withervein Member

If your form is actually fine, you might try to vary the type of squat. Try a different bar position or do front squats, which put your torso in a more upright position and can prevent lumbar hyperextension.

This is pretty accurate. I can deadlift 205 for 4 sets of 5, but only bench 90 for four sets of 6. One motion I've trained longer than the other and there are simply places in which you are going to be weaker. If you have a goal of X weight for 3 sets of 10 reps, the variable that will change as you get strong is the…

Elements of Crossfit are good for many people. Encouragement, breaking barriers, recording work and breaking PRs are all things that can help a person SEE the improvement in their health and push them to greater heights. Not all of any workout program works for everyone. I prefer my weights heavy and slow with good form, I…

Rather than suck in.. think about the sort of tensing you would do if you were expecting a punch to the gut. You would flex the abs, to absorb the blow, not suck in. Think about maintaining that sort of "prepared" feeling as much as you can. You can even do it while sitting at work, walking around and it will just make you…

Be aware that there is a chance you won't see a noticeable difference on the scale at all. In fact, the numbers may hedge upward as you put on muscle over the months (yes, months. This is not a fast process). Get a tape measure. It will be far more worth it.

Heavy for a beginner is what makes you feel like you just can't eke out one more at about rep 8. It's very very personal for beginners. If you want to fill out in the chest/back, triceps you can probably benefit from pushups and pull/chin ups. These are cheap as free and easily one of those key indicators of physical…

THe plates run an electric current through your body. The amount impeded (blocked) is used to measure the percentage. This however can be inaccurate if you are dehyrated vs. hydrated as water is a good conductor.

Calipers are an effective measurement if you have been trained properly to use them. There are a lot of measurement techniques, but they can vary wildly in their results, which is why there are so many. I am 22 percent body fat using one, and nearly 34 percent using the navy technique. Underwater weighting is probably the…

I find I can go deeper (with better form) doing a Goblet Squat with a kettlebell than I can with a barbell. I used goblet squats to find my comfortable leg positioning and proper turn-out on my feet. Because I can sit in the bottom position holding a kettlebell, I am able to make minor adjustments, hold the stretch, and…

Don't feel stupid. I lived among folks from the UK for several years and I was the one who felt like she was the weak communication link. Friggin' moon language.

Lots of exercise is hard on your knees. Harder on your knees is carrying around excess weight. If you are at the point in your fitness journey where the difference in how many calories and exact timing of consumption matters, then I might consider listening to the minutiae. For most of us non-olympians, however, you can…

In addition to the comments above, the shape of your muscle (minus the layer of flubber on top) is entirely determined by its mass and where the ligaments connect it to the bone. If you have a short muscle, you can't lengthen it short of some pretty painful surgery, I'm guessing. I always thought I just have large calf…

I however have been incredibly sore the past few workouts and I'm starting to think I'm doing something wrong. Being sore the next day is one thing, being sore for three days... I'm definitely not turning into the Hulk, so clearly pain does not equal gain or I'd be ripping the hell outta my shirts.

Seems like you are on the right track. Using measurements is not always accurate for figuring out body fat, especially in people who are at the extremes (quite short/quite tall/quite athletic/obese). But you've got numbers backing up that you're losing inches and you're eating enough to keep the fire stoked. /round of…

Shorts and a tank if it's hot. Pants (sweats/track pants/semi-fitted sport trousers) and a tee if it's cooler. I can't afford to shell out for things, most 5Ks give you a free tee for showing up, so those get a lot of use before they go to the rag bag. You can pick up tanks pretty cheaply at old navy when they go on sale.…

Hence the "If anything doesn't feel right (knees heading center on squats, feeling unbalanced, joints complaining) stop, mention it, ask for a modification. " If they cant make a suggestion, I'm guessing that the OP is probably logical enough to seek assistance elsewhere as she's on here looking for information.

If you want to avoid looking like you don't know what you're doing, tap a gym staff member to help you learn the form. Start light, as noted above, empty bar (45 pounds: can be a challenge to the untrained) or lighter non-standard barbell can help. If anything doesn't feel right (knees heading center on squats, feeling…

Krista Scott Dixon www.stumptuous.com Marianne Kane www.myomytv.com Great workouts, great information, no bull****.

I've had a lot of luck eating at a "lose .5 pounds a week" calories, lifting (squats, dead lifts, bench press as heavy as I can 4-5 sets of 5) and kickboxing/kettlebells 3 times a week. I eat my calories back daily and maybe a smidge more occasionally. I've seen the most improvement since I went from "lose 1.5 pounds" to…

I think if I were told not to exercise, I would sit my *kitten* down.

I believe the workout you are able to do regularly is the most effective. If you're not a morning person, but you're trying to swing a 5 a.m. wake up because someone tells you it's better, you aren't going to keep it up for long because you're gonna hate yourself. I get up at 5:45 so I can be at work at 8 with an hour…

deleted because I quoted instead of edited. blargh.

I'm going to say the culprit is largely that you've not been at it long enough. I crossed the 200 lb barrier about a year and a half ago and the winter before last finally started doing something about it. I started with a kickboxing class once a week, then jogging with my dog, then keeping track of my food, then added a…

In rowing we called them Sit-Jacks. If you straighten your legs out and start from laying flat, we called em V-ups.

I do a scoop of vanilla protein, 2 percent milk, 2 tsp of instant coffee and 1 tbs of cocoa powder. Mocha!

Carry an extending baton. Dogs understand an impending smack with a stick rather than pepper spray. My father was a claims inspector for the electric company and carried a long heavy-duty flashlight whenever he had to go on someones property. Ostensibly to see damage in dark areas, but it came in handy for scaring off some…

Add a bit more olive oil when you cook. Snack on nuts. If I don't watch myself I can eat 600 calories of honey roasted peanuts in a matter of minutes.

I totally read Youtube.com in your subject line.

After your shower, put on warm clothes (if your workout is in the evening, this usually works out great). If it's in the morning, dress in layers for work and grab a coffee. As it gets warmer, get back outside after your shower and relax in the sunshine.

Removed due to being late to the party. Comment about stupid shoes duly made.