Posted: 4/20/2010 10:17:36 PM EDT
Well, In the past month I started running. I've tried before but could never stick with it. 4 weeks or so ago, I could barley make it 1.5 times around a 400m track and now I'm on the 14 lap mark sprinting the shorts and jogging the longs. So I think I'll actually stick with it this time Other then being able to run 3+ miles, I have not seen any results, physically. What can I do to see more 'physical' results? Any suggestions?
For your information, I'm 20, and not in the best shape. Trying to get rid of my gut and just trim out a bit. My 1.5 mile run is just under 14 minutes. Which could be better. Couple weeks ago, I went up north MI to my grand parents, and did alot of running/gunning and training. Doing runs with AR, sidearm and my A-III all packed up, which I think really helped. Any suggestions? Thinking about attempting p90x, but I don't think I have enough equipment for that. 
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Just keep doing it. There's not really a secret to running. Do it every day and you'll be sore as shit and have trouble walking up stairs and then you'll stretch and do it some more. If you have particular training goals (eg particular mile time, particular distance, optimize for 5k, 10k, etc.) I could probably dig out some old workouts - but for now, just go. I generally oscillate with my running - I get burned out on it and let it go, then get it back. When I start out trying to get back into good running shape, I just run until I'm too tired to make it back, and then force myself to make it back. Walking here and there is okay. Once I'm to the point where I can feel like I can run at a casual pace almost indefinitely (not literally, but y'know), then I start hitting the track to do more aggressively timed workouts depending on what I'm training for (which is usually 3-mile time). Obviously form is important - roll your foot/don't land flat foot, don't stay too tight, don't bunch your shoulders up, have a relaxed arm swing and hand, et cetera - but if you're running a couple miles at a time now you probably not horrible on gait. I always appreciated running for that reason - it's very egalitarian. We won't all be Olympians, but absolutely anyone can do it, it's just being willing to sweat. You will see more results as you run more. It takes time to drop weight. As far as whether you should start P90X or another program, again, it depends on your overall fitness goals. Are you just looking to lose weight? Gain endurance? Run in particular? Depending on what your answer is there, a lot of people here can probably provide much better input. So sorry if mine answer's a little generic, I'm sure others here can take it to a more bio-science level, but for me, running's mostly just been about getting out and doing it even when I don't want to. |
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If it mainly fat loss youre interested in there are plenty of other types of exercises you can do that will aid in that process. As most on here will tell you its been found by certain studies that high intesity type exercises burn just as much fat if not more than low intensity. So it really depends on what your main focus is: fat loss or actually running.
If its fat loss explore other methods of supplemental training. If its running then the fat loss will come with time. As a previous poster stated try changing routines up, but always increase training slowly. Most running injuries occur because of over training. Besides that jsut get out there and run. Adaptations in the form of muscular endurance and fat loss wont happen by themselves or overnight. Good luck. |
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Well, in the next few years I'd like to get into LE so, physical fitness is key. Aside from that, I'd really like to lose my damn gut. I eat well, never have fast food aside from the occassional sub from subway, and home cooked meals I have no more then one standard sized serving. And gave up pop, for the most part. 3 months ago I was at 190 pounds. 3 years ago I was at 225 pounds. I'd really like to see the 175 number pop up next time I go for my endo appointment (I'm a type one diabetic). I'm not the best diabetic but as most are not, but I keep it in good range (insulin pump FTW!).
I run basically whenever im not working, so basically for the best 3 weeks, I have ran every night. anywhere from 1.5-3miles+ Work has been crappy lol. Quoted:
Left foot, right foot. Repeat. Sorry, read the thread title and couldn't help it.  Ahh, damn I was doing right foot, left. Now I have to start over 
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You might be eating standard meals but its' probably enough to maintain the weight you're at now. Eat just a little less and should start seeing numbers go down in a couple weeks. Weight loss does come down to calories in vs calories out.
