Not bad. I bought a house in March so that has gotten in the way of my training a bit. But have been getting in most of the training. Swimming has been the hardest to fit in, because I’m still getting really congested after. But the move got me a bit farther away from the city so I can do better bike training. So far the workouts have been more short and intense than I expected. I’m expecting more long slow workouts as the event approaches.
I just discovered this thread. Until about seven years ago, I was 250 lbs of pure fat. Then, I got talked into going to the gym by one of my friends. We worked out for a few months together, didn't really see much progress. Then, he quit and I started working out with another guy. Then, I really started noticing some changes. Me and my gym partner would work out five days a week together (mostly powerlifting) and there'd be random other guys working in with us. Sometimes it'd be two of us, sometimes up to six. We'd bullshit around, have fun, and lift some weights. Over six years, I reached PRs of 325 on bench, 365 on squats and 495 on deadlifts. All nattie. The only thing I take is a preworkout and some protein afterward. I still hovered around 250 lbs, but now it was more muscle than fat. Well, about six months ago, all my gym buddies quit. But, I've still been going at it. Instead of powerlifting, I've been doing more bodybuilding. Lower weight, higher reps. If I squat solo, I might work up to 275. If that feels good, I'll go to 315. On bench, I usually do 225 or 250 for sets of five to eight. I completely cut out deadlifting. Also, I started throwing in some cardio. I've been trying to do 30 mins on the elliptical or treadmill five days a week. Over the past three months, I've gone from 250 to 229 lbs. The last time I weighed in the 220s was in middle school! I'm pretty happy with that and I plan to keep it up. I've also gone from a size 38 jeans to a size 34. And the 34s are now baggy. So I may try on some 33s or even 32s this week! My only problem is I've got a bit of a gut still and some love handles. I know they're nowhere near as big as they were, but I'm ready for them to be gone. I'm sure a bit of it is also body dismorphia, as I've been fat most of my life and I'm not used to being in anything resembling shape. But, like I said, I plan to keep it up, and if I've made this much progress in seven years, I can't wait to see what the future holds!
Hey...round is a shape! Don't worry too much about having a little bit of fat - you actually NEED some for your health. The only reason to try to burn it all off is if you intend to go into a BB competition. Otherwise, if you feel good - and assuming your are around 6' then 220ish is actually a very good weight for a very muscular build - don't worry about it that much...
Ironman completed in thirteen and a half hours! I must have looked terrible at the end. In the last six miles three separate course officials said “Are you okay?” And then “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I was mostly reeling tired and sore, and constantly needing to eat and drink water. All dull soreness and stiffness though, no sharp pain or injury. Hardest right after getting out of the car. I think I figured out why the course officials kept asking if I was okay. I was biting my lower lip without realizing it, so they were looking cracked like I was really dehydrated.
That's a new one! We all hear about the chafing and bandaids but the lip biting one sounds just as painful. Congrats on a job well done!
You can open it up Kor with what you are doing now... I might put some walking goals I can do..mmm have to do, to like maintain life somehow and what stay kinda alive .
I still lift. 3 days a week. Back and biceps one day, chest and shoulders one day, and legs one day. I do body weight exercises on my legs since I have bad knees. I really need to get into core/ab work. Exercise is still the best anti-depressant that I know of.
I tore my left rotator cuff back in 2018 and I'm still working out almost everyday. Just not trying anything insane though... Kinda want to keep my arms attached!
I haven't been training a lot, maybe 3 runs a week just shorter runs, because of a combination of sitting injuries and "OMG I have vague symptoms best rest" anxiety. I just set up an 8 week 5K training plan to motivate myself, so I can do a 5K on my own (Assuming real races are still not happening) and use the training as a springboard for when real longer races become possible again.
Guess I can post this here: Been working out a lot during lockdown, I deviced a garden training without needing much equipment because the gym was closed and I wanted to stay in shape. I didn't have much tools to my exposal, two 5Kg dumbells, a pair of equalizers and a 24Kg kettlebell, that's all. I call it the Grumpy training because of my sunny mood. I usually do these two or three times a week when the gym is not available. At least 8 rounds, reps between 10 and 20 Main Grumpy: Dips: I've got two equalizers, they're U shaped bars which you can adjust in height, you can use them to do dips. Hammer Curl: Well then I only had two 5Kg dumbells so that is what I used. Side raises: 5Kg dumbells Front raise: 5Kg dumbells Lunges: since my garden isn't that large I used the stationary back lunge. pull ups, used the equalizers for that, so while it's not a full pullup it does work the biceps and also your core a bit. Tricep curls: also just with the 5Kg dumbells kettlebell shrugs: I've got a 24Kg kettlebell so I shrug one side and then switch to the other side, basic but it works. Grumpy alternative: Kettlebell squat: Hold the kettlebell in your arms and squat, pretty simple. Pushups: when you're Chuck Norris they're called Earth downs pull ups: with the equalizers again. kettlebell bicep curl: use a towel as a grip and hang the kettlebell from that and do curls that way. rows: use one equalizer as a support and row the kettlebell, one arm at a time. situps: Of course you can do other stuff for your abs. Fly's: lie on your back, arms stretched with in each hand a 5Kg dumbell, raise them upwards with stretched arms and rotate your pinky fingers towards eachother when you're nearly at the top. Last exercise and just for fun, punch out those dumbells upwards as fast as you can while lying on your back: pow! pow! punch the sky! Either the normal Grumpy or the alternative counts as one complete round, I usually do one round followed by the alternative so after four of each the full 8 rounds of training are done. So far it did get me into a better shape and I lost 5Kg's while maintaining muscle mass, after 8 weeks I got back to the gym and I did lose far less strength than I thought. As for moi: I'm 46, I usually do two full weight lifting workouts a week and one outdoor high intensity workout with hillsprings, atomic pushups, log pulling and other fun stuff. I usually train with a group of friends, we're picking that up again slowly.
Two months ago I decided to train for a 'race' which is just a time trial 5K running around my neighborhood. Because I need some goal on the schedule to motivate myself to train. Today was the day, and finished in 23:51. This is nearly four minutes off my PR from a couple years ago, it's frustrating how far my fitness has fallen off because of quarantine. Next I'm going to train a twelve week program for a half marathon. I'm not sure in this case how I'll find a 13 mile route that isn't interrupted by having to cross traffic without making it a really small loop.
I'm not really a work out from home guy, but COVID has shut the gyms down and no end in sight here. So I bought some weights to go with some lighter ones I have as well as a new set of bands. I'm doing some short, usually full-body workouts. RAMA
I'm starting to realize one of the impediments to me doing a full week of workouts is that most workout programs put the hardest workouts on the weekend, and since COVID, everyone I know always wants to plan things only on the weekends, taking away all my time on the weekends.