workouts. whtat do you do?

M

marius

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Original poster
As of yesterday i decided i was gonna get my high school body back (minus the scrawny arms) and i dug out my weights. my weight workout is 3 sets of 10 reps using 30# for hammer and reg curls, flys, and pullovers, same sets and reps but with 50# for side bends, shrugs, lunges and rows. I alternate with weights one day and P90x for cardio the next.

what do you do (or not do)?
 
I change my work-out every week to keep my body guessing. Nothing set, I sometimes use weights when I feel like I should. I also use the Russian model of working out until I can't perform the technique perfectly, then rest and do it again. Evidently this builds density but not bulk, which is fine with me. Also Bruce Lee did it and eh seems like a pretty cool dude who doesn't afraid of anything.
 
I prefer to work out my brain instead of my body, so I read books and attend college. It's fierce stuff, man. My brain loves being fed this knowledge so it can grow stronger. Omnomnom. I have a high metabolism, so weight is never an issue.


EDIT: Though... One of these days, I should get back into step aerobics and weight lifting, though. Those things kept me from being so depressed and awake all the time. Just need some motivation and the money to afford weights...
 
I tend to go for stamina rather than muscle/bulk. I'm mostly a runner. Light weights two-three times weekly if it feels like I'm slacking. Otherwise, a variety of cardio. Run, bike, jump rope, etc. Nothing too expensive. By the way, I keep hearing about P90X - what kind of program is it, and does it work?
 
...yeah my attempts at working out are staggering with my schedule. For a while I was good at doing endurance training. Granted I didn't always do ALL of these during a workout and would generally just stagger between them, but generally

Upper body: lat-pull downs ~ 30# 3 sets of 15 and bench press (usually i'd just do the bar...ocassionally I'd add 10#) 3 sets of 10.

Abs: various crunchers generally 3 sets of 20, and sometimes the machines just whatever i was feeling up to at the time. Planks (generally 3 sets of 15-20 seconds)

Lower body: leg curls 3 sets 10 (don't actually remember how many lbs i used), leg extensions 3 sets 10.

Cardio: used to swim laps in the pool (generally 10 laps of free style, couple laps of back stroke, 5 laps breast stroke), but recently it's been more of running. If i'm on the track I alternate between 10 laps jogging, 2 laps walking, 5 laps sprinting, 3 laps walking, 5 laps jogging (sometimes I'd add in a 6th lap of full out sprint if I was up to it). If I'm on the treadmill I generally keep it at a jog for about a mile to a mile and a half (5-6 mph at 0 incline)

BUT if I don't feel like using weights I've also been known to do calisthenics instead

Lunges (3 sets of 10-15), Chair dips (3 sets 15), plank (3 sets 15-20 sec), calf raises (3 sets of 10 generally on a stair ledge or sometimes I'll find some thick books and stack em :p), push-ups (I attempt to do 10...haha if I can do that I try to do a pyramid so 10 to 9 to 8 etc down to 1), leg lifts, (when I was home I'd just go for a couple mile bike-ride after for cardio if it was good weather).

but yeah...when I DO exercise that's a taste of some things I generally will do (again I dont' always do EVERYTHING listed...just generally pick and choose :P)

Yay Exercise Science degree...you sorta come in handy?
 
i was trying to lean toward endurance rather than bulk (i'm already sorta stacked thanks to irish/scottish genes) which is why i'm trying to go multiple sets of lower-ish weight instead of one set with alot of weight

p90x is hardcore as hell. kinda hard to describe other than that, hence the reason i'm only using it for cardio right now. the routine schedule that comes with it screws around the workout out order every couple of weeks so you can get as close as possible to the level that they are in the vids. its actually a pretty neat program i've just lost all my motivation and endurance over the first half of this winter to keep up for more than 1/4 of each excercise.

@fluffy: i hate your high metabolism. mine slowed at 18 and i'm feeling it at 21. also you don't really need weights. you can use cans of fruit/vegetables/whatever or even just your muscle tension. go through the motion of the exercise but tense your muscles, guarantee you'll feel like you've been pumping.

@angl: "Yay Exercise Science degree...you sorta come in handy?" i lol'd.....lol
 
I'm going to watch this thread. I need to get back into a routine myself.

Yesterday I ran a mile in 13:44. My Peak Time for Navy PRT was 11:27 for the mile and a half. I want to get back into that physical state.
 
well are you going for muscle endurance, cardio endurance, or both?

