General Workout Routines and Questions

[MarinaDiamandis]

Just remember that you're only 15 and have a lot of growing to do! Don't be robbing your body of too much just yet.

I always found it odd that while running (heelstriking) my legs never felt like they'd had a good workout like your arms or back, etc do when you've been lifting weights. That was until I started running on my forefeet - you will ache so much that you'll hardly be able to walk, that's how under-used these muscles are by the majority of people (even a weightlifter like myself).

What I would do between now and summer is continue running as you have been (as long as you stay injury free) but alternate a jogging session with a sprint interval (H.I.I.T) session. If your pumps are grippy enough, use them. Otherwise you could use football boots, or your regular running shoes if that's all you've got to hand.

So, for example:

Monday - Warmup, 5km run, cooldown.

Wednesday - Sprint intervals
> Warmup, Sprint for 15 seconds, recover for 30 seconds, repeat 5 times, cooldown.

Friday - Warmup, steady 2.5km run, cooldown.

Sunday - Sprint intervals
>Warmup, Sprint for 30 seconds, recover for 60 seconds, repeat 4 times, cooldown.

Lengthen/shorten the runs and sprints to suit your fitness level, but be sure to keep recovery time to double the duration of the sprints.

When sprinting get up on your forefoot/toes (although that kinda happens anyway when you sprint!).

The sprints will help get your legs ready for barefooting and prepare your cardiovascular system for being in 'oxygen debt' (when you are utilising more oxygen than you can replace by breathing) which is useful because forefoot running is between jogging and sprinting in style.

As I said, any questions just ask. I'd much rather know that you're getting good information from me than some barely-qualified P.T instructor!

 

[cgr-10]

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[Yukon]

Interesting information MD. I've never thought about using my fore-feet to land whilst running, I just simply use the middle of my feet. It's how I started and it's always worked for me. I've never sustained an injury and I've been a runner for nearly two years now, (not competitively, just for enjoyment and fitness).

I do a lot of long distance running as that's why I started in the first place. I wanted to get up to 10K distance, then half marathon and then eventually marathon distance. I took part in the Loch Ness Marathon last October. Although I didn't complete it, ( 22 Miles ), I learnt a lot from it. How to improve myself when it comes to long distances like that, my technique, even though I've never been injured, I improved it, so to be able to go further and make sure I can complete the full thing when I next take part in one.

Another aspect was my mental strength which I most definitely needed to focus on. One of the main reasons I didn't finish the marathon was because I didn't have the will power to push myself to those extremes. Whenever I go out training now for long distance runs (12+ miles), I focus, instead of letting my mind wander like I used to do and allow myself to do when I'm doing my mid-weekly shorter runs. Now on a weekly basis I'm averaging 40 miles or to a push I'll get it up into the 50's, over four-five days.

What kind of running do you do, MarinaDiamandis?

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Good job, Tom. 👍

You sound motivated and you're asking the right questions. It's always better to ask if you're in doubt rather than just risk it and end up doing more harm than good. I talked to my dad a lot before I took it up as he's an experienced runner, he's being doing it for years. I also popped down to my local running shop, (Run4It), just to ask general questions and they were all really helpful. That's where I got my first pair of proper running shoes a few weeks later.

Do you have anyone in your family that has experience with running/cardio that could help you out, or even go out excercising with you? It's always better to have someone there in person, especially if you're just getting started. If not, you can always ask about on here, I'm sure there a few people that are always willing to help out, including myself, if you ever need advice.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

What kind of running do you do, MarinaDiamandis?

I guess I could call it 'military' running, as that's what it's inspired by.

A mix of sprint intervals and hill sprints, fast 1.5 milers, 5 milers and a bit of cross country mixed in there for good measure. I also often run in army-issue boots and take a weighted bergen with me.

For me running only has a place in my training regime if it is easy to apply to real situations - such as hauling my gear up a mountain trail when I go climbing.

