This video outlines how to measure your neck, forearm, bicep, shoulder, chest, waist, hips, thigh, and calf using just a flexible measuring tape. If you don't have one, a piece of string/rope and a regular tape measure can accomplish the same thing. Again, consistency. This video helps me to make sure I measure the same area each time.
The strength standards on this page grade your one-rep max performance against other adult lifters at your bodyweight.
The Strength Level Calculator can show your exact level of strength at any bodyweight. You can also specify the number of repetitions and it will estimate your one-rep max.
There are comparison photos for men and women with corresponding body fat percentages. If you don't have an easy way to determine your body fat, this is a good start.
If the photos aren't quite good enough for you, this link contains some calculations to determine your body fat percentage using a measuring tape and a scale
Covert Bailey believes that knowing percent body fat tells you more about your body than any other test. It tells you what your correct weight ought to be, how much fat you have, how much muscle, and what exactly you need to gain or lose. Knowing this one number allows you to design an exercise program to maximize your efforts.
The effects of a diet or exercise program can only be monitored when you have accurate biometric data. This web page will help you calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist-to-Height ratio, percent body fat, and lean body mass. You also get an estimate of your daily calorie and protein requirements based on your level of activity. It is a good idea to record your measurements once per week to keep track of your progress. If you keep the data in a spreadsheet (e.g., MS Excel) you will be able to create charts to see trends more easily.
Effortlessly track any activity. As you walk, run, or cycle throughout the day, your phone or Android Wear watch automatically logs them with Google Fit.
• Get instant insights. See real-time stats for your runs, walks, and rides. Google Fit will record your speed, pace, route, elevation, and more so you can stay motivated and on track.
• Reach your fitness goals. Set goals based on steps, time, distance, calories burned. Receive personalized recommendations and coaching for activity goals.
• Measure your wellness. Aggregates info from other apps to track fitness, nutrition, sleep, and weight: Android Wear, Nike+, Runkeeper, Strava, MyFitnessPal, Lifesum, Basis, Sleep as Android, Withings, and Xiaomi Mi bands.
• Check in from anywhere. Track your progress from your phone, tablet, the web (fit.google.com) and even your Android Wear watch.
Lose weight with MyFitnessPal, the world’s most popular health and fitness app! With the largest food database by far (over 5,000,000 foods), our amazingly fast and easy to use calorie counter help you take those extra pounds off! And it’s FREE – no strings attached. There is no better diet app – period.
Lose It! helps you set a daily calorie budget, track your food and exercise, and stay motivated to make smarter choices and achieve your goal. We think it’s the best, most seamless weight loss system available.
Every one. Every run. Track your pace, measure workout distance, chart weight loss, crush training goals and more with the running app trusted by 45 million users! Runkeeper is the simplest way to improve fitness, whether you’re just deciding to get off the couch for a 5k, biking every day, or even deep into marathon training.
Track your runs, walks, bike rides, training workouts and all of the other fitness activities using the GPS in your Android Phone.
This is a really fabulous app that not only has a great algorithm to figure out what mode of transportation you’re using, but keeps GPS tracks of where you’ve been that are really nice and easy to read as a timeline of your day.
If you like a "carrot" as well as a "stick", I also use Gympact, which is like Beeminder except it also pays YOU if you work out, and takes money if you don't. It integrates with runkeeper, moves, and a lot of other things. I set the amount of times a week I plan to work out, and Gym Pact uses data from Runkeeper to determine if I’ve worked out enough. It only counts one workout per day, and the time spent exercising must be greater than 30 minutes. At the end of the week, if I haven’t met my goal, I get charged $5 for each day I missed. If I meet my goal, I get paid out a sum of money from the other people who didn’t meet their goal. Usually it’s around $1.25-$1.50 a week. I've been using it for 2 years and I've earned about $60 off of it.
Track and compare your big lifts.
The site isn't the easiest to navigate, but it's set up kind of like a blog with a new post every day (that's the WOD). The exercise demos (https://www.crossfit.com/exercisedemos/) have a plethora of information on proper form for specific exercises.
They have fantastic resources for anything mobility related, and heavy PT backgrounds, so really safe and well vetted stuff. Kelly Starrett (aka KStar) is the author of Becoming a Supple Leopard (amazon (http://amzn.com/1628600837)), and is frankly a genius.
I’m going to teach you how to get into the side splits in just 1 month. This will be a VERY REWARDING journey, however, you will need to show me that you are DEDICATED. Increasing your flexibility at this level TAKES TIME. A little every day. You will need to stretch for at least 10 min a day if you’re serious about getting into the splits in 1 month. But let me assure you right now that this feat is not impossible!
Dr. Metzl has developed the Ironstrength Workout specifically for runners and triathletes, as featured in his Runner’s World “Inside the Doctor’s Office” series. The videos break down the workout into muscle-group specific sequences, and therefore it is important to complete the sequence in the correct order.
This app is super fun. It's the only way I can really run. There are apparently issues attempting to use the playlist and playing your music in the app, but it's an audio only adventure (with gps stuff and different scenarios, like mobs of zombies that you have to run faster to escape), so I haven't actually tried that feature. Feel free to post your experience here if you've used it!!
The proven C25K (Couch to 5K) program was designed for inexperienced runners who are just beginning an exercise routine.The plan's structure prevents new runners from giving up and at the same time challenges them to continue moving forward. C25K works because it starts with a mix of running and walking, gradually building up strength and stamina to fully running 5K.
(Jordan Note: See the goal description post (http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/strength-fitness-2016/msg915035/#msg915035) for more info on the program itself)
Hundred Pushups is the ultimate program to train the body to go from just one pushup to 100 consecutive reps in less than two months -- sculpting muscles in the chest, abs, back, glutes and arms without a single piece of unwieldy equipment.
On a mission to get the tools of yoga into schools and homes, Adriene also produces and hosts Yoga With Adriene, a successful online community that provides high quality yoga at no cost to inspire people of all shapes and sizes across the globe. YWA was recognized by Google as the most searched workout of 2015, has been recognized by The Wall Street Journal and was awarded a Streamy in Health and Wellness in 2016.
Hero's Journey is a role-play fitness program inspired by every hero’s transformation from minion to master. Each day takes you through a stage of the journey, presents you with fresh challenges, opportunities and threats. Each of these is accompanied by exercises that test your skill, push your performance and require you to adapt and develop in order to go on.
It’s a combination of quantified self and behavioral economics. Essentially, you tell it what you want to do, and if you don’t work towards those goals in a systematic way, it’ll charge you money. It’s helpful in that you don’t have to worry about whether or not you’re making progress on a goal, because Beeminder will tell you if you’re off track. It autolinks to a bunch of other things mentioned in the resources list - like Runkeeper and Strava and Fitbit.
At the moment, I get charged $5 by Beeminder if I don’t average 10,000 steps a day and average 7 hours of sleep a night (this is an average, so I can make up the time over the week – 9 hours one night, 6 the next is okay in the end.) If I get really behind, I can actually say “I have to go to bed by 8:30 or take a long walk at lunch otherwise I get charged $5″. This helps with making sure I’m on top of my sleep hygiene and daily steps. And I don’t need to do anything special because they’re integrated automatically!
Habitica is a free habit building and productivity app that treats your real life like a game. With in-game rewards and punishments to motivate you and a strong social network to inspire you, Habitica can help you achieve your goals to become healthy, hard-working, and happy.
Physical Fitness Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for physical fitness professionals, athletes, trainers, and those providing health-related needs.
Rest and recovery is an important aspect of an exercise program, especially for high level athletes.
parkrun started back in 2004 when 13 runners got together on a blustery day in Bushy Park, Teddington, UK. We’re now an international family of over half a million runners (and counting)
The Whole30 thing is kind of a purge/reset. From the site: Cut out all the psychologically unhealthy, hormone-unbalancing, gut-disrupting, inflammatory food groups for a full 30 days. Let your body heal and recover from whatever effects those foods may be causing. Push the “reset” button with your metabolism, systemic inflammation, and the downstream effects of the food choices you’ve been making. Learn once and for all how the foods you’ve been eating are actually affecting your day to day life, and your long term health.
