OT: Health and Fitness Thread

[RayP]

Anyone here well versed with mountain biking? I think I"m finally buying one this or next week. A Giant Fathom 2.

 

[x Tame Impala]

@RayP how do you make the transition from road biking to mountain biking? Whenever I go back and forth I can't ever get over the difference in peddling input vs. output. I feel like I go nowhere on a mountain bike in comparison to what the lighter road bike gives me.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I've somehow gotten fatter on my trip to Hawaii than when I left. I made it a point to eat relatively well and workout 5 of the 7 days I've been here so far.

The only thing I can think of is that my lunch (which is a huge smoothie mixed with 3 shots of Hawaiian rum ) has more sugar in it than I'm realizing and it's bloating me out. Also, haven't had a normal poop since I got here. Island life is weird

 

[RayP]

@RayP how do you make the transition from road biking to mountain biking? Whenever I go back and forth I can't ever get over the difference in peddling input vs. output. I feel like I go nowhere on a mountain bike in comparison to what the lighter road bike gives me.

I’ll use a heart rate monitor with a power meter, and that way when my training log says ride for 90 minutes at 80%, I can just go off my power readings and use whichever bike I want to that day.

The pedals I’ll use have the built in power meters and it’s easy and quick to swap them from bike to bike.

 

[Marotte Marauder]

I've somehow gotten fatter on my trip to Hawaii than when I left. I made it a point to eat relatively well and workout 5 of the 7 days I've been here so far.

The only thing I can think of is that my lunch (which is a huge smoothie mixed with 3 shots of Hawaiian rum ) has more sugar in it than I'm realizing and it's bloating me out. Also, haven't had a normal poop since I got here. Island life is weird[/QUOTE]

I prefer home base as well!

 

[x Tame Impala]

I’ll use a heart rate monitor with a power meter, and that way when my training log says ride for 90 minutes at 80%, I can just go off my power readings and use whichever bike I want to that day.

The pedals I’ll use have the built in power meters and it’s easy and quick to swap them from bike to bike.

Built in power meters???? Who built your bike, Bruce Wayne? I didn't know that was a thing

 

[RayP]

Built in power meters???? Who built your bike, Bruce Wayne? I didn't know that was a thing

Haha

They’re all sorts of awesome. Expensive, but maybe the best training tool someone who is into this shit as much as me can possibly invest in.

 

[Easy E]

Well my vacation is here and I am pretty happy with the total outcome of my weightlifting (especially while having a baby in the house), just around 6 months, 3 x a week.

BP: 252.5lbs x (3x3)
SQ: 180lbs working sets/ 215 1RM (trying to set my 1RM, going up 5lbs a session)
DL: 200lbs
BR: 155lbs
OHP: 122.5lbs (finally got over the hump of 117.5)
Chin Ups: +7.5lbs (down from +22.5lbs, started doing tyler twists with a flexbar and stopped jumping to grab the bar, helped tremendously with tendinitis)

biceps/triceps/abs on Saturdays, no running (hate it, but should do it)

Starting weight around 180lbs, ending weight 189.5lbs.

Chests, shoulders. back, quads, biceps, triceps definite improvement. Still have those chicken leg calves and no washboard abs but those take serious dedication or just being a really light.

I am moving to lighter volume, higher weights to see how my body does with that. 3 x 5 volume shouldn't be TOO much for me, but after 6 months, it just beats me down. Hope to get my bench up near 285lbs, squats to at least 225lbs, and deadlift to 275lbs before my next trip in August.

I am hoping the lower volume will fix my squat issue, only other thing I could see causing this is my very mild scoliosis

I feel WAY stronger than I ever did before not using a weightlifting program like Starting Strength, highly recommend it.

 

[Easy E]

Oh and if you are using gloves, stop.

Chalk has been way better. The calluses suck for a bit and you may get blisters, but you'll live.

 

[ColdSteel2]

delete

 

[Easy E]

Back on track with my routine, never really got rid of my small belly. Whatever. It’ll happen or it won’t, I don’t care. I think I would have to forgo drinking beer for a good 3-4 months to really get rid of it. I’ll do that next winter.

In the meantime, I’ll try to target the area. I read that if you do situps and other exercises that target the abdominal area just before you do your cardio, you will burn a little more fat from that area specifically, so I will try that.

I don’t see myself ever getting too serious about lifting. I don’t want to compromise my stamina. More muscle means more oxygen is required to keep you going. For me personally, that’s not an element I want to introduce right now. I’m very happy with my physical fitness. Sure, it would be nice if the outward appearance matched it, but that’s not really important to me.