I don't think i'd ever be that great at distance running as i'm way too heavy, but maybe one day i'll give it a shot. Anyone who regularly runs over 10 miles is a bit nuts to me!

 

[cgr-10]

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[Luminis]

It's been a good day today. Finally got my bench up to 200lbs. Which isn't much compared to some of you guys I'm sure, but I'm getting somewhere. Been stagnating below that for a while, but my increased calory intake might help with that.

I've gained about three pounds over the last six weeks, which isn't bad, I suppose.

 

[Pako]

Congrats on the new weight!

We did strip sets on the hip sled today. We call them pukers...., and for good reason. One of the noobs in our extended group popped like a water balloon. I have to give him props though, after he destroyed the bathroom, he finished his last set.

They are basically 80 rep sets. It goes like this:

(lbs x reps)
-Set 1-
1,000x20
800x20
600x20
400x20

-Set 2-
Repeat!

You have two guys stripping weight in between each 20 rep. At best you are afforded a 5 second break in between mini sets. It can be brutal. The main thing here is to stay calm and keep your breathing under control.

Did some leg extensions to follow but there really wasn't a lot left.

 

[Luminis]

Thanks, Pako.

It's kinda hilarious that the guy you're reffering to as a noob could probably outlift me quite easily

 

[Yukon]

I guess I could call it 'military' running, as that's what it's inspired by.

Ooft, sounds good. I used to run with a bag on my back during the summer when I was training for Tough Mudder, but after that I gradually stopped and now I don't do that at all. I'll definitely get back into that though, it's so good for your back and shoulders, whilst exhuasting yourself running, too.

What kind of Bergen do you use, or does it not matter? I'd like to replicate the kind of things they do in the Special Forces but I don't have the gear for doing it realisticly. Also, how much weight do you add? I used about 15 Kilo's, I think, but that would obviously need to be increased.

Anyone who regularly runs over 10 miles is a bit nuts to me!

In a good way, right?

Not many people in my area do to be honest, I regularly get overweight smokers staring at me like i'm some sort of madman when I run past them.

I wouldn't worry about that. There's people like that everywhere. Where I run, people often beep their car horns at me when they drive past and you get looks from others left, right and center. No idea why.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

What kind of Bergen do you use, or does it not matter?

I use a British Army issue Webtex DPM bergen (130 litre or something around that) that a squaddie mate of mine gave me. It has hip and back pads and has a good size adjustment range. Keep in mind that i'm over 200lbs - it might not adjust to so well if you are a smaller person since it's intended to be used over body armour, etc.

Obviously if you are carrying extra weight you want a rucksack that fits well and so distributes the weight effectively (wide, padded shoulder straps, chest and abdomen straps, hip and back pads if possible). Some packs won't stand up to carrying a lot of weight, but typically the military type stuff will be good for over 100lbs. I pack the extra space in the bergen with an old blanket to stop the ballast moving around.

I'd like to replicate the kind of things they do in the Special Forces but I don't have the gear for doing it realisticly.

Most military training uses the absolute minimum of gear. I have a few friends in various forces (including Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment) and they mostly do bodyweight and simple cardio stuff. For them it's much more about being able to endure constant effort with minimal recovery than anything.

How much weight do you add? I used about 15 Kilo's, I think, but that would obviously need to be increased.

Yeah, but build the weight up slowly otherwise you'll wear down before you've even got going. Right now i'll take between 50-100lbs (well, 45-90lbs as I take metric plates) of barbell plates, fix them together with zipties or tape and stick them in a pack. Sometimes i'm lazy and don't run hard enough so then I might punish myself by throwing a few rocks in there for good measure.

In a good way, right?

Of course, I admire runners who keep any kind of pace over half or full marathon distance. As for people who do the 100 mile ultraruns, well...

I wouldn't worry about that.

In my experience, if somebody looks at you in a strange manner when you're running, it's normally because you're doing a good job - people don't like change in their lives, and they don't like to see others making positive changes to themselves either. I never had anybody comment when I was running a few k a day at a snails pace, but now when I run 3-5k at a fast pace in socks, I get quite a lot.

