Fitness Forum

[cancer]

Getting in shape is easier said than done, but I plan to do it. I'm slim and all, but I'm not really "in shape." I run out of breath quite easily, and my muscles could be bigger. So I plan on working out every morning of every week for the next year to see how I can improve. I've never really lifted weights for more than a week or two, and never really had a workout routine. I was wondering if anyone would like to share any advice they had for working out, or any routines you've found helpful. Share your questions of fitness here as well, and share all the information you'd like. I want this thread to be a source of fitness inquiries and solutions.

I plan on lifting weights three or four days of the week, and doing just cardio on the others. I'll start out working on muscle memory and not going too heavy, and then gradually I'll get more intense. I'm hoping that once school begins again I'll have some results that show at least.

[Charles]

Here's what you do:

Eat a good breakfast, before you go to the gym. Eat something with a lot of protein, like sausage, or turkey links. Drink a protein shake (Designer Whey is pretty good and cheap). Go to the gym, warm up on an exercise bike for about ten minutes then proceed to lift. Make sure you work out a schedule. For example, work out your biceps on one day, your chest and back during your next routine. and your legs and triceps on the next one. Mix in some ab exercises throughout the week. When you're finished, do about twenty minutes of cardio. Afterwards, have another protein shake and eat a good lunch.

Depending on how much you're trying ot bulk up, you may want to have a third shake after dinner.

Stick with the routine, observe what others are doing around you (best way to learn proper form and new techniques) and you'll see progress.

[Ellerby]

[color=#555555][FONT=Tahoma]Yeah, like Charles said, stick with a routine.

My schedule resets every week. Mondays I work my upper body, mainly my abdominals, and I do a short 10 minute run. Tuesdays I work my lower body and so on and so forth. My Dad is a very fitness-oriented person, so he mixes me a protein drink everyday and I drink that.

I actually love working out, as it makes me feel like I'm actually doing something worth it in the long run instead of sitting on my butt all day. For instance, when I first started working out it took my 48 minutes to run 4km. Now, after about 4 months of consistent training, I can [i]7[/i] km in [i]38[/i] minutes. Which is (obviously) a huge improvement.

Just try to stick with one thing and make minor changes as you go along (more weight, longer runs, etc).[/FONT][/COLOR]

[eleanor]

[color=dimgray] What Charles and White said.

It's easier to do your work out in the mornings, since you get it done and over with. And workouts should always last more than 40 minutes.

Personally, I don't enjoy going to a gym and working out on any man-made machines. I usually go running in the mornings. It's good for your endurance and heart, and it'll work our your legs and stomach. If you have any kind of mp3 player to listen to, I suggest that. Running without music makes me bored and I usually can't stand it. [/color]

[Ezekiel]

[SIZE=1]Wow, I really should concentrate more on my 'routine' (Haha...routine).

I'm apparently a very fit person. We done a test in school where you measure your heart rate before and after short excersises, and I was up in the top five of fitness. I also managed to complete the running bleep-test in school, which was a pretty amazing thing, considering I never believed I had very good stamina. I guess it depends on the exercise, though.

I try to work out, but I'm very bad at remembering to do so. I used to do weights everyday, not enough to get big muscles but enough to make my arms toned, and I also used to do fourty sit-ups a day. It has paid off, and I have a toned stomach and arms, but I still go to the gym every so often in an attempt to keep myself fit.

My main problem is that I don't stick to a routine, which is, as other people pointed out, very important. If you're just looking to tone up I suggest seeing a fitness expert in a gym. That's what I done, and he worked out a routine for me to follow so that I could build up on certain areas. It's really useful.[/SIZE]

[Your Mother]

[SIZE=1]Yup, routine is important, definitely important.

There are different schools of thought on working out. Some people lift weights every day. Some work out different parts of their bodies on different days of the week. What I do is try to get all of my body worked out in a day (takes about an hour and a half) and spend the next day running, or swimming, etc.

Muscles, especially abs, show a lot more when there's no fat hiding them. Translation: Exercise, and drink water. A lot. At least ten glasses a day. Also, take lots of protein; eat dairy foods, eggs, and meat. Drink milk, too.

You have to be consistent, too. It won't take that long, but a few weeks of lifting ain't going to get anything done. Also, if you're looking for a better body, then you [I]have[/I] to eat. You can't build muscle without fuel, just like you can't build a house without cement. But, avoid junk food, candy, soda, etc., and you'll be suprised at how fast your body changes.[/SIZE]

[Retribution]

[quote name='Your Mother][SIZE=1']There are different schools of thought on working out. Some people lift weights every day. Some work out different parts of their bodies on different days of the week. What I do is try to get all of my body worked out in a day (takes about an hour and a half) and spend the next day running, or swimming, etc.[/SIZE][/quote]
[size=1]I was told that if you exercised the same muscle groups every day you would only break down the muscle. This makes sense, as working out actually causes micro-tears, but when you allow them to rest they rebuild stronger than before. Basically, you need a day where you rest the muscles you just worked out or you won't progress much. However, there are muscles that are dense enough that they [i]need[/i] to be worked out every day (calves, abs).

