I'm a trained Fitness Instructor, any questions on exercise or simple nutrition? :)

[neverwas]

Over the past 6months i have started pole dancing. I really would like to increase my over all strength as this is part of whats needed for the type of dancing i do. I would really like some ideas on how i can strengthen my:

lower abs
thighs
arms
and back.

beacuse i pull my body around a lot with my legs and lower abs and arms i really need to be stronger. i dont wana be all big and buff...just stronger. my home is pretty un-gym like. i have a stepper and one of those chin up and standing sit up contraptions...but just not sure what actually is needed to increase strength...

also...

how can i increase my flexibility? mainly between the legs and the flexibility of my back...

ta muchly :D

 

[markusgoneawry]

Hey..

As a quick note, to you and other woman who are concerned about getting "big" with muscles from lifting weights, you need not worry.

Much of our body types and ability to get "big" is genetic and hormonally (sp?) influenced. As a result, you will find it very rare that a woman can be "huge" with muscles no matter how hard and often she works out. Woman (generally speaking) are not "built" genetically to develop like men, therefore most women are not able to get "huge". However there are exceptions and there are drugs (steroids) that can change this.

Something just to keep in mind. I know and see far too many women who dont lift weights because of this fear that they will get huge. Weight training is essential to optimum health, just as cardiovascular training and diet are.

What many women and men in general don't realize is that increased muscle mass means increased caloric expenditure and increased weight loss.

Sorry..kind of going off.

 

[djiang87]

When you have been inactive for half a yr then one day at the gym you push yourself until you nearly throw up, is that still considered safe? And if so is it safe to have a ciggie afterwards.

 

[markusgoneawry]

^^^I know you are joking around or whatever, but pushing yourself at the gym until you nearly throw up is healthier for you than stuffing your face with food until you almost throw up. However the ciggie after the food tastes soo much better.

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

Over the past 6months i have started pole dancing. I really would like to increase my over all strength as this is part of whats needed for the type of dancing i do. I would really like some ideas on how i can strengthen my:

lower abs
thighs
arms
and back.

beacuse i pull my body around a lot with my legs and lower abs and arms i really need to be stronger. i dont wana be all big and buff...just stronger. my home is pretty un-gym like. i have a stepper and one of those chin up and standing sit up contraptions...but just not sure what actually is needed to increase strength...

also...

how can i increase my flexibility? mainly between the legs and the flexibility of my back...

ta muchly :D

Sounds like fun

Okay, the different body parts:

Abs - My favourite exercise for the abs is the crunch sit-up. Lieing on you back hold your legs off the ground with each leg joint at a right angle. Cross your arms on your chest or put your hands by your ears and your elbows out if you trust yourself not to grab or swing to help the raise. Come up just a little so that you're shoulder blades are just off the ground, this is the starting position. Crunch up as far as you can pointing the chin towards the ceiling, don't pull your chin in to lift yourself up, you might get a sore neck. Also, keep the lower back glued to the ground. Do 2-3 sets to fatigue (so the number you do each time will increase in order to reach muscle fatigue). Give about a minute break inbetween each set.

Also try the exercise called the plank. This will work all of your core stabilisation muscles. You lie in a sort of pushup position on your elbows with your palms touching each other and hold it until really tired. Its really important to keep your back as straight as an arrow and your pelvis rolled foreward, not back. If it rolls back it will create a curve in your lower back and a lot of pressure will go onto your spine. Don't do this if you get any pain or have any lower back problems. Try and hold it for a while, listen to your body. Hold it for a little while after it starts to get hard then when you think you've given yourself a good straining then relax for a minute or so then go again.

Thighs - Squat type exercises that use your body weight: (This ones a little hard to describe but its great if you don't have any knee problems).

Start off with your right foot flat on the ground and your right hand on the ground. Your upper body should rest on your knee. The right knee should be bent at around 90 degrees, no shorter. The left leg should go straight back and touching the ground with the ball of the foot. It sort of looks like a sprinting position. From here lift yourself up and raise your body and left leg up. Your left knee should bend to about 90 degrees so that you knee is in line with your waist. Your body should be totally upright now. Lower yourself back down to the same position without touching the left foot on the ground until you are all the way down to the starting position.