D&D, I've got you added to the list. I look forward to following your journey. Please let us know when you find a yoga and training regime, and if it's not on the list already, I'll make sure to add it.
What's you main motivation?
Have you beat 2 hours before? that was one of my 2017 goals and I got pretty close at 2:04 and change. Going to try again this year.
I've got everyone added. Somehow, while I was trying to figure out how I was going to incorporate mindfulness and stretches into a daily routine that complements my workout programs, I managed to go down a youtube rabbit hole on Wim Hof, and the breathing methods. Also, the cold water immersion brought some interesting ideas back to the forefront. I still need to iron it out, but whatever it is I decide, it will start tomorrow. Still getting over this damn cold too. Breathing is an extremely laborious proposition right now.
RESERVED
The holiday season has been a busy one, so I'm a bit behind in pinpointing what my exact goals will be for 2018. I'd say that 2017 was my least successful in terms of overall fitness since I FIRE'd almost 4 years ago now - though this is probably more a comment on what I was able to achieve in the two previous years than my fitness being awful last year. It was still light years ahead of what it was in the decade previous. Some may be aware of that story. :( 2017 was also the only year I haven't participated in the Strength and Fitness thread. Probably a coincidence, but I'm not taking any chances this year. ;)
As in the past my preference is to attack this with a balanced, 3-pronged attack of cardio, strength and diet. Yet, I feel like I need to change up the specifics within this in order to keep things fresh and interesting.
I will fill in the details here as my overall plan develops. A moderately paced 5km run tomorrow to kick things off. :)
Hey Jon_Snow, nice to see you back! I can't write that without thinking and mentioning I finally caught up to real time on GoT, man what a show.
I bold-ed your mention of the "3 pronged attack". I've had years where I did pretty well with 1 or 2 but never really stayed consistent for all 3 for a long enough duration. Going to try that this year.
-----------
2018 goals:
-Run a sub 2 hour half marathon
-Get a 6 pack or as close as I can by June 15th
-Do 10 consecutive pull-ups by years end
-Mountain bike 600+ miles in 12 or more unique places
I definitely want to jump in on this as well JR! I write out my goals on a post-it note around the house for motivation/accountability but I really value the added publicity that this offers so thank you!
Yoga is becoming a fun part of my bedtime routine, and easy to fit in every day.
JS, while the other metrics are something I've looked at, the one thing I actually find myself interested in is that resting heart rate. It's a cool metric. Oh, and since I don't get notified when you edit a comment, can you ping me when you modify it moving forward? No big deal now, but as the thread gets longer, I don't want to miss anything.
Do your paddles count as Vigorous?
Yoga is becoming a fun part of my bedtime routine, and easy to fit in every day.
I am curious about your routine. Also, thank you for reminding me that there are other parts of the day in which I can do stuff.
Yoga is becoming a fun part of my bedtime routine, and easy to fit in every day.
I am curious about your routine. Also, thank you for reminding me that there are other parts of the day in which I can do stuff.
@tyrannostache , @Drole , @TX2RVA , I've got you added. Welcome to the gauntlet. @TX2RVA , that MURPH looks intense.
@asosharp you brought up an interesting point. I know @Jon_Snow uses garmin now, we do have a strava group (that I really should put as a resource), and many other people have used fitbits throughout the past. My sense of those communities are that they are a touch more competition than support...
Correct, I use the Garmin ecosystem now. I made the switch from Fitbit because I wasn't very pleased with Fitbit build quality...they had the tendancy to disintegrate on my wrist...sun + sea water didn't agree with them it seemed. I've heard it said that the Fitbit software is better than Garmin's....but for my own purposes, I really need something that will physically endure sometimes extreme outdoor environments.
And for whatever reason, I have always been very good at self-motivation, so the joining of online fitness groups and challenges would probably benefit me much.
I'm just off to the gym for a cardio session which will consist of 30 minutes of incline (8%) treadmill walking and 30 minutes of stationary bike (Level 15 resistance). These activities will allow me to keep my heart rate between 145 and 155 BPM, for a total calorie burn of around 800 - and another 120 in my weekly "intensity minutes" bank (remember, X2 credit for VIGOUROUS minutes).
I'm really starting to feel good...the process of being leaner, lighter, stronger in combination with increased cardiovascular endurance is progressing well. I found myself today realizing that my current regime is pretty much identical to the one I embarked upon immediately following my FIRE in 2014. That journey saw me lose almost 60 pounds. Thankfully, I do not nearly have as far to go this time to get to my desired destination. I can't see not being there by April...when I will leave the gym-scape behind and switch over to my outdoor pursuits.
JR...I might just post a rather bizarre kayaking goal on the board. I need to think further on it's feasibility....or ridiculousness. ;)
Dude, by all means post the goal. How'd you do forlast year's2016's goal of 500K paddled?
I've a sneaking suspicion it might involve backwards paddling.
Dude, by all means post the goal. How'd you do forlast year's2016's goal of 500K paddled?
I've a sneaking suspicion it might involve backwards paddling.
Your suspicion is pretty damned accurate. ;) I've goofed around with backwards paddling before, and MAYBE done a single kilometre in one shot...but a 20km+, around-the-island soujourn would be a much different story. I know for a fact that it would be using completely different muscle groups than the forward stroke does...and a ocean touring kayak is not designed to track very straight backwards and there would be constant looking behind to gauge my route...so the process is likely to become annoying at some point. I suspect this will be a lifetime "one off" event if I do it. It's not really a fitness thing though is it? More of a "why the hell not" thing. But then again, what good is FIRE if you can't occasionally do goofy shit? ;)
I believe I did pull off my 500km's paddled in 2016....I just can't remember if I posted the official results or not. I'll keep track of my distance paddled this year just out of curiosity, but not planning to hit any particular distances.
In other, actual fitness related news....I hit the wall HARD today. Had to dial back the resistance on the bike several levels. This is body telling me something. So I will listen.
Jan. 5 - 197 lbs, 17% BF
Jan. 12 - 189 lbs, 14% BF
Jan. 19 - 187 lbs, 14% BF
Jan. 5 - 197 lbs, 17% BF
Jan. 12 - 189 lbs, 14% BF
Jan. 19 - 187 lbs, 14% BF
I'm ready to declare the "holiday bloat" gone. Now it's just going to be slow, steady progress until I hit my goals. My DW is in the midst of her half marathon training so if a break in the weather materializes tomorrow we are going to go for a 12km run. I haven't run that kind of distance in quite a while, subsisting instead on a diet of 5 and 7k's. I feel good. I think I'm ready.
How many of you hit the wall this week? What does it mean to you?
Jan. 5 - 197 lbs, 17% BF
Jan. 12 - 189 lbs, 14% BF
Jan. 19 - 187 lbs, 14% BF
I'm ready to declare the "holiday bloat" gone. Now it's just going to be slow, steady progress until I hit my goals. My DW is in the midst of her half marathon training so if a break in the weather materializes tomorrow we are going to go for a 12km run. I haven't run that kind of distance in quite a while, subsisting instead on a diet of 5 and 7k's. I feel good. I think I'm ready.
Well damn....I have to ask...what is your diet? 10 lbs in 2 weeks is mighty impressive to me when you are at that % BF. I note your very intense workout post above, but would be interested in learning a bit more about what you are doing.
How many of you hit the wall this week? What does it mean to you?
@asosharp you brought up an interesting point. I know @Jon_Snow uses garmin now, we do have a strava group (that I really should put as a resource), and many other people have used fitbits throughout the past. My sense of those communities are that they are a touch more competition than support, so I personally don't join them. But, if there are already existing Mustachian groups for some of these platforms, I'd definitely be interested in people posting them here.
So does anyone have existing groups in any of these platforms designed for Mustachians and/or support?
