Been On the Fitness Train for a While Now... *Now With 1 Year Update* [Archive]

BushmasterFanBoy

08-17-09, 01:19

Well, I've been getting in shape for a while now (since Jan 20th last year) and I'd like to tell you guys about what I've been able to learn.

I started this thread in August last year, and its been a long time since then. I initially started by asking for workout suggestions, as I had been interested almost exclusively in weight loss until then. But in August of last year, I made a major push to not only keep up weight loss, but to actively "get in shape."

Weight loss is critical, IMHO. The gains I've made would not have been possible if I had kept at my starting weight. There's really only one way to do this; and that's cutting your intake. You can work out, but that's only going to go so far, but cutting calories can really help.

My weight loss really occurred because of a couple of factors:
-No carbonated beverages, or "diet" sodas or teas. Just water, milk, or juice.
-3 Meals evenly spaced through the day. Smaller meals are better, and I agree, but using only 3, with NO snacking, really pushed me to develop self control.
-Healthier food choices. When you only eat a certain amount of food, you make wiser choices about what you eat. When you can choose between a donut or two for breakfast, or something more filling, like scrambled eggs, you opt for the "wiser" choice.

The "getting in shape" portion of my year long journey has been much more interesting.

Let me tell you something about myself at the start of this, one year ago. I couldn't jog a mile at 5mph to save my life. No way. I could maybe bench 135 4 times, MAYBE. And I could get out perhaps one good pushup with proper form.

Today, I can run 5k at 6mph without pushing that hard, and I bench 135 14 times. (Still not grand, but better than I started at)

I can run a mile in 7:22, and make 2 miles in 15:50, and finish a 5k in 27:22. That's one of those things that you just really can't do without losing the weight.

Also, my pushups and situps are much better as well. Today, I can crank out 45 pushups before I drop, again, nothing terribly impressive, but its a big improvement. My situp count at a year ago was 60 in 2 minutes, and that's only because I had given them sporadic attention for a couple of years before that. Today I do 85 in the same time. A significant gain, and it really helps.

Just like when I started this thread, I'm still very open to suggestions. Even a year into this, I still don't think I know much. If you have any tips on what I can do, voice 'em here.

Currently I do the following:

200 pushups (mutiple sessions)
200 situps (single session)
5k run
Every day, except Sunday

Varied Upper Body Gym Workout (Mon-Sat, except Wed, which is abs and legs night) Sunday is also rest day for gym workout.

1500-1800 calories per day, with 150-200grams of protein

Again, any suggestions are welcome. :)

Without further ado, here's two pictures of me.

The top one is where I was Feb 4th, 2009. VERY fat, weighed nearly 280 lb, and no where near being in shape. (I apologize for the socks :D)

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd283/Burke888/DSC_3559.jpg

And here I am, one year from when I started at 285. I weighed in at 196, and I'm quite frankly, capable of a lot more.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd283/Burke888/DSC_6697.jpg

Never get discouraged by the shape you are in NOW. Given enough time, you will win whatever challenge you choose to overcome. Make a commitment to win, and dedicate yourself to obtaining that goal.

Everyone starts somewhere, so don't ever give up because you see guys at the gym who are ripped, or benching 225 like nothing. You start where YOU are, and in enough time, and with enough dedication, you can get where you want to go with your fitness.

Thanks for taking the time to look, but more importantly, I hope I can push just one person to make the leap and lose weight or get in shape. Don't consign yourself to being fat forever, that's not the way it works. If you want it badly enough, you can get it.

QuickStrike

08-17-09, 04:16

Are you doing the big three?

Squat, deadlift, & bench press???

These 3 are the most important lifts IMO, and will help you gain overall strength. These along with other exercises + protein shakes/lean meats will help you put on more muscle.

And the muscles will then help you burn even more fat! Squats & deadlifts are compound lifts that work a large chunk of muscles in your body = encourages more hormone production = natural steriods! :D

Dunno much about the running, I mostly skip rope and flail my limbs at the bag awkwardly for cardio...

Edit: Congrats on the weight loss!

stony275

08-17-09, 06:02

I commend your self discipline and taking responsibility for your health.

I recommend you get the book Starting Strength by Rippetoe and Kilgore. There is also a thread in ARFCOM about Starting Strength. It echoes the sentiments above about basic compound lifts. Squat, Bench Press, Dead Lift, Power Cleans and Shoulder Press are the lifts used.

I also strongly suggest you look at CrossFit and maybe even CrossFit Endurance or CrossFit Football depending upon what your goals are.

I think if you ramped up to Starting Strength with MetCon's on between days you'll hit a level of fitness you would not have imagined.

Also on the CrossFit main site you can find great articles about nutrition, particularly the Zone Diet and eating clean.

riddlin

08-17-09, 06:18

I also commend you on your progress! Keep up the good work and stay motivated.

Look to the following sites...

http://www.trainforstrength.com/ go to workouts.

and

http://www.rosstraining.com/ Ross also has a couple of good books but his articles and forum has a metric **** ton of info as well.

vdegani1

08-17-09, 06:47

check out militaryathlete.com. Their workouts are very intense and dynamic you wont get bored doing them. Youll probably have to scale back on the prescribed weights but make sure you complete all the sets and reps as per the workout. If you have the heart this will get you were you want to be.

epf

08-17-09, 11:37

I commend your self discipline and taking responsibility for your health.

I recommend you get the book Starting Strength by Rippetoe and Kilgore. There is also a thread here in ARFCOM about Starting Strength. It echoes the sentiments above about basic compound lifts. Squat, Bench Press, Dead Lift, Power Cleans and Shoulder Press are the lifts used.

I also strongly suggest you look at CrossFit and maybe even CrossFit Endurance or CrossFit Football depending upon what your goals are.

I think if you ramped up to Starting Strength with MetCon's on between days you'll hit a level of fitness you would not have imagined.

Also on the CrossFit main site you can find great articles about nutrition, particularly the Zone Diet and eating clean.

This.....

You have already proven that you have the will to do the hard part. Keep it up. Good luck

panzerr

08-17-09, 13:38

Good job, bud. Make a habit out of it.

dhrith

08-17-09, 16:47

Holy shit dude, that is a BIG change. You might not think much has changed but your now at a position to really start making the changes that will start forming your physique into a muscular example. You've beaten the mental start of it, from here on out you'll be making the real muscular and cardiovascular changes to your body. For gods sake don't give up now you're half way there. Your first picture looks like a chubby young kid, 6 more months from now and you'll be a very buff young man. I'd start pushing your cardio from here on out, I hate running myself so I'd recommend lower joint impact stuff such as biking, or an elliptical. I'd also do some reasearch into body sculpting to start shaping your body into what you want it to appear like instead of just random excercises. Workout your pectorals, quads, calves, biceps, trapezius, lats, flatten your stomach out and don't neglect your core body strength not just the visible external stuff. Time is limited so maximize your results for the time. Don't neglect the secondary stuff which is all inter-related like your diet, what you take in is very important to keep the machine running in top form. Remember, you've already done more mentally than 95% of the people out there, the rest is easy.
good luck

ST911

08-18-09, 11:37

Good on you. As you've found out, it isn't easy, but it's worth it.

Good on you for wearing shoes in the second pic, too.

Cascades236

08-18-09, 16:07

Great change so far, losing all that fat is quite the accomplishment.

You have the gear for a fight, but if you aren't lifting weights and working on metabolic conditioning then you don't have what it takes to stay in it. Get your ass moving.

