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Getting In Shape

Posted: 2003-07-10 02:36pm
by HemlockGrey
Now, I'm not overweight or anything, but I'm not in the best shape and I'd like to improve that.

As high school as not yet started(and thus I do not have access to their gym) current equipment available to me is:

One(1) mountain bike; keep in mind I live in the suburbs
One(1) 10 lbs weight. Well, it's actually a bit over 10
Two(2) sneakers

Right. Any ideas?

Posted: 2003-07-10 02:40pm
by Darth Garden Gnome
Attaching the weights to your sneakers while you ride your bike. That's the greatest idea I've ever had. If I were McGuyver, I could probably show you how to turn those things into a rocket propelled, anti-tank cabbage launcher; but I still think my idea is at the Jr. McGuyver School for Sleuths level of craftiness. :D

Posted: 2003-07-10 02:45pm
by RogueIce
Darth Garden Gnome wrote:If I were McGuyver, I could probably show you how to turn those things into a rocket propelled, anti-tank cabbage launcher; but I still think my idea is at the Jr. McGuyver School for Sleuths level of craftiness. :D
A rocket propelled, anti-tank cabage launcher? That could come in handy in a TGOD... :D

Anyway, go running. Do some push ups and stuff. If there's a public pool someplace, go do some serious swimming (heard that's a great way to build endurance).

Posted: 2003-07-10 02:51pm
by Peregrin Toker
What about taking your bike on occasions when you would usually ride the bus??

It worked for me.

Posted: 2003-07-10 02:51pm
by HemlockGrey
Oddly enough, I just tried running, and I couldn't get more than a few feet before I stopped. I wasn't nearly out of breath; I could have hopped on my bike and been offf, but it was some sort of mental hangup that caused me to slow down and stop.

Posted: 2003-07-10 02:53pm
by Peregrin Toker
HemlockGrey wrote:Oddly enough, I just tried running, and I couldn't get more than a few feet before I stopped.
Not to be rude, but...

And I thought I was in bad shape....


Here's the advice:
Then try running more often. You'll get accustomed to it. :wink:

Posted: 2003-07-10 02:55pm
by HemlockGrey
And I thought I was in bad shape....
Well, no, I wasn't tired at all, nor was I out of breath, exhausted, or in any way spent.

And, no, I do not ever ride the bus; I either bike somewhere or I get a ride, if it's way out of the suburb.

Posted: 2003-07-10 03:03pm
by Death from the Sea
HemlockGrey wrote:Oddly enough, I just tried running, and I couldn't get more than a few feet before I stopped. I wasn't nearly out of breath; I could have hopped on my bike and been offf, but it was some sort of mental hangup that caused me to slow down and stop.
Sounds like to me you just didn't want to run and you didn't really try. The thing about getting into better shape is that you have to push yourself, and you don't seem to have tried that. And when I say push yourself I mean until you think you can't possibly go any further, and then you keep going.

Posted: 2003-07-10 03:10pm
by HemlockGrey
Good point.

Any other ideas? Suggestions? Freaky MacGuyver-like activities?

Posted: 2003-07-10 03:14pm
by RogueIce
HemlockGrey wrote:Good point.

Any other ideas? Suggestions? Freaky MacGuyver-like activities?
Pop your tires, tie the weights on back, and ride uphill a lot?

Re: Getting In Shape

Posted: 2003-07-10 03:35pm
by seanrobertson
HemlockGrey wrote:Now, I'm not overweight or anything, but I'm not in the best shape and I'd like to improve that.

As high school as not yet started(and thus I do not have access to their gym) current equipment available to me is:

One(1) mountain bike; keep in mind I live in the suburbs
One(1) 10 lbs weight. Well, it's actually a bit over 10
Two(2) sneakers

Right. Any ideas?
I bet everyone is ready for me to shut the fuck up about working out. I know I'M boring myself, talking about it today.

However, before I quit, I want to respond to you first :)

I might suggest that you look into a Navy Seals training book or the like. You could probably find a ton of stuff on a search engine this way. It'd just involve calisthenics and lots of road work (biking and/or running), and that's a good way to "break in."

Road work is great, but I also think there is no substitute for resistance training for many reasons. You need it and some roadwork IMO. Unfortunately, a single 10 lb. dumbell doesn't allow you do to much...chances are good you can already curl that sucker well over 30-40 times, which is too many reps for my tastes.

*If* you could pick up a set of selectorized dumbells and maybe a barbell with weights (check the newspaper for used equipment, and yard sales), that'd be a good start.

