main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

JCC 2017 Fitness Goals

Discussion in 'Community' started by anakinfansince1983 , Jan 1, 2017.

  1. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    Good, you've got a plan. Now it's all about the follow-through. Push on!
     
  2. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013
    It's now been two weeks and my left shin and knee are still raw. It doesn't help that I live on the third floor and my job entails constant walking. All the treatments for shin splints that I've read recommend rest and apart from every day tasks, I've been staying off it. At the gym, I've only been doing muscle training, with maybe a 1-2 mile warm-up on the elliptical (since there's no impact).

    But damn this sucks. I miss running in the outdoors. And it occurs to me that if my three year old scampers off, I'm at a disadavantage and might not be fast enough to catch him in my current condition.
     
  3. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    Do you have a bicycle? If that doesn't aggravate your shin, it's a good way to get out and enjoy the great outdoors.
     
    Juliet316 and Ezio Skywalker like this.
  4. yeurgh

    yeurgh Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2016
    If I ever lose the use of my legs...

    [​IMG]
     
  5. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013
    Unfortunately no bicycle. But maybe I should invest in one.
     
  6. yeurgh

    yeurgh Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2016
    First steel shredder training attempt today. I guess I have the excuse that it was at the end of a fairly demanding training session but it wasn't as quick as I'd hoped. Some work to be done on conditioning over the next couple of weeks.

    [​IMG]
     
    DarthIntegral, Sarge and cubman987 like this.
  7. cubman987

    cubman987 Friendly Neighborhood Saga/Music/Fun & Games Mod star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 7, 2014
    It's amazing how much better mentally and physically one can feel from just over a week of getting back to working out....so much more energy and sleeping better too.
     
    Master_Lok, Sarge, Juliet316 and 2 others like this.
  8. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013
    [​IMG]
     
    Juliet316 and yeurgh like this.
  9. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998
    I'd need a sledgehammer and oxyacetylene to do that. :eek:
     
    yeurgh likes this.
  10. Grognard

    Grognard Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Dec 27, 2016
    here is the secret:

    it's actually a paperclip, just w/ 10k magnification.
     
    Juliet316 likes this.
  11. DarthIntegral

    DarthIntegral JCC Baseball Draft/SWC Draft Commish star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA VIP - Game Host

    Registered:
    Jul 13, 2005
    February mini-goal. Four-in-Five workout plan. Four consecutive days with a workout, then a day off. Repeat all month. At least one of four to be strength training.

    Off to a good start. Business travel, hit the fitness center, used the free weights.
     
    Juliet316, Sarge and yeurgh like this.
  12. Black Leader

    Black Leader Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 4, 2016


    I was avoiding icy pavements myself until recently. [face_blush] but I did a Joe Wicks 15 minute HIT workout at the w/e
     
  13. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Did a four-miler this morning, first race in six months. I had gotten burned out on racing last summer after a dehydration incident and just being tired of competing against Ironmanners.

    But it's good to be back in. I had set a goal of finishing the race in 50 minutes which is a little faster than my 51-minute time from last year. Got it done in just under 49 minutes.
     
  14. Obi Anne

    Obi Anne Celebration Mistress of Ceremonies star 8 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 4, 1998
    With February I'm trying to up my training from two to three times a week. 1 pass with weights by myself, 1 pass with my PT and 1 distance/endurance pass.
    It's now just three weeks to go until I do my 30 k ski race, I still haven't been on skis this winter. At least today I got my skis from my sister, who borrowed them last winter. I got worried today though when I went 20 k on skates with poles, and after 10 k my damaged shoulder hurt so much that I just couldn't lift the arm and had to go the last 10 k without using the poles, and that's an option I don't have on skis..
     
  15. Master_Lok

    Master_Lok Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2012
    Mixing and matching with a couple of kung fu exercise videos; I get through stretch and warm up from the kickboxing dvd and some of the martial exercises from the second dvd (an old David Carradine dvd - is this too meta? IDK). Right now, it's just building up my endurance more so I won't be tapping out too early during an actual martial arts class.

    The horse stance is every bit as brutal as those old Shaws and Sammo Hung movies make it out to be...that said, I know my physical limits and do not push. Got through about 20 minutes Friday and today and 15 minutes yesterday.
     
