The Exercise Motivation Thread - 2014

[jtbo]

Ran 33:40 over 2.7 mi today.  I didn't run yesterday, my legs were just too sore and clinical was TOUGH yesterday.  So it all worked out.

That's awesome Tammat!  I think it helps to have an expert look at your equipment and setup to see how to maximize the benefits from it.

Yeah JTbo, recovering from the flu is tough.  I thought I wasn't ever going to get over it!

I'm starting to feel lot better already, I think that riding enough fast to escape from flu seem to work after all

5 hours non stop hammering with 2kg hammer and hitting ground with solid iron javelin kind of thing as I did some fence post installation and then build fence from logs and branches. Quite exhausted, but it did go quite well.

Abs seem to be working best, hands and legs still are not quite working, but getting better, also it seems that I have managed to loose bit of weight again.

One friend also had same flu and he also feels that part of strength is missing from him, so maybe this season's flu was such that one just needs to rebuild his strength?

I don't know how I would of been able to bare that flu before I started exercising, it might of killed me, thankfully I have been exercising and my recovery seem to be lot faster than my friend's who has not been exercising.

So even some days it feels bit pointless or uninteresting to exercise, there comes day when it all matters more than ever.

 

[cat nap]

I don't know how I would of been able to bare that flu before I started exercising, it might of killed me, thankfully I have been exercising and my recovery seem to be lot faster than my friend's who has not been exercising.

So even some days it feels bit pointless or uninteresting to exercise, there comes day when it all matters more than ever.

That's very interesting @JTbo    I never thought of how exercise would benefit other aspects of life, I just wanted to be able to climb four flights of  stairs and not be out of breath.  (I am okay up to the third flight, but the fourth feels like I  did twenty....lol)

I think you all are amazing here, since you feel kind of awful if you are not exercising.  But I do think that like @peaches08   said and also @Winchester    some days should be recovery days.  I am skipping today, but tomorrow will continue with stationary bike.  

Chicken soup is always good for a cold, but not sure what is good for flu.....probably fluids and rest, relaxation.

You guys are all great motivators......keep up the great work. 

  

 

[peaches08]

Exercise will absolutely affect other aspects of your life!  Your cardiovascular system is still operating even when you're not panting, but certain amounts of "stress" via exercise make the cardiovascular/respiratory/other systems more efficient and healthy.

Ran 30:48 today, 2.7 mi.  Backing off the speed/distance a bit has helped my legs.  Thank goodness too, because if shin splints fully develop then I'm on the bench...for weeks.

 

[jtbo]

For example as simple thing as getting up from bed, it used to be bit of work to be able to stand up, needed both legs and both hands and sure enough I had to take few times deep breathe. Now I just put one leg on floor and start walking.

When picking up something from the floor, I no longer need to help with my hand to get back straightened.

When taking bicycle from garage I just grab it with one arm and lift over my head as that is easiest way to avoid handle bars getting stuck somewhere, it used to be bit of an issue before when I could not much of lift bicycle, with two hands it felt really heavy.

Every moment in every day there are things where I remember how I used to struggle, but now such things are nothing. Walking up the stairs is perhaps biggest thing as now I don't sweat and I don't feel tired even when climbing stairs several times.

There is still lot to improve though as I still lack of endurance, I would like that my body is making things possible instead of being limiting factor.

But it is not only when doing such lifting etc. where it helps, even when resting I can rest much better when I don't need to battle with each breath. I think that resting days are making one feel really good.

@peaches08, good idea to take it bit slower, much better to be able to run a bit even at every few days, than to have weeks off, which happens so easily when trying too hard.

I guess it is good to have body to know that there will be more of that coming, but also allow body to prepare for what is coming.

 

[peaches08]

I ran 7 min of my 37:52 min workout today, my shins are sore again so I walked the rest.  Better safe than sorry!

 

[cat nap]

 
I ran 7 min of my 37:52 min workout today, my shins are sore again so I walked the rest.  Better safe than sorry!

Hi @peaches08   Is there any special treatment for your shin splints?   (I am not going to take up running, but i used to play soccer in high school,  and do remember the shins would get sore.) 

So I am just curious for now.

 

[peaches08]

 
Hi @peaches08   Is there any special treatment for your shin splints?   (I am not going to take up running, but i used to play soccer in high school,  and do remember the shins would get sore.) 

So I am just curious for now.

Generally RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the treatment.  I've got Icy Hot (menthol salve) on them now.  When I do clinical this week, I'll put on the compression stockings.

And you never know, you just might take up running later on as you build up!

