Re: Slower is better?!?

[Guest guest]

hmmm. SO, maybe in order to keep definition, one needs to limit the

time/distance spent running? Its got to be an individual thing, but

I wouldnt think that running 25-30 minutes a day would kill

definition, would it? I see chiseled girls run/jog (not sprint) on

the treadmill and they're definitely lifting weights. These are the

girls that model for Faremon, and have their figure pro cards-

theyr'e not just gym rats, its their paycheck.

I am looking forward to doing a lot more of it when BFL is up. I

just miss the zoning out. I'm gonna hang them upside down, and

stretch to prevent sorness. I just feel that if I am dragging my

booty to the gym, I gotta make the most of time spent there.

Just some skin deep thoughts.

--

> > > > > > Godo point, Skwigg. I thought about the nutrition

aspect

> as

> > > well

> > > > > > since that wasn't monitored in any way.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > I was just reading over at Krista's site and she notes

> that

> > > the slower

> > > > > > people lost more *weight*, but the faster ones

maintained

> more

> > > LBM,

> > > > > > which is a HUGE point. Still, that puzzles me. Why

would

> a

> > > lower

> > > > > > intensity treadmill produce more weight loss, including

> LBM

> > > loss, than

> > > > > > a higher intensity workout? It just makes no sense to

> me. It

> > > makes

> > > > > > it sound as if a lower intensity workout is more

> demanding,

> > > causing

> > > > > > both fat and LBM loss, and again, that makes no sense!

> > > > > >

> > > > > > For me it's not a matter of not wanting to break a

sweat -

> I'd

> > > much

> > > > > > rather go fast and hard and get my cardio over and done

> with -

> > > but my

> > > > > > knees are becoming increasingly unhappy of late and I

may

> end

> > > up being

> > > > > > the equivalent of a mall walker soon, whether I will it

or

> no!

> > > > > > Scout

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

It's too individual and there are too many factors to draw any simple

conclusions. Look at Worth with her hypothyroidism. Pre-contest,

she's doing 3 hours of cardio a day 7 days a week and she's ripped to

shreds. It's not unusual for me to do cardio for 90 minutes or more a

day and I'm not having any definition problems. It really depends on

your diet, calorie intake, metabolism, body type, genetics, thyroid,

age, exercise intensity, overall activity level, and probably a few

dozen other things. It's crazy to say that if you run more than X

number of minutes, you'll turn into a pumpkin. There are too many

other factors.

> hmmm. SO, maybe in order to keep definition, one needs to limit the

> time/distance spent running? Its got to be an individual thing, but

> I wouldnt think that running 25-30 minutes a day would kill

> definition, would it?

[Guest guest]

Oh, oh! , I'm so glad you mentioned Worth. She's the

person who inspired me last year to up my cardio to insane (for me)

proportions. Because she's hypo (and I am too) and said that she

needs to do lots of cardio in order to lean out. However, what I've

learned over over the last nine months is more in tune in with Alwyn

Cosgrove's mantra that: 'Everything works. Nothing works forever'.

I've found this to be very true for me. I get the best results when I

change things up.

Here's the stupid part though. I used to think I was a flexible, open

minded sort of person. Uh, no. Not when comes to workouts. Instead

I've discovered that I am a total creature of habit. I loathe and

detest changing things! This is the way it goes:

For several weeks I begin to get dissatisfied with my workouts (both

weights and cardio) and I feel like I'm going through the motions, and

I realize that I need to change. I don't do it right away though.

It's such a hassle to change from the comforable and known routines.

I would, like, have to THINK about things then. But, finally,

something snaps and I sigh and I bitch and I whine and then I change

everything. And then for a week or so it's hard and confusing and

FUN, and did I mention hard and confusing? Then it becomes known and

familiar but still challenging, and then suddenly it's not. It's

boring and hard and boring and ... did I mention not fun and boring?

Then I think about changing and that's intimidating and requires

thought and planning and change and I don't have the time or energy

and then suddenly I am in danger of NOT doing my workout and I am

compelled to change... and the cycle begins again.

But the best results come in the first couple of weeks of change. If

I could have the mental and emotional discipline to change every 3-4

weeks then I would probably have way bettter results. Instead I go

6-8 (or more!) weeks before changing things.

Whups. Went off on a tangent there. But back on topic, it was a

Worth interview which made me up my cardio to triple what I had been

doing. It worked for a time... and then it didn't work so much

anymore. I must keep reminding myself that change is good. It's

hard, but it's good.

Scout

,

> > hmmm. SO, maybe in order to keep definition, one needs to limit the

> > time/distance spent running? Its got to be an individual thing, but

> > I wouldnt think that running 25-30 minutes a day would kill

> > definition, would it?

>

[Guest guest]

Changing your workouts is really critical, on both cardio and weights.

Doesn't Alwyn Cosgrove have the whole thing laid out so that it

changes every few weeks? If overhauling your complete program every

couple of weeks is a big stumbling block for you, maybe you could try

my approach. I never do the same workout twice. Maybe I always do

bicep curls, but one workout it's barbell bicep curls, next workout

dumbbell curls, next workout concentration curls, next workout

dumbbell hammer curls, next workout preacher curls, next workout

isometric curls with elastic tubing, next workout cable hammer curls

with a rope attachment, next workout close-grip lat pull-downs,

pull-ups, or seated rows that involve the biceps more indirectly.

