Yeah, if I do any amount of running or walking—and of course when I dance—I have to do it in compression shorts/yoga pants.
Fitness!
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ByersVinyl
Well-Known Member
I used this interval session on You Tube for years (but there are a lot of HIT sessions) GCN have a lot of content. I used a bike trainer (so hooks up my road bike - but you can equally make it work on an exercise bike) - Its a lung buster but for 20 mins its really moves you on. Gets whole body used to performing beyond what were your previous limits.
Tailor it to what u can do - Ignore their numbers, I simply cranked up to hardest level then down a good way to an easy level for recovery.
There is an all out blitz at end so maybe leave at leave one hard level free to go to if you able to go big straight away. (no idea what levels of difficulty your Exercise bike has.
I think these short lung bursters are great for moving you on.
Have a towel hung on your bars too
LiamGallaghersBucketHat
Go on, geezer.
So last month I decided to finally join an online fitness group whose founder I had been following on IG for the last couple of years. I don’t follow many fitness people at all, but I enjoy the people that promote a non restrictive diet.
Anyway….I’m in the process of doing a dumbbells only routine and I can totally tell the difference between using dumbbells/body weight and machines/cables. The main difference is the soreness levels. Especially the day after lower body. Like I’m sore for days….lol.
Anyway….I’m in the process of doing a dumbbells only routine and I can totally tell the difference between using dumbbells/body weight and machines/cables. The main difference is the soreness levels. Especially the day after lower body. Like I’m sore for days….lol.
Corycm
Well-Known Member
Oh man. I did a dumbbells-only workout 4 days a week when I was working on getting my strength back after the hospital. You’re definitely not wrong. But it also really is sort of the express route to getting your core back in shape while working all the other stuff too.
LiamGallaghersBucketHat
Go on, geezer.
Even though I’m only in the second week of this program, I feel like my range of motion has improved as well as my balance. I’m still only using my body weight on reverse lunges and Bulgarian spilt squats but the difference is real.
wokeupnew
Well-Known Member
Anyone have advice on running when air quality is less than good? I'm not used to having poor air quality near me but today is an exception. I was thinking of doing at least an hour run after work but the AQI is currently like 110 which has me second guessing that decision.
TCell
Well-Known Member
I always thought the rule was under 100 is fine, 100-150 was iffy, especially if you have underlying lung issues (Asthma, etc.), and over 150 is a no go. At 110, I'd say go for it, but see how your breathing is?
Or just run on a treadmill?
wokeupnew
Well-Known Member
haha good timing! I'm about to go out once I finish work in like 20 minutes. It was really bad here this morning and I'm glad I decided not to do a morning run. It was like 140-160 AQI. When I made that post it was still like 110 but climbing. Right now it's 74 and going down so it shouldn't be an issue. Don't have a treadmill unfortunately, but since it's <100 now I think it should be fine. thanks!
It's weird because my parents in CT and my sister in NYC were complaining via text about it being horrible but where I'm at it seems to be mostly normal. Real-Time Air Quality Map | PurpleAir
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Bull Shannon
Well-Known Member
Does anyone use an Apple Watch for fitness tracking? They’re on sale for prune day (damn autocorrect; I will not revise it) and I’m not sure if cellular is worth it. The main perk for me would be to run without my phone, but I don’t know if that’s really worth $100 more and ~120/year. I mean, I have a hip pack with a water bottle for any distance above ~3 miles anyway.
Matt M
Santa Extraordinaire
I have one and really enjoy it. I have cellular and it's nice to have the tracking, and if I'm out without the phone and I need to answer it I still can. I enjoy the sleep tracker too, but cellular not needed for that.
dbarila
Well-Known Member
I don't have an Apple Watch but I assume it works Similar to a Galaxy Watch. If you want the watch to be able to make and receive calls while you leave your watch at home then it might be worth it. If you're worried about it just for fitness tracking, it will still continue to record you workout even if it's disconnected from the phone. It will just sync back up when you get back in range.
Melt Face Molly Drop
Well-Known Member
It’s a nice hobby with some cool features. There’s gonna be a new one coming out in a couple months, so the deals might be even better when that rolls around.
