Exercise Buddies - anyone want to join?

[Lorns]

Hi this a new thread linked to "We want to lose 10lbs NEW THREAD"

I'm a Group exercise instructor/Personal Trainer and have been offering advice to mumsnetters!

Following suggestions that it would be good to start an exercise/nutrition advice/motivation thread - well here it is!!

BTW I noticed a leaflet the other day sayingthat Debenhams are having a sale - this week I think?

Anyway they have a sports bra reduced from £20something to £12 and its bright pink for anyone who's interested.

stripey - have u got a tk maxx near u?

Hi bubble99, the BUPA website (www.bupa.co.uk) has a really good running programme. Think some of the posters on here are following it. Basically starts with interval training like stripey says, alternating jogging with walking. Running is great - first few outings you will probably struggle, but you will get an improvement very quickly if you stick with it .

Cod, I reckon Lorns (and maybe Marls too) is probably the best one to speak to if you need specific info about your gym workout, but if you post your questions I will try to help out

Hi to everyone and well done! - a special "Hi" to newbees on this thread:- yellowpoo, CODalmighty, OrmIran, Bubble99, prettyfly1

Newbees - please see thread for loads on advice on how often to exercise etc.

OrmIran - could you do a longer run at the weekend? What about exercsing at home (DVD's) or are you able to jiong a gym?

Prettyfly1 - I agree with posting on running when you can and also purchasing a dvd (what about ebay as a cheaper option)?

Sorry prettyfly1 but you might not agree with the following....

Sorry can't advocate diets that are low calorie t all - especially for 6 days. the body goes into starvation mode and doesn't know when it's going to get fuel. Also it is best to adopt a diet that is close to what you will be doing when your not dieting. It is bad for the body to be on a constant diet. A abalnced eating programme - such as WW is more achievable and has longer lasting results. Please see my posting on Sat 17 feb 19:55 for dietary advice.

Yellowpoo - Do you feel you are working as hard as you could in your workouts? What about doing a shorter run but at a slightly faster pace. This may be all your body needs to kick-start it. You may have plateaued! What about calories in and calories out? What weight programme are you doing? Is is a class etc. Could you increase the weight you are lifting. You should feel that at the end of the reps/sets you are doing that you wouldn't want to do any more on taht particular muscle group.

I hear what you are saying Speeedymamaa. Yes doing less repetitions with a harder weight is more strength training than endurance - increasing the size of your muscles fibre will increase your metabolic rate....

Codalmighty - can you post what your exercise diary is like so I can see what your doing please.

15 minutes on each machine is good - but maybe try to stay longer on one machine as every time you change machine your heart rate goes down. it is after 15-20 minutes that you start to work your body good and proper!
have a question.

Bubble99 - what about starting off just walking at a brisk pace if you know taht will get your heart rate up? If it won't then a combo of walking and running as has been suggested is good.

Well done biglips!!

Laloop - tomorrow is another day!!!

Pleae give me a nudge if I havn't answered a q!!

Please help - what can I do to shift the flab that has settled on my middle and to tone up my floppy tummy? I'm about three stone overweight which I'm working on. I do some gentle wights and then 20 mins on the treadmill 2-3 times a week at the gym. I walk our dog two-three times a week for 30 minutes and swim 1 week but really need to move up a gear. I've a wedding in June that I really would like to feel good at and just feel a bit overwhelmed by it all.

Thanks Lorns!

As for doing more at the weekend - I am going to try and make my SUnday am run a longer one. Saturday is a bit manic and don't really want to run both days. Have just had a run this morning following a 90 mins karate class last night - that is so much harder work than I expected! Was a real gym bunnie until last year when I just had enough - turned into another job I had to do. Any anyway my local gym is moving and I hate the idea of driving to a gym to keep fit .

well heres my exercise prog for you to know (ive also got a mild sciatica whne it comes on and a bit of a sore back now and again) im 1 stone overweight and need to shift my flabby belly so just need toning up all over.

1. 15 mins bike (warm up) - (manual - lvl 2)
2. 15 mins treadmill - (manual - 2.2 incline and 5% speed)
3. 15 mins arm rotation one (cant remember whats its called) - (manual and 35 (weight?))
4. 10 mins Rowing
5. 15 mins stretching
6. 5 - 10 mins bike to cool down (manual - lvl 2)

haven been on the cross trainer yet but ive got one here at home anyway

hmm thanks biglips - don't thnk I'm doing enough

hmm thanks biglips - don't thnk I'm doing enough

Thats what the personal trainer gave to me as on the trail day he wrote it all out for me so i dont forget. Did u have one?

