Any fitness experts here?

Cpt_pineapple
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Any fitness experts here?

I have a gym membership and am trying to work out a routine. I was thinking weight toning three times a week on M-W-F and then cardio on T-Th.

 

Should I do all body parts on all three days, or two or three specific ones [for example lower body  on Mondays, upper body on Wensdays, midsection on Fridays]?

 

I was thinking 3 sets of 8 reps each at a low rate.  One exercise per body part [one for hamstrings, one for shoulder, one for abs etc...]

 

Yeah, I'm not that fit, so any advice here would be helpfull


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That is all pretty standard . . .

 That is all pretty standard. After about week 7-9 you should increase the sets to  about four. The hardest thing about getting the most out of a gym membership is actually using it. It helps if you and a good friend spend time working out. Although a lot of people do not do this. It is much better if you would do so. Fitness doesnt happen over night and it will be about three or four months before you see any results. Because most people end up getting discouraged without instant results, it makes it more difficult if you embark on this alone. A friend to work out with is a better way to ensure you can keep it up when the results arent always instantaneous. Dont go by all the informercial non-sense. If you can endure 'Hell-week', you probably dont need a gym membership to start with. Your cardio workout should be increased gradually with time as well, usually week sixteen, is the time the fitness trainers are pushing members. I know one of the fitness trainers was close to my father, and they can help you with any questions. Most gyms will answer any questions you have without having to pony up 60-120 bucks for individual training sessions. I would be more concerned with how you are psychologically, and if you enjoy working out. If it becomes a pain or a chore you usually will end up quitting within the first 3-4 months, that's one of the reasons it is so important to workout where you can have additional motivation. I hope that helps.


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 I tried crossfit with some

 

I tried crossfit with some co-workers and almost threw up.

 

 

 


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..FUCKING PANACEYA Mind state w/ Trainers.

FITNESS TRAINERS LIVE IN A FUCKING PANACEYA STATE OF MIND. Dont forget they have been in shape for years. They push people and continue to push because people get lazy and they need the push. You have to take it very slow. I am assuming you are not going to go nuts, but I dont know. It is a matter of patience, pushing yourself too hard early on is not doing yourself any favors in the long run. The smartest way to get assistance is to have help with someone going over your program, but starting off slow is really a must. Your body takes weeks to get used to the whole idea. Generally, I dont comment on trainers because I actually know some personally but they do tend to forget, you are not in the best shape. BETTER to find ways to enjoy working out and making that a part of your life, than the sixteen week plan. Hopefully some others will comment on this . . .


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If I

 

was starting out I'd go very light, higher reps, high sets. If you are not going heavy then you can do body parts more than once a week. I've done a full work out twice a day on very light weights recovering from a full bicep tear and again from an AC injury. Doing this I lost heaps of weight - I think I got down to 206 and I usually sit between 218 and 225.

When younger I used to do chest and tris one day, back and bis another then shoulders and abs, then a rest day, then around again. I always tried to do cardio every day and to push through a workout not stand around blabbing. Older, I do much less weight, only free weights and 15 reps in 4 sets, not counting warm-ups. I do a similar sort of split but given the lighter weights I could probably do them continuously or in whatever order I liked and it would not be an issue.

When you are lifting heavy you don't want to do shoulders one day and chest the next - it's too much. With lighter weights you can go for it - pay attention to pain. If muscles hurt it's usually fine. If it's tendons then it's RICE time.  What's best for you is going to be what you enjoy doing so much you keep doing it. Whatever exercise you like and are in a position to do should be your priority. For me it's self propulsion to work. I don't even think of it as a workout after ten years doing it but it's a 16k cycle round trip, with hills, daily. I run 4 or 8 kays after it knee permitting so as to look at the harbour and listen to some music. It's just a habit and an antidepressant for me and it works really well.

Start weights slowly so as to let your tendons get used to the work. There's loads of thoughtful stuff on the internet about this. I also read somewhere like SciAm that very high rep light lifting can build muscle and definition the same as heavy lifting - the key being to tear the muscles. A very long set turns into a drop set as you start failing - for me that's between 15 and 20 reps on medium weight concentrating on form. Resistance training definitely works in terms of gaining strength, enhancing tone and raising metabolism. My mum does weights twice a week - she's 83. 

 

 

 

"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck


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The form is key . .

 When lifting weights there is a wrong way (several) and a right way.

  The form is key  

Quote:
..  concentrating on form ..

   That is something that anyone should consider, if you enter most gyms most of the guys are not lighting correctly, and I noticed the women were getting some wild motions in as well.  The women I'd  worry less about due to the weight they're are using. The guys, especially if they are under the age of 25 run the risk of injury and very serious injury without knowing how to life weights. As was said, 'concentrating on form' ..the right form and methods reduce the risk of injury for both the males and the females.  It cannot be stressed enough even in light weights you do run a risk of injury. Modest weight is important to start off with, but male or female there is a way to lift. Unfortunately, You cannot look at the other person next to you and ape their movements. We witnessed the dying of a family own gym and daily ran into people making stupid lifts, having no idea that there is a wrong way to lift weights. I was constantly surprised and the lack of knowledge and lack of form (and technique) put on display daily. It was the standing joke during the Winter months, when we were just gabbing with the staffers . .


