Getting Ready for Summer! 8-Week Fitness Challenge!

[Robert Z]

GRRRRRrrrrrrrrr, ripping it up today! Feels good.

 

I start on the elliptical. The first five to seven minutes is always uncomfortable... like I can't get things going. Then I get focused on my breathing it's like someone throws a switch. I want to push harder and harder. For me the key is to focus entirely on my breathing and whether my muscles are getting enough oxygen. It is more getting focused than a matter of warming up.

 

Normally I do about 30 minutes of interval training on the elliptical, with the last 15 minutes or so being HIIT, and another 30-40 minutes of weight lifting.

 

I've always loved weight lifting. The first significant purchase I made with my own money, at about age ten, was an old set of steel weights - Healthways brand. I had a book called The Art of Self Defense, given to me by my uncle, that included several chapters on weight training. and I was off. By the time I was a sophomore in high school I could military about 225 Lbs [all the weight I had], and do 750 Lbs on the leg press on the universal weight machine, for many reps.

 

 

To this day I think I benefit from that.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Robert Z

[fitnessfan365]

Hey Robert! Two things.

 

1) Do your high intensity training AFTER weight training. You'll get more out of your lifting if you do it fresh and aren't taxed from intervals.

 

2) Ditch the eliptical and do high intensity training with body weight conditioning instead. Moving your body through space will burn significantly more calories and put your eliptical high intensity workout to shame.

 

Example - Do as many full push-up burpees as you can in 30 seconds with good form. Rest 60 seconds. Then do mountain climbers all out for 30 seconds. Rest 60 seconds. For 20 minutes continue to switch off between these two with a 30/60 work/rest ratio. Try it and you'll be amazed at how much more challenging it is.

[MightyPen]

I'm glad to see everyone's been so active (other than that slacker, fitnessfan)!

 

Are any of us guys around the same age? For some reason, I thought many of us were in the 35-45 age bracket? I ask because I'm pushing myself harder than I have in many many years. I've lost over 20 lbs total now, so I'm halfway to my goal. If I drop another 20 lbs over the course of the next four months or so, I'll be leaner and meaner than I've been since high school.

 

I'll be hitting the gym Saturday and Sunday. Mostly free weights followed by 30-minute cardio sessions with HIIT.

 

My diet remains super clean. It's getting easier and easier to eat clean.

[NewLeaf512]

I'm glad to see everyone's been so active (other than that slacker, fitnessfan)!

 

Are any of us guys around the same age? For some reason, I thought many of us were in the 35-45 age bracket? I ask because I'm pushing myself harder than I have in many many years. I've lost over 20 lbs total now, so I'm halfway to my goal. If I drop another 20 lbs over the course of the next four months or so, I'll be leaner and meaner than I've been since high school.

 

I'll be hitting the gym Saturday and Sunday. Mostly free weights followed by 30-minute cardio sessions with HIIT.

 

My diet remains super clean. It's getting easier and easier to eat clean.

 

I'm 46. I've been told I look a bit younger. Botox helps!

 

Can you elaborate on clean eating?

[MightyPen]

I'm 46. I've been told I look a bit younger. Botox helps!

 

Can you elaborate on clean eating?

 

Lean proteins, complex carbs, lots of veggies and fruits, some dairy - basically everything I eat has good nutritional value - no empty calories.No junk. No fried stuff. No fast food. Very few sweets. Very little alcohol. If I get super hungry I'll eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich and that really satisfies me. As I'm typing this I realize how loose my shirts are becoming.

[NewLeaf512]

Lean proteins, complex carbs, lots of veggies and fruits, some dairy - basically everything I eat has good nutritional value - no empty calories.No junk. No fried stuff. No fast food. Very few sweets. Very little alcohol. If I get super hungry I'll eat a peanut butter and banana sandwich and that really satisfies me. As I'm typing this I realize how loose my shirts are becoming.

 

I eat no sugar, just quit dairy and eat very few carbs. I'm keeping to 1200 kcal per day

 

No junk. Nothing processed. No sweetener.

[fitnessfan365]

Due to a cold, I finally took a week off exercise. So to prepare for next week I did one super-set of ten strict dead hang pull-ups followed immediately by 20 push-up burpees in a row.

 

Now while this is a challenging super-set to do, I never usually feel like I did an entire workout after just one..LOL That's why I hate recovery weeks. They're a necessary evil, but you always feel like crap when starting to workout again after one.

[Robert Z]

Hey Robert! Two things.

 

1) Do your high intensity training AFTER weight training. You'll get more out of your lifting if you do it fresh and aren't taxed from intervals.

 

Yes, I know you're right. I was doing 10 minutes on the elliptical for warm up, then weights, then the HIIT. But if I don't do the HIIT first I crap out after the weights. So I stick with what works. I walk home instead of driving for warm down.

 

2) Ditch the eliptical and do high intensity training with body weight conditioning instead.

 

Due to multiple injuries over the years [blew my knees out the first time at age 15], the elliptical is the best option. It allows me to get the cardio training I need without the risk of injuries. It also cured me of the need for Viagra. Hard to argue with success!

