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Raining_again

Dooo you lot still go to the gym?!

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I need some guidance!

 

(i do have a fitness trainer but I'd like to hear some of your experiences too)

 

I'm looking to get stamina more than strength at the time being - aka I want to be able to walk long distances without getting fatigued. What's the best way to go about eet? Low speed, high speed? Weights? Cardio? There's too much choice!!

 

I want to develop my strength and body shape too, but the stamina is the most important thing for me now.

 

Also feel free to share your experiences too! =)

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You'll build up stamina by doing cardio and having a good diet. If you're looking to be able to walk long distances without getting tired the best way to do that is just by walking long distances!

 

The best way to burn calories is by doing interval training; sprinting for a minute and then a slow jog for a minute.

 

I personally try to run twice a week (either a 5k outside or 20 mins on the treadmill) and then play squash once a week. I do a bit of weights other days too but the way my life is working at the moment is that I don't have much time at Friday through Monday to workout so I'm running and gyming on Tuesday, squash on Wednesday and gym on Thursday. It's not really ideal but all I can manage right now.

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If it's stamina for walking you want, then go for more long walks. In gym terms, a medium pace run is probably best.

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I'm still doing my insane fitness thing. Did 2 hours of parkour earlier today and then cycled 12 miles just now. I decided/realised I need to up my muscle endurance. I've got great stamina but my legs turn to jelly too soon when doing these insane warm up exercises.

 

I'd say you want to focus on cardio both low and high speed. Maybe switch between low speed cycling and high speed rowing, especially since both are low impact. Really, though, the best thing to do is mix it up with the cardio as it's easy to do. You'll probably want to do some light weights, moving up to medium ones. Weight training burns off calories way way faster than cardio. You don't have to worry about overdoing it and looking like the Hulk, as a lot of girls seem to have this worry and it's really annoying, because it'd take a crapolla load of effort for that to happen.

 

Do both cardio and weights, don't neglect the weights. Also, swimming.

 

Hope that helps and makes sense.

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I've never been to a gym. I do press up/sit-ups every day and ran 2 miles every other day with football on a Sunday night. So i'm always doing something even if it's just basic press up and sit-ups. I really enjoy running, just something about jogging along listening to my favourite songs that makes me quite calm. Always important to let your body rest though, or else you'll only injure yourself and do more harm than good.

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Well I figured the long walks thing would be recommended... :heh:

 

I'm just thinking in terms of:

 

- weight training - reps/weight size - like if its a good idea to maintain on a low weight and increase reps, or go on to a heavier weight with the same reps...

 

- what leg muscles I should be focusing on

 

- if i should try supplements

 

 

fyi, walking/minimal jog is my only option on the treadmill at the moment. I'm just shy of 20 stone, running with that weight on is NOT going to be very good for my arthritic joints :heh:

 

I'm doing a quick paced walk, then a 30s jog, then alternating for as long as I can. For example: I can do 2 minutes at a fast walk (5.0) then increase to jog (7.5) for 30s. (then repeated) Should I increase the repetitions to three times, or just do it twice, and increase the speed instead?

 

 

edit: thanks daft that's pretty helpful. I think I'm nowhere near hulking out tbh XD

Edited by Raining_again

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I walk home every day. This is my exercise, but this means my legs are mighty and my upper half a jiggly mess.

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JonST sit ups are probably one of the worst exercises going. Your time would be better spent doing crunches or a core exercise like squats. Less risk of injury, better exercise for the body. I hate sit ups!

 

To raining supplements will make around a 1% difference if your diet isn't right. If your diet is good, they'll still only make around a 10% difference. They're expensive too, unless you want to body build I'd forget about supplements. A diet low in fat and high in nutrients is your best bet.

 

By the sounds of it you're over thinking this. If going to the gym seems over complicated and tedious the less likely you're going to want to stick to whatever plans you make. I'm guessing your already joined to a gym if you have an instructor. If your membership includes classes, try some of them! Talk with the staff and ask which would be the best for your level of fitness. They will be ran by an instructor who'll go through everything with you. Most classes are between 30 mins to an hour and in that time you'll get a balanced work out.

 

If you don't like the idea of classes. Building up stamina doesn't have to be complicated. Stick some good music on your mp3 and just do some cardio. Running machine, Cross Trainer and Rowing machine to mix it up.

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I played Squash at my local gym about 5 years ago. Haven't really done any regular exercise since then.

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JonST sit ups are probably one of the worst exercises going. Your time would be better spent doing crunches or a core exercise like squats. Less risk of injury, better exercise for the body. I hate sit ups!

 

To raining supplements will make around a 1% difference if your diet isn't right. If your diet is good, they'll still only make around a 10% difference. They're expensive too, unless you want to body build I'd forget about supplements. A diet low in fat and high in nutrients is your best bet.