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Cpt_pineapple wrote:I have a

Cpt_pineapple wrote:

I have a gym membership and am trying to work out a routine. I was thinking weight toning three times a week on M-W-F and then cardio on T-Th.

 

Should I do all body parts on all three days, or two or three specific ones [for example lower body  on Mondays, upper body on Wensdays, midsection on Fridays]?

 

I was thinking 3 sets of 8 reps each at a low rate.  One exercise per body part [one for hamstrings, one for shoulder, one for abs etc...]

 

Yeah, I'm not that fit, so any advice here would be helpfull

 

That's great to start with.  What are your main goals?  

 

One tip I see with what you've shown is to go ahead and do cardio on workout days but do it after you lift weights when glycogen levels are low.  If you run after lifting your body will be forced to rely on fat as an energy source.  After you're all done both workouts, make sure to get at least 10 grams of protein.  If your goal is to build more muscle, make that 20-30 grams of protein.  You can/should also have a few grams of sugar in whatever you eat/drink after your workouts.  Fructose is much better than cane sugar.  Try a Larabar after a workout with a light protein drink.  

 

I've transformed my body over the last three years, and have taken my personal fitness to new heights.  I'm in the best shape of my life and have done tons of research along the way.  I'd be glad to help more.  Good luck, stick with it!

 


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For those curious, here is

For those curious, here is where I was and am now...

Was (about 3 years ago):

195 pounds

Max bench press 165 pounds

37 waist

9% body fat

 

NOW:

163 pounds

Max bench press: 230 pounds

32 waist

6% body fat

 

I've been maintaining this waist size and weight for a few months now.  I work out at the gym at least twice a week, sometimes up to 5 times per week depending on the routine.  I have used muscle confusion a few times to build mass.  For example one week I will lift the same muscle group each day with a lower weight and more reps, on the next week I will do the same routine but much heavier weight with lower reps.  Then another week later I will work all muscle groups on the same day.  Continued confusion has helped me overcome plateaus.

Things that don't change:

yoga for an hour at least twice a week

20-30 minutes of ab work 3-6 times per week

stretching 5-15 minutes per day every day!

 

www.bodybuilding.com is a great resource!

 

 

 

 


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Well, my goals are to get

Well, my goals are to get fit, not die when I'm 35, and be able to run a decent distance without panting frantically.

 

I'm not looking for strength, I'm more looking for toning. I don't need to "build muscle"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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Typeos the word is lift (typeos)

Apologies - I mistyped - I meant a lift - I didnt get a chance to edit once the Head man chimed in. Typeos are bad the word is L-i-f-t, sorry again for the typeos.


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 Then just do what you're

 Then just do what you're doing but take my advice on doing cardio after your workouts.  If you want to burn fat try high intensity interval training.  Even better if you can do your cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach.  Even better if you can wait two hours after empty stomach morning cardio to eat.

http://www.foxfitness.com/hiit/

Your cardio should leave you out of breath, skin hot, sweating excessively, and shirt dripping wet.  If you're not there, you're burning calories, but not really burning fat or strengthening your heart much.

 


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Atheistextremist posted something

Cpt_pineapple wrote:

Well, my goals are to get fit, not die when I'm 35, and be able to run a decent distance without panting frantically.

 

I'm not looking for strength, I'm more looking for toning. I don't need to "build muscle"

 


Atheistextremist post with higher reps, would tone but be too many to build muscle, you should check out what he said.


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Sapient wrote:For those

Sapient wrote:

For those curious, here is where I was and am now...

Was (about 3 years ago):

195 pounds

Max bench press 165 pounds

37 waist

9% body fat

 

         195 pounds at 9% body fat doesn't sound that bad to me, actually.

 

Sapient wrote:
NOW:

163 pounds

Max bench press: 230 pounds

32 waist

6% body fat

 

 

   Definite improvement in strength and additional body fat loss.   You weigh 163 pounds, how tall are you Brian ?  

I'm 6' and I haven't weighed that little since I was in my late twenties ( but I did look better at that weight, though. )


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ProzacDeathWish wrote:   

ProzacDeathWish wrote:

        195 pounds at 9% body fat doesn't sound that bad to me, actually.

Body fat tests tend to allow for a pot belly which I had.  Now I have a 6 pack.

 

 

Quote:
You weigh 163 pounds, how tall are you Brian ?  

I'm 6' and I haven't weighed that little since I was in my late twenties ( but I did look better at that weight, though. )

5'11'' I haven't weighed this little or worn this waste size since I was about 19.  I am in the best shape of my life, and when I was a freshman in college on an athletic scholarship I was in damn good shape.  

 

I'm actually trying to bulk up a little from here, I'd like to add another 15 pounds of muscle, with no gains around the waistline.