The idea is to have all of your body weight on the right leg to give it a good work-out. Make sure your back stays straight and you slightly tense your stomach muscles to activate your core stabilitisers to give your spine some support. If you get any pain in your knee or back then maybe its best not to do it.

Do 2 sets each leg to fatigue. You may be able to do a fair few but for using your own body weight, this is probably one of the hardest exercises you can do. There is another progression from this so if you can do more than about 30 a set then I'll give you that one

Arms + Back - Chinups, 2-3 sets to fatigue. Give a good 1-2 minute rest inbetween sets.

Push-ups, 2-3 sets to fatigue keeping a good straight back. Again a good 1-2 minutes rest inbetween. Keep the hips tucked foreward and your core stabilisers (abs) tense to give good support. Start off on your knees if they are quite hard but work your way up to your feet as you can.

I suggested lots of body weight exercises because it should suit the sort of movements you will be doing in your dancing. The exercises should mimick the sort of body strength you will need while dancing.

Try and do these about 3 times a week, 4 would be better. Try not to do the same exercise two days straight, always give the muscle group 24 hours to recover.

It might help your energy levels to have a bit of a carbohydrate meal after you train. Just something small like a sandwitch or something. Also do your best to have a good protein intake of 1g of protein for every kg that you weigh. I put some info on protein content earlier on in this thread (page3 i think) if you're a vegetarian or don't want to get it all from meat.

After your workout it might pay to do a few stretches to reduce muscle soreness the next day. Hold these stretches for about 45secs each to get a good stretch. This is a good time to do some deep breathing to get your energy back as well:

They didn't let me fit all the images in the one post so theres a second post below

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

When you have been inactive for half a yr then one day at the gym you push yourself until you nearly throw up, is that still considered safe? And if so is it safe to have a ciggie afterwards.

Throwing up is definately not good, it means you eight had too much food in your stomach before training or you were pushing it too hard.

Don't totally punish yourself straight up. Listen to your body and work your way up to a good straining pace. For cardio, your age predicted max heart rate is 220 minus your age. Start off training at about 65-75% of that heart rate and work your way up to 75-85% after you have been straining a little while. If you can't talk while training then your pushing it too hard. To check your pulse rate count the amount of beats in 15 seconds then multiply it by four. I normally take it from the pulse in my wrist.

If you do any weight training, don't do more than 3 sets per body part and give yourself a good 1-2 minute rest inbetween sets.

Also try not to eat in the 2 hours before exercising. Even try and avoid a big meal 3 hours before, save it until after when you need it for recovery.

Having a ciggie afterwards will not be dangerous, only counter-productive. I would suggest trying to quit smoking with patches or however. If you're trying to get fit you will be killing your gains that you work hard for by smoking.

Hope that helps

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

2nd post to starfalls

Or the same on your feet (splits-stretch)

One for your lower back: The same as above only put your feet quite far foreward so you form a diamond with your legs and try and lower your head down to your feet while holding the feet.

Another for the lower back: Cat stretch. Go on the ground on your hands and knees. Have your hands under your shoulders, elbows just slightly bent to take the pressure off. Have the knee and hip both bent at 90 degrees so that your shins are on the ground. When you stretch try and keep that structure. Pull your head as far back as you can looking forewards while dropping your stomach to the ground curving your back downwards. Then do the opposite and arch your back and put your head right down looking inbetween your legs like a pissed off cat

Thats all I can think of right now, let me know how it goes

 

[faithfully dangerous]

i'm looking for excercizes that will strengthen my abs and back without irritating my stress fracture(i have two in my lumbar region thanks to cheerleading for 8 years!). i realize cardio is the best to get rid of unwanted fat (and yes, im doign cardio 4-5 times a week anywhere from 20-50 minutes depending on the time i have) but i need to strengthen those areas.

any other cardio tips you can give me for the time being until i strengthen my back so it doesnt hurt every time i work out would be awesome. (currently i use a bike or an elliptical --- running around the neighborhood or on a treadmill tends to make my back hurt for days after)

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

i'm looking for excercizes that will strengthen my abs and back without irritating my stress fracture(i have two in my lumbar region thanks to cheerleading for 8 years!). i realize cardio is the best to get rid of unwanted fat (and yes, im doign cardio 4-5 times a week anywhere from 20-50 minutes depending on the time i have) but i need to strengthen those areas.

any other cardio tips you can give me for the time being until i strengthen my back so it doesnt hurt every time i work out would be awesome. (currently i use a bike or an elliptical --- running around the neighborhood or on a treadmill tends to make my back hurt for days after)

If you have a pre-existing injury its not my place to prescribe you with exercises. Not only am I not trained for it but I don't have a physiotherapists or doctors report on it. You'll have to talk to a rehabilitation professional for that.