@asosharp you brought up an interesting point. I know @Jon_Snow uses garmin now, we do have a strava group (that I really should put as a resource), and many other people have used fitbits throughout the past. My sense of those communities are that they are a touch more competition than support, so I personally don't join them. But, if there are already existing Mustachian groups for some of these platforms, I'd definitely be interested in people posting them here.
So does anyone have existing groups in any of these platforms designed for Mustachians and/or support?
Ah I see... that's a shame!
By the way yes you got my goals down right. :)
How many of you hit the wall this week? What does it mean to you?
@HarbingerofBunnies I just realized there weren't any goals I was able to parse. What did you want on the tracking post?
How many of you hit the wall this week? What does it mean to you?
Have not hit any wall yet, though not exactly sure what that means to me but I guess just losing motivation or not getting enough rest? Not sure
How many of you hit the wall this week? What does it mean to you?
Have not hit any wall yet, though not exactly sure what that means to me but I guess just losing motivation or not getting enough rest? Not sure
Not to call you out, but didn't you have a bike trip last fall that didn't go to well? Or maybe you have a different definition of The Wall than I do.
How many of you hit the wall this week? What does it mean to you?
Have not hit any wall yet, though not exactly sure what that means to me but I guess just losing motivation or not getting enough rest? Not sure
Not to call you out, but didn't you have a bike trip last fall that didn't go to well? Or maybe you have a different definition of The Wall than I do.
I thought the same thing, but then I realized I asked about this week. :)
I’ll jump in this year. 2017 was a mixed bag for me.
Need to get around to having my bike repaired and then use it.
Cool, welcome! 2017 was a mixed bag for me as well, did lots of cardio but strength work and diet was Meh.
DO IT !! :0 Seems like you really used to enjoy it. Maybe set a goal like into the shop by mid-February to be ready to ride if you catch some nice Weather in March or something.
•@Laura33
◦Workout logically - reduce risk of injury
◦>= 4x/week workout
◦< 3 consecutive weeks of 6+ workouts/week
◦Push ups 1 set/10
◦Back Squat 1RM@185lbs
◦Pull ups 1 set/1
@Radagast love your user name!
Hey Jordan, I saw the bat signal =) I'll read back over stuff in a bit and drum up some resources. Sadly, with fertility treatments and such, I've been out of the lifting game for a while now, and will be a while still =( So I doubt I'll join in on the Gauntlet this year personally though. I'm glad you're keeping it rolling though!
Blushes. Agrees.@Radagast love your user name!I agree. The ratio of awesome people here is better than IRL I think.
Never to late to join. I'll get you both added in the AM. @zeli2033 , I can't help but think that @Bracken_Joy would be an excellent resource on form.
Hey Jordan, I saw the bat signal =) I'll read back over stuff in a bit and drum up some resources. Sadly, with fertility treatments and such, I've been out of the lifting game for a while now, and will be a while still =( So I doubt I'll join in on the Gauntlet this year personally though. I'm glad you're keeping it rolling though!
Edit: read Zeli's post. I'm guessing she's got it under control! The Snatch is just a bitch of a movement to get down, people spend years perfecting it. Considered by many the most technical of all lifts, and I'm kinda inclined to agree. Frankly, if you've got the component movements down but the technique still isn't there, often you need a couple coaching sessions to cue you for your errors.
@zeli2033 what are you using for wrist strengthening exercises? Grip strength tends to be one of the main areas women fall behind men in progressing lifts, so I think it's brilliant to work on. And I know will be a huuuuge challenge for me when I go back to lifting, since it took me so long to build up in the first place.
Blushes. Agrees.@Radagast love your user name!I agree. The ratio of awesome people here is better than IRL I think.
Diet: Week 1 still had some holiday excess as well as Week 3 when we went out of town for a few days. (I also exercised less those weeks). Yet, those were the weeks I lost weight (1-2#s). Weeks 2 and 4 when I was much stricter with what I ate and how much, I gained weight. So when I weighed myself on 29 Jan, I was the exact same weight that I was on 1 Jan. And it seems doubtful there was muscle gain based on measuring tape numbers/photos. I also did a BF test mid-month and it showed a slightly higher BF% (less than 1%) of what I measured back in September 2017.
Thoughts/ideas/suggestions?
Keto/low carb is the only diet that works for me and I’ve found it quite easy to stick to once you get past the initial adaptation period. Not going to try and start a diet flame war though.
Picked up my new steed today. Not going to let this get destroyed by salt so probably won't ride it much for a month or more. Riding outside is vastly preferable to riding on the trainer inside, though!
Gave myself a biking break today as we have a hike later and my chiro appointment was very early in the AM. Will get back to it tomorrow. Feeling better with regular cardio.
Picked up my new steed today. Not going to let this get destroyed by salt so probably won't ride it much for a month or more. Riding outside is vastly preferable to riding on the trainer inside, though!
Gave myself a biking break today as we have a hike later and my chiro appointment was very early in the AM. Will get back to it tomorrow. Feeling better with regular cardio.
Is that a Giant Escape? STBX has one of those; he has been happy with it.
@jordanread: could you please modify my goals to delete the squat goal? According to the ortho, the knee is either arthritis or a torn meniscus, and either way I am not allowed to do squats for awhile and then need to be very careful/light when I do. Ugh. Guess it’s an upper-body year. 😭😡If you meant Back Squats, it's done.
MXT and I have been doing the Yoga with Adriene videos a couple times a week. It's been an interesting experience. I'm not nearly as flexible as I'd like to be, but it definitely does ground me more than I would have thought. It seems good at that. I actually imagine that this is like a stripped down version of the kind of lesson @EngineerYogi does (who is always the one who tells me it's not about flexibility). It's definitely the kind of thing that I could see making a habit out of.You only need a flexible mind! ;)
MXT and I have been doing the Yoga with Adriene videos a couple times a week. It's been an interesting experience. I'm not nearly as flexible as I'd like to be, but it definitely does ground me more than I would have thought. It seems good at that. I actually imagine that this is like a stripped down version of the kind of lesson @EngineerYogi does (who is always the one who tells me it's not about flexibility). It's definitely the kind of thing that I could see making a habit out of.You only need a flexible mind! ;)
I really need to check out her videos and maybe record a quick flow myself.
My fitness goals this year are to at some point do something fitnessy. :P I'm currently teaching yoga every other week and doing yoga on the in between weeks.
I used barbells for the first time! I really hope I'll be able to report some noticeable strength gains here throughout the year :)
If anyone remembers, I had a weird asymmetrical shoulder inflexibility issue last year. I'm happy to report that this seems to have improved a tad since I've switched which shoulder I use to press my coffee in the morning. LOL.
I used barbells for the first time! I really hope I'll be able to report some noticeable strength gains here throughout the year :)
If anyone remembers, I had a weird asymmetrical shoulder inflexibility issue last year. I'm happy to report that this seems to have improved a tad since I've switched which shoulder I use to press my coffee in the morning. LOL.
That is a fascinating discovery on the coffee press! Good job on the barbells, they are exciting once they aren't intimidating anymore!
I also enjoy the yoga with Adrienne series and do a couple a week..she mixes things up and I appreciate her laid back style.
I also enjoy the yoga with Adrienne series and do a couple a week..she mixes things up and I appreciate her laid back style.
I like her super annoying dog.
I'm late to the party, but I've already made substantive progress this year. I just need to keep it up.
Goal 1: Lose weight
Starting weight (as of Christmas): 220 lbs.
Goal weight: 190 lbs.
Goal 2: Start running again, do a half marathon late Summer/fall 2018.
Stretch goal 2: Run the Disney marathon in Jan 2019 - this was my first marathon back in 2005, my brother is planning on running it next year. I'd like to go.
I've changed my diet - it's mostly of the Mediterranean variety, with lots of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, fish, etc. (Greek salads FTW). No processed sugar and minimal processed foods. I removed the budget limit on groceries that fit the diet and clamped down on the budget for eating out. So the food at home is much better than what I can get elsewhere. I started walking ~1 hour/day and target at least 10,000 steps a day. It's stupid, but that number has motivated me to get off my ass at 10pm and go for a walk a few times....