If you want to hit the gut a little better add some core work. Even if it doesn't do much to lose the gut core is always good. Or if you want to up the intensity of the running run at faster paces every couple a days on a shorter run. Any weights you add now will give you improvements also. |
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You might be eating standard meals but its' probably enough to maintain the weight you're at now. Eat just a little less and should start seeing numbers go down in a couple weeks. Weight loss does come down to calories in vs calories out. If you want to hit the gut a little better add some core work. Even if it doesn't do much to lose the gut core is always good. Or if you want to up the intensity of the running run at faster paces every couple a days on a shorter run. Any weights you add now will give you improvements also. I eat very little as it is. Actually somewhat an unhealthy amount considering I don't eat breakfest, and my only 'meal' is dinner. Which I have very little of. I probably should start eatting breakfest/lunch/dinner at smaller size servings. Not sure if it makes a difference but I tend to run late at night (1230-1am). Edit: I do drink alot of milk lol. I was up to about a gallon a day of 1%, but in the past month I've started drinking less milk and more water lol. I <3 milk lol. |
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3 miles runs are great for staying in shape, not so great for losing weight if you aren't really watching what you are eating.
Depending on how fast you run a mile 3 miles = 18 minutes at 6 minute miles, 21 mins at 7, 24 at 8, 27 at 9, and 30 at 10 minute miles. I've read that you need to do at LEAST 20 minutes of exercise before your body even enters fat-burning mode. That time can be extended if you eat carbs, or powerbars, or something like that before your workout or energy blocks or stuff during your workout. So look at doing your 3 mile run, if that's all you want to run, and then do another 20 minutes at least of walking to burn more fat. But mostly it's about watching what you put IN. |
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3 miles runs are great for staying in shape, not so great for losing weight if you aren't really watching what you are eating. Depending on how fast you run a mile 3 miles = 18 minutes at 6 minute miles, 21 mins at 7, 24 at 8, 27 at 9, and 30 at 10 minute miles. I've read that you need to do at LEAST 20 minutes of exercise before your body even enters fat-burning mode. That time can be extended if you eat carbs, or powerbars, or something like that before your workout or energy blocks or stuff during your workout. So look at doing your 3 mile run, if that's all you want to run, and then do another 20 minutes at least of walking to burn more fat. But mostly it's about watching what you put IN. I always walk a full lap after running, then walk home, which is pretty far walk home, I also walk there. Before I go, I generally do 2 sets of situps and 2 sets of pushups. I'm doing 3 miles in about 26-28 minutes. Not good but not the worst either. I've been trying to get my 1.5 miles down to 13 minutes though. Also, i generally eat nothing a few hours before running. Or drink much considering I don't want to get cramps while running. |
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So it sounds like general fitness and weight loss is a good initial goal. Do you have any idea what kind of police fitness tests you'll have to run? I always found it to be a good motivator to know I was working toward something less amorphous than "fitness," but rather tailoring my plans for something that I'd get measured on. While I don't want to shift your focus from running exclusively, it might be good for weight loss to mix it up while you're running. I break a lot of my best sweats doing cross-training-type fartleks. A park near me has a fitness course that's a about a mile and a half long, so I run there, run the course, and then run it back. Throughout the fitness area, there are pullup bars, situp anchors, parallel bars, etc. There's also some benches/tables and clearings to stop that can be used for makeshift equipment (eg decline or incline pushups). Some really tough hills, too. It's a mile or so away, so I run there as a warmup, and then run the course, stopping at different exercises or spots, but trying not to go more than a quarter mile or so without doing some push/pull/ab work. Don't let yourself catch your breath, just jump into the next exercise and then immediately get to your feet and try to build speed as you get your wind back from the anaerobic stuff. It doesn't require a huge number of reps - my pushups sets are maybe 10-25 depending on how many I do, pullups I'm usually 8 or 10 repeats per set. Point is not to get huge, but to wear yourself out - you will get your heart rate up pretty good doing that even if you're not doing max sets every time. My personal experience with this as a get-back-to-it plan was pretty good. I let myself go pretty badly once when I jumped straight from school finals to studying for a professional test - within two weeks of doing this sort of workout 5 days a week (and doing some pullups and a little free weight work before the run some days), I saw pretty good results on dropping the unnecessary pounds I'd put on with all the fast food and sugar drinks. |
