Seated bicep curls, whole grains, gyms being poor for strength, protein shakes bad for you.

I’m in pain!

I’d give it a few weeks to allow the bone to fuse. If you don’t you may well just end up going back to step 1 meaning more time off the bike.

The books are cheesey trash thrillers. Jack Reacher is a great character and the story lines hook you in. I’m a fan.

Seeing the film on Sunday. Just can’t envision Cruise as Reacher.

Well I meet the physical selection criteria very easily so I’ll continue.

User reviews are flawed in a couple of ways.

1: They are by people who have shelled out for the product and so there’s the (classic to STW) recommend what you’ve got yourself syndrome. Who wants to admit there big purchase is flawed.

2: The very fact that someone has bought a product when better options are available indicates they might not be the greatest subject expert.

Classic example : 5 star reviewed Apollo mountain bike anyone?

(mate!)

No offence thedon, but if you’re going to post on a public forum asking for a review on what is fundamentally an incorrect purchase in the first place, then expect people to pipe up. It’s not being smug, it’s not being superior, it helps the buying decisions of others who read it and may help you as well.

Just because someone hasn’t used a piece of equipment doesn’t mean they can’t offer an opinion. I also don’t own a bosu ball, Shakeweights or PowerPlate….

As to space; I’m not sure there are any exercises that require one to swing a 7 foot barbell around a room. The footprint of the lever gym is 2.56m x 1.42m. I would contend that a rack takes up less space. Especially if you match it with a 6 foot power rack bar.

Dumbbells do indeed use stabilisation muscles but are useless for a squat or deadlift and once you get up to bodyweight+ for your presses they aren’t a great option there either. Also if you’re such a big fan of dumbbells then why the levers? Or for the cost saving, just get some as well?

A link to a discussion on a more specialist forum that backs this up

Spot on Rocketdog. Nail on head.

Hmm, don’t want to be down on your purchase…. But….

What’s with all the levers? Why not go for a good power rack?

Zero for me.

Only done 50 miles since new?

Ride it and replace / upgrade when bits get knackered.

Samsung Mono laser printer

I’ve got the previous model of one of these. Cheap, great quality, quick, small footprint and reasonable on toner cartridges (either branded, unbranded or easy DIY refills)

Can’t recommend enough.

Wouldn’t it have been easier to exchange names/mobile number/email address/Adult Friend Finder profiles/bodily fluids out on the trail?

Actually, great use of the forum. It is what it’s about.

New Balance Minimus MT10 Trail are excellent. I have them for training on a track (as opposed to spikes) and gym work. The lack of cushioning but still with support makes them superb for deadlifts and squats.

Lower back pain is more likely to be a problem with posterior chain / hip mobility. I’d start there. Do you sit down a lot.

Two parrots are sat on a perch, and one says to the other “can you smell fish?”

The £4 Asda ones are shocking, but then I’m sure that post was tongue in cheek!

However, the ones that have for £14 aren’t bad at all. They seem a similar quality to your standard high street (Next, River Island, etc) ones and they come with an ok fabric belt.

The cut doesn’t fit me though unfortunately. They are very straight up and down.

I’ll feel your pain with the big thighs small waist thing.

Try the Mantaray brand that Debenhams do. Next regular fit low waist also are just about ok and loads of choice. Also Full Circle seem to fit reasonably.

Incorrect, no matter how much exercise you do you can still gain body fat with a poor diet.

This guy runs 10 marathons in 10 days and still has a gut. You can’t out-train a bad diet. Pasta and energy gel belly.

edited.

Who said anything about fast carbs? Live on brocolli and your liver will store it as glycogen. You will then use it when you exercise, even if you don’t eat overnight.

You are restricting calories and exercising so you are definitely going to lose body fat. I’m just not sure I’d want to be left with the weak and stressed body that’s underneath. Each to their own though!

Except that the liver stores around 200g of glycogen and the muscles 400g…..

Edit: And then when you do eventually run out of glycogen after a few hours one of the sources of energy will be the muscle itself – which is why it’s not great for training for performance.

Shooterman: Fasted training? Can ‘o worms right there! Personally I think it’s only really of use as a cherry on top type of training to drop from 9% – 8% bodyfat kind of stuff. The downsides and limited effect negate the point for the vast majority. For me anyway.

However people are really getting into looking at when you should eat and patterns of eating. These generally involve either a fast or carb free start to the day. Worth looking at:

Intermittent Fasting[/url]
Carb Back-Loading[/url]

For your superset have you considered doing inverted rows/pull ups instead of your curls? They are more of a compound exercise that involves more weight and muscles used and fits in well with bench presses as well as still working the biceps well. You can often do the inverted row on the bench and bar you use for bench presses, just have a switch around – feet on bench, you hanging from bar upside down.

headfirst: That’s a bit of a misleading statistic. Our ancesters average age was indeed close to 30 years but this is mainly due to lack of modern medicine (antibiotics being a major one – every cut, scrape and sexual conquest could lead to death by infection), high levels of death during pregancy/infancy, and other dangers from not living in secure accomodation, etc.

To look at another evolutionary clue, ask why would a modern human female’s menopause begin in their late 50’s early 60’s if we were only meant to live until we were 35?

A good analogy is dental care:

Modern times. More likely to get a cavity/root canal because of the increased sugars especially in drinks consumed. Solution is to go to the dentist when it happens and get it fixed.

Ancestral times: Less likely to get a cavity/root canal but if you do then no dentistry and no antibiotics and so it might end up killing you through infection or not being able to eat.