Honestly, the old you in the first pic..how many times is he getting on and off his knees before he was KOd.

BushmasterFanBoy

08-24-09, 19:48

Bit of an update guys, and its not too good...

At the range yesterday, I had a duffel bag full of gear, then leaned over to pick up another guncase, when I hear a "POP" and my right knee gave out. :eek: I was on the ground, and in pretty bad pain, but mostly just scared, lol. I've had it resting, elevated, iced, and compressed ever since.

Today, I went to the hospital and found out a bit more. Apparently the xrays (which cant show ligament damage anyways) show that its not too bad. The doc then examined my knee and said that it wasn't THAT bad (not a complete tear, the swelling wasn't that severe, lack of bruising, etc). That was a relief, as I was hoping to have this keep me off my feet for a shorter time, rather than later. However, I'm going to be off my feet a week at least, and after that, I should only be able to get around, not running or long walking. That might take a month or longer... :mad:

As much as I'd like to just get up and start running as soon as I can stand it, I've heard that doesn't bode well for recovery. So I'm going to 'baby' this knee and stay off it until I'm cleared that I'm fully recovered. I'm not going to sacrifice long term use of my joint so i can get a few laps in. (As much as I'd be itching to do it)

The one thing that is hitting me hard is not being able to walk or run, as I had really built that up into a stress relieving element where I enjoyed getting up and moving around.

As of last week, I had been running/jogging about 5 miles a day, which was pretty good in my book. Just Friday, I had upped my 6mph distance to 2.5 miles, and then jogged the rest of the 5 miles at 5mph. And earlier that week, I got my mile time down to 8:11.

I'm pretty bummed out, since I'm going to have to stay off my knee for a long time, meaning I'm going to be back on the computer/watching tv more than I'd like. The one thing I can't stand is the thought of being like the "old" me, where I'd veg out for hours in front of a screen, instead of being active. I'm just hoping I can maintain my mindset through this, and keep up my desire to be active, even though I won't be able to do much. At least I can still maintain my weight loss if I keep my intake cut. (If anyone has any ways to work cardio without using your legs, im all ears:D) I'm fairly confident that once I'm through this ordeal, I'll be much more committed, so there's a plus. :)

HPFlashman

08-25-09, 06:35

A correctly adjusted stationary bike run with light restistance can help keep you going after the week of rest is over.

I had good use of that after I had kneesurgery of "the tidy up after a serious twist" aka "why does my foot point 45 dgrs off my knee ?" kind.. Experience of one, given free on the internet, I know - but atleast worth running the question by some physiotherapist or sportsmedical figur...;)

And as to that - doing weights for the upper body, while on inclining benches is also applicable...

John Frazer

08-25-09, 18:19

Sorry to hear about the injury interrupting your outstanding progress.

Here are a couple of articles that may help.

http://journal.crossfit.com/2005/05/working-wounded-by-greg-glassm.tpl#featureArticleTitle

(Requires a $25 subscription that gives you access to all back articles, including great video on lifting technique with Mark Rippetoe, Dave Tate and many others.)

The bottom line of the article is to take your injury as an opportunity to motivate yourself to work on some other weaknesses. I had a knee injury a few years ago and discovered that while I couldn't squat, I could do kettlebell swings and (soon) deadlifts.

Here's a free one that's more inspirational than instructional:

http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_Paprocki_BrokeBackComeback.pdf

Once you're doing better, I second the Rippetoe book for building up some strength. Once you've learned the lifts, you might like Michael Rutherford's workouts at http://coachrut.blogspot.com -- at age 43 I've made good progress with his program.

epf

08-25-09, 19:09

Sorry for your trouble,

But sh%* happens. You are young so healing will go quick. The most important thing is to continue to train the rest of your body just as hard or harder than before. This will actually speed up the process for the other leg to catch up from atrophy. Be sure to do all of the rehab exercises. and work your upper body and the good leg to death. This is a great opportunity to become great at pullups or bench press or whatever you always wanted.

There is alot of good advice in this thread. Crossfit offers great instructional videos free.

Good luck

Eric

Jay Cunningham

08-25-09, 19:17

You were overdoing it - I have hurt myself before even when I thought I was being careful. Lucky for you you look to be pretty young. Just watch your diet very carefully while you're laid up.

Good luck.

signal4l

08-25-09, 19:52

When you are able, start using an eliptical machine. Try treading water in the deep end of you local pool. Take it easy on the knee

John Frazer

08-25-09, 20:59

Almost forgot -- you don't even have to give up squats, just do them one-legged:

http://www.beastskills.com/Pistol.htm

The modified step-ups are the most accessible version and easiest to perform with added weight (plates, dumbbells, or kettlebells).

QuickStrike

08-26-09, 18:16

Bummer bro, set backs are frustrating as hell. I've been sidelined by problems for about a month and a half now.

About two more weeks and I can go hard again. Take it easy and don't rush your recovery!

vel525

08-27-09, 16:07

First off, congrats on the weight loss. That in itself is a great accomplishment. Second, sorry to hear about the injury. Make sure you rest and give it time to heal properly. Remember though just because one part is injured doesn't mean you can't work out other parts. ;)

well, if you want to get fit you have to build muscle and that will require you to lift weights. if you don't know much about lifting, i recommend finding someone or getting a trainer to get you started. lifting weights will actually help you burn fat more than running anyway. since you are injured anyway, start reading about different types of workout programs and think about what you want to accomplish. some people just want to be fit, some people want to be able to pick up a car...different programs for different needs.

also, it seems like you've been good about diet, that's half the battle. instead of three full meals i would recommend 4-6 smaller meals. it'll keep your metabolism going all day long. also, if you have to snack do something healthy. drink lots of water. make sure you take a pre-workout snack (i love peanut butter) and then put some protein in your body immediately after working out (the sooner the better, but definitely within an hour). lots of people use protein shakes because it's more convenient than going home and grilling up chicken or making tuna.

hope my diatribe was somewhat helpful.

BushmasterFanBoy

09-02-09, 20:30

Thanks all for the kind words, weighed in today, a bit below 210, and I think I can get around now without a brace for my knee. (Not bad considering I was on crutches all last week) I still use a compress around the knee, but I can walk with a bit of a limp to where I need to go. It's been a lil over a week, and I'm excited to see where next week will take me on my recovery.

I'm almost positive its a torn MCL, of what degree I'm not sure, (due to the swelling and pain on the inner portion of the knee) and its quite hard to get my knee to fully extend, not impossible, but I can feel the tendon get stretched. I also sense a sort of catching in the inside of my knee, but I'm not sure what the cause of that is. :( I figure I should wait until the swelling goes down and my MCL gets back in shape before I worry heavily about it. Again, not quite as bad as I was fearing, but not as good as it could be.

On the plus side, it should heal great w/o surgery. I'm thankful for that, and when I'm ready to get back on my running routine, I'm kind of torn between wanting to baby the knee and just hit the track as hard as I've ever run in my life. :D

****Incorrect Diagnosis**** See Pg. 2 for full story.

el guapo

09-03-09, 14:20

Have you given any thought to swimming? I'm signed up for a short triathalon next year with some friends and decided to take some swimming lessons with my girl (I can swim already, but not with any kind of form, head under water, etc). At this point I'm not even kicking with my legs, they just drag behind me. It's a hell of a workout. I'm exhausted when I get out of the pool, but not sore in my knees and shins when I'm done running. Lessones were only $15 a piece and were well worth the time and money. Good luck. looking good so far.

