What is everyone doing currently for workouts and what is goal? I'm 7 years out now from when I did triathlons competitively and 25 lbs. heavier. I will never try to be as competitive for racing, but I would like to workout a little more and do a few races a year as motivation. This past year I was running through the winter a little (10-15 miles a week) and did a 15k before Christmas. My mind was still in 2000 and although I finished the race strong, it tore me up and took me over a month to recover. I know that sounds crazy, but only running 10-15 miles a week with long run of only 6 miles didn't prepare me for a 9 miler at easy pace, much less racing it. So 2008 got off to terrible start recovering from that, I started picking up my running in the spring and did a 5 miler early June. Race went OK, but not that happy with my performance. I did manage to loose 10 lbs. through the first half of the year though. Since early June I have added 1-2 short bike rides a week (12 & 20 miler) and swim once a week after a run. Plan to do a 500 meter swim/17 mile bike/5k run triathlon first weekend of September. Should be good motivation to keep workouts up for next 5 weeks and maybe loose 5 lbs. or so (uphill battle as gaining muscle weight too). Plan next 5 weeks is up 2 weekly bike rides to 20 and 28 mile, 2 swims a week, and 4 runs a week with long 5-6. That will be more than enough for this short tri, although not in a competitive sense. Beyond that? Winter is tougher to cycle outside, but I am buying a mountain bike and we have some good trails close. The other thing that gets me is early darkness after work, but I don't mind running in the dark. There are some good half marathons end and early of year, so that might be my next goal. I would really like to get my weight down that 25 lbs. and do more races a year, but day job, FerrariChat, family, and hobbies have another idea on that plan. I haven't been focused on training and competitive since getting married, hmm, I see the cause and effect clearly!
Sounds like a great goal Rob, especially doing all with all the activities you have planned it shouldn't take you long to reach your goal. Just keep your diet in check with lean meats and high protein to keep your body going. As well as eat some carbs for fuel 30 minutes before going out. After doing strictly weight training for the past 1 year as I was trying to bulk. I'm now adding in cardio. As long as I can get to the gym I'll be doing cardio. Goal is to lower my bf% (which isn't much) and have my abs start showing through. Once I get that down I'll start focusing on gaining mass again. My goal is to eventually reach 175 in the long run. Having gone from 140 to 155 it will take me a long while to reach it. If it wasn't so expensive to consume 3000+ calories a day I'd be able to attain it faster. And work and other things getting in the way of me getting to the gym. Best of luck.
I do upper body on Mondays and Fridays, lower body on Wednesday with cardio and core/abs on Tuesday and Thursday...
I want abs. Only a sophomore in college, I went into my 9th grade year weighing close to 220. Thats a chubby boy. Now I tend to hover around 195 but with very little fat (men's medium shirt) although that tad around the mid section is being a little bastard. It's the hardest thing I have ever done physically. Although I have very strong abdominal muscles the definition is moving along at a slow pace. The upper four are coming along very nicely but the lower ones.... well, there somewhere back there. I lift every day and very very happy with where I'm at. But its a lifestyle, so it never stops! _J
I've haven't been doing anything for the past 3 years, but had been looking to start running again. I found an article a couple of weeks ago on a training plan to get to 5K in 8 weeks. I filed it and have been putting it off, yesterday I got an email that my company is sponsoring a team for the Komen Race for the Cure. Sent in the paperwork today, so the training plan starts tomorrow. Will be running a 5K on Sept. 28.
You're closer than you think. I'm 6'1, my weight is around 165... and now 6-7% BF tops. Although a year ago I was a heavy beer drinking, 3AM fast food eating, unfocused kid reaching close to 190lb., in just my first months of college. I hit a bottom, so I told myself I wanted to get to X point with my health, and didn't think twice about it.. Boy am I glad I started when I was thinking about it, I know I would be sitting here otherwise wishing I did. Now as a result, I got involved with modeling. I didn't plan it, it was never in the plan, but it's working out great. I get a side income just for keeping up with my health, crazy right? Over the past year, tennis twice a week has really helped. I jump rope, and do interval training 3-4 times a week. And then maintain my muscle with weights 2-3 times a week including core training. Not to forget Yoga... tonight. My stomach now feels like it stays permanently flexed, even when I try to push it out. Remember, none of my gym time the past year has included "ab" exercises, crunches, etc. I do a set of about 4-5 one minute planks on a PowerPlate close to 5 times a week. And best of all? I did it for myself, and because I could. No social-acceptance issues here, I had girls even when I'd finish off a pizza right before them.
Love the encouragement Mr. Good. Wow, you name is so positive. Anyway, it's always good to hear somebody give you a little pat on the back. "you can do it" really does make the difference some days when you don't want to get out to the gym. On the side, I think your sky-light may be leaking in your profile picture. _J
My current goals are to bring my body fat composition down and run longer faster all while bringing down my heart rate. Targets. 1. 6% body fat composition current 9.5% 2. Run two miles close to 11 minutes current 11:45 3. bring heart rate down to 55bpm or less current 62
I had to wait until the kids got a bit older (10 and 13), before I could escape the clutches of age and gluttony Started cycling 18 months ago and dropped 40 lbs, resting HR down to 48bpm, and now competitive in local cat5 races against the kids (I'm 44). Can occasionally give our cat4's a scare, so that's the current goal along with improving power output (22% improvement in watts/kg in 3 1/2 months!). I only really started to improve when I started riding with a coach: given the time pressure's of working and family - I'd highly recommend it - massively more efficient use of time and effort.
