Exercise enthusiasts and wannabees only !!!

[Chris Fitzgerald]

Also, @Jason Hollar I'd like to put in a good word for the trusty air fryer. "Air Fryer" is a misnomer because it's really just a small condensed convection oven. But if you like savory stuff you can can get small servings of veggies and meat that get browned with just olive oil and whatever seasonings you want to use. It cooks quick and I find it satisfies my cravings for the fried-ish food vibe without having to actually fry anything. I use it most days I cook for veggies, even if I am cooking something else in the oven/stove at the same time.

It does a great job on things like green beans, new potatoes, Brussels sprouts, sweet potato croutons or fries, butternut squash, zucchini slices, etc., and once you find the range you learn that not much oil is required. For higher temperatures you can replace the olive oil with avocado oil, which has a higher flash point, and still get a great healthy effect.

 

[FilterFunk]

This is nice and compact — the daily fifty. Should serve​

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This is good, but there should be a way to add a pulling exercise for biceps and back.

 

[pcake]

I haven't worked out in about 3 years. How do I lose my gut?

eat less calories or burn more doing something like walking, running, biking (indoors or out). or if you build more muscle, more of your body comp will be muscle, which can - but doesn't always - affect the fat around our waists. but the simplest way - eat less calories. i've lost 100 pounds, and while i still have some gut, my waist is down from 46 to 36, which is quite a difference.

This is good, but there should be a way to add a pulling exercise for biceps and back.

get a pair of adjustable dumbbells. they can be fairly inexpensive and reasonably small.

the more convenient but fragile versions (i never drop or throw my weights, so these work fine)
https://www.amazon.com/Yes4All-High-tech-Adjustable-Dumbbells-25lb/dp/B09DPL7RMC/715194474
there are more expensive versions like powerblocks, which are awesome, or snodes, which are too rich for me.

or there's the cheaper, sturdier versions like star lock dumbbells that you can buy additional standard weights for when you're ready to upgrade. you can buy just the handles and buy standard 1" weights
https://www.amazon.com/Yes4All-1-inch-Dumbbell-Handles-Collars/dp/B01NAU25M5/
or get a set like
Robot or human?
or
https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-Adjustable-Barbell-Dumbells/dp/B071WSFSGC/

or use resistance bands. some sets have bands that start at 5 pounds or less but also have bands that go up to 50 pounds or higher. and they're small and light. my favorites are bodylastics (here's their least expensive set https://www.amazon.com/Bodylastics-Stackable-Resistance-Anti-Snap-Components/dp/B006NZZH18/ ), but there are other, cheaper brands, too, although i wasn't as happy with the ones i tried. my bodylastics are still flexible after a decade.

 

[MJ5150]

PowerBlock dumbbells, a Bala Beam, and a set of Rogue bands do the trick for our home workouts.

-Mike

 

[FilterFunk]

PowerBlock dumbbells, a Bala Beam, and a set of Rogue bands do the trick for our home workouts.

-Mike

This and our own body weight is all we really need.

 

[MJ5150]

This and our own body weight is all we really need.

At this point in the lives of the wife and I, yes sir.
We'll put a few hundred miles in hiking and walking as well during the year that'll help to maintain the fitness level we are comfortable with.
It is kind of fun though to get in a gym now and then to fire up the squat rack and pound out a few sets.

-Mike

 

[pie_man_25]

I've been starting a basic kettlebell routine. Cardio has always been a strong suit, even without training. I got drunk off some homemade wine a couple years back and still hit 45 minutes for a 6ish mile run the next day. Weights are very much a thing I want to improve on, but never stuck with.

I'll also be spending a few minutes tomorrow to teach one of my people about how to lead a cool-down in group settings. They did an okay job earlier this week, and with guidance they'll do a great one.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Weights are very much a thing I want to improve on, but never stuck with.

Same here. I'll do a 6 month intensive over winter but that doesn't get you very far in the world of serious weight training.

