20 reps, 3-10 sets and use a wide variety of exercises. Non-active rest periods during the workouts are minimal. Most "rest" is active and occurs on the airdyne.

I use http://www.gymjones.com/schedule.php for ideas but I'm working out in my garage.

The other 4 days of the week are recovery days. 15-60 min of low intensity work. Run a slow mile. Walk a mile or two. Row or ride a bike for 30 minutes. Just something to pump some fresh blood and aid tissue repair.

For me committing to three, one-hour workouts per week was way easier than an arbitrary commitment to "go to the gym more." I'm 38 with two kids under 10 so I don't have time for "traditional" workouts with sets of single exercises or lots of cardio.

[4-TEEF'S Ghost]

So far, I've made it to at least 3 classes a week (cardio kickbox, boxing circuit training, strength, and once I went to Zumba). But one good thing is if I've had to miss class due to some other thing coming up I've managed to drag my sorry ass to the gym and at least do the machines.

Like tonight I went over there and jumped rope for 25 minutes (gasp, choke)and then worked quads and legs for another 20 minutes. I might try to do abs before bed, but I'm on to drinking beer right now. (hey, I said I wanted to get fit...not give up beer)

My reason is I want to get stronger for ski season and upcoming bike season in Spring. I would luv to compete in a marathon at some point too.

And of course I'd like to be able to beat up a ninja someday.

Sprite

Just for fun maybe try this for your next jump rope/legs workout.

Jump rope 5 minutes to warm up.
Then...
10 x "goblet" squat (hold one 15lb dumb bell in front of your heart like a sword)
10 x squat jump (no weight but squat low then jump as high as you can)
2 minute jump rope for "rest"
10 sets

This workout will still get you your 20 minutes of jumping rope but now it's a recovery tool to pump fresh blood to your leg muscles. Add or subtract the dumb bell weight to your taste but keep it tight to your chest. Remember when squating to keep your ass stuck out, your chin up and never push off your toes.

The "goblet" squat is basically a "front" squat and uses more abdominal muscles. Pull you feet/knees up to your chest when you do the jump squats and you'll get an additional ab workout. Don't swing your arms when jump squatting to make it harder. No need to "do" abs later. Ad a round of sit ups or planks or whatever to the above circuit if you want more abs. It will only add 10 minutes to your workout.

[highangle]

I had to take like 2 months off from fitness starting in October and I said I was going to work out again in the new year....

And of course I'd like to be able to beat up a ninja someday.

Sprite

i know how you feel...

i had to take a few weeks off from world peace one time and concentrate on my nails

[Dantheman]

I would luv to compete in a marathon at some point too.

Before you embark on that adventure, please take the time to learn how to run. Running is not an ability innate in all of us, it is a learned skill and done improperly you can tear yourself apart. Recreational runners injure themselves at astonishingly high rates every year, mainly because no one ever taught them to run properly and because most running shoes encourage bad technique. I would start by reading "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall.

As for the rest of your fitness goals, I'm not saying you necessarily need to [ame=http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=134638]drink the kool-aid[/ame], but whatever you do, results are directly correlated with intensity.

[Powder Pussy]

i know how you feel...

i had to take a few weeks off from world peace one time and concentrate on my nails

All pussies have nice nails...

[snowsprite]

4-teef, your workout you do 3x week sounds like the boot camp I go to. Tonight I had boxing which he's been doing less boxing and more circuit training but tonite we got a nice surprise and it was mainly boxing intervals (he set up five bags). It felt great.

I will definitely try your idea with the weight & squats then jump rope again. Jumping rope is one of the best exercises...very cheap and simple but if you do it a long time it is a killer.

Good point re: running Dan. I suck @ running but guess it's a necessary evil if I ever do want to do a tri. I at least have the biking part down. Will need to work on running though.

Steve, I would like to do that Montauk thing. Hit me up closer to the date and we'll see what life's got in store w/ me. I'm kind of flying by the seat of my pants these days!

Sprite

[4-TEEF'S Ghost]

4-teef, your workout you do 3x week sounds like the boot camp I go to.

Sprite

Maybe... It's all fairly common practice that's been around for years but the execution can vary widely. What I recommended for you is a lot different than what I do regularly.

My best weight loss and fitness gains came from lifting fairly heavy weights but I'm reluctant to recommend that to others because you really need some one on one instruction to do it safely, especially when you're doing a circuit and getting tired. My recommendations to you are more along the lines of what I did when I first started. Depending on your fitness level and the weight of the dumb bell you might want to add more exercises.

For me I would add 10 minutes of warm up with burpees, squats and lunges. Then 10 x front squats @ 135lbs, only do 5 x squat jumps, add 10 x knees-to-elbows on the pull-up bar and only do 5 sets. Then I'ld do another group of 20 x kettle bell swings @ 54lbs + a 30 second plank (10 sets) and finish with 10 x barbell cleans + front squat + push-press and 10 x bent rows (2 sets)

This type of workout will leave my legs VERY sore. My hip flexors, abs, shoulders and back all get worked also but the legs are the focus. This enables me to work the upper body harder my next workout and while my legs recover for the next workout.

One thing... This type of workout can be excellent for overall athletic ability. In addition to strength you can build explosive power, coordination and flexibility. This is all great for skiing and BUT... there is no substitute for sport specific training. If you want to be a good runner, then you gotta run.