| Forum | Topic | Date | Replies |
| Fitness | Lower Back | May 02 2013 21:55 (UTC) |
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The fact that the pain started a while after the exercise, and that you use the phrase "tweaked something" makes it highly likely that you have a classic "back spasm." Unfortunately, the long term solution to this problem can not be explained in a short online post. All I can say is that you might want to start reading up on the multifidus muscle group, core activation, physical therapy for bad backs etc. Many people get into sort of a self sustaining loop: back spasm, rest until it goes away, avoid the exercise/activity that made it happen, back gets weaker, the spasms happen with due to an even lighter challenge, etc. etc. For enjoyment of the rest of your life, you should avoid getting into this loop (or staying in it, if you are already there). OGR |
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| Fitness | Is my body just not built for a flat tummy? | May 02 2013 21:45 (UTC) |
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What is classified as a "flat" stomach" is fairly subjective. You could fall into one of the following three categories: 1) too much subcutaneous fat. 2) bad posture and/or weak/underactivated transverse abdominus muscle. 3) unrealistic body image (i.e. others would classify you as having a "flat" stomach). You can buy some cheap calipers online to keep track of #1. If your abdomen measurement is 11 mm or below, your "problem" lies in #2 or #3. OGR |
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| The Lounge | Would you guys do me a huge favor? | May 02 2013 16:07 (UTC) |
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What does your hot water heater use? |
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| Fitness | 5K in two weeks?!!! | May 02 2013 00:33 (UTC) |
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For the speeds and distances that you are talking about, put the treadmill on an incline of 1.5. That will give you a more accurate assessment of how fast you will be able to run on the open (flat) road. OGR |
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| Fitness | Training for summer? | May 02 2013 00:29 (UTC) |
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If you are serious about it, get a copy of "Daniels' Running Formula." He has very detailed plans, tons of tips about racing, and has a special chapter just for cross country runners. OGR |
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| The Lounge | Would you guys do me a huge favor? | May 02 2013 00:26 (UTC) |
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I live in the country, so this may not be any help at all: Internet (satellite) is $80 per month (bummer). Phone (two people, cell phones, no land lines available here): $60 per month. heat (wood heat only, I collect it myself after paying a $20 yearly permit). We burn a fire for about 5 months a year, so I guess that is 4$ a month for 5 months. If I bought the wood, it would come out to about $50 a month for the 4 coldest months. We don't use heat for 7-8 months of the year. Electric (I'm off grid, and use solar panels, and wind): Capital cost was high, but now I just buy new batteries every 12 years. Overall, this might average out to about $150 a month, including the startup cost. Propane (runs our fridge, and stove): 20 gallons lasts two months. So, less than $40 a month. No TV. So, for us, internet and phone are larger than everything else added together. OGR |
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| Fitness | true or false | May 02 2013 00:02 (UTC) |
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Personally, if I know I'm just going to go for an hour, I wouldn't eat anything special before, and definitely nothing during, a cardio workout. If I plan on 90 minutes of more, the situation is different. I'll fade a bit at the end if I don't consume any calories at all. If I know that I'll be consuming calories during a workout, I'll consume those calories early in the workout, when they actually will do some good. A gel at 30 minutes and at 60 minutes is typical. Or, I'd be sipping a sports drink right from the start. |
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| Fitness | run faster and run in the heat | Apr 30 2013 21:43 (UTC) |
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I'm a poor performer in the heat. But, I used to be even worse. Taking Mg supplements helped me, but statistically is unlikely to help you. Nowadays, I sweat a lot more and stay a bit cooler. Since you seem to be really getting into running, I suggest getting a copy of Noake's "Lore of Running." There is quite a bit of detailed/scientific information about the body's feedback/limiting mechanisms in that book. Many of those mechanisms have to do with controlling the body's core temperature. |
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| Fitness | Best 5K time - beginners? | Apr 30 2013 21:33 (UTC) |
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When I started running, 5K's were uncommon/rare. I don't think that they even existed. I started with 10K's, which were very common. Same thing with half marathons (I'd never heard of those when I did my first marathon, and have never run one). Now that 5K's, and half marathons are so common, I'm sure that I'll get around to doing them eventually. Actually, I entered a half marathon, as a walker, two years ago, because I thought that I could win the walking division overall. I took second place (2:30) and got really sore! I'll be running my next half M., if I do one, lol. |
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| Fitness | Best 5K time - beginners? | Apr 30 2013 18:56 (UTC) |
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I also think that 30 minutes is a good beginner time to shoot for. My DW started running in 2011 and her first 5K was 28 minutes. Last year, she was down to 25:25, and winning her age group sometimes (she is 48). She had done some sporadic jogging over the past years, and does a lot of hard hiking, so she was pretty fit before she started running regularly. I'm older, and run longer races. I haven't ever done a 5K, but might someday. I think I'd be under 24 minutes in my first 5K (my last 10K was 48.something). It would be my first 5K, but I don't think I could claim to be a beginner. |
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| Fitness | should I add more miles? | Apr 30 2013 02:50 (UTC) |
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The first time that you try to do your local loop twice, you could walk half a loop (a mile) to start off, and to warm up. Then finish that loop running slowly. Then try doing the next loop at your normal pace. Once you feel comfortable doing that, you can likely do the full four miles (the loop twice) as your normal run. |
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| Fitness | April 2013 Fitness Group - All Are Welcome!! | Apr 29 2013 19:11 (UTC) |
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Check out the tutorial/demonstration video at the ConceptII website. Practicing what that video shows helped me immensely, and made rowing a lot more fun. My cadence slowed down (from 32 down to 26-27), and the speed of the fan went way up (from 2:30/500m to 2:00/500m).
