Physical Fitness

[Deepdiver]

For those of you who run regularly (say 12 miles/week or more), you may find that you don't need to do all those sit-ups and crunches (unless you are trying to develop/maintain a real tight six pack.

Running at a moderate pace with good posture (head up and back straight) will tighten up those abs just fine, and shrink the waste line.

FWIW.....

 

[Soap]

R127- I've always wanted to try the Indian clubs. Where did you get the book?

 

[jojo]

The Goose, I've always wanted to try a strongman contest. I have done a couple of Highland Games, but found that, for the most part, I am not big enough. I am strong enough, but at 5' 10" I am not big enough. Most of those hoss's were 6'2" and up.
The kettle bells, the tire flip, and really the stone carry are quite benifical. While any weight training helps on the job, it make for a nice break from the same ole thing.

VaughnT, excellent! Congratulations on your efforts so far. That is quite an accomplishment.

jojo

 

[garrettwc]

Originally posted by Deepdiver
For those of you who run regularly (say 12 miles/week or more), you may find that you don't need to do all those sit-ups and crunches (unless you are trying to develop/maintain a real tight six pack.

Running at a moderate pace with good posture (head up and back straight) will tighten up those abs just fine, and shrink the waste line.

FWIW.....

If what you are saying is right, it is worth a lot. I have no real interest in a "six-pack" but would like to loose the inches and have the stomach at least be flat. And I hate crunches!!

You said "may". As in it won't be true for everyone?

Please give more details. What is a "moderate" pace? How many minutes per mile?

Cardio and waistline are two of my weakest points. Your statement sounds like I could accomplish both. I know about the so called "runner's body" but thought part of that was due to a "lean" diet of pasta and rice cakes.

 

[R127]

Daniel Flory:

I do a lot of classical fencing and Western martial arts so I have a pretty extensive collection of antique books and treatises on the arts of defence and physical culture. As it so happens I've scanned the entire book, 79 pages, and saved them as .jpg's. It's ten or 11 megs, but if you'd like to give me a shipping address I can snail mail a burnt cd to you. From there you can print it out or just read it on your computer.

You can occasionally find antique clubs on eBay or at flea markets/antique shows. Those club bells are a bit hyped up, but actually look like they'd be pretty decent as well and the price isn't bad. If you can't afford those then you can make do with a pair of aluminum t-ball bats, measure out enough sand or split shot to make up the weight to about 4 or 5 pounds, fill the bat with some sort of epoxy or other adhesive till you have just a bit more room at the top of the bat than the volume of your added weight material, fill it with the sand or split shot, some more epoxy and a stopper in the hole... not quite as good as the real thing but servicable. I reccomend a 4 or 5lbs club because first off the felt weight is dramatically increased over the actual weight do to the leverage effect, and secondly because a club that's a little lighter than what you could ultimately will make good form in the various evolutions easier to achieve, and that is much more important for results than moving the heaviest weight you can is. Some people say these things look like bowling pins, but don't try to use a bowling pin as a club, the handling and balance are far off.

 

[Harold Mayo]

R127, I'd be interested in those files, too.

 

[Soap]

R127- That is very generous of you! I'll send you my address via PM. Also, I'll send you a check for some money to cover the shipping. I'll send you one that will cover both Harold and I's since I owe him a favor!

 

[Griff]

So far, the best program I've been able to come up with is to alternate lift/run 4-5 days a week (moderate), but we got one of those telescoping doorway pull-up bars for when it's too much of a hassle to get to the gym. It also seems to help just hanging from it; posture and spine and stretching and all. Monkey bars, swingsets, any handy horizontal I can get my hands around will do...

I was doing some M.A. (Street Aikido/Kali/Escrima/Stuff) but had to lay off for work reasons, looking forward to getting back in soon.
Wife said it improved my dancing, anyway. (Oh, great, just what a guy wants to be called: "graceful")

Cheers, Ya'll

 

[Deepdiver]

garrett,

I said "may", because it is hard to predict how an individual's body will react (i.e. some folks will never develop a carved six pack no matter how many crunches/ab exercises they do - simply due to their physiology),

But, as an example, I run 3,4 or 6 mile stints at a 10 - 11 minute/mile pace (depending on how energetic I feel that day - so nothing real fast, but I throw in some interval sprinting) a 2-3 times a week (depending on weather or my travel schedule).

I eat a reasonable (nothing special, but stay in the "moderation" range), diet (I like a Guiness or two in the evening - and there are a few carbs in one of those).

I also do some moderate (20 minute workouts) strength/toning (not body building) training on the off-days. I usually take weekends off unless I have not been able to work out during the week.

I am over 50, and have been able to maintain a flat stomach, and 6' -3"/180# physique (not a runners' body, but "conditioned").

The key is to maintain good posture (head up, and back straight - like when you are sprinting), even at slow jogging paces - this causes you to suck in your gut. You can feel the tension in you abs if you are doing it right.

I run for mental health/stress relief - but the physical effects are welcome, as well.

I have friends that run with me, and it seems to work for them about as well.

Give it a try, it may work for you - and it will certainly make you feel better!!

Good Luck!

 

[El Tejon]

R127, wow, those look great and perfect for edged weapon training!

Dan, how about weighted baat jam do?

 

[R127]

Daniel/Harold, I had to reconfigure my settings to accept private messages, but I should be good to go now. I wasn't really expecting anything in return but I respect a man who likes to do business fair and square so I guess we can figure that out when I ship the disks. Also, I don't know if you live near eachother and want me to just send them to one address or whatever, so I guess you can work that out and let me know. Well, I have a wedding to go to(not my own ) this weekend, but I could have these in the mail by Monday, and of course I'd be happy to do some tech support if you have any questions regarding the material upon receipt.

