ePlaya Fitness Club

[AntiM]

It comes and goes. I walked a lot yesterday, no pain. Stiff as hell today.

Stupid knee even hurts in the water when it wants. Pheh.

[tatonka]

gained 5 pounds havnt worked out in a couple mths , hope to gain more

[FossaFerox]

Blargh! Cautionary tale time!

No matter what your current level of fitness, always ease into new activities gradually. No one is bulletproof and your body needs time to adapt to the stresses of the new activity.

I've been learning rope dart for a couple of weeks now and I've been getting pretty good with my practice dart. But I've also been getting really, really into it, to the point where I've been going way too long and far too hard with some of my practice sessions.

Sure enough, I seem to have aggravated a muscle between my back, shoulder, and neck (definitely some levator scapula involvement). Nothing serious, I'll be fine, but it sucks in the meantime and will probably suck for a couple of weeks. It also means I can't practice at all today which means using my new wick and doing my first burn this Wednesday is now questionable at best. I really wanted to light up the new toy, but my hubris seems to have gotten the better of me.

Edit:

Fire rope dart in case anyone is curious. This is the guy who gave me my first 15 minute lesson two weeks ago, though I'd started to pick it up the week before.

[media]

[lucky420]

Thanks for rope dart explanation. I was thinking lawn darts with tails.

Hope you feel better sooner than later

[Aurelia]

Foss, doesn't every "new" begin that way
recover and do it then

you rock
xoA.

[robbidobbs]

Still holding the line at my 2nd goal <sigh>. I just set up the wii game. Time to get on the "bicycle". I just LOVE wahoo island, only wish the corp decided to expand environments instead of trying to compete with the other companies. They had a great thing going with just having the player explore the island, looking at the buildings and discovering shit. If there was an interactive video that was just someone on a bicycle (or walking, or jogging) first person, I'd so be all over that to watch while I was exercising. I'm not a videographer or I'd try to make one myself. There probably is, but I'm too lazy to search.

[Savannah]

29F wintertime run Playlist.

Man, it was only my second workout of the week, and I really had to talk myself into it. This means I'd better go to the gym more or . . . back out into the cold I go.

"The Motto" - Drake (warm up)
"Dead & Gone" - The Ettes
"Dead Man Walking" - David Bowie
"Du Hast" - Rammstein
"Get Some" - Lykke Li
"Hoes in my Room" - Ludacris feat. Snoop Dog
"Life in a Northern Town" - The Dream Academy
"Lights (Bassnectar Remix)" - Ellie Goulding (run/walk)

[MikeGyver]

I've wanted to learn rope dart for a while, just lack self motivation. Same reason I don't exercise even though I intend to.

I call my gym membership a "Lazy fee"

[AntiM]

My little old lady gym is closing at the end of the month. I was going to go as much as possible, but honestly, when the temps drop below freezing, or the snow is coming down, I don't do the bus well at all. I forget I have asthma until I hit truly cold air. If I wanted to listen to wheezing pipes, I'd put on some Scottish marches.

[FossaFerox]

I've wanted to learn rope dart for a while, just lack self motivation. Same reason I don't exercise even though I intend to.

I call my gym membership a "Lazy fee"

The best advice I can give is to make a practice rope dart with a tennis ball, a short length of paracord, and about 11 feet of soft, quarter inch rope. Don't focus on learning specific tricks, get used to exactly five things (6 common "planes" of rotation, rotation in both directions, reversing the rotation with a simple release/retrieve shot, slack management, BASIC limb redirects).

Just mess around for 15 minutes a day with the basic five things until they become second nature. If you get a solid feel for hope the dart behaves learning specific shots and empty knots is child's play and can be done in an afternoon, whereas if you start with specific moves without a fundamental understanding of the dart's movement, you'll end up hitting yourself in the back of the head or tangling yourself up quite a bit.

If you want specifics on how to assemble a GOOD practice dart (the one given to me by the guy who offered me lessons was shitty compared to the one I made) and how to practice those five things, let me know in a PM and I'll get you on your way.

As for the cold weather, it sucks. It sucks hard. Make it when you can, forgive yourself when you can't, and try to find something you can do in the home when you can't make it. I don't know the specifics of your health considerations but very low-impact aerobics could be an option. Walking in place, high knee style, while watching a nature documentary is something I've assigned as homework before. Certain core and upper body exercises can be useful as well. Indian clubs are great, and you can get dirt cheap analogs pretty easily.

[Savannah]

Anyone with Comcast On Demand might go digging into the exercise section. I was surprised at the variety the first time I looked. They have all kinds of exercise programs, including standard aerobic stuff, but also some yoga, burlesque, and belly dancing.