 


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Sapient wrote:5'11'' I

Sapient wrote:

5'11'' I haven't weighed this little or worn this waste size since I was about 19.  I am in the best shape of my life, and when I was a freshman in college on an athletic scholarship I was in damn good shape.  

 

I'm actually trying to bulk up a little from here, I'd like to add another 15 pounds of muscle, with no gains around the waistline.

 

You may or may not be able to. 

Ultimate Fitness: The Quest for Truth about Health and Exercise, Gina Kolata

Has a lot of references in the back.

The sad truth is, some people exercise and bulk up and gain strength, some gain strength without bulking up, some bulk without strength, and some do not bulk up or gain strength.  I don't remember the exact population percentages, but they are in the book.

As an example, my husband once tried to bulk up, gained strength, got in great shape, and even with the help of a trainer, (deliberately working to the point of straining muscle) never did bulk up.  I, on the other hand, bulk up just doing so-called "slimming" exercises, and I gain strength.  My mother, brother, sister, and one of my sons are of the never gain strength or bulk and they have to work hard just so they can tone up a little.

So your body will do what it does and don't get freaked about it.  Anymore, all I can do is swim.  So I do when I can.  My routine is 3-5 times a week, in the water, pick a speed I can swim for at least 30 minutes straight - no stopping at the end of the lap - and keep moving.  I don't sweat noticeably, water or no, so that is no indicator for me.  I try to go for more speed each session, and if the joints are good that day, I'll vary the stroke as well.

Maybe I can get to some weight training if I can get the muscles strong enough to support the joints.

 

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.


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i personally always just did

i personally always just did what feels good, after only about 45 minutes of advice from my college strength trainer.  i love lifting weights, but i haven't in years.  still, all the bricklaying i did building my house and then just maintaining it and making additions to it over the years has kept my muscle mass up, though it hasn't stopped me from getting a beer belly.  what can i say?  i just can't live without beer, especially over here in europe.

i hate cardio because it bores me to death.  i forced myself to do 20 minutes on the elliptical as a warm-up and 20 minutes as a cool-down every workout but now that i haven't done cardio in years i've definitely suffered because of it.  still, just doing weights can help you lose weight, but if you want more endurance in running or walking, cardio is a must.  i used to do my abs every workout too, mostly crunches and sit-ups.  that kept my belly down, but i never had a six-pack because i never wanted one bad enough to put the effort into it.

i tended to always stay in the chest, shoulders, and arms area.  i never did vary my workout a lot.  maybe one workout i would do bench and the next concentrate on bicep and tricep curls, but that's pretty much it.  my legs have always been naturally toned and strong, so i never worked them out much.  i vastly prefer dumbbells to the bar, even on the bench, and i almost never touch machines.  i hate machines.  usually i kept the bench on about a 30-45 degree incline.  i only ever really used a flat bench and a bar when i was with my friends and we were all egging each other on, but i've always had better results with dumbbells on an incline.  also i usually preferred heavier weights with fewer reps.  every now and then i would use lighter weights to try to get a bit of definition, but just like with my abs, i never cared about show muscles enough to deal with the tedium of light weights.  i always found heavy weights as much of a mental challenge as a physical one.

and i listened to a lot of rolling stones.  sticky fingers, in particular.  nothing will make you feel pissed off enough to blast through that last desperate extra rep like "sway."

"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson


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iwbiek wrote: i hate cardio

iwbiek wrote:

 

i hate cardio because it bores me to death.  i forced myself to do 20 minutes on the elliptical as a warm-up and 20 minutes as a cool-down every workout but now that i haven't done cardio in years i've definitely suffered because of it.  still, just doing weights can help you lose weight, but if you want more endurance in running or walking, cardio is a must.  i used to do my abs every workout too, mostly crunches and sit-ups.  that kept my belly down, but i never had a six-pack because i never wanted one bad enough to put the effort into it.

 I never liked jogging but i used to do it from time to time for general conditioning.  I only weighed around 160'ish at the time ( my early 20's ) and at 6' tall it really wasn't a burden on my body like it would be now ( I'm 53 and 205 )

 

 

iwbiek wrote:
i tended to always stay in the chest, shoulders, and arms area.  i never did vary my workout a lot.  maybe one workout i would do bench and the next concentrate on bicep and tricep curls, but that's pretty much it.  my legs have always been naturally toned and strong, so i never worked them out much.  i vastly prefer dumbbells to the bar, even on the bench, and i almost never touch machines.  i hate machines.  usually i kept the bench on about a 30-45 degree incline.  i only ever really used a flat bench and a bar when i was with my friends and we were all egging each other on, but i've always had better results with dumbbells on an incline.  also i usually preferred heavier weights with fewer reps.  every now and then i would use lighter weights to try to get a bit of definition, but just like with my abs, i never cared about show muscles enough to deal with the tedium of light weights.  i always found heavy weights as much of a mental challenge as a physical one.

 

 

  Since my early thirties I worked at a college where I always had access to a weight room.  It was an awesome fringe benefit.   I would usually strike up a friendship with a male co-worker and we would take advantage of our 1 hour lunch break and hit the weights.  