I'm known in my local area for being the guy who runs around in socks and puts his shopping into a rucksack and runs home with it, which I think is great personally.

Why be normal? It's boring

 

[Pako]

Oh man, tried to run tonight..... that was rough. After my first mile both quads started to cramp with each step. Even slowing things down, just putting pressure down would cause each quad to cramp up on me.... I had to walk for a good half mile before I was able to finish off my run. OUCH! Note to self, don't expect anything seller with your run on the same day as legs.

 

[Yukon]

I use a British Army issue Webtex DPM bergen (130 litre or something around that) that a squaddie mate of mine gave me. It has hip and back pads and has a good size adjustment range. Keep in mind that i'm over 200lbs - it might not adjust to so well if you are a smaller person since it's intended to be used over body armour, etc.

I'll post some pictures of the Bergen I use for when I climb mountains and get your opinion on it. It's a Karrimor and has all the padding that you've mentioned. I don't know the exact volume it can take as it I got it quite a while ago. I think it's in the 60-80 litre range, seems bigger though.

Most military training uses the absolute minimum of gear. I have a few friends in various forces (including Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment) and they mostly do bodyweight and simple cardio stuff. For them it's much more about being able to endure constant effort with minimal recovery than anything.

By gear I meant boots, bag and worn down old clothes.

I don't fuss over all the fancy equipment you can attach to yourself these days. I'm interested in getting to know the basics that will allow me to push myself, so I can develop from there, which direction to go in to help me improve.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

I'll post some pictures of the Bergen I use for when I climb mountains and get your opinion on it. It's a Karrimor and has all the padding that you've mentioned. I don't know the exact volume it can take as it I got it quite a while ago. I think it's in the 60-80 litre range, seems bigger though.

Karrimor is nice kit, as long as it's a good fit it should be fine.

Personally I don't use my climbing equipment for anything other than climbing, because i'd rather not have abused, over-stressed stitching give out 10,000ft up!

By gear I meant boots, bag and worn down old clothes.

Ahh, silly me. You don't really need anything more than what you need for normal training - trainers, shorts, tshirt, etc.

I have some extra stuff, baselayers in particular - for hot and cold conditions, which just makes our weather 'extremes' a little more pleasant to be outside in. Obviously the 'cold' baselayers are really handy on -40 degree celcius summits too, having my sweat freeze is not something I plan on experiencing if I can help it.

In hot weather i'll usually just wear a 'hot' baselayer tshirt, rugby shorts and whatever I fancy on my feet. When it gets cold I switch to full-length leg coverings (running trousers, army surplus combats), a long-sleeved 'cold' baselayer tshirt and a breathable jacket, maybe an extra tshirt as a second layer if it's really biting. For rain all I add is a very lightweight cagoule.

When I run full 'military' style with the bergen, i'll wear a normal tshirt, army surplus combats and my squaddie boots, which is how most squaddies run for endurance runs with gear.

I would use my normal running footwear (minimalist shoes or socks) but because of the way I run on my forefoot and how awkward it can be to transfer that to other footwear, such as my climbing boots after the off season, I like to use boots to keep myself familiar - certainly comes in handy for getting hypothermic climbers back below the cloud layer!

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Awesome man! 👍 Of all those calories, how many grams of protein are you consuming?

Thanks Pako. I currently weigh around 180lbs (goal 190lbs). The typical calculation is 1.5 or 2.0 x bodyweight if bodybuilding. So I am aiming for 270min -360max grams of protein per day.

I am currently consuming about 200 grams of protein per day and will continue to work my way up monitoring how my body reacts. Hopefully I gained at least another pound this week. I figure if I can gain at least 1 lb per week over the next couple weeks I will be making great progress.

