The get fit, stay fit thread

[lanky_ffc]

If you fancy some high intensity for the end of a workout, give this a try:

It's recommended as a warm but at my current level of fitness, I'd be too knackered to a proper weights session after this. Most of the videos on this channel are worth a watch. Here's another which could probably pass as a full cardio session:

[Gaz]

I'm not a fan of using the treadmill for HIIT. I find it takes too long for the treadmill to accelerate to sprinting speed and then too long to decelerate afterwards. What "woodside" has posted is pretty much what I do for HIIT.

My serious training for the Alloa half marathon started in earnest tonight. Eight weeks to go. Anyone been to a spin class before (on the bikes)? I'm looking for a something a bit new to try for a change and heard they're great for building up cardiovascular fitness.

[Benjamin_Nevis]

Whats everyone doing in terms of HIIT?

I used the Cross Trainer these days as it's less painful on the knees. Basically 2 mins warm up, then 20-30 mins of 30secs (160 strides per mins) and 30 secs of absolutely tanking it on higher resistance.

I used to use the treadmill:

5min warm up 6.4

Then one minute each as follows: 6.8 - 7.2 - 6.8 - 7.2 - 7.6 - 7.2 - 7.6 - 8.0 - 9.0 - 10.0

5 mins cool down of 6.4

I got it off Men's Running magazine last summer, and for a while it worked a treat. My fitness was as good as it's ever been. However had to stop using the treadmill to ease the knees a bit. Hope to get back to it sometime soon though to replace the work on the X-Trainer.

Anyone been to a spin class before (on the bikes)? I'm looking for a something a bit new to try for a change and heard they're great for building up cardiovascular fitness.

Aye, i do RPM three times a week, which is along similar lines. It's a 45 minute class which if you're prepared to ramp the resistance up is a terrific workout. I started doing it as i thought it would be good for general fitness, as well as trying to build some strength into my legs inc knees which were getting a bit nippy as i was playing a ridiculous amount of indoor football. It's pretty good and generally I finish up looking like i've had a shower with my kit on.

The other good thing from my point of view is that the instructor makes you do a proper stretch and cool down resulting in not too much stiff/soreness the following day. Of course you should do that anyway, but it's too tempting just to f**k off for a shower after a workout out on your own.

Edited January 24, 2012 by jupe1407

[Mak]

Whats everyone doing in terms of HIIT?

Prefer hill sprints, but been using the treadmill and bike recently due to high amounts of snow.

Treadmill - 2 minutes at 12 km/h followed by 1 minute at 18 km/h four times through (at a gradient of 2.0%)

Bike - 2 minutes at level 9 and 60 rpm followed by 30 seconds at level 15 and 100 rpm, six times through.

I like to do bodyweight circuit training too, which I find is a really effective way of burning fat and building cardio in a shorter time and is also less boring. Tabata protocol (20 seconds at maximum intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest, eight times through) is good. I like to do four back to back tabata workouts of burpees, Hindu squats, press ups and burpees.

[Bogs_Dollox]

need something to hold my ipod in while i am working out. what do you guys use/whats best?

[Derek Patterson]

need something to hold my ipod in while i am working out. what do you guys use/whats best?

Any of the wee independent mobile phone shops have the arm holders for ipods/iphone/mobiles etc for a few quid.

[aidan-bufc]

I am really interested in keeping fit, and having more muscle about me:

Currently I have a gym membership and split each training day into different categories:

• Back and Biceps
• Chest and Triceps
• Shoulders and Legs

and finish each program with a core exercise before going to have a 15 minute jog* (at a fairly high pace) on the treadmills.

*must note that if your going to run on treadmills always set a time to reach before stopping or if your going a jog keep a record of your times and it should encourage you to achieve better results!

EDIT: Forgot to add that if your going to do weight training and cardio there is not point keeping track of your weight as what you lose in body fat you will put on double in muscle.

Edited January 25, 2012 by aidan-bufc

[harrington]

EDIT: Forgot to add that if your going to do weight training and cardio there is not point keeping track of your weight as what you lose in body fat you will put on double in muscle.

I'm not sure about that tbh. It's easier to lose 2 lbs in fat than put on 2lb in muscle! I here this kinda thing a lot and i think it can be self deluding. When is started doing weights i piled on the poundsbut that was because i was eating cleanly. Yeah, i'm sure i bulked up with a bit of muscle but more of it was fat.

[Mak]

EDIT: Forgot to add that if your going to do weight training and cardio there is not point keeping track of your weight as what you lose in body fat you will put on double in muscle.

...not really.

You'll put on weight if you're taking in more calories than you're burning. It's not as simple as 'do weight training = pack on bulk'.

You can either lose, gain or maintain weight whilst doing weights and cardio. It all depends on what you eat. There's also a difference between losing weight and losing fat / gaining weight and gaining muscle.

[FBadgers]

Best thin i did was get fife council gym mebership, allowing me to use any swimming pools/gyms across the region. Ok none are anything super special, but variety helps

I'm playing 6s now, so i tend to go swimming twice a week, gym 2/3 times, and one night of footy.

I find if i work out in the gym a lot, even ver well over 2 / 3 weeks flat out i lose interest, so best to vary everything.