 

[cat nap]

 

 
Hi @peaches08   Is there any special treatment for your shin splints?   (I am not going to take up running, but i used to play soccer in high school,  and do remember the shins would get sore.) 

So I am just curious for now.

Generally RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) is the treatment.  I've got Icy Hot (menthol salve) on them now.  When I do clinical this week, I'll put on the compression stockings.

And you never know, you just might take up running later on as you build up!

Thank you @peaches08    You just made me LOL for that last comment on "taking up running".  I cannot see that, since I think you have to have a certain body type, and less weight on the knees,  but I will never say never, so maybe in a few years, I shall revisit that question. 

Walking or running on a treadmill seems somehow different....so that I can do. 

I was thinking you had to tape up the legs before running or something.  Never thought of compression stockings for relief.

I suppose you have special orthotics in your shoes as well.

 

[peaches08]

 
Thank you @peaches08    You just made me LOL for that last comment on "taking up running".  I cannot see that, since I think you have to have a certain body type, and less weight on the knees,  but I will never say never, so maybe in a few years, I shall revisit that question. 

Walking or running on a treadmill seems somehow different....so that I can do. 

I was thinking you had to tape up the legs before running or something.  Never thought of compression stockings for relief.

I suppose you have special orthotics in your shoes as well.

Depending on the time of day, I weigh 192-194 lbs and I'm 5' 7"...so I'm not exactly the body type for running either.  It's hard work but I feel better doing it, shin splints and all. 

By all means walk if walking is what you can do!  Look at Winchester and all the walking she does.  I don't know the full story, but I remember her saying something about not being able to walk before.  My point is that we all start somewhere, and it's usually at the beginning.

I have compression stockings similar to surgical stockings used for vascular diseases.  A lot of nurses swear by them.  Some swear in them...to each his own!  LOL!  I don't have orthotics in my shoes, but my shoes were suggested to me by a running store due to the way I run and my high arches.

 

[cat nap]

 
Depending on the time of day, I weigh 192-194 lbs and I'm 5' 7"...so I'm not exactly the body type for running either.  It's hard work but I feel better doing it, shin splints and all. 

By all means walk if walking is what you can do!  Look at Winchester and all the walking she does.  I don't know the full story, but I remember her saying something about not being able to walk before.  My point is that we all start somewhere, and it's usually at the beginning.

I have compression stockings similar to surgical stockings used for vascular diseases.  A lot of nurses swear by them.  Some swear in them...to each his own!  LOL!  I don't have orthotics in my shoes, but my shoes were suggested to me by a running store due to the way I run and my high arches.

Okay, so you are taller than me and have way more motivation.  I am 5'5" and weigh 175-180lbs, but am seeing a dietician, who I saw last year, to help me lose 10 to 15 more pounds.  Its not the weight right now, that I care about, its more that I want to change to a more healthier eating habit, and cut out more sugar and high fat snacks.  Very difficult.  I love snacks and coffee.

"Some swear in them"...LOL....Yes, being on your feet all day....I can see this happening, too.  lol.

My sister wears orthotics,  and swears by them as well.  (she does not like to swear in them, though....lol) (I can swear anytime....so I don't care.)

Thanks for all your advice, and have a great Easter of Passover, or just plain Sunday.

 

[jtbo]

Well, I think that I will not take that route in next few weeks again, phew, took bit over 3 hours, but only bit over 2 hours of that I was moving.

There is one nice route I use during summertime as during winter it is inaccessible, but now it was muddy, tires and rims of bicycle sank into gravel surface of the road, it was stiickyyy, also it was slippery, so as I pedaled with all my might I did move forwards, maybe, but sure enough rear tire was spinning.

So it was like pulse from 110 to 140 then hold it hold it aaand gasping for breath and feeling the death being near, cool off and do it again.

Eventually I gave up and watched frogs swimming under the ice of some sort of ditch.

Then I picked up the bike and walked about a mile until found bit more solid ground.

I had my HRM/bicycle computer thing with me and it tells that maximum heart rate was 146 and I swore if it would of been any more I would of died, last summer I managed to peak to 160, it is still decreasing rapidly for no apparent reason.

Average hear rate was 113 for that over 3 hours, including admiring of frog swimming skills.

Top speed was 57km/h to downhill on tarmac with spaghetti legs and I must say that I had no any desire to break a speed records this time.

Distance was somewhere around 20km, not much one might think, I add few pics, you can see how minor roads are here as of now, reminds bit of famous photos from Russia where trucks and cars are stuck in mud, but scale is much smaller here of course.