My goals... - 135lb standing military press ~ october - 200lb flat db press (2 x 100lb) ~ december - 185lb, sub-10% bf ~ april '09 - 225lb sup grip bent row ~ december
i just started gym back after a month break. my goals are : gain muscle & lose some body fat and look much ripped.
Rob your goals sound almost exactly like mine only I haven't raced competitively before. I started working out again in the middle of May and have been doing 6days a week since the beginning of June and have completely changed my eating habits to be more healthy which isn't easy in college. I signed up for my first triathlon for the end of October 500yd/19mile/5k and have been swimming in the pool three times a week biking twice a week and running 3-4 times a week with a long run on Sundays. I don't have any real goals for my first tri other than to finish and not be last. After that I hope to do 3-5 triathlons next year along with a half marathon or two. I aiming for 8% body fat by March next year which should be attainable as long as I stick to what I'm doing now and don't get too lazy once school starts up again.
I'm currently seeking a standing alternating curl of 80lbs. Im at 65 and shooting for this by late Sept. Want a flat bench of around 300 soon. Hitting decline crunches hard with a 45lb. plate on my chest - back the the pad and all the way back up for a few sets of 12. Day by day.
I had a great tri this morning, really surprised myself. Haven't done a tri since 2004 and haven't been competitive since 2001. Didn't really meet my training goals last 10 weeks or lose as much weight as I wanted, but I did OK. Mostly ran and got by with 1 swim and 1-2 bikes a week. Had a really good taper this last week I guess, when you hit it right you know it, last few days I was just full of energy and was ready to go. Anyone that knew I weighed 210 lbs. and how little I trained for this probably wouldn't believe the results, but that's what a perfect taper can do for you. 500 meter swim, 27 Km bike, and 5 km run: swim - 8:45 (1:45 100 meter pace) transition 1 - 1:50 bike - 47:32 (21.1 mph) transition 2 - 1:02 run - 23:06 (7:27 per mile) --- Total: 1:22:18 2 of 12 Clydesdales (200+ lbs) *1st place only 20 seconds ahead, but in another wave so I didn't race head to head. 11 of 24 30-34 58 of 196 overall Next goal is Dallas Half Marathon, which is December 14th, gives me about 13 weeks to train. Hopefully lose 10 lbs. and target will be a 1:45.
I very satified with where I am at. Just working on maintaining. I have a very strict diet where I only cut loose 4-5 times every 6 months. One time counts for about three days, I also stop workout then too. I also keep a record of everything I do and have been for about 8 months. I change up my workout and intake about every two or three months. Currently everything I do is calistenics, which helps me remain in proportion. In my younger years I would weight train and some muscles grew larger than others and just looked silly. My current intake consists of small portions 1 bowl of whole grain cereal,fruit,soup,salad per day 2 sandwitches per day and thats it, it works for me.
Quiet impressive. If you get bored may I recommend martial arts will push you more give you more punch add some kick.
Wow very impressive since you trained as little as you did, but then again if you used to be racing competitively you probably had a bit of an edge. I guess I have something to beat in October
6'2'' 225-230, no drinking, no smoking, hit the gym hard three days a week, stretch everyday (morning and nite), and never eat fast food or junk food. Curl 70 lb dumbells, bench 320+ (never max out), do elyptical trainer and bike. 34 inch waste. To me, the key has always been monitoring my intake of food, and what I take in and when. I don't eat big dinners as I never have time to burn off the calories. I eat light breakfast, and a nice lunch. Wine on occasion. I have great genetics on my side too. All my suits are custom made or re-cuts, shirts have to be custom too. Protein drinks with Soy and twenty other things to give me a boost. The rest falls into place. I hate running--it bores me, so I better be able to fight.
Rob or Kyle, did either of you swim competitively before triathlons? Did you have a coach? I am struggling on the swim and it's killed my overall and T1 time last weekend. I need some direction!
I started working out again last week, I knew I would feel better the next morning, but I had forgotten that I would feel this good. Last week I was at 235 lbs 6' 1.5" and hope to get to 180. Last time I was trying to lose weight I dropped to 215 and held. No matter how hard I worked in the gym I couldn't get lower than 215, it was frustrating. This time I'm watching what I put into my body more and I think with patience I'll get to where I want to be. Oh this week I'm 230 lbs. Wednesday is my weigh in day.
yes, I swam High School and then all 4 years at Div. III Babson. I wasn't a great great swimmer, I did Breaststroke and I.M. scoring points at the Kansas H.S. State Meet and then in college at the New England Div. III Championships. So I have an advantage there, but I also biked and ran a little bit from early on, we even did what we called "biathlons" in H.S.. I didn't train much at all for this tri swimming, but my technique could still fake me through at a 1:45 pace. Actually it was my best split ranking overall at 40 of 197. Bike was worst rank at 84 of 196 and Run at 50 of 196. The swim portion of a tri is so short you don't need to worry about it too much. Same amount of extra work into the bike might get you back 3-4 times the amount of time. Bike is always the longest leg and one of the most important because you need to be in enough shape to come off on run half way fresh. If you want to improve the swim best is a local masters swim club. Even the serious master swim teams have more beginner and intermediate lanes for working on technique and workouts you can handle. When I did some masters swimming only about half the team actually had younger competitive experience. Look around at your local health clubs, schools, and Y's for a masters swim team. They usually swim 3-4 times a week.
Put up 205 on the bench today. I'm stoked to be part of the 200+ club. My next goal is 225 because two 45's on each side looks mean.
