I’m just curious as to what other people do out there to “exercise”? I’ve just started on about a month or two ago, and it’s fairly simple, but it’s a big accomplishment for me because, well, I’m lazy. But I’m looking to expand it if possible, but more simple things I can do around the apartment. Here’s what I currently do:
I’ve got a fifteen/twenty pound wieght bar that I first:
Place behind my head and hold out at the ends. Lift up above my head, repeat.
Hold the bar our directly in front of me with my hands palm down. Bend at the elbows, bring it to the chin, repeat.
Hold the bar out directly in front of me with my hands pal up. Bend at the elbows, bring it to the chin, repeat.
Hold the bar straight down with my hands together at the center, palms down. pull the bar straight up against my stomach to my chest, repeat.
Same thing as 4, but behind the back.
same thing as three, but with arms by my side and bring up to the chest, repeat.
I do fourty reps of each, then thiry, then twenty, then ten. In a couple of weeks, I’ll start with fifty. I also stated riding my bike and walking places close by. Anything to help keep the heart rate going for a bit. But so far, that’s all upper body stuff, and I really want to work out my upper/inner thighs. So, what’s your routine?
Sounds like you are getting a good shoulder work out. I’m guessing your doing it for cardiovascular reasons as opposed to muscle gaining.
Before I suggest anything, a question: what exactly are your goals? Are you trying to shed a few pounds? Get into better cardiovascular shape? Gain muscle? Increase your energy?
I just started a week and a half ago. I am terribly, terribly out of shape. I’m hoping not to die of a heart attack within the next few years. Losing a few pounds would also be quite excellent.
My routine is based on my gym’s schedule. The pool is open late for non-laps on Wednesday and Friday. I swim as hard has I can for an hour. Everyday except Tuesdays and Sundays I do 10 minutes at my target heartrate on the Stairmaster (this is an evil, evil machine and will kill me. I have to take it easy on it.) and 40 minutes at target on the tread.
Now I’m not sure whether I should increase the time, the incline or the speed on the tread. I’m also just about to give up the Stairs (I’m trying to give it more than a week and a half but, Jesus, that machine will stop my heart one of these days.) and add another 10 on the tread. What do yall think?
Well, Biggirl, what’s your goal? FWIW, the stairmaster is pretty much the worst machine out there in terms of the strain it puts on your knees; that’s why I’m giving it up in favor of the treadmill.
I’m a weightlifter, I guess. Two days a week I do my arms, shoulders, and chest. Two days a week I do my mid and lower body. Two days I do some kind of cardiovascular exercise, just cause I need to get my heart in better shape (my resting heart rate is about 72, which is normal, but I think I’d be better off if it were lower).
My goal is to gain some semblance of cardio-vascular health. Shedding a few pounds will not be unwelcomed.
Another question for those who would know: On the Stairmaster I regularly surpass my target heart rate before I even break into a sweat. It doesn’t feel like I’m laboring at all, but after 3 minutes or so I’m at 170 bpm. What’s that all about? I usually slow down considerably-- almost to a standstill-- to get it back down. I don’t have this problem with the treadmill.
Yeah, I’m not too much into building massive amounts of muscle, but I do like the tone I’m getting in my arms and shoulders. It’s more for cardio as well, and stamina. Basically, I started loosing a lot of wieght over the past few months, and figured “Hey, if I’m losing wieght doing nothing, why don’t I start exercising?” Basically, it gives me something to do while waiting between jobs besides sleep or goof off on the internet (not that there’s anything wrong with that).
Kung fu, baby. It is far and away the best workout routine I’ve ever done. It keeps my muscles extremely well toned, I’m always increasing my flexibility, and an hour of martial arts is a nearly constant cardio workout. It’s also a good metnal exercise, trying to understand the moves and what they’re for. Plus, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
Kung fu, baby. It is far and away the best workout routine I’ve ever done. It keeps my muscles extremely well toned, I’m always increasing my flexibility, and an hour of martial arts is a nearly constant cardio workout. It’s also a good mental exercise, trying to understand the moves and what they’re for. Plus, it’s a hell of a lot of fun.