Since you might not have enough money to get a bench, power rack etc., you'd initially be somewhat limited in what you could do...

BUT, if you can do military presses, barbell rows, lunges with the dumbells, sissy squats, stiff-legged deadlifts and curls, you'd have a pretty complete workout there. You might be able to add bench presses if you find a bench cheap, but don't get caught up in the high school bench press craze. I did, and I rationalized it in part because I had a knack for benching. It's an okay exercise but the ego factor is just inescapable; incline presses are a bit better for the pecs, and much better for the delts, anyway.

You wouldn't need a whole lot of weight total. I say if you could get 210 lbs. including the bar, go for it dude--that'd be enough to last you for awhile. When you needed more weight than that for certain exercises, you'd probably be able to join a gym.

You let me know if you decide to do this, and I'll give you more in-depth info. We could get you pretty jacked :) It certainly wouldn't take much of your time, just some hard work. By the time you were getting into the hard territory, you'd be hungry for it anyway...you wouldn't even know that you were pushing yourself all that hard because you'd love it.

Posted: 2003-07-10 03:54pm
by Einhander Sn0m4n
RogueIce wrote:
Darth Garden Gnome wrote:If I were McGuyver, I could probably show you how to turn those things into a rocket propelled, anti-tank cabbage launcher; but I still think my idea is at the Jr. McGuyver School for Sleuths level of craftiness. :D
A rocket propelled, anti-tank cabbage launcher? That could come in handy in a TGOD... :D
Aw shit! I just got done cleaning the remains of Captain Cyran's Sausage Attack on Straha's Naked Janeway ship (ref: TGOD 1) out of my Space Camaro's turbolaser barrels only two weeks ago!!
E. Sn0's Captain's Log wrote: Sausages Give a Space Camaro a Severe Case of Flatulence

Straha:
Man you really are going crazy with the Fundie stuff!

::Watches as the missles turn into sausages and pass through his Shielding::

E. Sn0:
*Makes a quick flyby of the TGOD at full burn. The Camaro sucks up a sausage in its engine, which causes a short-lived but massive belching blast of brilliant blue-white flame out the exhaust and an unexpected burst of speed!*

Note to Self: Speeding Space Camaros do NOT like being fed Sausages for breakfast!

Watch the sausages, Straha!

Cpt. Cyran:
Ok, lets see...sausages huh. So considering unreality...LOAD SAUSAGES INTO THE TUBES, fire on my mark...FIRE!

*Dahak shudders as literally billions of sausages are launched at where Straha is.*

E. Sn0:
*Just in time for the Camaro to fly into Dahak's Sausage-fire, sucking up hundreds of the greasy little links into its engine! The poor Camaro triples in speed on the thrust of its brilliantly blue-hot Sausage/Antimatter Powered Flatulence!*

WHOA!!!

*barely manages to jump to Hyperspace before the ferocious and dangerously unbalanced matter/antimatter "fart" reactions overheat his engine*

Cpt. Cyran:
*As the retreat continues Dahak continues to launch sausages, lettuce heads, and cheese doodles at the approaching Janeway.*

E. Sn0:
And please, next time anyone chucks several Sagans of those greasy-ass sausages out into space, please for the Love of the Goddess and All That Is Good; THINK OF THE POOR SPACE CAMAROS!!!

Posted: 2003-07-10 04:23pm
by Gil Hamilton
Well, I've probably said it before, but my best work out machine is about 55 pounds, has four legs, and expects me to pack him with treats for simple tasks like retrieving a ball. Taking a dog on a 5 kilometer walk is excellent. Plus, I found swimming is really good exercise for a person. Of course, I can't add much to what Sean has said already.


Sean: About the bench press thing, there is a really good reason to be good at bench presses. It's a really great way to convince girls that you've got some muscle to you, when you have a girl lay on her side across your chest and hands and then you bench press with, say, a dozen repetitions effortlessly as part of your "workout", much to their oohs and aahs. It works like a voodoo charm in impressing the fairer sex. :D

Posted: 2003-07-10 04:32pm
by Peregrin Toker
Gil Hamilton wrote:Well, I've probably said it before, but my best work out machine is about 55 pounds, has four legs, and expects me to pack him with treats for simple tasks like retrieving a ball. Taking a dog on a 5 kilometer walk is excellent. Plus, I found swimming is really good exercise for a person.
The only exercises involving dogs I get into are running away from them...

