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2015 Fitness and Working Out Thread

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I always do kettle bell swings wrong. Back ends up hurting the next day. . . woof.

Trying to get better though, have been having someone watch and correct my movements. I love working Kettle Bells into like a three station cardio workout with short rest in between.
 
2 months in and total weight loss stands at 25lbs, had a session this morning with a friend of mine who is a former tri-athlete and a college physical education teacher to go over a weight training program. I have been lifting but basically doing the same exercises and working most body parts at the same time. Looking forward to losing more weight (half way to my weight loss goal) and building lean muscle. Goal is strength and tone. Weights will be done 4 times a week, abs and cardio included for every workout
 
BigTex said:
Kettlebell swings are a hinge movement with a snap of the hips. Think of the kettlebell as the wrecking ball, and your arms as a cable. The bell only goes as high as the snap of the hips sends it, gets weightless, then comes back down. For a while you will be scared to death you will be singing soprano. Your hands with the bell should come really close your zipper.

Having been coached by some competitive KB folks that have even trained and competed in Russia it does drive me nuts to see folks at the gym do swings. I think I have seen one person do them right. Most turn it into a squat with a shoulder lift. Like watching someone do a quarter squat and keep adding weight.
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Luckily my pecs and lats kinda give my upper arms a ledge at the bottom of the arm movement. I've never had to worry too much about the jewels. :alien:
 
sudseh said:
Luckily my pecs and lats kinda give my upper arms a ledge at the bottom of the arm movement. I've never had to worry too much about the jewels. :alien:
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If you have a nice resting spot, you might try the long cycle with kettlebells. It is one of the competition events along with he jerk and snatch for them. Kind of a clean and jerk type movement you do for up to 10 minutes. You can do a search on YouTube, but you swing two KBs into a clean type position. Then do the jerk overhead, dropping them back down into the clean position to start over. Having a place to rest your elbows while in the clean position is where you rest. I did one competition with 16kg bells and it is one of the harder things I have ever done. My thoracic mobility is not the best, so I never was able to really get in a good rest position. Really test you physically and mentally because you cannot put them on the ground or you are done.
 
sudseh said:
My failing with kb swings is that I treat them like a squat. I always have to remember the horizontal component.
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A good way to get the feeling right is to do some deadlifts with the KB first. The bottom of swing should feel like the start of your deadlift, and the top of the swing should feel like the top of your deadlift. That was something that really helped me when I first learned.
 
I was taught that if you don't feel dirty doing KB swings, you're not doing them correctly.
 
Had a fitness assessment at my gym today that was included with my membership; basically an intro to personal trainers. Kicked. My. Butt. Had me do brand new exercises and just beat me up. The leg part wasn't so bad, but two separate arm exercises took me to failure. Going to be sore tomorrow as I can barely lift my arms tonight. Not sure I can afford the program they want me on, but might have to use the trainers more in the future.
 
Elliptical, Military Press, Upright Rows, Standing Core Rotation, Standing Side Laterals (completely failed at it, bit it was a start).

Shorter time at the gym than I had been doing, but much more focused. I had a plan, I got to work, and I was absolutely exhausted and ready to puke by the time I was done.
 
Download myfitnesspal today, bought a HR monitor and started keeping track. Very interesting after day 1.
 
Nebgolfer said:
Had a fitness assessment at my gym today that was included with my membership; basically an intro to personal trainers. Kicked. My. Butt. Had me do brand new exercises and just beat me up. The leg part wasn't so bad, but two separate arm exercises took me to failure. Going to be sore tomorrow as I can barely lift my arms tonight. Not sure I can afford the program they want me on, but might have to use the trainers more in the future.
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I ended up springing for a trainer and love it. It's only a short session once a week, but it helps to break up the monotony of a normal workout routine. My trainer has also shown me a bunch of new workouts with different weights, so that's been nice.
 
Time for me to get back on the fitness bandwagon. Working too much means I've gained about 30 lbs and it's impacting my swing. Time to work that weight back off!
 
braddman19 said:
Elliptical, Military Press, Upright Rows, Standing Core Rotation, Standing Side Laterals (completely failed at it, bit it was a start).

Shorter time at the gym than I had been doing, but much more focused. I had a plan, I got to work, and I was absolutely exhausted and ready to puke by the time I was done.
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Upright rows scare me. I was never taught how to do them heavy without causing shoulder impingement
 
Weighed in at 163 today. Obliterated my chest and triceps today. Ended up setting a new PB on bench press again. Successfully did 210, but didn't have enough left to get 215. I really want 215, but have failed to get it for the last 3 weeks. I think I could have done it today if I wouldn't have done 210 first.

Next week......
 
Ever since leaving the kitchen and that no eating working 12hours a day sweating like a maniac life style and going to an office job I have put on probably 20-30lbs. I was a big guy even when working in the kitchen but I can feel it now and I don't like it. Now to figure out a routine and meal plan.
 
Bullitt5339 said:
Weighed in at 163 today. Obliterated my chest and triceps today. Ended up setting a new PB on bench press again. Successfully did 210, but didn't have enough left to get 215. I really want 215, but have failed to get it for the last 3 weeks. I think I could have done it today if I wouldn't have done 210 first.

Next week......
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If you miss it next week, step back. Work on your programing. Do a set of 3 reps at 205 or five sets of singles. You're stalling and training your body to stall.
 
blugold said:
Upright rows scare me. I was never taught how to do them heavy without causing shoulder impingement
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I was taught to always lead with the elbows (above the hands at all times) and keep everything in front of the shoulder plane. Those thoughts really shorten the pull, but I haven't had any problems utilizing them.
 
sudseh said:
I was taught to always lead with the elbows (above the hands at all times) and keep everything in front of the shoulder plane. Those thoughts really shorten the pull, but I haven't had any problems utilizing them.
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Even still. It's a submaximal lift that doesn't do anything that other lifts don't do. The traps and deltoids get worked harder in a press.
 
31 pounds down as of this morning. Feeling good but still work to do. The gym grind is real
 
Put up 235 on the bench. Pretty close to my goal of 250 so I got to keep working.
I need to work out more than twice a week though. It seems like there is always at least one day that I absolutely just don't feel like going...
 
7 weeks of eating better and working out 2 times per week. Down 8 lbs and 2 inches. Before and after profile without sucking in the gut.

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I really put a lot of effort in the last 6 weeks, eating better, doing protein shakes for dinner, working out twice a day 4 days a week, working on strength and flexiblity in the morning along with cardio endurance at night. I've been doing a combination of Joey D and TPI disciplines along with some basic lifting disciplines to get my goals.

Since the middle of January I've dropped about 7 pounds, about 3 inches, and added a good amount of muscle weight. And can ride the upright bike longer, harder and faster than I ever have. And for the first time in a long time, I'm almost completely pain free in my knees and I can finally touch my toes...haha. My hamstrings are drum tight and being able to touch my toes is a big deal to me. But its been really nice dropping the weight and gaining muscle. I can't wait to see how it improves my swing, balance, and speed as I haven't swung a club other than a Putter since the Pine Lakes event.
 
So I am a month in, with no noticeable weight loss unfortunately. I feel better as a whole, I eat better, I am more active.

I need to take new steps to ramping up progess. Next up, greater focus on diet, hopefully finally cut out pop for good, and a better overall "plan" when going to the gym.
 
Keep up the good work everybody
 
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