Anyone want to shape up in 2018? A continuing journey.......

rgambs

I lost 5 pounds over the weekend by going to Bourbon and Beyond lol
Guess it's time to go back on the diet and keep it rolling.

FoxyRedLa

Does that mean liquid diet?

curmudgeoness

oftenreading said:

curmudgeoness said:

I could continue with jujitsu in a class/ sparring setting, although I'm happy with the one-on-one set-up I have now. So... I don't know.

But, knock on wood, I am healthy and making slow but steady progess. 

If I may make a small suggestion - try climbing. It's an amazing sport that  is both a mental and a physical workout, and will give you the same sort of zen feeling that yoga will.  When you are climbing, you focus on nothing but climbing; everything else just drops away. It's a wonderful core and upper body workout, and very egalitarian;  any body type can climb, and everyone will have their own areas of strength and areas that are a challenge for them, since there is such a variety of route types, holds, etc. Any gym I've been at has a wide variety of routes, from beginner to expert. You can climb side by side with people of hugely varying abilities and everyone will be challenged, which isn't something you see in most sports.  I have never been bored climbing, and I can't see that I ever would be.

That's funny -- I had someone suggest that I try climbing just the other day. I've never really considered it, since I have a very well-developed fear of falling. ;-) But when I stop and think about it, I have to admit that the safety equipment should help me get past that fear (scaling actual cliffs will happen right after I take up skydiving, LOL). So, yeah, that's probably something I can add to my to-do list. :-)   

curmudgeoness

So, once again, I tried a yoga class this morning. I ended up leaving before I even unrolled my mat.
I'm not a group-exercise person. I don't unwind in a room full of people. But my trainer said I should do yoga weekly for the sake of flexibility, so there I was, again. Looking lost. The owner/manager was too busy talking about the meals she is cooking for her dog to make me feel welcome. Other students were snippy with me when I entered the studio and tried to figure out where to put my mat and what I needed for the class. So I left....

Over the years, I've tried yoga, pilates, and barre classes. And every time, even though the classes I try are advertised as beginner-friendly, there has been zero effort made to welcome newcomers or to give any clue as to what is happening in the class. It's like walkng into what you think is the first day of a class only to find that it's actually the day of the midterm, and please go find a seat.

So, I'm off to find good basic yoga/ stretching routines to teach myself. And I'll stick to getting my workouts at bodybuilding central instead of at places that cater to women; I feel more welcome there.

markymark550

curmudgeoness said:

So, once again, I tried a yoga class this morning. I ended up leaving before I even unrolled my mat.
I'm not a group-exercise person. I don't unwind in a room full of people. But my trainer said I should do yoga weekly for the sake of flexibility, so there I was, again. Looking lost. The owner/manager was too busy talking about the meals she is cooking for her dog to make me feel welcome. Other students were snippy with me when I entered the studio and tried to figure out where to put my mat and what I needed for the class. So I left....

Over the years, I've tried yoga, pilates, and barre classes. And every time, even though the classes I try are advertised as beginner-friendly, there has been zero effort made to welcome newcomers or to give any clue as to what is happening in the class. It's like walkng into what you think is the first day of a class only to find that it's actually the day of the midterm, and please go find a seat.

So, I'm off to find good basic yoga/ stretching routines to teach myself. And I'll stick to getting my workouts at bodybuilding central instead of at places that cater to women; I feel more welcome there.

That stinks. Can't do anything about the attitudes of the basic bitches in the class, but the instructors should be better than that. It may or may not do any good, but I would feel compelled to mention/complain about it next time at the gym. You pay your hard earned money for a membership, they should at least treat you with respect.

I tried yoga once at my gym and while it was difficult, I enjoyed the class. I didn't like being the only guy in the class though. Even though my wife was there, and it was obvious we were together, all the other women there treated me like a was a weirdo perv. Schedules changed though and now I can't make it to those classes, but we did pick up some beginner DVDs that I'll occasionally use. One thing is for sure though, I will never be particularly good at it. I might gain some flexibility, but there are some poses that I know I'll never be able to do. 

FoxyRedLa

FoxyRedLa

Happy Saturday. Working on the chore list. Got turkey white bean chili Goin in the crock. First attempt. 

Trying to stay on track. Catch ya later. 

curmudgeoness

September is in the books: 285+ miles, 80 hours of exercise (plus stretching, yoga, massage, getting up close and personal with my foam roller). I need to figure out a way to make "masters fitness model" into a (paying) thing. ;-) 

Sonja_S

curmudgeoness said:

Over the years, I've tried yoga, pilates, and barre classes. And every time, even though the classes I try are advertised as beginner-friendly, there has been zero effort made to welcome newcomers or to give any clue as to what is happening in the class. It's like walkng into what you think is the first day of a class only to find that it's actually the day of the midterm, and please go find a seat.

