<p>In my experience, cobblestones are often slick and slippery. Good for horses in the olden days, but not so good for us these days. Hope you heal fast.</p>
<p>Oh,no MOWC! Hope you are ok! Ugh…didn’t make it to the gym yesterday. Remodeling started at our house yesterday and I had meetings with contractor/designer and then had to be here for workers. Hoping to get there today. I am not good at evening workouts so I really need to get this timing down. Was up four times during the night. Very tired this morning but I AM going to the gym.</p>
<p>Back and feel so much better! Did my biking, pushups, core ball swings and some machines. Can’t shower as the workers are here so I am a little chilled…especially with the door open in freezing temps! Have fingerless gloves on as I type!</p>
<p>The worst is the elbow, so that hasn’t changed since last night. My right hip is bruised and sore, but not too bad. I just feel sort of “off” and both my upper hamstrings are sore like after too hard of a workout or a race. Not sure what that is about. I don’t think I should be this sore just from the running I’ve been doing, but I am. What this tells me is that I have ramped up too fast (gee, what a shock). If I am smart, I will take what we call a “cut back week” this week and back off the mileage 25%. I actually think I will listen to my body and do that. I was going to take a couple of complete rest days, and I still might, but I think I may do a couple of dreadmill miles after PT tonight and the same tomorrow. I am worried about the weather I am heading into going to PA this weekend, so those may be light or zero days.</p>
<p>Hi everyone–I am wondering if the rebounder trampoline has been discussed? I have been trying one out as a way to add something new to my workout. I generally do hand weights, eliptical and walking and some yoga. The information on the rebounder claims that it burns more calories than jogging. So far I have not been crazy about it and have not felt that it stretches me. Anyone? Or did I miss past posts on this?</p>
<p>I am not a believer in the rebounder trampoline. I think it is a gimmick and stupid. STick with your other activities.</p>
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<p>I’m laying off the dumbell swing/burpee interval workout this week. Between lifting heavier weights, working on pull ups a little every day, and all the snow shovelling, my back and shoulders were so sore last night that I had to take a couple of Ibuprofen for only the second time since I’ve been workin’ out. I don’t think I need to throw in an extra 80 to 100 one arm dumbbell swings. Not sore this morning, but we have heavy snow changing over to freezing rain here that I’ve got to go out and move. Trying to time it to fire up the snowblower at the first sound of sleet. Hopefully that will give me an hour to clear the snow before it turns into pouring rain. Trudging up and down behind a snowblower in a rain storm is about as miserable as it gets, but I really don’t want another inch or two of snow to fall before it changes to freezing rain.</p>
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<p>Pull up update. Went down “10 pounds” on the bands last night and managed to do six pull ups and six chinups with the reduced assistance so I’m on my way. Who knows? The ol’ (formerly) fat guy might actually get some guns some day. Wouldn’t that be a hoot? Seriously though… my weight loss on the scale is going at a glacial pace now, but the workouts appear to be having an effect on the shape of my body. A little slimmer in the waist and hips, a little bigger in the shoulders and arms.</p>
<p>With impeccible timing, Zuzana and BodyRock.TV did a blog article (and photo essay) on pullups this week. It’s always good to have an example of “good form” for inspiration :):</p>
<p>[Pull</a> up photo](<a href=“http://www.bodyrock.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Pull_up_2.jpg]Pull”>http://www.bodyrock.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Pull_up_2.jpg)</p>
![http://www.bodyrock.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Pull_up_2.jpg]Pull](http://www.bodyrock.tv/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Pull_up_2.jpg%5DPull){kind=link}
<p>I’ve never used a rebounder trampoline (I’d break my neck), but I would think that, if you did aggressive stuff like jumping jacks or seal jacks or high knees on it, you could get your heart rate way up and use at as a “metabolic” interval workout. Here’s the test for that kind of exercise: If you are sweating buckets and panting like a dog, it’s good. If you aren’t, it’s probably not doing a whole lot.</p>
<p>If I had one, I would be trying to do a lot of one-leg bouncing to try to get my strength and balance a little better (which is why I would probably break my neck!)</p>
<p>Thanks–I am on the fence with it. I had thought that i could use it while watching TV instead of just sitting there. I do sweat but just during the jumping jacks and high jumps. Not sure it is worth the $ and floor space. And yes, it looks as if it would help with balance but yoga does that too.</p>
<p>I’ve lost my first 5 pounds of the new year. Pretty happy right now… 6 days a week exercise and still eating awful, but losing weight. Hopefully I can make some adjustments in my food and continue this spiral. I’m at 215 now, and shooting for 210. I gotta go with idad’s “5 pound rule.” Eventually I’d like to get down to 180, but would be pretty happy at 190 if I can turn it to muscle instead…</p>
<p>Yay for you hops_scout!!! Congrats on the loss! :)</p>