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Quoted:
So it sounds like general fitness and weight loss is a good initial goal. Do you have any idea what kind of police fitness tests you'll have to run? I always found it to be a good motivator to know I was working toward something less amorphous than "fitness," but rather tailoring my plans for something that I'd get measured on. While I don't want to shift your focus from running exclusively, it might be good for weight loss to mix it up while you're running. I break a lot of my best sweats doing cross-training-type fartleks. A park near me has a fitness course that's a about a mile and a half long, so I run there, run the course, and then run it back. Throughout the fitness area, there are pullup bars, situp anchors, parallel bars, etc. There's also some benches/tables and clearings to stop that can be used for makeshift equipment (eg decline or incline pushups). Some really tough hills, too. It's a mile or so away, so I run there as a warmup, and then run the course, stopping at different exercises or spots, but trying not to go more than a quarter mile or so without doing some push/pull/ab work. Don't let yourself catch your breath, just jump into the next exercise and then immediately get to your feet and try to build speed as you get your wind back from the anaerobic stuff. It doesn't require a huge number of reps - my pushups sets are maybe 10-25 depending on how many I do, pullups I'm usually 8 or 10 repeats per set. Point is not to get huge, but to wear yourself out - you will get your heart rate up pretty good doing that even if you're not doing max sets every time. My personal experience with this as a get-back-to-it plan was pretty good. I let myself go pretty badly once when I jumped straight from school finals to studying for a professional test - within two weeks of doing this sort of workout 5 days a week (and doing some pullups and a little free weight work before the run some days), I saw pretty good results on dropping the unnecessary pounds I'd put on with all the fast food and sugar drinks. Well I was told by Border Patrol that I'm required to run 1.5 miles in 13.5 minutes and no less for entrance, so I'd like to see my 1.5 mile run in the 12-13 minute mark. Then theres the step up test, and pushup test which I can already do somewhat well (but never well enough). The only place for me to run is at my old school, which is now closed down, and the track itself is closed off. I've been lucky not to be caught there yet lol. Since last night I ran 13 laps (sprinting the shorts and jogging the longs, then sprinting the last lap), tonight I'll probaby just do 1.5 miles and push it for faster lap times, and some weight resistance training before or after. Maybe in another month or less I'll start the p90x program and see how long I last lol. |
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When I do track work, I'm usually running to the local high school. I always used to hop the fence after the lights were out, never got in trouble, so I'm sure you'll be okay. If you do get stopped, just tell them you're training to be a JBT and want to shoot dogs like they do. You can also use google maps or your car's odometer (or your own pacing and stopwatch, once you get a feel for what a particular running pace) to try to pace off/map off quarter mile stretches or loops and just use the block as your track. But yeah, I've said it before, I'll say it again - 3-miles and down I think what you want to be doing is strong quarter mile repeats. If your goal is 12-min, train for 11. Once you drop a little weight and are comfortable doing sprints (I'm not going to say to go straight into things like that because it could be tougher on your joints, maybe someone else can chime in on this), hit the track and run 3x3 quarter miles at 100-110 seconds per. I am convinced almost any young, healthy person can get to the point where they can do this. Not everyone is going to be able to run under 6-minute mile pace, but you can absolutely maintain a 7:20 pace for a quarter mile a few times. Stretch your long runs out past 4 miles if possible. Once that becomes comfortable, I think you'll be well within your range. It won't happen overnight, but give it a couple hard workouts a week, a couple longer runs a week, for a couple months, and I think you'll be good to go pretty quick. You train to run under 8-minute miles, even if your mile only comes in at 8, you can drop pretty precipitously for that last half mile and still hit your goal of under 13 total. |
Next week I'm going to start some weight resistance stuff mon/wed/friday and running interval training kinda stuff on tues/thurs/saturday on 1.5-2 stronger mile runs. I need to work on pushups as well.... I HATE pushups Is there any exercise that can take the place of pullups/chin ups?