I'm down to 202 pounds now (-18 lbs, yay!) and I've started running again this week. The first 10 pounds melted off - now I'm at about a 1.5-2 lbs decrease/week.
After a month of walking, I'm currently able to comfortably run 10 min/miles for at least 4 miles...I'm hesitant to increase my distance/speed more quickly, and I've done that the last 3 days in a row. The thing that could derail me fastest would be an injury. This is the first time in a long time where I don't have a good (or any) sense of where my limits are. Just walking an hour a day and losing some weight has made an enormous difference. I feel like I could go out and run 8 miles right now...but that's probably a bad idea.
Updates to come....
I'm making easy-to-meet goals. Every week, I want to do some kind of strength, cardio, and stretching activity. The more the better, but with my schedule so buy right now, three workouts a week may be all I can commit to. I've done one workout in the past week, it would still be an improvement.
New Goal: Not die during the half marathon I signed up for at the end of April.
Agreed! As long as you show up that is! And 4 hours to complete 13.1 miles would be an 18 minute mile, that is a comfortable walking pace. You will just need enough endurance and conditioning to last the whole distance and you'll be fine!New Goal: Not die during the half marathon I signed up for at the end of April.
I think you'll be able to cross this one off ;)
@FireHiker why is there a permit? Is that because there’s more demand than trail capacity or something? I’ve never heard of hikes like that.
Wow, that’s so different from hiking in my area.
@diapasoun
Your #1 is something I could never, ever do.
For your #4 look at getting a kettlebell. Some folks say they really benefit from some initial in person coaching on form but it’s a really versatile tool. Body weight stuff can be great too, so many programs for that out there.
Not sure what my chiro will clear me to do once I’m past the initial healing stages. I miss resistance training, though I do get a decent amount of it everyday carrying feed and water for my animals around.
@diapasoun and @Forever Wednesday , I've got you both added. Welcome to the gauntlet!!
@diapasoun and @Forever Wednesday , I've got you both added. Welcome to the gauntlet!!
You made my goals sound so much fancier. I like this. :)
I signed up for my solo 5k to meet my goal. It's March 17. I have never run one on my own so this will give me some sort of baseline.
Is there a benefit to building in rest days from cardio like there is with resistance training, or should I only rest if I feel like my body needs a break?
Way to go @Eric222 !!! My half is April 21! And I plan to run my first marathon in the fall. You've got this!
Update for the week:
I ran 35 miles over 5 days with 10 miles on Saturday and Sunday. I was able to average sub 9 minutes for both runs but my running partner went out way too fast for me today and the last few miles were a bit uncomfortable.
I'm currently 33 miles behind pace to hit 1200 in 2018 but I"m closing the gap and it's possible I'll be on track by the end of March.
My VO2 max score is now in the excellent category for my age/gender (female 36-45). Ultimately I'd like to hit excellent for males 18-25 (which may never happen but it is good to have something to strive for)
I also had 3 strength training sessions. Not making much progress on the pullups and dips but I'm ok with it. I need to start working on the pistol squats and handstands soon -- those will take a lot of work.
I plan to incorporate yoga starting in March... I need it.
I'll jump in a bit later with additional stuff. First however, @asosharp , what is your diet normally like? Do you know what your body is burning as fuel usually (i.e. fat or sugars/carbs)? That would determine what a good snack would be.I've watched a bunch of this guy's videos and thoroughly enjoyed them. He's an inspiration, although I have no ambitions of doing what he's doing. He's definitely fit and strong, and he talks about the desire to be fit and get healthy after he and his wife had spent a number of years running a business and not necessarily being that fit during that time.
Secondly, I know now everyone here is as familiar with him as I am, but @Jon_Snow has previously talked about cabins. Now, this has nothing to do with the designs he wants, but there is a strength and resilience part to this particular one (https://youtu.be/WmYCUljsrDg) that kind of encapsulates my desire to be physically fit enough to do...well, anything.Spoiler: show
Secondly, I know now everyone here is as familiar with him as I am, but @Jon_Snow has previously talked about cabins. Now, this has nothing to do with the designs he wants, but there is a strength and resilience part to this particular one (https://youtu.be/WmYCUljsrDg) that kind of encapsulates my desire to be physically fit enough to do...well, anything.
@jordanread what does your 30-day challenge entail?
Secondly, I know now everyone here is as familiar with him as I am, but @Jon_Snow has previously talked about cabins. Now, this has nothing to do with the designs he wants, but there is a strength and resilience part to this particular one (https://youtu.be/WmYCUljsrDg) that kind of encapsulates my desire to be physically fit enough to do...well, anything.
I really enjoyed that, not gonna lie. :)
[...]
JR, I very much feel like I could crush out a cabin like the guy in the vid assuming I could brush up on a few skills. Not sure the local building inspector would go for it though.
I've been getting away from fitness goals such as "run a half marathon in 1:45", "run a 20 minute 5k" or "60 push-ups in 60 seconds" - I actually finding myself grasping for tangible "goals" I can post in this Fitness Gauntlet. More interesting to me now is the ability to apply a strong, healthy body to "real life" applications. In 2016 I distinctly remember putting in dawn till dusk work days in my garden - wheelbarrowing soil, shovelling, constructing raised beds....and at the end of the day it felt like my body wanted to keep going....it was an amazing feeling. Last year didn't quite feel the same. I did a short, but very steep hike on Saturday and it actually felt difficult to become winded...so I know I am very close to where I want to be...though I did slip on a patch of snow and tweaked something in my left knee on the descent. :(
@lemanfan @jordanread
Goal #1 complete! Last night I did 100 wall pushups. Tried to do an incline pushup today on the back of the sofa and I could do it! It required a lot more effort than a wall pushup! No surprise.
New goal is to complete the 100 pushups program again, this time with incline pushups.
Running may not happen again this weekend. We'll see.
@lemanfan @jordanread
Goal #1 complete! Last night I did 100 wall pushups. Tried to do an incline pushup today on the back of the sofa and I could do it! It required a lot more effort than a wall pushup! No surprise.
New goal is to complete the 100 pushups program again, this time with incline pushups.
I'll jump in a bit later with additional stuff. First however, @asosharp , what is your diet normally like? Do you know what your body is burning as fuel usually (i.e. fat or sugars/carbs)? That would determine what a good snack would be.
@Eric222 for yoga, there’s a YouTube channel called something like “30 Days of yoga with Adrienne” that gets consistently recommended as a good introduction for beginners. Plus, since it’s YouTube, it’s free and you can do it at home without feeling self conscious :)
@Eric222 I also like Yoga with Adriene-- here is one class specifically for beginners.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnHTeHAZQhM
I have done yoga for years-- sometimes at studios, occasionally a home practice and both are great options.
I would encourage you to try some out at home until you feel comfortable but don't worry about how it looks yoga is for everybody and ability! My boyfriend goes even though he is the most non-flexible guy around. It's great to have an instructor give feedback as well.
If you go to a studio you can look for restorative (often billed for injuries), hatha or yin (longer holds) classes..these are usually good for starting out.
Vinyasa or flow can be more demanding so if you try one of those make sure the instructor knows you are a beginner and they can guide you. And enjoy! :)
THE BAD: I couldn't finish my back squats this time because my shoulders wouldn't open enough :\ this is something I mentioned last year, but I'm a little bummed I probably have to cut back squats out of my lifts in order to keep from hurting my shoulders or worse. Does anyone have suggestions for a good alternative? I'm also doing leg presses on a machine.
Weekly check-in:Last Monday I went for a great hard run (hard for me). Felt wonderful. Knew I was gonna be sore the next day.
Monday night, woke up with chills. And thus began The Cold From Hell.
I'm now in recovery mode -- today is my first day back to work -- and have some seriously diminished lung capacity. Running and strength training are going to go on the back burner for a bit until I get my lungs back into enough shape just for two daily walks and some super gentle yoga.
