Competitions Health and fitness

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Get some mad pre workout potions!
I don’t do pre workout anymore! I got dependent on it specifically ABE all black everything. I still have caffeine but i don’t wanna spend my money on an $80 tub for 30 serves lol
 
Awesome work dc.

My story & stats are not too dissimilar and lockdown has somehow helped me lose weight. I began 2020 on 101 kgs (I'd been as high as 110 a few years earlier). Lost 14 kgs during 2020 and another 1-2kgs so far this year to leave me around 85/86kgs.

I run 8kms once a week at 5 minute splits, but that's more for the fitness side of things as much as the weight loss.

If anyone is after weight loss, I'd recommend 2 things:

(1) Eat as small a lunch as possible, whether that be fruit, 1 muesli bar or even just a handful of biccies with your coffee. It takes a little while to make your appetite adjust to this, but it is doable.

(2) Walk as much as possible. Spare time is obviously the tricky part here, but I find that this assists the weight loss more than anything and is something (if you have the time) can keep doing consistently. Pedometers (step counters) are handy here; I tend to average between 15,000-17,000 steps a day. That sounds a lot, but is basically the equivalent of walking 2.5-3 hours walking per day.

And the little things count. For example; when you take your next train trip, look at the people on the platform: 95% are standing still looking at their phones. Walk up and down the platform and if you're waiting 5 minutes, that's 500 steps. When you go out and get take-away dinner that usually takes 10 minutes after order = There's another 1,000 steps.

As for gym-work, I've tried but usually end up hurting my back or shoulder. That then adversely affects my other exercise, so I prefer my walking & running.

This is great advice re: getting in extra steps. I've been doing gym sessions up to the last lockdown due to the time efficiency (Bodyfit - which is expensive but smashes you well and good) however I try to spend heaps of time walking over the last year or so. It gets easier as we move into spring and summer and have more daylight hours. I started this later last year regularly and it has been really good, found myself bored watching TV as a habit in the evening and decided I'd rather walk for an hour or two and listen to podcasts or just chat to the family instead of wasting time on TV I'm not that interested in. The only drawbacks for me personally is that my dogs are getting too old to walk much more than a km or too and my son is only 11 so I tend to have to do the walks by myself every time which sucks a bit, it's nice to spend that valuable free time together where possible. Oh well.

I love running but it takes a bit of a toll that walking avoids and I do notice the difference.
 
Leading into our long lockdown last year I pinched a nerve in my neck due to not having the right desk setup working at home. It doesn't sound like much but it turned out to be possibly the most debilitating injury I've had. Pain through my neck, upper back, left shoulder, and every nerve fibre down my left arm to the fingertips felt like it was on fire. Didn't sleep for a month, sat on the couch chewing Nurofin and Panadeine Forte, and eating s**t. After the worst of the pain went away by about a month into the lockdown I was locked into some bad habits of eating too much and not exercising at all.

I ended up putting on about 7 or 8kg from a starting point that wasn't that flash to begin with. On my last birthday in September I maxed out at 132kg. I am 190cm with a pretty large frame so over the years it was easy just to put on 2 to 4kg per year without really noticing it and I could carry up to about 112 to 114kg without looking particularly overweight.

My last birthday was 49 and I decided I wanted to hit 50 in the best shape I had been in for 20 plus years. Since then I have lost 26kg primarily through a combination of intermittent fasting and walking at least six days per week. I have added a bit of other strength and rehab exercises over the past three months as well. I am on track to be under 100kg for my next birthday.
 

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Leading into our long lockdown last year I pinched a nerve in my neck due to not having the right desk setup working at home. It doesn't sound like much but it turned out to be possibly the most debilitating injury I've had. Pain through my neck, upper back, left shoulder, and every nerve fibre down my left arm to the fingertips felt like it was on fire. Didn't sleep for a month, sat on the couch chewing Nurofin and Panadeine Forte, and eating sh*t. After the worst of the pain went away by about a month into the lockdown I was locked into some bad habits of eating too much and not exercising at all.

