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[babs]

I could do with a pointer or two here folks. I've been training hard in martial arts for 8 months now, and I have much better strength, flexibility and cardio fitness. However, I'm still carrying way too much weight and am starting to get annoyed at my lack of strength (comparitive strength that is, I'm a big guy and there's lots of skinny guys in my club).

I'm in a bit of a quandry as I want to gain strength, but not necessarily muscle mass. Flexibility is a big part of what I do, so any strength gains need to be done sympathetically so that I don't restrict any movement. We do a lot of work on stretching (dynamic, passive, assisted - almost zero ballistic) and my long-term goal there is still a full splits, I've got about 4 inches or so to go yet.

My cardio is loads better now, but we got a beasting last week after a few members got involved in a brawl on a night out (not their fault) and I had to stop due to being so exhausted/dehydrated that I couldn't keep my legs under me or my hands from shaking. I'm a glutton for punishment, I hate it at the time, but it's soooo satisfying after pushing yourself through a really nasty 90 minutes.

Back on course then, I need to drop more gut flubber (not that you get to choose where it goes from of course), and get my arm strength up. I have weak forearms that are easily hurt. I hurt them working on handsprings/handstands one week and could barely steer my car for a day or two. Now the injury is really easy to re-occur. Oddly I can hurt it doing bicep curls (on a machine that is, not free weights). It feels like a painful burning after the muscles relax.

Should I just keep going as I am doing, 2-3 times a week heavy cardio and strength via MA, and maybe a couple of gym cardio sessions, or is there something in particular I should be eating/doing?

Also, and this is probably for Charles, have you really noticed that much difference with the Pilates? I want something to help with posture and back strength and was looking at Yoga.

[charlesr]

if you ask me, that severely limits both the weight you're pressing and your ability to focus on the muscles the weight is meant to be working

That's probably true, but it allows me to merge core into normal weights and thus spend less time at the gym. I'm not addicted (yet). Before I started pilates, I had no feel for the muscles in use during each weight exercise, but now I find concentrating on more than one muscle ok and can really feel what goes into each movement. It's much more fun when you know what's going on too - before when I was clueless, I'd just sit there in the gym doing exercises, bored out of my mind because I wasn't concentrating on the details of what I was doing and was putting all my effort into just pushing the weight.

I see it as an extension of moving from the smithson machine to free weights - free weights are harder because you have to control more degrees of movement, thus working more muscles. Sitting on a ball, I have to work harder because it's wobbling around. A lot of what I do is geared up to helping out with mountain biking and snowboarding balance. And when my child (arriving in oct) gets around to bmx and skateboarding, I want to be able to keep up

[charlesr]

Should I just keep going as I am doing, 2-3 times a week heavy cardio and strength via MA, and maybe a couple of gym cardio sessions, or is there something in particular I should be eating/doing?

Also, and this is probably for Charles, have you really noticed that much difference with the Pilates? I want something to help with posture and back strength and was looking at Yoga.

If you don't change what you are doing, then you won't see a change in results. Buy a heart rate monitor and wear the watch under a wrist band during a MA session so you don't put anyone at risk. See what your overall calorie count is in a session. Then go for a jog/treadmill/cross-trainer for 40 minutes - see which comes out on top, just for your interest. Are you eating enough? Too much? Do you get enough rest days? Sleeping ok? Just change one thing about your lifestyle/regime and see what the effects are. e.g. choose not to have alcohol on weekdays or go swimming instead of gym. It could be you have just got accustomed to the exercises you are doing and need something new to lift you off the plateau. More weight training will help with the fat loss (not during the exercise, but just in general through the day). Try leg weights where possible, because they are the biggest muscles so have the quickest gains and effect on calorie burning. Unless you do weights more than twice a week, you aren't going to suddenly turn into the hulk, so don't worry about that.

I haven't tried yoga, but you should find it fairly easy to pick up with your flexibility. Pilates and yoga are quite a long term time investment. I'd say you need 6 classes before you are even beginning to understand what your body is doing and start to see any benefit. I can highly recommend pilates for posture and back though.