 

It also allows me to have my Zen time - seriously! I can completely zone and focus entirely on my breathing.

 

I started by swimming every other day. But the need to worry about breathing [the occasional gulp of water, and missed, or ill-timed breaths] is detrimental to the efficiency of the workout. Again I found the elliptical to be the best option.

 

Before I turned my life around, physically I was a wreck - too many injuries when I was young. I never thought I could be active again. It is a miracle I can do these things again. But I have to be extremely careful about what I do, and how I do it. For example, I was doing the leg extensions and curls but those are out. They were causing knee pain even after cutting way back on the weight.

Edited April 16, 2016 by Robert Z

[NewLeaf512]

Bizarre food day yesterday so off to the gym to sort it out!

[AMJ]

For all of the runners- you must try RockMyRun. It's an app with tons of running music, all different genres and tempos. Lots of the music is free, or you can pay $35/year for the premium mixes. If you take your runs outside and far away from wifi then download the mixes you want onto your shuffle. I even listen to it in my car on longer drives, it's the best!

[Robert Z]

Just finished a hard, very late workout, and I want to go back! I feel like I want to do another set. I'm upping the weight a bit but still forcing myself to take every other day off for now.

 

 

Really hammered the HIIT and the weights tonight. I was in the zone the entire hour.

[amaysngrace]

I'm still mostly walking and doing power yoga for exercise but I started the caveman diet and I love it so far.

 

I'm not starving like I was when I counted calories and I'm losing weight every day!

[fitnessfan365]

BRUTAL workout today. Especially after spending a week getting over a cold.

 

1) Bleacher runs

2) Pull-Ups

3) 60 yard sled push

4) Battle rope slams

5) Plyometric push-ups

 

Made it through 4x in 53 minutes. ASS KICKED..LOL

[fitnessfan365]

Yesterday I hit the HARD 5 mile trail. Despite coming back off being sick, I was able to match my old personal best of 59 minutes. I was happy with that because I thought I'd lose pace after being sick. The hills there are so awful. But I still forced myself to run more than I walked. In another 1-2 weeks, I should have my time down to 50 minutes because I'm determined to run more and more of the trail.

 

Today, I did a truly BRUTAL workout. There is a really LONG and STEEP section of stairs near my place. So wearing my 40lb weight vest, I briskly walked every other step leaving one in between to get more of a lunge. Then when I got to the top I immediately dropped and did ten push-ups. Then immediately back down to the bottom of the stairs one at a time and repeat. I pretty much did this for 45 minutes non stop, minus a few 15-30 second breaks here/there. Not only did this give me one of the most difficult cardiovascular challenges I've had in awhile, but doing that many lunges/push-ups with added weight made my whole body want to give out near the end. I'm going to do this workout once a week until it gets to be a bit more bearable.

Edited April 21, 2016 by fitnessfan365

[RecentChange]

My wonky knee is feeling better and I am back to running 4 miles a day on my lunch break

 

Don't really have a loss goal right now, but being able to run consistently again feels great - I am so nice and relaxed now back in the office after my run.

[loveweary11]

I've fallen off the saddle and the horse trampled me. I've done nothing. Been too busy using my brain and man parts. Oddly, the more I work out, the less either of those other things work well.

 

Hope to get more free time to work out once I'm in my new rv bouncing around the country.

[MightyPen]

Yesterday I hit the HARD 5 mile trail. Despite coming back off being sick, I was able to match my old personal best of 59 minutes. I was happy with that because I thought I'd lose pace after being sick. The hills there are so awful. But I still forced myself to run more than I walked. In another 1-2 weeks, I should have my time down to 50 minutes because I'm determined to run more and more of the trail.

 

Today, I did a truly BRUTAL workout. There is a really LONG and STEEP section of stairs near my place. So wearing my 40lb weight vest, I briskly walked every other step leaving one in between to get more of a lunge. Then when I got to the top I immediately dropped and did ten push-ups. Then immediately back down to the bottom of the stairs one at a time and repeat. I pretty much did this for 45 minutes non stop, minus a few 15-30 second breaks here/there. Not only did this give me one of the most difficult cardiovascular challenges I've had in awhile, but doing that many lunges/push-ups with added weight made my whole body want to give out near the end. I'm going to do this workout once a week until it gets to be a bit more bearable.

 

I found this post both extremely impressive and a little discouraging. If we were using "Naked and Afraid" number levels, you are like a 8.6 and I am a 2.7.

[MightyPen]

My wonky knee is feeling better and I am back to running 4 miles a day on my lunch break

 

Don't really have a loss goal right now, but being able to run consistently again feels great - I am so nice and relaxed now back in the office after my run.

 

I'm glad your knee is...less wonky?

 

It does feel pretty awesome to run at lunch time, doesn't it? I've been trying to squeeze in 5ks myself. But then I am a sweaty mess. How do you manage to look all presentable afterward, if I may ask?

[RecentChange]

I end up a sweaty mess.

 

I work in a tiny office (4 of us), and we rarely have clients come in. I "chill out" for about 15 mins after my run (while still spandex clad ) and then go change + blow dry my hair.

 

Luckily I don't smell - I swear my sweat is sentless

 

Days the weather or my knee keep me inside - I exercise at the gym and take advantage of their shower.