I mean, look at hockey players, pretty lean above the waist and no chest to speak of on a lot of them.

The small belly is the worst. It's what I have. I cut my drinking sessions down to 3 beers per night, tolerance came down so that is perfect amount. Notice my gut shrinking.

Abs are made in the kitchen.

 

[ColdSteel2]

delete

 

[Easy E]

My tolerance has always been wack. I think it’s more mental than anything. It’s nothing to brag about, it’s an expensive problem. Maybe I should drink a few shots in succession and then limit the beer to 3 or 4 to minimize the carb intake and still feel like I got a slight buzz.

As far as diet goes, I don’t eat much carbs at all, cut out the bananas too and now just eat peanut butter with celery sticks. Any suggestions for specific foods to target it more?

I'm not your guy for diet info. I stick to a high protein, low carb diet, but since I am weight training, I still need to keep my calories high.

I get a 4lb trailmix bag from Costco, case of La Croix to keep me from drinking pop, and that is pretty much my snacking besides 1-2 protein shakes.

Give weight lifting a try, convert the fat into muscle, helped shave down my love handles.

 

[ColdSteel2]

I'm not your guy for diet info. I stick to a high protein, low carb diet, but since I am weight training, I still need to keep my calories high.

I get a 4lb trailmix bag from Costco, case of La Croix to keep me from drinking pop, and that is pretty much my snacking besides 1-2 protein shakes.

Give weight lifting a try, convert the fat into muscle, helped shave down my love handles.

Yeah, it wouldn’t hurt to try. I can monitor any changes and adjust as needed.

 

[Illinihockey]

In the meantime, I’ll try to target the area. I read that if you do situps and other exercises that target the abdominal area just before you do your cardio, you will burn a little more fat from that area specifically, so I will try that.

You can't spot lose fat. I wish you could

 

[ColdSteel2]

delete

 

[RayP]

First weekend on the mountain bike, going down a mountain.... hit the brakes because of a real rocky section I see but too late and fly right over my handlebars when I hit a big rock.

No injuries, just a bruised ego since 6-7 people witnessed it.

But man... what a blast and adrenaline rush they was. So much damn fun. The weather was incredible.

 

[Blue Liner]

Seeing your pics makes me miss living in Arizona pretty badly. Very similar as far as the mountains, trails, nature/outdoors stuff. Beautiful views where you are.

 

[RayP]

Left my apartment from the middle of downtown and was on a trail in less than 2 miles. It’s incredible.

 

[BK]

That trail look amazing.

 

[Illinihockey]

I'm simply amazed by the amount bicep curls I see at the gym every morning

 

[HawksBeerFan]

I'm simply amazed by the amount bicep curls I see at the gym every morning

I'm amazed by the lack of understanding of basic weightlifting concepts most people have.

I'm not a big guy, I played college rugby and you can probably tell, but I'm not "jacked." My friends who also lift are always surprised that I can bench way more than them, even if they look much stronger. I have to explain basic strength training stuff to them all the time.

 

[TorMenT]

I'm simply amazed by the amount bicep curls I see at the gym every morning

I'm a total noob to the gym. Never really worked out in my life to be honest, other than sporadic workouts here and there. What's wrong with bicep curls?

Just started working out 5 days a week about 1.5 months ago. Like I said though, total noob to the gym. Doing about 30 minutes of strength then 30 minutes of cardio a night trying to lose my "skinny fat".

 

[Pez68]

I'm simply amazed by the amount bicep curls I see at the gym every morning

Just getting ripped bro.

I'm a total noob to the gym. Never really worked out in my life to be honest, other than sporadic workouts here and there. What's wrong with bicep curls?

Just started working out 5 days a week about 1.5 months ago. Like I said though, total noob to the gym. Doing about 30 minutes of strength then 30 minutes of cardio a night trying to lose my "skinny fat".

Bicep curls work isolated muscles, that don't work in isolation for pretty much anything. So they really don't do anything for overall strength.

 

[Illinihockey]

I'm a total noob to the gym. Never really worked out in my life to be honest, other than sporadic workouts here and there. What's wrong with bicep curls?

Unless you are a body builder, they are kind of a waste of time. Most back exercise you do is going to work your biceps. And the people doing them the most are probably the people that need to be doing them the least. Also its not just people doing curls, its like its an entire day for them. They're doing 3 or 4 variations of curls and doing 3-5 sets of each.