[spagmasterswift]

Hopefully you were inspired by this thread?

I was - about a year ago. Will make a better go of it this time

[Spagoli]

looks to me like this is mostly a work out forum and I am more of a keep cardio fit person but IMHO you wanna lose weight you need to get your running shoes on and haul yourself round the block a bit, I eat absolute junk (on tiop of a very healthy diet) chocolate and donuts till they come out of my ears and drink more than I should and my weight stays the same because I run 60 miles a week, I guess this is too much unless its your main training activity but I honestly think you wanna drop weight and the answer is not a treadmill, or a bike or rowing, cross trainer or swimming but running outside.

[marcus]

Im in the market for some good running shoes, any recommendations? I was thinking of getting some Aasics (sp?), I hate to say it but Ive been running using my 8-year old Nikes which are now worn to the bottom..

[Spagoli]

depends on your feet really, would be worth going to a good sports (running specialist) to get your gait analysed. Basically you can get 3 sorts of shoes, neutral if you run normally, cushioned if your feet dont roll in too much (over pronate) if you have high arches these may be the sort you need or lastly stability shoes for a midweight runner without too much over pronation which is me, the best shoes ive found were Asics Kayano's expensive but no blisters (did a marathon in the and they felt sooo good). Its worth getting a proper assesment done even if you dont run a lot, I tend to get new shoes every 300 miles (only 2 months at the most) but for the sake of your feet 8 year old Nikes dude are not going to help dude!!!!!!

[rumbletum]

Im in the market for some good running shoes, any recommendations?

What Spag said really, I use Asics at the mo, but everyones feet are different and what might be good for me might be useless on you.

Get yourself down a running (note, running, not a JJB type) shop and ask for some advice. Most will analyse you, and pick out a couple of different shoes to try.

[charlesr]

Look up your local sweatshop on their website: http://www.sweatshop.co.uk/

Specialist running stores. They normally have a treadmill in-store so you can try them. Try to think about how much support you are getting on different parts of your feet while running, rather than just "do they fit". My new fave tactic is trying on a different shoe on each foot at the same time to compare. I tend to find with running shoes, the more expensive they are the better.... I can't find any I like below ?90. I've been using Mizunos for a couple of years now which suit my narrow feet.

[Spagoli]

Look up your local sweatshop on their website: http://www.sweatshop.co.uk/
Specialist running stores. They normally have a treadmill in-store so you can try them. ........ I've been using Mizunos for a couple of years now which suit my narrow feet.

If you want to be a bit canny you can always get yourslef into the store get the shoe and size then order online. My Asics are ?120 even with the 10% I get off for being in a club its more than the ?80 you can get them for online. Seems a bit tight to me but as I was buying 5 or 6 pairs a year it mounts up, plus I buy the rest of my clobber from them so dont feel too bad.

[recipher]

I wear Mizunos as well, and I have wide feet!

[Spagoli]

Mine are fairly wide too, I think thats why I found Asics the best but then again I have never tried Mizunos. Nike tend to be a bit too narrow on me but are OKish after they get worn in a bit, bought some Nike running spikes for the cross country season last year and I had the worst blisters I have ever had, even with blister plasters I could harldy walk!

[marcus]

I didnt want to spend more than 50 on them, I was going to just buy some Asics from JJB which were in the sale - seeing as I dont do long distance (usually run 3 miles) Im thinking they would be suitable and much better than my old nikes. I was going to go to a running shop to get assessed, but the prices in these shops are extortionate. If it really matters then I might do anyways, get the lowdown and try and buy the same online or somewhere. Looks like Asics it is though.

/edit - ebay sell Mizunos also, some Ive seen are 35-40 against a RRP of 75-80.



for example click me

[marcus]

= mine

[spagmasterswift]

Went to the gym again tonight - eye of the tiger

Managed to do 10 mins on the bike and a 5 minute run so building up slowly. May have overdone it on the weights though as my Bingo Wings/Teachers Arms parts are in some pain today when I lift my arms up Pain is good though right?

Going again on Friday