One hour on the treadmill at 4.5 mph, 11% grade (elevation?), then 15 minutes on the Stairmaster, “Fat Burn” program, level 6. When I go to the other gym, two days a week, I do 20 minutes on the Stairmaster, 30 minutes Precor elliptical machine, and then indoor rock climb for about an hour. I work out a total of 5-6 days a week.
It was hard at first, but I’ve been doing this, in varying routines, for about six years. It’s worth it, definitely for vanity’s sake, but also because I like to camp and hike, and it helps to be in shape. Just call me Xena, baby!!
Push-ups, sit-ups, stretching, my SO tries to teach me bits of kung fu and tai chi occasionally… Mostly I walk and bellydance- bellydance is control, flexibility and cardio training in one. And strength training, too. I’d like to lose five to ten pounds, but I’m not worried, because I don’t really have a weight problem. I just gained a little when I was away at school and I wouldn’t mind losing it.
Thursday - Back. 3 sets of 6 exercises. Wide-grip lat pulldown (behind the head), narrow-grip lat pulldown (in front of the chest,) seated rows, pullover, wide-gripped seated row, Russian twists.
I don’t worry very much about my legs, because I also run 3-4 miles every day, sometimes twice a day (if I’m particularly motivated,) and my legs are genetically strong and muscular.
I look at my fitness program in terms of three separate entities: muscular (and skeletal) development through weight training and sports, weight loss (and I need it) through cardiopulmonary exercise, and weightloss and general health through diet. The latter is by far the hardest for me, because I love good food. I’ll put my body through the most painful and agonizing physical tortures cheerfully, but I have a much harder time turning down a hamburger.
I hated my folks saying this as a kid, but I do it now every chance I get.
I bike to and from work twice a week (about 11 km each way-- 6 miles for you yanks )
Two days a week I pump some iron at home-- a general routine using dumbells that’s focusing on an upcoming dragonboat race.
Every Saturday since February I’ve spent 2 hours on the water paddling with my Dragonboat team. A hell of a lot of work when you consider it’s a 2 minute race taking place on June 22nd!
Sunday mornings I often go do Pilates, or go for a long brisk walk in the woods.
I’ve got to do some running though-- I have a 5k race next Sunday that I’ve gotta get ready for.
My exercise routine changes throughout the year, depending on what other activities I’m doing. I’m moving closer to work in a month, so my commuter biking will drop off, and I’ll replace it with something else.
Don’t. The Stairmaster is one of the toughest cardio workouts you can do. It took me a year to work up to 25 minutes and I’d already been working out for about 3. You haven’t worked out enough to condition your body.
You’ve only been working out a short time. I hate to tell you this, but in a short while (say, another 6-8 weeks), your muscles are going to figure out that this is the real thing and they’ll stop tightening up. Then, for about two weeks, it’s going to be harder than it is now because you’re building real muscle. This is the point where you have to make it past. After that, it’ll be a bit easier.
My routine:
Mon, Wed, Fri - 30 min. weight-lifting. I do low-weight multiple reps (50 lbs max) upper and lower body
Tue and Sat - 1 hour on the incline trainer. I set it to different intermediate intensity routines that vary from 1-4 MPH and 0-20% incline
Thur - endurance training. 2 1/2 hours on the incline trainer at 25%, 1MPH. Wearing a filled backpack. (Guess what I’m doing tonight? ::sigh::). Today is 1.1MPH. My goal is to reach 2MPH at 25% and then increase the weight of my backpack until it’s around 50 lbs (it’s only around 20-25 lbs right now). Oh, and this means my Thursday routine burns over 1000 calories! W00T!
Sometimes my weekend schedule gets off, but I always do 6 hours a week, whether that takes place over 5 or 6 days.
Creaky, I worship you. 4.5MPH on 11% incline! That would be a flat-out run for me. In fact, during my Tue/Sat walk, the machine reaches 4MPH for 1 min. at 5% and then 4MPH for 1 min. at 11%. That second minute is killer. During my one hour, I only run for a total of 3 minutes, and it’s rough. I’m thinking I should try to run more and then eventually increase the grade until it’s as high as I can stand it.
