That's how I am. It was great when I was younger and just wanted to see how much I could lift and gain mass. Nowadays I have little use for a high bench press or squat weight and just want to lean up. It's tough. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I just started dabbling back into working out again this past month. Right now I'm just running on treadmill 5 times a week. I do intervals twice a week and run the other 3 days. Just priming the machine to get back into some sort of shape and then get into a better program. I've got to where I can run 4 miles now and continuing to increase. Kind of getting sick of running. My thing is, I really don't want muscle mass (effect my golf swing). I just want tone, strength, core and good cardio. Any suggestions would be cool. Anybody ever mess around with px90 or insanity? That's my story too. I don't think I can ever weigh over 180lbs no matter what I do.
The past few years have been kicking my ***. Even a big meal will fluctuate me a few pounds. I'm really not too big on running or lifting. I'll get into it for a week then lose steam. My main interest is just hitting the hills hard with a loaded pack. Recently, I found out my cholesterol has more than doubled in the past three years from 107 to 243. Doctor believes it is a genetic thing but it has had me absolutely scared straight. My diet has completely changed.
I've done a few rounds of P90X and a round of insanity... Both will kick your ***. insanity is way harder cardio wise, p90 mixes in much more weighted movements. I still use many P90x movements in my lifting routine now, I just got bored of the DVDs really. I find it much easier to focus and get a good session in if I get up at 545 and go to gym, leaving the lazy temptations of working out at home behind me. I've been doing it daily a few months now and am finally noticing a difference. Already twice as strong as when I began and my recovery time has shortened to a day max vs being sore for a week initially. Anyone have any recommendations for good cardio workouts besides running? I run 3x week and that's about all my shins can handle. Probably due to poor running form coupled with prior injury, but shin splints have plagued me for years now.
Biking. I love it. Will really work your legs and hit your cardio as well. As for the shin splints, be sure to give it a rest if you're still sore when running. You can really make those worse if you over do it. I would also recommend getting properly fit for a running shoe if you're planning on doing this long term (even 3 times a week for a year or so).
This! Biking is the way to go! Gives you an awesome work out. Plus you can't beat riding trails. The ones around the house are pretty great. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
BC, my family has high cholesterol...you know the whole high bad cholesterol, low good cholesterol, and high triglyceride thing. Not good. Years ago, I went in for a cholesterol read and my cholesterol was horrible. They recommended medication and I told them I wouldn't take medication. My cholesterol levels were about like yours, but a little higher. I started changing up my workouts so they would last longer. Working out for 30 minutes or longer at a constant rate lowers cholesterol levels. Also, I simply started eating a tad less "crap food" and pumped up my green leafy intake, and bam, my cholesterol levels lowered by 100 points in a year. Good luck.
I am taking similar steps. Hope they help out. Cut out fast food completely and am keeping an eye on saturated fats in everything. Lots of greens.
I may take up biking and try my best to offset from leg days as best as possible. Jump Rope and Burpees are a good idea too Hook. I've been properly fitted for running shoes and coached to severely shorten my stride which both helped a lot, I just notice that if I run much more than 5 miles I am extremely sore in the shins the next few days. I also started using compression sleeves on my calves which help as well. I quit running for 2 months to heal the shin splits last fall and it worked so long as I don't push it too much now. 20 miles/week is realistically all I want to run anyway.
Tembry, 20 miles a week is no joke! I run like 4 miles a week. Hahaha. My aging knees don't like running much these days, but I need to do it for my job. I bike once a week or so. I probably need to bike more and run less, but I like running.
I'm lazy and don't do cardio often When I do, I walk on the treadmill with a 15 degree incline at 3.5-3.6 mph. You will burn around the same amount of calories as running while also building your leg muscles a bit with the resistance from walking uphill.
I really never thought I would miss running/general cardio this much. I feel incomplete not mixing more cardio in. It's like I'm only half fit :D
TEmbry, Something that may help the shin splints is before & after your runs, sit on the edge of a chair, bend your knees & pick your feet up off the floor. Holding your feet together, make circles to the left & right, 10-12 times each. Point your toes forward and pull them towards you 10-15 times. Those little warm up & cool down drills helped a lot of friends of mine with shin splints. It doesn't work for everyone, but its not much effort so it can be worth a try.
My daughter used to get shin splints but it was mostly from multiple workouts a day on concrete, gym floor and dirt. She does swear by brooks running shoes and no longer gets shin splints. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Tapatalk
^ I use Brooks as well and they have helped a lot. I've also noticed running in the grass/blacktop when possible to avoid the concrete sidewalks has helped as well. I'll try those stretches Rybo, like you said certainly can't hurt anything. Going for a 5 mile run at 3 today so I'll see how they work for me. And Hook I somehow just saw where you ran 60-80 miles weekly? That is insane distance. LOL That's nearly averaging a Half Marathon a Day... No way I'd ever reach that point of running. I just want to get to 7-8 mile runs 3x a week without the associated leg pains I'd have currently attempting this.
shin splints have nothing to do with the shoes, just your form and weakness in the legs...RICE helps (rest, ice, compression, elevate) and yeah, back when I was in serious shape, I was running 10 miles almost daily, with a long run on the weekends usually in the 16-20 mile range just don't have the time for that anymore
You have more running experience than me, but I disagree. The way you strike can have a lot of negative consequences if you're not in a proper fitting shoe. Yes, I know there is a CORRECT way to strike, but everyone hits different. I know I used to supinate a lot. Getting into a proper fitting shoe helped significantly.