After a few weeks or a month or so of that, maybe I'll buy p90x or something. |
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I've never been a pushup stud either. You can do various presses or flies to work on some of the same muscles, but a pushup is still a pushup. To mix it up, you can do some incline or decline (ie hands or feet on a chair), try lifting a leg, placing your hands at different distances, et cetera. I'd say make sure to balance it out and stretch though - I went crazy on pushups for a while once and ended up hurting my rotator cuff. Same thing with pullups. There's a lot of machines, or if you've just got freeweights, you can do some types of rows... but again, a pullup is a pullup. Just gotta do 'em. Armstrong program got me from 2-3 into the teens over the course of a semester a few years ago. If you have access to a gym you can get on some of the stuff there, but finding a horizontal bar is a lot of times easier than getting on the various substitutes. P90X focuses a lot on pushups and pullups, too, so it's good to have a foundation laid before tackling it. |
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I've never been a pushup stud either. You can do various presses or flies to work on some of the same muscles, but a pushup is still a pushup. To mix it up, you can do some incline or decline (ie hands or feet on a chair), try lifting a leg, placing your hands at different distances, et cetera. I'd say make sure to balance it out and stretch though - I went crazy on pushups for a while once and ended up hurting my rotator cuff. Same thing with pullups. There's a lot of machines, or if you've just got freeweights, you can do some types of rows... but again, a pullup is a pullup. Just gotta do 'em. Armstrong program got me from 2-3 into the teens over the course of a semester a few years ago. If you have access to a gym you can get on some of the stuff there, but finding a horizontal bar is a lot of times easier than getting on the various substitutes. P90X focuses a lot on pushups and pullups, too, so it's good to have a foundation laid before tackling it. I just don't have a pullup bar, and don't want to spend money on one yet. I know with those bands, you can do pull type exercises instead of actual pullups but I didn't want to spend money lol. Oh well, it will be money well spent I assume. Pushups just bug me but I've been doing sets of those coupled with a few other things. We'll see next month when i go for my endo appointment if I lost weight  If I have not.... I'll be pissed lol.
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I saw the doorframe-hanger-pullup-majigger at Walmart for $9.99 on sale not too long ago. If you want one that screws into a doorframe, I have a spare I could send you I think, although the doorframes need to be a few inches wide on a flat part (that's why it's sitting around now, the doorframes where I am were too skinny for the mounts). I've also used monkey bars, swingset cross bars, crossbeams in a garage, well-anchored pipes... use your imagination.  If you're doing anything, though, it sounds like you'll get somewhere. Just remember that muscle weighs a lot too and can hide under other tissue - cosmetic results aren't the be-all and end-all, you can still be making good progress even if you're not a CK model next month. |
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I saw the doorframe-hanger-pullup-majigger at Walmart for $9.99 on sale not too long ago. If you want one that screws into a doorframe, I have a spare I could send you I think, although the doorframes need to be a few inches wide on a flat part (that's why it's sitting around now, the doorframes where I am were too skinny for the mounts). I've also used monkey bars, swingset cross bars, crossbeams in a garage, well-anchored pipes... use your imagination.
If you're doing anything, though, it sounds like you'll get somewhere. Just remember that muscle weighs a lot too and can hide under other tissue - cosmetic results aren't the be-all and end-all, you can still be making good progress even if you're not a CK model next month. My door frames are not very good as it is or I would love to take it off your hands. I'll probably jsut go to walmart this week, and pick one up, along with the pull bands. I made 13.5 minutes for the 1.5 last night. Although I probably could have made it 13, but a few cars kept circling yelling random crap at me. Assholes. Tonight I'll be pushin for 13 or something. We'll see next month if I lost any weight. Thanks for all the help. |
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I saw the doorframe-hanger-pullup-majigger at Walmart for $9.99 on sale not too long ago. If you want one that screws into a doorframe, I have a spare I could send you I think, although the doorframes need to be a few inches wide on a flat part (that's why it's sitting around now, the doorframes where I am were too skinny for the mounts). I've also used monkey bars, swingset cross bars, crossbeams in a garage, well-anchored pipes... use your imagination.
If you're doing anything, though, it sounds like you'll get somewhere. Just remember that muscle weighs a lot too and can hide under other tissue - cosmetic results aren't the be-all and end-all, you can still be making good progress even if you're not a CK model next month. My door frames are not very good as it is or I would love to take it off your hands. I'll probably jsut go to walmart this week, and pick one up, along with the pull bands. I made 13.5 minutes for the 1.5 last night. Although I probably could have made it 13, but a few cars kept circling yelling random crap at me. Assholes. Tonight I'll be pushin for 13 or something. We'll see next month if I lost any weight. Thanks for all the help. I use this pullup bar daily and it works very well http://www.amazon.com/Iron-Gym-Total-Upper-Workout/dp/B001EJMS6K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1272066321&sr=1-1 |
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Consistency.