In the meantime, awesome to see everyone getting some sweet sweet workouts in. :)
I went to lift weights for the 3rd time ever!
THE GOOD: I'm finally getting more comfortable in general with trying to figure out my actual strength and how to really push myself to finish out sets.
THE BAD: I couldn't finish my back squats this time because my shoulders wouldn't open enough :\ this is something I mentioned last year, but I'm a little bummed I probably have to cut back squats out of my lifts in order to keep from hurting my shoulders or worse. Does anyone have suggestions for a good alternative? I'm also doing leg presses on a machine.
thank you @e34bb098 and @TX2RVA! I will try some front squats if I can't get my shoulders more open. The top squat contraption is a bit intimidating for me as this is literally the third time I've touched a barbell so far. Front squats next time!
- @e34bb098
- Squat 1RM@335lbs
- Overhead Press 1RM@165lbs
- Deadlift 1RM@380lbs
- Bench Press 1RM@255lbs
- Pendlay Row 1RM@215lbs
thank you @e34bb098 and @TX2RVA! I will try some front squats if I can't get my shoulders more open. The top squat contraption is a bit intimidating for me as this is literally the third time I've touched a barbell so far. Front squats next time!
You may want to check out some YouTube videos from Alan Thrall. He's a strength coach who breaks down mechanics for the squat in crazy detail, with workarounds for common issues. (Which lack of shoulder flexibility is.)
Among other things, if you're doing a low bar squat (bar across your deltoids), you could try a high bar squat (bar across your trapezius, at the base of your neck). It's a good middle ground between low bar and front, as far as the muscle chains it works, and -- relevant to your issue -- it's a lot easier to get your hands on the bar if your shoulder flexibility isn't there yet.
And just stretch your shoulders out of course. :)
@Patrik
Consistently count calories
Perform short yoga program daily
Weightlifting program >= 2x/week
>=2 hikes/month
>=1 long yoga program/week
I use one of the methods in the Resources post:
https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/throw-down-the-gauntlet/strength-fitness-2018/msg1831233/#msg1831233
specifically "measure body fat without calipers"
https://www.livestrong.com/article/90931-measure-body-fat-percentages-calipers/
So, a scale and a tape measure (plus calculator, aka Google Sheets on my phone)
I ran a full 5k, 3.12 miles, this morning. I think this is the furthest I have ever run without stopping in my life!
I've also been going to my boot camp class regularly, 2x per week. I haven't been very good about getting to yoga, but I'm going today and hoping to go tomorrow. I can't believe I ran for 3+ miles! It was a reasonably respectable 37 minutes; much better than I would have thought I could do so soon when I just started running a few weeks ago. :)
Nice! You have set an ambitious goal indeed of a half-marathon if you have never run 5k before. It looks like you are well on the way. Are you following a graduated training program to increase your mileage?
Half marathon training is starting to ramp up and as an after work runner, I'm excited for the extra hour of daylight (and hopefully more sunshine) in the evenings. Anyone else excited for a little more evening daylight?
Good luck and have fun at your 5k this weekend FireHiker! Great job.
Good luck and have fun at your 5k this weekend FireHiker! Great job.
Thank you! I feel pretty good about it! We're running it with our kids though, who are 6 and 8. The 8 year old should be fine but I have my concerns about the 6 year old. At least I no longer have to worry about being the weak link and getting my butt kicked by my 6 year old, thanks to my recent hard work. :)
I am the opposite; I run before work and I am really bummed about getting up in the dark. I may switch to running after work for a couple weeks until it gets light earlier. I have worked super hard the past month to train myself to get up early and run before work as I am naturally NOT a morning person at all. It really sucks to have DST come along and mess with my progress! I'm glad you get to enjoy your extra light in the evening though. When is your half? Mine is in June. :)
Update time..
Have my first half-marathon on April 7th. Got the mileage up to about 31-32 miles/week at the moment and have been able to knock out some 10-12 milers at a decent clip. Assuming no overuse injuries I'm feeling pretty good about this race in ~3 weeks.
After that I am part of an ultra team for a Ragnar in Mid-May. Lots of races coming up in the next couple months.
Heart rate could be helped by experimenting adding salt and/or potassium to your water as well. I notice my heart rate getting wonky if I’m short on potassium.
This morning:
Squats 3x5 @ 285 lbs.
Overhead press 3x5 @ 120 lbs.
Deadlift 1x5 @ 245 lbs.
Feeling pretty beast mode. If I can press through for three more workouts, my squat will be at 300 lbs. Six more workouts and I'll be in the three-plate club (i.e. three 45-lb. plates on each side of the bar). Wish me luck!
flipped my first (small) tire!!! (and did NOT throw my back).
flipped my first (small) tire!!! (and did NOT throw my back).
While others are riding on tires using gasoline power, you are flipping tires with muscle power? You have flipped the script for sure, @flan. Well done!
Squats 3x5x290lb (PR)
Bench press 3x5x165lb (PR)
Row 3x5x150lb
Squats 3x5x290lb (PR)
Bench press 3x5x165lb (PR)
Row 3x5x150lb
Congrats on the PRs! You're doing great.
Finally got a run in; its been 5 weeks of busy-ness to sell my condo and that took up my spare time. 2 miles.
I'm a trainer by profession. Honestly, the best goal? Do 100 workouts this year.
That's it. If you do 100 workouts this year, whatever you do you won't be weaker, less fit, or fatter.
I have a theory. That people who look after their finances are more likely to look after their health. When I was 18 I used to work for an employer where there was a subsidised staff gym. At this job there was occasional overtime after shifts and I found that the same people who would be there for overtime were the same people I would be doing workouts with before/after work. Does anyone else have a similar or different perspective on this, or read any supporting/opposing evidence?
Congrats on the PR @e34bb098!!!
I don't do iron at all, but 3x5 reps seems a touch low for progression. Is it different than bodyweight training?
My strategy is to lift the same weight over and over, and age into elite status :-)Congrats on the PR @e34bb098!!!
I don't do iron at all, but 3x5 reps seems a touch low for progression. Is it different than bodyweight training?
Well, I'm hardly an expert, but from what I understand, high reps are considered better for increasing size, and lower reps are better for increasing strength. E.g. a lot of bodybuilders use 3x10s on various muscle groups. But of course a weight that you struggle to hit 3x5 with, is impossible to do 3x10 with.
Re: bodyweight, yeah, it's different. I used to do only bodyweight and got into pretty good shape doing it (but I was also doing martial arts 4x/week and riding my bike everywhere). The issue there is that you will develop endurance but strength is incidental. Muscles don't adapt unless you force them out of their comfort zone, and they adapt to the stress they get. If you stress them with progressively heavier weights, they get stronger. If you stress them by making them progressively more tired, they get more endurance. (This is the "fast twitch" vs. "slow twitch" muscle fibers.)
Regarding progression generally, 3 sets of 5 reps is pretty well established as the best way for newbies to get strong as fast as possible. 5x5 is well-respected too (the legendary strength coach Bill Starr used this in football programs across the country for years). The reason is that when you are untrained, your body adapts very quickly. You're very far away from your theoretical maximum potential (based on your age and genetics). I have been adding 5lbs to each exercise for a while -- on each exercise I started with only the bar, then added 5lbs the next time, etc.
But eventually you stop making n00b gains (as they call it) and your progression slows way down. You are now much closer to your maximum potential and it takes progressively more work, with diminishing returns, to force another 1% of improvement. Instead of being able to add 5lbs every exercise, you will slow down to only being able to add 5lbs/week, then eventually 5lbs/month. Then it gets really hard, but that is the domain of elite strength athletes, which I am not interested in being. I am pretty close to the end of my n00b gains in squats and OHP, getting close in bench, and have a ways to go in deadlift and row. This is based mostly on how hard each on feels, plus the fact that I bounced off 295 pretty hard.
You also have to trick your muscles. Instead of doing the same routine, you might have to do a medium-light-heavy split. E.g., for my squat, I might do 3x5 @ 80% of my max on Monday, then 3x5 @ 60% on Wednesday, then try to do 3x5 on Friday and increase my max by 5 lbs. It gets complicated and there's a million theories about how to best program a routine that will take you beyond novice and into the intermediate range.
