bench press, deadlift, etc.

Flint · 02-25-2009, 09:51 PM

I'm in the worst shape of my life! Mid-thirties, with a wife who is a genius in the kitchen, and a two-hour commute to a sit-down computer job.

I have had to find ways to excercise. I do not have time for the luxury of driving to a gym.

Step number one: just to keep from being completely inflexible and getting stress headaches, I do strectches/crunches/push-ups etc. every morning before I get dressed. This happens in between putting on my socks and underwear and finishing getting dressed, so it is "scheduled" every day (therefore I do it every day (I can't skip getting dressed!)).

Step number two: bought a used Gold's Gym weight bench (basic incline/decline adjustable bench) at the thrift store for $39 (cha-ching!) and it came with two sets of dumbells and one straight bar. I had one set of dumbells already--so now I have a warm-up weight, a working weight, and a max weight with dumbells, and one heavy straight bar.

I am forgetting all the fancy bullsh!t I ever read in workout magazines (when I was in my early twenties and had a fast metabolism so what did it matter anyway?) and cranking out BASIC, COMPOUND movements:

Dumbell presses (both slight incline & seated for shoulders)
Deadlifts
Clean and Jerks (yes, those) which are actually a straight-bar version of my own favorite movement (#1 here)
Bent-over barbell rows
Hammer curls
I throw in a few bent-over flys for my rear delts. That's about it.

No fancy cardio warm-up, super-setting, pre-fatiguing etc. etc. just pyramided sets of basic freeweight movements.

STEP THREE: I need to go get some new shoes I can go jogging in. Burn a few calories and get some heart health in there.

Supplemental: We are trying to eat smaller portions and more healthy choices, but NOT to the detriment of enjoying eating food, which we love. I am drinking straight rum over ice instead of beer. I don't plan to cut that many calories, instead I intend to work out with free weights in my garage, like a prison inmate, and build more muscle mass to BURN more calories even at a resting metabolic rate.

Flint · 02-25-2009, 10:26 PM

per lumberjim's comments in chat: yes, I do need to hook up some pullups and dips.

lumberjim · 02-25-2009, 10:35 PM

jinx's comment

Flint · 02-25-2009, 10:39 PM

huh? really

dar512 · 02-26-2009, 01:22 PM

Don't forget to get a little exercise during the day. Figuring a two hour commute (each way?) and a nine hour day, you've got 13 straight hours in there with no exercise. Go for a walk on your lunch hour or do some dumbbell stuff in your office. I think it makes a difference.

lookout123 · 02-26-2009, 02:04 PM

you should get one of those ultimate pull up bars and slap it on your office door and pound out pull ups and chin ups. you'll be the envy of the office.

classicman · 02-26-2009, 02:13 PM

That thing is awesome - I just got one!

lookout123 · 02-26-2009, 02:41 PM

I enjoy mine too. It's way better than the old anchored one I've had for years.

Big Sarge · 02-26-2009, 02:48 PM

Some crystal meth with help you drop the weight and give you lots of energy.

lookout123 · 02-26-2009, 02:52 PM

HIV will help with the weight too, but I remember hearing something about unintended consequences...

Flint · 02-26-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dar512

Don't forget to get a little exercise during the day. Figuring a two hour commute (each way?) and a nine hour day, you've got 13 straight hours in there with no exercise. Go for a walk on your lunch hour or do some dumbbell stuff in your office. I think it makes a difference.

I agree. At my last facility I could eat at my desk and then go to the on-site gym for "lunch" (some light cardio etc.). I'm still waiting for the physical therapy department to get built here, but I am trying to stay buddies with the director. I do need some kind of office activity though...

Big Sarge · 02-26-2009, 03:36 PM

On a serious note, I used to skip lunch and hit the gym at lunch. It really worked great

Flint · 02-26-2009, 03:44 PM

Hell yes, man. Especially if I wore scrubs on those days.

Griff · 02-26-2009, 03:50 PM

I run the stairs at work if I'm feeling run-down. I've been working on flexibility as well.

Do your 2hr car commute by bike, say six hours each way plus eight hours of work... you'd even have an extra four hours for the Cellar.

Shawnee123 · 02-26-2009, 05:29 PM

I take breaks, and half my lunch hour, and walk. I walk all over the building, up these stairs, down those stairs. Today, my feet were killing me because of my shoes and I refused to get on an elevator.

When it's nice I'll probably walk around town: there's a lot of cool stuff nearby.