Hellbilly

09-04-09, 01:59

If you have an indoor set up for a bicycle the dvd series from www.spinervals.com works well for cardio.

BushmasterFanBoy

09-19-09, 11:38

I had an MRI done this Monday, and the doctor viewed the results Wednesday. Found out that there was no tearing to speak of. However, what had happened was my knee cap popped out of place and smacked into my femur, bruising it. The swelling is mostly the result of internal damage, and is responsible for the difficulty in movement. I asked how long it should take to heal, and 4-6 weeks was the answer I got. "When can I run again?" netted me an "8 weeks". It's a setback, but I can still focus on upper body routines, and see if my strength and cardio can get back in sync by the time I'm able to start running again.

The good news is that its a pretty rare injury, and its a freak accident, rather than the result of any damage inherent in my knee, so with some good physical therapy, I should be able to make a very good recovery.

Honu

09-19-09, 17:32

randyman_ar

09-20-09, 00:32

try to get some sustained cardio type stuff

bike riding or swimming long distance so your body works a long time can get you in great shape quickly and wont be as hard on you :)

good job to you keep it up :)

Excellent advice. I believe variety is the 2nd most important thing in any exercise program, with rest and DIET being #1. And diet being the hardest to achieve...well for me anyway.

ARJJ

09-27-09, 18:01

BushmasterFanBoy

09-28-09, 00:48

FanBoy, first off, a big congrats on the weight loss--It takes a lot of motivation to drop that kind of weight in a few months (short of maybe basic training or the police academy). I'm also sorry to hear about your injury--I feel your pain! I just had arthroscopic labral repair on my left shoulder, and I've been in a padded sling for 2.5 weeks, with 3.5 left! Lifting weights was an important hobby of mine, and I've had to stop for the time being. It's a real bummer.

I agree with what the others have said--use this time to improve your upper body. I wish it had been a lower extremity that I had injured! (I've had those before, and it doesn't slow me down much like this shoulder does.)

What is your current upper body routine? You said you have access to a weight bench, but what else? Pull-up/dip bar, dumbbells, etc.?

Thanks for the congrats.

Right now, my routine is to hit my local gym and do the following upper body workout every other day:

Chest:
Incline bench with dumbbells
Fly Machine
Bench Machine

Back:
Row Machine
Dumbbell rows

Shoulders:
Overhead press with dumbbells
Overhead press machine
Shoulder Fly Machine

Arms:
Dumbbell curls
Reverse curls
Curl Machine
Tricep machine

Forearms:
Wrist Curls with dumbbells

(I'm almost always working with sets of 12-10-8 reps with increasing weight for each lift/machine listed. If anyone has any tips, like cutting it up into several days to focus better on certain muscle groups, or a particular recommended lift, feel free to chime in.)

For the last week, I've been able to use an exercise bike which is very nice as it allows me to get something of a cardio rush approaching running, and it gets my right quad VERY sore, not that it's any trouble, since its still visibly smaller than my left (non injured) one. :eek: I feel like I'm gonna have to battle atrophy and injury at the same time on my way back to running. :( But I'm also doing physical therapy twice a week, which helps a bunch.

I've been doing this routine for the last week and a half, and I'm really enjoying it, of course, being new, I'm going to see some gains. I've also been drinking some protein shakes before and after each workout, which hogs up some 500 calories of my daily supply, but I figure it's worth it. :D

Speaking of diet, does anyone have any good recipes for good, low-fat, high protein, meals? Right now, I'm pretty much only seeing Chicken and eggs off the top of my head. My goal is to get my body in great shape, so when I'm able to run, I'll be working with a body that's much more prepared than when I started. I figure, to do that, I'm going to need to more than just cut calories, but actually control WHAT I eat, not just how much of it.

John Frazer

09-28-09, 06:33

I did routines like that for years and never got much of anywhere. They didn't even help me look strong, let alone actually be strong.

My advice is to ditch all the machines and all the isolation exercises. Do pullups (unweighted and weighted), dips (same), bench press, floor press, and barbell presses (moving on to push presses and push jerks when your knee is better). You'll be out of the gym in half the time, with better results.

Many have suggested the Crossfit program, and it's one that I've been happy with, especially variants that emphasize heavy lifting. It's worked for me at 40+ so it should work even better than you. I like www.coachrut.blogspot.com, but www.crossfitfootball.com should also be a winner if you want to bulk up and if it works for your schedule.

TomD

09-28-09, 14:53

If you are wanting SHOW muscles, stay with the weight routine but if you are wanting FUNCTIONAL fitness then go with Ross Enamait's routines, kettlebells or crossfit or a combination of the three. Be very careful doing heavy weight shoulder exercises. As to your diet, don't skip the snacks; just eat the right things as 5-6 small meals a day are much better for you than the traditional 3. I wish I had known what little I know about fitness when I was your age. Keep it up!!

Don Robison

09-28-09, 15:30

I can't offer much on the fitness side that hasn't already been said. I just wanted to congratulate you on your success.

BushmasterFanBoy

10-10-09, 18:06

Well, its been a while, and I'm back on being able to run again (sort of). I'm limiting it to 1 mile a day at this point, using my knee brace as well. Been doing it for the last few days, and haven't gotten any joint pain or swelling to speak of. (My muscles are incredibly sore though) It feels good to get this leg back in use. I really think going to physical therapy helped a bunch. Cardio is a big point of concern now, since my mile times are toast, like 9:30. It will take a while just to get where I was prior to the injury, but it doesn't help just getting a cramp walking! :o I'd like to be solidly on track by the start of next month, upping the daily distance and hopefully regain most of my previous endurance.

Lifting has been coming along nicely, and I've done my best to keep all my lifts on free weights whenever possible. I feel like my shoulder muscles (which have typically been weak, even compared to my upper body) are coming along well, but my new area of focus is my triceps. I feel like this is what's keeping me back on pushups, pullups, etc. Speaking of pullups, I've been using an assisted pullup machine at the end of each workout, I like it, but what's the consensus on this machine? Better to just hit weights until I can do pullups unassisted? (I can't even do one yet :eek: )

I've beaten my record for 2 minute situps, and I can pump out 70 in that time now. Also, I've made some progress on pushups, mainly due to my lifting, and can do 35 now, but I'm pretty much toast at that point.

BushmasterFanBoy

10-28-09, 14:01

Here's pic #3!
I'm darn near fully recovered from my knee injury, the swelling feels as if it's gone, and in this pic, I just got done doing a short, half mile run in gear.

http://i224.photobucket.com/albums/dd283/Burke888/DSC_6150.jpg

My mile time is still not at its prior performance (8:31 best so far:mad:), but I think I'll make it back down to 8:00 territory in the near future, no problem. Put on a bit of muscle as well, my situps are up to 71 in 2 minutes, and I can crank out 40 pushups before my upper body is fried. I'm also below 200lbs, weighed in at 197 yesterday. I hope to be 185 before the year is out.

Palmguy

10-28-09, 14:23

Excellent! Congrats on breaking down below the 200 threshold. I'm looking forward to that one, holds a certain significance for me. I'm starting near 230 with an tentative target of around 185.

Jay870

10-28-09, 14:54

HUGE progress man. You should be proud.

RogerinTPA

10-28-09, 16:20

Excellent job Bushmasterfanboy. Keep up the good work!;)

el guapo

10-28-09, 17:35

I do pullups every week. Usually 8 sets of various grips. I use a chair a few feet out in front of me. I do what I can unassisted and then throw my feet on the back of the chair. Just make sure you only help yourself as much as needed. Also make sure the negative is all you. I am quickly ramping up on the numbers I can do solo. Getting stronger and also not pulling so much weight anymore.

