2020 Health & Fitness Thread

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Bill D- Strong Hamstrings = healthy knees IME.

I was told I`d absolutely have to have knee replacements by now (those xrays were really scary...), and I did have to quit driving a stick (it was that or else quit lifting heavy..easy choice), but I`ve had *zero* knee issues for decades since prioritizing my Hams despite all that StairMaster work that`s supposedly hard on them (not IME).

[Bill D]

Thanks! I’ll pass that on to my dad.

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So how are the at-home workouts going?!? This thread has been awfully quiet for a while...

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Bass categorizes his exercise as follows:

-Go Heavy = RT
-Go Hard = Intervals (the StairMaster/AirDyne)
-Go Long = Endurance (the Treadmill hikes)

That works for me...

Today was my Long day, although I sneaked in a quick session on the Stair first, just a warm up where I only maxed-out for 80 seconds during its hardest portion.

Then I got on the Tread and went 90 minutes, going 5.91mi. That required doing ~14 min. at 4.4 mph, which I can only do with it level. I *am* now able to do one of my "hills" at 4.2mph, which sure seemed unlikely a few months ago, so OK..incremental progress. And I`m doing the "pump my arms" for brief (~30 seconds) periods when it`s at the max incline ..I do that once/twice during the ~2min. that I spend with it up that high for the speeds under 4.4 (level for that).

Even without holding Heavy Hands/etc., that arm pumping does continue to make it more challenging.

I just wish it didn`t take me *so* long to feel I`ve accomplished what I oughta...trying to short-change my warmup on the Tread (jumping up to ~3.8 quickly) just doesn`t suit me, I really need to ease into it with a few minutes at a slower pace and my first hill at just 3.6. Sigh..wish it weren`t so, but that`s how it`s going at least for now. I`d rather wrap up my Long work in just an hour, but it just doesn`t seem optimal.

[Bill D]

At least you are seeing progress even if it is slow. I wouldn’t change too much out of fear that it might lead to a setback.

With my walking I now sometimes walk for about a mile on the beach barefoot which slows me down some but maybe if I keep at it I’ll be able to speed up gradually. It is definitely the hardest part of the 4 mile total trip. I remember when walking on a slight incline on a bridge made me feel it in my legs for a while but gradually that went away and I zip through the incline now. All about keeping at it and eventually progress does come.

[jrock645]

I’m so burnt out on home workouts I can’t see straight. Still plugging away at it but motivation is waning.

Finished up with Menno. Got me close to where I’m looking to be bf% wise, so I can take it from here.

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At least you are seeing progress even if it is slow. I wouldn’t change too much out of fear that it might lead to a setback... All about keeping at it and eventually progress does come.

Yesh, "incremental progress" I keep telling myself. I can only walk so fast before it`s not really walking any more.

With my walking I now sometimes walk for about a mile on the beach barefoot which slows me down some but maybe if I keep at it I’ll be able to speed up gradually. It is definitely the hardest part of the 4 mile total trip. I remember when walking on a slight incline on a bridge made me feel it in my legs for a while but gradually that went away and I zip through the incline now..

Since you`ve only been doing it barefoot for a while I bet it will get easier as you acclimate.

I’m so burnt out on home workouts I can’t see straight. Still plugging away at it but motivation is waning.

Well, maybe they`ll open up your gym soon...I hear they are already doing that in some places.

Are you able to challenge yourself at home?

Guess I`m finding this situation interesting if only because I`m so all about my at-home approach. If I had to train in a gym I`d be very hard-pressed to do it, simply can`t *imagine* it. It`s like you and I are flip sides of the coin in this regard.

Finished up with Menno. Got me close to where I’m looking to be bf% wise, so I can take it from here.

That`s good! Sounds like you feel you got your $`s worth from him.

What`s your diet like these days? Do you like it better than the Keto?

[jrock645]

Lots of veggies and fruits. Lean proteins like chicken breast, flank steak or lean ground beef, some fish/shrimp, yogurt, eggs/egg whites. At about 2300cals at the moment. Shooting for just under a gram of protein per lb, around 70g of fat and about 250g of carbs. I like it but hunger is a constant battle. Have to stay on schedule or hinger can quickly derail me.

[jrock645]

I can find ways to challenge myself at home but i cant lift as heavy as i need to so theres more higher rep work, which gets draining after a while.

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jrock645- I was really liking the sound of your current dietary regimen until I got to that "always hungry" part. Is that just when you`re late for a feeding?

And yeah..I hear you on how high-rep work with lighter weight can`t really substitute for going heavy, thanks for explaining. Is that mainly with regard to Legs and Chest (just guessing...those are what I really need "all my stuff" for) or with other bodyparts too?

[jrock645]

jrock645- I was really liking the sound of your current dietary regimen until I got to that "always hungry" part. Is that just when you`re late for a feeding?

And yeah..I hear you on how high-rep work with lighter weight can`t really substitute for going heavy, thanks for explaining. Is that mainly with regard to Legs and Chest (just guessing...those are what I really need "all my stuff" for) or with other bodyparts too?

