231–240 of 370 posts
I make it a point to sleep atleast 8 hours a day, and sleep for 7.30+ hours everyday.
Strength training 3x a week. Why strength? Strength is the most generalized adaptation there is. Training to be strong improves every component of fitness: strength (duh), power, agility, balance, flexibility, endurance (all 3 types) and coordination. I would also make the argument that in day to day life strength is the most important attribute of fitness for someone in the western world. The ability to carry a bunc…
* Strength training: I focus on building strength not size (I'm already a pretty big guy, 6' 1" 220lb). Workout 4 times/wk, 5 sets/5 reps using a moderately heavy weight I could lift 8-10 times (stopping at 5). * Cardio: I don't do as much cardio as I used to due to a knee injury, but I recently bought a standing desk and have been experimenting with cycling on a spinning bike for .5 - 1hr/day on the bike. * Diet: I…
If you're training for strength can I ask why you're only lifting a moderately heavy weight? At 5x5 you should be lifting 80–85% of your 1RM.
I've been doing it for about 3 months now and have had bigger strength gains than I've had in the last couple years.
The biggest benefit is that recovery is faster since it isn't as hard on my joints and my workouts are shorter.
The moderate weight for me works out to 225-255lb bench and 315lb+ squat (though sometimes down to 225lb). It felt strange stopping at the 5th rep at first, but I found that I just focus more on form, go deeper on the squat, etc.
My wife also made it clear that she thinks I'm too muscular, so I focus more on strength now than size (though as a guy I still feel like I want more size). This low rep strength-focused program really helps with that.
Strength training 3x a week. Why strength? Strength is the most generalized adaptation there is. Training to be strong improves every component of fitness: strength (duh), power, agility, balance, flexibility, endurance (all 3 types) and coordination. I would also make the argument that in day to day life strength is the most important attribute of fitness for someone in the western world. The ability to carry a bunc…
Starting strength is OK, but I feel like the best start for strength training is to start by training your grip with http://www.ironmind.com/ .. And then I would get a kettlebell and do 1 handed swings, goblet squats, and turkish get ups. Specifically, do up to 5 sets of 5, with 5-10 minutes of active rest in between. Active rest meaning you can shake your muscles you just worked out in a relaxed way. I'll jump rope…
Grip training should be done when the person is already at a moderate level of fitness, and their grip is holding them back(for example, the thing that stops them from deadlifting more is their grip, or from doing more pullups).
I consider myself pretty knowledgable on fitness, but I learned more practical info in those episodes than I have in the last 5 years elsewhere.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
You deadlifted less than a 12 year old girl but squatted 280lbs? Something doesn't add up.
A 12 year old girl weighs about, what, 80 pounds? But sort of awkward to pick up, so I think it checks out :)
Boxing 2 times/week, It's a very demanding sport and that gets every bit of energy that I have in my body but it's totally worth.
Meditation or juggling when I'm unable to concentrate.
If those two things aren't fixed first, then no amount of working out will help.
Second, if you're interested in working out, start slow. As in, don't try to jump in and workout 5 days a week. You'll burnout and quit. If you don't workout regularly, a group workout setting like Crossfit is actually a pretty good way to go. People that cite injury rates around Crossfit tend to misunderstand the overall context. If you haven't done physical things for a while, you're going to hurt and most likely will have something feel like an injury. This is to be expected no matter what you choose to do. If you find a reputable gym with solid trainers they'll ask questions to understand your history and prescribe you the right amount of difficulty. The class aspect will push you and keep it social. Remember that if you're just starting out on something and you're new, working with someone that knows what they're doing is going to help a lot more than just trying to do something on your own and save a bit of money.
Eat well, sleep enough and walk plenty. Sleep is something which is seriously overlooked in general. From personal experience, getting enough sleep and eating well are requirements that need to be met first before exercise. There is nothing is worse than exercising whilst you are deprived of sleep and mal-nourished. Speaking about exercise, don't get hung up on dogmas and "this is the only way" personality that is co…
I've also been going for long, evening walks. It helps me relax and declutter my mind after a workday.