Shibumi

11-02-09, 17:05

Congratulations on your massive weight loss. Very impressive!

When I started in my line of work I was 170, went up to 240, and then back down to 180 with running 3x a week.

The concept of the running was to only run 3x a week, such as Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and have off days and weekend off. This allowed for recovery, and I did not overtrain my body.

The concept was to add 10% of total mileage weekly. As in run 1 mile, 3x a week, and next week add 1/2 a mile to one of the three days, and so on until you are running 7, 5, and 6. The mileage adds up quickly, and safely.

Things I learned the hard way:

1-Lots of water through out day, and have with you on your run to sip.

2-Walk for 10 mins first to warm up, and then take it slow...You will know when your body is warm enough to pick up the pace.

3-Pace-This is a "building" run, as in building the foundation for your joints and bones, muscles. A LSD or Long Slow Distance will get you in running shape without injury.

4-No sprinting...This is tempting, but your acclimating your body, similar to breaking in a new engine on a car. Don't push the RPMs. That is for later.

5-End of run walking cool down. Take 10 mins and cool down properly to lower your heart rate and redistribute the blood flow to your body.

6-Stretching-Stretch a muscle when it is warm, nice and gently. Never bouncing, and avoid stretching when they are cold. It only leads to muscle tear, and or strain.

7-Wear appropriate clothing for weather. Too hot, performance will suffer, too cold, your performance will suffer.

8-Proper shoes. With your injury, I question weither or not you have pronation of your feet. They "fold" inward, which puts strain on ankles, knees and creates major problems. Have a footwear pro at a Running store analyze your foot strike and determine proper shoe for you. Believe me, it makes a huge difference.

9-Protect your back and knees. I would forget about gear runs for a long time. Unless you are training for the military, it is counter productive. If you ever get a chance to meet some SEALs, or high speed types, almost all will tell you they have knee and back problems. Once you get them, it is a very unpleasant nagging injury. You have the rest of your life to work on tactical training, etc. Take care of getting your one and only body into tip top shape, and avoiding any further injuries.

10-Diet. Eat often, eat high protein percentage, keep your carbs limited to vegetables, and drink a ton of water. 1 gallon per day is a good standard. Not hard to do, especially when your working out. Stay away from all sugar, especially soft drinks, and focus on your bodyfat percentage, not how much you weigh. Muscle is 4x heavier than fat, so at this point do everything you can to preserve muscle with high protein diet, and keep carbs low to keep burning of your fat reserves.

Keep up the good work, and protect your investment, your body.

whiterabbit05

11-02-09, 18:16

Nice, big props and congratulations for sticking to it.

cougar_guy04

11-02-09, 18:45

Nice work man! I just hit the gym for the first time today in probably . . . hell, 4 years. My goal is under 200 for the first time in a while.

BushmasterFanBoy

11-02-09, 19:11

Thanks for the kind words all, especially Shibumi for the great tips.

Got done doing a speed run for today. I finally broke my old time of 8:11. I barely nicked past the 8 minute mark for a time of 8:01. Not sub-8 minute, but the good news is that during the entire run, my speed was at a solid 7.5 mph. :D I'd like to start building my distance back up, since the doc gave me the A-ok to go as far as I can after my visit this last weekend. Additionally, I've ran some outside, and despite the weather heading south, I hope to get some more outdoor practice in.

I forgot to explain the new shoes in the 3rd pic, and yes, Shibumi, that's exactly what the people at Road Runner said was happening with my footwork. I got some nice insoles to help with that, and tested out their stability shoes, and bought the pair that fitted best. They are New Balance, I don't know exactly what kind, but they feel much better. They do make a difference, and I'm sure I will notice it even more on longer runs.

As for the knee, the only time I should wear the brace is when cutting or pivoting, and even then only for a couple more months as a precaution. I'm almost positive that this episode is for the large part, behind me.

Weight training is coming along nicely, not too much to report on, unless you guys want some solid numbers, but they're always subject to change. ;) Situps are up to 74 in 2 minutes as well.

The one thing I've taken away from this, at a little under a years time, is how much you change your life. And it seems to happen without much thought. Just make a commitment to drop a few pounds, then the diet you eat becomes your staple, and next thing you know, for the large part, you eat pretty healthy. Tell yourself, no matter what, you're gonna hit the gym, and after a couple of weeks, you'll find its part of your routine. Fool around running, and get used to it, bring a music player, find some "pumped up" music to listen to, and then you realize that you have a competition to up your speed and decrease times.

It won't happen overnight, and if there's anything I can tell some of you guys who are getting on board with fitness (though I'm sure most of you older guys who are getting back into shape know this) is that it is a long term prospect. Take it day by day, and the changes you make will stick with you, and follow you along towards success. If I were to go back and live my life the way I did before any of this, I would be downright miserable. The overeating, inactivity, and sheer laziness that I thought I was enjoying was actually holding me back in ways I couldn't imagine.

Make a change, you'll be glad you did. :)

Honu

11-02-09, 21:04

dude :) more power to ya :)

at 46 years old I let my self slip more out of shape then I wanted to :) so all I can say is try to keep up on it all the time !!! :) as when you get older its much harder to drip weight quickly !!!

but have to say WOW two totally dif people in those pics ! I bet you feel a ton better when doing things and not so tired etc..

keep it up :)

Al U. 5811

11-02-09, 23:50

Great progress!

I'm recovering from a knee injury myself and I can say I feel your pain. I suffered a complex MCL tear while deployed and walked around/worked on it for 6 months before I really knew the extent of the injury. Surgery took care of it and it feels 100 times better but I know I have to limit the amount I push it. I only run twice a week, just 1.5 miles and on an indoor track, lift 4 times per week, and very, very light contact Jiu Jitsu a couple of times a week.

Stick with heavy compound lifts and watch your totals go through the roof.

militarymoron

11-03-09, 00:20

BMFB - congrats on your accomplishments and keep up the good work. there have been some great tips and advice in this thread, and i just thought i'd add some more points to think about (from an older guy).

- i have usually been in good cardio shape since i was a kid. used to swim in school, then raced bicycles at the collegiate level, then played hockey (ice and roller) after college. always did weights in the gym at least 3 times a week as well. i slacked off when i got married at 30, didn't do much cardio (still did weights at the gym) and put on about 25 lbs over my optimum weight. i wasn't eating well (lots of red meat), and ended up with high cholesterol and elevated triglyceride levels. my endocrinologist refused to put me on any drugs, and wanted me to change my lifestyle - start doing cardio again and eating better. so i did (started jogging and eating about 2/3 of the amount of food), and in a few months got all my levels down to normal and lost the weight. she said that my years of cardio activity as a teenager into my tweens had a LOT to do with how quickly i was able to bring my levels down. the point i'm trying to make is that you are laying the foundation for your later years NOW, when you're young. what you do NOW will affect the rest of your life. you'll be able to deal with health issues later much better if you're healthy when young, and keep in shape.

- i used to feel 'invincible' up through my 30s, but definitely don't now (i'm 41). injuries take longer to heal, and i'm realizing the importance of taking care of my joints. someone here mentioned 'don't run with weights', and i'll have to agree with that (at least, for me, personally). it may be fun right now to be able to run with a load or light ruck, but it'll take its toll on your knees, ankles and back in the years to come. if you want to carry a load, hike, or do brisk walks with a ruck.

