Gym/Exercise Thread

[JS©]

Even the early signup was something like $90. It's currently listed on Active.com as $137, but with the processing fees the total ends up being $149.22. Even as an Active.com member, my cost would still end up being close to $140.

I would like to do a marathon just to say that I've done one, but not at that price.

[columbia]

I need a recommendation on a stationary bike. Not necessarily a specific model, but just a few companies that make quality products.
Budget: $300-400.

thx

[Letang Is The Truth]

Even the early signup was something like $90. It's currently listed on Active.com as $137, but with the processing fees the total ends up being $149.22. Even as an Active.com member, my cost would still end up being close to $140.

I would like to do a marathon just to say that I've done one, but not at that price.

Thanks for reminding me to cancel active.com

[dodint]

I need a recommendation on a stationary bike. Not necessarily a specific model, but just a few companies that make quality products.
Budget: $300-400.

thx

I don't have a bike (kind of want one, though) but my Precor elliptical and StarTrac treadmill have been tops. I wanted a LifeFitness treadmill really bad but I have no complaints about either machine now that I'm using them.

Get that Google Maps Tour de France bike they're always showing on TV.

[Dickie Dunn]

Schwinn Airdynes are well known ass kickers.

[columbia]

Yes, that makes sense that Schwinn would be a player in the market.

dodint: That Google bike isn't in my price range.

[Dickie Dunn]

Yes, that makes sense that Schwinn would be a player in the market.

dodint: That Google bike isn't in my price range.

Cheapest I've seen Airdyne's in store or at Amazon is $400, but http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schwinn-AD2-Air ... 1408860950

[shoeshine boy]

I prefer spin bikes myself. we bought ours from a gym that was upgrading their fleet. less (or in this case no) electronics means less stuff to break.

[GSdrums87]

Wanted a shake-up workout to cut some weight off. Currently doing this but at a caloric deficit, just on week one so far. 3 months of scheduled workouts, it's pretty awesome.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/shortcut-to-size.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[meow]

Wanted a shake-up workout to cut some weight off. Currently doing this but at a caloric deficit, just on week one so far. 3 months of scheduled workouts, it's pretty awesome.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/shortcut-to-size.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting workout schedule. Calves then legs the next day? Ouch. Not crazy about taking two days off of weights, but you could slip in a cardio or something.

[stopper40]

Wanted a shake-up workout to cut some weight off. Currently doing this but at a caloric deficit, just on week one so far. 3 months of scheduled workouts, it's pretty awesome.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/shortcut-to-size.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interesting workout schedule. Calves then legs the next day? Ouch. Not crazy about taking two days off of weights, but you could slip in a cardio or something.

If you're doing weights right, you don't cardio

[Grunthy]

Not true. You need some form of cardio.

[stopper40]

Not true. You need some form of cardio.

Not really. Weight training will get you will boost your metabolism

http://www.mikementzer.com/aerobic.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.cbass.com/AerobicsNeedIt.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Grunthy]

Your heart needs cardio exercise.

[GSdrums87]

They're active rest days. 15-30 minutes of HIIT or an hour of a sport. Helps with the caloric deficit too.

[stopper40]

Your heart needs cardio exercise.

What do you think high intensity weight training does to your heart rate?

[meow]

Your heart needs cardio exercise.

What do you think high intensity weight training does to your heart rate?

It's not a constant high heart rate, though. That's where the benefit is; getting your heart rate up and keeping it up for an extended period.

[stopper40]

Your heart needs cardio exercise.

What do you think high intensity weight training does to your heart rate?

It's not a constant high heart rate, though. That's where the benefit is; getting your heart rate up and keeping it up for an extended period.

http://www.mikementzer.com/aerobic.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Even if an elevated pulse is necessary for cardiovascular conditioning (we do not doubt that pulse elevation may be necessary, but we do not believe that it should be the emphasis of a conditioning program) remember that some of the highest heart-rates on record were achieved during Nautilus research performed at West Point. The West Point cadets commonly experienced heart rates in excess of 220 beats per minute during Nautilus exercise. These pulse rates were maintained for periods of 20-35 minutes.