I tend to not wear mine a ton because I have a bunch of other watches and constantly being plugged into your phone even more is kind of a drain.
Bull Shannon
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the input, it really helps. I don’t take many calls in the first place, so that may not be a big perk for this cat. Since having my phone on me is an ingrained habit (many Reddit threads cite cellular being great if you forget your phone at home a lot) and I don’t feel tethered to it (it stays in my pocket most the time, and a watch will only help keep it there), I opted for non-cellular.
Bennnnn
Well-Known Member
Here's a question I'm not sure I can get a good answer out of...
So I started running in January, but it's been slow going to get to the point of running for longer stretches. I had a few setbacks early on getting sick and whatnot. Then at the beginning of June I had a fall that messed up my foot and knee. I took a break from running cause I just couldn't handle it with the injury. Now I'm back to normal and it's all okay. I want to get back out there and run but the temps here are so high, with our usual extreme humidity. And the place I run is just near my apartment building so there's no shade on most of the paths I run. Here's my main question: is a gym membership worth it?
There is a gym that is literally right next to my building. I had a membership there years ago, but only used it walking on the treadmill to just do something. When the pandemic happened I cancelled it. But now that I want to be more persistent about my running, I am wondering if this is the way to go. I like being outside a lot, but the heat can be suffocating - especially while running. And this won't go away until at least October. If I have the gym membership, I'd theoretically be using it as a replacement for running outside for the next few months - but I'm just not sure how much I'd use it after that. I think they've changed the cancellation process, making it much more difficult to cancel it, so it's not like I can just pick it up, then drop it again easily. Will it be worth it long term? Should I switch to running mostly indoors anyway? Are any of these questions worth answering?
So I started running in January, but it's been slow going to get to the point of running for longer stretches. I had a few setbacks early on getting sick and whatnot. Then at the beginning of June I had a fall that messed up my foot and knee. I took a break from running cause I just couldn't handle it with the injury. Now I'm back to normal and it's all okay. I want to get back out there and run but the temps here are so high, with our usual extreme humidity. And the place I run is just near my apartment building so there's no shade on most of the paths I run. Here's my main question: is a gym membership worth it?
There is a gym that is literally right next to my building. I had a membership there years ago, but only used it walking on the treadmill to just do something. When the pandemic happened I cancelled it. But now that I want to be more persistent about my running, I am wondering if this is the way to go. I like being outside a lot, but the heat can be suffocating - especially while running. And this won't go away until at least October. If I have the gym membership, I'd theoretically be using it as a replacement for running outside for the next few months - but I'm just not sure how much I'd use it after that. I think they've changed the cancellation process, making it much more difficult to cancel it, so it's not like I can just pick it up, then drop it again easily. Will it be worth it long term? Should I switch to running mostly indoors anyway? Are any of these questions worth answering?
wokeupnew
Well-Known Member
Can you run earlier in the moring to beat the heat or is it still unbearable at like 6/7am? That's what I do here when it gets super hot mid-day or in the afternoon. I'd still go out if it's like 85~ but that's my cut off for being too hot. In the mornings it's like 60-70 which is ideal.
Treadmill running is different. Sometimes good sometimes bad. I like running outdoors because I actually end up with a faster pace than a treadmill and my pace is more controlled, I can go faster if I want, slower if I want. Running at a faster pace on a treadmill seems like it's faster than running at that same pace outside. Plus it's more interesting running outside than stationary on a treadmill especially if you don't have a screen or TV in front of you. I'll run on the treadmill in the gym at my office sometimes when I go in. It can be boring, but it forces you to run rather than the other way around. I'd also consider if the gym near you is busy because many people might want to use the treadmills often. Running like 4+ miles might be out of the question if there's always a wait for the machines. There may not technically be a rule but it might be frowned upon if you're hogging a machine for a while.
If you're trying to get in shape non-cardio is also good to do. If you don't have equipment at home you could use what's at the gym. I'm not an expert at lifting or muscle building but I still do my share of pushups/situps along with different exercises with 10lb weights. Gym would obviously have a lot of different machines to use which could be easier to use everyday than trying to motivate yourself at home.