- having a kid who's almost 2 years old now really was the biggest lifestyle change i've ever experienced, taking away a lot of the time that i used to have before. i still go to the gym twice a week, but i've modified my workouts somewhat. i don't do machines, and have stopped doing a lot of isolation exercises, and instead stuck to the 'basics', like dips, pullups, pushups, situps etc - stuff that use my own body weight. i also do less weight and more reps. i find that the compound exercises create longer lasting results (strength and muscle) than the isolation exercises that use cables or machines. the point here is that i've tried to find more efficient ways of working out, and as a result, ditched certain exercises that don't really do much other than create nice 'looking' muscles without the strength. when i go jogging now, i'm pushing a stroller with my kid in it.

- pullups. IMHO don't bother with the assisted machine. if you can't do one yet, have a friend help you or jump up and hold your chin above the bar as long as you can. then let yourself down as slow as you can to get the negative. eventually, you'll be able to do that one pullup. when i first started out with pullups, i had a very weak upper body because all i did was cycling. the pyramid method worked very well. i'd do one pull up. then do two. then one. i'd work it up to 1-2-3-2-1. then 1-2-3-4-3-2-1 and so on. it took a while, but i eventually got to a pyramid of 7, which is 49 pullups in one session. nowadays, i usually do 5 or 6 sets of 10, a few times a week, using wide, medium and close grips.

anyways, the points i wanted to make here was that you need to think long term. and i mean LONG term. getting in shape is one thing; keeping in shape is another. and i mean 20 years down the road. what you do now will set the foundation for your physical health when you're older. choose the types of exercises you do now carefully. you don't want the exercises that you do now, when you're young, cause injuries or prevent you from exercising when you're older. just a thought.

Beebo

11-04-09, 15:15

First off, this is a great thread full of encouragement, which I love to see. Keep up the good work, bushmasterfanboy.

If there is one thing that I strongly advocate, it is low-impact cardio, and militarymoron hit on this note very well. I was a rower in high school, and it was the best thing for me. Many of my friends who were football and basketball athletes ended up having plenty of impact-related injuries in their knees and other important joints. The swimmers and the rowers I know have very few of those injuries while maintaining some of the best fitness I've seen. (As an aside, rowers consistently rank as some of the most fit individuals in Olympic village during summer olympics) You see a lot of rowing machines getting neglected at gyms, which is a terrible thing, and I would strongly advise looking up some olympic rowing technique on youtube, and take that knowledge to the gym and get on a rowing machine. Seriously, though, don't try this without learning the technique as you could injure your back. The impact is minimal, the cardio is intense and consistent, and the strength training that results from consistent rowing will definitely assist you in pull-ups. Swimming is another great activity with low impact on your joints, and will help in building up the lat muscles you need to achieve good pull-up technique. Again, keep it up.

apache64

11-08-09, 18:28

Good luck.

I am a better than average athlete. However, I have had a few joint injuries that really slowed me down. I hurt my elbow and tried coming back to soon. As a consequence, I could not lift for two years. When I did , I aggravated the same shoulder because I was too weak and rushing my progress.

Get a second opinion. The orthopedic Dr. I went to gave me anti-inflamatory RX and a splint for my forearm to rest the elbow. He said no physical therapy was needed. He was dead-wrong and never told me I had torn ligaments.

I finally got back in better shape with running and P90X.

Then I hurt my knee. I went to a different Ortho Dr. and got Physical Therapy for the knee. I'm on my second bounce-back in three years.

Use your head and take your time.

BushmasterFanBoy

11-08-09, 20:40

My knee got dislocated again this last Thurs. It hurt like a mofo, but it seems to be recovering more quickly this time. I was wearing the brace, doing the exercises (jumping lunges) my physical therapist told me to (I had already made it through a month of physical therapy when he said I was GTG) when I went down this time.

The Doc said it was uncommon to see a second dislocation so soon, and said I was probably pushing it too hard. I'll take it slower this time, and stick to running when I'm able to, and leave the jumping lunges for much much later. :eek: I'm hoping this isn't going to be a recurring issue, since I've been eying up the military after I get done with college. :(

tinman44

11-09-09, 02:17

i am by no means an expert or even really knowledgable beyond my own physical capabilities. that said i skimmed the thread and congrats to you, i think this thread is inspiring. wondering what your height is, i dont think there is a exact science on this but if you are at 197 and you are say 6', you are pretty close to optimal weight i think. anyways that was just an example, not even sure its correct. I'm 6'2" and weigh in around 240. I'm easily 50 over my ideal weight. I have recently adjusted my diet and plan to get back into it myself. i have gained 50 over the last 9 years with a desk job, thats with occasional excersize to maintain. I have never been over 250 and havent been under 180 since i was 17, i'm 30 now so i feel my ideal weight is 190-200 and thats my goal. i cant run i have a knee injury from a motorcycle wreck (also why i didnt get in the marines) so i'm gonna get into p90x like aerobic something maybe a spin class i dont know. i'm currently working on quiting smoking, been smoking for 14 years with a few 1 year breaks in the middle. i'm down to about 4 or 5 a day, so not sure why i cant just cold turkey but that never works for me i have to wheen off. anyways not trying to highjack just wanted to demonstrate that i can relate and i'm getting back into it. every other year or so i hit the gym and the bike and lose about 20lbs and get back up to weights i was lifting in highschool then call it quits for some reason. dont do that, i've seen it earlier in this thread and i wanna echo, make it a habbit and a way of life to be fit.

Shibumi

11-09-09, 14:02

Sounds like you have my problem. I always do TOO MUCH, TOO SOON, and don't allow myself to recuperate in time. This leads to rushing recovery, and can set me back repeatedly. As I got older and wiser I learned to do it right the first time. Hence the 10% a week increase in mileage.

With a knee injury if it does no heal completely, your screwed. If your knee is a weakpoint, your prospects of the military are at risk.

Get a second opinion, and Jumping Lunges?? That sounds a little crazy for recovery...

civilian

11-14-09, 23:58

Nothing like pics to show outstanding results. Damn good work dude. I bulk up when I'm riding the desk, but your pics just drove home the fact that I need to get off my fat ass and get back into fighting shape. Keep up the good work and don't let that injury slow you down.

Impact

11-15-09, 00:24

good tips Shibumi . Running is great for dropping weight.

when you lose weight, you are lighter and it's easier for pull ups / push ups etc..everything goes together.

Crossfit is good stuff too.

BushmasterFanBoy

11-16-09, 22:29

I got my first sub 8-minute mile (7:59) this last Saturday, I was really worried that taking it easy since the second dislocation would kill my cardio as much as the first time.

Now I feel a lot more mentally focused, and with the fresh pain of the sucker popping out in mind, running doesn't seem to be that bad. ;) I think I should be back on the horse tomorrow, but I'm going to take it much easier on my knee and keep to less jolting leg exercises.

HPFlashman

11-17-09, 07:10

Good goings, BMFB...:)

As I understand it, dislocating something or the other will strech the tendons of the joint and said joint will be easier to dislocate furter on for quite some time...:(

Building up supporting musclature around the joint is as I gather it, the preferred methode to avoid further incidents...

Disclaimer from my first post still valid.

Mjolnir

11-20-09, 07:19

BushmasterFanBoy

12-04-09, 11:40

New post, and some new records. :cool:

My best mile time is now 7:43, (down from my last best of 7:58) and I've now taken up some 5k running, and my best on that is 31:57. (I actually walked towards the end for like a minute, big mistake imho)

My lifting is coming along very nicely, I'm benching 135 over 12 times now. Haven't tried maxing out any though. (I'm going my the alternating schedule that WilBrink posted high reps one week, then low reps, then normal reps, and repeat) Pullup progress is still a ways off, but my shoulder muscles are much stronger, so it's just a matter of time.

