[Offers] NSC Fitness Thread

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

Sorry, missed this. I really like the rower, as it gets me through my running slumps which happen every couple of weeks seemingly. A burn on the rower every couple of days keeps things ticking over, which has helped during any low moments during this weird time we are having.

I’ve managed to lose no weight during lockdown but my upper body shapes is changing for the better. The issue is I really like wine and cheese. I exercise because I have to but I am enjoying running these days.

Cheers: I'm with you on the wine and cheese! It's weird to switch between running and rowing. Mrs GNT does both and over a 5k run is about 14 minutes slower than me, but over a 5K row is about 4 minutes slower. She is blessed with rather longer arms and legs than me.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Cheers: I'm with you on the wine and cheese! It's weird to switch between running and rowing. Mrs GNT does both and over a 5k run is about 14 minutes slower than me, but over a 5K row is about 4 minutes slower. She is blessed with rather longer arms and legs than me.

Yeah I am not blessed with a rowers physique, far from it, and am pootling (sp?) along at 21ish minutes for 4K. Will work on upping it but it’s bloody hard is rowing.

Not convinced my rower will handle too much frantic activity so we’ll see how that goes.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

That's really impressive. I'm clearly a novice (albeit a bloody old one!) compared to you and Deportivo. I'd be delighted to get down to 8.00 for 2K but am at 8.34 right now and it's a big chasm. Looking at Deportivo's training data (and I suspect yours might well be similar) my spm c/w his is very high at 28-31. As I'm short on power I don't think I could generate sufficient power per stroke at 23-25 spm so I'm always going to be rather frantic and then fade as the lactic bites in. As I've always been a bit of a 'natural' at running (I'm not a superstar or anything but I've been decent without much by way of structured training) it's a struggle to be bottom of the pile in another form of fitness - but it's good for me.

Good luck with the new machine - and mind the heart! I can see you've re-set your goals but I wonder if you might slip back into busting a gut.

I haven't been anywhere near my 2010/11 rowing fitness for some years. I'm short (just under 5' 8"), fat (14st 6lbs - have been as high as 16st) and old-ish (58 1/2)!! I'd be delighted with 8.34 right now ... will probably aim to do 9.00 for my first 2k time trial and see how that feels. My heart is an odd one ... with a huge heart rate range! Resting HR is around 55/56 ... and can go to high 190's and can hit 200!! I've tried to research high HRs and it doesn't seem to be a problem - just that I have that capacity!

What helped me improve my ability to hold faster paces was interval training ... like fartlek training in running. I had a spell of running in 1997/98 ... and I found it interesting comparing times at certain distances. My best half marathon running was Brighton 1998 in 1h2 29 mins ... my rowing time was 2 mins faster. And did the New Forest marathon in 1997 in 3 hrs 26 mins ... so my rowing marathon was quite a bit faster.

Good luck with hitting that 8 min 2k

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Update from me, started as you can see above at 14 st 7 lbs, and am now 13 st 7lbs. I'm four sessions away from completing C25K and have 5to10K ready and have a couple of 10k's booked.

Feeling really good and starting to lose the belly!

Going to go back into youth football coaching so need to get much fitter yet, always hate to see coaches lumping around preaching about pace and mobility!

Only downer in my life now is seeing the spreadsheets of [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] etc and have massive Excel envy , but sorting that now!

Great news. plateaued slightly for a couple of weeks but didn't panic, now 13st 4lbs and have completed Couch to 5k. Am now running 5k and not focusing on time just enjoying my running for a month and then move to 6.5k with the aim of a fun ParkRun and the 10k in September.

Have started this FB 25 press ups in 25 days, which is OK and then I'm doing my own 25 a.m. and 25 p.m. sit ups for 50 days after, as my own thing. I might even have a cheeky plank in the evenings too!

Really noticing weight loss now and feeling better, have got out a favourite shirt of mine from a few years ago, and wearing that without looking a lump is another aim.

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

I'm just waiting for the Tuffnells delivery van to turn up with my new Model D Concept 2. I sold my last one last September as I was about to have hand surgery and I needed to get rid of the temptation to row when I shouldn't! That's the great thing with these machines - very easy to sell at a good price if you look after them.

My best times on the ERG was back in 2010/11 - but I'm just short of 16 million lifetime meters, so that'll be my first target when I get back on it! Will just need to make sure I take it very steady to start with and mix up the sessions ... and then gradually try and improve times, although general fitness and weight loss are my main goals these days.

Just for info ... these are my PBs at various distances etc. Quite pleased with some of them ... the one that I'm really gutted about is not quite making 15,000 meters in 60 minutes. I just couldn't quite hold the 2:00/500m pace I needed at the end!!

View attachment 125628

That’s is bloody impressive and an understatement on my part.

Best I can offer is 5k at 2:05 split at 22/23 spm.


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[Mellotron]

I’ve managed to lose no weight during lockdown but my upper body shapes is changing for the better.

This is important, and I've had to learn not to use weight as the only metric to measure fitness.

