16
votes
Fitness Weekly Discussion
What have you been doing lately for your own fitness? Try out any new programs or exercises? Have any questions for others about your training? Want to vent about poor behavior in the gym? Started a new diet or have a new recipe you want to share? Anything else health and wellness related?
This has been a good week. I was honestly worried I wouldn't be able to get back into it after my camping trip, but I did with ease and I'm so relieved lol. I've been doing much of the same. I'm om week 5 of my c25k program, and that's out of 8. I ran continuously for 8min which I'm super proud of. My mile pace started at about 15min/15:30 and are down to about 14:30 which I'm so excited about!!
Yesterday I swam a mile and it felt wonderful. I fucking love swimming and I'm so so happy that I'm getting back into it. I'm only going once a week because $$$ but I've been slowly building up the distances I swim. I want to work on my long distance speeds. I think they're pretty decent now, and that's without any training, so I'll be looking into what I can do.
I tried split squats out for legs, and holy smokes they were a lot more intense than I thought they'd be! I really like them and will be incorporating them more into my at home weight lifting. I can also, with good form and control, finally curl 25lbs. It's little, but good.
It's been a week of wins for me right now so I'll take it.
Good on you! I also did C25K recently. I could barely run the full minutes at the start. Now I have learned how to pace myself much better, and I could run over 10k in a row. I have absolutely fallen in love with running recently. I haven‘t felt this fit recently.
I also want to start swimming soon! Aerobic exercise is amazing
Thank you! And congrats on getting into running! Aerobic exercise is great, it feels good to do and being able to see the improvement is wonderful. I'm hoping to work my way up to 10k and I've really been enjoying the pacing of the c25k program. I feel much better than when I attempted to get back into running last September. Pacing is such an important part!
This is very inspiring. I am on week 3 of a c25k program, and I am up to 4 min running, 3 minutes walking/speed walking. I am really enjoying it for the mental health benefits, and i just love being outside! At the age of 37 I feel the fittest I have ever been in my life.
Congrats on getting started!! The program is so helpful, not only is interval training really effective, but it eases you into running longer and more much easier than you might on your own. Good on you for getting into it!
Love to hear it! I have been intimidated by split squats maybe once my hamstring feels better I can progress to giving them a shot.
I've recently been able to mark off a few fitness goals in the last 2 weeks.
1 pull-up. Seems silly, but at the age of 31, I did my first full pull up. I've never been able to do one before. Now the goal is 2!
another first for me a sub 9-min mile. Something I haven't actively tracked or looked at, but feels good nevertheless when I discovered it.
sub 30 minute 5k
sub 60 min 10k. This was also my first ever continuous 10k to boot.
Doing some dumbbell-only workouts lately from Men's Health. Gets the heart pumping. Makes me wonder if I should drop the gym membership and buy dumbbells
Depends on your goals. If you just want to commit to basic adult fitness programs and you're able to stay motivated working out from home, then I'd say go for it. The adjustable dumbbell market has never been better, so you don't have to consume the garage with workout equipment. You can do quite a lot with a dumbbell set and an adjustable bench.
Bought an adjustable bench and a set of hand weights about a month ago and have really gotten into making it part of my morning routine. I’m about at the point I’ve run through all the exercises illustrated on the poster that came with it and now I want to understand how to evaluate my routines then structure my sessions around some goals. Got any good websites? I’ve looked around quite a lot, but unlike tech-related site I just can’t seem to evaluate the range and quality of information properly. I have found that GIFs are extremely helpful, but that’s about it. I can’t understand the written instructions. Too daft :-/
Theres this website that can be very helpful since it includes gifs for exercises and programs you can follow.
Wow what high quality content! It’s like… the real Internet! I’d been looking through nothing but SEO fluff. Thank you so much.