Had another killer workout this week. Starting to increase weights, increas reps. Shoulder is about 95% healed. Making progress. I have also been supersetting EVERY single workout and thats making a huge difference with gains. 👍

Also any easy quick hints for more protein would be appreciated. Protein shakes work very well but food is always better. I really need to find a way to get more chicken breast intake. Its just such a perfect source of protein. I usually buy it in bulk and cook about 2-3 lbs all at once. Then cut it up and freeze it in individual freezer bags about 1 serving each. I just need to do it more often. So anyone have any hints for some extra protein intake other than chicken?

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Some of mine are:

Tinned tuna - I don't eat it anymore but it's a good, easy source. I used to add piripirisauce straight to the tin. Not bad.
Salmon - buy a whole fish, huge and delicious fillets.
Lean cuts of beef - not much more fat than chicken and delicious.
Pork - More fat than chicken and beef but it's cheap (at least it is here in the U.K) and tastes great.
Lamb - Again, not sure how much you eat lamb in the U.S and how much you'd be paying, but over here it's cheap and delicious.
Venision and game birds - Usually more expensive, but a nice treat when you are fed up of chicken and beef.
If you can get your hands on some rabbits (pest controllers will often sell you them for cheap) the meat is leaner than chicken and has the most protein of any meat, fantastic when cooked right.

If meat gets boring, add sauces and spices. There are so many variations that you'll never get fed up ever again. Don't forget marinades and stews, both great.

Dairy can be great, especially plain yoghurt mixed with other yummy stuff. Add extra protein with chopped mixed nuts,flavour with summer berries - a real treat.

Two eggs, bit of cheese and spinach = protein rich omelette. One of my favourites.

Might not sound too appealing, but beans also make tasty protein-rich meals. Three-bean, black bean with chicken, etc. I'll often have several bowls of different salads in the fridge and can take my pick, maybe adding some chicken or duck. Really good for snacking, put some inside a tortilla wrap for eating on the go.

Back to nuts, I snack on them all the time. Again, can be eaten on the go, a little 'hit' of protein for when you're busy with other things.

Make stuff in batches and stick it in tupperware - On busy weeks i'll cook all of my food on Monday and Tuesday and live off of it until the weekend arrives.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Lamb, cheap? Have you been shopping lately?

Don't forget offal, sliced beef heart, yummy.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Lamb, cheap? Have you been shopping lately?

Don't forget offal, sliced beef heart, yummy.

It's cheap for me

I have so much meat in my chest freezers that it'll probably last me all year, buying whole animals before they're slaughtered ftw!

 

[XS]

I've cut my workout routine back and have been making massive gains. I know overtraining is bad, but I never thought I was overtraining that bad, dang. What are some of your workout revelations?

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

What are some of your workout revelations?

I perform better after a day or so of fasting. Lulwhut.

 

[Joel]

Played 2.5h of hockey yesterday and somehow my groin is OK today!

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Tom, if you are reading, any progress to report yet?

I know our weather has been pretty poor, but I thought i'd ask!

 

[cgr-10]

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[Submerged]

With the protein talk, would turkey help to boost protein intake?

As that seems to have a higher protein count as I recall.

 

[shmogt]

With the protein talk, would turkey help to boost protein intake?

As that seems to have a higher protein count as I recall.

Turkey is basicslly like chicken. There's a protein quality chart out there and whey isolate is the best, than whey concentrate, than eggs, than more into meats like chicken etc.
A way to sneak in more protein is whole wheat foods. I have whole wheat bagels that are 10g protein each. Considering a whole egg is about 7g if you just have two eggs and a bagel which is super easy to make that's 24g of protein right there.

 

[Joel]

Just as long as it isn't sliced deli turkey. Might not be worth it with all the salt. Regular turkey is delicious and nutritious.

A couple years ago when I was working out 3 times a week, playing football 4 days a week, and hockey 4 times a week, I used to make myself a chicken breast and whole wheat pasta for dinner most days, and eat salad with it.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Looks like I am going to have to increase my protein and calories some more. I actually LOST 1 lb this week. So now I am back down to 179lbs. (Goal 190lbs) Being an ectomorph can be such a pain to gain weight especially when I get injured and cant workout.