The longest I've done is 14 months consistently. Quick results in 4 months, plateau over summer (too much cardio), then some sizeable strength gains & composition changes (but not size increases) during the next winter, then quit when I hit another plateau.

20 years later I learned a LOT more about nutrition for weight lifting and got some excellent gains in leg size & strength. (Shoulders were bad so did little training for upper body). This MASSIVELY helped my snowboarding & cycling.

You get the best overall gains by strategically targeting your relatively weaker areas in your body. My hammies & abs need the most work & give me the greatest gains long term. Don't be too proud to work on your weaknesses in the gym - it's worth it.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Winter in Australia now. Time to do saunas again at the gym.

Science of Saunas: 10 Proven Clinical Health Benefits of Saunas

"

10 Proven Clinical Health Benefits of Sauna Use
1. Supercharge your cell power. Heat has been proven to positively impact your mitochondria, the 'batteries' powering your cells, helping your body naturally produce more energy and stay fit.

2. Slow down Father Time (aka: aging!). Cell regeneration means you slow the aging process. And if you're not quite convinced, check out the 20 year study of Finnish men that links two to three sauna sessions per week with a 23% decreased risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

3. Detoxify heavy metals and chemicals. Everyday exposure to potentially toxic heavy metals through a variety of sources means even the most health conscious people still have toxins in the body. Regular sauna bathing helps excrete toxins such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

4. Make your heart happy and healthy. A 2018 study found that sauna bathing four to seven times per week reduces the risk of death from cardiovascular disease by as much as 58%.

5. Reduce blood pressure. Sauna heat helps widen blood vessels and improve circulation, which reduces blood pressure.

6. Optimize athletic performance. Blood flow improvements from hyperthermic conditioning (heat conditioning) sends more blood to the heart, leading to an increase in plasma and red blood cell volume. That process delivers more oxygen throughout the body, fueling athletic performance.

7. Improve muscle function and recovery. As more blood flow and oxygen is delivered throughout the body, muscles increase in size and muscle breakdown is diminished. One study showed that two, one-hour sauna sessions for seven days straight increases production of the human growth hormone (HGH) by two to five times.

8. Fuel weight loss. Regular sauna use is shown to regulate the appetite, increase metabolism, and improve oxygen utilization, helping to fuel weight loss along with a reduction in body fat.

9. Boost brain function. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF increases with regular sauna use, activating the growth of new brain cells, better maintaining existing cells, and improving neuroplasticity, the brain's process for forming new neural connections.

10. Ignite your immune system. Heat exposure from sauna use increases the heat shock protein, stimulating antigen-presenting cells, along with releasing cytokine, thus stimulating the body's natural immune system.

11. BONUS BENEFIT: improve emotional health and mood. When your body and brain are healthy, detoxified, and destressed, and you've boosted endorphins, your overall mood and emotional health improves

 

[rtslinger]

I have recently added planks to my exercise routine. by recent I mean today didn't know how long you are supposed to stay when you start, I did a minute then I read later today should do about 10 seconds to start I have to add leg and arm lifts who knew?

 

[MJ5150]

Saunas at the gym never worked for me. Even the hot tub creeps me out.

-Mike

 

[pcake]

our bells of steel swiss bar arrived. it's on the left of my cable tower next to the open trap bar and another bar. with this new bar and my new dumbbells, i think our home gym is almost complete. neither of us miss the gym at all at this point.

btw, i hate saunas, but then i've always gotten heatstroke at fairly moderate warm temps.

 

[rtslinger]

Happy 4th of July people guns all out

 

[rtslinger]

So in the last photo not sure if anyone notice but i tore up something in my right forearm during hammer curls no pain no gain

today the whole arm is black and green

 

[rtslinger]

Forearm damage mostly healed. I'm back in the gym pushing the less sets, but higher reps super set of 2 to 3 exercises per workout. I'm hitting all muscle groups 2 times a week light to moderate two reps from failure 5-30 reps depending on the weight and exercise 30-45 minutes per session . Too old to be swinging the heavy stuff around like when I was in my 30's at 218 lbs . Working out smarter not harder.