I've seen good results using a few inexpensive items in connection with a structured calisthenics routine. It's a 40 minute investment 3 times a week and incorporates pull ups, squats, dips, deadlifts, rows, and pushups. A pull up bar, dip bars, a couple of dumbbells and a barbell are what I use. But I could do the same routine without the equipment if pressed; they just make it easier and more convenient.
I definitely think kettlebells are a worthy addition to any home setup. Not sure how the price compares to dumbbells, but they also come in weight adjustable.
Depending on your goals, I strongly second KaSPer's kettlebell suggestion.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with dumbbells, but it's a case of "good" vs. "better". The short answer for why I'd argue kettlebells are marginally superior is because the ergonomics and traditional usage of dumbbells are much more focused around isolation exercises as opposed to full body.
To give some specific examples on ergonomics:
Circling back to the "traditional usage" issue, most people learn/use dumbells in the context of isolation exercises + bodybuilding, and a lot of programming found online and in books mirrors that context. Conversely, the gold-standard materials on learning kettlebell are all from StrongFirst/Pavel and have a heavy full-body focus.
All-in-all, a veteran lifter is going to get equivalent results no matter which type of weight they're using, but kettlebells are more beginner-friendly because the bulkier form factor encourages better movement patterns, and the culture around them has a accessible suite of standard training materials focused on holistic strength. As a bonus, two non-adjustable KBs will do just fine, whereas dumbbell movements are better done with a wider range of weight.
If you are interested in the kettlebell route, grab copies of "Enter the Kettlebell" and "Simple & Sinister" - they'll cover all the basic quite well.
E: typo
I love kettlebells but I'd never buy them. The reason for this is cost and space. I don't know of any adjustable kettlebell on the market, so you're stuck buying every weight you need. Not the worst of you're sticking with under 25lbs but still expensive. All those bells take up a ton of space too as they don't stack well.
Compare that with adjustable dumbbells. They've always been adjustable by having a bar and adding plates. Those break down easily and you can always buy one more set of plates to greatly increase the weights you can load up. There's fancier versions as well if you want to get a whole set and not fuss with taking plates on and off.
So yeah, love kettlebells but I'll only ever use them in a facility.
This is opposite the conventional wisdom. I mentioned it briefly in the original post, but the "official" SF philosophy is that you want to start with only two bells for personal use.
Typically 12kg/20kg, 16kg/24kg or 24kg/32kg, based on gender and bodyweight.
You train at fixed weights for long periods of time, modifying the intensity by tempo and acceleration. Only once a given weight becomes trivial do you go heavier, and when you do, you jump up by a large increment.
Two bells and a yoga mat is way more compact than an adjustable DB rack and bench, plus adjustable KBs are absolutely a readily-available thing.
Your comparisson makes no sense because you can still use two dumbbells without the bench and have more possibilities than the kettlebell.
Kettlebells are cumbersome. I own it and use it just for the swing. Dumbbell for everything else.
It'd be much cooler if you responded to the specific examples I gave or listed any exercises better done with dumbbells, as opposed to leaving a drive-by comment with zero substance other than that you own home gym equipment and think dumbbells are superior. Nothing against the opinion itself, but your writing makes for shit discussion.
In most gyms I've been to across Europe/NA/LATAM, dumbbells are racked next to a row of benches while kettlebells are stored near an open space with mats - ostensibly because OHP and incline press are better done seated with dumbbells (for reasons outlined in the OP), and the self-balancing nature of KBs makes them comparatively better for BOR due to less wrist torque, whereas the easiest row for DBs is chainsaw rows on a bench. That's where the comparison is coming from.
I'll try.
Here in Brazil is rare to find kettlebells outside of crossfit gyms.
I can't see the advantages of kettlebell goblet squat since you can hold the dumbbell in front of you the same as the kettlebell, with the advantage that you can put your palms under the top plate instead of holding the kettlebell with your hand and fingers tiring your grip before your legs. Squats are something you advance beyond dumbbells/kettlebells fast enough to ditch them.
