Running, pull ups and flexibility questions

socialdchic
socialdchic Posts: 170 Member
edited October 2016 in Fitness and Exercise
I am new-ish to running. I spent my entire life skinny fat (skinny but unhealthy and would walk the track when I was in school for 20 min miles) and then I actually got fat after taking antidepressants and having a kid and was super unhappy with myself. Now I have a significant amount of weight I have lost (still more to go) but I have 3 goals now..

1. To run since I never have before. I have been doing better, going from 17 mins down to 12-14 depending on the day. Biggest issue is my legs give out before cardio gets me so I am working on squats and lunges and stuff to make my legs stronger. I also have a cold though right now and am upset and feel that I cannot run because I will die from coughing (ha) but wont taking time off set me behind? What do you guys do when you are sick? Any other running tips for someone who has never ran before? Should I take any supplements before or after runs? My ultimate goal is when my local 5k happens again to place. I did it this year and got 26th and I think I can place by next year if I try. I have never gotten a medal or trophy at anything in my life

2. To do a pull up. I have never been able to do one EVER. I have been trying to lift 10 pound dumbbells, doing pushups (on my knees, my arms are SUPER weak) and working different muscle groups but I live in an apt so I cannot install a pull up bar sadly. Any other things I can do at home to work my arms for pull ups?

3. To be more flexible. I have been trying to do some yoga and stretches. I could not even touch my toes at first but its getting better.. veryyyyyyyyy slowly. Aside from yoga, is there anything else that helps with that?

This may be too much to focus on at once, I am not sure. I have made a HUGE lifestyle change and just want to be healthy and strong and feel strong and do things I have never been able to do before. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

Replies

  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
    1. Listen to your body, if running makes you cough don't run, try just walking at a brisk pace. I haven't been sick since the year 2001 but I'd listen to my body if I were to get sick again. Taking a week off won't set you back. I ran a 5k on Sept. 5th with a time of 24:34, I have another 5k on Nov. 12th. With training I do longer slower paced runs, shorter faster paced runs, as well as intervals (10sec sprints/50sec walk/recovery or 1min sub-sprint/2min easy jog).

    2. Pull-ups (palms forward) mainly work the lats with some bicep involvement, chin-ups (palms toward you) will work more of the biceps. Push-ups work the triceps and chest and will do little or nothing to help you do a pull-up or chin-up. Use your dumbbells to do bicep curls and bent-over rows.

    3. I don't do yoga and I don't really stretch all that often but the key to stretching is to ease into a stretch, hold it for a count, then try to stretch a little farther and hold again. Don't ever "bounce" into a stretch.
  • socialdchic
    socialdchic Posts: 170 Member
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    1. Listen to your body, if running makes you cough don't run, try just walking at a brisk pace. I haven't been sick since the year 2001 but I'd listen to my body if I were to get sick again. Taking a week off won't set you back. I ran a 5k on Sept. 5th with a time of 24:34, I have another 5k on Nov. 12th. With training I do longer slower paced runs, shorter faster paced runs, as well as intervals (10sec sprints/50sec walk/recovery or 1min sub-sprint/2min easy jog).

    2. Pull-ups (palms forward) mainly work the lats with some bicep involvement, chin-ups (palms toward you) will work more of the biceps. Push-ups work the triceps and chest and will do little or nothing to help you do a pull-up or chin-up. Use your dumbbells to do bicep curls and bent-over rows.

    3. I don't do yoga and I don't really stretch all that often but the key to stretching is to ease into a stretch, hold it for a count, then try to stretch a little farther and hold again. Don't ever "bounce" into a stretch.

    Thank you so much, great advice!!
  • girlinahat
    girlinahat Posts: 2,956 Member
    Running - try a run/walk routine where you might walk for two minutes, run for one minute for a total of 20 minutes. There's various plans and apps that follow this, look for c25k or 'couch to 5k' for something. Don't try and run too fast - you build endurance first, get the body muscles and lungs used to moving for a period of time.

    Pull- ups. It is also my dream to do one. I've heard negative pull-ups can help - so lowering your body down rather than pulling up.

    Yoga - it takes time, but don't push it too far. Little stretches held for a period of time.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    You've already gotten some great advice so all I have to add is that you can buy pull up bars that attach to your doorway. It sort of braces against the door trim so you don't have to "install" , just hang it from any open door during your workout and take it down when you're done. I have one and it's great.
    ybt0n3j5ii97.png
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
    I have/use one of those myself and it works great:

    17c5e6fsqaol.jpg
  • socialdchic
    socialdchic Posts: 170 Member
    girlinahat wrote: »
    Running - try a run/walk routine where you might walk for two minutes, run for one minute for a total of 20 minutes. There's various plans and apps that follow this, look for c25k or 'couch to 5k' for something. Don't try and run too fast - you build endurance first, get the body muscles and lungs used to moving for a period of time.

    Pull- ups. It is also my dream to do one. I've heard negative pull-ups can help - so lowering your body down rather than pulling up.

    Yoga - it takes time, but don't push it too far. Little stretches held for a period of time.

    Thanks, I have been doing the running then walking type thing and logging around 15 miles per week but then I get sick haha! Yeah, I have heard that about the pull ups but I know my arm muscles in general are about as effective as jello ;) working on it though haha.
  • socialdchic
    socialdchic Posts: 170 Member
    DresdenSinn wrote: »
    I have/use one of those myself and it works great:

    17c5e6fsqaol.jpg

    Does that have to be nailed into the wall? Can you buy it on amazon?
  • DresdenSinn
    DresdenSinn Posts: 665 Member
    No nailing involved and I did get mine from Amazon
  • troytroy11
    troytroy11 Posts: 180 Member
    First of all big congratulations on your major lifestyle change! Your goals seem very reasonable and with persistance you will achieve them.
    One of the most important things is to make these workouts, training sessions or exercise times fun. Make it something you look forward to doing every time, not something you dread. You are developing a lifelong habbit and relationship to fitness so enjoy it and have a blast doing it!
    For the running the previous comments are good suggestions. You might want to look at running in different areas and different surfaces to change it up every now and then. Try barefoot in the grass or sand for instance.
    For the pull up you can drape a towell over an interior door of your apartment and use a chair to start as assistance. Also look into "negatives" where you start at the top and slowly lower yourself down. The trick is to always be making progress even if it is slow just be sure you can objectively measure how you improve as you move towards our first pull up.
    For the flexibility, make that entirely your thing. Own it. You know what feels right and where you need it. There are so many different kinds of yoga and tons of stretching routines. Find something you really really like and don't be afraid to try out different things. Be sure to be in tune with your body. There are times to push yourself and times to chill. Know your limits.
  • canadianlbs
    canadianlbs Posts: 5,199 Member
    pullups and chins are hard for lots of women. 'eccentrics' are great though - that's when you jump up from a chair or something to start at the top of the movement and then just concentrate on controlling yourself on the way down. go all the way to a 'full hang' at the bottom each time and then do it again.

    i think my trainer gave me this raw-newbie progression for eccentrics that went:
    3 singles (rest after each one)
    4 singles (rest after each one)
    5 singles (rest after each one)
    6 singles (rest after each one)

    once you can do 6 singles, you start grouping the reps into 'sets' and adding a rep to each set:
    2x3
    2x4
    2x5
    2x6
    break them again
    3x4

    somewhere in there you're supposedly strong enough to try a real one. but i never get consistent enough to know where it is, so i don't remember now.

Categories