Gym & Misc General Health and Fitness Thread

Jun 27, 2012
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Something I thought some on these boards might be interested in

Former IAAF athlete Colin McCourt has created a vlog of his efforts to go from a diabolically unfit 94kg down to a sub 16 minute 5km (3:12 min/km)

https://www.instagram.com/colinmccourt/

He'll ******* wreck his knees if he does too much running at his current weight, he's 8 days in at the moment

interesting.
he should still have the pace to go sub 16 pretty comfortably even at his current age.
its just a matter of whether or not he takes his diet and training seriously
...i wouldnt even think he'd need to train that hard once he drops the weight.

also, i wish he'd just keep a written log of what he's doing.
its only day 8 and those vids are already making me hate him...plus its easier to follow
 
Oct 6, 2005
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Some interesting words on Tom Brady's longevity

https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...5_story.html?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.fd7d6f790eb2
Somewhere around a decade ago, Brady told the NFL doctors and trainers to get their hands off him, the same way he told Goodell to get his hands off his reputation. In 2008, he underwent knee surgery that was complicated by a staph infection that required a second surgery, six weeks of antibiotics and wound washes. His shoulder hurt, too. “When I was 25, I was hurting all the time, and I could never have imagined playing this long,” Brady said.

[Brewer: A powerful statement from a gritty team]

Much of the credit for his remarkable longevity goes, whether anyone likes it or not, to the fact that he sought out an unconventional Eastern-medicine masseuse-trainer, Alex Guerrero, at whom NFL doctors look askance. Brady has been mocked, and Guerrero has been called a quack and a fraud, because of a dicey past in which he made extravagant claims about unproven products. But much of what he and Brady have done makes nothing but sense. NFL weight-training was hurting his joints and robbing him of flexibility, and the food he was eating was inflammatory and making him stiff.

Brady now consumes no dairy, white sugar or white flour. He uses resistance bands and anti-gravity treadmills and focuses as much on pliability as strength. He meditates and does yoga. What’s more, he has steered about half the team to Guerrero’s care, to the consternation of NFL medical staff. “I’m 39, and I never hurt,” Brady says. “My arm never hurts, and my body never hurts. I know how to take care of it. . . . Hopefully I can keep passing that message on to a lot of young athletes.”
 

vonn

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My partner loves all things gym related, and is genuinely a nice guy, so he sometimes talks to people at the gym just to casually say, 'that's a really impressive lift' or 'you've made a lot of progress, that's so awesome, keep it up'. Not engage them in a full 5 minute convo, but just a passing compliment. I personally think it's weird as I hate people and have earphones in, but to each their own, I suppose he's more friendly than me.

Today, there was a maybe 15yo skinny Asian dude who was doing like 6kg chest presses or something and looking lost, so clearly just starting out. Anyway, good on him. So he ends up going to a tricep extension machine, and my partner says something along the lines of, 'that's a great machine, I can really feel the squeeze on that one' (not condescending, just trying to be encouraging) and then the kid thanks him and then asks a question about his form bla bla bla, then he asks 'how long have you been going to the gym?' and my partner says 'maybe four years?' and the kid goes 'oh, I can't tell'. Convo ends.

I'm low-key amused at this neg, but also feel bad for him. He's very self-conscious of his body, so I think he's more crushed than he lets on. Poor guy. Then part of me feels like... is that maybe a weird-ass compliment? Or the classic Asian brutal honesty I have also been guilty of at times? I don't know. Open to interpretations.
 
Sep 12, 2007
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My partner loves all things gym related, and is genuinely a nice guy, so he sometimes talks to people at the gym just to casually say, 'that's a really impressive lift' or 'you've made a lot of progress, that's so awesome, keep it up'. Not engage them in a full 5 minute convo, but just a passing compliment. I personally think it's weird as I hate people and have earphones in, but to each their own, I suppose he's more friendly than me.

Today, there was a maybe 15yo skinny Asian dude who was doing like 6kg chest presses or something and looking lost, so clearly just starting out. Anyway, good on him. So he ends up going to a tricep extension machine, and my partner says something along the lines of, 'that's a great machine, I can really feel the squeeze on that one' (not condescending, just trying to be encouraging) and then the kid thanks him and then asks a question about his form bla bla bla, then he asks 'how long have you been going to the gym?' and my partner says 'maybe four years?' and the kid goes 'oh, I can't tell'. Convo ends.

I'm low-key amused at this neg, but also feel bad for him. He's very self-conscious of his body, so I think he's more crushed than he lets on. Poor guy. Then part of me feels like... is that maybe a weird-ass compliment? Or the classic Asian brutal honesty I have been guilty of? I don't know. Open to interpretations.

Sounds like a harmless, thoughtless comment. Doubt the kid meant anything by it, still pretty funny.
 

saj_21

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So you think genetics are the main determining factor?