Jumping your bench in weight by kettlebell standards is too much. Can't imagine going from a 16kg to 24kg to 32kg kettlebell for benching.
I bench for the pecs and triceps and keeping the weight closer keeps my shoulders safe.
Yes, i find OHP kettlebells fun. But you are stuck with the 16kg forever since making the jump from 16kg to 24kg to 32kg is a huge jump for OHP. This is worse than bench. Sure people can do it, but this is not an advantage for me.
Yes, if you want to deadlift from a higher position and light weights. Soon enough you'll be deadlifting 80+kg so the kettlebell is set aside forever.
Swings with kettlebells are awesome and I do it for cardio. It's the one thing that kettlebells are better for me, but just that.
I appreciate it - sincere thanks!
That's all valid criticism too.
On the goblet squat, the issue basically comes down to it being easier to cheat by hugging the DB to the chest. Some random illustrative examples from google images (though neither case is egregious):
Link 1
Link 2
Possible to make the same mistake with a KB, but less likely since the round shape doesn't "hook on" to the chest as easily.
I take your point about leveling out of squats, but I personally still get plenty of challenge out of double-racking a 24kg/32kg combo for 10+ reps. Same for single-leg deadlifts with two bells, and I think that's probably the case for most people under the 200 pound mark. They're not optimal in terms of rep scheme compared to barbell, but still an absolutely solid workout.
You're also right about the jumps being large for upper body. Personally, I was forced into trying it during COVID though, and found to my surprise that it was a non-issue. Between rep count, strictness, motion style, and the number of sets done at each weight, there are more than enough knobs to keep the RPE completely steady across increments. In particular, transitioning between push press and strict press is a classic example of how to tweak difficulty without changing the weight.
Don't go for kettlebells.
I have a home gym with hack, bench, bars, plates, dumbbell and a kettlebell and aside from doing swings, dumbbell are superior for everything else.
I have recently started doing sports again. I am nearing on 2 months without any workout skipped since I have started taking my health more seriously. I am feeling the best I have in a long time. at the start I basically doubted if I‘ll ever run 5k without stopping. Now I run multiple 10k a week. I try to focus on Zone 2 training, since my Aerobic fitness has been very bad. This was also my catalyst which started this journey. The VO2Max value on my apple watch has been taunting me with a value of „low“. I have been working out so much, I now am nearing the top of „below average“ see screenshot - guess when I started to run
However, I am trying to reduce my amount of runs since I did notice some discomfort recently.
Last year I was so tired and low energy, I could barely walk 400 meters without having to turn home. I think that caused by my anemia. I feel like a completely different person since.
Honestly, I've done poorly. Summer schedule really threw a wrench in the plans and I've lapsed way too many days. This week was the "get it back together week" but I crapped out halfway through the first day and I've skipped the second day because I was "tired". I've still got tomorrow and I can sneak in a saturday to play catchup, but I'm still disappointed in needing to even play this game. Hopefully things will normalize though as the kids started school this week and I can rediscover my groove.
I finished up my "getting back into it" program which ran from end of May through last week. Happy to see strength levels back to where they were before my 2.5 year hiatus. This week I've been doing a pivot/deload I just gave myself 3x6 on some pin squats and pause deadlifts at an RPE6 with some high rep bench variations and accessories. One thing I worked on was SSB Split Squats. It's always been a sketchy life for me it felt good to get some more time to practice with lighter weight.
I confirmed what I expected, strength is there but conditioning is pretty rough. Next week I start my next program its going to be in that 6 rep range so that will be a good opportunity to build out workload.
Squats have been giving me a hard time. I was getting a lot of weight in my left hand which is really messing up my left triceps. I'm playing with a wider grip and setting my back before fixing my hands in position it's helping quite a bit.
How long did it take y'all to go from a 400 to 500 deadlift? I finally hit 400 last week (167 lbs BW - I know I gotta eat more) and mannn I'm fired up to hit 500 at some point.
