Getting fitter

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Essexman

Forager
Jul 26, 2010
213
23
Essex
Whatever you're doing kept up goodjob
every day I intend on going for a bike ride and only end up doing it about 3-4 times a week.

Some of you sound quite fit already!!

3-4 times a week is better than zero, don't be so harsh on yourself!
Also I wouldn't ever compare to others, fitness level is a very individual thing dependent on many many factors.
Plus, comparison is the thief of joy.
 
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Mr Wolf

Full Member
Jun 30, 2013
707
169
Nottinghamshire
, comparison is the thief of joy.
Could be an effective motivator.

Personally I'm trying a different approach.
Instead of heavy I'm going more often......completely random sets at random times during the day.
Like a numpty I borrowed my kettlebells to someone that cant go to the gym
 
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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,447
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Exeter
Could be an effective motivator.

Personally I'm trying a different approach.
Instead of heavy I'm going more often......completely random sets at random times during the day.
Like a numpty I borrowed my kettlebells to someone that cant go to the gym

Multiple 'Micro' workout during the day are gaining supporting sports science traction as it seems multiple 'signalling' to the body is more important than lengthy sessions.

So what does that mean in simple speak? doing 4/5 bursts of a couple sets during the course of the day MAY be more more effective than one lengthy death march in the morning.
 

Mr Wolf

Full Member
Jun 30, 2013
707
169
Nottinghamshire
Multiple 'Micro' workout during the day are gaining supporting sports science traction as it seems multiple 'signalling' to the body is more important than lengthy sessions.

So what does that mean in simple speak? doing 4/5 bursts of a couple sets during the course of the day MAY be more more effective than one lengthy death march in the morning.
Pavel tsatsouline had some interesting stuff,after he stopped the fake russian stick

Signalling isnt new. Think back to Bill Star and his variable loading,the principles are the same.
 
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Essexman

Forager
Jul 26, 2010
213
23
Essex
Could be an effective motivator.

Personally I'm trying a different approach.
Instead of heavy I'm going more often......completely random sets at random times during the day.
Like a numpty I borrowed my kettlebells to someone that cant go to the gym
Yep, likewise I have loaned my 16kg KB to a mate at work.
I'm having to make do with 8kg, 12kg, 20kg, 24kg and 28kg. (waiting to buy a 32kg)
 
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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,447
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Exeter
Pavel tsatsouline had some interesting stuff,after he stopped the fake russian stick

Signalling isnt new. Think back to Bill Star and his variable loading,the principles are the same.


Long time since I've heard anyone mention Bill Star.
 
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Mr Wolf

Full Member
Jun 30, 2013
707
169
Nottinghamshire
What exercises are you doing with them? Just interested.
Mainly stick to the big 5.
Squat
DL
OHP
Bench
Rows.

I add some skull crushers ,dips, chins.

I'm more into compound lifts, not into the lifts that are purely for aesthetics like curling besides,my arms get enough with other stuff.
And to be fair I lift lighter at home coz if I have an a accident I'd be pretty screwed.
Smart and safe.

Works for me,to be fair most routines work if you stick to it and listen to your body.
 
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Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,152
1,546
Cumbria
My issue with weights is I always do them on my own. As a teenager my parents got me a barbell and dumbells set. As a tall skinny kid I can only assume it was to bulk me out. First thing I read in the instructions that gave all the exercises was to train with a partner. Weights above my head in my own doesn't appeal. Not least because novices always put too much weight on to start out. Without a bench or Smith's machine thingy over doing it could mean arms give way.

Also I've never been bothered about looks or body building. For me any strength training is about improving n my performance while doing whatever activity I'm into. For example walking, challenge walking, backpacking, climbing or whitewater kayaking. For walking based activities I did a lot of CV work with leg and core strengthening exercises. Always had strong leg muscles but I got to the point that I could do 50 reps on the highest weight on the gym leg press and 3 sets too.

For kayaking I did a lot of core strengthening plus freedom trainer set up with some very personalised exercises that worked the arms, shoulders, back, stomach and legs. Then you changed direction and worked out in the mirror direction. One side pulls and the other pushes. It kills your arms, abs and legs too especially the thigh muscles that pull your knees into the kayak knee grips when paddling. Legs of jelly more than doing lunges with heavy weights.

If only there was a simple home based version of that exercise. I'm thinking something with resistance bands might be closest. If I could find some fixing point front and rear.
 

Van-Wild

Full Member
Feb 17, 2018
1,400
1,221
44
UK
I'm just getting over a recurring injury. Its not totally debilitating but enough to stop me from training. So its three more days of rehab before I get back into it. I've been ticking over with watching diet(ish) and walking the dog every evening for over an hour. Once my rehab is finished I'll be starting it nice and gentle. I have my ghetto gym in the garage, which consists of:

Spin bike
15kg sand bag
25kg sand bag
Olympic rings
Skipping rope
Olympic power bands
12.5kg hex dumbbells.

I can get everything covered with what I have. All of my fitness is geared around what is now fashionably called 'functional fitness', so it's a mix of hard and fast cardio on the spin bike, compound movements with weight (heavy weight low reps or light weight high reps), body weight exercises. I will always mix the tempo up. Some days very high tempo with light or bodyweight reps all the way through to heavy or as difficult as possible nice and slow.... here's the kinda things I do.....

High reps/low weight

5 Rounds For Time, no rest between rounds

10 pull ups
20 hanging leg raises
30 squats

Low Reps/Heavy weight

4 sets x 5 reps Handstand push ups
4 sets x 10 reps back squats

Or I may go for longer bike ride. I dont run long distance (by that I mean anything over 2km or it kills my hips and knees). Sometimes I'll just have a single exercise day, so my target will be say, 200 pull ups total in one day, which I'll break up into sets of whatever until I hit 200 for the day.

So yeah, i like to mix it up. Next gym purchase is a 45kg sand bag.....



Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 

dwardo

Bushcrafter through and through
Aug 30, 2006
6,451
475
46
Nr Chester
Home Dojo for me and the boy. Aka the patio int garden. I have a "century Bob" to beat the living daylights out of and oh my is the poor guy getting it lately...

Kata is a fantastic work out and we have twice weekly Facebook classes that our sensei takes :)

Also a good time to work on injury rehab as well as keeping up with flexibility.

Although it's all a second and missing our karate family.

Tony, where did you buy your rubber mats and are they any good? When I looked last they were eye watering expensive.
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,447
3,652
50
Exeter
I'm just getting over a recurring injury. Its not totally debilitating but enough to stop me from training. So its three more days of rehab before I get back into it. I've been ticking over with watching diet(ish) and walking the dog every evening for over an hour. Once my rehab is finished I'll be starting it nice and gentle.

Mind me asking , what is the injury?
 

MikeLA

Full Member
May 17, 2011
1,955
319
Northumberland
On a serious note - my go-to fitness regime since the eighties has been the one defined in the 'Royal Marines and Commandos Fitness and Survival Skills' book. It doesn't require any equipment and is scaled for age and your starting level of fitness. That, and running, was my only 'keep fit' between rugby seasons and it worked well. Though, I have to say, by modern rugby standards, we were not fit :)

Is that the john whatney book or another ?
 

MikeLA

Full Member
May 17, 2011
1,955
319
Northumberland
Took me years to find a copy of this book, using it myself for fitness with the kids showed them the fitness standards basics on page 19. How many BP’s in a minute etc
 

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