Coach's Corner
#31
You gave your cycling muscles a rest and it just took a few rides to "re-activate" them.
This is the basis of cross training and muscle confusion(switching up workouts every few weeks), not only do muscles get a break when you change activities but they never fully adapt to any one routine and stop progressing.
This is the basis of cross training and muscle confusion(switching up workouts every few weeks), not only do muscles get a break when you change activities but they never fully adapt to any one routine and stop progressing.
#32
If there were an internet around in my younger days I suppose I'd know about this stuff better. I realize now that I've been doing a lot of things the "old ways" I always have done them, assuming that they were the right way since they had worked for me in the past.
I'm going to switch up more often from now on. Thanks HC!
I'm going to switch up more often from now on. Thanks HC!
#33
If there were an internet around in my younger days I suppose I'd know about this stuff better. I realize now that I've been doing a lot of things the "old ways" I always have done them, assuming that they were the right way since they had worked for me in the past.
I'm going to switch up more often from now on. Thanks HC!
I'm going to switch up more often from now on. Thanks HC!
Don't be too quick to discard the old ways. Sometimes "old school" is still cool.
#34
Strength Training ~ Basic Info needed for Beginner
I plan to start strength training 3x wk next week in addition to aerobic activity (aim is 5x week). I'm basically a beginner as far as my muscle tone/strength is concerned.
Questions:
#1. How much time would you recommend for strengthening?
#2. Would you recommend a general routine in which I hit all muscles 3x/wk? (I believe I need to focus on my Core d/t tendency for weak back.)
#3. As a general rule of thumb, how often is it good to switch routine or part of routine? (From reading this thread & other readings, I understand it's good for various reasons to keep the body "guessing".)
I'm looking into getting back into strengthening after a 2-week recess. I apparently over did it with twisting/punching with a DVD.
I have at home:
My own body weight
Hand held weights
Stretchie Band
Exercise Ball
----------------------
handcycle -- Thank you for being a great FitDay coach. I'd love to read answers on FAQ r/t exercise as written by you. Often I don't even know what to ask.
Questions:
#1. How much time would you recommend for strengthening?
#2. Would you recommend a general routine in which I hit all muscles 3x/wk? (I believe I need to focus on my Core d/t tendency for weak back.)
#3. As a general rule of thumb, how often is it good to switch routine or part of routine? (From reading this thread & other readings, I understand it's good for various reasons to keep the body "guessing".)
I'm looking into getting back into strengthening after a 2-week recess. I apparently over did it with twisting/punching with a DVD.
I have at home:
My own body weight
Hand held weights
Stretchie Band
Exercise Ball
----------------------
handcycle -- Thank you for being a great FitDay coach. I'd love to read answers on FAQ r/t exercise as written by you. Often I don't even know what to ask.
#35
fit4luv, in order:
#1. 20-30 min. depending on how fast you work. It's pretty individual so you'll have to experiment.
#2. Pushups
Pullups- if you don't have a bar, put a broomhandle over two chairs and lie down underneath and do a pullup that way.
Bodyweight squats or lunges
One leg calf raise-stand on a thick book so you get a full range of motion.
Overhead dumbbell press
Core-(sample routine)Crunches, side crunches, plank, side plank, superman
Look at ExRx in the exercise directory for a huge range both with weights, machines and bodyweight options.
#3. Six weeks is the time period I see most often. I usually switch up when I start feeling stale on a routine.
With the limited equipment you have, 3X/week will be fine to start. How far you want to push it depends on your own goals.
Once your workouts get long enough that you feel yourself lagging at the end, switch to a split body routine 2x/week for each portion. There are several different splits commonly used such as Upper/Lower or Push/Pull.
I use a 2x/week but a three way split- Chest/Back, Shoulders/arms, Legs/Hips with Core every day.
I'll give the FAQ thing some thought, thanks.
#1. 20-30 min. depending on how fast you work. It's pretty individual so you'll have to experiment.
#2. Pushups
Pullups- if you don't have a bar, put a broomhandle over two chairs and lie down underneath and do a pullup that way.
Bodyweight squats or lunges
One leg calf raise-stand on a thick book so you get a full range of motion.
Overhead dumbbell press
Core-(sample routine)Crunches, side crunches, plank, side plank, superman
Look at ExRx in the exercise directory for a huge range both with weights, machines and bodyweight options.
#3. Six weeks is the time period I see most often. I usually switch up when I start feeling stale on a routine.
With the limited equipment you have, 3X/week will be fine to start. How far you want to push it depends on your own goals.
Once your workouts get long enough that you feel yourself lagging at the end, switch to a split body routine 2x/week for each portion. There are several different splits commonly used such as Upper/Lower or Push/Pull.
I use a 2x/week but a three way split- Chest/Back, Shoulders/arms, Legs/Hips with Core every day.
I'll give the FAQ thing some thought, thanks.
#36
Hi HC,
Like a couple of the others on this thread, I tend to have a very high max HR (I've maxed at 220, according to my HRM). I also have had low blood pressure for most of my life. It's usually something like 85/55-60 when I go to the doctor (though the last time I went, just a few days ago, it was 117/75. That's the highest it's ever been). While this is normally a healthy thing, I've often wondered if low blood pressure would somehow contribute to my high heart rate. (For the record, my resting heart rate is usually 85-89). It could just be a "me" thing, though.