As for cardio, as long as you are doing a form of exercise which doesn't have any strain on your back then that would be the most important thing in my opinion. Try swimming, its supposed to be great for back problems. The eliptical may be okay, you'll have to ask whoever is treating your back about that one. Definately steer clear of forms of exercise that have any impact like running, bike riding over rough surfaces, etc. I remember having a sore back and bike riding wasn't very good for it because of the weight on your upper body so I would check that by with your back doc as well.

With the cardio just make sure that your heart is pumping. Your predicted max heart rate is 220 minus your age. Try and train in a heart rate zone of 75-85% of this predicted max heart rate. Exercising for a while and when it starts to feel tough, stop and take your pulse on your wrist. Count how many beats are in 15 seconds and multiply it by 4 and you have your beats per minute. This will give you a good idea of what 75-85% feels like so you don't need to check your pulse all the time. If you can't talk while exercising, you're over-doing it.

I don't know how your diet is but try and eat foods that are low in sugar and fat. Try and space out your meals so that you have a good breakfast, snacks through-out the day instead of a single lunch then dinner. Try not to drink alcohol with dinner either. If you're exercising as much as you say and eating well like this then you're on the right track!

Hope it goes well

 

[faithfully dangerous]

ive lost 6 pounds in 5 weeks. apparently a pound a week is right on track--- but i wanna be more toned, too. ive lost weight the unhealthy way and i've gained it back. i dont have a fast metabolism --- no one in my family does --- so i dont have that going for me.

i tend to enjoy food a little too much, but i eat a LOT healthier than ANYONE i know. im a really good cook and i enjoy cooking, tasting, etc... so it's fun learning how to take a normally fatty recipe and turning it into a healthy one.

thanks for the input! i did a killer ab workout today and so far, no back pain. maybe the past 5 weeks of aerobics and such is paying off already

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

Awesome mate, sounds good!

Losing weight is what will get you toned so you're on the right track

I hope the aerobics are okay for your back.

 

[BlindWillie]

First post =)

Umm well since about last may or april i've lost quite a bit of weight.I was about 220 at 5'10 quite big,so then i deceided to loose some weight,i have lost about 60 pounds so far im at about 160-165 but at 6'' i still have a belly and so fat on my inner thighs i'd like to burn off,recently i've began jogging everyday and some weight training,but not much..
anyways thats just a breif some of what condition i'm in but i still have a problem..its the munchies,i smoke herb everyday most times and i cna sometimes control myself but theres days when i gorge myself and i haete myself for it,throw some nice ideas if you could,also what are some good ideas for my thighs and stomach/love handle areas
Thx
Peace and Pot

 

[dbighead2]

^if you want to keep the weight off you'll have to find a better source of food while high. (nearly anything tastes good, so just find something more healthy.) I personally go for fruit.


I lost around the same amount of weight as you. You'll probably notice that most of it isn't fat, it's loose skin. I've found really, the only thing to cure that is time

it's been about a year or two now, and I STILL have some loose skin, but it has gone down a lot.

actually the best thing to do is gain some weight back in the form of muscle. Start working out, and you'll fill back in the loose skin. You can also do cardio, But I can't tell if it's cardio, weight lifting, or time that has cured the loose skin problem...probably a combo of all three I'd say.

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

First post =)

Umm well since about last may or april i've lost quite a bit of weight.I was about 220 at 5'10 quite big,so then i deceided to loose some weight,i have lost about 60 pounds so far im at about 160-165 but at 6'' i still have a belly and so fat on my inner thighs i'd like to burn off,recently i've began jogging everyday and some weight training,but not much..
anyways thats just a breif some of what condition i'm in but i still have a problem..its the munchies,i smoke herb everyday most times and i cna sometimes control myself but theres days when i gorge myself and i haete myself for it,throw some nice ideas if you could,also what are some good ideas for my thighs and stomach/love handle areas
Thx
Peace and Pot

I don't really have any tips specific for you. There are a lot of recurring exercise/weight loss tips I have posted to similar questions earlier in the thread so I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for here

As for the munchies, do you know that the munchies are caused by low blood sugar? Your pancreas throws out a lot of insulin when you're stoned. I don't know how that piece of information helps but yeh... hehe

 

[dbighead2]

^not saying you're wrong, but do you have a source to back that up? I've never heard that before. Thanks

 

[star*]

i still have a problem..its the munchies,i smoke herb everyday most times and i cna sometimes control myself but theres days when i gorge myself and i haete myself for it,throw some nice ideas if you could

Hey, what kinds of foods are you binging on?