El Tejon, yes, they are! Some of the evolutions(that's what the various "swinging patterns" are called) are directly relevant to swordplay, for instance both in sabre/broadsword(my area of specialty) and the indian club exercise there is something called a "molinete" which is at once an attack and recovery. Other evolutions are related very closely with movements from the martial styles of boxing that preceded sport boxing and included throws, holds, eye gouges, etc. If for no other reason than it is a discipline of weight in motion, the indian clubs are perhaps the best exercise device ever devised for combat sports, martial arts, racket or bat sports. If you'd like, or anyone else for that matter, send me a private message with shipping info and I'll send out a disk.

 

[El Tejon]

R127, many thanks. I do saber myself in mantis boxing. Where have these things been; where have I been--oh, yeah, office, forgot.

 

[sanchezero]

http://www.trainforstrength.com/workouts.shtml

SOme excellent bodyweight or minimal equipment workouts. They're kinda hard if you're not in shape. Just play with the numbers a bit.

 

[garrettwc]

Deepdiver, thanks for the info.

Gotta work on the diet. I'm getting better about it, but could still stand to get my calories under 3000/day.

20 - 30 minutes a couple of days a week should work for me. My schedule is very run and gun, but I can probably manage that. Like you I don't have any plans to go up against Schwarzenegger, but I would like to be able to chase the grandkids without keeling over.

 

[gripper]

PT,conditioning,etc.

Good posts from all. I have remained physically active. I don't fight anymore,but I still enjoy hard running(or indoor cardio at the gym),heavy lifting&old school calisthenics&bagwork. At one time,I studied martial arts(Korean&some Japanese),had boxed in my youth(with some in the Army),along with the usual H2H fun&games associated with the MOS(11B10,19d10,etc.).
I still have the discipline for daily hard work,but for the last year,a healthy diet seems HARD!!!Maybe I'm getting screwy in my old age,but all of the sudden food tastes GREAT.Not the worst thing in itself,but my big weakness seems to be bakery cookies. And the catering crew here at work is soooo goood at making those peanut butter/chocolate chip frisbees. I'm a skinny wiry type(5'8"-150,but that can't be doing me any good.
On the upside,I still run half marathons in 1:22-1:25;best time this last October was 1:20.I'm still strong despite the worst of my misbehavior&medical headaches,b ut I do have to get a good hold on some dietary discipline again

 

[Balog]

Don't have time to read thru all the posts here (looks like good stuff) but I'd recommend this site. It was started by our own Derek Zeanah. Join up and help whip our pudgy THR hineys into shape.

 

[Mike Irwin]

Uh, no, to put it mildly, I'm a big fat load.

I had been doing weight watchers, and was being pretty successful with it, but got out of it and have gained a bunch of weight back.

I'm starting to take steps to address that. I'm bringing my lunch more (my soups and sandwiches are a lot less fattening than stuff from the cafe on site), I want to start using our gym here at work again, and I'm going to rejoin WW. I just want to make sure I do it with the proper amount of motivation.

The slow loss of motivation and complacency were what killed me last time.

 

[gripper]

fitness/conditioning

Run or do sustained weight bearing/resisted cardio:
Your mile time+30 minutes,hopefully picking up the pace as you go every 5-10minutes
Basic PT/calisthenicsush ups-dips,Pull ups/chinups,sit-ups-crunches

Flexibility:Good stretches/look to martial arts/yoga etc.

Don't be afraid to add a variety of training,mix it up.

Weights are good,classes are all good,just keep on trying

 

[Mike Irwin]

Gripper,

Unfortunately, running isn't really an option. I broke my back in college and I can't take the sustained impact of running. Luckily, however, I can cycle.

 

[JamisJockey]

MIke,
Then cycle! I'm a little guy (5'3") and I lost almost 30lbs just by riding! My only primary dietary change was eliminating soda, and cutting down on the beer. Once I achieved that much weight loss, I began dieting and rarely eat fast food now, and am down to over 30lbs total weight loss. From 193 to my winter fat weight of 161. During the peak of cycling season I'll be about 155.

 

[mtnbkr]

Mike, get a bike, I need a motivated person to ride with.

Lots of good bike trails in NoVa, even some good offroad stuff.

Chris

 

[Cosmoline]

I've gone from being in great shape during college eight years ago to being in terrible shape now. Working 10 hour days and having a two hour commute don't help matters any. I'm coming to the conclusion that the only way to get my old body back is to get my old life back, when I had many hours of free time every day.

 

[Stickjockey]

There's a bunch of Highroaders over here. Come on over, it's a new forum dedicated to this very thing.

 

[SB1]

unfortunately

I attended both events. I walked from Ground Zero to midtown then over the 59th street bridge which is the equivalnet of 8 miles or so.

During the blackout this past summer. I walked from midtown to MSG then back up to midtown and then walked to Shea stadium in Queens. All told I walked 14 miles in 5 1/2 hours.

I now make sure I have something with me at all times. I now carry a Surefire and a stainless spyderco. Several times I was approached in some below average neighborhoods. Nothing came from it but got me thinking if someone did want to rob me I had nothing. ( Cannot carry here in NY) I know you're all shocked

Not in great shape but I played soccer in high school and college and some casual football with the guys. The only thing that bothered me the next day were my feet. and they were better a day later.

If you just go out - walk. I take the stairs when possible. Walk on the escalators. you name it. Walking gives the same workout as jogging - it just takes longer.