Getting into shape.

[pterodactyl]

The founder of AA Dr. Bob reccomended Niacin for depression (which a lot of active alcoholics suffer from). I know when i drink an energy shot (which i am not necessarily reccomending) that has a lot of niacin my mood improves.

 

[Dontrike]

That is interesting. For now I am going to try and beat this little episode of mine.

Today I slept a large amount, guess the little amount of sleep didn't help yesterday, so no biking, but I will lift some weights.

 

[vulcan]

Well I shall try. I am trying to get my sleep schedule under control again. This depression hit my sleep and I feel tired even after sleeping for 10+ hours and I don't like that.

You could maybe get your thyroid tested, just to be sure it is not low.

 

[Dontrike]

You could maybe get your thyroid tested, just to be sure it is not low.

I have no idea what a thyroid is, outside of knowing that I have heard that word before. Off to go find out what it is.

 

[Dontrike]

Well that was some good info. I admit my metabolism is a lot lower than when I was younger, but I figured that was normal. Now I wonder if something might be wrong.

 

[Dontrike]

Reading more about the thyroid I am starting to wonder if maybe I should get mine checked. My step dad started eating better and doing 6 small meals a day and he has lost 4 pounds in a week. Now that could easily be that easy water weight, but I am starting to wonder if my metabolism is alright. Even when I was eating 300-700 calories less per day and exercising I wasn't losing weight that quickly. Well except for the first two weeks that I lost 15.

I am also wondering if my testosterone levels are lower, but that is only an odd theory about some things.

Today I only biked 3.1 miles. It was close to 100F outside so I didn't want to do more than just my errands that needed to be done. Did some lifting, not as much as I was doing before, but with the break I took it is understandable.

 

[Nihilanth]

I exercise more lately because I met a girl who was in army (standard procedure, 6 months, then you wait to be called for further specialization if you passed during this 6 months) and we started to exercise together. Comparing to her shape, I can barely walk, but she has nothing on me when it comes to martial arts. I love fighting with girls, always a chance of touching something Also, I could have accomplished much more parkour wise, but I was too lazy.... >_> But I lost some weight.

 

[CaptainJohnson]

I am just about to join a gym again. I miss having an athletic build... I've been out of shape for a year and a half. Time to get ripped!

 

[pterodactyl]

Dontrike. 1 to 2 pounds per week is healthy weightloss that you can maintain for the rest of your life. Whe you start dropping 6 or 7 pounds per week the chances of putting it back on just as quickly are very good. Just maintain your diet and do some kind of exercise every day. You will do fine.

 

[Dontrike]

Finally did some biking today. Did close to 13 miles today, here is what it all looked like. My body was not used to actually getting sun and I can sort of tell that my face is burnt a little.

• Cycling:
  • 0:50:00 || 10.2 mi (+237 pts)
  • 0:10:00 || 1.9 mi (+34 pts)
  • 0:05:00 || 0.8 mi (+10 pts)

 

[ThirdArm]

A bit random Dontrike, but watch out for those sun rays, man. Especially if you have any sort of open wound or cut - the sun will really attack weakened skin. I went to the beach in July with a small cut on my face, and it's still a little pink there. Sunscreen is a cheap and effective. Plus, a sunburn can really zap your energy!

 

[Dontrike]

After taking what was supposed to be a nap and then turned into 9 hours of sleep my face was definitely not sunburned, but it never felt quite like that. I figure it was because my skin hasn't felt much sunlight in about two months.

You are right though, it definitely was zapping my energy for sure.

I have never really been a fan of sunscreen myself, but I probably should have a tube around just in case I suppose.

 

[Dontrike]

10.2 miles in 43 minutes. This new bike has a lot more resistance than my old one, not used to it yet. There was so much humidity that the wind was hot and my arms are a little red right now, but overall I like my progress just in two days.

 

[Nihilanth]

A bit random Dontrike, but watch out for those sun rays, man. Especially if you have any sort of open wound or cut - the sun will really attack weakened skin. I went to the beach in July with a small cut on my face, and it's still a little pink there. Sunscreen is a cheap and effective. Plus, a sunburn can really zap your energy!

Eating right foods helps you deal with sunburns. I can barely get them. And I like to hike aaaaaaaall day long. No sunscreen and T-shirt.

 

[Dontrike]

Eating right foods helps you deal with sunburns. I can barely get them. And I like to hike aaaaaaaall day long. No sunscreen and T-shirt.

I didn't get a sunburn after all, but I must ask. What are foods that help with sunburns?