Endurance training programs can be done in various ways but you have the right idea. Generally an endurance weight exercise would utilize low weights (i believe it was 30-50% of 1 rep max depending on what type of program you do) with a higher rep-rate (I believe usually 15-20 reps) and 2-3 sets) with adequate resting length between each set of course.

Cardio endurance utilizes finding target heartrate lower end will be 220 - age and multiply that by .5 and the higher end will be 220-age and multiply that by .075 (your heart-rate should fall within this range when training). Also take into account your VO2 max (this is a bitch to figure out though) using these you can create an aerobic exercise training program...etc etc...

blah blah blah again haha yeah p90X a few of my classmates were doing it. I prefer to create my own cardio programs so I generally just work on distance and time for jogging on treadmill (I used to be able to get about 2 miles in at 6-7mph on a 0% incline on the treadmill before I'd get too fatigued) it's not a lot but for me that's pretty good haha. Of course translating that to an actual terrain with varying inclines is much different and a good workout (i'm pretty sure if I tried to do a training program here in pitt I'd die the first time from all the hills!) inclines = a bitch!!
 
Ha-ha. Yeah, tell me about it. We've got some monster hills here too. Running on a treadmill, after running outside before the first snow hits, it's so much easier and I have to adjust. I think that's the most irritating thing for me. Adjusting from working out outside during the warmer months and working out inside at a crowded gym.
 
I drink a ton of soda, eat a ton of sweets, don't run, sleep a lot, and I still look like I lift every day. minus my gut.
 
My work out consists of breakdancing. I often get to the point where I am very sore afterwards which is pretty grand. Not to mention you get really toned and use arm muscles you didn't know you had. Your wrists become much stronger too.
 
I drink a ton of soda, eat a ton of sweets, don't run, sleep a lot, and I still look like I lift every day. minus my gut.

LET US KNOW HOW UR HOLDING UP IN 5-10 YEARS FROM NOW, NOOB.

I'm currently back on the RYP(Release Your Potential)-program which I recommend to people who want to start/start up again. Each shift is constructed so that you only spend approx. 1 hour for the weightlifting and approx. 30 to 40 minutes on the cardio. The weightlifting "beginners" program includes excersises that involves all your muscle groups.

Err....apparently this is only a norwegian program as far as I can tell, but I'll finish this post when I get back home :P

EDIT:
Back again, what I really wanted to ask about was how do you guys go with keeping a healthy "diet" and the importance of getting enough sleep/restitution while working out?

Cuz it's just as important as the training itself if you want results, ya know!
 
I work out everyday and run 3+ miles (Less and more) 6 days a week. I alternate weights every three days hitting different muscles each day. I try to switch it up as well. I usually put about 2 hours a day into exercise, sometimes more.

And what Torsty said, Diet is SO important. Weather your bulking or cutting you must watch what you eat.

One thing I don't do is take any days off, I really should though.
 
Eh, you should at least have one day off every week. Too much of the good stuff and all that, you know. A week without training every 6th week is recommended and one "eating day" every week. If you go overboard with it you'll end up "over-trained" as we say here, meaning you won't have the strength to do "anything" for some time.
I know this is mostly common knowledge, but nice mentioning to keep the discussion going. :P
 
yeah the whole sleep and diet thing is mostly why I have no consistent schedule for the time being, but I'm hoping to eventually get around to that. A good sleep and diet plan is VERY essential to a good workout plan, especially if you're doing specific training. a cardio-training program will generally have you bulking up a bit more on carbohydrates (since carbs = glucose = energy!) and a weight training program generally will have a bit higher protein intake (hence why a lot of people use protein shakes or the creatine supplement since creatine is used as an energy supplier)
 
Well, I will never know about the whole sleep thing. I'll be lucky if I can get a consistent five hours of sleep. Mostly, it's below that. As for diet, I'm on a strict diet, anyway. Being hypoglycemic, I constantly have to watch my blood sugar.
 
Oh, I know I'll be in bad shape. I was just mock-gloating to troll. =D

Seriously though, any ideas to help with childhood onset arthritis? in just about every joint?
 
joint protection and maybe some energy conservation/ergonomic techniques
 
@kestral: tai ch'i. gentle on joints but if you "fight" (tense your muscles) the movements as you go through the position it turns into a workout

i lol'd when i realized that as a stocker at a grocery store i don't get a day off from lifting. something about constantly lifting, taking down and moving 20-50# cases of food kinda counts as a workout in itself