The Exercise & Fitness Thread: The Struggle Is Real

[EEVILMURRAY]

51 minutes ago, MindFreak said:

All advice I know about is to continue exercising but be careful about it. Slow movements like squats with light weights should help. If it hurts, rest and go lighter with the weights. But I guess you know this.

So, I hit 2:14 on 50 burpees today. I positively know that I didn't skip any burpees in my counting so really pleased with that. I don't think it's possible for me to go much lower now as there simply are some physical conditions that I can't adjust. Like my height and length of arms and legs. People with short legs and arms are simply able to do burpees faster. 

Quick squats have always felt like a problem because of this, but it's usually a twinge that goes with as you say, slowing the reps.

The weird thing is, is that it wasn't anything that-extreme that (I think was the cause) for setting it off. It mainly happened during one of the classes where we were doing a ski-lunge, touching the non-crossing knee, and raising our hands up before coming down as you alternate the lunge. Or it was a sideways step up, where one foot was always on the step, bring both up, and the other goes off. This was also with our arms straight up throughout.

Maybe my knees just don't like it when my arms are outstretched...

Well done on dem burpees. Fuck me doing them though, especially that quick, the come down on the jump, I don't think I've told you about my dicky knees, lemme begin...

[MindFreak]

How long ago did it start? It's usually something that occurs on children that are growing fast. I had something with my knees when I was younger but heavy lifting has reduced my problem so I don't need to worry about it anymore. 

[EEVILMURRAY]

I know I've had this for decades, but it's never been an issue, the main issue has been going for about a month now. I'm going to see how it goes with some ice packs and knee sleeves before I think about attempting GP action.

[Sméagol]

Starting February the price for my boulder subscription increases with 16 euros. Ouch.

[bob]

Starting February the price for my boulder subscription increases with 16 euros. Ouch.

Wow. How many boulders do you even get for that price point?

[Sméagol]

12 hours ago, bob said:

On 23/12/2022 at 2:56 PM, Sméagol said:

Starting February the price for my boulder subscription increases with 16 euros. Ouch.

Wow. How many boulders do you even get for that price point?

Technically just one. The other is a hard place.

[MindFreak]

We are currently building a small gym out in my garage. It's going to be lovely - about 12 sq. meters. I'm currently looking for a good pull-up bar, a bench and a new barbell along with some more weights. I hope that having everything set up in the garage all the time will help me get back into regular lifting and exercising. 

[Beast]

I did rather heavy deadlifts and a 3 hour bike ride on Sunday. On Sunday, I was okay but from Monday, my lower back was aching. Like a DOMS-sort of ache. It's okay walking and stuff but if I pick something up from the ground or slouch or something, I feel it (if it makes sense). It's worse when I wake up because I sleep in the same position for hours. I haven't felt that in ages. You guys have any advice on how to recover quick from it? I'm going to take a couple of days away from working out.

Edited May 24, 2023 by Beast

[EEVILMURRAY]

2 hours ago, Beast said:

I did rather heavy deadlifts and a 3 hour bike ride on Sunday. On Sunday, I was okay but from Monday, my lower back was aching. Like a DOMS-sort of ache. It's okay walking and stuff but if I pick something up from the ground or slouch or something, I feel it (if it makes sense). It's worse when I wake up because I sleep in the same position for hours. I haven't felt that in ages. You guys have any advice on how to recover quick from it? I'm going to take a couple of days away from working out.

A bath with some Radox?

[Beast]

45 minutes ago, EEVILMURRAY said:

A bath with some Radox?

Radox weirdly doesn't work with me. I've tried different ones before and it doesn't touch me. I've been putting in ibuprofen gel and was told to do some stretches too. I've just woke up now and it's like a stiffness. I remember having this before but I completely forgot about it. It's supposed to take a couple of weeks to get over but I'm like 😒 because I'm already over it! 😅

[Ashley]

You can't really "quickly" recover from something, you can just mitigate making it worse and doing things to help ease the pain. I'm by no means an expert so look into it but my first instinct would be heat (bath, sauna etc) and light stretching, preferably when your body is warm so it's looser. Obviously don't try and touch your toes, but just some light movement in all directions to get your lower back moving. Maybe even an osteopath if you're concerned. 

[bob]

I've been feeling really run-down and knackered during my cycle commute recently. I thought for a while that there might be something wrong with my lungs because I was bringing up phlegm and generally feeling horrendous after every journey, but an x-ray confirmed nothing untoward going on there.

I'm having to come to terms with the fact that I may just be really unfit.