I know that Cosgrove isn't big on isolating biceps so maybe that

wasn't the best example. Maybe wide squats, narrow squats, dumbbell

squats, barbell squats, squats with heels elevated, partial squats,

sumo squats, single leg squats, jump squats, box squats, hack squats -

you get the idea. You're always squatting, so there isn't that much

thought involved, you just do it a little differently each time. And

maybe every 3-4 weeks you change the set/rep pattern or the order.

> Oh, oh! , I'm so glad you mentioned Worth. She's the

> person who inspired me last year to up my cardio to insane (for me)

> proportions. Because she's hypo (and I am too) and said that she

> needs to do lots of cardio in order to lean out. However, what I've

> learned over over the last nine months is more in tune in with Alwyn

> Cosgrove's mantra that: 'Everything works. Nothing works forever'.

> I've found this to be very true for me. I get the best results when I

> change things up.

>

> Here's the stupid part though. I used to think I was a flexible, open

> minded sort of person. Uh, no. Not when comes to workouts. Instead

> I've discovered that I am a total creature of habit. I loathe and

> detest changing things! This is the way it goes:

>

> For several weeks I begin to get dissatisfied with my workouts (both

> weights and cardio) and I feel like I'm going through the motions, and

> I realize that I need to change. I don't do it right away though.

> It's such a hassle to change from the comforable and known routines.

> I would, like, have to THINK about things then. But, finally,

> something snaps and I sigh and I bitch and I whine and then I change

> everything. And then for a week or so it's hard and confusing and

> FUN, and did I mention hard and confusing? Then it becomes known and

> familiar but still challenging, and then suddenly it's not. It's

> boring and hard and boring and ... did I mention not fun and boring?

> Then I think about changing and that's intimidating and requires

> thought and planning and change and I don't have the time or energy

> and then suddenly I am in danger of NOT doing my workout and I am

> compelled to change... and the cycle begins again.

>

> But the best results come in the first couple of weeks of change. If

> I could have the mental and emotional discipline to change every 3-4

> weeks then I would probably have way bettter results. Instead I go

> 6-8 (or more!) weeks before changing things.

>

> Whups. Went off on a tangent there. But back on topic, it was a

> Worth interview which made me up my cardio to triple what I had been

> doing. It worked for a time... and then it didn't work so much

> anymore. I must keep reminding myself that change is good. It's

> hard, but it's good.

>

> Scout

[Guest guest]

Skwigg, I don't have his book, I've just read his articles. In any

case, I can't follow any pre-set routines at the moment since I need

to work around a bum shoulder. I have to work with a limited set of

upper body exercises. Most chest and shoulder execises are completely

out, and some bicep movements tend to aggravate the injury, i.e. I can

do regular curls fine with a dummbell, but hammer curls will make me

hurt. My GP tells me I will definitely be having surgery, and I see a

surgeon in August. In the meantime I have been trying to get as fit

as possible all around the joint (um, that reads funny, I know) so

that after the surgery I will hopefully be able to come back

relatively quickly.

But you're absolutely right about the lower body. I could just widen

the variety of exercises each time instead. It would keep things

interestng, that's for sure!

Scout

> > Oh, oh! , I'm so glad you mentioned Worth. She's the

> > person who inspired me last year to up my cardio to insane (for me)

> > proportions. Because she's hypo (and I am too) and said that she

> > needs to do lots of cardio in order to lean out. However, what I've

> > learned over over the last nine months is more in tune in with Alwyn

> > Cosgrove's mantra that: 'Everything works. Nothing works forever'.

> > I've found this to be very true for me. I get the best results when I

> > change things up.

> >

> > Here's the stupid part though. I used to think I was a flexible, open

> > minded sort of person. Uh, no. Not when comes to workouts. Instead

> > I've discovered that I am a total creature of habit. I loathe and

> > detest changing things! This is the way it goes:

> >

> > For several weeks I begin to get dissatisfied with my workouts (both

> > weights and cardio) and I feel like I'm going through the motions, and

> > I realize that I need to change. I don't do it right away though.

> > It's such a hassle to change from the comforable and known routines.

> > I would, like, have to THINK about things then. But, finally,

> > something snaps and I sigh and I bitch and I whine and then I change

> > everything. And then for a week or so it's hard and confusing and

> > FUN, and did I mention hard and confusing? Then it becomes known and

> > familiar but still challenging, and then suddenly it's not. It's

> > boring and hard and boring and ... did I mention not fun and boring?

> > Then I think about changing and that's intimidating and requires

> > thought and planning and change and I don't have the time or energy

> > and then suddenly I am in danger of NOT doing my workout and I am

> > compelled to change... and the cycle begins again.

> >

> > But the best results come in the first couple of weeks of change. If

> > I could have the mental and emotional discipline to change every 3-4

> > weeks then I would probably have way bettter results. Instead I go

> > 6-8 (or more!) weeks before changing things.

> >

> > Whups. Went off on a tangent there. But back on topic, it was a

> > Worth interview which made me up my cardio to triple what I had been

> > doing. It worked for a time... and then it didn't work so much

> > anymore. I must keep reminding myself that change is good. It's

> > hard, but it's good.

> >

> > Scout

>