The Escapist and Exercise

[2012 Wont Happen]

At the moment I don't really do what I would consider exercise. I do cardio, but no weights. I'm on a diet and have dropped about fifty pounds in the last three months between that and cardio.

I still have about 20 pounds to lose before I'm in a healthy body fat range. I'm going to start lifting lightly when semester starts, but even then probably won't be able to do heavy stuff for a while. Fat and a smoker is not a good combination for serious lifting. Once I'm done cutting out the one (admittedly not the more detrimental one) I will be much more able to get seriously into lifting. Looking forward to that. I used to quite like lifting, just too unhealthy to do it for more than really short bursts these days.

 

[BiscuitWheels]

I've been doing DDP Yoga for about three months now. I'm pretty banged up, just from 40 years of wear and tear, so the low impact nature of it is working well for me. I've lost about 30 pounds with and definitely have gained some strength. I can actually feel muscles that I couldn't before. It's a good feeling.

 

[Drake the Dragonheart]

Every day for the last 5 or so years. I run every other day. I started off doing 2 miles on treadmill/eliptical. I do weights every day I'm not running, with a 12, 15, 20 minute run/walk after ward. I had a 20 pound weight vest that I used until it fell apart. last year I got a 40 pound weight vest that I use everyday with my workout. Now I walk 3 miles, 45 minutes at a 4 MPH pace with the 40 pound vest on.

Why? training for the pack test for wildland firefighting, or to be firefighter/police officer/EMT. Also want to get into martial arts.

I actually do all of my training at home. have a set of free weights and this book, Men's Health: Power Training. except lack of certain equipment means I do quite a bit of improvising. I used to not be able to do any push-ups. Now I can do almost 50 in a minute.

I've been meaning to buy a weight vest and some ankle and wrist weights for a while now, mostly for when I'm hiking or walking my dog. Is there any brand or style that you'd recommend?

My first vest was I think gold's gym. It was held in place by buckles in the chest and waist areas, and it lasted I think around 2 2 1/2 years or so. at the end I had electrical tape all over the place on the thing as the material was tearing. My current vest is "perfect weight vest" and it is 40 lbs. It uses velcro that straps to the front of the vest around the waist. I have had it around a year, and I have noticed the velcro is wearing out. When I do weights I somtimes can't get through a set without it coming undone.

How often would you use it? How fast would you be going? I think the reason my current one is wearing out is I use it when I do weights and I use it everyday, so I put it on and take it off at least once a day. When I do weights I take the vest off in the middle of my sets for about a 3-5 minute cooldown, so on weight days it is being put on and taken off twice. I think for what you are telling me you would use it for a vest like the one I currently use would work fine for you, and as for velcro or buckles, I say find whichever you find most comfortable and go with that. A few weeks ago I walked to the school track not far from my house with the vest on but without it strapped up, and it did start to get heavy on the shoulders. Have you used a weight vest before? From my experience it's heavy at first but if you use it consistently you get acclimated and now I don't even notice the extra weight really.

 

[Harpalyce]

I've just in earnest started exercising again and I'm pretty damn proud of myself for it (and why yes I will take this opportunity to brag, thank you).

I realize that 20 minutes 3 times a week makes me sound like the weeniest of weenies from weenie hut junior's, but SOMETHING is at least better than NOTHING.

It's been a pretty much constant struggle to find anything I could do that doesn't set my chronic pain problems off. Sure, getting to the gym might kick it up two points on the scale or so, but that's a hell of a lot better than "go to pain level 9/10, go directly to pain level 9/10, do not pass go, do not collect $200" that it used to be. 20-30 minutes on the nustep machine or bike isn't exactly pro bodybuilding workout of the year, and I recognize that, and I'm okay with it.

Itty bitty baby steps to be sure, but hey, itty bitty baby steps will get you there eventually. c:

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

Every day for the last 5 or so years. I run every other day. I started off doing 2 miles on treadmill/eliptical. I do weights every day I'm not running, with a 12, 15, 20 minute run/walk after ward. I had a 20 pound weight vest that I used until it fell apart. last year I got a 40 pound weight vest that I use everyday with my workout. Now I walk 3 miles, 45 minutes at a 4 MPH pace with the 40 pound vest on.