I have begun measuring waist size, which has shown improvement at points when weight hasn't.

Also, more anecdotally my wife has commented that I look in far better shape than when I married her in 2011, despite now being pretty much exactly the same weight (13st 7lbs) - I can definitely feel it too, have far more tone in shoulders and upper body than ever before. It's a great feeling, and I recommend it to anyone struggling!

 

[Deportivo Seagull]

I haven't been anywhere near my 2010/11 rowing fitness for some years. I'm short (just under 5' 8"), fat (14st 6lbs - have been as high as 16st) and old-ish (58 1/2)!! I'd be delighted with 8.34 right now ... will probably aim to do 9.00 for my first 2k time trial and see how that feels. My heart is an odd one ... with a huge heart rate range! Resting HR is around 55/56 ... and can go to high 190's and can hit 200!! I've tried to research high HRs and it doesn't seem to be a problem - just that I have that capacity!

What helped me improve my ability to hold faster paces was interval training ... like fartlek training in running. I had a spell of running in 1997/98 ... and I found it interesting comparing times at certain distances. My best half marathon running was Brighton 1998 in 1h2 29 mins ... my rowing time was 2 mins faster. And did the New Forest marathon in 1997 in 3 hrs 26 mins ... so my rowing marathon was quite a bit faster.

Good luck with hitting that 8 min 2k

The magic sub 8 min for 2k. Haven’t gone under it for about 4years as the knee went and tbh haven’t been inclined to try since the op.
There have been a couple of virtual heads ( time trials) and managed 2:03.5 for 4K at around 26spm. A couple of 1k’s at 1:54 mark but just not strong enough to get under 1:50 but maybe one for the winter.

I’ve only just started going anywhere above 26 spm because I normally do that on the water. Once you get over 28 spm you start to overcome the properties of the fly wheel or so I’m told, hence training at 22.


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[Jimmy Grimble]

Been a gym goer for a while, never taken it too seriously though I was the kind of person who went to the gym for an hour lifted some weight then would go home and eat a big pasta bake and 2 muller corners and wonder why I’m not seeing results

At the moment I’ve got a weight bar/bench and I’m doing weights every day in the garden which I’ve really got into and my arms and legs are getting there but I’ve always had stubborn weight around my hips and stomach so I’m incorporating a 1 hour cycle round the PP velodrome 3 times a week and I’ve started eating pretty clean to try and tackle this issue. Anyone else have any tips that worked for them? I don’t think my genetics are kind in that area either

A friend of mine had a similar issue around fat and muscle. He opted to put on weight first by upping his calorie intake for a month or so (to the point where he was the biggest he’d ever been) and then spent the next month or so turning that fat into muscle. It worked well for him but he is a naturally slim chap so never ended up that ‘fat’.

I find HiiT sessions are great for toning, especially if you have a specific area of the body to work on. Not exactly time consuming either which is a bonus.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

That’s is bloody impressive and an understatement on my part.

Best I can offer is 5k at 2:05 split at 22/23 spm.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks ... I just wish those times weren't just a distant memory ... although it was good to do them.

What helped me was joining a 'virtual' team. Lots of encouragement and training tips from more experienced guys. There's a monthly challenge between teams from all over the world. I used to take part every month - but have been out of it for a year or so now for various reasons ... it's here if you or anyone fancies taking a look http://c2ctc.com

The other thing I did was row online with people - again from all over the world - using software called RowPro. Again, it helped with the motivation.

Anyway ... my new ERG has arrived ... I have unboxed it ... so now plan on doing a very gentle 15/20 minutes to kick things off!!

 

[Mellotron]

A friend of mine had a similar issue around fat and muscle. He opted to put on weight first by upping his calorie intake for a month or so (to the point where he was the biggest he’d ever been) and then spent the next month or so turning that fat into muscle. It worked well for him but he is a naturally slim chap so never ended up that ‘fat’.

I find HiiT sessions are great for toning, especially if you have a specific area of the body to work on. Not exactly time consuming either which is a bonus.

With HIIT sessions, how often per week and after how many weeks did you notice an improvement?

 

[Garry Nelson's teacher]

I haven't been anywhere near my 2010/11 rowing fitness for some years. I'm short (just under 5' 8"), fat (14st 6lbs - have been as high as 16st) and old-ish (58 1/2)!! I'd be delighted with 8.34 right now ... will probably aim to do 9.00 for my first 2k time trial and see how that feels. My heart is an odd one ... with a huge heart rate range! Resting HR is around 55/56 ... and can go to high 190's and can hit 200!! I've tried to research high HRs and it doesn't seem to be a problem - just that I have that capacity!

What helped me improve my ability to hold faster paces was interval training ... like fartlek training in running. I had a spell of running in 1997/98 ... and I found it interesting comparing times at certain distances. My best half marathon running was Brighton 1998 in 1h2 29 mins ... my rowing time was 2 mins faster. And did the New Forest marathon in 1997 in 3 hrs 26 mins ... so my rowing marathon was quite a bit faster.

