Take care of yourself

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Considering the smog this town gets during the winter when a low pressure system parks over the area and the air just sits and sits until a snow/rain storm finally comes along to scrub things clean, I'm especially glad I do not suffer from athsma.

But, I concur, see a doc about an effective exercise program.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Peddled 18 straight miles then did 2 miles on the mill. First thing I did after leaving the gym? Cig.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Peddled what? You sold stuff for 18 straight miles?


fuerte: I did ask my trainer. I can't really remember what she said, because I've basically stopped doing cardio on the same days. I alternate now.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I rode the bike for 18 miles.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

No--weights first.

Because: Weightlifting is anaerobic...it burns up your glycogen (stored sugar). So when you get to the aerobic part of the workout, you've used up the excess sugar, and you're burning more fat for fuel. Cardio first, it could take you 20-30 minutes to burn up the same sugars.

Most trainers don't get this, they go by the old book, ie, cardio warms up the muscles so you can lift. Great, but there are other ways to warm up.

I promise you, my source on this is impeccable, and I've seen the results. It makes a stunning difference.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

21, I promise I wasn't trying to undercut your authority. In fact, I was just saying what I'd always been told. But I believe you. You've shown much knowledge on this thread about this stuff.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

Believe me, I have no authority...I just know we tend to repeat the same 'rules' over and over, even when they don't always work.

If you ever really want to get to the cutting edge stuff, talk to the people who train and feed elite athletes. The science is breathtaking...light years ahead of what we think is supposed to work.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

21, what are some of the other ways to warm up for weights instead of warming up through cardio?

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I just do about 15 minutes of stretching before weights.

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

I've always enjoyed this thread. There's always a lot of good information here.

Just wanted to add bit to the recent discussion.

Exercise order is incredibly important to any exercise program. And there is an order that's more beneficial than others.

First we have understand what we're doing before the workout begins. What are our goals for that workout? If it's a cardio day, do cardio. There should be little if any resistance training. The same holds true for resistance-training days. Doing cardio, especially before the resistance training, is counterproductive to that session's goals.

Most folks hit the gym for a resistance day, stretch for a few minutes, hit the treadmill for a 2-mile run in 20 minutes or so, then go into the weight room to lift.

The problem in that scenario begins with stretching with cold muscles. The greatest effect on flexibility comes after the muscles are warm. It's easier to injure a cold muscle, even if it's from static stretching, i.e., spinal twist or lying quadriceps stretch, than it is to injure a warm muscle.

The next problem is the running.

Safety should be foremost in fitness. One of the best ways to be safe is to make sure we're able to efficiently handle the weight we're lifting. If a fitness enthusiast is expending energy running for 20 minutes, how will that person be able to handle the weight needed for a productive resistance workout?

Answer is, it's not possible.

The running works our aerobic energy system. Resistance training, whether it's for strength, hypertrophy (big muscles), power or better explosiveness, works our anaerobic energy system. Both tap our energy stores.

If we run for any extended time our bodies don't have the energy for an effective workout of power cleans, squats, step-ups, leg curls and calf raises.

We receive a better resistance workout if we first perform a general, active warm-up flexibility/stretching routine, then move to a specific warm-up routine and then go straight into the resistance training. After the session cool down with a light jog, and finish with some static stretching.

The general warm-up includes activities that increase the body's core temperature and cause sweating but not fatigue, such as jumping rope, jumping jacks or riding a stationary bike.

The specific warm-up depends on what muscles are going to be worked that session. If we're going to work legs, the specific warm-up should include trunk circles, walking lunges, squats (no weight), knee circles, shoulder stretches, etc.

Also, resistance training follows a path of: explosive movements to power movements and core lifts to assistance lifts. So, we would do power cleans - squats/deadlifts - lunges - step-ups - leg curls -calf raises. In other words, the more dynamic the lift, the earlier in our workout we do it. If we were to do calf raises or leg curls before squats, something would have to compromise, our bodies or an effective few sets of squats.

Somebody asked about different warm-up routines.

Here's what I do before a cardio day.

3-5 min. jumping rope
10 yards of walking lunges
10 yards of side lunges
10 yards of butt kicks
10 yards of power skips
2 30-yard sprints

For resistance workouts I'll do the same but add something specific to what I'm training that day. I may throw in some modified pushups or partial dips if it's an upper-body-pushing day or may add some speed squats if it's a lower-body day. My warm-up takes less than eight minutes. And I don't have a workout that lasts longer than 1 hour 23 minutes.

Sorry for being so long winded.

MFB

 

Re: Take care of yourself (LiveSTRONG)

If you've ever seen Milo, you'll get a quick idea that the dude has a clue with this stuff.

Let's just say not many athletes are going to pick a fight with him.