Not glamorous and somewhat under appreciated exercise

[eytonxav]

Walking that is. My workouts have very little cardio other than 5 minute elliptical warn-ups. This article reminded me of benefits that can come from walking and now that the oppressive heat from hades has finally frozen over here in Texas, I decided to incorporate some walking in with the weight training.
T NATION | Get Ripped. Get Walking.

Six pack wannabe

 

[W2R]

Good idea, if you can stand the remaining heat in your area! It has cooled off substantially in New Orleans due to the cold front, and like you I need to do more cardio. In fact, my gym is closed today so I think I'll spend the time on my exercycle.

 

[haha]

I agree. For several years after I moved to city rarely a day went by when I didn't walk 5+ miles. I enjoyed it, with all the hills it kept me in pretty good shape, it allowed me to get much more familiar with neighborhoods. But lately some L hip arthritis seems to have put a cap on the amount I can do without pain. Some days, 6-7 miles is fine, especially if it has few down slopes. Other days it just isn't going much above 3 miles with comfort. So I went ahead and ordered my Concept2. Rowing can be used any way that running/ walking can be - fast intervals, long slow distance, or like a race, as fast as one can keep it up for say 5000 meters. Also, I've noticed that rowing even feels restorative on my hip. Yesterday I had walked about 3.5 miles in late morning, and I wanted to do ~3 more, but I was going slower and slower. I was supposed to go out to my woman friend's in the afternoon. She called an told me if I didn't want to miss lunch I had better get to the gym to finish up faster. So I finished off on the rower in the gym ( my chain has one near her), got all the calorie burn I wanted completed for the day, and still made lunch.

I've come to think that the the guys in the 70s weren't wrong. Go daily, go a considerable amount in as many doses as you care to, and don't always be pushing. It is easier to walk along at a moderate pace, outdoors on a pretty day, with attractive natural and human visuals, but every day isn't pretty and with my required daily calorie burn taken care of before I leave home, just walking to Trader Joe, or perhaps going down to the park or walking around a nearby college campus will be something on the top.

Ha

 

[eytonxav]

My gym was closed today also, so got in a brisk 3 mile walk in the morning and after lunch used my infrequently used home gym to get my lifting done. Both felt good.

Ha, I like the Concept2 as well and wish either my local gym or home gym had one. You can do low impact or hit with that baby. Sorry to hear that your arthritus has been flaring up, thats a real bummer. I do take a glucosime/chondroitin supp, but have no idea if it helps or not. So far, I've been lucky not to be plagued by any joint aches or pains, but wonder when my number will be up.

 

[W2R]

My gym was closed today also, so got in a brisk 3 mile walk in the morning and after lunch used my infrequently used home gym to get my lifting done. Both felt good.

Ha, I like the Concept2 as well and wish either my local gym or home gym had one. You can do low impact or hit with that baby. Sorry to hear that your arthritus has been flaring up, thats a real bummer. I do take a glucosime/chondroitin supp, but have no idea if it helps or not. So far, I've been lucky not to be plagued by any joint aches or pains, but wonder when my number will be up.

I need to get one of those home/universal gym machines. I have one in mind, but right now we are going to the gym so regularly that I haven't actually gotten around to buying it.

We have the Concept2 at my gym, and I really love it especially for weight loss. Since it uses large muscles, I burn a lot more calories than I think I am burning. I stopped using it last January when my back went out, because I suspected it might have aggravated that. But now that my back is better, I should probably start using the Concept2 again. They do take a lot of space although I think Ha mentioned getting one that is more compact.

 

[haha]

They do take a lot of space although I think Ha mentioned getting one that is more compact.

I did, though I dropped that idea in favor of the quick takedown on the Model D. I haven't decided yet where to place it. I may just put it in my basement storeroom. It is cool down there year round, and the area is rarely used. I can pull it out, set up and be rowing in a couple minutes. I can also keep it in my LR, in two parts standing upright. But especially in winter with the boiler on it may be pretty hot. I have an individual lockable garage, so that is another possibility.

My gym was closed today also, so got in a brisk 3 mile walk in the morning and after lunch used my infrequently used home gym to get my lifting done. Both felt good.

Great!

24 hr fitness is open, so I am going to the REI summer sale, then walk a few blocks and row there.

I think it is definitely worth trying the C2 for a month or two before buying. Not everyone likes them, and as W2R said, some complain about back problems. I am not sure, but I think these can often be alleviated or avoided by really good form. There are a couple of excellent videos on the C2 website. One other thing that is different from say a high quality treadmill. With the rower, you have to will yourself to row. With a treadmill you just turn it on and don't get thrown off and 1/2 hour later you are well into your workout.

Last week I talked to a guy who rowed at UW and is now coaching. Really tall strong guy about 50. I asked him what stroke rate his crew used in mid race. He said mostly after starting @ about 40, they settle back into 34-36. Well, that is a lot faster rate than I usually go! Yesterday I tried to push it up to 30, and found that it does improve comfort. It makes higher wattage seem less effortful. I am not sure I could ever get to 34-36, though I think I will give it a try over time. Another thing, I think it is easier to get more watts with less effort setting the baffle low- maybe 3 or so.

