The getting back in shape thread

[Becks]

Well, then. Fair enough.

[Cat]

60 mins on treadmill (plus 2 min cool down)
15 incline
2749' "elevation"
3.59 miles
458 cals burned.

Now, to dinner! (Field Roast grain "sausage" and black beans)

[Rapscallion]

Was intending a go on the bike last night, but didn't get back until after 8pm. Sodding days off - can't stay away from work Intending hitting it tonight.

Rapscallion

[Cat]

Will probably hit the gym again today after work, though I do have to hit the store soon to get easy to eat foods for after the tooth extraction.

[Rapscallion]

Thirty-five minutes, 566 calories, 158 average, max of 170 BPM. Going to feel that come the morning.

Of interest is that it's currently having no adverse effect on the knees of doom.

Rapscallion

[Seshat]

I can't seem to do anything. I try pushup and it hurts. I try excerise bike, and can't do it very long. Anyone got any suggestions?

Hydrotherapy? Do your exercises in the water. The water supports the weight, and provides extra resistance.

Also, whether dry land or hydro, start VERY slowly. Take what you expect to be able to do and halve it. Now halve it again. Now throw that number away and start with two reps on the lightest possible resistance.

I'm not kidding. That's pretty much what the pain physiotherapists did with us. I told them what I expected to be able to do - and Justin shook his head and assigned me a ridiculously light exercise routine to start with. Or what I considered ridiculously light.

The important thing for us is not the amount of exercise we do, but consistency. Every time we have a disabling pain flare, we lose some of that fitness we gain during the flare and recovery. So it's important that we try to exercise below the level that triggers flares.

Two steps forward, three steps back gains us nothing. One step forward and stay put, then another step forward half a week later, gets us places.

If pushups hurt, do one. A standing pushup against a wall. One rep.
If you can only do thirty seconds on an exercise bike, do those thirty seconds.

Do two sessions a week. If you can do them for both sessions and not pain-flare, the next week try two pushups, and thirty-five seconds.

Again, if you can do them for both sessions and not flare, three pushups, and forty seconds.

Once you get up to 10 pushups, you can start adding pushups by twos. 20% is the pain physiotherapists' rule of thumb. Add 20% if you're doing okay, subtract 20% if you flared.

Once you're up to 2 sets of 15 reps, increase the resistance and go back down to 2 sets of 5 reps. So instead of a standing pushup, do an inclined pushup against a high surface. Then when at 2 sets of 15, inclined against a low surface. Then on the ground.

Continue until you're at a level of fitness where you are content with what your body lets you do, OR until you can't add additional resistance/reps without flaring.
If the latter, speak to a physiotherapist who specialises in pain management or in your particular condition, see what advice they have.

(Well, actually, I would strongly recommend speaking to a physiotherapist like that ANYWAY. But failing that, print this out and show your doctor, get his/her okay.)




And on my own progress:
I joined the gym this week, and one of the instructors kindly went through my physiotherapy prescription and made sure they had all the equipment for it!

[Cat]

60 mins, + 2 min cool down

3.69 miles
474 cals
2827'

[Cat]

60 mins + 2 mins cool down

3.81mi
2913'
494 cal

Now, to make sure I have a good dinner

[Rapscallion]

Forty minutes. Ow. 655 calories. Ow. Avg pulse 159. Ow. Max pulse 166. Ow.

Will ow feel ow this ow in ow the ow morning.

Sort of wondering how fast my heart was going when I was driving (ish) down hill on ice to work this morning. Suspect faster...

Raps ow scallion

[Rapscallion]

Yeah, felt that.

Rapscallion

[Rapscallion]

Thirty minutes, 483 calories, max 167, average 157.

Rapscallion

[Rine]

Okay, is there like a fitness for dummies website out there?

I would like advice about beginning a fitness regime. I have been in the process of modifying my food intake and have dropped about twenty pounds in three to four months. Sooo, now I would like to address exercise. I already walk a LOT as part of my job, average 3 to 4 miles a shift (so says my pedometer thingie and I walk even more on busy days.) so I don't want to add even more walking. (Though when it gets warmer I'd like to attempt jogging.)

What kind of weights should I buy, if any? Does yoga really work? Wii fit? Any ideas are appreciated.

[Cat]

Might I brag a bit?

I was able to snag the "super" treadmill,,....I varied the incline from 20-30% for about 40 mins, and 15% for about 10 min, and -5% for about ten mins (give or take)

STATS:
3200'
3.2 miles
650 cals
I feel GREAT!!!!!! Will crash soon, but enjoying the high now.
I was really just into watching old Everest episodes....figure what I was doing in the gym was far far easier, hahaha

Next month I want to wear weights as I "climb." I think the gym might frown on me wearing a pack with weights in it, tee hee.

Rine:

Wii Fit is fun, but I've found eaActive is better (though on both its a pain to have to keep redoing exercises, because they are so short)

As for weights, I need that advice too....I want to tone my arms.

[Seshat]

What kind of weights should I buy, if any? Does yoga really work? Wii fit? Any ideas are appreciated.

Any activity will help. Get your body moving, in a way that you find enjoyable and will sustain for months or years. If that means flying kites, playing frisbee, walking the dog, or surf-swimming, so be it.

That's not a direct quote, but it's damn close to what my physiotherapist said.

That said, a 'gym' routine can supplement your 'fun' activity quite well - make sure you get a whole-body fitness. If a properly-trained fitness instructor knows what your main activity is, she can plan you a gym routine that strengthens the muscles that particular activity doesn't use as much. This is one of the main reasons most 'active' people do gym work as well as their 'fun' thing.

One important thing: start slow. Take your time. Let your fitness develop at its own rate. You MUST find it enjoyable, if it's hurting you, you're pushing too hard or there's something physically wrong.
You should feel a kind of ache after exercise - not a bad ache, but an odd feeling that might be new to you. That's the feeling of new muscle developing. It shouldn't hurt, exactly, but it will feel kind of pain-like until you get used to it. Once you are, it should feel good.

Another thing. If aesthetics matter to you, take a good look at your bone structure. Determine whether your skeletal proportions are skinny/wiry, medium-ish, or buff/solid.
Then look at the skilled amateurs in all the activities you're interested in: the ones who've been doing it for years. Study the ones whose bone structure matches yours. That's what you'll look like.
If aesthetics matter enough, pick the activity that will give you the body you want, within the limits of your natural bone structure.

[Rapscallion]

Anyone know why my sweat recently started to smell differently?

I can't explain the new odour, but as it's mine it's obviously awesome. To me. However, I'm baffled that it's changed.

Rapscallion