 

With my schedule, lunch is the only time I have for exercise.

 

Knee - tore my LCL about a year ago stopping a runaway horse. Then a slip a few months ago re-angered it. I never wanted to be in the bum knee brigade! So annoying when it keeps me from running.

[MightyPen]

Well I don't rock the spandex (good move on my part), but yeah I also have the little "cooling down" period where I close my office door, turn on my fan full blast, and sit there and drip. It's very attractive, let me assure you.

 

I have a short commute, so as it gets hotter I'll have to drive back and forth at lunch to shower, because unfortunately I don't have non-stinky sweat.

 

And lunch hours are my best time to exercise too...it's my "me" time.

 

Remind me to let a runaway horse go in any direction he/she pleases.

[fitnessfan365]

Fri - Did 45 minutes of hill running and stair running.

 

Sat - Did 800 battle rope slams in 30 minutes which is a new personal best! I've always had a goal of doing 1000 in 30 minutes so I am almost there.

 

Sun - Can't believe I did 7 days of exercise this week. Especially since I was sick the week before. But I managed to run more than I walked on the 5 mile hiking trail wearing my 40lb weight vest!!! This was an all new personal best for me.

 

Took a much deserved rest day today..LOL

[fitnessfan365]

Another ass kicker today.

 

150 bleacher stair jumps ( 5 sets of 30)

50 strict dead hang pull-ups ( 5 sets of 10)

60 push-up burpees ( 5 sets of 12)

300 battle rope slams ( 5 sets of 60)

 

Switching off between 60 battle rope slams and 12 burpees for 5 sets each at the end was absolute death. My buddy and I were happy finishing this workout in 60 minutes though because we did a whopping 20 sets of full body madness. Towards the end the rest periods were longer. But for the first half at least, rest periods were under a minute between sets.

[fitnessfan365]

Wed - Smashed another three minutes off my personal best trail time @ 56 minutes. By summer, I am determined to finish in under 50 minutes. Runs are getting better and better. I've never been a long distance guy so I am happy with my progress. Especially since the terrain is so uneven and the hills are steep.

 

Thurs AM - Local stair climbing spot. Took every other stair in my 40lb weighted vest all the way to the top, immediately did ten push-ups, back down, and repeat. Manged to get this done in just over 30 minutes. Huge improvement.

 

Thurs PM - 25 pull-ups. Then did stair sprints going from basement level to roof level at the parking garage near my gym. Managed ten rounds in under 20 minutes which felt AWESOME! Then I tested myself to see how many full burpees I could do over three sets. Managed 44 - 20, 12, and 12. Next goal is to 50 in three sets, and keep increasing on that.

 

Rest day today!

[fitnessfan365]

Sat - Found a new hiking spot to try out. Surrounding streets had some really steep hills before getting to the trails. Did some hill runs. Then did a mix of fast walking and running on the trails. Some really nasty hilly sections. At one point, I found a section that was 1/2 mile straight up hill. Literally just kept going and going and going. Was out there for 90 minutes overall.

 

Sun - Burpees at the beach. Conditioning is getting really good because I was doing sets of 15 consistently and feeling fully recovered after like 30-45 seconds Burpees in sand are much harder too because every time you jump up you're bringing sand up with you.

 

Mon - Good weighted vest hike. 5 miles.

 

Tues - Did 5 rounds of heavy sled pushes, 50 pull-ups, 300 battle rope slams, and ab movements. Whole workout took an hour and was spent. But felt good.

 

Wed - Sprint workout at the track - Sprinted the 100 yard straight aways and walked the curves. Did 16 sprints in 30 minutes. Ar two sprints every 1/4 mile, went for two miles worth. Much harder than a normal two mile run. But this was an all new personal best for me.

 

Today - Weighted vest stairs and push-ups. Skipped a step in between on the way up to get more of a lunge. Then ten push-ups at the top. Repeated this for ten rounds. One trip up has 46 lunge steps (23 per leg). So after ten rounds it's basically like doing 460 lunges. Haha Not fun in a 40lb weight vest. Also the 100 push-ups KILLED my arms.

[fitnessfan365]

Sat - Did a great bleacher run / strength workout at the track. The bleachers have six sections of ten stairs. So I ran all the way up/back down, across to the next section, up/back down, etc.. Then I would do a set of pull-ups. Back on the bleachers, etc.. Kept this up for four rounds each. Then kept the bleacher runs constant and switched to bar dips with another four sets of each. Overall workout took 40 minutes.

 

Sun - BRUTAL two hour hike in my 40lb vest. Found a new hiking spot where you have to do about a mile's worth of steep hilly streets just to get to the trails. Then a TON of steep hills. After two hours I was exhausted..LOL

 

Today - Did another awesome bleacher run conditioning workout. 12 burpees at one end. Full bleacher run all the way to the end. Then 60 battle rope slams. Full bleacher run back the other way. Then another 12 burpees, etc.. In the end I did 60 burpees, 300 battle rope slams, and ten rounds of full bleacher runs. Took a little less than an hour to complete. Probably one of the toughest workouts I've done in awhile.