Situps are pretty good, I haven't tried for any 2 minute times lately, but I'm confident I've made gains. I guess that's a trend for me, staying away from "testing" and just focusing on building up areas of improvement.

I might post some new pics come the new year, but I'm really happy with my lifestyle, I can't fathom living the way I was. If any of you bigger guys are on the fence about this, just do it. Make the commitment, want it hard, and turn it into your life, you will not regret it.

Naxet1959

12-04-09, 19:19

[QUOTE=BushmasterFanBoy;509979]New post, and some new records. :cool:

My best mile time is now 7:43, (down from my last best of 7:58) and I've now taken up some 5k running, and my best on that is 31:57. (I actually walked towards the end for like a minute, big mistake imho)

I have a friend who has qualified and run the Boston Marathon. He hasn't been running nearly as much lately but is doing a program of running hard, then walking for 1 minute, every mile. This would help with your distance running, to build up. I was thinking that running a slower pace but longer distance may be helpful with your knee.

I too really hated running, it just wasn't fun. But after a 5K run, I started trying to do a 10k run once a year. Fast forward 16 years and in 2010, I've signed up for 2 marathons and a half marathon. It finally started getting fun after I hit 5 or so miles, the infamous zone kicks in. I'm living proof that any able human that wanted to CAN run a marathon.

Keep up the good work!

crob1

12-04-09, 19:59

BMFB,

AMAZING! Congratulations on your progress. This is very inspiring.

As someone who has been lifting weights since I was 15 (now 43), I'll tell you what has worked for me. You have been lifting for a while now so you have a good foundation, but this may not be a good routine for you just yet. It may be though!

I like to start by warming up thoroughly. I then do a set of 12, 10, 10, 8, 8 reps, progressively adding weight. I find that this type of workout gives me a decent cardio workout and developes good strength and endurance. I also like to work the same muscle groups at a time. For instance, I like to work the "pulling" muscles one day and the "pushing" muscles a different day.

I lift 3-5 days a week (hopefully). I am not really interested in getting huge, just staying toned.
One day I'll do chest, triceps, shoulders and abs. The workout consists of bench press (wide grip), narrow grip bench press (more emphasis on triceps and inner pecs), military press (for shoulders) and dips (for chest and tris and a little shoulders). I follow with 3 sets of 20 reps of crunches.

Nest day will be back and biceps and abs. Wide and narrow grip pullups (for lats, and they works the biceps and forearms too), curls-you can vary your grip for different emphasis (for biceps), bent over rows (for lower back and thickening lats). Then 3 x 20 crunches.

Third day is legs which I often slack on. I used to do heavy (for me) squats. I don't do those anymore as I think they are bad for my knees. For legs I simply ride a recumbent stationary bike. It has different programs to simulate changing terrain. By changing emphasis, you can target the quads, hamstrings or calf muscles more or less, not to mention a great cardio workout.

The recumbent stationary bike has made a huge difference in my endurance while riding my dirt bike. That's one of the main reasons I like to workout. It makes me a better rider. Actually it makes me better at everything. Fitness is truely a way of life. I'm not a fitness nut like I used to be, but I feel so much better than when I get lazy and slack off. Regular exercise is the fountain of youth.

You have made an awesome change in your life. Keep it up. :cool:

Roy

12-05-09, 01:09

GOOD WORK BROTHER KEEP IT UP:D

dl021

12-17-09, 14:28

Great job, son! Keep at it. You'll be in the shape you need and want to be in. Getting in this habit now will protect you down the road, and if you stay with it you may avoid being one of those 40 year olds who has to check his blood sugar 5 times per day and worries about keeping his eyes and limbs.

Post another picture in 15 or 20 pounds, everybody's pulling for you.

Irish

12-17-09, 14:48

Awesome job! You should edit your OP and add the 3rd picture to it for a more dramatic transformation.

BushmasterFanBoy

12-22-09, 23:47

Buckaroo

12-23-09, 00:47

Wow!

Keep up the good work, you are inspirational.

Buckaroo

nickdrak

12-23-09, 03:41

Hey man! You look great Brother!!! Keep up the good work. You have alot to be proud of.... An inspiration indeed!!!

Dont get too aggressive or go too heavy with the weights. Thats the quickest way to hurt yourself again.

Magsz

12-23-09, 08:20

A new update for those of you still following this, a few points of progress:

My new mile time is 7:32. On my treadmill, this meant I never dropped speed below 8.0mph. My previous best was 7:43 (see above) which I've been working to beat for a while now.

My lifting is coming along smoothly, my weight's are starting to plateau though, but I'm used to that effect by now, and it's just a matter of sticking with it. Of course, I'm not sure how my daily push up regimen is playing into it, either, or my reduced calorie intake.

Weight loss is picking up steam, since I'm getting back into 1000-1500 cal. a day territory. I'm really shooting for 185 by Jan. 20th, since it's going to be my only opportunity in my whole life to say "I lost 100lb in a year".

If you're running into a plateau with the weights you're probably not eating enough or fueling your body the right way. I notice a significant difference in the gym when i eat a proper meal before hitting the stacks. Conversely, i notice an overall decline in performance when i dont fuel myself an hour to an hour and a half before lifting.

1000-1500 calories a day is on the low side, i would personally never go below 1500 a day again. I too lost over 100 pounds and found myself ridiculously skinny fat by the time i was done at 165.00.

This time around im eating roughly 1700-2.3k a day and lifting very heavy, ive gained about 8 pounds of muscle (newbie gains) in six months. Im also ingesting 200 grams of lean protein a day.

Pardon me if you've already stated this but what are you overall goals with your weight loss? Anything specific besides the obvious health benefits? Obviously you're pushing yourself when it comes to running but is there anything else that you care about?

larry0071

12-23-09, 08:40

He wants a woman, just like every other living male of every other species!

BFB, Dude, your amazing! Super great job, and massive dedication to your goal! You are a man that should be proud of what he has done! Wow! It's hard to imagine from pic 1 to pic 3 that it is really the same person. Did I say wow? Wow!

Keep it up! It's tough! When my daughter was born in 1999 I saw pictures of my 215lb self (5'9") holding my new baby... and I was upset. Who was that fat guy? For 4 months I ran twice a day, worked out 5 days a week, and did a home-made atkins type thing and went from 215 to 170. 45 lbs in 4 months. But I was dedicated and made it my life. Since then, I have pushed dangerously close to 40 yrs old, I don't exercise, and I work in an office. I'm back to 190. Maybe I should let you inspire me, because your getting it done!

Super awesome great job! I bet the women are taking notice as well! Enjoy, your only young and beautifull one time!

Roy

12-23-09, 11:59

BFB!! Great Job.. that great improve ment on the mile run...

DeputyMend

12-23-09, 12:59

Great job man! Keep it up. Also, nice kit.

BushmasterFanBoy

12-23-09, 13:26

If you're running into a plateau with the weights you're probably not eating enough or fueling your body the right way. I notice a significant difference in the gym when i eat a proper meal before hitting the stacks. Conversely, i notice an overall decline in performance when i dont fuel myself an hour to an hour and a half before lifting.

1000-1500 calories a day is on the low side, i would personally never go below 1500 a day again. I too lost over 100 pounds and found myself ridiculously skinny fat by the time i was done at 165.00.

