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What did you do today?


RUAJedi2
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It's either or. I can do an average of 10000 steps a day (average, 5 out of 7 days) or 100 minutes of aerobic activity a week. These don't really seem remotely equal to me but ok. 

I'm aiming for 100 minutes. I don't really get out much, ya know pandemic and all that. I could walk around my neighborhood, but I'd be too tempted to order then hang participation ribbons on all the Trump signs still up (and there are many). 

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12 hours ago, Jedigoat said:

I just watched a documentary about Doc Holliday.   It was ok.  The Doc Holliday experts look pretty sketchy.  But I learned a lot more context in regards to his reputation, relationship with the Earps, and more information on the OK Corral. 

Was he really your huckleberry?

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Today was my first day back in the gym after about nine months of not working out, and exactly a year since being in a gym proper. In short, I could not believe how weak I had grown. Copied from Facebook:

 

My first day back in the gym was an epic fail.
 
First, understand that after the whole lockdown thing, my trainer at the time gave me exercises to do at home, but since I have such limited space (seriously, you have no idea until you see it), everything was clunky and awkward, which led to depression about the whole affair and me all but giving up sometime around May.
 
After meeting with a trainer at Planet Fitness and planning out a consistent regiment for each day, today I went in to start. I had reservations about Planet Fitness since every serious gym person tends to look down on it, with horror stories about the lunk alarm and whatnot. I was also dreading having to wear a mask while working out, but that surprisingly didn't turn out to be uncomfortable at all.
 
I'm not working right now, so I can go in the middle of the day; but I was surprised at how many people were there. I found that I couldn't do a certain superset that involved a bench because all the benches were in use. Not only that, but Planet Fitness trainers aren't like personal trainers: they just devise a plan for you and set you off on your own (which is why it's so cheap to be a member there). That's fine, but I found myself constantly stopping and checking YouTube to find out what exactly these exercises were. A minor inconvenience. Not to mention my form most definitely suffered.
 
What was most disheartening was how far I had fallen in the amount of time I hadn't been working out. I've gained ten pounds and my muscles are barely there. All that progress was completely undone, and it showed. I had to keep dropping weight down to embarrassing levels and not finishing sets. I discovered--to my great horror--that I couldn't even do a basic push-up anymore. "What is going on here?" I said. Just nine months ago I was doing narrow and incline push-ups. Now I couldn't even do TWO normal push-ups! "Pathetic!" that voice in my head kept saying. I know their thing is being a judgment-free zone, but it that doesn't rule out self-judgment.

I know it'll all come back with time, but man, I feel like I've fallen from Mount Olympus. Well, God-willing I'll be going back tomorrow after Liturgy. My workout plan is for six days a week now instead of four, with Sunday as my day of rest. I hope such rigorous training will get me back to where I was before in a shorter amount of time. Today, however, was humbling.
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My humble advice is this.  Start with 3 days/week, and build up from there. Go with lighter weights.  You will build up faster than you think, it just takes time to get in the groove again and for your body to adjust. Nobody in the gym cares how much is on the bar, or is counting your push ups or sit ups.  And if they do, fuck 'em.  Well, unless they are your trainer, anyway.  If you do 6 days/week, and try to do heavier weights than your body is ready for, you risk permanent injury.

BTW, this is "a do as I say, not as I do" advice, as I have yet to get back into a work out routine since Covid, myself, but I have stopped and started enough times to know.  Ha!

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Oh, don't misunderstand: I don't care what anybody else in the gym thinks. I do care what I think, though, and I tend to be my harshest critic.

You're the third person that's suggested I start out with three days, though, so I will definitely heed your advice, as well as starting on lower weight. I guess there's no room for ego when it comes to safety.

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Trying to jump back in where you were is going to lead to injury. I tried to do the same after my second pregnancy and gave myself peroneal tendinitis and earned myself 6 more weeks on the sidelines. Start slow (3x/week is a good start) and ease into the weight. Form is more important!

I don't know when I'll step into a gym again. I'm considering jumping on the Peloton bandwagon but I hate biking with a passion. But I need something I can do indoors in winter at night after my kids go to bed. I should start lifting again, at least, now that I have some work-life balance re-established.

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3 hours ago, Zerimar Nyliram said:

Oh, don't misunderstand: I don't care what anybody else in the gym thinks. I do care what I think, though, and I tend to be my harshest critic.

You're the third person that's suggested I start out with three days, though, so I will definitely heed your advice, as well as starting on lower weight. I guess there's no room for ego when it comes to safety.

3 days a week, focus on compound lifts. Bench press, Squats and Deadlifts. Do 3 (or 4 including warm up) sets of each exercise. Go light to start with, maybe even just the bar if necessary.  Add 10lb or so at the beginning of each week. Or every second week as and when you feel a bit stronger. Do band assisted pull-ups. You'll build strength back in no time. Leave the ego at the door and just get it done.

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6 hours ago, Zerimar Nyliram said:

Oh, don't misunderstand: I don't care what anybody else in the gym thinks. I do care what I think, though, and I tend to be my harshest critic.

You're the third person that's suggested I start out with three days, though, so I will definitely heed your advice, as well as starting on lower weight. I guess there's no room for ego when it comes to safety.

Yeah, I've been there myself. There was a time when I worked out every day, made some personal bests, then life happened. then started again after a couple years, and like you, was shocked how much I had lost. But in the end, what is important is actually just being there.  These days, especially now, I just manage a good 15-30 minute walk, push ups on my knees, and a pair of 35 lb dumbbells 2-3 times a week.   Not ashamed.  At least I am doing something.

 

3 hours ago, Odine said:

3 days a week, focus on compound lifts. Bench press, Squats and Deadlifts. Do 3 (or 4 including warm up) sets of each exercise. Go light to start with, maybe even just the bar if necessary.  Add 10lb or so at the beginning of each week. Or every second week as and when you feel a bit stronger. Do band assisted pull-ups. You'll build strength back in no time. Leave the ego at the door and just get it done.

The only thing I'd add is it is OKAY not to go up in weight if you are not up to it that week, or maybe just up 5lb that week.

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You're muscles will be too sore and you won't have the endurance to go every day.  Try every other day, Z.  So yeah, 3 or 4 days a week.  

I went through this back in October when the gyms around here started to reopen.   

On the plus, muscle memory kicks in surprisingly fast, and you'll be back to a more typical routine within a month or two.   

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Today, I pulled a muscle in the right side of my back, below the shoulder blade. All I did was put a container of flour back on the shelf after I made bacon pancakes! I get hurt doing the stupidest, most mundane shit. One time, I pulled a muscle in the middle of my back, between the shoulders, when I was brushing my hair, and had to go to a chiropractor to sort it out. Luckily, this time wasn't as bad, and it's already working itself out. Meanwhile, I'm refinishing a built-in cabinet in my living room, and other than the usual achiness from being out of shape, so far I haven't pulled a muscle.

 

Also, I made bacon pancakes. 

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