In the gym

[Monique]

After some setbacks, I'm back to mountain biking. And actually tackling tech sections that would have intimidated me even before the injury. It took me a while to get to the point where my knee would allow the riding, but now it seems to be a virtuous cycle, where riding helps my knee, so that I can ride more.

The weird thing to me is that I rode several days straight - and realized afterward that my quads never felt sore. Well, the day after three rides in a row, I felt a little bit of quad soreness, but super minimal. I wonder if all of the posterior chain training for rehab has helped rebalance my muscles so that I'm using a combo, and am thus more efficient at pedaling. It's a theory. Unfortunately, I can still feel that I'm working my left leg more than my right when pedaling. At least once a ride, I notice that my left leg is working harder, and I intentionally lighten that foot a little and concentrate on the pedal stroke with the right.

 

[Mendieta]

That's truuuue ... but unless you're working with a trainer, you're likely to work the big individual muscles and neglect the niche exercises that keep all your stabilizers strong, no?

Great point. It's still super useful, but you are right. Like everything else, instruction helps, you pay for the know how. And, at the risk of thread drifting, it is a bit of a shame that personal training has a focus on motivation, personal goals, etc., which I think is great for many people but I think there is another need, which I could see myself paying for: for someone to look over my routine, and give me suggestions of things to add, etc. Like, a one hour lesson. I would probably do that about once a year, or every six months. Cheers!

 

[Monique]

Great point. It's still super useful, but you are right. Like everything else, instruction helps, you pay for the know how. And, at the risk of thread drifting, it is a bit of a shame that personal training has a focus on motivation, personal goals, etc., which I think is great for many people but I think there is another need, which I could see myself paying for: for someone to look over my routine, and give me suggestions of things to add, etc. Like, a one hour lesson. I would probably do that about once a year, or every six months. Cheers!

My on-again, off-again trainer would be happy to do that for you, I'm sure! You just need to book a trip. He also has a lot more relevant education than most:

(Chris Wall)

http://boulderrockclub.com/programs/personal-training/

You know, just book a slot and hop a flight!

 

[luliski]

That's truuuue ... but unless you're working with a trainer, you're likely to work the big individual muscles and neglect the niche exercises that keep all your stabilizers strong, no?

I think so. I know many exercises, but I'm at the point where I think I need professional instruction and guidance.

 

[Varmintmist]

Since I dinked my knee up (MRI last Fri) I ave been relaxing off the tread mill. Building fence, throwing hay, weed smacking and the normal stuff, I am at 245.6 this AM. Knee feels better since I am not pushing it (ha, ha ha ha) until I get a response back from the ortho. Hopefully it is the meniscus and it is scaring over.

 

[agreen]

Has anyone tried the Schwinn Aerodyne exercise bike. It works with air resistance and supposedly the harder you push the more resistance it gives making for a potential very strenuous workout. I read that someone burned 82 Kcal in one minute. Pretty impressive if true.

 

[kimmyt]

Great point. It's still super useful, but you are right. Like everything else, instruction helps, you pay for the know how. And, at the risk of thread drifting, it is a bit of a shame that personal training has a focus on motivation, personal goals, etc., which I think is great for many people but I think there is another need, which I could see myself paying for: for someone to look over my routine, and give me suggestions of things to add, etc. Like, a one hour lesson. I would probably do that about once a year, or every six months. Cheers!

I think you can find personal trainers that offer you this type of service if you specify thats what you want. Like, my climbing partner is a trainer and I told her that when I'm ready to start doing some big lifts I would just want to hire her for a 'form check' session, not a regular thing. Obviously, their bread and butter is the repeat clients, but I don't see why they wouldn't be willing to do the occasional drop in training session.

 

[Monique]

Every time I go back to lifting, I ask my trainer to check my form. I like deadlifts, which are bad for you unless you do them 100% correctly.

If you pay for a trainer, make sure they're well certified and, well, didn't do a 24 hour online course or whatever.

 

[Varmintmist]

Well, back in the saddle. Last week did the treadmill on Mon, then ice and Alieve for about 4 days. Tried again Mon and I could walk on Tues so Wed we went again. This morning I weighed in at 244.8 WOO HOO, under 245. I was shooting for 230 by the bday, but with 2 months off I will take breaking 245.

 

[Jed Peters]

Has anyone tried the Schwinn Aerodyne exercise bike. It works with air resistance and supposedly the harder you push the more resistance it gives making for a potential very strenuous workout. I read that someone burned 82 Kcal in one minute. Pretty impressive if true.

These are brutal. Yes, great workout.

For me I have to be in some kind of group exercise to keep me accountable. And for me, that's crossfit. It's fun, it's varied, it focuses on normal functional human movements, and it's quick. In and out in an hour. For me I really have to stay on a schedule, and do it religiously.

I think whatever one chooses to do--consistency in going is the key.

I'm back at it. 4 days in a row back in a "crossfit light" type workout. Super fun.

I feel alive.

 

[socalgal]

We go rock climbing as a family, and try to be consistent at about 3 days a week. T/TH, and once on the weekend. Its much more fun to be "doing" something at the gym compared to running on a treadmill. Our gym is on the small side and is very community orientated, laid back. But the routes are challenging both mentally and physically.

I just like to be outdoors, so I'm gung-ho for most activities. Now though, I'm trying to incorporate more strength and core training (ugh). It will only help once ski season starts, right?