So now I am increasing my calories and protein again. Yogurt is being substituted with cottage cheese. Also adding at least a scoop and a half of protein along with milk with each shake. Instead of just 1 scoop with water. So with these few adjustments it should get me around 3,200 calories and 220 grams of protein per day. I do really well during the week and then terrible on the weekend. Having an excell sheet with all this info helps a lot to dial in the diet. I just need to make sure I keep up with it on the weekend too.

Thanks for the protein suggestions. Most of those are what I have in stock already. Just need to cook up more chicken breast into individual servings and keep it in the freezer. I cooked up 2 more lbs last night but that wont last long. Milk and dairy work very well for me when I need more protein so I am going to keep cottage cheese stocked up along with milk like I did with my very first bulk many years ago. I have some fish but can only handle so much of that. So its mainly chicken and brown rice that I eat. Along with egg whites. Really need to keep more nuts and almonds around.

Has anyone tried cookin then cutting up and freezing steak? I ask because I have been doing this with chicken breasts and it works very well. If this also works with steak I might start trying that next. The only problem with steak is that it is soooo dang expensive. I only have a small freezer so I cant buy very much in bulk. Only a few lbs.

 

[shmogt]

Most people buy a lot and freeze it. Than they take out a lot and cook it for the whole weeks worth of meals. Or at least 3 days. So if you buy 6lbs of steak you freeze 3lbs and cook 3lbs for that week. Just put the cooked stuff in the fridge and either warm it up when you wanna eat or cut it up and make it into a sandwich or something. If steak is too expensive just buy hamburgers. Extra lean with whole wheat bun and some vegetables in it makes a healthy meal. If it's fresh pretty much everything is healthy only fast food stuff is gonna be garbage since they use the worst quality ingredients.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

It's going well, thanks...

Awesome, really glad to hear it.

Yeah, the HIIT will really push you if you keep adjusting the duration and repetitions to keep you near your limit - ten repetitions is awful! You should give 'twenties' (sprinting between twenty cones arranged into two rows and doing an increasing amount of pressups at each one) a go when you finish your current routine.

Looks like I am going to have to increase my protein and calories some more.

Remember than protein is negative calories as it takes more energy to use than it actually supplies your body with. Increasing it beyond 1.5-2g per pound of bodyweight if you are trying to gain weight is only making things harder.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Remember than protein is negative calories as it takes more energy to use than it actually supplies your body with. Increasing it beyond 1.5-2g per pound of bodyweight if you are trying to gain weight is only making things harder.

Correct. Thats why I am slowly increasing my protein intake. In fact I have not even hit 1.5 x my bodyweight in protein yet. I am just under 180lbs and currently only taking in about 220 grams per day. 1.5 x my bodyweight would be minimum 270 g protein per day. So I still have a little ways to go until I hit that.

I asked in my previous reply but has anyone had any luck pre-cooking steak and freezing it? I have been doing this with chicken and its very fast and convenient. The George Foreman grill helps a LOT for prepping chicken. I havent tried pre-cooking steak yet. I usually cook Ribeye but it can get quite expensive up here. About $9.00 per pound. Chicken usually averages out about $1.50 per pound. Much cheaper.

 

[Pako]

That is an amazing amount of protein. I am struggling to hit 220g. I would like to be at 250-300g per day to put on some growth. Keeping in mind I am at 245-250 lbs. What are you guys doing for your protein?

Currently my diet is:
Breakfast:
1/4 cup of dry grits
6 egg whites

Lunch:
Sandwich with 10-12oz of chicken or turkey meat, wholewheat breat.
Protein Shake 1.5-2 scoops

Dinner:
Two large chicken breasts and brown rice or Quinou.
If cardio that night, another protein shake.

That puts me at about 220g I think of protein....

I am interested to see what you guys are doing.