He also said that the C2 transfers so well to on the water rowing that he uses C2 erg performance to assign boat seats. They have 40 in their boathouse.

Ha

 

[travelover]

+1 on walking. I do at least 2 to 3 miles a day with my pooch. I'm just not a gym kinda guy. I bought a set of these for this winter. I'll feel so manly.

 

[TromboneAl]

I liked this picture from the article (From left to right: Sarah in SC, W2R, Simple Girl, and BBBAmI):

 

[Alan]

Thanks Al, walking has really helped them get in shape.

 

[haha]

+1 on walking. I do at least 2 to 3 miles a day with my pooch. I'm just not a gym kinda guy. I bought a set of these for this winter. I'll feel so manly.

I have these also. These are very high quality.

Ha

 

[REWahoo]

I think maybe I'll see if I can get DW interested in walking...

 

[eytonxav]

I liked this picture from the article (From left to right: Sarah in SC, W2R, Simple Girl, and BBBAmI):

Should we call our ERF pinup girls (Sarah in SC, W2R, Simple Girl, and BBBAmI), Al's Angels?

 

[eytonxav]

+1 on walking. I do at least 2 to 3 miles a day with my pooch. I'm just not a gym kinda guy. I bought a set of these for this winter. I'll feel so manly.

Those spikes look suitable for glacier hiking!

 

[Leonidas]

Last week I talked to a guy who rowed at UW and is now coaching. Really tall strong guy about 50. I asked him what stroke rate his crew used in mid race. He said mostly after starting @ about 40, they settle back into 34-36. Well, that is a lot faster rate than I usually go! Yesterday I tried to push it up to 30, and found that it does improve comfort. It makes higher wattage seem less effortful. I am not sure I could ever get to 34-36, though I think I will give it a try over time. Another thing, I think it is easier to get more watts with less effort setting the baffle low- maybe 3 or so.

Thanks for that info. After discovering the C2s in my gym a few weeks ago I've been using them steadily. I thought I was doing fairly well to maintain 25-26 strokes p/m for a 25-30 minute workout before stumbling off to hit something easy like the crosstrainer. Then, last week, some woman sat next to me on the next machine over and knocked out a 20 minute workout at what looked like twice my rate. Glancing over every now and then I saw numbers in the high 30s to the low 40's, and that made me feel like somebody's kid brother who wandered into the gym where the big boys and girls play.

I feel much better now knowing that she was probably a very experienced rower - or supergirl.

My wife experienced something similar with her girlfriend. They started swimming together and DW complained that the GF was kicking her butt and nearly doubling her laps with ease. Frustration finally made her say something one day, and that's when she found out that her GF had been an olympic swim team alternate.

 

[Nords]

Then, last week, some woman sat next to me on the next machine over and knocked out a 20 minute workout at what looked like twice my rate. Glancing over every now and then I saw numbers in the high 30s to the low 40's, and that made me feel like somebody's kid brother who wandered into the gym where the big boys and girls play.
I feel much better now knowing that she was probably a very experienced rower - or supergirl.
My wife experienced something similar with her girlfriend. They started swimming together and DW complained that the GF was kicking her butt and nearly doubling her laps with ease. Frustration finally made her say something one day, and that's when she found out that her GF had been an olympic swim team alternate.

I know for both of those sports it's 10,000 hours of practice on the efficiency, not so much the power.

But it doesn't hurt to have hands & feet the size of ping-pong paddles, either...

 

[Ronstar]

Thanks for the link! I'm starting to work walking/hiking into my exercise program. The treadmill workout program listed in the article looks great for winter days when running/biking outside would be a chore.

 

[Nemo2]

How's this for 'bracing' exercise:

[youtube]madoDvtKEes[/youtube]

 

[zinger1457]

I would agree any walking is better then none at all but if your looking to use walking as part of your cardio fitness routine you really need to do it the right way to get full benefits from it. Which means walking at a fast pace and on an incline (easy to do on a treadmill, maybe not so easy out on the street) so you can get your heart rate to an elevated level. I have a treadmill in my house and do a combination of jogging and walking. I can get easily get my heart rate to 80% of max just by walking at 4mph and increasing the incline until my heart rate is in the zone. I could never come close to the zone if I just walked and kept the incline level. I walk 18 holes of golf 3-4 times a week and the cardio workout has definitely helped to keep me fresher later in the round.

 

[eytonxav]

I would agree any walking is better then none at all but if your looking to use walking as part of your cardio fitness routine you really need to do it the right way to get full benefits from it. Which means walking at a fast pace and on an incline (easy to do on a treadmill, maybe not so easy out on the street) so you can get your heart rate to an elevated level. I have a treadmill in my house and do a combination of jogging and walking. I can get easily get my heart rate to 80% of max just by walking at 4mph and increasing the incline until my heart rate is in the zone. I could never come close to the zone if I just walked and kept the incline level. I walk 18 holes of golf 3-4 times a week and the cardio workout has definitely helped to keep me fresher later in the round.