This time around im eating roughly 1700-2.3k a day and lifting very heavy, ive gained about 8 pounds of muscle (newbie gains) in six months. Im also ingesting 200 grams of lean protein a day.

Pardon me if you've already stated this but what are you overall goals with your weight loss? Anything specific besides the obvious health benefits? Obviously you're pushing yourself when it comes to running but is there anything else that you care about?

My primary weight loss goal was just getting tired of being fat. Ever since I was little, I've been into "playing soldier" so it seemed very silly to me that I was gearing up at the range, shooting a carbine, etc. when I myself was in horrible physical shape, and had been my whole life (I'm sure I actually contributed to the childhood obesity stats somewhere along the line :D ) What finally pushed me over the edge, was being the gear queer that I am, I ordered the padded Molle belt and it wouldn't even fit at full adjustment. :eek: That snapped me right in, and gave me a concrete goal: "fit into that damn belt, no matter what".

After a couple of weeks, when I saw that it wasn't too hard at all, as long as I was focused, and committed, truly committed to losing the weight, I figured I would ride it out until I got in good shape. A very weird curiosity takes over when you look at yourself in the mirror and wonder (as I had never been in any shape my whole life) "I wonder what you look like skinnier?" The health benefits really don't enter my mind (I'm young and therefore invincible, remember? :cool: ) so now its mostly just the rush from seeing new gains in performance that keeps me going, plus that endless quest to wake up and say "who's that?" when I get to the mirror.

User Name

12-23-09, 13:42

Man that is awesome! Keep up the good work. I need it to rub off on me. Your now 210 is not a "marginal" loss so not to be redundant don't marginalize your progress. As far as developing strength and muscle mass it is very hard to do in a caloric deficit state. Once you get to your desired weight. Up the calories keep some cardio but hit the weights and your strength should greatly improve. Weight loss is the hard part putting on some size and strength should be gravy to you.

Magsz

12-23-09, 15:43

BushmasterFanBoy

12-23-09, 16:48

BMFB,

Your goals are very similar to mine, more power to you brother. Its a long hard journey and its even harder keeping it off but you've got the dedication required to see it through the long haul.

Never get complacent and never stop shooting (no pun intended, or shit, pun intended) for your goals.

Hopefully soon ill see if i can add some pictures to this thread of my own progress. :)

That'd be great, positive reinforcement helps us all, and the more stories of inspiration there are, maybe someone reading will finally believe its possible for them too. I know I didn't, but look at me now.

Outlander Systems

12-24-09, 11:15

...i used to feel 'invincible' up through my 30s, but definitely don't now (i'm 41). injuries take longer to heal

This.

Let me start by stating that I have a seriously excellent ability to sprain my own ankles. My calcaneofiburlar ligaments keep getting their asses kicked.

I've noticed that in my early 20's, a sprain would jack me up for a week at worst.

Now that I'm getting towards 30, the heal-time is much, much longer. Exponentially so. My last sprained ankle was during a move, and it took months to get better. Since I work on my feet/outdoors, I don't get the option of calling out for it or sitting down. It sucked righteously.

The only remedy I have for my issue is that I now refuse to wear any shoe that doesn't cover the ankle, and I no longer own any footwear that isn't a "boot".

This getting old shit is for the birds.

trappernana

12-24-09, 12:16

You look fantastic! I can relate. when I was 23 I 283 lbs.,after a year I was 178 lbs. Now I'm 40 and back to 280.You're an inspuration!!I would bet that your story will inspire many to get back in shape. Merry Christmas & God Bless. Take care of yourself and all of the loved ones around you.;)

BushmasterFanBoy

12-31-09, 23:02

Here's a final 2009 update.

Weight: 197 lb (my earlier update on 10/28 was a bit off, as my scales were 10lb low at the time, this weight is accurate)

Situps: 85 in 2 minutes

Pushups: 45 before I drop

Running: 7:32 mile, 17:05 2-mile, and 28:30 5k.

Pullups: Still working on one... :eek:

Diet: 1200-1800 calories a day

This year has mainly been trimming for me. I think this upcoming year will be much more exciting, as I can start working on my numbers to get something I'm proud of.

Here's to 2010, and new personal bests! :cool:

bradb55

12-31-09, 23:14

Good job Bro! Thats some great numbers already. This should get all of our ass'es in gear.

Keep it up and good luck next year man.

warpigM-4

01-01-10, 06:03

outstanding!!

BushmasterFanBoy

01-01-10, 12:33

Thanks for the words of support, everyone, and I've already started the new year off right. Got up bright and early at 7:30 on one of my last days of holiday vacation to do a 4 mile run.

I finished in a hair under 44 minutes, which isn't too bad for my very limited (read: non-existent) outdoor running experience. I felt I set a good pace, and I'm really happy I finished without resorting to walking at any point.

ETA: Today, I went for a 5k on the treadmill, finishing at 28:25. I've made my daily routine the following, and have kept it up for the last two weeks or so:

200 pushups
200 situps
5k Jog or Interval Running/Walking
And of course, my diet is in effect as always.

BushmasterFanBoy

01-10-10, 00:07

New running milestones:

7:22 1-mile run (Never dropped below 8.2mph)

And a 5 mile run at 6.0mph, took a smidge under 50 minutes, but well worth it. My previous best at 6.0mph was 3.5 miles, and I'm glad I didn't give up at 4 miles, but kept it up til I hit 5 miles. Just threatening myself with that kind of effort got me motivated enough to set my new mile time. :D

Weight is still hovering just below 200lb (196-198 depending on which day/time I'm weighing in) and lifting is still advancing slowly. Persistence is key, so I'm still dedicated to lifting, but I feel my daily pushup regimen and calorie restricted diet are hitting me hard, so I'm gonna have to wait til my weight loss is met and I can put some more nutrients in before I expect to see huge gains. I still got a solid (or rather, squishy) 30lb of fat on me, so it will be awhile before I'm ready to put more food in my diet.

My pushups feel like they're stuck at a brick wall. I'm only resting off my routine on Sunday, every day M-Sat is 200 pushups (done in sets of 50 or 100, where I usually do 25-35, drop, then do the remaining ones in installments of 5-15) 200 situps (done in 1 set of 200, not too hard, I get a good burn usually) and my running work (usually a 5k, sometimes longer) I also hit the gym every day except Sunday, alternating which muscle groups I work with each visit.

I'm wondering if only resting 1 day is a good idea, because in the last 2-3 weeks that I've been adhering to my daily regimen, I've not seen any pushup gains (in fact, I feel consistently weaker). I feel like my upper body is getting consistently beaten around with gym workouts and pushups every day, so I'm wondering if its good to push that hard, or if I'd see more gains with more resting periods than once every 7 days.

I take a lot of pride in working out every day, so I'm definitely not looking for an excuse, but the nagging thought of "maybe once a week isn't enough rest" is hard to shake. Of course, there's the obvious fact that 2-3 weeks is hardly a long time from the body's perspective, and sticking with it may well bear fruit.

Thanks for any input, it might be hard to believe, but I'm still flying blind here for the most part. :eek:

BTW, I'll put a new pic up on the 20th, even though its unlikely I'll meet 185 by then. I might not make the 100 mark, but I'll take what I can get over being where I was. :D

DBautista

01-10-10, 09:47

Weight is still hovering just below 200lb (196-198 depending on which day/time I'm weighing in) and lifting is still advancing slowly. Persistence is key, so I'm still dedicated to lifting, but I feel my daily pushup regimen and calorie restricted diet are hitting me hard, so I'm gonna have to wait til my weight loss is met and I can put some more nutrients in before I expect to see huge gains. I still got a solid (or rather, squishy) 30lb of fat on me, so it will be awhile before I'm ready to put more food in my diet.