 

[Mikey]

After going through cancer treatment 5 1/2 years ago, I went from 195 to 163 (I'm 6'3"). Shortly after treatment, I started getting symptoms of frozen shoulder (at the time, I thought my body was just screwed up from the treatment) so went to a chiropractor. Very good chiropractor (a regular doctor finally diagnosed it correctly once it got bad enough) but where he really benefited me was getting me into a gym routine, stretching and juicing. I set a goal to get my weight and strength back as well as my ROM back from the frozen shoulder in time to go skiing (about 6 months). In addition to hitting the gym, I also did Koko Head stairs in Hawaii. How to tell just how steep this is (pic is a random pic from the internet).




Very deceptive. It starts out at a fairly "easy" angle, but just gets progressively steeper. Lots of young, really in-shape folks that would blow past me, learned that lesson when I went past them for the final time less than

half-way up. First time I did it, it took me an hour and 10 minutes to do the 3/4 mile 1048 steps (and got passed by a really big Samoan woman). Got it down to 16 minutes before leaving Hawaii..

What helped me, a person that despised and avoided gyms was having a goal. Getting healthier and stronger to go skiing is what drove me and in the beginning it was brutal and embarrassing.

Now at 53, gains are hard to come by but will evaporate in the blink of an eye, so I'm loathe to stop. A year and a half ago, I tore up my elbow really bad, As weights were out, I adjusted to HIIT workouts. Once my elbow got a little better, I started walking 4 miles and working out with light weights while walking. I'm still hesitant to some types of sports moves, but I can do weights now with 0 problems and back in the gym. Nat and I have a goal this year of being much stronger skiers.

Speaking of Nat, a couple years back, I brought her out to the US to do a trip out West in a Jeep for 3 months. Beforehand, I knew we would be doing some strenuous hiking so I knew she had to get into shape. She had never been to a gym or jogged for exercise. It didn't take her and me very long to know she hated the gym. Still remember the day and the exercise, but she sat back down on the bench with a very sour look on her face and said, "I Hate F'n fitness". We got through that day and I found ways to motivate her. She understood and appreciated later why we did all that, including on that trip, her first time on skis and then this past year with her first season on skis.

Now, even though she doesn't "like" going to the gym or doing HIIT routines, she appreciates the health and strength benefits and, *thankfully*, is there to motivate me on the days when I have forgotten the goal

 

[no edge]

Exactly. The gym allows you to work individual muscles in isolation. It is a great thing for physical conditioning. When you do full motion sports such as swimming or biking, as great as they are, one muscle can compensate for a weakness in another. When you work out with weights, you can pick and choose. And get in better shape, reduce (*) the chance of injuries, etc

(*) needless to say, nothing eliminates the risk of injury

I apologize for adding to the thread so late after the above was posted. I also have strong opinions about training individual muscles. There are many trainers who believe in this approach. What I have seen, being around many high intensity and heavy strength training athletes is that big muscles bring along the smaller ones. Lifting heavy can train more than the actual groups that are being targeted.

I shouldn't even mention this but Crossfit does this. They do train a broad range of muscle groups as well as small, but the goal is to be strong. This works for skiing. You can see this philosophy in Olympic training for skiers. Their training adds movement and balance among other exercises. They sometimes train smaller... targeted muscles. Generally by doing other high intensity sets. But they do lift and target strength.

My point is, get really strong and build in: agility, flexibility, endurance, stamina and speed - you will get into tremendous shape and it will transfer to skiing. If a specific group of smaller muscles needs help, add them, but building strength will transfer to smaller groups. Training the smaller groups will take away from general strength training time and it will reduce the quality of what could be rested lifting.

Typically, lifts are limited to two groups ex: dead lifts... the posterior chain and quads and sit ups not crunches. Working with partners provides a spotter and encouragement, Lifting in group is fun.

I have left out the WODs for which Crossfit is famous - for another time.

 

[Rod9301]

Why not crunches?

 

[no edge]

Knees to bar, toes to bar, actual sit ups, plus what ever the WODs do for that group. GHD sit ups.

Also, they use stabilization... say walking with bar over head - requires firm mid-section. Handstands. Putting the bar overhead in general requires a strong core. Snatch... same.

This may not make sense but when you experience the training effect you will understand. Very different approach and it works.

 

[Chris A]

I received a card promoting Orangetheory. Anyone tried it? Is it just updated aerobics?

I used to work for an OrangeTheory Fitness in the Bay Area. If you have the money, it's a good full body workout to do once or twice a week to supplement your normal workouts and should prepare you well for the slopes.

 

[Wilhelmson]

Crunches can kill your back. I had a six pack last summer, now I have a chronically sore back.

 

[no edge]

I used to work for an OrangeTheory Fitness in the Bay Area. If you have the money, it's a good full body workout to do once or twice a week to supplement your normal workouts and should prepare you well for the slopes.

Don't know it but it sounds good. For me lifting heavy is important. That means free weights and coaching.

 

[VickiK]

Since I dinked my knee up (MRI last Fri) I ave been relaxing off the tread mill. ... Knee feels better since I am not pushing it

How's the knee, @Varmintmist ? Hope it's all better now. Your page 5 post was so awesome, congrats on ditching the meds and all the other positive changes. That sounds so blythe, let's all "adopt a healthier lifestyle", but it's not so easy-breezy. Kudos.

It's my one year anniversary since adopting a consistent workout habit, and I'm hoping for the ski season payoff too.

 

[Varmintmist]

How's the knee, @Varmintmist ? Hope it's all better now. Your page 5 post was so awesome, congrats on ditching the meds and all the other positive changes. That sounds so blythe, let's all "adopt a healthier lifestyle", but it's not so easy-breezy. Kudos.

It's my one year anniversary since adopting a consistent workout habit, and I'm hoping for the ski season payoff too.

OK, just ok. I know EXACTLY where the MCL is now because if I do two sessions on the treadmill the next day its ice and alieve. Its getting better but the motivation has been shot.