[GSdrums87]

Yeah high intensity interval training is way better than straight cardio. Sprints, burpees with some rest time...it's way better than slugging away on a treadmill. Gives your muscles work too.

[no name]

Can anyone recommend a Gym. Just want access to Cardio and free weights and machines. Don't want to be binded to the place for over a year in with a long term access. Most the Gyms in the south hills area. Used to belong to fitness 19 but that place was crazy busy in caste village.

Besides mainstream places not sure if there are smaller out of the way places.

[DontToewsMeBro]

The whole "boosting your metabolism" aspect of fitness is a crock. Your metabolism won't differ much at all no matter what you do, and doesn't significantly alter as you age either. Sure, if you're cutting to get down to comp. body fat levels, little things like drinking plenty of ice water (known to 'boost' metabolism) helps but it comes down to simple thermodynamics, Calories in v. Calories out.

/rant

[dodint]

Arguments over gym pseudoscience always amuse me. If there were actual merit to any of the gimmicks someone would've patented a program that exploits it and they'd be rich and we'd all be perfect.

I love running for 2hrs out a time. If some weightlifter thinks it isn't real exercise I can just poke them in the eye and out run them. They'll be panting in the first 20 yards. Track and Field has runners and throwers for a reason, something for everyone.

[no name]

There are so many different ways to lose weight and gain muscle. It all comes down to preference what kind of program you want to use. I lost weight by doing all cardio and lost it doing with just weight training. I prefere a combo, again my preference not that this is the right way just the way I enjoyed working out.

Weight lifting, I did full body workouts and I did splits, had better success doing splits. but my preference is doing full body workout so that s what I do.

Of course my goal is to look muscular\fit not working to be a body builder.

[tifosi77]

Shaf pointed me to a guy called Mark Lauren, who is a former Air Force para rescue jumper instructor who specializes in bodyweight training. In his book You Are Your Own Gym, chapter four is entitled "Why Strength Training? (or Why Cardio Is A Waste Of Your Time) The first two paragraphs read as follows:

Whether you want to lose fat, gain muscle, or do both, strength training should be the core of your conditioning. Aerobic activity, on the other hand, is inefficient and ineffective no matter your goal.

It is a myth that doing prolonged steady state training - usually maintaining a a target heart rate for 30-60 minutes - like aerobics or "cardio" is the best way to burn calories and achieve cardiovascular health. Ever plod along on a treadmill that tells you the number of calories burned? You might go 45 minutes before you hit 300 calories. Well, guess what? That's 300 total calories burned, and not 300 calories above what your baseline metabolism would have burned, anyway, even while at rest. That's the reason the exercise machine asks you your weight: To calculate your baseline metabolic rate. The average male burns 105 calories at rest in 45 minutes. Those 195 extra calories that the exercise actually burned - only 195 more than if you had been taking a nap - can be undone by half a bagel in half a minute. And aerobic exercise typically spurns your appetite enough to more than offset those few actual calories

He goes on to say the following: "More bad news for aerobic activity: Whether it's running, cycling, or a step class, the main reason it gets easier the more you do it, is not because of improved cardiovascular conditioning, but because of improved economy of motion. ... Aerobic training should only be used to develop movement proficiency when you are training for a specific sport or event, such as a 5k run, triathlon, or particular military fitness assessment."

Consistent aerobic activity actually burns muscle, causing your resting metabolic rate to eventually drop. Take the above example of the treadmill..... Say your body has burned through 5 pounds of lean muscle in the year you've been doing cardio. You now have a resting metabolism that's about 50 calories per day less than when you started. You've also improved the efficiency of your movement, so now instead of burning 195 calories, that 45 minute workout only burns 125 calories. In all, that's a net loss of 120 calories that your body did not burn, thanks to your 'improved' carido performance.... which is likely less than the recovery drink you'll have after the workout.

So, have at it aerobicisers.

[tifosi77]

Track and Field has runners and throwers for a reason, something for everyone.

Mainly because those events were derived from military exercises/movements that were common 2700 years ago.