Back then I was strictly concerned about strength so we only lifted heavy.  After a few months of serious training ( I weighed about 220 ) and protein supplements I could bench press 275lbs three times and my best ever one rep max was 300lbs all on free weights.  I felt pretty good about myself because I was age 40 at the time and well past my athletic prime.

 I haven't worked out in five years and at my current age physical decline is accelerated.  Sucks to grow old.


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Sapient wrote: I've

Sapient wrote:

 

I've transformed my body over the last three years, and have taken my personal fitness to new heights.  I'm in the best shape of my life and have done tons of research along the way.  I'd be glad to help more.  Good luck, stick with it!

 

Quick question.

Is it possible to do work-outs and get a benefit without any equipment or going to a gym ? (Like sit-ups, push-ups, running and such?)

Granted, I don't have the nickname "skinny" for nothing and am a lot stronger than I look. ( I am 5'9 and weigh 150).

But wouldn't mind working on muscletone and trimming up a bit.

I am not expecting any sort of "sculpted" look, but for someone like me that can't afford a gym or equipment and has little or no spare time, what's a good recommendation ?

I'm glad this topic came up for some reason. Ironically enough, the other day I tried myself on push-ups on a whim. Five years ago, I could 80 push-ups with little to no effort and could do several chin-ups easily. (Won quite a number of bar bets on push-ups. Fellow bikers would say that there was no weight to push-up anyway Smiling  )

When I tried it the other day, I was appalled at how tired I was on my twentieth push-up.

EDIT : I also wouldn't mind getting some type of cardio-workout reccomendations that burn calories and fat, either. When I used to work in roofing, I could sail up those ladders with giant bundles of shingles and laugh at the bigger guys that were having trouble keeping up. When I was running across the backyard the other day, to get out of the rain, I was out of breath and tired. Of course, cigarettes probably aren't helping, which is one reason I am trying to quit.

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno


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harleysportster

harleysportster wrote:

Sapient wrote:

 

I've transformed my body over the last three years, and have taken my personal fitness to new heights.  I'm in the best shape of my life and have done tons of research along the way.  I'd be glad to help more.  Good luck, stick with it!

 

Quick question.

Is it possible to do work-outs and get a benefit without any equipment or going to a gym ? (Like sit-ups, push-ups, running and such?)

Granted, I don't have the nickname "skinny" for nothing and am a lot stronger than I look. ( I am 5'9 and weigh 150).

But wouldn't mind working on muscletone and trimming up a bit.

I am not expecting any sort of "sculpted" look, but for someone like me that can't afford a gym or equipment and has little or no spare time, what's a good recommendation ?

I'm glad this topic came up for some reason. Ironically enough, the other day I tried myself on push-ups on a whim. Five years ago, I could 80 push-ups with little to no effort and could do several chin-ups easily. (Won quite a number of bar bets on push-ups. Fellow bikers would say that there was no weight to push-up anyway Smiling  )

When I tried it the other day, I was appalled at how tired I was on my twentieth push-up.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw20.htm

Milk jugs filled with water/sand/concrete work just fine as free weights. With an exercise ball available for around $20 at Walmart you can have a decent weight lifting routine that is very cheap and easily done anywhere. It isn't going to make you Mr. Universe, but will keep your muscles in above average shape.   

If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X


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ProzacDeathWish wrote: I

ProzacDeathWish wrote:

 I never liked jogging but i used to do it from time to time for general conditioning.  I only weighed around 160'ish at the time ( my early 20's ) and at 6' tall it really wasn't a burden on my body like it would be now ( I'm 53 and 205 )

 

cardio is also hard for me because of my feet.  i've always had fallen arches, which is why i opted for the bike or the elliptical rather than the treadmill.  anything with impact is murder for me.  i'm 30 now and right around the time i hit 26 my feet really turned on me.  in the past year or so i've developed a heel spur in my left foot and it takes away all my motivation for anything other than a leisurely stroll on level pavement.  it's kind of a vicious cycle too, because that lack of motivation caused me to gain about 30 pounds (i'm 5'11" and right around 205) which of course then only aggravated my feet.  i've held to the same weight for about 5 years now, so at least i'm not gaining, but without the desire for cardio i probably won't lose significantly.  i've actually come to terms with that, as otherwise i'm healthy as a horse.  i have excellent blood results.

"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson


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iwbiek wrote:cardio is also

iwbiek wrote:

cardio is also hard for me because of my feet.  i've always had fallen arches, which is why i opted for the bike or the elliptical rather than the treadmill. anything with impact is murder for me.

 

Yeah, any psychical condition that causes undue pain is certainly a bad sign.  My feet are fine ( for now ) but I've got serious arthritis in my knees so I am limited by that. Sucks.

 

iwbiek wrote:
i'm 30 now and right around the time i hit 26 my feet really turned on me.

 

   I wonder what caused your feet to alter at such a young age ?