<p>hops:</p>
<p>You might have the first five pounds of the New Year for all of College Confidential. I think most of us are just happy if we haven’t packed any on. Good job!</p>
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<p>I was quite the sight. It changed from snowing and 19 degrees to freezing rain instantly, so I caught the driveway at the perfect time to get it down close to bare asphalt before it all freezes solid. Soaking wet, though.</p>
<p>Then, tackled the deck. The winter parka was way too hot for shoveling, so I wore my full-dork neon yellow Brooks running jacket and – a present from Santa – a [Seattle</a> sombrero](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-Mens-Thunderstorm-II-Booney/dp/B00375L9VO]Seattle”>http://www.amazon.com/Columbia-Mens-Thunderstorm-II-Booney/dp/B00375L9VO)because it there was a steady rain while I was shovelling. Stuff kept me dry as a bone. This hat is the dorkiest thing I’ve ever seen, but it’s fantastic!</p>
<p>It’s going to be a real mess around here overnight. Six inches of new snow, then a half inch of rain overnight, which is freezing on contact right now. Not good driving weather.</p>
<p>Here’s a gym etiquette question: is there any polite but effective way to ask someone to be a little quieter? There is a guy who works out on the same schedule as me who does all these heavy weight routines, or at least I assume they are because he makes so many LOUD noises, grunting, moaning, groaning etc that I can’t even drown him out with my ipod cranked up! I am not talking about regular exertion noises here. The first time I heard him, I was alarmed because I thought he might be dying. At the rate he’s going, I’m afraid he might give himself a heart attack (he’s no young one).</p>
<p>If there’s someone objectionable when I work out at the office, then I change my schedule. At the YMCA, there’s enough space and equipment so I can just go somewhere else. The YMCA will also take comments so I can complain if there’s an issue but those are usually for equipment or facility issues more-so than people issues.</p>
<p>There was an article, in the NY Times I think, this past weekend on gym etiquette issues with all of the new January fitness folks and they discussed newbie-gym etiquette.</p>
<p>It’s probably best that I work out at home. I’m been known to grunt and even holler trying to squeeze out the final rep. Between exercises, I’m usually huffin’ and puffin’, walking around saying stuff like, “OMG, I’m gonna die…”</p>
<p>Heck, I’ve even cussed out my iPod. Or when I actually do the final rep, talk into the iPod like it’s a microphone and say something really stupid like, “Haaa. Take that!”.</p>
<p>I won’t even mention that getting the eighth T-Pushup in the Spartacus workout often requires saying, “Just one more, you can do it. This one is for Svetlana!” :)</p>
<p>Anything to get motivated. This stuff ain’t easy for an ol’ (formerly) fat guy…</p>
<p>Airdyne intervals this evening after shoveling snow. Short and sweet. 28 minutes. 12 intervals, 30 seconds fast, 60 seconds easy. It’s been ten days since I did Airdyne intervals and I felt it in the legs a little bit.</p>
<p>Then, I went down to my chin up bar and cranked out a set of pull ups and a set of chin ups (with the reduced band assistance). Did 9 good ones on both. Tried to do a second set, but could only manage 3 of each. It’s going to be a happy day when the ol’ (formerly) fat guy can crank out a half dozen good chinups without the bands.</p>
<p>Not sore tonight, which is good.</p>
<p>^^^^you are doing great with the pull/chin ups!</p>
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<p>It’s a long-term project, but one that has to happen. The complementary pair of push ups and pull ups may be the two best exercises in the book. The pushups are coming along OK. Now, it’s time to get the pull ups crankin’. These weren’t even options for me a year ago. No way I was doing pushups or pull ups at 250 pounds, so just being able to chip away at them is kinda fun.</p>
<p>How’s the damage from your tumble? Hopefully nothing that will keep you out of action.</p>
<p>My thighs are still terribly tight (big muscles in the front, what’s that?) today. Modern again tomorrow night, and I really hope they are somewhat healed by then because it feels like I may have pulled them (more than usual day-after soreness).</p>
<p>Those are the quadriceps or “quads”, the big muscles at the front of the thigh. It would be natural for them to be sore when first doing a new exercise or dance program. Most of us, and women in particular, tend to be “quad dominant”, meaning that the quads are more developed than the big muscles at the back of the thigh (hamstring) and the butt muscles (“glutes”).</p>
<p>A big goal of good workout programs is to strengthen the hamstrings and the glutes to balance things out. The two big lower body strength exercises – the dead lift and squats/lunges focus on the glutes and hamstrings, as do the ever-popular kettleball swings.</p>
<p>The imbalance causes all kinds of problems, including the kind of lower back/hip issues that MOWC has been working through. That’s why her physical therapy has her doing the hip raises and roll ins on stability ball. That’s a classic glute/hamstring exercise. Runners are extremely “quad dominant”.</p>
<p>A similar kind of imbalance occurs in the arms and shoulders with an overabundance of pushing exercises (bench press, pushups) and not much attention to the pullling exercises that strengthen the balancing muscles (pull ups, rows).</p>