Correct me if I'm wrong, though.[/size]

[OMNOMNOMALY]

[FONT=Trebuchet MS][COLOR=Indigo]Lifting weights is important, but I think first off, you should concentrate on your core muscles. (not just abs, like alot of people seem to think.) Core muscles will give you the stamina to be a great runner, and just in general be more fit. It definitely wouldn't hurt to throw some core work into your routine. I play for a club soccer team, and we do core 3 times a week, after a ten minute run.

Try doing V-sits (raise your shoulderblades off the ground, and straighten your legs, also off the ground in front of you.. you know, like in a v. Then straighten your body out, then go back up to that position without touching the ground.) instead of just sit ups, and Turkish get ups (lay down on the ground, one arm raised with your elbow by your ear, your other arm down at your side. Get up without using your other arm to help you, keeping your arm straight and your elbow up). If you can, get a friend to go with you, because then you can do (I have no idea what it's called) the exercise where you lay down on the ground, and raise your legs straight up to a ninety degree, and have them give your legs resistance, so that you have to let your legs go down again, without letting them touch the ground. It really does help, if you do it a few times a week, consistently. Even just three times a week, I'm in great shape and my abs, as well as my arms and quads are significantly stronger. And if you do weights on top of that, holy crap!

I hope this helps and I hope I'm not confusing you ^__^;; Good luck![/COLOR][/FONT]

[The13thMan]

[FONT=Century Gothic] [COLOR=DarkOrange]I actually decided to start working out again partly due to this thread. The other part being i'm a lazy bum when i'm not forced to do anything and that gets to me a little after a while.

So my question is, how do you run? What's the proper form to run? My calculus teacher was also the track coach and he would often say people have horrible form when it comes to running and that it's very difficult to run in correct form. Any advice would be great. ^L^
[/COLOR] [/FONT]

[OMNOMNOMALY]

[QUOTE=The13thMan][FONT=Century Gothic] [COLOR=DarkOrange]I actually decided to start working out again partly due to this thread. The other part being i'm a lazy bum when i'm not forced to do anything and that gets to me a little after a while.

So my question is, how do you run? What's the proper form to run? My calculus teacher was also the track coach and he would often say people have horrible form when it comes to running and that it's very difficult to run in correct form. Any advice would be great. ^L^
[/COLOR] [/FONT][/QUOTE]

[COLOR=Indigo][FONT=Trebuchet MS]The major problem with most people is that they bring their arms across their bodies as they run. That really slows you down and wastes alot of energy. Your arms should help, not hinder, your runner. Keep them pointing straight as you run, don't allow them to move across your body. The other problem is running really heavily, using your whole foot. Try running almost as if you're on your tiptoes. Use the front of your foot. I hope this helps =3 I am [I]kinda[/I] qualified.. I play soccer XP[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Katana]

[size=1][color=royalblue]Ahhh...working out. It was so easy during the school year, now it's a royal pain during summer...

If you know anybody who seriously knows how to lift weights, I would suggest talking to them. I took personal fitness (aka, a gym-within-school class) this previous school year, and I learned so many exercises that involve dumbells. (Of course, I can't remember anything right now. ¬_¬)

I dunno how old you are, but there's a bunch of easy stuff you can do. Randomly shoot some hoops, go bikeriding up and down some streets, walk around, etc. If you spread out your exercise like that, it'll probably seem better as opposed to walking on a treadmill, etc. Though, that's just if you have the means to do something like that.

Oh, and of course, watch what you eat. You don't have to eliminate everything you love, but try and eat three meals a day with minior snacking in-between. And always eat breakfast! It kickstarts your metabolism. :3

I guess I can suggest vitamins, but that really depends. I started taking an Omega 3 pill around Janurary (go for flax seed, not fish oil...then you won't be burping up fish juice). Omega 3 is good for your cholesterol and stuff, but I noticed something else with it...When I was in personal fitness class and did a heavy lift, I would always be sore the next two days or so. After I started taking the Omega 3, I noticed I wasn't sore on the next day. I also noticed that, if I pulled a back muscle or something, it wouldn't hurt the next day. Blimey!
Though that might just be me. No, I don't take drugs. >_>

Just go for it. You've already got the first step - actually getting up and doing something. So really, only you can decided what to do now. =3[/color][/size]