[MindFreak]

Deadlift really hits the lower back when done correctly so it makes sense that you feel it there. If it really is DOMS, then you probably just overdid it - a rule of thumb is that if you have DOMS for more than 3 days, it was too much for your current state. 

Anyways, heat, massage, and light exercise without weights to loosen it up should help, along with some gentle stretching. 

[Ashley]

1 hour ago, bob said:

I'm having to come to terms with the fact that I may just be really unfit.

And old

[Beast]

On 24/05/2023 at 12:25 PM, MindFreak said:

Deadlift really hits the lower back when done correctly so it makes sense that you feel it there. If it really is DOMS, then you probably just overdid it - a rule of thumb is that if you have DOMS for more than 3 days, it was too much for your current state. 

Anyways, heat, massage, and light exercise without weights to loosen it up should help, along with some gentle stretching. 

It's been over 3 days now. It feels better than it did though. I still feel it but it's definitely improving. I woke up this morning and didn't feel it so much. I've done what you've said and it helped. I've done walking and put a hot water bottle on it and that helped. I hate massages though (I know, I'm weird). I was told by a couple of people who are a pharmacist and a nurse to "stagger" paracetamol with ibuprofen so I might try that. 

On 24/05/2023 at 10:56 AM, Ashley said:

You can't really "quickly" recover from something, you can just mitigate making it worse and doing things to help ease the pain. I'm by no means an expert so look into it but my first instinct would be heat (bath, sauna etc) and light stretching, preferably when your body is warm so it's looser. Obviously don't try and touch your toes, but just some light movement in all directions to get your lower back moving. Maybe even an osteopath if you're concerned. 

It's weird because I've been told the same thing about touching toes but I have the urge to to see if it's gone 😂 the stretching has helped so much appreciated for that advice. 

[Ashley]

If you're that curious about if you can touch your toes rest your hands on your thighs and slide them down your legs (as you bend forward obviously) until you reach a pain point. It's a bit more controlled. But I'd still say when it comes to your back its best to be over cautious because if you fuck that up you really fuck it up. Maybe even give yourself a week away from the gym.

[EEVILMURRAY]

On 5/24/2023 at 12:24 PM, bob said:

I've been feeling really run-down and knackered during my cycle commute recently. I thought for a while that there might be something wrong with my lungs because I was bringing up phlegm and generally feeling horrendous after every journey, but an x-ray confirmed nothing untoward going on there.

I'm having to come to terms with the fact that I may just be really unfit.

I've been riding to work recently too. Used to take 10 minutes, then they moved us to a different hospital so takes me 30-40 minutes to ride there. At the beginning once you start making certain muscles move again you'll be shattered and spitting that clear fluid action, but as you fully activate the gains the spitting will slow down* and the burn won't be as bad, which you hopefully will be able to tell by how you can manage your gears. I usually have mine on the max, but when starting had to dial it down, now I'm back up and not feeling nowhere near as knackered as I used to.

Just stick at it, and shizzle will improve.

 

*if anything I'm getting home with a dry mouth

[Sméagol]

I had a good day yesterday. Swam 6 KM, walked a few, cycled.. I don't know exactly, but probably over 40KM, and had a quick bouldering session in the evening.

Rooting for @Mokong today!

Edited May 27, 2023 by Sméagol

[Beast]

On 25/05/2023 at 8:54 PM, Ashley said:

If you're that curious about if you can touch your toes rest your hands on your thighs and slide them down your legs (as you bend forward obviously) until you reach a pain point. It's a bit more controlled. But I'd still say when it comes to your back its best to be over cautious because if you fuck that up you really fuck it up. Maybe even give yourself a week away from the gym.

The good news is that most of the soreness is gone. It's when I bend back that I feel it now. I touched my toes sitting down and had no pain. Stood and did it and no pain. Twisted both ways and got nothing. I just feel a soreness bending back so it's not 100% yet. I'm hoping it'll be fine after a couple of days. 

[Mokong]

I did a thing!

 

 

[Mokong]

Yesterday I mived the goal posts of my lingest swim from 8km to 10km

All the extra swimming I been doing this year been working towards this goal. Delighted to have done it.

Been trying to do it the last 6 weeks but weather on weekends haven't been great. Yesterday I knew the forecast wasn't going to be 100% what I would want but I also knew it would be within my tolerance for choppy water.

I had a kayaker on standby and he was cool with the conditions too.

Though it did slow me down more than I thought it would.

There was a section I'd say between 5 and 6km that was really tough. Both mentally and physically. I had to breaststroke more than I would like as I found it hard to keep rhythm for the front crawl.