Anyway, I have a question regarding modifications to exercises due to injury.
I had a sports injury requiring reconstructive surgery on my left ankle when I was 17. Although the major problem (torn ligaments) was fixed, I'm left with a limited range of motion in that ankle along with careful instructions about what *not* to do to aggravate it. The major one is no high-impact exercises that affect the ankle. I find that for me, running is really right out, even with a brace, it's just painful after a short amount of time (10 minutes or so).
The problem is that, other than biking and swimming, most exercises eventually hurt after awhile. I try to modify as best I can or break the exercise up into small chunks, but with my work schedule, night is really the only time I can get in anything other than brief bouts of walking. Sometimes the modifications I do ease my ankle but my opposite leg ends up very sore the next day because I am putting more of my weight on it (and likely doing the exercises wrong, since I'm making up the modifications on the fly).
Do you know of any good modifications that always work for an injured ankle without taxing the other leg, or could you direct me to a site to go to for those? I've asked my doctor, but he says to just take up swimming and/or to exercise for shorter periods of time, which I do already. I'd love to swim more, but it's not feasible for me right now. I'm pretty sick of having a day of exercise and then taking 2 off because of pain either in the ankle or in the opposite leg. Just this week I worked out three times in a row and I'm pretty sure my right leg is about to mutiny.
Like a couple of the others on this thread, I tend to have a very high max HR (I've maxed at 220, according to my HRM). I also have had low blood pressure for most of my life. It's usually something like 85/55-60 when I go to the doctor (though the last time I went, just a few days ago, it was 117/75. That's the highest it's ever been). While this is normally a healthy thing, I've often wondered if low blood pressure would somehow contribute to my high heart rate. (For the record, my resting heart rate is usually 85-89). It could just be a "me" thing, though.
Anyway, I have a question regarding modifications to exercises due to injury.
I had a sports injury requiring reconstructive surgery on my left ankle when I was 17. Although the major problem (torn ligaments) was fixed, I'm left with a limited range of motion in that ankle along with careful instructions about what *not* to do to aggravate it. The major one is no high-impact exercises that affect the ankle. I find that for me, running is really right out, even with a brace, it's just painful after a short amount of time (10 minutes or so).
The problem is that, other than biking and swimming, most exercises eventually hurt after awhile. I try to modify as best I can or break the exercise up into small chunks, but with my work schedule, night is really the only time I can get in anything other than brief bouts of walking. Sometimes the modifications I do ease my ankle but my opposite leg ends up very sore the next day because I am putting more of my weight on it (and likely doing the exercises wrong, since I'm making up the modifications on the fly).
Do you know of any good modifications that always work for an injured ankle without taxing the other leg, or could you direct me to a site to go to for those? I've asked my doctor, but he says to just take up swimming and/or to exercise for shorter periods of time, which I do already. I'd love to swim more, but it's not feasible for me right now. I'm pretty sick of having a day of exercise and then taking 2 off because of pain either in the ankle or in the opposite leg. Just this week I worked out three times in a row and I'm pretty sure my right leg is about to mutiny.
Last edited by taubele; 02-03-2012 at 07:49 AM. Reason: spelling
#37
There's not really any correlation between heart rate and blood pressure. When i was in college, my BP was around 100-105/60 with a resting HR of 33.
I'll side with the doctor on this one. With any injury, pain on exercising is a warning to stop doing that.
Since your ankle is permanent, stick to cycling and/or swimming. Anything that makes you favor the other leg will lead to problems later in life.
If you can tolerate short bouts of other activities, up the intensity if you can but stop when it begins to hurt.
If you can afford it, maybe a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine.
My doctor did a sub specialty in joint reconstruction.
I'll side with the doctor on this one. With any injury, pain on exercising is a warning to stop doing that.
Since your ankle is permanent, stick to cycling and/or swimming. Anything that makes you favor the other leg will lead to problems later in life.
If you can tolerate short bouts of other activities, up the intensity if you can but stop when it begins to hurt.
If you can afford it, maybe a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in sports medicine.
My doctor did a sub specialty in joint reconstruction.
#39
FitDay Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 20
Exercise with Psoas dysfunction?
Hi, I have a really tight and chronically inflamed iliopsoas muscle and I'm trying to lose weight. I've found that stationary biking makes it much worse and walking/elliptical may also be aggravating it. Anyone know an aerobic exercise other than swimming that at a minimum doesn't aggravate the psoas?
#40
The psoas is part of the hip flexor group. Pretty much impossible to avoid using it.
You need to deal with the inflammation first. Try aspirin and icing several times a day.
Here's a good stretch. Stretch gently at first, you're just trying to stimulate circulation to the injury, overstretching will further inflame it.
You may need to see a doctor depending on long long this has been going on.
Exercise: swimming, maybe try a rowing machine without involving the legs.(awkward, I know)
Some gyms have a tabletop version of a handcycle.
What you need to do is avoid further irritation of the muscle while it heals.
You need to deal with the inflammation first. Try aspirin and icing several times a day.
Here's a good stretch. Stretch gently at first, you're just trying to stimulate circulation to the injury, overstretching will further inflame it.
You may need to see a doctor depending on long long this has been going on.
Exercise: swimming, maybe try a rowing machine without involving the legs.(awkward, I know)
Some gyms have a tabletop version of a handcycle.
What you need to do is avoid further irritation of the muscle while it heals.