I find that people who binge alot on carbohydrates (im just guessing?) benefit greatly from an initial high-protein, low-carb diet for a good month or so, then slowly introducing complex carbs back in (wholegrains ect. NOT white, processed foods).

You need to try and control your blood sugar level and get the cravings under control. I would try the high protein thing for about 2weeks and see how you go, but make sure you definately still get some carbs by eating lots of vegetables, dont cut carbs out completely because we need carbohydrates for proper brain function and as a fuel source. ONce the cravings subside then re-introduce grains. (try to limit fruit for the first 2weeks also)

Also try to eat frequently to reduce drops/peaks of energy throughout the day. And always eat when hungry, as silly as that sounds alot of people don't, they go by the clock and wait to eat lunch at 1pm because that's 'lunch time'. If your hungry at 12:30pm eat your lunch then, don't wait till your starving or you'll be more likely to binge.

When you re-introduce grains, do it one at a time. Many people who crave a particular food are actually allergic to that food and this can cause alot of GI problems (nausea, fatigue, bloating, flatulence ect) so by going through this process you can identify any problem foods and eliminate them from the diet permanantly. I would pay particular attention to wheat. Just listen to your body and take notice of any changes in mood, energy levels and any physical signs and symptoms. (This can happen alot with dairy foods and nuts aswell)

Hope that helps a little

EDIT: I just re-read your post and you said you binge because of pot.......hehehe i guess my post doesn't really relate to you then.

My best advice for that......GIVE UP THE POT....instant cure

 

[ez_555]

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Before Christmas I was at my ideal weight (around 65kg) and I am 179cm. I would have liked to have got under that but things all went horribly wrong. I started drinking, eating to excess and getting trapped into this cycle for way too long. Now I'm back at my original weight and I feel like crap.

I do Taekwondo 3 times a week for an hour. I consider this quite intense cardio work. I also do 4 hours of bike riding a week.

To lose weight the first time I wasn't bike riding but was running two times a week. This seemed to be going well but my back, knees and hips started causing me a fair bit of pain (due to Taekwondo as well, I think). My diet was very strict, though I ate around 4-5 meals a day. I'm also a vegetarian.

The problem I'm having at the moment is my food intake. I use quite a lot of energy and this is an excuse to eat constantly. I do need food for energy, just not as much as I consume. But how do I know how much I need exactly?

I have lost all sense of control and even motivation. I can't even imagine how I lost all that weight from this point before, but more to the point, how I put it back on!

I was wondering if anyone could give me a rough guide of how many calories I should consume a day? Also, do you think I should start running again? When I was at my ideal weight, I felt good, but I still felt like I could lose more. Can you ever be satisfied?

Thanks for reading!

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

^not saying you're wrong, but do you have a source to back that up? I've never heard that before. Thanks

no i don't, just some lady that used to smoke loads of weed has pancreas problems and has to eat low gi-foods. she blaims it on the weed.

 

[qwe]

i have two questions

1. i feel a numb tingly feeling on my left elbow usually when i left (bench mainly, though it happens after a while of working out on other arm things)

i usually just work through it. is it anything to worry about? is it common?

2. i'm not sure how much i should push myself on the upper leg machine. after 10 (sets right word? reps? not sure. ten rounds) i get a huge pain in my legs. but when i work my arms, theres a point where i cant evne lift the weight anymore. with the leg machine, i can keep going, but theres this huge pain so i stop.

 

[SONY01]

routines/ calorie intake programs just aint ever gonna work unless your 100% commited. if u wanna lose fat u need some ephedrine/ clenbuterol/dnp if u wanna put mass on u need steroids . your advice is sound cpt crunch. but the results will never be as good as expected.