Then I came round a corner and saw a landmark (the pillars in the Twitter post) that I was worried might be further away, once I saw that my mental confidence picked back up as that landmark I knew exactly where I was and exactly how far I had left to go.

Didn't start to feel cold till I was about 1km from the finish but at that point I just hand to get my head down and power through it to get to land 😎

 

 

[Beast]

So I'm trying to find cheaper lunches with less calories. I've tried instant noodles for the past few days and I love it (none of their seasoning, just a splash of soy sauce). My question is would this be terrible for you health-wise?

 

Right now, it's the one thing that's keeping me full that doesn't make me snack so I'd like to have it but I'm unsure...

[Ashley]

Looking at a random Pot Noodle it in itself is not terrible but obviously could be better, and probably not great to have every day and it will depend what else you're eating and doing in the day.

Obviously the one you're eating may be slightly different but there's 10g of saturated fats in that and men are recommended 30g per day. Also quite a bit of salt but honestly try finding pre-packaged food that ain't.

If you want food that is satiating try and go for some complex carbs (wholegrain breads, rice, pasta, noodles etc) and unsaturated fats (avocado, olive oils, peanuts, brazil nuts, almonds - although with nuts bear in mind a few is all you need). Complex carbs burn slower so keep you full longer, but don't have the instant hit (and crash) of uncomplex carbs like sugars. Fats are more satiating and unsaturated fats are better for you for that reason.

If you can meal prep why not try knocking up some chicken burritos, freezing them and either defrosting the night before or lightly grilling every day? Or salads (yes yes, you don't win friends) with some cold meat and topped with some chopped almonds and olive oil. Or pep buddha bowls as they offer great versatility. If you google there's many examples but a Mexican-style one could be black beans, sweetcorn, quinoa, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, meat of choice and some avocado. You can prep all that (save the avocado) in advance. 

Appreciate you mentioned it has to be cheap but often if you meal prep it can work out cheaper in the long run as a Pot Noodle is what, 80p-£1.20 depending on size/brand?

[Beast]

6 hours ago, Ashley said:

Looking at a random Pot Noodle it in itself is not terrible but obviously could be better, and probably not great to have every day and it will depend what else you're eating and doing in the day.

Obviously the one you're eating may be slightly different but there's 10g of saturated fats in that and men are recommended 30g per day. Also quite a bit of salt but honestly try finding pre-packaged food that ain't.

If you want food that is satiating try and go for some complex carbs (wholegrain breads, rice, pasta, noodles etc) and unsaturated fats (avocado, olive oils, peanuts, brazil nuts, almonds - although with nuts bear in mind a few is all you need). Complex carbs burn slower so keep you full longer, but don't have the instant hit (and crash) of uncomplex carbs like sugars. Fats are more satiating and unsaturated fats are better for you for that reason.

If you can meal prep why not try knocking up some chicken burritos, freezing them and either defrosting the night before or lightly grilling every day? Or salads (yes yes, you don't win friends) with some cold meat and topped with some chopped almonds and olive oil. Or pep buddha bowls as they offer great versatility. If you google there's many examples but a Mexican-style one could be black beans, sweetcorn, quinoa, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, meat of choice and some avocado. You can prep all that (save the avocado) in advance. 

Appreciate you mentioned it has to be cheap but often if you meal prep it can work out cheaper in the long run as a Pot Noodle is what, 80p-£1.20 depending on size/brand?

So the one I have is "ramen noodles". I put it in boiling water and then microwave for 5 minutes, basically. It's like Pot Noodle but honestly has a different texture and tastes better. I just wasn't sure if it was wise to have it for lunch every day. I've just been fed up with soups and salads and wanted something different. I did have some frozen meals but thought I'd try something different. I picked them up and they've kept me full.

I'll have a look at maybe looking into making salads more interesting. It's getting colder though so preferably something warm would be better. 

[MindFreak]

Finally found me a proper barbell, a 15 kg one, for a decent price (about £45 used, but like new). I need some plated now but I can find those used as well if I'm lucky. I'm not in a hurry but it would be nice to get about 60 kg on the barbell. 

I also recently got a treadmill. My wife wanted one for getting back into running after giving birth in August. Or January 2021, I don't think she has run since my second child was born. It's not the best in the market but it is good enough for us, I think. I've only tried it for finishers (1 km at about 16 km/h) after a workout and it worked fine.

So now all that's left is for me to have the energy to work out in the evening once all the children are asleep.