Hello! I have a qustion about exercising, I started running a couple of weeks ago, and i am up to about 3 miles (on the road, not treadmill) At 1st, it seemed to be my breathing that slowed me down, but now that side of my fitness has improved alot and its my legs that are stopping me now (does that make sense!) so my qusetion is how do i make my legs sronger? I have joined a gym so should i work on weights with my legs?

Bubble, this is the running guide I used when I started 2 years ago. Within 6 months I had completed a 5k and 10k race so I can highly recommend it.

Sarz, I had problems with my legs too when I first started running so I use to do strengthening exercises like bunny jumps, squats as well as things like leg presses in the gym. Also, I made sure I bought the correct running trainers for my feet by going to a specialist shop. They checked out my feet and suggested that I needed trainers that provided motion control. Since then, I have not suffered with the problems that I had before.

Also, for those of you asking about tummy exercises, see Lorns post on Mon 26 Feb 20:30:53. It tells you all you need to know about getting a slimmer midriff - it is about engaging your core muscles. Remember, however, if you want to see your trimmer tum, you need to reduce the excess fat and the only way to do that is through dieting and cardiovascular training.

OrmIran - yes I would have a rest on Sunday! A 90 minute Karate class can be very energetic. Do you concentrateon core strength whilst breathing through the KATAS and when "striking"?

I think you can get stuck in a rut if there is no variety in your workouts or no intensity challenge. Sorry to hear you gym is moving - how selfish ! What did we do before gyms hey!!

Biglips. I would only do 5 minutes warm up on the treadmill or bike as you only need to prepare your body for exercise (get it in the right frame of mind)! You should feel warm and a bit "oiled". What about putting an incline on or walking a little faster or putting the bike up a level to achieve this result within the 5 minutes if you don't already?

I'd then play aruond with the main cardiovascular bit - maybe sometimes concentrating on just 1 machine and going on it for a longer duration or just uping the intesity so your feeling moderatly puffed whilst exercising.

Not sure I understand about the arm rotation one. Is this one you sit down on and just move your arms? Does it challenge you cardiovascularly?

Hey what about all those gym staff can they update your porgramme to ensure that your not plateauting? Do you do any weights?

On the siatica front - hve you even had sports massage. This can help to break down the knots and scar tissue which is formed around an area of tension/trauma. I guess the whole area of your lower back, bottom and back of the legs is a bit tense and maybe tight???

Zookeeper - welcome! It may be that you ne3ed to step up a gear. You should feel like you've exercised at the end of a workout. If gentle weights challenge you then that great but if they don't....

Does your gym have classes. I thoroughly recommend Bodypump. It changes theshaoe you your body (with the correct technique and weight selection)! Again - where are the gym staff!!!

Welcome sarz - wow 3 miles already. Your body may well be fatigued. How often are you running . Do you run on consecutive days. Do you have rest days? What about the BUPA running programme (have a look through the postings to get an idea...)

Tired legs can also be due to feet problems (flat feet/fallen arches/supernation rotating outwards) etc. Do you know if you have any of these?

Does your gym do Bodypump? Ask the gym staff to do you a programme - say you need to strengthen your legs for running)....

If you let me know what they come up with I don't mind giving my opinion....?

Yes it is important to strengthen the legs. Squats, lunges with or without weights are excellent for this.

speedymama - just got in before me!! I back you up with all you said!

lorns - yes on my first treadmill walk...i was doing 4.5% speed on a 2% incline so im slowly up the hill..... i forgot that i do have a high blood pressure too and yes all my back from head to toe is stiff!!.. About the arms thingy, it rotates in circles to strengthens my arms and shoulders which does my arms and shoulders really good. im slowly speeding up but dont wanna do too much till i collapse!!.