 

 

iwbiek wrote:
in the past year or so i've developed a heel spur in my left foot and it takes away all my motivation for anything other than a leisurely stroll on level pavement.  it's kind of a vicious cycle too, because that lack of motivation caused me to gain about 30 pounds (i'm 5'11" and right around 205) which of course then only aggravated my feet.  i've held to the same weight for about 5 years now, so at least i'm not gaining, but without the desire for cardio i probably won't lose significantly.  i've actually come to terms with that, as otherwise i'm healthy as a horse.  i have excellent blood results.

 

  If you do find the motivation for cardio the elliptical is probably the safest approach for your feet as you're going to find.  As far as your body weight and your health are concerned you don't sound too far gone to me ( without actually seeing you ) and if your blood work is good then that is something that certainly works to your favor.


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ProzacDeathWish wrote: I

ProzacDeathWish wrote:

 

I wonder what caused your feet to alter at such a young age ?

 

i started teaching at a crackpot language school with a "modern method" that meant i constantly had to be on my feet, and with flat feet that's a recipe for disaster.  in a year and a half my feet spread, all my shoes became too narrow, and i frequently came home limping.  so i got out of there.  at least they paid me well.

"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson


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iwbiek wrote:i started

iwbiek wrote:

i started teaching at a crackpot language school with a "modern method" that meant i constantly had to be on my feet, and with flat feet that's a recipe for disaster.  in a year and a half my feet spread, all my shoes became too narrow, and i frequently came home limping.  so i got out of there.  at least they paid me well.

Speaking of which, my right boot wears out on one side a lot faster than my left. (My girlfriend never encounters the problems that I do, her shoes wear out, but from old age).  

I recently got a new pair, and for the first time, I stood on one of those machines that looks at pressure and angles while fitting and it seems that I put an uneven amount of pressure on my right foot when standing or walking.

I asked the shoe-salesman what the deal was, and he simply shrugged and stated that was the way that I walked and stood and there was nothing I could really do about it.

My right foot has a tendency to hurt like hell at the end of the day, but there is nothing unusual about the way that I walk ( or at least, no one has ever remarked on it).

 

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno


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Speaking as an expert.

harleysportster wrote:

iwbiek wrote:

i started teaching at a crackpot language school with a "modern method" that meant i constantly had to be on my feet, and with flat feet that's a recipe for disaster.  in a year and a half my feet spread, all my shoes became too narrow, and i frequently came home limping.  so i got out of there.  at least they paid me well.

Speaking of which, my right boot wears out on one side a lot faster than my left. (My girlfriend never encounters the problems that I do, her shoes wear out, but from old age).  

I recently got a new pair, and for the first time, I stood on one of those machines that looks at pressure and angles while fitting and it seems that I put an uneven amount of pressure on my right foot when standing or walking.

I asked the shoe-salesman what the deal was, and he simply shrugged and stated that was the way that I walked and stood and there was nothing I could really do about it.

My right foot has a tendency to hurt like hell at the end of the day, but there is nothing unusual about the way that I walk ( or at least, no one has ever remarked on it).

 

 

 

                        This problem is very common and comes from the simple fact that you are right handed [and right footed] your weight and work motions are always to your right, since you were born. I take it you are not active with sports and you do not dance the night away ( danceing & sports activity require a more BALANCED work motion).

 

 

                        Two things to do; see a chiroprator about adjusting your lower spine to a center position;   the way you describe the pain in your foot [daily] there is no way your spine is centered.   Your left leg is likely a half inch "shorter" then your right,  not realy but the twist in your spine has "jacked" it UP a half inch.  Ergo your right leg is doing all the work and lefty is just hanging around with little to do.  The second thing to do is DO MORE work motions with you LEFT side, you'll never write nor eat with the left but everything else can be done easily enough, drink, flip switches,  turn knobs and pages, etc... stand at a work bench in such a way  that you HAVE to use the left more often.   Otherwise take ballet classes, just don't post the video's please.

 

 

                       This advice is solid for any rightys out there who have regular pains on the feet and shoulders and hips;  Your using the right side too much, your bodies need Balance.  Leftys and cross handers don't have this problem, since the mechanical world is made for right hands leftys and cross hands HAVE to use their other side more  often anyways.

 

 

 

"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."

VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"

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Jeffrick

Jeffrick wrote:

                       This advice is solid for any rightys out there who have regular pains on the feet and shoulders and hips;  Your using the right side too much, your bodies need Balance.  Leftys and cross handers don't have this problem, since the mechanical world is made for right hands leftys and cross hands HAVE to use their other side more  often anyways.

 

Not necessarily.  Being darn near obligate lefty - I do very very few things with my right - you can navigate the world being left hand dominant using your right hand almost never.  (Try threading a screw with your left hand - I was in my thirties before I finally could consistently get it on correctly the first time.)  My issue is my left shoulder blade - it has a tendency to be over developed compared to the right and so I hunch towards the right.  Swimming works for me as I usually do a sidestroke and I am careful to always face the same direction up and back which forces the shoulders to stretch on alternate laps.

