Posts by zoelda

I love Pilates.  I try to do it twice a week (one hour class at Y).  I don't know that I get the benefits of cardio or the benefits of heavy weight training, but I feel like it keeps me centered and more limber than I feel when I don't take it.  I also feel like it really has helped keep, in particular, my back and hamstrings looser/longer than they would be otherwise and makes an excellent kinder/gentler counter to the "abuse" of running!   Have fun with it, and, if you find it is your thing -- keep at it!  Most of all - Enjoy! 

Take care,

Zoelda

I have had blurry vision/weird spots of color in my vision twice over the past couple of years, but no pain, no dizziness, etc. twice.  Both times were after long runs (20 miles) during marathon training.   I made some inquiries, and I was told (though I do not know if it is true) that this was due to inadequate hydration on the run -- it was summer and I did go through a 50oz Camelbak with AminoVital on the runs and a couple of gel packs, but I sweat a LOT, so might be accurate. 

Take care,
Zoelda

Spirochete,

Interesting about the bicep curls.  If I leave an exercise out of group class it has usually been those because I didn't feel them that necessary given the other things we were doing.  Bicep curls are one of those exercises though that if I didn't do for a few classes with the group, they would say "we need to do bicep curls, why no bicep curls" and I always just figured since every bloody Cathe Friedrich video I owned and every other video that I've ever had had bicep curls that they were a "good exercise" and, honestly, I never even thought to question the efficacy of bicep curls.  

So, I appreciate your post, because it made me do some reading online and gather some other opinions about a move I've always taken for granted. 

Appreciate it!  Thanks!

Zoelda

When you first start lifting, you will have some trial and error as you figure out your max capacity for a given routine.  About.com has some wonderful "pre-fab" workouts with pictures of the exercises and form pointers. 

Form is everything.  Make the mind/body connection between the muscle and the move.  You will get more bang for your buck.

Once you feel you KNOW the form and have it correct, then start to add weights.

Your weights will change depending on what you are doing -- so what I generally recommend is picking a solid little workout to start with.  Try and make sure you hit all the major muscle groups:

Lower body: Glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, abductors and adductors.

Upper body:  Chest, back, shoulders, triceps, biceps.

Core: Back and abs

If you are just starting, don't overwhelm yourself.  If you are going to do all your weights 1 or 2 days a week, then start out by picking ONE exercise for each muscle group and writing down a little routine for yourself. 

Lower body workout:  Dumbbell Squats, step ups or lunges, dead lifts, calf raises, side-to-sides (with band), plie squats.  

Upper body workout:  Pushups, pec flys and/or chest presses, back rows, overhead rows, lat raises, tricep dips or overhead tricep presses or kickbacks and, of course, bicep curls -- regular and hammer style.

Core:  Work on holding plank position on your elbows.  Try to work up to 2-3 minutes.  Abs:  Quickie routine we call the Pilates 200 which consists of doing the infamous Pilates "100" and then going into (I do not know officially what these are called) the Pilates leg extensions (sort of like bicycle move except you alternate between leg extensions and leg extensions with slight side-to-side (more like bicycle except without momentum).  Do 10 each way for 5 sets (i.e. another 100).  This is usually PLENTY and will require working up to for sure, so do not feel overwhelmed. 

Back to amount of weight.   Write down what your workout goal is... list exercises and list how many sets you are going to try for.  First time might be one set of 12-15 reps.  Realize that you can probably go heavier than you think with some of the leg exercises if your form is good.  Keeping in mind that if you have ever dashed up the stairs to get the phone while carrying a couple of packages -- your legs are incredibly, incredibly strong and it takes a good deal to truly exhaust these muscles.   Your arms, particularly after pre-fatiguing with pushups -- will be much easier to exhaust. 

Write down what weights you use.  Write down how tired you were.  If you could not get to 1 set of 15 reps, drop the weight.  If you feel fit enough to start with two sets of 12-15 reps, by all means -- go for it.  Work up to 3 sets.  Once you get to 3 sets, time to start experimenting.  Increase weights.  Change exercises.  Etc.   Think of lifting weights in 4-6 week cycles, so every 4-6 weeks evaluate where you are and play with your program.  

Your body will get used to whatever you to do it, so you always need to change things up to keep getting good results.  Surprise yourself.  Have fun.  Get strong! 

