cline

Phillies, yo! Always get tics to see them play the braves, too. Got at least 12 games lined up so far this year.

I love movie magneto before he went rogue.... Just watched first class again last night. I would like to be able to be invisible or maybe fly in an visible plane but be visible like wonder woman. Lol

Be very careful - you might push down a lot with the feet for strength and this could make your foot problem worse. If that could be an issue - be sure to ride flat versus hills. I really power through the quads and calves when I sprint and really push down to get max speed (think like a spinning class - kind of). I highly, highly, highly recommend finding straps for the pedals and strapping your feet in tight - you get a fuller range of motion and can pull with the legs (which is important). It will also keep you from slipping off the pedal and banging your shins. I usually warm up with dynamic warmups off the bike then a 5 min ride. I aim for high rpm or speed during my intervals. I do either 1 min sprint/2 min recovery or 30 sec sprint/1 min recovery.

I've been a sub and filled in while a teacher was on a trip. does that count? You'll get really good advice from people (including the posts above). Something I explained to a newly minted teacher who was having us do locust pose: he is a man, women are built differently. Prompted a conversation reminding us all of the woman master instructor we had who liked chair pose and one day a male student finally said his anatomy just wasn't conducive to chair pose. It was a moment in class. So, the take away is basic anatomy really affects what some of us can do and how squishy we are comfortable being..... LOL. Sometimes we have a singular focus based on our own experiences.

Go you is right! WOOT! Awesome work. Ain't life great?

I honestly can't imagine having worked out like this when I was young. Even though girls played soccer, tennis, etc. it slowed waaayy down in high school and almost stopped completely in college. That's what happened to me. Playing sports was for girls not women. BUT I could never imagine doing heavy lifting back then. Can you imagine? It so would not have happened at my high school or college. My my my how much things have really changed for the better!!!

Thanks folks! It's nice to have support.

I have kicked it this week w squats @ 155 ( below knee), bench press 115, and backward lunges w 70 # held over head (female bw 165, down about 23 in 3 mos). A well regarded trainer, in a very public way, stopped me at my gym tonight and told me how awesome I look - in front of her client and everyone else (I am not a client). Woot?

I love you guys! I just turned 44 and rocked the work out tonight. Kicked it.

I second this! Was out for months after major knee and ankle surgery. Included having to be in bed on my back for two weeks with foot in the air. So depressing! But I cranked out crunches. Lol When I was casted and still couldn't do too much, I learned to love those machines at the gym. Kept weight off my foot and knee but I could still workout. Helped a ton with the energy and mind zap that comes from limits after and injury. Another possibility, depending on the injury is biking or recumbent biking.

I've been primal for a couple of months and doing well (down 20 lbs). Do to concerns about our food supply and eating habits, I was already accidentally close to primal and didn't know it. Am very happy. Workout most days aiming for functional fitness and strength. But I totally stalled so am working with a trainer and am really improving and seeing big changes. He is big into goal setting, so I'm doing better and am more focused and, honestly, pleased. I really enjoy the hard exercise, so this is great. Also do yoga at least one day a week and walk average of 3.5 mi to/from work (benefit of city living). Olympic weight lifts and strength training are big goals for me as is weight loss. I want a lot more weight off (I'm 165 and want to be 135 at 5'8"). Trainer says no way if I want lots of heavy lifting. Current compromise is aiming for 3-4 lb loss/ mo but hoping mostly for bf reduction. One of my current goals is to find support (beyond trainer) for fitness, strength, and diet goals. Spouse is primal but won't work out w me (likes to be alone when working out) and isn't necessarily supportive. Friends are all marathoners or triathletes who believe fitness is a function of speed and endurance and who see me as ridiculous, coworkers believe lifting weight is scary, a bad idea etc and random limited spinning or running is best. So, I had nobody to tell how cool it was to squat 155 below knee level last night or to bench press 115 tonight. I was stoked and felt alone. So, I'm hoping to find virtual support. Avid reader, movie buff, walk everywhere, run community garden. Very urban....

My weight = 165 Benchpress tonight=115 Followed by pull ups.....

Had my trainer tonight so did benchpress to fail . Got personal best at 115 lbs! Am asking him to show me how to dump weight from s squat. I know how to get out of a bench press ( and we reviewed tonight) and dead lifts are easy. The advice on learning to bail from a squat will be heeded when I see him again. Thanks!

I'm in again. Lol. 5k Defending my.... Age group?!

Woot - won my age group too. Yeah, with that sad time. Double woot for doing it after knee and ankle surgery. LOL.

And I'm in and delurking... http://nerdfitness.com/community/blog.php?5151

Thanks folks!!! This helps me worry less. I actually know how to get out of a bench press (although I've never even considered pushing myself that hard until now...). I'm okay with DL. It's the squats I worry about. We do have 2 racks with pins, so I'll try to monopolize those.

I'm working on developing a serious heavy lifting program. I'm fortunate enough to work with a trainer twice a week, but if I want to do any heavy lifting outside of training, I don't have a spotter. My training sessions are well rounded and not 100% lifting, so lifting outside of training is desirable (and trainer is encouraging it). my gym is it very friendly. In 4 years, I haven't met anyone there (chat w people I already knew). The most gym members are very closed of fish and very cliquish (used to be a restricted gym w no women). No women I know lift heavy. Most men I know don't lift heavy weight either. And husband won't work out with me ( he likes to work out alone). So last night w trainer I'm at 155lb weighted squats going below knee level. I would feel best with a spotter if I did this at the gym. Who spots you? What do you do? Help.....