 

By the sounds of it you're over thinking this. If going to the gym seems over complicated and tedious the less likely you're going to want to stick to whatever plans you make. I'm guessing your already joined to a gym if you have an instructor. If your membership includes classes, try some of them! Talk with the staff and ask which would be the best for your level of fitness. They will be ran by an instructor who'll go through everything with you. Most classes are between 30 mins to an hour and in that time you'll get a balanced work out.

 

If you don't like the idea of classes. Building up stamina doesn't have to be complicated. Stick some good music on your mp3 and just do some cardio. Running machine, Cross Trainer and Rowing machine to mix it up.

 

Sit-ups are really good for your abdominals but they can cause problems with your back if your not careful. I hadn't been able to them recently due to feel under the weather, yesterday was the first day I could manage it and you really feel it afterwards, having not done it for over a week.

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R_A I personally wouldn't go taking supplements.

 

However, weight training I completely agree with Daft, mix in some light/medium weights into your cardio, it's great!

 

I personally don't at the moment, the gym is very dead during the summer as it's a university gym, but come end of september I'll be signing up until christmas.

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Why wouldn't you want to go to the gym when it's empty?! :heh:

 

Agreed, supplements aren't needed. Even I stopped using them although I might start again when uni starts.

 

Sit-ups are really good for your abdominals but they can cause problems with your back if your not careful. I hadn't been able to them recently due to feel under the weather, yesterday was the first day I could manage it and you really feel it afterwards, having not done it for over a week.

 

I'm going to have to say sit-ups are pretty crappy after the initial strength gain. I did sit-ups every time I went to the gym (so pretty much every other day) for about 6 months and it just got pointless after that. If you really want to improve abs, and core strength, you really need to move onto bodyweight training. It does so much.

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Why wouldn't you want to go to the gym when it's empty?! :heh:

 

 

Haha, I fail at being clear these days, it's mostly closed during the summer, only open from time to time, when it is there's not many classes on either, which I prefer.

 

So it's kinda a pain going during the summer.

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Ah, I getcha. I wanted to start doing gymnastics but they only do it during term time which is lame.

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Ah, I getcha. I wanted to start doing gymnastics but they only do it during term time which is lame.

 

Yeah, I suppose it's the benefits of being with the university gym eh? I also had a look and found out they've not re-opened properly this september because of building work. This happens a lot, plus exam periods. It gets fustrating.

 

I am thinking of taking up horse-riding, I do have kayaking every sunday, although I've not been in a while, but I found myself not enjoying it.

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I signed up back at the gym in early August. It's getting too cold to keep doing commando training out in the wilds. I try to go three times I week with a rest day inbetween sessions and the weekend off of course.

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Yeah, I suppose it's the benefits of being with the university gym eh? I also had a look and found out they've not re-opened properly this september because of building work. This happens a lot, plus exam periods. It gets fustrating.

 

I am thinking of taking up horse-riding, I do have kayaking every sunday, although I've not been in a while, but I found myself not enjoying it.

 

I go to the ULU one, which is also open to non-students, so most of the stuff is still open when term ends so it's not that bad. Like a lot of the classes are still on...just not the one I want. Sod's law. :indeed:

 

My sister does kayaking. She seems to really enjoy it but she doesn't do it that regularly. She's taken up archery now, which is quite cool.

 

I want to start climbing. A couple friends are quite keen too, so fingers crossed. Pretty much everything I do now is done to better my parkour, tbh. I love.

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I go to the ULU one, which is also open to non-students, so most of the stuff is still open when term ends so it's not that bad. Like a lot of the classes are still on...just not the one I want. Sod's law. :indeed:

 

My sister does kayaking. She seems to really enjoy it but she doesn't do it that regularly. She's taken up archery now, which is quite cool.

 

I want to start climbing. A couple friends are quite keen too, so fingers crossed. Pretty much everything I do now is done to better my parkour, tbh. I love.

 

I think I chose the club to be fair, they do a lot of shallow river kayaking and I much prefer big vast lakes etc. So I might have to re-think it sometime soon.

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I do still go the gym but I'm not going 6 times a week any more - tends to be 3 times or so but then I'll play 5 aside in the week as well.

 

This last month or so has seen me in a bit of a not too great place, and it's had a big impact on my food intake and sleep. Consequently I've not had the motivation, let alone the strength to go as often as I used to.

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I wasn't saying that I was definitely going to go with supplements, just a consideration :) Really for the ones who are taking this thread seriously, I expanded on what I meant

 

My diet is okay at the moment, just need to tweak it a bit. My p.trainer wasn't overly concerned about it when i did a food diary for him.

 

I'm not trying to make my exercise regime complicated, just looking for ideas to tweak what I'm already doing, and adding some other things in. Doing the same thing every time will do my nut in and I'll get bored.

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I need to put on some weight first.

 

The problem is I only know how to cook pasta and I get bored of eating that, also I can't afford to buy loads of food.

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