[theCryptofishist]

So, t'other day, I went to a hamburger house, ordered a small burger and had the green salad with it. But the salad mix was older and some of the cute little mixed lettuces were turning black.
(I wouldn't even ahve been at a hamburger house, except we were hungry and we wanted a minimum of fuss. I know that my first choice wasn't all that healthy. I just wish I hadn't spent $2 on an uneaten salad...)

[AntiM]

I hate that. We often order a side salad because we can't have potatoes. Slimy, black, and the waitress was nasty about it. We did not tip. Worst Yelp review ever.

Or I'll buy salad, usually spinach, but not eat it fast enough, or not want it at all because it is cold outside and I want hot food. Turns bad so fast. Compost pile loves it though.

[forty_eight]

Don't take this as advice or anything since (I'm affected by that one thread with all the unsolicited advice - that shit is annoying), but I wanted to share this recipe using spinach cause it seems relevant to the warm food deal:

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing

Not that warm spinach salads are some recent innovation

It's just really good ... and BACON!

[AntiM]

LOL, yeah. I don't like warm spinach. I've tried, mightily, but nope.

[forty_eight]

LOL

for me, warm made the difference for spinach ... or was it the bacon?

/deep

[Savannah]

.
Stultified Holiday Jog Playlist

"(I Like That) You Can't Take That Away From Me" - Jae Millz, June Christy, Eric B and Rakim <-- walk/run
"I Wanna Go" - Britney Spears
"I've Seen All Good People" - Yes
"Ich Bin Ein Auslander" - Pop Will Eat Itself
"Ich Weiß Warum" - 2raumwohnung
"In the Dark" - Dev
"Instinct" - Karsh Kale
"Interstate Love Song" - Stone Temple Pilots
"It's Bad You Know" - R.L. Burnside <-- warmdown

I was not fully conscious before my run, and I'm still not awake now, frankly.

[forty_eight]

What's the guiding principle here, Savannah?

Tunes that synch to your program or tunes that synch and also hit a 30-45 minute duration?

I tend to go for something that I know runs long so I can keep distracted for long enough.

[Savannah]

What's the guiding principle here, Savannah?

Tunes that synch to your program or tunes that synch and also hit a 30-45 minute duration?

I tend to go for something that I know runs long so I can keep distracted for long enough.

I basically load an iDevice with a couple hundred fast songs and maybe 40 or 50 midtempo/occasionally downtempo songs.

If using a small iPod shuffle, I structure them in order: maybe 2-3 warm up songs, 10 fast songs and two warmdown songs. Repeat. Whole, self-contained playlists, until I run out of space. Then I can either go running without a second glance and (maybe) skip a few fast songs per playlist I'm not in the mood for, knowing that I can hit the advance button once or twice at the end and warm down. Or switch to shuffle mode completely, and just hit the forward button until I find something I like.

On a bigger device I just load as many running songs as I can, plus some warmups/downs, and choose visually according to mood.

. . . I like to post the songs I run to, because it took me a long time to develop several hundred songs suitable for the task, and I hope that anyone who's looking for a soundtrack might find a song or two they like.

I run to stuff that's different than what I would listen to around the house or if I were driving. I find that I need stuff that has either a lot of positive energy or a lot of machismo.

[lucky420]

Bought a juicer...thanks for all your help junglesmacks!

Going to start a 3 day juice cleanse on Tuesday. Kinda scared, definetly excited!

[Savannah]

I didn't want to run today, but there was a book waiting for me at the library (and the Hold on it was about to expire at the end of the day). And I have to be measured for a dress on Monday. (January measurements? What kind of sadism is this?) So I used that as my motivation for my Piss Poor Attitude January 4th workout. Nice long run to the library with special impetus not to slow down. Bussed home reading my book.

"Just Dance" - Lady Gaga, Feat Colby O'Donis <-- walk/run
"Keep the Car Running" - Arcade Fire
"Kesariya" - MIDIval PunditZ
"Kickstart My Heart" - Mötley Crüe
"Kings & Queens" - 30 Seconds to Mars <-- I forgot how good this song was for running. SO dramatic.
"Kiss Them for Me" - Siouxsie & the Banshees
"Legend of a Cowgirl" - Imani Coppola
"Let Go" - Frou Frou
"Let the Drummer Kick" - Citizen Cope

[Ugly Dougly]

We went hiking on Saturday, looking to approach the deer in the park, what I call "Sport Stalking".
Yeah, we went off-trail, but I do that a lot.
But FUCK my calves still hurt, so I will be damned if I do any running tonight.

[pink]

I worked in my yard Saturday & Sunday. Pruning on Sunday ; and damn my shoulders hurt afterwards! Used the big loppers. Good today though, so I gotta get back to it tomorrow. Good thing is, my hot tub is back in business. So I get to work, then soak.

[FossaFerox]

Alright guys and girls. It's that time of year. The burn is now just a little over 6 months away! Why does this matter? Because 6 months is just enough time to make those last, dramatic changes to your body before we head out into the dust.

