Official workout/supplement thread.

[CrackerJack]

Originally Posted by Tommyjohn25

Yeah I tried that stuff for a while. Tasted great, and for the first couple weeks I noticed slight results from it. After that however it kinda tailed off on me. I tried 2 more jugs of it and decided to move on. There are a ton of people that swear by it though.

That stuff just blows my system out, if you know what I mean, can't take it. Plus I'm not a big dairy/milk fan and can't drink that stuff with water...even with no fat skim milk (which has proven to result in higher cancer rates in men I read).

It DOES taste good though - in particular the Strawberry. (Choc good too)

I'm sticking with low fat soy protein bars a couple of times a day to get my protein fix. Too much protein just goes right through you I've found.

At my age (38) I'm all about lean muscle and losing fat though, not trying to "bulk up" just shape muscle tone and develop areas that are under-developed. Of course that stubborn little bit of fat around my waist and buttocks are a pain - only noticeable to me in the mirror but I want it gone. I actually look better now than I did when I was 25 though, so, want to keep pushing myself.

I drank Muscle Milk light for a while btw - not the regular stuff - which will really put the weight on you, if you drink a couple of those a day.

[SunDeck]

Originally Posted by wheels

Bear crawls are brutal.

They hooked me up with a belt attached to three heavy rubber bands that were attached to a pole while doing them. Go as far as the bands allow, then go backwards. I thought I would surely die.

Is this guy your personal trainer, Wheels?



If he brings a chicken to your next workout session, just go with it. He knows what he's doing.

[RichRed]

I'm partial to a protein shake that consists of soy milk, natural peanut butter, whey protein powder, banana, frozen blueberries and/or strawberries, honey, oat bran and plain yogurt. Tasty, healthy and high in protein & calories.

[HumnHilghtFreel]

I'm out of school for the summer now. As of tomorrow I'm officially starting a rigorous workout to lose my winter weight/beer gut.

Probably starting a little late for the summer push, but oh well.

First 2 weeks will be heavy cardio light weights, then after that balance everything out.

[wheels]

Originally Posted by SunDeck

Is this guy your personal trainer, Wheels?



If he brings a chicken to your next workout session, just go with it. He knows what he's doing.

Not far off.

I'm waiting for the day I get to go to the meat packing plant.

[Dom Heffner]

Run, or pump, or jump as hard and as fast as you can for a minute, then take it down slow for two minutes. Repeat that until twenty minutes is gone (really hammer away at it...go HARD), and you'll feel like you can't walk. Heck...All you gotta do is run the steps at home. Go up and down three times, rest for two minutes (walk around the house, get a drink of water, etc..), hit those steps again.

This no doubt works- if you can do it.

The problem with these workouts is that they are high intensity. Not everyone's body can handle it, including possibly yours over a sustained period of time.

What works when you are twnety doesn't work when you get older. As you get older it's different, and if you want to keep training your body, you can't work it as hard as you can every time out.

I'd rather do wind sprints everytime out too but my knees can't take it.

People who do over twenty minutes of cardio on a treadmill but pace themselves are working out smart sometimes, though I do agree that you don't have to be on there for an hour.

There are also cardiovascular benefits to prolonged exercise.

[TeamSelig]

Are treadmills accurate? It seems like I can run forever on one of those, but whenever I attempt to run outside I can't go 1/2 the distance.

[wheels]

Originally Posted by Dom Heffner

This no doubt works- if you can do it.

The problem with these workouts is that they are high intensity. Not everyone's body can handle it, including possibly yours over a sustained period of time.

What works when you are twnety doesn't work when you get older. As you get older it's different, and if you want to keep training your body, you can't work it as hard as you can every time out.

I'd rather do wind sprints everytime out too but my knees can't take it.

People who do over twenty minutes of cardio on a treadmill but pace themselves are working out smart sometimes, though I do agree that you don't have to be on there for an hour.

There are also cardiovascular benefits to prolonged exercise.

How old are you?

By the looks of your avatar, you can't be as old as I am.

Have you ever tried just walking really fast for an interval, then going slower, then repeating?

It looks silly, but when I first started training (I was a 280 lb tub of goo, so I couldn't do much either), it really jump started me (along with the horrific first few months of training).

I learned that it's more about how your excercise affects YOU more than it is about what other people are doing. If I get my heart rate up to 160 bpm by doing the stationary bike, I couldn't care less about that dude on the stairmaster.

Good Lord. Am I becoming a zealot?

[bucksfan2]

Originally Posted by TeamSelig

Are treadmills accurate? It seems like I can run forever on one of those, but whenever I attempt to run outside I can't go 1/2 the distance.