 

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

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harleysportster wrote:My

harleysportster wrote:

My right foot has a tendency to hurt like hell at the end of the day, but there is nothing unusual about the way that I walk ( or at least, no one has ever remarked on it).

 

  Did you have this problem with your right foot before you started riding motorcycles ?


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cj wrote:

Jeffrick wrote:

                       This advice is solid for any rightys out there who have regular pains on the feet and shoulders and hips;  Your using the right side too much, your bodies need Balance.  Leftys and cross handers don't have this problem, since the mechanical world is made for right hands leftys and cross hands HAVE to use their other side more  often anyways.

 

Not necessarily.  Being darn near obligate lefty - I do very very few things with my right - you can navigate the world being left hand dominant using your right hand almost never.  (Try threading a screw with your left hand - I was in my thirties before I finally could consistently get it on correctly the first time.)  My issue is my left shoulder blade - it has a tendency to be over developed compared to the right and so I hunch towards the right.  Swimming works for me as I usually do a sidestroke and I am careful to always face the same direction up and back which forces the shoulders to stretch on alternate laps.

 

 

 

                    You show the symptons of being cross handed,  screw threads are made RIGHT handed, it becomes an adventure for leftys and cross handers; they are made for right handed use.  The over developed Left shoulder is because you mostly use the left arm, for 60+ years. It would have to be more developed then the right.

 

 

                     btw  a cross handed person IS   a natural lefty who was trained {since birth} to be right handed.  It doesn't change their nature, half the people born are natural lefty's, for the same reason that half the people born are female and the other half are normal (thats going to get me hung). This creates a few special problems for cross handed people;  they think they are righty's: ask any baseball player who throws right but bats left, or switch hitters who have a higher batting average from the left vs. their right [nearly all of them] They were trained to be rightys but every natural instinct in their bodies says "LEFT"!! Natural rightys are rarely switch hitters.  Feilding they make spectacular catches, {their natural hand} then make so-so throws {the trained hand} watch a cross handed infeilder throw,  they have to leave their feet, in fact jump backwards a few inches even for a simple toss, the reason is simple their bodies center and react to their nature [left] then has to resdjust the other way for the actual throw.

 

 

                     In football cross handers thrive, has long has they are not QBs, their easy cross over left to right  right to left leaves them well balanced in any movement at any position, except QBs.  A cross handed QB would be throwing with his right hand BUT aiming through his LEFT eye,  absolutly NO accuracy. Basketball players have the same problem, cross handers are great on defense and rebounds but lousy on free throws and set shots.

 

 

                      In a factory situation or any blue coller work if they use tools , a cross hander will have more injuries then any lefty or righty, you can count all the scars on their left hands and forearms to verify this,  ask Brian Sapient I bet he has a vast collection of cuts and bruises on his left side,  far more then his right and left handed co-workers,  Kelly is also cross handed but her dance training keeps her balanced and safer.

 

 

 

"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."

VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"

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Jeffrick wrote:

                    You show the symptons of being cross handed,  screw threads are made RIGHT handed, it becomes an adventure for leftys and cross handers; they are made for right handed use.  The over developed Left shoulder is because you mostly use the left arm, for 60+ years. It would have to be more developed then the right.

 

                     btw  a cross handed person IS   a natural lefty who was trained {since birth} to be right handed.  It doesn't change their nature, half the people born are natural lefty's, for the same reason that half the people born are female and the other half are normal (thats going to get me hung). This creates a few special problems for cross handed people;  they think they are righty's: ask any baseball player who throws right but bats left, or switch hitters who have a higher batting average from the left vs. their right [nearly all of them] They were trained to be rightys but every natural instinct in their bodies says "LEFT"!! Natural rightys are rarely switch hitters.  Feilding they make spectacular catches, {their natural hand} then make so-so throws {the trained hand} watch a cross handed infeilder throw,  they have to leave their feet, in fact jump backwards a few inches even for a simple toss, the reason is simple their bodies center and react to their nature [left] then has to resdjust the other way for the actual throw.

 

I am not trained to be right handed - I am talking about putting on a right threaded screw.  It doesn't matter which hand I try to use, I always try to turn the screw the wrong - left - direction.  Even after all these years I still have to stop and think about which way a screw is supposed to turn in order to tighten it.

I am truly serious, I almost never use my right hand for anything.  And I totally suck at sports that require hand/eye coordination since I don't have any hand/eye coordination - left, right, or crosswise.

My dad was ambidextrous - what I think you mean when you say cross handed.  He was forced to use his right hand in the third grade.  And it didn't mess him up - like some people - instead, he could write with either hand and could perform any task with either hand.  It was great for me - no one else in my family is left handed, so I could always go to dad and he could show me how to tie my shoes, use a knife and fork, cut with scissors, and so on.  And he could explain what the difference was, why a pair of regular scissors are difficult to use left-handed and how to manipulate them so you could use them left-handed.  Left handed utensils were not available in my small town, so I had to adapt to the right handed utensils that permeate our culture.  But I always use them with my left hand.