I just rode bike there, then got off from bike and it did stay like that:

tukeva_tie.jpg

• jtbo
• Apr 20, 2014

Frog is at lower part of pic, between two gray tree things partly under water:

2014_sammakko_jaisessa_ojassa.jpg

• jtbo
• Apr 20, 2014

Our minor roads are not quite perfect, I must admit that:

finlandastojev.jpg

• jtbo
• Apr 20, 2014

Then there are these hills that this area is known, so first cycle 5km in mud and face that steep hill, impossible, at least with my legs. Of course camera does not capture true steepness, when approaching that hill it looks to be flat wall as it is kind of valley and hill is opposite ridge of valley, or very miniature canyon, not sure how it is translated, but that is steeper than 20 degrees incline.

ei_riita_jerkku_ei.jpg

• jtbo
• Apr 20, 2014

Oh yes, did I mention we have couple of trees here? Actually that is how scenery mostly is at this part, trees only, sometimes bit of water, then more trees.

 

[tammat]

jtbo that's a bit too boggy!! Good work for trying. Great pics. Very pretty scenery.
I worked out yesterday at my house with Rohan. Triceps, biceps and shoulders and then we ran through how to do my workouts at home.

Today I did chest flat press, exhausted myself with that and then was no good on the incline. Bent rows ( my least fave) and weighted sit-ups and bum roll ups. It was a pretty good effort. I stretched and packed up and realised I forgot to do chin ups. Oh well I will try to remember them next time.

Keep it up everyone.

Here's my bench press.

image.jpg

• tammat
• Apr 20, 2014

 

[Winchester]

I'm still here, FWIW. I'm giving up walking for the next two weeks. Had a long talk with my son last night and he's pretty much said what you guys said about the foot, although he thinks I should give it up completely for a couple of weeks. I will continue the elliptical in the morning (that doesn't hurt at all) and I might try to do a mile or so at night, too (it's really hard for me to find time for exercise at night anymore as there's too much other stuff going on and I'm always doing house work stuff. That's why I like to exercise in the early morning and I love walking during lunch.) I've been rolling the golf ball around at night and I have a partially-filled water bottle in the freezer that I roll around, too, with that foot. He suggested that I get a wrap that I can heat up in the microwave for after using the ice bottle. Ice to get the inflammation down, then heat to open the blood vessels a bit. The foot doesn't hurt too much right now, but I haven't walked since last Thursday either. 

Tammat, that bench pretty much looks like ours, although we took off the knee part (and ours is about 20 years old now

 ) . We put that part up into one of the basement rafters and then we grab hold and pull ourselves up....I don't know the technical terms for the exercises, although Rick does. I like your exercise room; it's very nice.

JTbo, I don't know how you bike on those roads! I'd be all over the place. 

Peaches, watch those shin splints. I had them, too, when I first started out and those buggers are painful. Please take it easy.

2 miles on the elliptical this morning.

 

[peaches08]

Felt much better this morning and ran a slow 36:17 min over 2.9 mi. 

I like the bench!  I'm so jealous, I wish I had an exercise room. One day!

I hope the break helps, Winchester.  Backing down a little has helped my shins a lot.

That scenery reminds me of the Black Forest of Germany (the dark evergreens).  So pretty!

 

[peaches08]

Ran 33:40 min over 2.6 mi this morning.  This is the airport run with lights, but on cement vs my usual asphalt.  I may take tomorrow off since I have clinical that day, I haven't made up my mind yet.

Keep exercising everybody!

 

[cat nap]

Did 15 minutes on the stationary bike yesterday, and have to say, that the legs are already feeling much better, afterwards.  (I was kind of surprised and a little cautious....since did not want to repeat the first time, recovery period)

Now, I am not sure to increase time, or to increase the resistance on the bike.  Will experiment with both ways, and post results.

(I figure, resistance will build more muscle mass, but length of time will increase conditioning.....so am thinking time increase would be better, and actually when I am on the bike,......I know I can go longer.....just a little scared of overdoing it)

I love that weight [email protected] inspiring.

.

@peaches08    your running is always inspiring  and @JTbo ....those are some of the nicest scenery photos.  Reminds me of northern ontario, too.

The one photo, I did think your bike was upright because of a kick stand.....not standing in the mud.....lol.

@Winchester   I am hoping that at least you are not waking up with pain in the foot.  It took me over six months to not feel it anymore.  I did not do those special exercises, though.

 

[tammat]

Good work everybody.

I hope you feel better soon winchester. Rest is the best. I know it's horrible to not walk but you will be back putting in those miles soon.