TL;DR: 3x5 is more than enough for progression if you are a beginner. (And thank you for the congrats.) :)
I can finally cross a goal off the list! I completed 20 dips this morning.
@jordanread will you please put a new goal for me: sub-45 minute 5K run. This would be a PR.
I can finally cross a goal off the list! I completed 20 dips this morning.
Updated the tracking post. Congrats!!
@FireHiker, @TX2RVA, Well Respected Man - so inspiring, I began tackling my burpees goal after reading your posts!
@FireHiker, @TX2RVA, Well Respected Man - so inspiring, I began tackling my burpees goal after reading your posts!
@FireHiker, @TX2RVA, Well Respected Man - so inspiring, I began tackling my burpees goal after reading your posts!
Thanks @BicycleB -- I'm a certified burpee hater but I have to work on them to accomplish one of the goals I set for myself this year. How many are you doing at a time?
@FireHiker, @TX2RVA, Well Respected Man - so inspiring, I began tackling my burpees goal after reading your posts!
Thanks @BicycleB -- I'm a certified burpee hater but I have to work on them to accomplish one of the goals I set for myself this year. How many are you doing at a time?
At this point, a paltry 9. Up from 7 and then 8... :)
I set my target at 15. But my unstated goal is to get through 30 burpees as fast as possible, minimizing rest, so that I can compete in an event where penalties of "30 burpees" are assessed. I need to be able to do these without multiple "rest" breaks, so a penalty is 2 or 3 minutes instead of 5 or 6.
I ran my first ever 10k (well, 6.31 miles) today! Feeling fantastic, albeit a little tired. My biggest complaint is that I find I'm always starving, which is not helping me lose weight...but I'm primarily focused on upping my fitness and hoping to see some weight decrease over time.
I ran my first ever 10k (well, 6.31 miles) today! Feeling fantastic, albeit a little tired. My biggest complaint is that I find I'm always starving, which is not helping me lose weight...but I'm primarily focused on upping my fitness and hoping to see some weight decrease over time.
Progress update:
3. I found a training regimen through Darebee called The Hero's Journey (https://darebee.com/programs/hero-journey.html). It's a bodyweight regimen with an RPG component, and although I'm early into it, I'm enjoying it -- the RPG element is fun, and very well done. It's not the regimen I'd go with if I wanted to be Super Hardcore and really max out gains, but I'm finding it much easier to stick with this regimen for a while, and right now that beats out everything else. It's got variety, it fits in my schedule time-wise, and I get a nice little dose of storyline.
Progress update:
3. I found a training regimen through Darebee called The Hero's Journey (https://darebee.com/programs/hero-journey.html). It's a bodyweight regimen with an RPG component, and although I'm early into it, I'm enjoying it -- the RPG element is fun, and very well done. It's not the regimen I'd go with if I wanted to be Super Hardcore and really max out gains, but I'm finding it much easier to stick with this regimen for a while, and right now that beats out everything else. It's got variety, it fits in my schedule time-wise, and I get a nice little dose of storyline.
@Kerowyn and I have discussed this program before, and I was totally pissed that you mentioned it as if it was not in the Resource post. Um...it's not.
This is a major failure on my part, and I apologize to you all. I have 'toh.
It's been discussed from the first time I started this gauntlet. Thank you for the link, and I will definitely add it to the resource post moving forward. My mistake.
Progress update:
3. I found a training regimen through Darebee called The Hero's Journey (https://darebee.com/programs/hero-journey.html). It's a bodyweight regimen with an RPG component, and although I'm early into it, I'm enjoying it -- the RPG element is fun, and very well done. It's not the regimen I'd go with if I wanted to be Super Hardcore and really max out gains, but I'm finding it much easier to stick with this regimen for a while, and right now that beats out everything else. It's got variety, it fits in my schedule time-wise, and I get a nice little dose of storyline.
@Kerowyn and I have discussed this program before, and I was totally pissed that you mentioned it as if it was not in the Resource post. Um...it's not.
This is a major failure on my part, and I apologize to you all. I have 'toh.
It's been discussed from the first time I started this gauntlet. Thank you for the link, and I will definitely add it to the resource post moving forward. My mistake.
I'm so glad other folks have used/liked it! I really am having a fantastic time with it so far, and I think that I'm going to try to use the fantasy/RPG aspect in self-designed workouts in the future.
@FireHiker maybe there is a sweet spot between going too fast and too slow :)
@Eric222
Weigh <= 190lbs
Run regularly
Complete 1/2 Marathon > 2:00:00
Oh, thanks for posting, that website looks cool. So many workout programs!
Goals for May 7-13
- Run 40 miles (4/40)
- 5 yoga sessions (1/5)
- 4 strength training sessions (2/4)
I just had an almost head-on collision with a painted lady butterfly this afternoon while running -- I was going one way, the butterfly was going another way, and then a gust of wind launched the butterfly almost into my face (luckily, I ducked).
Anyone else have any good wildlife encounters recently while exercising?
Pelicans are so gross!!
Two runs and two bodyweight workouts this past week. I should have also gone for a run over the weekend, but just... didn't. Nonetheless, 4/7 is good for days worked out during a week. I'll take my improvement and not judge myself too much.
Never will you find this challenge made by me again.
Never will you find this challenge made by me again.
Are you saying this is the last year you are "sponsoring" the S&F thread??? [confused face emoji]
It's been a wonderful run up to now. Thanks for what you've already done, JordanRead, has helped a lot.
Checking in; I'm doing really well! I ran 5 miles twice last week (and this morning), 9 miles Sunday (longest EVER and felt super strong), boot camp twice last week AND yesterday, using 5's and 8's, and power yoga (hot) 60 minutes Monday. I'm feeling great and I'm so excited to finally be making progress with my strength and fitness goals.
I did my first ever double digit run Sunday: 10 miles! That was the longest run for the Hal Higdon half marathon novice plan, so now I taper this week and run my first ever half marathon next Sunday. So excited!
Great job on the 10 miler, that first double digit run was when I finally felt like I could really complete the half marathon. Good luck on your half!
Sorry to hear @oneday
One other thing that some people have success with is to freeze a water bottle and roll your foot with the cold after walking, or being on your feet. You receive the double whammy of rolling out the adhesions and icing/reducing inflammation at the same time.
Hope it feels better soon!
Sounds like several of the running folks here are currently injured, but for those who aren't, it's Global Running Day! I challenge you to lace up your shoes and get out for a run today, even a short one.
I have finally gotten restarted running. DH is doing a couch to half marathon training group (the same one I did last year) and I'm playing along. Trying to run when it's cooler during the day though.
No.
@flan, endurance athlete here. The main advice I could offer is:
1. Hydrate if possible. Usually a body can do about 1.5 hours using what you have in your body. If you can hydrate starting half an hour in, your endurance will extend in that you won't collapse as fast or damage yourself as much.
2. Include some salt or sweat-like minerals if possible. Thus, Gatorade. Or bites of banana, if your exam allows sustenance during breaks.
3. Pace yourself. Where possible, do the exertion that's necessary, not 100% effort at all times. Block with minimal motion, wrestle for survival rather than immediate kills, etc... admittedly I know no krav maga, modify as needed.
If you've been doing long workouts already, taper in the last few days - equal intensity, shorter and shorter workouts. Last day or two, nothing hard at all. Sleep as much as possible. Hydrate reasonably the day before.
If you haven't ever done a cardio challenge that long, I would assume that part of the test is to determine your behavior when you hit the wall. If the test is strong, you will hit it. Your brain will slow down, your limbs will feel like weights. Your instructors will see it. If you pass, later you will all laugh about it. But when it happens, you will be moving through molasses. The blows will come from nowhere. You will be confused.
That is when your heart rules all. Never quit. Never stop fighting. Good luck.