What was a real trial was trying to do crafts.  Knitting is okay to learn from a righty because you use both hands as I was taught.  Crocheting - I had to hold pictures up to a mirror to figure it out.  And my thread always tangles because I am going against the yarn twist.  I totally gave up on tatting.  Most fancy embroidery, cross stitch, bargello, etc, I can look at pictures and figure out, though the thread twists because I am pulling it against the twist spun into the thread.  Using a brush is fine as paint brushes are not handed. 

My favorite knife in the kitchen is a $2.99 Chinese knife I picked up years ago.  It is as cheaply made as you can imagine, the blade rusts if it is humid, and the bamboo handle is very, very loose.  It does take a nice sharp edge.  (Something I have never been able to figure out is how to sharpen my own knives - thank goodness for right handed husbands.)  It is the only knife I have ever found I can use comfortably.  I haven't been able to afford a left handed knife, they are some pricey.

There was a store on Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco that had nothing but left handed stuff.  It was fun to play tourist but the prices -- whoa.

And I am not sure I buy that 50% are left-handed, though I believe the usual 10% number is underestimated.  The 50% number is certainly not true in my own family.

 

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.


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ProzacDeathWish wrote:  Did

ProzacDeathWish wrote:

  Did you have this problem with your right foot before you started riding motorcycles ?

Yes. I have pretty much had this problem most of my life.

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno


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harleysportster wrote:

ProzacDeathWish wrote:

  Did you have this problem with your right foot before you started riding motorcycles ?

Yes. I have pretty much had this problem most of my life.

 

 

 

                     See post #23.

"Very funny Scotty; now beam down our clothes."

VEGETARIAN: Ancient Hindu word for "lousy hunter"

If man was formed from dirt, why is there still dirt?


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Jeffrick

Jeffrick wrote:

 

 

                        This problem is very common and comes from the simple fact that you are right handed [and right footed] your weight and work motions are always to your right, since you were born. I take it you are not active with sports and you do not dance the night away ( danceing & sports activity require a more BALANCED work motion). 

You pretty much hit the nail on the head there.

 

 

Jeffrick wrote:

                        Two things to do; see a chiroprator about adjusting your lower spine to a center position;   the way you describe the pain in your foot [daily] there is no way your spine is centered.   Your left leg is likely a half inch "shorter" then your right,  not realy but the twist in your spine has "jacked" it UP a half inch.  Ergo your right leg is doing all the work and lefty is just hanging around with little to do.  The second thing to do is DO MORE work motions with you LEFT side, you'll never write nor eat with the left but everything else can be done easily enough, drink, flip switches,  turn knobs and pages, etc... stand at a work bench in such a way  that you HAVE to use the left more often.   Otherwise take ballet classes, just don't post the video's please.

I think a doctor told me that my left leg was slightly shorter in the past. Again, like I have said before, there is nothing noticeable in the way that I walk, but I am right handed and everything I do involves my right hand. The only time that I ever use my left hand is when I am typing.  So, I think you nailed it.

I really can't see myself taking ballet ! Smiling  But, I have a feeling that everyone I know would find them hilarious and youtube would have a field day with that one. Guy with long black hair, beard, tattoos covering both of his arms, scar across his left cheek, ear rings, and stud in his nose, dressed in one of those pink outfits and standing on my toes. That would be something that I would do everyone a favor and not allow to see on video. I think the former suggestions (chiropractor, more work motions to the left) might be more applicable here.

 

 

                    

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno


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harleysportster wrote:I

harleysportster wrote:

I really can't see myself taking ballet ! Smiling  But, I have a feeling that everyone I know would find them hilarious and youtube would have a field day with that one. Guy with long black hair, beard, tattoos covering both of his arms, scar across his left cheek, ear rings, and stud in his nose, dressed in one of those pink outfits and standing on my toes. That would be something that I would do everyone a favor and not allow to see on video. I think the former suggestions (chiropractor, more work motions to the left) might be more applicable here.          

Aw, man!  I was really so looking forward to it!

 

Perhaps more seriously, I think the idea was that dance exercises are designed to balance your body right and left so you can move in any direction without falling on your face.  I did a little modern dance when much younger and we were taught traditional ballet exercises for balance and core strength.  And I always believed men never ever do toe the way the women do.  Maybe you have never seen or paid attention to any male ballet dancers - it is hard work and they have amazing strength.

 

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.


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cj wrote:so looking forward

cj wrote:

so looking forward to it!

LOL.

cj wrote:

 

Perhaps more seriously, I think the idea was that dance exercises are designed to balance your body right and left so you can move in any direction without falling on your face.  I did a little modern dance when much younger and we were taught traditional ballet exercises for balance and core strength.  And I always believed men never ever do toe the way the women do.  Maybe you have never seen or paid attention to any male ballet dancers - it is hard work and they have amazing strength.

 

I saw a performance one time on a date. I had a friend who was playing the piano for some local group and your right. Any guy that can lift a girl up with one arm in a dance move and make it look like he is simply gliding along in a carefree dance would have to possess some major strength.