Conclusion: Far healthier ancestrally (evidence of tooth decay in found remains is incredibly low) but likely to have more severe health consequences when you do have an issue because of lack of medicine.

So….. Why not combine the two – ancestral food/exercise choices and modern medicine?

I should probably add my training… My goal is sports specific (hockey) as well as to be strong and keep body fat down.

2 x 2 hour hockey training sessions and 1 or 2 matches per week. The training benefit from these are sport specific varied interval type work and of course the technical/skill element. During the season I normally get out on my MTB once every couple of weeks.

During the off season I play once a week during the evening and do 2 fitness sessions of about an hour each. One is more sprint/plyometric focused and the other hockey specific interval training. Typically out on the bike 1-2 times per week during the summer.

2 x weight training sessions per week. I currently use the Wendler 5/3/1[/url] template and use an online workout calculator.

Wendler 5/3/1 is based around progressing 4 key compound movements (squat, deadlift, press, bench press) with added assistance exercises for all round training. I put lots of pull ups, inverted rows, glute ham raises and dumbell work in here. Each session lasts <1 hour with a chunk of mobility work at the beginning.

So all in all 3-4ish interval/cardio/skill sessions and two weights sessions a week.

McHamish: In that case it looks like a very decent workout. It’s going to give you a good level of conditioning rather than purely adding strength/muscle but that’s what you’re aiming for.

Maybe a couple of points of interest:

Your circuits seem very lower body/posterior chain focused which is no bad thing but a bit of upper body work might fit in well. I’m thinking pull/chin ups, inverted rows, dips, press ups, to go along with your powerbag burpees/overhead presses. You mention various power bag/kettlebell exercises as a catch all below so this all might fall in to there.

Good stuff, I’m impressed!

molgrips: Like I said above, HIIT can be a very good option if one is time pressed. You’re doing the right thing by putting in a true 100% max effort on your intervals. That’s the trick/magic/bullshit/point of HIIT, the difference between 90% and 100% when you’re going for it makes an important physiological difference. You’re doing it the right way and seeing results from it. Amen to that.

Also for anyone looking to reduce bodyfat then diet is more important than training. You can’t out train a bad diet.

McHamish: What’s your goal?

The whole thing originates from this study

It compares training on an exercise bike:

Group 1: Moderate steady state training (70% of VO2 max) for 60 mins 5 times a week

Group 2: 4 x a week of: 7-8 sets of 20 seconds max + 10 seconds rest intervals PLUS 1 x 60 min steady state session as above.

Both groups increased their V02 max but group 2 did slightly better for far less volume of training.

What followed on from this was endless articles/theories on HIIT. Yes it’s good in it’s place, eg if you have a time constraint, want to keep volume down, etc. It is however a limited study (as it should be to provide meaningful results) that throws up a few interesting points.

My advice would be avoid the treadmill if fat reduction is your goal.

This explains it better than I ever could

Edit: My own body weight has a swing of about 8 pounds depending on food, hydration and morning poo status. A tape measure around your belly would be my number 1 stat to keep an eye on.

£46 for Virgin Active multi site membership that covers me for Manchester city centre and closer to home.

It’s at least 50% more than others I looked at, but the only one that was up to scratch with it’s weight training gear and swimming facilities.

Very much worth it. No power rack or bumper plates and I wouldn’t go for free.

No. Sickness and diarrhea until your body knows it’s gut is 100% empty which includes any sips of water you’ve had or dry retching. Poo like liquid and also empty.

Initial symptoms for 12-24 hours and then you’re essentially better. It’s just recovering from the ordeal then. If you’re good you should be 90% after 2 days.

I’ve had it twice…..

Yes, it’s awful, but…. Weirdly it’s also an opportunity to improve your gut health and bacteria flora. Fill it with veg, meat, fish, eggs and a good probiotic (tablet) and come out of it healthier. Think of it like an oil change. Small conciliation for when it’s happening and you think the world is going to end.

Brooes: C’mon commit! 35 min 10k by 31.12.13. Ha!

spchantler: I’ve been on the other side of that situation (as the kid) so know how painful it can be. I hope justice and sensibility prevails, I really do.

That’s the beauty of having a year. Broken thumb? Tis but a scratch.

Bucks Fizz with brekky.

Make it yourself though and it’s 1000 times better. The OJ is the important bit so squeezed not from concentrate Tropicana type stuff mixed with a cheap but decent cava/prosecco.

No it’s Virgin Active. Wouldn’t touch Fitness First with a barge pole. Poor facilities and terrible service!

Do you ever think you’d like to have sex more or get more sleep? If so then neither!

Cube her

If you’re looking for a specific tip/technique then the above works well.

+1 for riding 100m with a few sharp brakes. Water and sizzle = done. Max 2 mins.

Or you can ride around with rubbish brakes until they sort themselves out.

Is the green post titanium?

Straight leg, low-ish waist, fitted cut. Decent boots / shoes / brogues to finish.

Boot cut screams stuck n the 1990s. Skinny screams eat some food and do some exercise.

My advice is to embrace it rather than replace it.

Gluten isn’t good for people and you’re going to feel a lot healthier without it, coeliac or not. See it as fortunate limitation and start hammering the sweet potato! Replacing it with imitation grains means you lose the silver lining to your cloud.

I like this Waitrose recipe

No

Holy thread resurrection.

I’ve got a desire hd that’s about to be upgraded and so I wouldn’t mind sticking it on my bars now I don’t have to be quite so precious about it. Any suggestions?