Fitness 2012

[Eddie Teach]

You mean like that spinning ball thing from the Sims?

[Scipio]

Wife and I been going to the YMCA every weekday at lunch, playing racquetball MWF and lifting TR.  We've been sticking to this better than any other schedule; we missed twice due to trials, but we started January 2 and have gone five times a week since then.

Finally starting to lose the weight.  Lent starts in a week, so I will really shed the weight then.  But my overall conditioning has improved dramatically- I can run up my 36 stairs to my office without breathing hard.

[Brazen]

Low impact, two wheels, need any more hints ? 

Sold my bike. Spent profit on running shoes 

[Brazen]

Swim clubs cost money, running is free. Besides, she probably doesn't want to have big muscular arms and shoulders.

I swim at least once a week anyhow. I used to be a club swimmer. I love swimmers' shoulders

[fhdz]

I've lost 11 lbs in three weeks on a very calorie-reduced diet. Go me!

I've also worked out at the gym every day this week - mostly just running a mile and then doing some strength training business, working different muscle groups each time.

[mongers]

Low impact, two wheels, need any more hints ? 

Sold my bike. Spent profit on running shoes 

just

Now done 600 miles on my bodged single speed, also rather good for an upper body workout.

[mongers]

I think spring has arrived in Southern England in the last couple of days, time to get out and about more.   

[Sheilbh]

I used to have free gym membership when I worked.  My uni's subsidised sports centre is closed for the refurbishment for the year.  So I've not been able to afford the price of gym membership. 

I used to go about 3-4 times a week.  I'd mainly use the treadmill, occasionally the bikes and had recently started using some of those weight machines but that was novel.  In the 6 months or so that I went regularly I made a lot of progress.  When I didn't go I'd normally be able to play tennis (free, in Lincoln's Inn Fields) or play badminton, sometimes I'd swim.  I probably lost 5 kilos, my heart rate got a lot better and all the rest. 

In the 6 months since I think all of that benefit's gone

So I've decided I need to get back into shape.  I'm going to do sit-ups and push-ups to replicate the weight-y bits (that works right?).  My local leisure centre's swimming is extortionate so I decided to take my treadmill skills into the real world.  I went for my first run this morning and almost died

My plan was to run down to the Tower of London and back.  I've checked the distance and it's only about 4.5 kms, which is far less than I used to do each time on the treadmill.  So it didn't seem too far and looked reasonable picturesque.  I got there, more or less, and nipped into a cafe to get some water.  It took me about 10-12 minutes which seemed okay but slower than I used to be.  The way back was lethal.  I didn't realise quite how unfit I'd got (though I think the cold didn't help, I was in shorts and t shirt and it was 4C) but clearly this is going to be a long project

Edit: Also I have lost my Ipod and am in a furious rage about it

[mongers]

Shelf, have you tried the Boris bikes, those are sufficiently inefficient that using them provides one with a really good all round work out and it only costs a pound a day. 

The point about they're inefficiency was made to me by a very fit female cyclist who I was chatting to, going down constitution hill; she had an uber-carbon bike, but didn't fancy bringing it into town during the working week and she figured three or so laps of Hyde Park on a Boris bike was a really good work out.  And I think she's right.

[Sheilbh]

I've used the Boris bikes.  But I don't like cycling in London.  I've generally only used them on quiet-ish weekends or late at night.

[mongers]

I've used the Boris bikes.  But I don't like cycling in London.  I've generally only used them on quiet-ish weekends or late at night.

Yeah, if you're not used to combative city cycling AND you're on a boris bike, it can get rather hazardous; recently I made the mistake of going around Hyde Park corner on a boris bike, at night, in the evening traffic. Slightly unsafe. :uncool:

[FunkMonk]

My road to fitness recovery after my injuries is well underway: I schooled a bunch of college kids today during a few soccer pick-up games, although I tired faster than normal. I'll not be playing goalkeeper anymore. 

Next up: half-marathon in November.

[mongers]

My road to fitness recovery after my injuries is well underway: I schooled a bunch of college kids today during a few soccer pick-up games, although I tired faster than normal. I'll not be playing goalkeeper anymore. 

Next up: half-marathon in November.

Good luck with both the recovery and the race.

But how do you people manage to 'run' so far, I had to run 500+ yards to make sure I caught a bus and had the ignominy of having to sprint 400 yards to catch the return. 

That's like over 1/2 mile of running ! 

Most I've done in about 15 years.

[fhdz]

I've lost 15 lbs in 5.5 weeks.

[FunkMonk]

But how do you people manage to 'run' so far, I had to run to 500+ yards make sure caught a bus and had the ignomany of having to sprint 400 yards to catch the ruturn how. 

Thats' like over 1/2 mile of running !   Most I've done in about 15 years.

Well the time I spent in the army inured me to short distances up to 4 miles.

Anything between 4-8 miles I consider to be average for me. I'll typically just go out and run for 60-90 minutes, especially on a nice day, and whatever mileage I get is just a bonus. Occasionally I'll run up to 12. I'm certainly no professional.