I’m a triathlete, and my workout routine is geared towards training for sprint and olympic-distance races. My exact routine varies from week to week, and goes through monthly cycles. Basically, the first week starts off easy, building to a peak on the third week, then cutting way back for the fourth week before starting over again. I’m just now starting a new cycle so I’m on an easy week. My schedule for this week is:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: Swim 30 min
Wednesday: Bike 60 min
Thursday: Swim 35 min, Run 45 min
Friday: Bike 30 min
Saturday: Run 50 min
Sunday: Bike 70 min
When I ride my bike, I also make a point of running about 3/4 of a mile immediately after. Helps the legs get used to the transitions. I also do a little bit of weight training, mostly bodyweight exercises (i.e. pushups, pullups, crunches, etc…) for upper body strength to help my swimming.
I definitely agree on the mental readiness part. I was one of the millions of people who stopped and started exercise programs for years. I finally kept one up when I started gaining weight. I’ve kept it up for six years now. And my mom said I wouldn’t do it after I bought my first treadmill.
But I hate exercise. It’s sheer determination, stubbornness, willpower and a desire not to be a quitter that keeps me going.
I started back to the ‘gym’ about 2 years ago after ignoring it for 5 years. I was having a lot of back trouble and my wife was bugging me about ‘breathing heavy’ all the time.
I really got serious about it last year when my doctor said the words ‘pre-diabetic’ to me.
I’m a 54 year old white male, 6’2", 270 lbs. Fighting weight would be about 210.
I go MWF on my lunch hour.
I start with 25 min. on a semi-recumbant bike. The settings won’t mean anything to you, but I started at 10 min. at a resistance setting of about 10, and I’m now doing 25 min. at 26.
Then I do 10 -15 min of upper body work, on the theory that, besides benefiting my back directly, strengthening the rest of my upper body takes some of the work away from my back.
I do 20 reps of straight-arm pull-downs at 50 lb. That’s where you grasp a t-shaped bar suspended from a pully with your palms down and your arms straight out in front and pull the bar down to your upper thighs.
The next machine is a t-bar that I pull up with my hands close together, palms to the floor. The bar starts at about crotch height and I lift it close to my body, to my nose. 20 reps at 50 lb.
Next is a wide grip pull-down. I sit on a bench and grab a bar overhead with my hands about 4 feet apart and pull it down to touch the back of my neck. 20 reps at 90 lb.
Then the rowing machine. 20 reps at 90 lb. with my back straight, then 10 more reps using just my back.
Then I perversly do the bench-press. I shouldn’t 'cause my shoulder hurts like hell when I do, but I’m stubborn. 10 reps at either 100 or 135 lbs. I’m not sure which side of the weight bars I’m supposed to read.
That’s it. It’s a low-budget place and doesn’t have some of the machines I’d like to do.
Benefits:
I have a lot more energy. I can now run up 3 floors of stairs 2 at a time. I still get winded, but I couldn’t do that at all before. And my back is WAY better than it was 2 years ago. Also, some of the diabetic-like symptoms I was experiencing have abated. I don’t know about the blood sugar however. I’ll find out next month.
I haven’t lost much weight though. But I can’t quit now. I’ve become addicted.
Sorry about running on so long.
Somewhere along the way you mentioned you wanted to increase cardio and maybe even drop a few pounds in the process. Increasing your speed will do this, say every ten minutes knock it up another 1/10 of a mph. It may take a few times before you’ll be able to do it over the course of a 40 minute workout (three increases total), but don’t worry, it will come.
For me I mostly do two-a-days…weights twice a week (off-season heavier weight, 10 - 12 reps for strength, in season - now- lower weights 20 reps for conditioning)…swim three days a week, at least once with long repeats…spinning and running at least three times a week, sometimes back to back (also known as a “Brick”…Bike + Run = ICK!)…longer rides and runs on the weekend. I have a half Ironman coming up in June…after that I’ll switch to one activity per day for a six day schedule, with one day off per week. I’ll mix up the activities to keep it interesting.
This is a minor but related hijack based on what Bumbazine said. I heard that when you’re in shape, you will actually feel your heart beat faster and your breathing speed up very quickly because your body thinks it’s going to exercise and gets prepared. I also heard that you sweat easier. Is there any truth to this? I was wondering what was wrong with me because despite a fairly moderate workout, I always seemed to breath hard if I ran up a flight of stairs.
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