Why? training for the pack test for wildland firefighting, or to be firefighter/police officer/EMT. Also want to get into martial arts.

I actually do all of my training at home. have a set of free weights and this book, Men's Health: Power Training. except lack of certain equipment means I do quite a bit of improvising. I used to not be able to do any push-ups. Now I can do almost 50 in a minute.

I've been meaning to buy a weight vest and some ankle and wrist weights for a while now, mostly for when I'm hiking or walking my dog. Is there any brand or style that you'd recommend?

My first vest was I think gold's gym. It was held in place by buckles in the chest and waist areas, and it lasted I think around 2 2 1/2 years or so. at the end I had electrical tape all over the place on the thing as the material was tearing. My current vest is "perfect weight vest" and it is 40 lbs. It uses velcro that straps to the front of the vest around the waist. I have had it around a year, and I have noticed the velcro is wearing out. When I do weights I somtimes can't get through a set without it coming undone.

How often would you use it? How fast would you be going? I think the reason my current one is wearing out is I use it when I do weights and I use it everyday, so I put it on and take it off at least once a day. When I do weights I take the vest off in the middle of my sets for about a 3-5 minute cooldown, so on weight days it is being put on and taken off twice. I think for what you are telling me you would use it for a vest like the one I currently use would work fine for you, and as for velcro or buckles, I say find whichever you find most comfortable and go with that. A few weeks ago I walked to the school track not far from my house with the vest on but without it strapped up, and it did start to get heavy on the shoulders. Have you used a weight vest before? From my experience it's heavy at first but if you use it consistently you get acclimated and now I don't even notice the extra weight really.

I would probably be using the weight vest probably once a day, maybe a little more or less. I plan on using it when I walk my dog, and when I go hiking. I walk my dog 3 times a day for about 40 minutes to an hour at a time, but I wouldn't use the vest in the morning, and I'd probably mostly use it on days when I don't do weight training. As far as how fast I'd be going, it would be a walking pace on hills, and I'd be stopping to do push ups every block or so. Once I get used to the weight I might try using the vest on running days, specifically the days when I do stair runs.

I have used a weight vest before, but not for extended periods of time. Back when I ran track in high school we used to use weight vests when practicing our starts off the blocks.

 

[Olas]

I've started exercising infrequently, which means roughly once a week for about an hour. I should be exercising more, but honestly even this is pretty good for me, and I don't want to push myself too hard and burn out like I'm prone to do.

 

[Johnny Impact]

My work is a stand-up job, which helps a lot. It's not strenuous but eleven hours of very low-intensity is still eleven hours walking around, doing things.

I run a couple times a week. I have a weight bar that I mess with occasionally.

It's hard for me to have an exercise schedule as my work fits in around everyone else's lives. I just say, "I'll do something the next day I work less than ten hours."

 

[Drake the Dragonheart]

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I think I vest like the one I currently use would be perfect for what you described. You have used weight vests before. How many lbs was it? If it has been a long time since you used one, I would start with a 20 lb vest and work your way up.

 

[Julius Terrell]

I don't classify what I do as exercise, but I'm a runner by trade. I've been running for nearly 20 years, and I'm constantly training to hopefully be able to run a marathon in 3 hours. It's no easy task for regular people, but I have a little talent. It's been about constantly pushing my full capacity with speed work and putting in higher mileage (60+/week).

Living in Southwest Florida makes that a real challenge with the really hot weather here.

I'll say that it is pretty funny to see the exercisers' faces when they see me busting out some 7 minute miles.

I'm also working on that sub 20 minute 5k. That is tough to do despite my talent for this sport.

People always ask me all the time if I'm just doing this for fitness, and I always say NO.

I'm about pushing myself to see just how fast and how far I can push myself.

My ultimate goal is to become an ultra runner who can run 50-100 miles. Running marathons is just a stepping stone for me. Marathons are all about speed for me. I find it quite exhilarating to run fast miles.