Re shake or smoothie, perhaps reconsider. Be aware that the body can process small amounts of sugar on the fly along with electrolytes, hence sport drinks help quickly. But it cannot process fat and protein the same way.
Fat and protein use a different digestive process that sucks energy away from your muscles. They have a negative short term effect. Most shakes and smoothies therefore detract from your performance.
In any case, the main factor isn't adding calories for a 2 hour test. That's relevant for a 24 hour run. The main thing at 2 or 3 hours is electrolytes, so you don't cramp up or lose the ability to sweat. Again, water or sports drink. Banana has electrolytes, hence is an option, but not a majority choice because of using some digestive energy. Sorry if I muddied the waters!
Re shake or smoothie, perhaps reconsider. Be aware that the body can process small amounts of sugar on the fly along with electrolytes, hence sport drinks help quickly. But it cannot process fat and protein the same way.
Fat and protein use a different digestive process that sucks energy away from your muscles. They have a negative short term effect. Most shakes and smoothies therefore detract from your performance.
In any case, the main factor isn't adding calories for a 2 hour test. That's relevant for a 24 hour run. The main thing at 2 or 3 hours is electrolytes, so you don't cramp up or lose the ability to sweat. Again, water or sports drink. Banana has electrolytes, hence is an option, but not a majority choice because of using some digestive energy. Sorry if I muddied the waters!
Hey, no worries! Always appreciate the advice. Thank you for unmuddying the waters and clarifying about the main concern being electrolytes!
Passed my krav maga yellow belt test!!! :)
@jordanread myself and haypug16 have our goals up for a while and havn't been added.
speaking of which anyone know why jordanread has been a guest for over a week now? can't even search his old post to see if he got banned or whatever.
@jordanread myself and haypug16 have our goals up for a while and havn't been added.
speaking of which anyone know why jordanread has been a guest for over a week now? can't even search his old post to see if he got banned or whatever.
He left the forum on his own.
@jordanread myself and haypug16 have our goals up for a while and havn't been added.
speaking of which anyone know why jordanread has been a guest for over a week now? can't even search his old post to see if he got banned or whatever.
He left the forum on his own.
any idea why?
Never will you find this challenge made by me again.
Interesting, I had forgotten about Murph.
So if you are trying for the first time do you cut the running in half too or just the pullup/pushup/squat reps?
Well, I am sad to report that I am NOT on Mt. Whitney right now as planned...instead it is evacuated because of a forest fire. We picked up our permit Sunday before the closure occurred, and may get to go back and use it a different day IF they can get it contained and re-open the area. I'm glad to not be caught up there cut off because of a fire, but it's still a pretty disappointing day. :(
The year is more than half over--would it be silly for me to join now? I don't know why I haven't before. I do strength and fitness.
Well, I am sad to report that I am NOT on Mt. Whitney right now as planned...instead it is evacuated because of a forest fire. We picked up our permit Sunday before the closure occurred, and may get to go back and use it a different day IF they can get it contained and re-open the area. I'm glad to not be caught up there cut off because of a fire, but it's still a pretty disappointing day. :(
But...but... you're FIRE HIKER!
sigh
jk
My friend who was with me can't go back up, but my ultrarunner brother is a teacher and is off for the summer. He's agreed to go with me anytime as long as I give him 24 hour notice so that he "doesn't do too long of a run right before". I think my new fitness goal is to be perpetually 24 hour ready to do a Mt. Whitney caliber activity.
My friend who was with me can't go back up, but my ultrarunner brother is a teacher and is off for the summer. He's agreed to go with me anytime as long as I give him 24 hour notice so that he "doesn't do too long of a run right before". I think my new fitness goal is to be perpetually 24 hour ready to do a Mt. Whitney caliber activity.
This is a VERY good goal. I remember my sister once saying "I always want to be ready in case someone offers me a free trip to go hiking in Hawaii"..ha
The year is more than half over--would it be silly for me to join now? I don't know why I haven't before. I do strength and fitness.
Not silly...welcome! I like goal #3 best.
...21.9 miles round trip, about 6700 feet of elevation gain, need to summit by 11am to avoid afternoon lightning storm...
@FireHiker, that sounds like a crazy fierce climb! I bow before you!
We are thinking of doing about 7 miles in Golden Gate Canyon State Park (Burro Trail plus Windy Peak, elevation gain of 1900 feet). I imagine that will be plenty taxing for a couple of people who haven't left the mile high city in an embarrassing long time!
Thanks for the encouragement, @Serendip ! I do have trekking poles and will definitely be using them. They helped a fair bit backpacking Gorgonio in May.
Looks like the road is being re-opened 6pm today and I have preliminary plans to hike it Sunday. I wish it wasn't a weekend day that worked for me because it will be so crowded, but given other constraints it is probably the best option. I'm finalizing details with my brother and his wife, and my husband and kids are going to come up and we'll make a family camping trip out of it. Here's hoping the fire stays contained!
Yay...good luck! I have started following a bunch of PCT hikers on IG, and of course many of them summit Whitney. I love the views - but that hike is not for me.
Ugh, such disappointment. I finally got to attempt Mt. Whitney with my sister-in-law yesterday (well, midnight two nights ago to be exact) but she got AMS and we had to turn back about 7 miles in around 12,000 feet. I'm upset with my brother (the crazy mountain ultrarunner) for insisting she go instead of him, when he knew she has had altitude issues in the past. I do feel pretty good with how I did; I had no altitude issues at all even at 12,000 feet, aside from getting winded a little more easily going uphill. My training plan definitely worked well. Now to keep it up, I guess, until I can get another chance. It was a gorgeous trail and I can't wait to get back up there.Sorry to hear of your aborted summit attempt. I did Whitney many years ago and got a wicked headache at trail camp (~12000 ft ?). Luckily we camped there so I felt better in the morning. Had another headache on the summit but felt much better as we descended.
Ugh, such disappointment. I finally got to attempt Mt. Whitney with my sister-in-law yesterday (well, midnight two nights ago to be exact) but she got AMS and we had to turn back about 7 miles in around 12,000 feet. I'm upset with my brother (the crazy mountain ultrarunner) for insisting she go instead of him, when he knew she has had altitude issues in the past. I do feel pretty good with how I did; I had no altitude issues at all even at 12,000 feet, aside from getting winded a little more easily going uphill. My training plan definitely worked well. Now to keep it up, I guess, until I can get another chance. It was a gorgeous trail and I can't wait to get back up there.
Ugh, such disappointment. I finally got to attempt Mt. Whitney with my sister-in-law yesterday (well, midnight two nights ago to be exact) but she got AMS and we had to turn back about 7 miles in around 12,000 feet. I'm upset with my brother (the crazy mountain ultrarunner) for insisting she go instead of him, when he knew she has had altitude issues in the past. I do feel pretty good with how I did; I had no altitude issues at all even at 12,000 feet, aside from getting winded a little more easily going uphill. My training plan definitely worked well. Now to keep it up, I guess, until I can get another chance. It was a gorgeous trail and I can't wait to get back up there.
@jordanread
Goals for 2018Back Squat - 190
Dead Lift - 215
Snatch - 90
Clean - 125
Freestanding Handstand: 1 minute
Dead hang pull ups, consecutive: 12
Push ups, consecutive: 25
Room for a humble middle aged attorney who knows (mostly) what to do, but frequently fails to do so?
I've taken some positive steps in the last ten days. I've eaten clean. I've joined a gym and had three workouts. I've done yoga a few times. And tomorrow I'm meeting with a trainer for some guidance, body fat testing, etc. Then I'll be in a better position to set some specific goals and I'll ramp up my workouts, as I've been easing into this to avoid injury.
I lifted weights all through law school, and I was probably a lean 175 back then. I was up to 223 last month. That was a wake up call. I'm down to 216 and figure it is very possible to get into the 190s by the end of the year. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get back to 175 though.
PS: I really enjoyed the OP and the supportive environment being created.
Room for a humble middle aged attorney who knows (mostly) what to do, but frequently fails to do so?