Today I did quads and hamstrings. Squats, dead lifts, leg curls on the bench? Not sure what they are called and Bulgarian squats. I've done the Bulgarian squats twice now. They are so nasty I almost cry. First time I felt sick. I have a weekly routine now which includes 40 mins cardio on Thursday. Yay! I miss my runs around the lake. Weekends are rest days.
Rohan told me my one month introduction ends this week. Next week it's going to get very intense. Sheesh!! I told him today that I get scared to push too far in case I break myself. He said that other women he has trained have been the same. Men just go for it and worry about the consequences later. I found that interesting.
Winchester I'm pretty sure the exercises you and Rick do are pull ups. They are great for your back. I'm learning to do them. Well trying to do them. I also bought a bench about 20 years ago!! Pretty much the same. I sold it because it was gathering dust!! I'm planning to wear this one out

 

[Winchester]

Thanks, guys. I can tell you right now: I hate this. I just hate this. Yesterday at lunch I sat at my desk at work and read my Nook while icing the foot....I ice at the arch and then on top of the foot where the tongue of my shoe fits. It was just gorgeous outside yesterday, too. I am so depressed I could cry. I walked through all those really crappy winter days and now that the weather's nice, here I am at my desk. And I know that there are way more important things to get upset about. I get that. But it's frustrating. Cat nap, I have very little pain anymore, unless I stretch the foot out in bed. When I'm walking (not walking for exercise, but just walking), there's no pain, maybe a bit of a twinge here and there, but that's it. There's still a bit of a lump or something at the inside of the arch, though, although that seems to be smaller than it was. I don't know if it's tendon problems, plantar fasciitis or what. Still have three weeks til I can see a doctor.

So Rohan is going to put you through a workout, eh, Tammat? I'd love to be there! Those Bulgarian squats sound downright nasty. Can you explain them? I'm curious. They have to bad if they almost made you ill.

Keep going, Peaches! You're doing beautifully. 

JTbo, I hope your migraine is better this morning. 

 

[jtbo]

Did 15 minutes on the stationary bike yesterday, and have to say, that the legs are already feeling much better, afterwards.  (I was kind of surprised and a little cautious....since did not want to repeat the first time, recovery period)

Now, I am not sure to increase time, or to increase the resistance on the bike.  Will experiment with both ways, and post results.
(I figure, resistance will build more muscle mass, but length of time will increase conditioning.....so am thinking time increase would be better, and actually when I am on the bike,......I know I can go longer.....just a little scared of overdoing it)

I love that weight [email protected] inspiring.
.
@peaches08
   your running is always inspiring  and @JTbo
....those are some of the nicest scenery photos.  Reminds me of northern ontario, too.
The one photo, I did think your bike was upright because of a kick stand.....not standing in the mud.....lol.

@Winchester
  I am hoping that at least you are not waking up with pain in the foot.  It took me over six months to not feel it anymore.  I did not do those special exercises, though.

Sounds like you are improving then!

My recommendation is to increase duration, I would think that if you can get to 45minutes or maybe even 1 hour, after that more resistance, but with a little that I know, I would think that should work out best for you.

Muscle mass does increase even with light exercise when starting, I think that it can take year or two before base is built up enough to start build up muscle mass with heavier workouts, it is really long process to get body into shape where one can start do those heavier workouts.

But also remember that you can have one or two slightly harder 1-3 minute intervals during workout. There are even specific methods for interval training, where you do flat out or nearly for short period of time, then cool off with low resistance until pulse gets stabilized and then again flat out, but even that I would not start during first year or two, one needs solid base before that is needed.



Oh yes, that bicycle does not have a kick stand



I did today 5 hours of heavy work at nearby farm's sawmill, lifting logs and such as we did saw tractor trailer full of surface wood from many logs which turned out to be two by fours and many other sizes.
Pulse was 110 to 130 for that 5 hours and I was sweating a lot. Quite fun actually and great workout, especially for core as I had to lift lot of wood over me, so there was lifting, twisting of torso, throwing etc. I did also do bit of running and jumping just for fun, jumping over waist high platform quite often.

That long muddy cycling trip did not cause any soreness to legs, also I did not feel such wall this time and could push easily myself to near limits and limits were where they should be, so went quite well.

Also visited elderly lady and helped her to put one table aside and then some minor tasks like opening milk bottle which she can't open as her hand is broken. There is one steep uphill on way there so I got bit of bicycling exercise too, also saw mill again was to another direction, so as I even visited shop, it was 16km of bicycling too for today.

I should still do laundry by hand and I'm starting to feel effects of all this activity. If migraine just would stay away and every day I would be able to push as much as today, it would be great.

 

[tammat]

Well done everybody. Keep going:lol3:

Today I did back, triceps and calves.