 

[Long Dong Silver]

Overall my tip on getting into shape is buying a pair of gymnastic rings and start doing dips pullups and flys/pushups (Ring Flys - YouTube) depending on your strength. When you can do a couple of dips you can start doing more gymnastic oriented stuff. You gain strength first through the CNS improving, then after a month or so you will start growing like insane, assuming you are strong enough to do at least 3 of both dips and pull-ups per exercise session.
I hang mine at a local official bathing area with a *swing stand*(?) approx 2,3m high. I do it every third day to assure recovery in-between workouts. Every third workout i wear a weighted vest of 15 kg to keep improving beyond my current strength faster. Every workout landing on a Sunday i skip, meaning a 5 day long resting pause every third week. And also every workout that lands on Tuesday and Wednesday I take a PWO with creatine and caffeine (I love these days!).
I follow a paleolithic diet which makes me incredibly lean, helps build muscle and means you only need to eat once a day, preferably after the workout session which actually makes you able to lift heavier. Read more on the diet at Mark's Daily Apple. It makes a lot of sense.
Lastly for cardio, I only do a 20 min run (no jogging allowed, got a bad knee that hurts long term if i do this at all) once a week TOPS. I sprint for 11 sec in a really steep hill, and I mean a REALLY steep hill.

Hey, BTW have you guys heard of spotify? Great service overall, it is even free, ad based, if you dont want to pay. Just saying because i just made a 'radio station' there for exercising. May not be your kind of music (its more directed towards the aggro, but also empowering stuff, like eye of the tiger(thats banned btw, the song has been overplayed)), but if it is, you can vote for tracks and ad new ones to the playlist. PvP/Exercise – Soundrop.

 

[Nihilanth]

Dontrike - read Long Dong Silver's post. I also read Mark's Daily Apple, but most of the time I'm forced to eat as I'm told, not what I want (healthier stuff). Whenever I eat like that for more than 4-5 days, I notice significant improvement in overall health, but I have parents who are narrow minded, soooo.... Yeah.

Long Dong Silver - I can't do pullups and dips (I can to them only to about 90° between my forearm and upper arm, maybe a little bit lover than that). When it comes to pullups I can hang from a top position for about 40 seconds (when I only do that) and when I do them, I lower myself a bit then hang on that position. At least 5 positions, counting top and bottom. How long will it take me to be able to do at least one pullup? One strict pullup, not half assed as I can do them right now.

With dips, should I try and go lover each time or after I'm able to do certain number of them?

I only have problems with upper body strenght and overall endurance. Lower body is ok, but it lacks flexibility.

 

[Long Dong Silver]

Just do them, both pull-ups and dips. As long as you try as hard as you can, you put tension on your muscles. Make sure you tax them hard that way and you will grow if you rest adequately. you can also do easier variants of both, start with dips this way(http://0.tqn.com/d/exercise/1/0/Z/dips.jpg) if you cant do even one real dip. With pull-ups you will need a little bicep strength to get started. I would say either by bicep curls with loose weights or close-grip pull-ups with palms toward your face. The pull-up you want to do exclusively when you can is a wide-grip with palms away from your body. It is plenty enough to get proportional biceps and will also give you a very nice "V" body shape. I would recommend being able to handle 4 pull-ups on an ordinary pull-up bar and 7 real dips before buying rings.

Personally I do these things in the following order for as many reps i can for as many sets i can do more than 2 reps in. When i can't do 2 i move on.
Horizontal iron cross - managed to hold it well for the first time yesterday. Start in pushup position, then put my hands out, then up again.
http://oatesspecialties.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Gym-Rings-Pushup.jpg
Finish off the pecs with normal pushups, again on the rings.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/12/22/fashion/22fitn.xl.jpg
Dips. Go as far down i can before i my biceps are in the way while my arms still are to the side.
http://crossfitlifespark.com/wp-con...he-bottom-of-his-first-ring-dips.-590x590.jpg
not sure what this is called, but i hold it static as long as i can normally two or three times.
http://jasonferruggia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/gymnast_rings.jpg
Pullups, wide grip. I hang the rings at about elbow width because it recruits more upper back muscles.
http://granthestonfitness.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gymnastics2009a.jpg

Also, ofcourse im not satisfied. I wanna get stronger, and therefore i sometimes try to do the harder exercises like these. All are static.
http://centraloregoncrossfit.typepad.com/.a/6a00e553fe5d938834013487583b0a970c-800wi
I do this but with my feet higher and head higher since it requires less strength.
http://www.beastskills.com/wp-content/uploads/manual/image/FrontLeverMain.jpg
I do this but with knees tucked in for the same reason.
http://myosource.com/product_images/uploaded_images/rings-1.jpg
And lastly this I do standing on the ground simply applying as much downward pressure i can to the rings.

 

[pterodactyl]

PvP music? What does PvP mean to you LongDong?

And those look like some wicked exercises. What do you do for your legs?

 

[Dontrike]

Well I am definitely not getting any gymnist rings any time soon. Nowhere in or outside the house that I could set them up.

As for the website, no matter how much I look at it I just don't get it. I basically see me having to buy books and being able to cook/buy things that are beyond my and my wallet's abilities.