I ended up putting on about 7 or 8kg from a starting point that wasn't that flash to begin with. On my last birthday in September I maxed out at 132kg. I am 190cm with a pretty large frame so over the years it was easy just to put on 2 to 4kg per year without really noticing it and I could carry up to about 112 to 114kg without looking particularly overweight.

My last birthday was 49 and I decided I wanted to hit 50 in the best shape I had been in for 20 plus years. Since then I have lost 26kg primarily through a combination of intermittent fasting and walking at least six days per week. I have added a bit of other strength and rehab exercises over the past three months as well. I am on track to be under 100kg for my next birthday.
Wow that’s amazing!! So many people underestimate how good walking is for the body!!
 
I've always run and cycled but never paid much attention to core strength. Two years I got hit by a car that mounted a footpath and managed to break my leg pretty badly. My physio through this is also a pilates instructor, so I started doing reformer and mat work pilates classes. I thought I was fit, but I clearly didn't realise how weak in some areas I was. I reckon I'm running and riding much better now as a result and it's done wonders for me mentally.
Can't recommend it highly enough.
 
Doing some keto at the moment. As a simple minded person it is easy to just exclude groups of food rather than think like an adult. Feel pretty alert and have one day 'off' a week.

In terms of movement, try and walk 3-4kms a day and do some core exercises for a sh1tty back. As others have said it's also a good opportunity to listen to music/podcasts.
 
Challenging conditioning session (for me at least after not running enough in lockdown lol)

run 400m in 2 minutes
After the 2 minutes, sprint for 30 seconds
Rest for 2 mins

repeat 3 times (adjust if too easy/hard)
 
Being couped up last lockdown inspired me to start BJJ. Been going for a few months now and loving it. Hardest physical excercise I've ever done though, by a mile.
 
Question for the runners/track & field

have you guys overcome calf soreness? Like I know the recovery protocols, but after my latest training sessions my calves have felt like hell. I think it might be my foot strike or just inconsistency in my running. It feels more worn out

lol now today I overstepped in the garage and got a bad cramp

anyone experience the same?
 
Question for the runners/track & field

have you guys overcome calf soreness? Like I know the recovery protocols, but after my latest training sessions my calves have felt like hell. I think it might be my foot strike or just inconsistency in my running. It feels more worn out

lol now today I overstepped in the garage and got a bad cramp

anyone experience the same?
Sounds like question for Themanbun
 

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Question for the runners/track & field

have you guys overcome calf soreness? Like I know the recovery protocols, but after my latest training sessions my calves have felt like hell. I think it might be my foot strike or just inconsistency in my running. It feels more worn out

lol now today I overstepped in the garage and got a bad cramp

anyone experience the same?
When I first started running I had sore calves and ended up talking to a podiatrist friend of mine who told me to get better shoes. Went to active feet and they had me run on a treadmill and found my feet needed better support. Ended up getting some asics and my problem went away. Good be something simple like that.
 
When I first started running I had sore calves and ended up talking to a podiatrist friend of mine who told me to get better shoes. Went to active feet and they had me run on a treadmill and found my feet needed better support. Ended up getting some asics and my problem went away. Good be something simple like that.
I currently own asics ://
 
Question for the runners/track & field

have you guys overcome calf soreness? Like I know the recovery protocols, but after my latest training sessions my calves have felt like hell. I think it might be my foot strike or just inconsistency in my running. It feels more worn out

lol now today I overstepped in the garage and got a bad cramp

anyone experience the same?
I did my calf in April and its still not 100%. My 11 year old hurt his not long after me and he is also still not 100%. He has only played 2 games of footy this year. They are very difficult injuries to overcome.
 
I did my calf in April and its still not 100%. My 11 year old hurt his not long after me and he is also still not 100%. He has only played 2 games of footy this year. They are very difficult injuries to overcome.
I’m sorry to hear
 
This is great advice re: getting in extra steps. I've been doing gym sessions up to the last lockdown due to the time efficiency (Bodyfit - which is expensive but smashes you well and good) however I try to spend heaps of time walking over the last year or so. It gets easier as we move into spring and summer and have more daylight hours. I started this later last year regularly and it has been really good, found myself bored watching TV as a habit in the evening and decided I'd rather walk for an hour or two and listen to podcasts or just chat to the family instead of wasting time on TV I'm not that interested in. The only drawbacks for me personally is that my dogs are getting too old to walk much more than a km or too and my son is only 11 so I tend to have to do the walks by myself every time which sucks a bit, it's nice to spend that valuable free time together where possible. Oh well.

