Scubdup Member

Or I could ask for some other goals. Would that be OK? Help me choose some other exercises.

I'm not after "special tests" or to compare to others. As I said, I'm a bit bored of the existing benchmarks and would like some new ones.

Thanks for the sincere replies (less so for the obligatory internet "how can I prove I'm a contrarian?" style answers :p :* ) I think body-weight exercises are a good suggestion. Max pull-ups, time taken to perform 50 air squats, perhaps? It's going to end up being burpees isn't it! :s I just want suggestions for some new…

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate that people specialise, but I doubt there are many people who'd argue the outliers - the powerlifters, and the ultramarathon runners - represent all-round fitness. I'm interested to know what people feel would be a good test of that. (I'm trying to come up with some new benchmark…

This. A while back I would pick a "landmark" in my local park (a bench usually), then I would sprint for 20 seconds, and then spend 10 seconds recovering, and marking where I'd run to. Then 20 seconds sprinting back to the landmark, and repeat 3 more times, trying to get as close to my original mark as possible on the way…

Everyone's different, and nobody knows you and your body better than you and those close to you - also, I'm no expert - so take this "advice" with a degree of caution, but I'd just say that you might, like me, find that it gets harder to lose weight the closer you get to your goal. I lost a little heart when my progress…

When is the best time to plant a tree? - 20 years ago. When is the next best time to plant a tree? - Today.

Thanks - I think making something in the morning to come home to after work is a good idea. Might make up some tuna-mayonnaise for a quick sandwich. Thanks. I appreciate the critique (even if it is a bit "Internet Requires Me to Prove I Can Read Rebelliously" :p ) The Slow Cooker! Of course. Thanks. I'd forgotten about…

Managing the behaviour of others is tricky! What are his motivators? Could it be that the numbers of the page of the health check are too abstract and remote to galvanise him? If he's not overweight, then it seems like exercise would be a better alternative to massive changes in diet, perhaps. Is there a sport or fitness…

Thanks for the further replies. I've given barbell Good Mornings a go (at a light weight) to see how they feel, and to be honest, they didn't feel that great. Pretty unnatural movement (which, I know, isn't always a bad thing) and given what @NorthCascades in particular had to say about them, I think I'll give them a miss.

It's all I've got unfortunately. I completely accept that with such limited available time, and such a broad range of fitness targets, my progress in any one particular fitness endeavour - such as triathlon performance - is going to be slow: both in absolute terms; and also relative to the progress I could make if I…

Apologies - I was reading all your "Where's the squat in a Good Morning" posts, and I was like, "Seriously? Every **** video I looked at this morning featured it - and I though that was weird too" - hence my post. See, for example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkuS9RdDZXM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHhQOaKNbjQ…

Veins! Visible, projecting veins in my thighs and shoulders! Wife finds them disgusting, but I think I'm addicted. Must. Get. More. Veins.

Great work, well done. You must have noticed such a massive performance gain on the bike! For me, that was the biggest "non-scales victory" (not accomplished anywhere near the same loss as you) - working out the equivalent in bottles of water in an imaginary rucksack I'm no longer carrying in everything I do. Lol - just…

For me it all comes down to the coaches and the fellow athletes. If they're a decent bunch then it's great, if not, then it's no better than a normal gym. I did Crossfit for a few years about 10 years ago (in London) and loved it. It really pushed me. At the time I remember feeling a bit of resentment at being constantly…

That is EXACTLY what I was going to say. Looked at the thread title, and thought, "Hmmm, not sure I agree about lying", but then read the circumstances, and I think OP is completely right. Not a fan of lying, about anything, and wondered if you could say, "I am weighing, I just don't want to tell anyone" but then I can see…

Got a Garmin 235 here. My choice was made for me pretty much by my insurer who incentivises you to exercise and has a tie-in with Garmin so that the watch automatically notifies the insurer of my workouts and I get the points awarded without having to do much. That said, I love the 235. I've also tried a Fitbit, a TomTom,…

Everyone's got different goals, and are at different stages along their journey, but, for me, the biggest improvements for overall weightloss, and for bodyfat % improvement came when I stopped worrying about losing muscle and just got on with focusing on eating in a deficit and losing weight. I kept up with weight training…

Definite and significant difference. ...But I find having a few different goals at any given time helps - I'm currently trying to improve:-* My 2km rowing time * My 5km running time * My blood pressure figures * My weight * My bodyfat % (according to some flakey scales to which I don't lend much credence) * My max pull up…

I couldn't be without access to a Concept2 - personally I do not think there is a better cardio alternative - but I rowed for a club for a few years, and as others have said, technique is crucial. A C2 can be stored upright too, but they're big pieces of equipment, for sure.

By way of an update, my most successful approach to those days where I want a strength gain whilst maintaining a high (70%Max) heart rate is based around couplets - ie, where the strength exercise I want to do doesn't elevate heartrate sufficiently, I couple it with something that does, and alternate - eg today one couplet…

Well, yesterday I tried some stiff leg deadlifts, single leg, RDLs, and a variation of Janda crunches, and sure enough the hamstrings and abs are arching a bit this morning. Still researching a new desk and chair for the office. I don't suffer any pain from this condition, but I "buttwink" when squatting, and I think this…

@rose181 - thanks, that's helpful. @TavistockToad - Both! Sorry - flippant, I know. I have a few different motivators pulling at me currently... If I were to try and prioritise them... * Being fitter to have more energy to play with my children, and be a healthy provider for them (Most Important, short-and long term goal)…

Thanks for the replies. @heybales - I like your thinking. I'm fairly attached to my rowing as a great all-over workout, but I could maybe lay off every other week, and switch to cycling (tough because my heart rate doesn't go nearly as high for similar perceived effort) - and focus on upper body lifting those weeks... The…

Thanks a lot for all the replies - I'm going to try and work my core, hip-flexors and hamstrings more. I do a lot of rowing and my lifting numbers are fairly decent, so I think my glutes and back are OK. I'm also going to look into improving my desk and chair set-up at work. @kettiecat - thanks for the vid - it is very…

Thanks so much for the time taken for such an excellent reply - greatly appreciated. You've asked about my profile picture - yes, that is me, but those are bumper plates and look more impressive than they are - I think that 1RM squat was 150 kgs. As I've said, my goal here is to squeeze in some workouts that will improve…

Was going to say exactly this. I have the Tickr X, and there really is no need for anything else.

Thanks a lot for the replies. A lot of constructive criticism in there. I *do* accept that these workouts won't be the very best strength training, and so, to a degree, my question is, to an extent - "What is the best strength training I can do whilst maintaining a certain %max heartrate?" I'd be very grateful for any…

Urgh. Thanks for the replies (I think! - Those workouts sound tough!) I found a few articles that completely back up what you've both said:- * https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/6-easy-ways-add-cardio-your-strength-workout-ncna827366 * https://www.livestrong.com/article/382612-heart-rate-weight-training/ One element of…

Thanks a lot for all the input. Bizarrely, I found a Fitbit in some mud in a local park yesterday, and it seems Fitbit's advice is to send it for recycling rather than them offering any help reuniting it with its owner (staggering, to be honest. I had no idea they valued their customers so little). On that basis I will…