Good luck with hitting that 8 min 2k

Hmm, methinks you were a better runner than me, too: 1.31 for HM and I simply will not disclose my marathon times!

 

[Jimmy Grimble]

With HIIT sessions, how often per week and after how many weeks did you notice an improvement?

I would say around 4/5 weeks. At the start I did them on alternating days as my body wasn’t used to it, but then started doing them daily. It’s nice to have the feeling of eating something a bit more carb heavy afterwards without worrying about the calories.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I have dropped off a cliff with regards to my running, but I’ve managed to maintain weight throughout lockdown by being careful with what I’m eating. I’m at a constant 12.6st but my body composition is all over the shop, I’m reasonably tall (6’3) and all excess weight sits on my hips, stomach and chest, my arms and legs are like noodles. Yesterday morning I tidied my garage and set up my weight bench and had a workout for the first team in a long long time. As Mellotron has pointed out, weighing scales aren’t always the best marker for progress, I’d probably need to lose another half a stone to shift my excess timber but I’ll end up looking unwell, so I’m now going to try and add a bit of tone and definition to see if that makes my physique look a bit more balanced.

 

[Mellotron]

I would say around 4/5 weeks. At the start I did them on alternating days as my body wasn’t used to it, but then started doing them daily. It’s nice to have the feeling of eating something a bit more carb heavy afterwards without worrying about the calories.

Thanks for this. Looking to move towards this sorta thing starting Monday.

 

[Deleted member 37369]

Hmm, methinks you were a better runner than me, too: 1.31 for HM and I simply will not disclose my marathon times!

Haha ... it's all relative ... and 91 mins for a HM is very good! My life seems to have been full of events where I've progressed and peaked quite quickly and then even more quickly I've gone downhill

 

[zefarelly]

On the normal scale of fitness, I did a 5km run with the dog at 8 am, followed by 1hr of Pilates.

This afternoon I shall be mostly sitting down

 

[Binney on acid]

My daughter tells me that Corals at the greyhound stadium have closed.

 

[timbha]

My daughter tells me that Corals at the greyhound stadium have closed.

Yes. Sadly it officially closed today.

Bids have been submitted to take over the running of a new club.

 

[zefarelly]

The dogs will be pleased.

 

[Mellotron]

Mid July UPDATE - Putting this on here as a nudge to others who committed to improved fitness during lockdown...also, apologies to any who find this to be spamming, I find the accountability of sharing it helps me stay on track. Hopefully won't need to do it too much longer!

Jan - struggled to make changes as still pretty deep in addiction to shit food. I'd set a goal of under 2,000 calories a day and really struggled to stay under. I think I was used to eating 2,500+ cals a day.

Week 1 - 16st 9lbs
Week 2 - 16st 11lbs
Week 3 - 16st 7lbs
Week 4 - 16st 8lbs

Feb

Week 5 - 16st 8lbs - started to really focus on macros from here - adjusting diet to take on more protein and less carbs...
Week 6 - 16st 4lbs
Week 7 - 16st 2lbs
Week 8 - 16st

Mar - I was unwell during March (possible COVID) and lost weight too quickly. I was barely eating and slept 12+ hours a day for about a week or so in the middle.

Week 9 - 15st 12lbs
Week 10 - 15st 7lbs
Week 11 - 15st 3lbs
Week 12 - 15st
Week 13 - 14st 11lbs

Apr - hit a bit of a plateau across April - lost motivation a little, stopped using protein shakes.

Week 14 - 14st 9lbs
Week 15 - 14st 9lbs
Week 16 - 14st 8lbs
Week 17 - 14st 7lbs

May - picked it up again and refocused my efforts. Have discovered a great area to walk in woods near my work so going for long lunch walks every day.

Week 18 - 14st 6lbs
Week 19 - 14st 4lbs
Week 20 - 14st 2lbs
Week 21 - 14st 1lb

June - Still having some unintentional "cheat" days but my desire to binge eat has almost completely gone now. I had a Pizza Hut takeaway with Mrs Mellotron and I struggled to get through my half of a medium pizza. Back in't day I'd have polished off a whole one nae bother and plenty of sides. It feels like I have managed to successfully retrain my body/brain/tastebuds and it feels good.

Just ordered a load of new clothes online as jeans and shirts etc all pretty baggy and shapeless. Now limit myself to 1,650 calories a day, something that would've felt impossible in January now doesn't feel particularly difficult.

Week 22 - 13st 12lbs
Week 23 - 13st 10lbs
Week 24 - 13st 8lbs
Week 25 - 13st 6lbs

July - so far still pretty solid, a few hiccups here and there (takeaways, too many crisps) but trend and habits generally good. Got severe abdominal pain after a hill run last week where I hadn't taken on enough water, now waiting on an x-ray as it appears I may have (or have had) a kidney stone.

Week 26 - 13st 4lbs
Week 27 - 13st 2lbs

End goal - 12st 8lbs (and a “healthy” BMI) within the next couple of months - aiming to push on a bit further, judge based on body composition, and then move more onto weights, higher levels of protein etc.

Look forward to seeing others' updates.