exercise thread

[megladon8]

Does anyone have suggestions/ideas for a good but fairly easy/simple ab workout?

The reason I say "easy" is not due to laziness - because of my back injury (and the titanium rods that are now in there) I do not have any movement at all in my midriff.

I need something that works the abs, but does not require any bending in my mid-section.

EDIT: Tonight I did 3 sets (30 reps in each set) of each of these exercises...

-Arm curls
-Shoulders

(both of these were done with 10 pound dumbells)

-Stomach crunches
-Right and left oblique crunches

Again, these crunches really aren't working for me. Because of my back, I do pretty much need to use my arms for leverage behind my head, which as I understand kind of nullifies the exercise.

[Ezee E]

Work out the abs but not bend the midsection?

Sorry man, the midsection is your abs.

[Duncan]

You could just lie down and hold your legs 6 inches off the ground for a while. That'll make your abs work. There are, of course, variations on it.

[Melville]

Working as a clerk or a fast food employee is minimum wage work, and I don't know what it's like in the States, but up here, you cannot live off that. It won't even cover rent, let alone bills and food.

I understand not wanting to work at McDonalds, but I don't quite understand your pessimism. Minimum wage in Ontario is $8.75/hour. Working full-time, that's $350/week. I've met plenty of people who live off less than that. Is the trouble just with finding a full time position?

[megladon8]

I understand not wanting to work at McDonalds, but I don't quite understand your pessimism. Minimum wage in Ontario is $8.75/hour. Working full-time, that's $350/week. I've met plenty of people who live off less than that. Is the trouble just with finding a full time position?

Yes, full time is impossible to find, because all these jobs are looking for are high school students to fill in part time hours.

[Melville]

Yes, full time is impossible to find, because all these jobs are looking for are high school students to fill in part time hours.

I recommend getting a job at a video store. When I worked at Rogers Video during high school, I got 30-40 hours per week. Plus free movies. You might not be able to get that many hours, but the free movies should be a sure thing.

[megladon8]

I recommend getting a job at a video store. When I worked at Rogers Video during high school, I got 30-40 hours per week. Plus free movies. You might not be able to get that many hours, but the free movies should be a sure thing.

I already have applications it at all of the video stores within my range.

It's not like I haven't been trying :P I have tons of applications and resumes out there, but no one seems to want to hire me.

[Melville]

It's not like I haven't been trying :P I have tons of applications and resumes out there, but no one seems to want to hire me.

Bastards.

It is surprisingly difficult to get a job at a video store. We typically got one or two applications a week at Rogers, and they just went into a giant folder that would be quickly browsed through when we needed to hire somebody. I got called for an interview a couple months after I put in my application.

[Ezee E]

Anyone know of some great hamstring exercises? I am working on this course today, and do great on anything upper body, but when it came to lower body, it ran out of gas half way through, and that sucked.

[megladon8]

Work out the abs but not bend the midsection?

Sorry man, the midsection is your abs.

Well, there has to be something I can do.

The doctors have always told me it's important for me to keep my abs fit, because it holds everything in place.

They wouldn't tell me that if it wasn't possible.

[Ezee E]

Well, there has to be something I can do.

The doctors have always told me it's important for me to keep my abs fit, because it holds everything in place.

They wouldn't tell me that if it wasn't possible.

You could try sitting on the ground, grab a medicine ball or something about 10-15 pounds, lift up your feet, and alternate the medicine ball from your left side to your right side.

To make it tougher, keep your feet together and swing them to the opposite side that you have the medicine ball.

[megladon8]

You could try sitting on the ground, grab a medicine ball or something about 10-15 pounds, lift up your feet, and alternate the medicine ball from your left side to your right side.

To make it tougher, keep your feet together and swing them to the opposite side that you have the medicine ball.

Hmm...great suggestion, thank you.

I don't have a medicine ball, so could I hold a dumbell in each hand, and bring them from side to side?

[Ezee E]

Hmm...great suggestion, thank you.

I don't have a medicine ball, so could I hold a dumbell in each hand, and bring them from side to side?

I don't see why not, you could even start out just using your hands. Just make sure you've got a good hold of that dumbbell, or...

[megladon8]

I don't see why not, you could even start out just using your hands. Just make sure you've got a good hold of that dumbbell, or...

NUT SHOT!!

[megladon8]

You can be overweight, and still be healthy.

Though I've always known this, it's nice to read that it's starting to catch on in the media - hopefully we can, someday, move on from this ridiculous idea that thin = healthy.

[Ezee E]

You can be overweight, and still be healthy.

Though I've always known this, it's nice to read that it's starting to catch on in the media - hopefully we can, someday, move on from this ridiculous idea that thin = healthy.

Reading the article, it doesn't really help fat people's causes too much.

[megladon8]

Reading the article, it doesn't really help fat people's causes too much.

What do you mean their "causes"?

I'm just saying that it's nice that they acknowledge the fact that being overweight doesn't automatically mean you're unhealthy, and being slim doesn't automatically mean you're healthy.

[bac0n]

Has anyone here tried the Couch To 5K Program? It's a plan to get you from being a no-exercise desk jockey such as myself to being able to run five kilometers non-stop, all in the span of about 9 weeks, on three 20 minute sessions a week. I figure with the showers at work and the ample jogging paths close by, I have all the accommodations I need.

I've made my mind up that I'm gonna give it a shot, starting Monday. I've gained more than 25 pounds in the last four years, fifteen of them in the last year alone, and this needs to stop.

[Duncan]

What do you mean their "causes"?

I'm just saying that it's nice that they acknowledge the fact that being overweight doesn't automatically mean you're unhealthy, and being slim doesn't automatically mean you're healthy.

I don't think you will find many people who will say being overweight automatically means you're unhealthy, and even fewer claiming being skinny automatically means you are healthy.

You will almost universally be told, however, that being obese or overweight increases your chances of heart disease and other health problems. That article says in very roundabout terms that being overweight doubles the chances you will show indicators of heart disease, and that being obese almost triples them. It then mentions at the end that the study didn't actually look at heart disease itself, only indicators which seems kind of ridiculous and somewhat pointless to me.

Furthermore, it goes on to describe the failures of the BMI as an indicator of healthy weight. So those numbers (the doubling and the tripling, I mean) are skewed lower than they would be if only truly "fat" people were considered overweight or obese.

[Benny Profane]

The BMI is ridiculous.

The BMI probably says that LaDanian Tomlinson is obese. Most pro athletes/bodybuilders would be obese according to the BMI. I haven't read the thing meg posted so sorry if it's covered in the article.

[Sven]

I certainly sympathize with meg's impression that the populous judges one, however tacitly, in terms of weight (which frequently translates to worth, unfortunately, because the size of your gut indicates how "responsible" you are). I see it everywhere. I'm only slightly overweight and I get it all the time. But I frequently exercise and the majority of what I eat isn't garbage.

So yeah, perhaps meg is not talking about a "everyone thinks I'm unhealthy because I've got a belly" vibe, but rather a "everyone think I'm a lesser being because I've got a belly" vibe. Am I wrong?

[D_Davis]

Crackheads are often skinny.

[Ezee E]

What do you mean their "causes"?

I'm just saying that it's nice that they acknowledge the fact that being overweight doesn't automatically mean you're unhealthy, and being slim doesn't automatically mean you're healthy.

Duncan basically said it for me.

Yes, the BMI is stupid for Benny's statement.

This is a wasted post.

[Derek]

So, I'm looking to read about exercise. Anyone know a good place to look?

[monolith94]

Oh man, I can't believe I was the one who started this thread. I feel so guilty.