My pushups feel like they're stuck at a brick wall. I'm only resting off my routine on Sunday, every day M-Sat is 200 pushups (done in sets of 50 or 100, where I usually do 25-35, drop, then do the remaining ones in installments of 5-15) 200 situps (done in 1 set of 200, not too hard, I get a good burn usually) and my running work (usually a 5k, sometimes longer) I also hit the gym every day except Sunday, alternating which muscle groups I work with each visit.

I'm wondering if only resting 1 day is a good idea, because in the last 2-3 weeks that I've been adhering to my daily regimen, I've not seen any pushup gains (in fact, I feel consistently weaker). I feel like my upper body is getting consistently beaten around with gym workouts and pushups every day, so I'm wondering if its good to push that hard, or if I'd see more gains with more resting periods than once every 7 days.

I take a lot of pride in working out every day, so I'm definitely not looking for an excuse, but the nagging thought of "maybe once a week isn't enough rest" is hard to shake. Of course, there's the obvious fact that 2-3 weeks is hardly a long time from the body's perspective, and sticking with it may well bear fruit.

Thanks for any input, it might be hard to believe, but I'm still flying blind here for the most part. :eek:

BTW, I'll put a new pic up on the 20th, even though its unlikely I'll meet 185 by then. I might not make the 100 mark, but I'll take what I can get over being where I was. :D

I think you are hitting the wall because of nutrition. If you are still adhering to 1200-1500 calories a day while doing a 6 day a week workout regimen, is not enough (depending on intensity). Get in high quality proteins, fruits, and vegetables. I was never into supplements or shakes because food is where its at.

Over the summer, I focused on long course triathlons, and my school of thought was "the lighter I was, the faster and more efficient I would be". I got down to a scary weight and started to hit the wall during after bike recovery runs. I went back to my normal eating routine, this includes 1kg of Nutella a week, and those recovery runs were easy. Currently I consume right around 5000 calories a day, and easily 7K during the spring and summer months. I take a rest day once every six days.

Maybe if you upped your calorie intake, you'll have the energy for harder workouts without hitting the wall. Also, it might even boost your metabolism.

Mines13

01-12-10, 10:23

This is a great thread. I'm actually going through a similar thing except I'm a smaller guy trying to put on muscle and build stamina. I've been sedentary far too long between work and just plain laziness. I recently turned 27 and decided it was time for a major pay cut, so I enlisted in the Marine Corps (0300 contract, delayed entry program). I have 8 months to get into some semblance of shape so I got a personal trainer 3 times a week and have been working with a dietitian. This is something I have wanted for a while and finally got passed that mental block; I decided if I really want this I CAN do it and as you have proven, so can you. What you are doing is inspiring and it has helped me stay motivated since Ive been following. Keep it up. ;)

BushmasterFanBoy

01-15-10, 22:34

Got a small update for all of you, my run times are as follows:

Mile: still at 7:22, haven't tried a new one since last week (most of my running is 5k work as you no doubt know)

2 Mile: Broke 15:50 today, which is pretty good for me, since my goal was to get a minimum passing in each area of the APFT. Hypothetically, this means I could score a 224 on the APFT. I'd like to make it 300 by the end of the year, which I'm fairly confident I might be able to do, if I keep my nose to the grindstone.

5k: Hit 28:01 this past week, which I'm happy with for right now. In the future, I'd like to be at 24:00, but that's a ways off (couple months at least)

Pic will be up this Wed, check back then to see the "1 year later" report. :cool:

Kevinj110

01-19-10, 16:56

You are an inspiration, I hope I can stick to it as well as you have.

Okami099

01-19-10, 22:49

Well done Brother!

BushmasterFanBoy

01-20-10, 21:40

Well, I edited the OP, since the things I voiced in it really don't suit the current reality. In hindsight, I should have saved it, but alas, its gone, replaced with the 1 year update.

If anyone has it saved somehow, feel free to post it, I know lots of people found it alone pretty inspiring, and the more of that we can get, the better.

Here's the nitty gritty for those of you following the numbers:
196 pounds (my weight loss has slowed down a lot, but I'm upping calories to try and boost my strength, so we'll see where that goes)
27:22 5k time

That's really the only update to give, also for the last week or so, I've been doing my 200 situps without a toe-jam, and going back to alternating my arms touching my opposite knees which I've found gives me a stronger workout. Slight modifications like that are interesting.

The pushup front is still going quite slow, but I'm making an effort to push them closer together, and if possible, get 200 into a single, maddeningly horrendous period of wallowing on the floor to heavy music. :o I still top out at 45, and I'm never good for more than 25 after that. But I make the effort and tell myself "you will not leave this floor until you have 200 pushups" and that gets me through it. :D

That's that, I'm hopeful that my new daily routine will get me in better shape than my haphazard efforts had so far. Thanks for following along, I'm interested in where this goes. :cool:

BushmasterFanBoy

02-12-10, 00:25

Been a lil over 3 weeks since the last update, and boy, have things been speeding up.

Weight is just a hair under 196, again, that's not too big of a worry for me right now, since my main focus is on performance gains. My diet is pretty high in protein, with a lot of emphasis on lean meat. (chicken mostly)

My mile time is now at an even 7:00. I'm pretty happy with that, but I'd like push it and get even better. 6:00 would be great, and if I could get anything below that, I'd be a very happy camper, but the better you get, the slower you make gains, so that's a ways off.

5k time is now 25:49, and I'm pretty cheery about that. My mid-term goal is 24:00, and that'll be something to keep me motivated for the next couple of months.

I've also managed to do a six mile run in an hour, which is a pretty big endurance/boredom test. :D Each week, I set a running goal revolving around my mile, 2 mile, 5k, or distance times. This gives me something to work towards, and gets me to focus, especially since the treadmill has become the more monotonous part of my routine.

My pushups are coming along GREAT. I'm maxing out at anywhere from 50-55, given my state of rest. I usually pump out 50 in my first set of the day without issue, and if I'm lucky, I can do it again a tad later in the day. 25 are no issue at all, if I keep them in sets of that number, I can reach my daily count pretty easily.

Situps are also coming along nicely, I managed to do a set of 600 without stopping, and no toe jam. I might have been able to go further, but I didn't, so I can't say for sure, other than I knew I could have done at least 1 more. ;) Once you hit a certain point, you stop getting the burn, and sheer will takes over (a lot like a long run). You set yourself to it, tell your body what to do, and it just goes to it. It's a very weird feeling, but I thought I was burned at 200, and yet, I kept going, and going, and going.

Pushups and situps are now around 200-300 a day, with 200 being a minimum, and 300 the ideal. Of course, if I feel like it, I might even do more. ;)

My gym time is getting a lot more productive (as evidenced by my pushup progress) and I think that's due to a pretty simple change I've made. I've been doing sets of 5 for the last two weeks, and I've also been taking a second rest day from the gym a week (No mid-week rest from pushups, situps, or running though)

The sets of 5 are REALLY helpful, I usually start doing 16, then 14, 12, 10, and finish with 8. Very hard, but I think it's been giving my muscles a much more thorough workout than sets of 3.

If anyone has any pushup tips, I'd be greatly appreciative. :D