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| Fitness | Calf muscle shape | Apr 29 2013 17:51 (UTC) |
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bfronny: the line down the outside of your lower leg is the outer edge of the soleus muscle. It is flat, and goes all the way across, but it is underneath the gastrocnemius muscle. The gastroncnemius is the two headed one that is most visible from the rear. It's lower edge that is prominent in some people is right where it changes from muscle to tendon. How far up your leg that happens, and how abruptly the change happens is mostly genetic. Long calf muscles that blend smoothly into a short achilles tendon sometimes give you the dreaded "cankles" that women fear. Many of the best distance runners have long tendons, and correspondingly shorter muscles. That gives them more springiness to their stride, and the energy return makes them more efficient runners. |
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| Fitness | April 2013 Fitness Group - All Are Welcome!! | Apr 29 2013 17:34 (UTC) |
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@awestendorf: I'm jealous of your rowing, but not your weather. I like rowing, but the bursa that is inflamed is right where that seat hits me when I'm on the the C2 rower.
Thursday: Grip exercises, monkeybars, slackline practice, pushups, side planks. Friday: rock climbing all day. A basalt crack climbing area near Sedona, AZ. Saturday: 3 hours sledgehammer and chisel work. Sunday: another full day of rock climbing. Great weather here lately. Monday: walked the cats, 2x 0.33 mile, while doing lunges, backbends, toe touches etc. to warm up. Then I went for a 3.2 mile trail run with DW. Middle section (uphill) I did at Tempo intensity (HR = 90% or more of max). I'll be headed to the gym later for weights, I hope. |
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| Fitness | Cardio and overtraining? | Apr 28 2013 04:00 (UTC) |
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Can you put a mirror in front of your treadmill? Check whether your front knee goes inwards. Weak abductor muscles allow that to happen on steeper inclines, and it can cause medial knee pain. If you think this is the case, try "lateral band walks" to strengthen that muscle group. They really helped me. OGR |
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| Fitness | race reports, training plans | Apr 27 2013 19:18 (UTC) |
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It is the time, not the distance that matters. Also the intensity at which a person is running determines whether they can eat, or even drink, at all. I don't eat or drink if it a race is 50 minutes or less, and if I am going all out. On a hot day, I might take a sip 15 minutes before the finish, to make sure my throat isn't dry. For longer races, where I know that I'll be drinking, I'll start taking small sips at the 30 minute mark. I do a 80 minute hill climb every year (up a ski resort road), and I drink between 30 and 60 minutes, but not in the last 20 minutes. 2 hours or more taking in calories helps me. I take a tiny belt pack (called a tri-belt, I believe) and eat a couple gels during the middle of the race. Keep in mind that your stomach only empties into your gut every 20-30 minutes, so eating near the end doesn't help.
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| Fitness | 14 k | Apr 27 2013 18:41 (UTC) |
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It is in Boulder, CO (somewhat high elevation). I couldn't easily find the course record without having to look through a bunch of age group records. But the overall winners in the professional/elite category for the last three years were between 29:17 to 29:53. They were all Ethiopians, I believe. |
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| Fitness | Ran the London Marathon | Apr 25 2013 23:09 (UTC) |
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congrats, cpa! OGR |
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| Fitness | grip/ rolling thunder | Apr 25 2013 20:58 (UTC) |
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I should probably say that I made my own rolling thunder. I wasn't going to pay $70 for a rotating handle, and I wasn't sure that I'd like using it. I had a wheelbarrow with a solid tire, supposedly "maintenance free." I kept it upside down to prevent rust in the bin part. The solid tire actually exploded, from being in the sun (pissed me off). I bought a new wheel and inflatable tire. I cut the axle out of the old wheel before throwing it away, as it had nice heavy duty bushings, and was about ten inches long. I slipped a piece of PVC water pipe over it to bring it up to a larger diameter and it works great. I like it a lot. I might end up buying an "official" one someday. It works your muscles eccentrically. It feels like someone prying your hand open. It hits everything from your forearms, palms, and out to the tips of your fingers, at the same time. It hasn't inflamed my old tendonitis either (yet). I'm only up to 120 lbs though. edit/add: anyone that has any grip related topics to bring up; feel free to add to this thread. Not many people around these days on the fitness forum, and I think consolidating topics might be a good thing. |
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| Fitness | 14 k | Apr 25 2013 18:47 (UTC) |
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OK. That is legitimate phrasing. Similar to the often heard "without training specifically for this distance." On the other hand, the time/speed is quite incredible. If you can actually do that, I'd suggest continuing your present "lack of training" and signing up for large purse races like the BolderBoulder 10K. You'd win $5000 at that one, easily, and probably break the course record as well. Don't spoil/jinx yourself by joining a team or getting a coach . Stick to free lance races. |
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What you eat can have a direct effect on your skin if you're struggling with psoriasis. See what to shop for.