Re: Getting In Shape

Posted: 2003-07-10 04:42pm
by His Divine Shadow
seanrobertson wrote:I bet everyone is ready for me to shut the fuck up about working out. I know I'M boring myself, talking about it today.
Not at all, any tips and advice you can give on the subject are greatly appreciated, by me anyway.

Posted: 2003-07-10 05:03pm
by Damaramu
Where's Superman? I'm sure he's got some good work out routines... 8)

Posted: 2003-07-10 05:32pm
by ArmorPierce
Superman? bah, that's only if you want to bulk up (unless that is what you want to do). Now it's summer and I am running 10-15 miles a day. since you are a beginner start out by running 2 miles a day. Start moving up to 3 or 4 miles in 1-2 weeks. Eventually try to get up to 5-6 miles a day. Throw in push ups and sit ups for strenght training, at least 100 of each and for situps try doing more. Remember to get a lot of fluid since it's hot out and you could dehydrate very quickly and don't take days off just cause your legs are hurting, don't be a pussy run through it, it's just due to the running. The only time you wouldn't want to run when you have pain is if you only have pain on one of your leg and not another because then it could be a problem and you should have it checked. Also, a couple of small tips, run with other people, it makes it easier to have some push, and don't run on a track field, it feels longer when you are going around and around in circles rather run at a park in along a trail.

Posted: 2003-07-10 05:37pm
by HemlockGrey
I might suggest that you look into a Navy Seals training book or the like. You could probably find a ton of stuff on a search engine this way. It'd just involve calisthenics and lots of road work (biking and/or running), and that's a good way to "break in."
Er, well, I'm not quite 14, but I'll look into it.
*If* you could pick up a set of selectorized dumbells and maybe a barbell with weights (check the newspaper for used equipment, and yard sales), that'd be a good start.

Since you might not have enough money to get a bench, power rack etc., you'd initially be somewhat limited in what you could do...
Well, I can't tell a dumbell from a barbell, and I have no money at the moment, but I may be able to pick up something like that...
BUT, if you can do military presses, barbell rows, lunges with the dumbells, sissy squats, stiff-legged deadlifts and curls, you'd have a pretty complete workout there. You might be able to add bench presses if you find a bench cheap, but don't get caught up in the high school bench press craze. I did, and I rationalized it in part because I had a knack for benching. It's an okay exercise but the ego factor is just inescapable; incline presses are a bit better for the pecs, and much better for the delts, anyway.
I have a bench in my basement, and, upon looking, I have discovered a much larger assortment of weights, ranging from 16-30 pounds.

Now, I have no idea what the difference between military presses and barbell rows and incline presses and all the rest are, with the notable except of curls and 'sissy squats', which I assume are squats that don't go ass-to-floor...

You let me know if you decide to do this, and I'll give you more in-depth info. We could get you pretty jacked It certainly wouldn't take much of your time, just some hard work. By the time you were getting into the hard territory, you'd be hungry for it anyway...you wouldn't even know that you were pushing yourself all that hard because you'd love it.
OK. I'll take a more detailed inventory and PM it to you.

Posted: 2003-07-10 05:49pm
by Sea Skimmer
Its about a twelve mile round trip to the Wissahickon, good biking in there. There are a couple other smaller parks as well, but your still looking at five plus miles to get there and back.

Posted: 2003-07-10 05:52pm
by HemlockGrey
I could theoretically bike to Fairmont Park, but that would be a rather long and interesting trip...

Posted: 2003-07-10 05:59pm
by Sea Skimmer
I suggested the Wissahickon for more then one reason. One is what you bike past on the way. Course the trip is longer, but as soon as you get across the river you almost right at the parks southern end.

Though I can't recall which bridges have sidewalks.

Posted: 2003-07-10 06:04pm
by HemlockGrey
Well, I have no idea where that is, but I'll look it up and see if I can do it...

Posted: 2003-07-10 06:15pm
by Sea Skimmer
You don’t know where the Wissahickon is? Its up by Chestnut hill. Really its more a place to get driven and dropped off for six hours, since the northern two thirds are better then southern section you'd first arrive at. But biking there and back is quite possibul.

Posted: 2003-07-10 08:42pm
by Howedar
If you're going to run regularly, you simply have to get a good pair of shoes. Your feet are worthy of good treatment; injury can really ruin your day (or month).

Posted: 2003-07-10 08:47pm
by Colonel Olrik
Howedar wrote:If you're going to run regularly, you simply have to get a good pair of shoes. Your feet are worthy of good treatment; injury can really ruin your day (or month).
Not only the feet, running without proper footwear can ruin your back.