Take care,
Zoelda

Just a thought on some things -- I've seen a lot of people complain about calories, amount of calorie deficits and time and such.  Cutting back 300 calories may not get me anywhere quickly, but, you figure, if I exercise regularly, cut back 250-300 calories a day and be consistent, then over 6 months I would lose about 15 pounds.  Sure, that's SLOW, but, when you figure that when I cut back 1000 calories a day, I end up binging, tired and spend 6 months gaining and losing the same 5 pounds -- WOULDN'T I HAVE DONE BETTER JUST STICKING TO A MANAGEABLE 250 calorie deficit?!!?!?   I'm not any farther along by cutting more, just more yo-yo effect and more frustration.  So, I'm giving up on the TIME, TIME, TIME thing.  I have to lose 15 pounds by May 1st, blah, blah, blah.  I'd rather lose 15 pounds by September and keep it off than spend the whole summer hating myself and going through the roller coaster of success/failure/success/failure.   Gearing up and getting all calorie cutting bad-ass has not worked, so maybe it is time for a kinder, gentler approach! 

Well, I'm a fat but fit gal who has the dubious position of getting to help others with their workouts as a volunteer instructor, and I go through this all the time with encouraging women to pick up heavier weights.  One of my oft repeated qutoes is "I know you carry more weight when you drag all those grocery bags up the stairs in one trip, so, you know what, you can pick up 15s or 20s for step ups!"  Etc.   And, yes, there is a tremendous fear of bulking and there is also a desire to disconnect.  Lifting weights is hard... painful -- in a good way -- but when you are forcing yourself to hit those last two reps -- it SUCKS.   Lighter aerobics, running at a comfortable pace, the elliptical, whatever, you can almost escape from yourself.  Pilates, weights -- you are stuck there focusing on the muscles and working your body.  Quality work generally is only going to occur if you make the mind/body connections strong too.  You can't force people to change.  You can be proud of them for where they are at... and go from there.  I find in a group setting, I've been able to encourage individuals in the class to take up heavier weights and when the gals see "one of their own" doing it, and not just the instructor, they think -- heck, I can do that... and gradually they start to try for more poundage.  Peer pressure in a good way!   I started bringing and using 20s and 25s in class (for some things) just to up the ante, so now I've got at least two people using 15s who never went above 10 before.   Good stuff! 

There is a big difference in how to handle a dog when you are out without a dog of your own and when you have a dog with you.

When you are alone, you can carry pepper spray as an emergency measure.  The problem with pepper spray when you are running/walking with your own dog is that the chances of you only spraying the "problem" dog are not very good. 

When I am alone, I stop running.  Dogs are prey animals.  They LOVE a good chase.  When you stop running, you remove the thrill of the chase.  I will stop and allow the dog to sniff me.  For most dogs, they sniff.  You walk away.  It's over.  If a dog seems a bit aggressive, I will turn sideways and avert my eyes.  This is a submissive posture and many dogs will recognize it as such.  Again, they sniff and walk away.  This technique seems to eliminate the nips/bites caused by excited chaser type dogs but will not necessarily truly aggressive animals.  If you are on foot and encounter a TRULY AGGRESSIVE animal, well, that, my friends is a different beastie and a VERY scary situation.  A truly aggressive animal will not bite once.  They will bite multiple times.  They will attack you, so you need to be able to counter the attack, surprise them (with pepper spray) or even use an object to deter/fend them off.   Fortunately, these are VERY, VERY rare.  Most of the bites that happen are single bites caused by an excited animal and not an animal that is a real threat -- though, yes, a big dog's bite can cause a good bit of damage and an excited big dog can seem like an aggressive and scary monster! 

When your dog is leashed and a loose dog runs up to you -- then it gets complicated and we get into all kinds of issues.  My situation has always been that my dogs will absolutely not tolerate having a dog run up to them.  They are not aggressive animals, but they are dominant and have a low tolerance for what they perceive as disrespect.   What I usually do to simplify my life is I bring my dog(s) into a close heel and tell them "on by" and we keep moving.   On foot, this can be tricky.   But, I keep my head up, dog(s) at my side in heel, commanding voice "on by, "on by" and we just keep moving.   Usually the other dog will still try and go for the butt sniff, and I simply keep my dogs focused with "on by" and we keep moving and it ends there as we go away.   If the dog follows us, I will sometimes turn and try to keep my dogs behind me so that I am in front and in charge and I will try to make it clear that the other dog needs to back off.  If the dog is really looking for a problem and takes it beyond that as we are moving away, unfortunately, we will probably have a fight.  Fortunately, the fights we have had (maybe 3 or 4 in thirteen years here), well, my guys won them and the other dogs no longer come anywhere near us.  

Respect is sometimes hard-won, ay? 

Take care,
Zoelda