Yesterday as it was my 2nd time ive been in the gym..a lad who was my personal trainer was showing me how to use the machines again to make sure...on hte bike he out me on the cardio workout - i mananged 8 mins before i nearly had a heart attack - was sssoooo out of breath!!!! as im ssoooo unfit

oh dear I really though my 20 mins on the treadmill was the cutting edge in fitness

Must try harder - will try the rowing machine but I have yet to find any machine that makes my abs tremble (maybe I can't feel them under the flab)

I have looked at the bupa one, and it looks really good so will start to follow that, I have very low arch on my foot, and got my trainers from sweatshop so they are specific for what i need. I run on tues, thurs and sat, and do karate on wed, try and go to gym just whenever, but not very often, its more for rainy days or when i just dont want to run!!

sarz - glad you've got good trainers. If the prob persists you mayw ant to look into getting orthotics?

Biglip - well done. Just go with what you can do and spped up gradually. Listen to your body. Challenge not heart attack would be good! Do think you would benfit from going to a sports massuse though!

Zookeeper - I find the rowing machine hard. Not least because it requires the most amount of effort to obtain correct technique. Continually ask the gym staff to help you with this. Yuo must achieve core stability both through the abdominals and shoulders before you begin to row or do any exercise. The gym staff should be able to help you. If they can't then I will!!

well i havent got the sciatica atm or a bad back just there are days when ive got both

lorns - "Do you concentrateon core strength whilst breathing through the KATAS and when "striking"? Excuse me whilst I pick myself up from the floor laughing hysterically . I am still at the stage when I'm struggling to work out what they want me to do.....and telling me to do stuff in Japanese doesn't help. And as soon as I start to get the hang of something, we move on to something totally different. And I appear to have too many arms and legs much of the time. Very very much a beginner I'm afraid . Are you a karateka? If so please could you tell me how long did it take you to learn the basics. I'm enjoying it and want to persevere but it's going to take so long?

Sarz, Davina's Power of 3 exercise DVD has a good "legs" workout section in it, loads of squats. Some of the others may be able to recommend some other DVD workouts that would be good for strengthening your legs - if you read down the thread we've discussed quite a few exercise DVDs, we're big fans of them here .

I tend to run 3miles/5k too and understand what your saying - stamina-wise I'm fine but I'm finding it difficult to lengthen my stride and push up the speed because my legs don't feel up to the challenge yet. Would love to up my distance to 5 miles but don't think I can do this yet until I've managed to sort out a faster pace.

Laloop, thank you for that, i think i will get it from library and see if i like it! I am doing the british 10k in july, so need to hawl my ass a bit better if i dont want to walk any of it!! It a shame its such nice weather now, as i just want to sit in the garden, not run!!!

Ormirian, i have been doing karate for about 2 years on and off (did alot of traveling last year) And i think it took me about 2months to be able to get the correct arm in the right place at the right time, whilst also having the correct leg in the corect place at correct time!!! I know exactly what you mean by the to many arms and legs!! Once you get through learning 1st kata and know that well, everything else after that just seems to get easier, (i think this is because you brain and limbs have figured out how to work together and you have learnt a new way to learn things, not because the katas/moves get easier, because they certainly dont!!)

Something my sensei told me, which i think improved my karate alot, was to think before each lesson 'today i am going to work on ...' (be it stance, hip movements, balance etc etc) This way you arent trying to rmemember and focus on a thousand different things at once. Good luck and stick with it!!

sarz - thankyou. Nice to find someone else doing this. Problem is that the class I'm going to isn't very geared up for adults beginners and I get the impression that they don't qute know what to do with me Most of the adults start in the kids class and then progress. I keep being given different things to do and never really perfect anything. However I will stick at it. Doesn't help that most of the rest of the class are black belts and frighteningly good and the Sensei was a UK champion of something or other in the 80's so it can be a bit daunting. Also I finally got to do some basic sparring last night and I really struggle when I have to seriously try to kick/punch someone. Major psychological barrier to overcome. Sorry - didn't mean to hijack so much but it's good to find someone here who has experience. I've found other karate sites but they all seem to be old hands and I feel like such an ignoramus.

rioght current codly routine
wram iup on treadmill walking 3 - 5 mins

then 2 miles on a 1.5 incline in baout 12 mins speed 9

the bike 10 mins( hate) then cross trainer 10 mins cant rememebr reisitance - is it 6?

then lat raise 20kg

rower aslo erm 10 mins resitance 6

t hen wights and waist stretches and stomch excercises