As for the hunger, its just part of being in a deficit. I get a lot of fiber- around 60g per day from actual food(not supplemental fiber, which doesnt count). And its still a struggle sometimes mentally. Part of it is i work around food, so theres always stuff in front of me provoking the thought.

Yeah cheat is the big one. I can add bands to db movements but it gets awkward to the point of not feeling safe. Legs i actually dont have a problem with weight for, its just i hate the actual movements im limited to right now.

The part about the higher rep work that people dont realize is that youre inadvertently doing a higher training volume than you might intend. It might still just be 2 sets, but doing 15-20 vs say 8, your total tonnage will be much higher and it sneaks up on you. And one of the beat ways to break the plateau and dissipate the fatigue is lower rep work, but thats just not available at the moment.

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As for the hunger, its just part of being in a deficit. I get a lot of fiber- around 60g per day from actual food(not supplemental fiber, which doesnt count). And its still a struggle sometimes mentally. Part of it is i work around food, so theres always stuff in front of me provoking the thought.

Ah, yeah...I eat tons of fiber too.

So you`re in caloric deficit at ~2300...OK that didn`t occur to me. I also tend to forget that different people view food differently from Yours Truly Being around food usually turns me *off* for some reason, even stuff I like..I just never want to eat, or even be around food, unless I`m hungry, and any time I am hungry I eat.

Yeah cheat is the big one. I can add bands to db movements but it gets awkward to the point of not feeling safe. Legs i actually dont have a problem with weight for, its just i hate the actual movements im limited to right now.

I bet that`s awkward! I`ve never figured out how to do Bands + Freeweights for Chest..basically just do that for different types of Rows and Leg Lifts, otherwise I either use the Bands by themselves or hook them up to the cable/pulley setup.

And I`m really surprised that you have sufficient weight for working your Legs, but then we`re probably going about it differently. Gee, I would`ve thought that was a big stumbling block!

The part about the higher rep work that people dont realize is that youre inadvertently doing a higher training volume than you might intend. It might still just be 2 sets, but doing 15-20 vs say 8, your total tonnage will be much higher and it sneaks up on you. And one of the beat ways to break the plateau and dissipate the fatigue is lower rep work, but thats just not available at the moment.

Ah, I found that interesting too, if only because I hardly *ever* drop below, say...12 reps, and often go higher these days.

Do you think that kind of volume increase leads to overtraining (there I go again with that )?

I guess I don`t think in terms of "fatigue" with regard to my workouts since they`re so brief with so long between the single-sets-per-exercise. Fatigue only come up when I`m doing hours and hours of manual labor, which can get like day-long workouts. Yeah, doing chores like that`s counterproductive in some ways, but I remind myself that the real reason I exercise is so I can continue to do such stuff despite getting older.

EDIT#whatever...I hope I`ve *finally* corrected all the typos in this! Sheesh, I`m typing like a klutz today

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jrock645- So what`s your verdict on the DBs and Bench?

Do the DBs have, uhm...straight...handles or ones that are bigger in the middle?

[jrock645]

Havent paid much attention to the handles, tbh. Straight i think.

DB’s and bench im happy with, just wish i had more weight. The 52.5lbs each means high rep work for pressing movements. Im over 20 for incline bench and even 15+ for overhead and it just sucks after a while.

For legs, 105lbs on bulgarian split squats is plenty. Pistol squats dont really even need weight. Those are my primary movements for legs.

And yeah, all this high rep work makes it hard to progress after a while. Plateau busting methods pretty much always involve adding weight to lower the rep range, but i dont have that tool available right now. Blows.

Its probably gonna be a bit longer but i cant wait to get back in the gym and get back to “real training.” All this at home stuff is bothering my back. Improvised movements and such. And not having an elliptical to warm up on hurts. I have stiff hips and nothing loosens them up like an elliptical does. So im in more pain than ive been in in quite a while. Really ready to get back to the routine that was working really well. Not that this isnt giving results, its just boring. Some days i just improv a workout with bands and make it up as i go instead of following what menno drew up for me. Just so burnt out on the at home stuff.

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jrock645- Thanks for explaining, I do find our differing situations/approaches endlessly fascinating!

You might look into PlateMates- magnetized add-on weights that I use on my DBs. Not *that*much more, but maybe enough to tweak the presses (and yeah...I can see how 52.5 just doesn`t work forever on those).

Speaking of finding your approaches interesting, your doing (only) those two movements for Legs did get my attention Ever consider adding some Bent-knee Leg Lifts for your Rectus Femoris? AFAIK that`s the only movement that really hits those, and since they`re what raise the leg to walk/etc. I do like to hit `em. Your DBs might be OK, especially if you add a small band.

And yeah...not having access to the Elliptical must be tough. No way to loosen up the hips/etc. through Hamstring/Glute work?

I sure hope you don`t [mess] yourself up..stiff hips = tricky situation injury-wise IMO... And/but I hear more and more places are opening up their Gyms, maybe yours will open up again soon.