<delurking> I'm following a primal approach. With that said, the idea is that about 80% of weight and weight problems come from what we eat not exercise. And because I really like my exercise, I don't count exercise calories lost. So, I do track daily calories b/c this is a lifestyle change. I can easily eat breakfast and lunch and only come to 700 calories and not be hungry. I've come down to a total of 1400-1600 everyday without counting exercise. I try to eat 100g protein a day, tons of veg, and <50g carb. So I would split that big steak into two meals (honestly). As for lettuce, I don't touch it - only spinach and kale for biggest bang (and most taste). No salad dressing b/c avoiding sugars - just a bit of olive oil and salt. My day was Breakfast 4 oz (1/2 turkey leg, 1/2 tuna), 2.5 cups spinach raw, some ricotta (about .25 cup). Lunch 2 chick sausage (natural, organic, etc.), 3 cups raw kale & spinach, 1 small-med tomato, chipotle salsa (sugar free, etc.) 3 plain coffees total so far according to fitday = 617 calories, 80g protein, 19g carb I guess what I'm saying is that for me, portion control is helpful - esp when I'm hungry - so I'm counting calories.

My dragon: torn tendon and broken ankle on a trip in 2007. Surgery in 2008. Surgery in 2009. Major knee and ankle surgery (still same problem) in 2011. Doc says athletics are out and if I was a pro (which I'm not... Lol) career would be over. I'm doing so well! This week I'm slaying the dragon: going back to the place where I hurt it and I'm going to repeat the activity. Fingers crossed for saturday....

Oh the spas! AWESOME! We went to the one downtown in the middle of the huge park for outdoor soaks in the warm mineral pool. It was so great. Surrounded by the park, surround by locals (there are built in chess boards in the pool), and then it started to snow. Perfect.

Agreed. Scandinavia is expensive . Budapest is glorious old city w tons of history, a big river w small walkable bridges, and great food. It's really beautiful. Everything you want old Europe to be. Same w krakow. Warsaw was rebuilt and is amazing. The history is really impressive. I also went to Zacopane which is a big winter sports area in the tatre mountains. Is awesome. Buses go from the city there. Eastern Europe is much more affordable. That being said, I loved Switzerland and London remains one of my favorite cities. Oh, and Italy is great

Switzerland is really expensive but so worth it. Ride the trains everywhere. We've used these guys a lot: http://www.raileurope.com/index.html Save money for Switzerland. Sometimes local trains are cheaper than using a pass. Price it all out before you go. When you are in Switzerland, try to see both the German side and the French side. Also, check out the north face -just to say you did it. The Olympic museum is kind of cool. And trekking is the national sport - plan to spend some time doing it. Eastern European countries are much cheaper. Poland is one of my favorite countries. Kracow is awesome. Budapest is one of the most truly beautiful cities in Europe and also much cheaper. Found Prague nice but over rated. Budapest was better. Bucharest - not so much. Germany is fun and reasonably priced. France and England are both very expensive. Netherlands = awesomeness and Belgium is nice. In two weeks, I might do Germany (esp. Munich), fly to Warsaw and do Warsaw and Krakow, then off to Budapest. An alternate itinerary might be Belgium (Brussels, Brugges), Netherlands (Amsterdam, Haarlem, other little towns), Germany. If you are really itching for Paris, you can ride the chunnel ($$$$).

Definitely strength - lots of planks, etc. LOL. Also, definitely balance - think standing on one leg (which is also strength). Most athletes fail to work on balance and this leads to a lot of injuries. Back strength - especially back bending. This is super great for your back. I find it especially wonderful after being so conscious of my back when doing DL, squats, etc. Flexibility - 'nuff said there, helps prevent injuries. All classes should be adjustable to wherever you are. If you want a hot, vigorous workout, aim for a vinyasa class (talk to the instructor). If you want mellow, flexibility, breath, etc. class, look for a hatha class. I really struggle with breathing when I'm working hard and yoga is a great reminder for this. Friend of mine taught yoga to a bunch of NFL guys and they said this was a huge take away for them. Yoga is a perfect compliment to my workouts and my trainer actually encourages it (he also does yoga). I take a vigorous, sweaty vinyasa at least once a week. I'm doing a groovy rock n roll workshop for 2 hours tomorrow. And, yes, I'm usually the biggest one in the class b/c I lift weights. I struggle with inversions but man can I hold those planks and lunges. My husband is often one of the least flexible, largest males in the class but his yoga rocks because he's really strong - he can hold plank, he can hold lunges, he can hold squats.

So I ran it today rockin that treadmill. I was slow but I'm okay with walking part of it. The reason: less than 10 months ago I had major knee and ankle surgery. Doc said all sorts of stuff about limited activity and no running, etc. I have chosen to defeat those limits. I'm taking it slow, but boy am I really happy tonight. This was a goal I set a couple of months ago, so this came along at the right time.