After getting on some medication that makes me feel like a useable person again I reactivated my gym membership two weeks ago. It feels amazing but it's been a little bit of a rocky start. This week has been a rough heatwave so my energy level has been pretty sapped. I also work in a warehouse which already gives me a decent amount of exercise. I'm planning on resting this weekend and starting back up next Monday. I want to get back to being able to rip out 10 mi on the elliptical in just under an hour. I'm already back to doing 7+ mi even after not going to the gym for over a year.
I bought a new hardtail mountain bike today and a full face helmet, so I’m ready to go fling myself off a mountain this weekend and see what happens.
Hopefully Hurricane Hilary brings the rain on Sunday instead of Saturday so I can go to the mountains without being in a storm.
Does anyone have fun exercises for calves, ankles, feet. I am having some issues with shin splints and heard those can help prevent them. Of course calf raises but that gets stale fast.
If you have a gym, does it have one of those "stairs" machines, may be called "stair master" most commonly?
Now, it's been a long time since I had problems with shin splints, but back in around 2008 someone told me to walk on the stair master a couple of times a week and that would help with shin splints. I then joined a gym which had a stair master, and that seemed to have helped. Again, that was about 15 years ago so for all I know it wasn't even what helped, but I remember someone telling me about it, I joined a gym which had a stair master, and shortly thereafter I stopped having issues with shin splints.
Thanks I will give it a try
So you know those little bird toys that bend halfway and come back up. That's an exercise to do, feet apart bend at your hips keeping your legs mostly straight and bend about 90 degrees and then stand back up. I feel this exercise in both my hamstrings and calves.
When you do squats at the upward motion go onto your toes, so essentially a calf raise but with some variety.
Walk a line do 5 to 10 steps just on your heels and then turn around and walk on your tippy toes.
The first sounds like you mean a good morning. Thanks for the suggestions, they will add some variety :)
I've not been able to get fit since I've had Covid. I always feel terrible after any kind of exercise and the cardiologist has confirmed that my blood pressure sky rockets during exercise (despite betablockers and ace inhibitors), which would explain the problem.
I've bought an E-Bike and take short walks, but if anyone has any other suggestions that would be lovely.
So is this the same for cardio (running, biking) vs strength training? Might change guidance but also obviously follow the suggestions of your cardiologist.
I'd given yoga the focus at this time.
I went a bit hard last week, and increased my weekly run mileage from 26km to 39. I've generally been much more cautious about increasing my mileage and generally try to follow the 10% rule (loosely). But I had a small mental health crisis last week and running has sort of been how I cope with and process difficult emotions.
It was kind of cool to push myself to my limit. I did some long, beautiful trail runs, a sprinting interval run, and finished off the week with a long countryside road run. On those last few kilometres, my leg muscles were fucking dead. I knew I had overdone it a bit, but it felt good in a weird masochistic sort of way.
So, I've only done two 5k easy runs so far this week, and lots of stretching, foam rolling and light yoga/calisthenics the rest of the week. I think it worked out, because I woke up today, no sore legs, no wonky knee, and I did a trail run this morning feeling great the whole time. It was rainy and cool, which is my favourite running weather.
(Does anyone else love running in the rain? It just makes me feel like a total bad ass or something. I love it.)
Anyways, my plan is to do a long(ish) easy run tomorrow: maybe ~8 kilometres at a slow pace, on flat road. After a relaxing recovery day on Sunday, I'm going to go hard again next week, but maybe not as hard as last week and also maybe this time under a better mental state.
Also, after previously not having many friends on Strava, I started following a few random people in my area, and I actually really enjoy seeing other peoples runs. Especially when they run in the same area as me, it's cool to see the differences in our routes, compare times and stuff. One guy seems to have a lot of similar interests as me and is around the same age, and I kind of hope we become best friends in real life hahaha.