    Juliet316, Sarge and yeurgh like this.
  16. Sarge

    Sarge Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 1998


    What's your excuse?
     
  17. yeurgh

    yeurgh Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2016
    2nd steel bar snapped yesterday as a finisher - 10mm x 18" - took just over 15mins but I'd already trained deadlift and fried my lats. I'm going to risk going for the tougher 14" bar for the comp. Pretty confident I can get it inside the 20 minute time limit. Goal at this point is to place top 10 in the comp.

    [​IMG]
     
  18. Guidman

    Guidman Skywalker Saga Mod and Trivia Host star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 29, 2016
    Been running on a treadmill twice a week after work just to get some miles in since its still dark pretty early. I forgot how much I hate a treadmill. 30 minutes is about the max I can do, knock out four miles in that time.
     
  19. Master_Lok

    Master_Lok Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2012
    Just picked up a tai chi video featuring the woman who is on my kickboxing dvd (upon further investigating realized tai chi eventually progresses to using swords and fans - um this Shaw Brothers fan says Yes please!) Anyway, as I like this instructor's teaching style, I think this will be interesting dvd (and one I can progress through (my coordination has some way to go with kickboxing and the kicking elements in general). The one martial arts school I keep circling teaches Northern Eagle Claw (which I am down for), but also has a tai chi class or two. The Shimu thinks that is better for me to start with so we'll see what happens.

    Anyway, off to do what I can from the two existing dvds and stretch, as I will be shoveling snow at least once later this afternoon. Looking forward to getting outside. I love it when it snows and I do not have to commute.
     
  20. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013

    I've never picked up Tai Chi but I do find it interesting. I tried a couple kickboxing classes many years ago and...it wasn't for me. It was definitely intense, though. At the time, I wasn't used to training with the ceaseless movement concept, so kickboxing kicked my butt.



    I started talking with one of the other guys who typically has the same gym schedule as me, and we both drop our kids off at the gym daycare, so our kids are usually playing together. Turns out that he used to own his own gym, is educated as a nutritionist, and had an earlier career as a trainer. He helped me develop a new workout routine for myself and this week was my first few days of trying it out.

    He previously spent the past several weeks analyzing my existing workout routine, which is admittedly kind of dull. I'm a creature of habit and routine, so during the week I'm consistently working on upper body (one day for chest, another for back, etc), while throwing myself into long runs from Fridays through Sundays (you know, before my shin splints moved in for an indefinite stay). He decided to turn that all around and put me through five days a week of full-body workouts. The idea is to do two sets across ten machines while maxing out on reps per set within 30 seconds.

    So (after warming up on the elliptical), hit the chest press and do as many reps as you can in 30 seconds, then run over to, say, the leg curl, and quickly do as many reps as you can over another 30 seconds, then jump to the next machine on the list--bouncing between upper and lower body alternatively. Within a span of 30 minutes, you've now worked your entire body, having done two sets on each piece of equipment. There is no pause, no stopping, no breathers. You go and go and don't stop until you finish your second round of sets on all ten machines, then cool down with another trip on the elliptical.

    In addition to this, he's advised me to start using the Under Armour Fitness Pal app and log everything that I consume throughout the day. Then he can look at my entries and analyze my calorie/sugar/sodium intake. My normal diet has consisted of a large spinach salad every day after the gym, including grilled chicken, avocado, etc. Turns out that this salad comes up to around 1000 calories (even though my dressing is maybe a scant few drops of light Italian). So he's had my cut down on the avocado (I didn't realize that eating one whole avocado a day was bad :p), and is now contemplating my sugar intake (which comes in the form of my fruit consumption and my cheerios with almond milk). Apparently it's surprisingly easy to fly through the recommended sugar intake even when you think you're eating healthy.

    I'm excited about continuing with the new routine, as I feel great. And I certainly feel like I'm accomplishing at least double--maybe triple--the work in these workouts than I was in my previous routine.
     
    soitscometothis, Sarge and Master_Lok like this.
  21. Master_Lok

    Master_Lok Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Dec 18, 2012

    So glad to hear you found out about a new routine (that hopefully is helping with your shin splints too). Sounds like an awesome routine. While I am finally getting into a pattern of exercise beyond walking, I will need someone to guide & teach me as I am not yet a creature of habit. I am not a gym person (too much vanity whenever I've gone), so I think it's great that you have found someone who can coach and guide you through that circuit.