 

[FilterFunk]

Too old to be swinging the heavy stuff around... . Working out smarter not harder.

I'm 62, and "work out smarter, not harder" has been my motto for several years. No more "heavy stuff" for me, either.

 

[rtslinger]

I'm 62, and "work out smarter, not harder" has been my motto for several years, No more "heavy stuff" for me, either.

Yes sir, high reps full stretch has worked as well for me over time as did heavy weights and 1-3 reps but with a lot less damage took me a while for it to sink in coming from a old school power lifter background. no pain no gain moto

 

[dwm74]

I'm 62, and "work out smarter, not harder" has been my motto for several years. No more "heavy stuff" for me, either.

I'm bummed to admit it, I couldn't do the 'heavy stuff' any more even if I wanted to. Also 62, my 'heavy' sets today are what I used for warm-up sets in my 20s/30s.

 

[Pacman]

. Too old to be swinging the heavy stuff around like when I was in my 30's at 218 lbs . Working out smarter not harder.

Still healing from screwing up my rotator cuff, and really feeling the age thing creep in. Still working for hypertrophy, but doing it with much lighter weights, much higher rep, and total focus on form. I've found several really good resources on YouTube, and generally not going gently into that dark night.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

I never stop pushing myself to do some kind of workout as I approach mid 60's. The core remains pushups/ pullups and jogging (I already have genetically well developed legs, so I do nothing specific for them. Just walking around on them/ jogging does the trick).
Currently I'm doing a modded version of Brad Pitt's workout for Fight Club. I say modded, because I don't have access to equipment he had specifically, like a T-bar row or a Nautilus chest press, pec deck, treadmill etc. I also re arranged some of the exercises on different days, to be more a push/pull 2 day sequence with an additional 2 days for arms, shoulders rerranged to Wednesdays for arms and Thursdays for shoulders.
Pitt does nothing specific for legs either.

Here's what I'm doing. Nothing overly structured reps and sets wise. I just go with the flow on how I feel on the day. The waterball is currently at 7kgs ( ball cost 5 bucks and can hold 10litres ie 10kg in weight)

Mondays: Upper body pushing

-Pushups
-Waterball Arnold press
-Parallel bar Chest dips ( I use two sturdy wooden chairs back to back with approoriate spacing)

Tuesdays: Upper body pulling

-Pullups
-Seated Resistance band rows
- Standing resistance band widegrip upright row ( only to mid chest height for impingement safety)

Wednesdays: Biceps/Triceps
Waterball concentration curls
- Waterball hammer curls or resistance band hammer curls
- Resistance band two hand karate chop style Tri pushdowns ( loop band over doorway pullup bar)

Thursdays: Shoulders

-Waterball front raises
-Waterball lateral raises
- Standing resistance band pull aparts

Fridays: 8 km brisk jog
Saturdays: 8 km brisk jog

Sundays: Rest rest rest

I'm down to a very lean 75kgs at 6ft 2" ( I was 6ft 3" in my younger days). Part of achieving that is calorie restriction. I opted for volumetrics as part of it ie foods high in volume but low in calories, a bag of frozen veges for example. Lean meats/TVP/bean burgers. Healthy fats e.g peanut butter sandwich. A little homemade muesli for breakfast with low fat buttermilk. Piece of fruit with morning and afternoon tea

Pitt's workout for Fight Club

The Brad Pitt 'Fight Club Workout' that Will Get you Ripped for a Revolution in 2024

Brad Pitt's body in 'Fight Club' was so insanely ripped that it’s still a topic of conversation in 2024. Read to find out how he did it and how you can too.

www.highsnobiety.com