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In recent years authoritative groups such as the American College of Sports Medicine have been defining fitness in terms of four elements: endurance (aerobics or cardio), strength (weighted workouts), balance, and flexibility (stretching). It is the latter two, balance and flexibility, which used to be considered nice but relatively unimportant, which have been "upgraded" in importance to join endurance and strength. Yoga is great for these latter two, of course. Interesting how our modern scientific recommendations are now catching up to what the ancients in India were doing thousands of years ago. Old people especially should really focus on balance and flexibility, which help prevent falls and aid in the performance of the activities of daily living. Don't most of you runners also do a bit of weights and stretch? Don't most of you serious weight people also do some cardio and stretch?
I am curious about people's reactions because I am old (66) and I work out just for general fitness (no specific athletic goals) and so I have no contact with you more serious folks, although I do read a lot about fitness.
endurance - 3 to 4 times a week. Run around a massive park usually twice a week then some cardio at the gym.
strength - 2 to 3 times a week.
balance - none but I have great balance. Once I get back into surfing, I'll be trying to work on my balance once a week.
stretching - I only really strech when I go running. About 5 minutes before and after my run.
Its kinda hard to have enough time to do all four with my current lifestyle. By the time I get home after the its almost 8pm and I wake up at 6am or so. Can't do that every single weekday since I have things to do sometimes.
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Originally Posted by LaoTzuMindFu
Wow. I actually agree with Chad on this. Congrats Chad, your first post that is actually helpful and correct.
LinaJo, 2-5 lbs is really doing NOTHING for you. You really need to up the weight significantly to have any impact on your health/fitness. Not saying go so heavy that you cant do more than 12 reps, but you really really really need to go heavier if you want results.
I have recently dropped the amount of weights I use. I use to do 3 sets of 10 reps with the weights I can do 10 reps but may need help on the last set. I've dropped down to weights where i can do 4 sets of 15 reps. I've also improved my diet greatly and I've seen great results. I wanted to get less bulky and a bit more tone.
I currently wear 33' waist pants and people don't believe me. People think I wear at less a 34' and my goal is 32'.
actually to have an effect on strength you need to use stuff that is heavy enough you can only lift it 3--5 times. But don't listen to me what do I know. I am supposed to be extremely weak and skinny.
Wow. I actually agree with Chad on this. Congrats Chad, your first post that is actually helpful and correct.
LinaJo, 2-5 lbs is really doing NOTHING for you. You really need to up the weight significantly to have any impact on your health/fitness. Not saying go so heavy that you cant do more than 12 reps, but you really really really need to go heavier if you want results.
i was going to say the same thing lol.
Endurance- Pickup basketball games and soccer games.. also complexes sometimes.
Strength- Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program 4 days a week
Flexibility- squatting deep.. yes, this has helped my flexibility soooooo much
Balance- not really, but i am going to start 1 legged stiff legged deadlifts, which i think qualifies as balance. I can't see balance having too many beneficial effects though. Can someone please enlighten me on ways to train for balance and the positive effects of it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by chad.roper
actually to have an effect on strength you need to use stuff that is heavy enough you can only lift it 3--5 times. But don't listen to me what do I know. I am supposed to be extremely weak and skinny.
No. 3-5 isn't the "magic range". You can train all the way up to 12 reps and still gain strength man. I am seeing that now on Wendler's 5/3/1 program.
I am incorporating more gymnastic type training into my regimine now. I always marveled at the sheer strength of gymnast, so in addition to do more pullups, Im getting a set of fitness rings for my home garage setup. Also, made these puppies yesterday to do some parallette training. $25 dollars of PVC pipe and Ive got lots of exercises that I can do on these. Handstand pushups, planches, v-sits, dips, etc.
Gymnasts seem to have it all when it comes to fitness - strength, speed, power, flexibility. Since I am not looking to get big, my goal is OVERALL FUNCTIONAL FITNESS Im not at all worried about being too big or anything else. Want to be as fast, strong, fit, flexible and explosive as possible while still staying within the 180 lbs - 190 lbs range at 6' 1" tall.
I don't understand how 180 and 6-1 is considered big. I am 5-7 and 215 and im considered small yet people that are 175 and 6-2 or 6-3 are considered "bigger"
I don't understand how 180 and 6-1 is considered big.
It isnt. No one said that it was. Dont want to get above 190 pounds but I dont think I ever have to worry about that.
Speed, power, explosiveness is what I am looking for, not size. Size causes one to lose speed which is an important aspect in fighting. Ive wasted too many so-called "Huge/yoked/ripped" guys over the years because all they were was just strong slowpokes.
It isnt. No one said that it was. Dont want to get above 190 pounds but I dont think I ever have to worry about that.
Speed, power, explosiveness is what I am looking for, not size. Size causes one to lose speed which is an important aspect in fighting. Ive wasted too many so-called "Huge/yoked/ripped" guys over the years because all they were was just strong slowpokes.
Maybe its becasue they were not as good at fighting legally and not because someone bigger is always slower. If that was true then marathon runners would also hold all the records in sprinting. If you take an untrained weak person have them fight someone 3 times as strong the stronger person will most likley win all he has to do is grab the smaller person. IF size made no difference then why don't lions eat adult elephants.
Maybe its becasue they were not as good at fighting legally and not because someone bigger is always slower. If that was true then marathon runners would also hold all the records in sprinting. If you take an untrained weak person have them fight someone 3 times as strong the stronger person will most likley win all he has to do is grab the smaller person. IF size made no difference then why don't lions eat adult elephants.
Who said anything about fighting legally?
You are way off in the rest of your response in trying to compare running to fighting/martial arts. But good try anyway.
Balance- not really, but i am going to start 1 legged stiff legged deadlifts, which i think qualifies as balance. I can't see balance having too many beneficial effects though. Can someone please enlighten me on ways to train for balance and the positive effects of it?
Balance is more about training the mind/body interface. I didn't think too much about it until I had knee problems. The word to look up is propioception. Here are a few articles to look at:
On the knee thing, the exercises seemed silly. I mean standing on one leg for 30 sec. So what!? But now I believe. By itself balance isn't an answer to fitness, rather it adds to your ability to control your body. IMO.
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