So, I'm off to find good basic yoga/ stretching routines to teach myself. And I'll stick to getting my workouts at bodybuilding central instead of at places that cater to women; I feel more welcome there.

When you tried Pilates, did you go to a Pilates studio (that also has the Pilates machines) or a gym? Just asking because - at least where I live - the stuff they do in gyms can be called a lot, but not Pilates. They have to modify so people can jump in at any time to the point of non-recognition.

I tried yoga several times and it's not my thing at all. A friend (female triathlete) had the same issue ; then she tagged along to 'my' pilates studio a few years ago and has been hooked since then. We are both more into strength/weight training than doing poses and stretching, so Pilates is great for us (we're doing both mat and machines).

Is there a studio in your area that offers classes that start from scratch and build up? I'm not into group work outs either, but luckily there's a lot of banter and laughing where I am training, newbies get included from the get-go and there's no competition like I've seen at the few yoga sessions I tried.

markymark550

#flexfriday #fundaygunday

Just finished a brutal arm workout. Did 5 triceps exercises, then a biceps curl program that had 8 sets at working weight, then reverse grip curls, then 2 separate supersets with each ss hitting both triceps and biceps. My arms feel huge right now...amazing pump.

I'm trying to get arm work in twice a week. Once with other workouts and once by themselves. Hopefully, I can get some gains doing that.

rgambs

Sometimes I do 6 dropsets of 50 reps on curls, my arms won't even hang straight after that lol

markymark550

rgambs said:

Sometimes I do 6 dropsets of 50 reps on curls, my arms won't even hang straight after that lol

I love doing dropsets with dumbbells. Especially for a burnout finisher. By the time you get down to the 5 pound ones, your arms are on fire!

Arms are pretty dang sore today. Biceps more than triceps, which is surprising. Did the same volume for both, but definitely more intensity with triceps. Guess I just need to curl more to let them catch up

FoxyRedLa

This weight training is serious business. I got a work out in on Tuesday and just today I don't have any soreness. I did 8 minutes of HIIT and then 20-25 minutes of back to include plank row each arm, reverse row, dumbbell pullover, normal arm row each arm and push ups. I felt nothing sore in my back haha mostly the back of my arm. Hah sorry for the lack of knowledge. 

I got 1 workout in. 1. And I was jacked all week. Every time I sneezed which was a lot I could feel it in my core.

I'm so out of shape! 

We'll see what I can accomplish this week.

markymark550

Your arms will get some work on back exercises, especially the biceps. If you ever find your biceps getting sore or getting a pump from a back workout, try to visualize pulling the weight with your elbows instead of your hands. That will help build the mind-muscle connection with the back muscles and help you focus on working them better.

If the back of your arms (triceps) are hurting, it's probably from the pullover and pushups as they will recruit the triceps to help. For the pullovers, make sure your arms don't move to eliminate the triceps and really focus on the stretch in your lats. For pushups, widen your hand placement to make it focus more on your chest. The closer your hands get, the more it works the triceps.

I don't usually get sore from back workouts either. I have to be doing really heavy deadlifts to have lower/middle back soreness. That's about it though.

FoxyRedLa

Thanks mark! I was going to say tricep I should've. Anyway, I wondered if I did the movements wrong. Focusing on the elbow helps I'll try that! I hadn't had soreness in my arms yet so that was new. And only the triceps. I could feel my core and even the obliques I was shocked! I did a few burpees and planks with and with out weights. Could feel it when I sneezed and when sitting up out of bed.

Ugh may start the week with legs. Which will be a disaster I won't want to do anything. May do another HIIT with chest and shoulders and then a couple days later, legs. I think that'll be the goal.

markymark550

Planks will definitely work your core, especially if you brace hard while doing them.

I like starting the week with legs. Get it over with early on lol. Plus, it gives me a chance to squat multiple times a week, if I'm feeling it.

curmudgeoness

I've had a cold since Thursday. :-( I'm continuing with moderate exercise (lifting daily, less intensity; more walking than running). I'm a cranky sick person in general, and I find myself fretting that I will completely fall apart due to several days of slacking off.

Tomorrow, I'm going to have my body fat and resting metabolic rate tested. That should be interesting; I have body fat scales, but they are not as accurate as hydrostatic testing, and I am pretty sure that a difference of 2.5 percentage points (BIA margin of error) is significant given the range am in.

I'm actually more curious about my metabolism. I've had thyroid disease for nearly ten years. It's well managed, but I've been tracking my food intake for most of this year, and my food journal indicates a daily deficit of at least 1000 calories. I should be ravenous, and I should weigh less than I do. But my thyroid seems to be burning out and taking my metabolism with it.

guacamolejoe

Can't seem to stay committed enough anymore. As much as I'd like to go to the gym more, major injuries prevent me from recovering & feeling strong enough to go. Pain = no gain

rgambs

I'm back on my diet and I'm friggin hungry.

FoxyRedLa