Hey mate I'm reading a book at the moment. The Sports Gene by David Epstein. I've only just started reading it, but it's interesting and relevant to this debate we were all having.
 

DemonTim

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Hey mate I'm reading a book at the moment. The Sports Gene by David Epstein. I've only just started reading it, but it's interesting and relevant to this debate we were all having.
Might have to check it out
Why is that name familiar? (Mental blank)
 

saj_21

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Might have to check it out
Why is that name familiar? (Mental blank)

You can buy on iTunes for $14-$15

Epstein is a writer for sports illustrated
 
Oct 6, 2005
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I was telling someone that during my last cardio session my heart rate got up to 195 bpm, which is 104% of my HR max.

He became very concerned for my health stating "Heart rate shouldn't go above 220 minus your age. Ideally 90% of this."

However after looking online I saw the HR max was really just a rough guideline and not to be taken seriously especially in trained individuals. Interested to know if anyone here has any thoughts on the subject.
 

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I was telling someone that during my last cardio session my heart rate got up to 195 bpm, which is 104% of my HR max.

He became very concerned for my health stating "Heart rate shouldn't go above 220 minus your age. Ideally 90% of this."

However after looking online I saw the HR max was really just a rough guideline and not to be taken seriously especially in trained individuals. Interested to know if anyone here has any thoughts on the subject.

Try and find the peak heart rates of Tour de France guys etc to give him
He'd probably have a heart attack himself lol
 

DemonTim

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You can pay to get it tested, as far as I know anything else is just guess work
 

DemonTim

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Just looked up a way to test it like at home... Yeh, nah, that's insane.

DemonTim do you know what the test entails (paid one, not this insane at home thing)
Treadmill testing of increased speed from what I remember
 
Jun 27, 2012
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i run hill repeats to test max hr. its about a 470m climb but i dont know what the gradient is

first 4 reps are done at 98% with a jog recovery back to the bottom.
on the final rep i make the recovery faster, then its one balls out effort back up the hill...if i can make it to the top then i havent done it properly.
its not exactly scientific but it gives me a much better indication of my max heart rate than 220 minus age.

i dont do this often cause it hurts.
 
Jun 27, 2013
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Working in medium-long walks into my training routine over the last 2 weeks. Was getting frustrated with half hour exercise bike rides 3-4 days a week (normally at 95-100rpm for not much progress) before my weights program and felt I needed to do more cardio as treadmills are rubbish for me (6 foot 6, feel unco) and not all cross trainers are built for people my size.

Was sore the next day when I went for a 10.5km, 2 hour walk 2 weeks ago, but I've been on a few more since then and my body seems adapting and enjoying the volume. I'm walking at probably 11 and a half/12 minutes a kilometre pace, but not too fussed, I'll get quicker eventually in time.

The first 2-3kms are a little uncomfortable, but once I get past this period (try to walk on grass next to a footpath whee I can) I work into the walk and find form and probably start walking a bit quicker than when I start the walk. Walked the last 3 nights (9km, 6.5km straight after my weights routine and 12km tonight), will try about 13-15km on Thursday I reckon.

I wouldn't mind cracking the 20km mark later in the year, but right now I'm happy to find a viable alternative to gymwork and this will help me to jog comfortably again eventually.
 
Jul 8, 2015
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Working in medium-long walks into my training routine over the last 2 weeks. Was getting frustrated with half hour exercise bike rides 3-4 days a week (normally at 95-100rpm for not much progress) before my weights program and felt I needed to do more cardio as treadmills are rubbish for me (6 foot 6, feel unco) and not all cross trainers are built for people my size.

Was sore the next day when I went for a 10.5km, 2 hour walk 2 weeks ago, but I've been on a few more since then and my body seems adapting and enjoying the volume. I'm walking at probably 11 and a half/12 minutes a kilometre pace, but not too fussed, I'll get quicker eventually in time.

The first 2-3kms are a little uncomfortable, but once I get past this period (try to walk on grass next to a footpath whee I can) I work into the walk and find form and probably start walking a bit quicker than when I start the walk. Walked the last 3 nights (9km, 6.5km straight after my weights routine and 12km tonight), will try about 13-15km on Thursday I reckon.

I wouldn't mind cracking the 20km mark later in the year, but right now I'm happy to find a viable alternative to gymwork and this will help me to jog comfortably again eventually.
Walking rocks, it's totally natural, and it's really healthy, especially done daily. Get into it daily if possible.
 
Jun 27, 2013
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Walking rocks, it's totally natural, and it's really healthy, especially done daily. Get into it daily if possible.
Always walk to the gym on non walk days (bout a KM there), but pretty tough to do it every day, but trying to get in 3 solid walks a week currently, mixed in with gymwork and physio.

Can see myself doing 4 x 10km walks a week once my cricket commitments are over though (footy season)
 

DemonTim

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Wow. Such doctor. Much health
 
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