Unless it is an old bad tredmill they are pretty accurate. Some people like treadmills others hate them. The difference you may feel could be a result of the treadmill pacing you or the lack of hills. One common problem with running outside is the lack of a true pace.

For example if your goal is to run 5 miles in an hour you can set your pace at that mark and just go. If you have a 5 mile route picked out you likely aren't going to stick to the same pace for the entire run.

[CrackerJack]

Originally Posted by bucksfan2

Unless it is an old bad tredmill they are pretty accurate. Some people like treadmills others hate them. The difference you may feel could be a result of the treadmill pacing you or the lack of hills. One common problem with running outside is the lack of a true pace.

For example if your goal is to run 5 miles in an hour you can set your pace at that mark and just go. If you have a 5 mile route picked out you likely aren't going to stick to the same pace for the entire run.

Yeah I agree, it's all about pacing and it's hard, unless you are a very experienced runner, to regulate your own pace. I'm pretty muscular from the football days as a WR/LB/CB into college, and a mix of sprinting and long distance works best for me (intervals).

My body type is just not made for long distance running, never has been, and my lung capacity kinda stinks.

I usually just warm up on the treadmill before every workout for 6-10 minutes and sprint for the last minute to get my heart racing and work up a good sweat, then I weight lift fairly intensely for 1-1.5 hours. Keeps my weight steady and my cardio in ok shape, but doesn't wear me out so much that I can't lift (usually high reps/moderate-to-high weight for tone vs bulk).

I also use machines for the most part, and cables, free weights bulk me up too much and the dumb bells and plates are a pain, and are always the most crowded.

PS - People who don't put their weight/plates back really tick me off, and it's very common at my gym - always a good % of rock heads at gyms I guess, with attitudes to boot.

[George Anderson]

Anyone ever used a weight vest when they train? Its like a vest that can add weights ranging from say ten pounds to fifty pounds? Any pros or cons?

[Dom Heffner]

How old are you?

By the looks of your avatar, you can't be as old as I am.

Have you ever tried just walking really fast for an interval, then going slower, then repeating?

It looks silly, but when I first started training (I was a 280 lb tub of goo, so I couldn't do much either), it really jump started me (along with the horrific first few months of training).

I learned that it's more about how your excercise affects YOU more than it is about what other people are doing. If I get my heart rate up to 160 bpm by doing the stationary bike, I couldn't care less about that dude on the stairmaster.

Good Lord. Am I becoming a zealot?

Wheels, I'm 39. I've been working out with weights for close to 20 years, been a runner since I was a kid.

Interval walking- never tried it. Regular walking never has gotten it done for me, and to be honest, I find fast walking uncomfortable.

I like wind sprints best, but they bother me and I find the more violent the action the higher the injury risk.

Steady as she goes for me. I can put the treadmill at 8 mph and run for 5 minutes, take a minute off and then repeat 5 or 6 times. Sounds like a form of interval training, I guess, but I'm on for 5 and off for 1.

You aren't a zealot, you're just explaining what works for you.

I have a friend who runs as hard as he can for 12 minutes everyday. He loses weight, but I'm not so sure it's that he's gaining much in the way of cardiovascular health.

As well- the body can't do that forever, and how much forward does anybody look forward to a workout where you are going at it that hard everyday?

I love these discussions because you learn that everybody has a different idea of what is good, yet if you do something enough, results come.

Are treadmills accurate? It seems like I can run forever on one of those, but whenever I attempt to run outside I can't go 1/2 the distance.

Treadmills are accurate, but remember, they are doing some of the work for you. I find treadmills easier, which is a good thing in my opinion.

Because of the stat counter, you can make sure you are doing the workout. If you run down the road you can slack off, pick it up, but you never really know how well you are doing unless you time it.

I also like treadmills because the surface is normally softer. I have a Landice treadmill at the house, and it's surface is softer than grass. It's great.

I'd look up the model of treadmill you workout and see what the surface is rated out as.

[Dom Heffner]

Okay, I'm going to offer everyone a piece of heaven. Go buy the powder form of Muscle Milk in the flavor of cake batter.

I'm never eating solid food again.

I put it in a blender with some frozen vanilla yogurt and 8 oz of cold milk. I feel like mom just let me lick the mixing bowl.

Better than Skyline, I tell ya.

[TeamSelig]

Anyone ever use hydroxycut? I'm going to give it a try here in a few days.

[Kingspoint]

I'm sorry, but a gym-rat spends 7 days a week 52 weeks a year in the gym. Anything less and you're a part-timer.