    You're right about sugar intake (this and salt / carbs can be very sneaky), I look VERY carefully at the juice press and pret a manager labels (and all labels), but my body can almost instantly tell me when I've had too much sugar or salt. I tend to mix it up and gravitate toward less sweet (meaning no more Pret acai bowls except as an occasional treat). It is hard with so many green juices and healthy foods being cut with sweet fruit to appease most palettes.

    Tai Chi is a much slower martial art form (very beautiful and seemingly delicate yet actually very potent). I am not sure if impatient me can roll with slowing down that much. Just discovered the kickboxing / tai chi lady's father still teaches Tai Chi in NYC (not too far from the Eagle Claw school). So I will give her Tai Chi dvd a chance for a few weeks and see if that helps with my breathing, coordination and stamina, to ultimately determine which of the two schools I try.

    I am focusing on not being hard on myself over my current coordination, and am very happy I got through 30 minutes total between both dvds today. I stopped when I absolutely could not go further.

    Yes, the kickboxing is very intense and probably not something that will interest me in the long run. I need something that will both calm my mind and give me the agility, speed and confidence I'd like physically. I also have a weapons Fu jones, not just from mainlining these old Kung Fu movies, but to get over my fear of bladed weapons as well as perpetuate a make believe scenario that will make workouts fun.
     
    Sarge and Ezio Skywalker like this.
  22. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013
    I used to practice Kung Fu and train with bladed weapons. But my weapons of choice were the staff and nunchukas. I had a mentor instruct me on the latter and still practice with them on occasion (thank goodness for muscle memory, because mistakes are *painful*).

    If you are reluctant to use blades, I would recommend these two weapons instead. The staff is fun and going through nunchukas forms can give you a decent workout (plus it's cheap to buy a set). You could probably find instruction guides online (I had a book).

    You could do a lot with the nunchukas, but go slow. My early training days were full of bruises.
     
    Sarge and Master_Lok like this.
  23. yeurgh

    yeurgh Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2016
    That's an old school Nautilus program, right there! I'm not a fan of machines, but I'm told Nautilus does work. Hope it works out well and gives your shin splints a chance to heal!
     
  24. Ezio Skywalker

    Ezio Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2013
    Me too. But why don't you like machines?
     
  25. yeurgh

    yeurgh Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2016

    For me, expression of strength means using the whole body as one unit to produce force. Machines tend to take most of the body out of the equation and isolate muscle groups rather than training the body systemically. For example, to do a standing barbell press requires high levels of tension in the lower body and trunk to maintain stability while a seated machine press pretty much only works the deltoids and triceps. With the squat, the driving force comes from the legs & glutes but the back, abdominals and obliques are taxed heavily keeping the spine neutral and the torso rigid. The leg press takes nearly all of that out of the equation and primarily works the quads. It's the same comparing any compound barbell lift with it's machine counterpart.

    In the 'real world', things like rugby tackles, discus throwing, punches & kicks, lifting things, running - whatever it is a person needs to be strong for - all require a full-body co-ordinated effort. I believe that training with machines results in individually strong muscles that can't really work in concert to produce force and aren't tied together with a strong core that can resist the resulting forces. When the muscles are individually strong but not tied together with a strong, stable core it's like - in Pavel Tsatsouline's words - firing a cannon from a canoe. The stability isn't there to properly express that strength.

    BUT

    There are advantages to training with machines. To learn to lift free weights takes some coaching but machines are relatively safe to use without instruction. Also, if you're doing other activities that do tie the body together (like running) and you have no real need for high levels of strength, it's really not such a big deal. Nautilus machines and concomitant programs were conceived in order to allow people to train safely without a strength coach and they do that job fairly well.

    Basically, machines are probably a good fit for you and your goals but would be a terrible fit for me and mine.

    In other words, ignore me... I'm a strength training snob! :)
     
    Ezio Skywalker, Sarge and Master_Lok like this.