I love running but it takes a bit of a toll that walking avoids and I do notice the difference.

I am in my late fifties - I was working out with Kettlebells which has been great. I was also doing a three or four K on the ergo every second day and I kept getting injured. I hate to say it but you really need to do low impact for cardio when you are an old fart - if you have a pretty rigorous weights regime walking can be a great fat burner
 
Lol. Its not the end of the world. Just letting you know that no matter your age they can be hard to overcome so be careful.
Yeah I’m trying to be safe! Have never had any injury history except for muscle imbalances causing knee soreness
 
Question for the runners/track & field

have you guys overcome calf soreness? Like I know the recovery protocols, but after my latest training sessions my calves have felt like hell. I think it might be my foot strike or just inconsistency in my running. It feels more worn out

lol now today I overstepped in the garage and got a bad cramp

anyone experience the same?
I'm not a physio but have been a recreational runner for .. a long time .. and have had a crapload of calf injuries. Most likely culprits are overtraining, bad shoes or inadequate recovery. You could look at increasing your magnesium intake if you have cramping problems often. Obviously if you have an actual strain, even a very low grade one, you need to rest it.

(Note - the following is my opinion / experience only. YMMV.) Firstly, foot strike only really comes in with relation to distance running, not middle distance or sprints. IMO the fascination with foot strike that some physios have is bullsh*t. I've had some have me do ridiculous exercises to try to strike further forward on my foot but I later read a great article that pointed out that where you strike is a result of your happens further up your kinetic chain. Heel striking, over striding and low cadence all come from anterior pelvic tilt. If you straighten your posture (think pulling the top of your hip bones up or lower pelvis forward) when you run (distance) you will find your strike moves forward, cadence increases and overstriding reduces. However I still got plenty of calf injuries after changing this. The best things I've done for my calves were getting the right kind of shoes and hitting the foam roller between sessions.
 
I'm not a physio but have been a recreational runner for .. a long time .. and have had a crapload of calf injuries. Most likely culprits are overtraining, bad shoes or inadequate recovery. You could look at increasing your magnesium intake if you have cramping problems often. Obviously if you have an actual strain, even a very low grade one, you need to rest it.

(Note - the following is my opinion / experience only. YMMV.) Firstly, foot strike only really comes in with relation to distance running, not middle distance or sprints. IMO the fascination with foot strike that some physios have is bullsh*t. I've had some have me do ridiculous exercises to try to strike further forward on my foot but I later read a great article that pointed out that where you strike is a result of your happens further up your kinetic chain. Heel striking, over striding and low cadence all come from anterior pelvic tilt. If you straighten your posture (think pulling the top of your hip bones up or lower pelvis forward) when you run (distance) you will find your strike moves forward, cadence increases and overstriding reduces. However I still got plenty of calf injuries after changing this. The best things I've done for my calves were getting the right kind of shoes and hitting the foam roller between sessions.
Great info, thanks.

Foot strike is kinda drilled into soccer/footy players heads through athletic development 😭
 
When I first started running I had sore calves and ended up talking to a podiatrist friend of mine who told me to get better shoes. Went to active feet and they had me run on a treadmill and found my feet needed better support. Ended up getting some asics and my problem went away. Good be something simple like that.
I went to Active Feet on my podiatrist's advice many moons ago. They got me running on a treadmill (in runners), said I over pronated when I landed and put me into various "support" shoes til there was no pronation at all. Worst shoes (for me) I have ever had. Was off running for nearly a year with repeat injuries until I realised what the culprit was. More recently I've been to the Running Company where they got me to run on a treadmill in bare feet. They said that I pronated a bit, which is natural, but was not unstable through the ankle and that I should be in neutral shoes. My calves have been much improved since. AFAIK Active Feet was started by a podiatrist (who you'd sometimes see at the Heathmont store) and their promo was that all staff have had podiatry training but in recent years I have not found the staff I've encountered in their stores very knowledgable.
 

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