02-25-2009, 10:26 PM	#2
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	per lumberjim's comments in chat: yes, I do need to hook up some pullups and dips. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

02-25-2009, 10:35 PM	#3
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	jinx's comment __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

02-25-2009, 10:39 PM	#4
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	huh? really __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

02-26-2009, 01:22 PM	#5
dar512 dar512 is now Pete Zicato Join Date: May 2003 Location: Chicago suburb Posts: 4,968	Don't forget to get a little exercise during the day. Figuring a two hour commute (each way?) and a nine hour day, you've got 13 straight hours in there with no exercise. Go for a walk on your lunch hour or do some dumbbell stuff in your office. I think it makes a difference. __________________ "Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain." -- Friedrich Schiller

02-26-2009, 02:04 PM	#6
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	you should get one of those ultimate pull up bars and slap it on your office door and pound out pull ups and chin ups. you'll be the envy of the office. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

02-25-2009, 09:51 PM	#1
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	bench press, deadlift, etc. I'm in the worst shape of my life! Mid-thirties, with a wife who is a genius in the kitchen, and a two-hour commute to a sit-down computer job. I have had to find ways to excercise. I do not have time for the luxury of driving to a gym. Step number one: just to keep from being completely inflexible and getting stress headaches, I do strectches/crunches/push-ups etc. every morning before I get dressed. This happens in between putting on my socks and underwear and finishing getting dressed, so it is "scheduled" every day (therefore I do it every day (I can't skip getting dressed!)). Step number two: bought a used Gold's Gym weight bench (basic incline/decline adjustable bench) at the thrift store for $39 (cha-ching!) and it came with two sets of dumbells and one straight bar. I had one set of dumbells already--so now I have a warm-up weight, a working weight, and a max weight with dumbells, and one heavy straight bar. I am forgetting all the fancy bullsh!t I ever read in workout magazines (when I was in my early twenties and had a fast metabolism so what did it matter anyway?) and cranking out BASIC, COMPOUND movements: Dumbell presses (both slight incline & seated for shoulders) Deadlifts Clean and Jerks (yes, those) which are actually a straight-bar version of my own favorite movement (#1 here) Bent-over barbell rows Hammer curls I throw in a few bent-over flys for my rear delts. That's about it. No fancy cardio warm-up, super-setting, pre-fatiguing etc. etc. just pyramided sets of basic freeweight movements. STEP THREE: I need to go get some new shoes I can go jogging in. Burn a few calories and get some heart health in there. Supplemental: We are trying to eat smaller portions and more healthy choices, but NOT to the detriment of enjoying eating food, which we love. I am drinking straight rum over ice instead of beer. I don't plan to cut that many calories, instead I intend to work out with free weights in my garage, like a prison inmate, and build more muscle mass to BURN more calories even at a resting metabolic rate. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

02-26-2009, 02:13 PM	#7
classicman barely disguised asshole, keeper of all that is holy. Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 23,401	That thing is awesome - I just got one! __________________ "like strapping a pillow on a bull in a china shop" Bullitt

02-26-2009, 02:41 PM	#8
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	I enjoy mine too. It's way better than the old anchored one I've had for years. __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

02-26-2009, 02:48 PM	#9
Big Sarge Werepandas - lurking in your shadows Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: In the Deep South Posts: 3,408	Some crystal meth with help you drop the weight and give you lots of energy. __________________ Give a man a match, & he'll be warm for 20 seconds. But toss that man a white phosphorus grenade and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

02-26-2009, 02:52 PM	#10
lookout123 changed his status to single Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Right behind you. No, the other side. Posts: 10,308	HIV will help with the weight too, but I remember hearing something about unintended consequences... __________________ Getting knocked down is no sin, it's not getting back up that's the sin

02-26-2009, 03:36 PM	#12
Big Sarge Werepandas - lurking in your shadows Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: In the Deep South Posts: 3,408	On a serious note, I used to skip lunch and hit the gym at lunch. It really worked great __________________ Give a man a match, & he'll be warm for 20 seconds. But toss that man a white phosphorus grenade and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

02-26-2009, 03:44 PM	#13
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	Hell yes, man. Especially if I wore scrubs on those days. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

02-26-2009, 03:50 PM	#14
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	I run the stairs at work if I'm feeling run-down. I've been working on flexibility as well. Do your 2hr car commute by bike, say six hours each way plus eight hours of work... you'd even have an extra four hours for the Cellar. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

02-26-2009, 05:29 PM	#15
Shawnee123 Why, you're a regular Alfred E Einstein, ain't ya? Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 21,206	I take breaks, and half my lunch hour, and walk. I walk all over the building, up these stairs, down those stairs. Today, my feet were killing me because of my shoes and I refused to get on an elevator. When it's nice I'll probably walk around town: there's a lot of cool stuff nearby. __________________ A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones who need the advice. --Bill Cosby

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