Correct, the article did point out the importance of incline.

 

[brewer12345]

I would agree any walking is better then none at all but if your looking to use walking as part of your cardio fitness routine you really need to do it the right way to get full benefits from it. Which means walking at a fast pace and on an incline (easy to do on a treadmill, maybe not so easy out on the street) so you can get your heart rate to an elevated level. I have a treadmill in my house and do a combination of jogging and walking. I can get easily get my heart rate to 80% of max just by walking at 4mph and increasing the incline until my heart rate is in the zone. I could never come close to the zone if I just walked and kept the incline level. I walk 18 holes of golf 3-4 times a week and the cardio workout has definitely helped to keep me fresher later in the round.

As I have some arthritis and cannot really jog on a regular basis, I do the same on a treadmill (incline at a reasonable pace), but I also add light weights in each hand (3 to 5 pounds). An hour of that can be a really strenuous cardio workout, IMO.

As for walking outdoors, I find that hiking can be a really good workout, especially if you are going for some distance, are wearing heavy duty trail boots (heavy, so more work to take each step), and carrying a pack (even a light day pack with some water and emergency gear).

 

[Leonidas]

but I also add light weights in each hand (3 to 5 pounds).

I read an article (or heard a podcast) where a orthopedic surgeon mentioned that practice. It was great for his business, but terrible for your shoulders. If I can find the link I'll post it.

 

[eytonxav]

After 10 years in the leisure industry - I agree with you about the conceptII - great machine. BUT if you want to really tear your heart out - Cannot beat the versa climber - I used to use it to Destroy cocky SAS clients (army). Luvvit!
Got some hints for the girls tooooo

I've heard positives about this piece of equipment, but isn't it rather expensive? Alhough it may not provide the upper body aspect, one could also find a nice ten story building and do several sets of ascents and descends in the stairwell for a pretty awesome workout that would also destroy most folks.

 

[Leonidas]

That is a wicked looking machine. I'm on a workout break this week because my gym is getting all new equipment. Would be nice to go in and see some of these around because I would like to try it.

Alhough it may not provide the upper body aspect, one could also find a nice ten story building and do several sets of ascents and descends in the stairwell for a pretty awesome workout that would also destroy most folks.

I'm thinking the versa climber is both cardio and a full body workout - upper body included. A C2 is cheaper, but a gym membership is even cheaper - and they handle all the repairs.

An interesting aspect of the versaclimber is that its use can be adapted by people with injuries/disabilities who still want/need a workout. Not sure how that works, but that's a sales point and here's a video of Freddie Roach who can't run because of Parkinson's using the machine.

Freddie Roach loves training on his VersaClimber. - YouTube

 

[eytonxav]

That is a wicked looking machine. I'm on a workout break this week because my gym is getting all new equipment. Would be nice to go in and see some of these around because I would like to try it.

I'm thinking the versa climber is both cardio and a full body workout - upper body included. A C2 is cheaper, but a gym membership is even cheaper - and they handle all the repairs.

An interesting aspect of the versaclimber is that its use can be adapted by people with injuries/disabilities who still want/need a workout. Not sure how that works, but that's a sales point and here's a video of Freddie Roach who can't run because of Parkinson's using the machine.

Freddie Roach loves training on his VersaClimber. - YouTube

I can't see the video at work, but yeah my understanding of the versa climber is that you get kind of full body workout since you are replicating a climbing motion. I suppose the C2 also provides this as well, no?

 

[Leonidas]

I can't see the video at work, but yeah my understanding of the versa climber is that you get kind of full body workout since you are replicating a climbing motion. I suppose the C2 also provides this as well, no?

I'm just guessing about the versaclimber - never been on one - you never really know about such things until you get on there and start sweating. It was that way for me with the C2 - I thought it was going to be easy until I sat my happy butt down and started rowing.

When I do it right, there is not a hardly a muscle group that isn't sore when I get done rowing. And for an aerobic workout, every other machine makes me work hard to get my HR into the training zone and keep it there (adjust tension, difficulty, elevation, etc) - but the C2 is the machine that I sometimes have to slow down on, or even take a break from, to get my HR back down into the training zone and out of the "I want to lay down and cry now" zone.

I wouldn't buy a versaclimber as long as the outdoors is free and/or my gym membership is still reasonable. But, if something was wrong with one of my limbs I might consider getting one (or joining a gym that has them) just to be able to do an aerobic workout.

I love exercising except when I'm actually doing it. But I value what the pain and discomfort bring, and I worked and worked-out with enough fitness fanatics (ex-SEALS, Delta Force, etc) to appreciate what a killer workout can do for fitness and health. When I see guys saying things like, "I hate this machine" while using it every day, it interests me. Not enough to buy one at those prices, but enough to see if I can't find one nearby and get a workout just to see what it's like.