I've taken some positive steps in the last ten days. I've eaten clean. I've joined a gym and had three workouts. I've done yoga a few times. And tomorrow I'm meeting with a trainer for some guidance, body fat testing, etc. Then I'll be in a better position to set some specific goals and I'll ramp up my workouts, as I've been easing into this to avoid injury.
I lifted weights all through law school, and I was probably a lean 175 back then. I was up to 223 last month. That was a wake up call. I'm down to 216 and figure it is very possible to get into the 190s by the end of the year. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to get back to 175 though.
PS: I really enjoyed the OP and the supportive environment being created.
Good luck on your goal of 190's! You eating clean is probably going to help towards your goal 75% and the other 25% is sweat. CRUSH IT!
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2018/aug/07/short-guide-strong-woman-lifted-332-5kg-dinnie-stones-scotland
Okay, beginning stats as of 8/8/18
Weight: 217
Body Fat: 27%
I sat down with a trainer, and went over nutrition, macros, meal planning, and exercise program. First goal is to get down to 207. So he put me at 1950 calories per day clean eating, as that's the maintenance caloric intake for a 207-lb. guy my age with low activity.
GOAL 1:
What: Get to 207 lbs by Sept 5th (4 weeks)
How: 12-16 workouts and clean eating for next 4 weeks, hitting all macros
Running is not going well this year. It is horribly hot. The only times I can really get out and run end up being late afternoon. At near 100F, this is not happening. I've been trying to run on the treadmill but it's boring and between the kids and dog, I feel like I'm spending all the time trying to keep furry and/or flying objects away from the belt. DH isn't home when I have time to run so nobody is available to police the weebeasties.
Anyway, long story short, I'm very discouraged about my half marathon goal for this year.
Okay, beginning stats as of 8/8/18
Weight: 217
Body Fat: 27%
I sat down with a trainer, and went over nutrition, macros, meal planning, and exercise program. First goal is to get down to 207. So he put me at 1950 calories per day clean eating, as that's the maintenance caloric intake for a 207-lb. guy my age with low activity.
GOAL 1:
What: Get to 207 lbs by Sept 5th (4 weeks)
How: 12-16 workouts and clean eating for next 4 weeks, hitting all macros
Started 100 pushups training program. Couldn't do 5 good ones. Now I can do 25.
Going to sign up for tai chi classes this week.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
I didn't do particularly good sets of chin ups today but people sometimes are surprised to see a thirtysomething lady with tiny shoulders doing them at all. An older gentlemen gave me a high five!
Well, I haven't been doing a lot myself this past week; we were up in Big Bear to crew for my brother's race 100 mile race. He had a podium finish! It was awesome. I also got another permit for Mt. Whitney, so I'll be giving it another attempt on September 1st. Time to get back on track! My back has been giving me trouble the past month or so, but it is slowly improving. After being out with the ultra community all weekend I'm motivated to get out on the trails myself.
Started 100 pushups training program. Couldn't do 5 good ones. Now I can do 25.
Going to sign up for tai chi classes this week.
Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
Okay, beginning stats as of 8/8/18
Weight: 217
Body Fat: 27%
I sat down with a trainer, and went over nutrition, macros, meal planning, and exercise program. First goal is to get down to 207. So he put me at 1950 calories per day clean eating, as that's the maintenance caloric intake for a 207-lb. guy my age with low activity.
GOAL 1:
What: Get to 207 lbs by Sept 5th (4 weeks)
How: 12-16 workouts and clean eating for next 4 weeks, hitting all macros
2 little wins for me -Yay, that's awesome! So speedy.
- set a new personal milage record in August (113 km)
- ran my 5th half marathon and first under 2 hours (1:57:21!)
Have another half marathon in 2 weeks time, and am planning to take on a full marathon next year.
On we go!
Well, I did it, I hiked Mt. Whitney. It was really humbling; it definitely pushed me to the edge of my capabilities (and beyond?). It's 22 miles total and I rolled my ankle on the way back down with 3 miles to go to the trailhead. It's been three days and it's still pretty sore. Hiking an extra three miles on it didn't do me any favors. But, I did it!! Once I can walk again, and then run, I will get back to training because I have a 15k trail race at the end of October. I just turned 40 last week and I'm determined to make my 40's my fittest years yet! Thanks for all the support along the way so far. :)
Why is there this craze to do handstands?
I'm hoping to get back on track with the kids going back to school.
I am curious....how many of you measure/weigh your food for tracking purposes?
How many use a garmin /ifit to track activity?
If yes to either.....how has tracking helped you and what device do use or recommend? The garmin vivoactive 3 music caught my eye but would be an expensive toy for me. I mean i ran for years without even waering a watch.
I know this is a little repetitve of a question but i havent been making progress and think that my "eyeball measurements" are far too generous and that i am probably not pushing myself enough in workouts. Some things i can really meausre but i could foxus ob heart rate time/ training
2 little wins for me -Yay, that's awesome! So speedy.
- set a new personal milage record in August (113 km)
- ran my 5th half marathon and first under 2 hours (1:57:21!)
Have another half marathon in 2 weeks time, and am planning to take on a full marathon next year.
On we go!
I ran my crazy up hill half marathon again today. Weather was MUCH cooler than last year (it was 95F at the top last year). I missed my goal time by 3 minutes, but improved my time from last year by 39 minutes, so win!
Gonna register for another half in October...that's an overall slightly DOWNhill (700ft), not a 4000 ft gain, ha!
@Drole at the risk of being facepunched, I actually have an apple watch after having too many issues with a fitbit I'd had for awhile. I use it with Strava to track all of my workouts. I LOVE it, and I was one of the biggest mockers of them when they came out...my husband uses a Garmin but I didn't like how huge and clunky it was, although my sister-in-law's Garmin isn't bad. I have the series 3 which is waterproof, but I did not get the cellular option. I wish the battery life was better, but it charges very quickly. On my Mt. Whitney hike (which lasted 19 freaking hours) I stopped to charge it 3 times, 10 minutes on the way up, 10 minutes on the way down, and about 40 minutes at the top. I still had 18% battery left. When my brother runs his ultras he has to charge his Garmin too.
@mm1970 congrats on your crazy up hill half. That's impressive; I hate running uphill so much. I MAY decide to do my first full next year (or the year after) and I'm looking at the "Mountains 2 Beach" up your way since my brother lives in Ventura.
39 minutes ahead is outstanding! Especially on an uphill slog!
@Mongoose I have been more than bummed. I would say depressed/mourning. Going through the stages of grief, denial especially. Moving into acceptance now, so that I can build activity level consistent with my abilities.Your description is better than mine. :-) Are you laid off running long term? I'm going to try shorter distances in a few weeks and maybe back to a half marathon next year. I'm fighting not to be too discouraged about having trouble 2years in a row.
Do you have any goals with the biking? I know your running was pretty ambitious.
Okay, beginning stats as of 8/8/18
Weight: 217
Body Fat: 27%
I sat down with a trainer, and went over nutrition, macros, meal planning, and exercise program. First goal is to get down to 207. So he put me at 1950 calories per day clean eating, as that's the maintenance caloric intake for a 207-lb. guy my age with low activity.
GOAL 1:
What: Get to 207 lbs by Sept 5th (4 weeks)
How: 12-16 workouts and clean eating for next 4 weeks, hitting all macros
21 days later, down to 211. Probably gained a lb of muscle at least; feel much stronger. Haven't missed a workout yet and eating tons of protein (over 150 grams per day). Probably won't lose 4 more pounds in a week, but I believe I'm replacing fat with some muscle, so the scale won't move as much, but the results will show more. Will try to get another body fat reading when I check in with the gym owner late next week. Everyone (in the US), enjoy an active labor day weekend!
- @Laura33
- Workout logically - reduce risk of injury
- >= 4x/week workout
- < 3 consecutive weeks of 6+ workouts/week
- Push ups 1 set/10
- Pull ups 1 set/1
Participant List
- @EngineerYogi
- Do something fitnessy
- Consistently teach/do yoga