Whether you want the strength to climb and play, the cardio to prowl deep playa and dance all night, or a body that will make even the sparkliest of camels jealous, it can be done! But you have to figure out what you want to accomplish and you have to get started IN EARNEST in the next two weeks.

Over the next week I'm going to do a short series here with tips for each (functional strength, cardio training, and muscle hypertrophy+weight loss), because in comparing notes with my camp mates after last year I came to really appreciate just how much more you can get out of a burn if you prepare your body along with the rest of your gear.

If you have any specific goals, questions, or concerns, start thinking them up now. I'll answer everything I can to help you all get the most out of your burn.

[lucky420]

Thanks Fossa!

Looking forward to checking it out. I've been juicing since Jan ,7th. I absolutely love it and feel much better and there is no way I would get anywhere near the amount of veggies that I juice daily.

[Aurelia]

Antithesis is that Valentine candy caught me
sugar addiction alert
any ideas Fossa?
and of course I will just attempt to tough away
xoA.

[Elliot]

FossaFerox, you are God; command me!
Less waist/belly-fat and more upper-body strength, please.

(I'm using the chin-up bar in the stairwell like we talked about -- whenever I come down the stairs without carrying anything, I grab that bar.)

[tatonka]

if ya have alot of bellyfat it can be from to much cortisol production . stress will boost your cortisol production and can lead to sweet cravings which can = bellyfat.
A good herb to relive stress and reduce cortisol production is Rhodiola Rosea 200mg-400mg a day.

[FossaFerox]

To overcome intense sugar cravings it's helpful to understand what's causing them.

Remember: The body is lazy. It only does or maintains whatever it thinks it absolutely HAS to in order to keep going. This includes energy management.

Imagine that you're a responsible adult managing your finances. You balance your check book, you budget, you save what you can and you spend when it makes sense. Then imagine someone came along and simply bought you whatever you want, whenever you want it, no guilt, no questions asked. Chances are you'd stop balancing your checkbook and lose a lot of the skills you'd learned pretty quickly.

The same sort of thing happens with sugar-rich diets, though the metabolic processes involved are a LOT more complex. If left unchecked it's the sort of thing that is self-reinforcing until it causes diabetes and you are FORCED to change. Don't get me wrong, you are no where near that bad, I'm just trying to demonstrate how severe the problem CAN be.

There are two ways to convince the body that it needs to relearn those skills, and both involve forcing it to manage energy (technically glycogen and blood sugar) more efficiently once again. One is to start fasting, to limit your food intake and to especially cut out anything with a HIGH Glycemic Index (sugar, simple carbs like white bread, etc). That's really hard to do, especially because the cravings are so strong. We'll call this the "head on" approach and it DOES work, but it takes a lot of willpower.

The other way to do it is to come at it from a different angle entirely. Start doing what's called HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training. This is a type of cardio training that involves what are essentially alternating periods of sprinting and walking. Usually you want somewhere between 3 and 10 HARD intervals with medium intensity jogging or walking inbetween. How many, how long, and how hard the "high intensity" portions are depends on your abilities. Same for the "medium intensity" recovery portions. In either case, give yourself at least 5 minutes of low intensity warm up and cooldown before you begin and after you finish.

Doing this will improve insulin sensitivity, improve glucose metabolism, enhance fat burning, and basically get your overall metabolism back on track with lower cravings.

Note: You WILL crave sugar after an intense workout like this and the 30 minutes following one of these workouts is the ONLY time it's okay to give in. In fact you should.

Good luck!

---------

And yes, Cortisol is a terrible hormone. It's the main stress hormone and it drives a major insulin response any time you eat to make your body rush and try to make fat as quickly as possible. It typically accumulates as belly fat because the adipose tissue around the intestines literally has first crack at the sugar as it enters your blood stream. This is why people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol, eat chocolate, etc all tend to be slimmer despite the calories associated with these "guilty" pleasures. They serve to relax you and lower your cortisol levels. Anything that relaxes you will have the same effect including a good night's sleep, meditation, and generally just living a relaxed, happy life.

Other things cortisol does? Causes muscle wasting through gluconeogenesis, decreases bone density, etc. It has ONE useful purpose, really, it's our body's main anti-inflammatory, but it's only supposed to be elevated when we're stressed out which once upon a time meant fighting for our lives or pushing our body to extremes to get food. The stresses of the modern world don't play well with our biology, sometimes. This is one of those times.

I'm not familiar with the herb Tatonka is recommending, but I'll look into it and report back what I find.

Edit:

Science checks out, including both double blind scientific studies (C.elegans, rats, and humans too!) and centuries of Siberian tradition. Thanks for the tip, Tatonka, I'll be passing that one on to some of my clients!

[Aurelia]

Thank you !
printed and posted to self
xoA.