Bennnnn
Well-Known Member
I haven't tried running in the morning, so I'm not sure how it feels. The temp is usually in the 70s still, which isn't unbearable. But I don't know how energized I will feel getting up and running right in the morning. It's worth a shot though. I might try tomorrow morning. But when my work starts back up in a couple of weeks I won't be able to squeeze in a run in the mornings. I have time in the afternoon, which is when I would usually go, but that'll be the hottest part of the day. I mean I might be able to do it before work, but I'd be re-adjusting my whole morning routine. I'll see how it feels tomorrow morning.
I haven't used much of the other equipment at a gym before except the bikes. I don't have any weights at home either, but this past month I have been doing targeted core yoga exercises which were much harder than I anticipated. As far as how busy the gym is at certain times of day...I am not sure. When I'd do it before it would be around the same time I've been running and it hasn't been too crowded. I feel like most people are going in the early evening, so I'd try to avoid that time. I haven't even tried running much on the treadmill so I'm not sure how it would translate coming from running outside to running on a treadmill. It's going to take me a few more runs to work my way back up to where I was.
wokeupnew
Well-Known Member
I thought I'd hate running in the mornings but a coworker recommended it to me a couple of years ago after I was complaining about it being too hot in the afternoons. Don't eat anything, just drink some water and go out. Some days you'll be tired and go a little slower but it feels good to be done exercising for the day that early. It wakes you up too.
TCell
Well-Known Member
I just did a 25km trail race that got up to 36C (97F) last week and there were a lot of folks overheating, so your concern is legitimate.
I second the run in the morning suggestion. Try it and see if you like it better.
Only you can decide if the gym is worth it, but go and ask questions: What so there cancellation policy? Do they offer a 1 week trial?
Does the gym offer a training plan with a Personal Trainer? I know many do, and I find the accountability of checking in with a coach pretty helpful. Plus they can help you get set up with a training plan, which also adds to the accountability.
Also, as convenient as going to the gym next door is, is there a better fit somewhere else?
If you just want to use the treadmill, could you just buy a used treadmill off FB Buy and Sell? There are often good quality ones out there for cheap.
Fwiw, while I prefer running outside, I really like my treadmill for the winter months when I’m too much of a wimp to run outside at -20.
Good luck in your decision…
Bennnnn
Well-Known Member
I tried running this morning, but I woke up later than I usually do so it was already fairly hot. I still pushed through and did it. It was hard getting back into it just cause it's been a month and a half. But the temp wasn't unbearable. I'm going to try some more times next week and see how it goes. Once work starts back up though, to run in the morning I would be running at 6:30, which sounds super not fun. So I don't know if that'll work.
I have not actually looked into treadmills online. I just assumed they'd be wildly out of my price range - and to even transport them would be difficult. But I might see what is out there. I do like running outside - I mean even in the winter I really enjoy it. But as the summer was approaching I did run when it was over 80 with high humidity (which is a constant thing here) and felt like I was going to die. I just don't think it's possible for me to do it later in the day personally. Even at night here it's still super hot all summer. This morning wasn't horrible, with a temp of like 75 - and it would be better even earlier. Luckily my first week of work is a bit relaxed with mostly in service stuff, so I should be able to attempt a run early in the morning and then go into work to see what it feels like.
I did already have a membership at this gym, and it's basically comparable with anywhere else. The price is the same, if not a bit cheaper for a lower tier. The cancellation process was initially doable online, but I'm not sure if they've changed that. They lost a lot of business in 2020 and then started bombarding ex-members with emails about signing back up the next year. They do have an initial meeting with a trainer as an option, but I don't know how long you have access to that at the lower tier. The higher tier basically the main difference is hydromassage and tanning. Not interested in that.
I have not actually looked into treadmills online. I just assumed they'd be wildly out of my price range - and to even transport them would be difficult. But I might see what is out there. I do like running outside - I mean even in the winter I really enjoy it. But as the summer was approaching I did run when it was over 80 with high humidity (which is a constant thing here) and felt like I was going to die. I just don't think it's possible for me to do it later in the day personally. Even at night here it's still super hot all summer. This morning wasn't horrible, with a temp of like 75 - and it would be better even earlier. Luckily my first week of work is a bit relaxed with mostly in service stuff, so I should be able to attempt a run early in the morning and then go into work to see what it feels like.