Got roughly 2 stone to lose. \Trying to get from 15 st to 13. (I'm 6 ft 1)

So far lost 4 lbs since just after new year, so going well so far.

[young_bairn]

Rest day today after a busy Monday and Tuesday. Got aches all over. Good times

[Marshmallo]

I forgot my shorts today so had to hit the weights in my jeans. It was a close call between me and the guy who lifts weights in a yellow cagoule in the "most special looking person in the gym" category.

[banterman86]

Squat

Pull up

Deadlift

Benchpress

I normally do 15-20 minutes on the crosstrainer, and 20-30 min in the pool afterwards

Will that work most of my major muscle groups to be worthwhile and effective?

I attempted this on monday night, and felt like I had a good work out. effectively broke down into 3 20 minute periods - weights,c ardio, swimming. Couldn;t handle HIIT in the poool though - too busy

I wanted to bring in barbell rows instead of pull ups, but feel a bit funny doing them

[Kaizen]

Evening all, first time poster and this thread caught my eye. It is interesting to see what other people are doing for their training regime.

Currently my routine is over six days.

Monday shoulders

Tuesday HIIT and abs

Wednesday chest

Thursday legs

Friday biceps/triceps

Saturday back ( I know its bad not to have a rest day but this is the only time I can fit it in!)

Out of interest what does everyone take as a suppliment? Im taking an all in one with creatine, 90g protein, BCAA's and 500 calories, half an hour before training and straight after.

[ShakehandsTom - DFC]

Since the turn of the year, I've been really watching what I eat, thus improving my diet massively, and I've had no alcohol since new year either.

I've been doing a decent amount of cardio too, either a just-under-10k run every week, sometimes 5's once a week too (and the gym sometimes) but i'm just wondering what I can do in addition to that, that would help me tone/build definition etc. (excluding the gym)?

[Mak]

Gave your bike HIIT a go, pretty good. Was probably going more than 60 rpm in the rest out of habit though.

Yeah, I find it difficult to keep down to 60 too but tend to force myself to as the point in that part is that it's a recovery period. The 100rpm in the 'sprint' section is a minimum, though.

[Fuctifano]

Had a fitness assessment on Thursday morning, pretty happy with my aerobic stats (58 ml/kg/min for VO2 max), pressups (48 in a minute), and bodyfat (13% down from 15% at the end of November). BMI is 22 but I only give that a passing glance. Things needing worked on are grip strength (40kg on dynamometer) and flexibility (+13cm on sit and reach test, I have the hamstring flexibility of a brick). Blood pressure and lung function all ok.

Been doing usual HIIT for my cardio on either rower, treadmill, or bike, and since new year I've been doing circuits on the "natural strength" machines, which are best described as a halfway house between machines and free weights where the grips can twist round, and for the leg press both the seat and the pad move. Main perk of these at my gym is that almost nobody else uses them so doing a circuit is really easy.

Also been doing a similar-but-not-quite-as-intense home workout as mhak, with 25 pressups, 25 crunches, and 25 bodyweight squats followed by one minute rest (can't really do burpees on my bedroom floor as it'll make too much noise) on 2 of my non-gym days, struggle to get 3 full circuits before collapsing! Been watching what I've been eating especially during the week, until the last 24 hours anyway. Think today was my first can of fizzy drink since 2nd January and other than on a Saturday I've had no junk food or crisps.

Going to try and build more strength when I change my programme in a couple of weeks. I'm a natural ectomorph so putting on lean mass has never been that easy - I originally typed size instead of lean mass but that would ignore putting on 2 stone of fat in a couple of years not so long ago- but I'd be happy just to see some progression on the weights.

[A-Mac]

I lost about 7 kg in 3 weeks just from cutting out soft drink & lollies.

The thing i find hard is keeping up the motivation, i am starting football this season so hopefully i can get myself into reasonable shape.

[Reynard]

I've had a really shitty virus that started before Christmas and lingered on well into the new year. I then struggled to get any cardio stuff going at all up until last week when I felt suddenly and randomly better. Kept on with the weights so I didn't lose much in terms of overall fitness but I was tending to blow out my arse after half an hour at squash which was never like me. I felt suddenly totally better last week and started back doing proper cardio stuff again and can get back to building up my stamina and endurance. It felt quite daunting really as I have always been used to a routine and I have pretty much been vegging since Christmas

That's the worst virus/post virus thing I have had for years, I'm glad it has finally decided to f**k off.

[Drooper]

+1 for cycling.

There are now plenty of organised sportive and etape rides that you can 'train' for if you need a goal, and cycling is ideal if you want to mix it up in terms of getting together with mates or flying solo for some head clearing time.

I also use the bike to commute whenever I can, and this saves money, keeps me in shape, and is also good for my mental health (I get agitated if I can't get out on the bike).

I used to run half marathons on occasion, but my knees can't hack it any longer, so I took up road cycling. As others have said, this is ideal if you wan't to avoid stress and impact injuries. I also prefer cycling as I feel I can cover a lot of ground in a relatively short period, and this keeps exercising interesting. I despise the gym, and would rather take the bike out in the pissing rain.