Ballet would probably be an excellent way for someone to get into shape. But, I just can't see myself doing it ! Smiling

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
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harleysportster wrote:Ballet

harleysportster wrote:

Ballet would probably be an excellent way for someone to get into shape. But, I just can't see myself doing it ! Smiling

 

All those mirrors.........

 

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.


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cj wrote:harleysportster

cj wrote:

harleysportster wrote:

Ballet would probably be an excellent way for someone to get into shape. But, I just can't see myself doing it ! Smiling

 

All those mirrors.........

 

I'd either be laughing the whole time or so red in the face with embarassment that it would be impossible to continue. Probably the latter.

Funny story. A much older biker friend of mine ( he was part of the whole 60's counterculture thing) has been married to this woman for years and she  was a huge flowerchild back in the day. Well, she still subscribes to a whole lot of those old hippie ideas and recently talked him into participating in one of those new-agey self-help things. He went along with her (more to please her than anything else) and came back with a funny story for us.

One of the things that they were supposed to do for self-esteem was look in the mirror naked in the morning and say to the mirror " You are a strong, beautiful person and I love you."

To which he said: "I had to try it one morning and just broke out laughing my ass off. Old guy, pot-belly, scars and tats, wrinkles, old greybeard and hair and I am looking in the mirror and supposed to say THAT. What kind of dumbass bullshit is that ?"

It was one of those things that you had to be there and hear him tell the story to convey how comedic it was, but he had everyone in the room dying laughing.

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno


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harleysportster wrote:cj

harleysportster wrote:

cj wrote:

harleysportster wrote:

Ballet would probably be an excellent way for someone to get into shape. But, I just can't see myself doing it ! Smiling

 

All those mirrors.........

 

I'd either be laughing the whole time or so red in the face with embarassment that it would be impossible to continue. Probably the latter.

Funny story. A much older biker friend of mine ( he was part of the whole 60's counterculture thing) has been married to this woman for years and she  was a huge flowerchild back in the day. Well, she still subscribes to a whole lot of those old hippie ideas and recently talked him into participating in one of those new-agey self-help things. He went along with her (more to please her than anything else) and came back with a funny story for us.

One of the things that they were supposed to do for self-esteem was look in the mirror naked in the morning and say to the mirror " You are a strong, beautiful person and I love you."

To which he said: "I had to try it one morning and just broke out laughing my ass off. Old guy, pot-belly, scars and tats, wrinkles, old greybeard and hair and I am looking in the mirror and supposed to say THAT. What kind of dumbass bullshit is that ?"

It was one of those things that you had to be there and hear him tell the story to convey how comedic it was, but he had everyone in the room dying laughing.

 

Yeah, that new-agey stuff is total bull.  And I would never be able to say anything like that to myself for much the same reasons.  Wrinkles, check.  Pot-belly and droopy and sagging everything else, check.  Gray hairs, check.  Scars, check.  And what's with the strawberry moles all over hell's half acre?  At least I'm not going bald.

 

 

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.


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@OP: Depends on intensity.

@OP: Depends on intensity. If you're pushing it hard enough to have sore muscle groups, then you don't want to do whole body stuff x3 a week, at least until you've been working at it for a few months. If your body can't recover between workouts you'll just wear yourself out.

 

But if general fitness is your goal, do x3 whole body weight routines a week at moderate intensity (hard enough to feel it, not hard enough to be sore the next day) and focus on cardio. Personally, I like doing 2x per week of 30-40 min light intensity (miserable, but ten minutes after you feel good) cardio, then 2x per week of high intensity stuff for about 20 minutes (like, you want to die).

 

My only problem is I get burned out on it. If you can't manage anything else, just get 30 minutes of some kind of cardio 3x per week (even if it's a fast walk) and one full body weight routine (even if it's just 20 minutes of body weight squats and some knee pushups in the bedroom in the early evening).

 

Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.


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cj wrote:Yeah, that new-agey

cj wrote:

Yeah, that new-agey stuff is total bull.  And I would never be able to say anything like that to myself for much the same reasons.  Wrinkles, check.  Pot-belly and droopy and sagging everything else, check.  Gray hairs, check.  Scars, check.  And what's with the strawberry moles all over hell's half acre?  At least I'm not going bald.

 

 

Now that was funny ! I almost looked for a "like" button to click. I have been on Facebook too much.

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno


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harleysportster wrote:cj

harleysportster wrote:

cj wrote:

Yeah, that new-agey stuff is total bull.  And I would never be able to say anything like that to myself for much the same reasons.  Wrinkles, check.  Pot-belly and droopy and sagging everything else, check.  Gray hairs, check.  Scars, check.  And what's with the strawberry moles all over hell's half acre?  At least I'm not going bald.

 

 

Now that was funny ! I almost looked for a "like" button to click. I have been on Facebook too much.

 

Just to post it one more time - and here is her page on facebook - https://www.facebook.com/maxine?ref=ts

 

-- I feel so much better since I stopped trying to believe.

"We are entitled to our own opinions. We're not entitled to our own facts"- Al Franken

"If death isn't sweet oblivion, I will be severely disappointed" - Ruth M.