Run on a regular schedule, and stick to it. You will see results. Give yourself 4-6 month....and keep a regular running routine. Try to document your runs in a notepad or running diary of some sort. If you get in 10+ miles per week you will definitely see a difference in your body over time. |
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Consistency. Run on a regular schedule, and stick to it. You will see results. Give yourself 4-6 month....and keep a regular running routine. Try to document your runs in a notepad or running diary of some sort. If you get in 10+ miles per week you will definitely see a difference in your body over time. Since i have been off work for awhile, I get to run 5-7 nights a week, but once I get called back it will be alot less, considering my shifts will be 6pm-6am. At the moment, it depends, one week if i run steady 3 miles a night I'll get well over 10 miles that week, but latley, I have been running 1.5 miles every night, at a much higher speed throughout the entire run. Rain or no rain! Running in the rain is surprisingly fun. I'm also doing pushups/situps and a few supersets of weight resistance stuff every night as well. Since I'm a type 1 diabetic, I also have been keeping a closer eye on my BG, and its suprisingly been better since I've start exercising every night. I was at 15 minutes per 1.5 miles, now I'm under 13.5 and looking to hit 13 in the next couple nights. |
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Go see your local Army recruiter and tell him you want to join the Airborne. They'll hook you right up When i moved to AZ when I turned 18 I tried every corner of the Armed Forces but was denied by every one due being a type 1 diabetic, and I 100% understand why. Update, I lost 6.5 pounds. Only another 15-20 to go!!
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Truer words have never been spoken. Funny part is, this is the mental part, it requires the least amount of physical effort, and is ironically the hardest to follow.
The best tip I can give you is to surround yourself with healthy foods all day, every day. Will you cheat? Sure, nothing wrong with treating yourself, but you can't do it everyday. You will have to change from the mindset of oh hell I blew my diet, to man that was GREAT! Back to the healthy stuff tomorrow. Always have snacks and water with you. Carry a banana, apple, and can of tuna with you at all times. Not only will you eat them when you are hungry, it will make other things not so appealing when you see them because you are full. Find a healthy alternative to your weakness. I was still am a chips and hot sauce guy. So now I make my own hot sauce with fresh vegetables by the quart for the week. For chips I cut cucumbers up in to thin slices. I eat this at least once a day for one of my snacks. All this good advice, and I still don't have a six pack!
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Truer words have never been spoken. Funny part is, this is the mental part, it requires the least amount of physical effort, and is ironically the hardest to follow. The best tip I can give you is to surround yourself with healthy foods all day, every day. Will you cheat? Sure, nothing wrong with treating yourself, but you can't do it everyday. You will have to change from the mindset of oh hell I blew my diet, to man that was GREAT! Back to the healthy stuff tomorrow. Always have snacks and water with you. Carry a banana, apple, and can of tuna with you at all times. Not only will you eat them when you are hungry, it will make other things not so appealing when you see them because you are full. Find a healthy alternative to your weakness. I was still am a chips and hot sauce guy. So now I make my own hot sauce with fresh vegetables by the quart for the week. For chips I cut cucumbers up in to thin slices. I eat this at least once a day for one of my snacks. All this good advice, and I still don't have a six pack!
Hell yah its mostly a mental fight. When I tried this before in high school I generally failed pretty quick, but girls (one girl in particular), wanting to get into a career that is demanding in physical fitness, and just overal sick of being out of shape will put the fight back in you!  Since i started running, i eat small portions, eat LOTS of pears, apples, bananas, blue berries, rasberries, strawberries, and drink more water then I ever did (2-3L a day). I NEVER add salt to my meals, and have replaced alot of the milk I drink with water (i LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE milk, before this I was drinking a gallon of 1% a day). I also quit energy drinks and pop (i miss pop ).
I also do 4 3 set super sets of a bunch of different full body and core work outs everyday once I get up. So if I miss a run every now and then, atleast I have that to fall back on. I have not ran in 3 nights though, due to work but again, I have the weight reisstance atleast to fall back on lol. |
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The thing that makes me run more is running different places. I can't run in circles on a track every day. I have five regular loops around my house that I do weekly. Through parks, around the university (lots of eye candy) and through the neighborhood. Also, you are more likely to keep running if you do an out and back. If you just do laps of somewhere you can always quit. If you are 4 miles from home, that is a little harder to do
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