@Usagi I saw that you got a foam roller. Could you tell me more? Is it for tight muscles? Cause I get really tight calves and can never apply enough pressure myself to relieve it. Is that what one does?
I did my work out with my tiny tiny 0.5g weights today. You gotta start somewhere right? Also feels good to have my yoga mat to so my sit and push ups on. Push ups are the devil.
@Usagi I saw that you got a foam roller. Could you tell me more? Is it for tight muscles? Cause I get really tight calves and can never apply enough pressure myself to relieve it. Is that what one does?
I did my work out with my tiny tiny 0.5g weights today. You gotta start somewhere right? Also feels good to have my yoga mat to so my sit and push ups on. Push ups are the devil.
I will write down those and see if they have them over, and scout out what is in the shops etc. I think I'd only need a small one as its my calves, mainly, so thats good. But it sounds like a foam roller would be excellent for what I'm after, I didn't realise how much it can help until reading that PDF.
The only thing to really look for is the PVC core. Some people even use just a plain piece of PVC pipe that you'd find at a home improvement store. I had been using this little all-foam one, but it didn't take very long for it to start losing its shape. So not it's kinda oblong and doesn't roll very smoothly. It's also pretty small (only 4" diameter) whereas my new one is 5.25". It doesn't sound like that'd make a big difference, but it really does. The larger diameter is sooo much easier to work with.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
You can just use a tennis ball if you don't want to spend money on a thing.
I have no idea why, but I prefer the foam roller for calves, IT bands, and adductors. I'll go to the tennis/lacrosse ball for glutes, hammys, and upper-back work. I don't have enough chest mass yet (right now I'd probably just bruise my ribs lol), but if I ever get there that seems like another good candidate for the ball.
The ball is more pin-point pressure, so it's really good at digging in at very specific spots.
Hmm I could see the foam roller being good for calves because you can do both at once? And also your calf is less likely to roll off the small surface of a tennis ball? And yeah, a tennis ball for upper back makes sense.
It's better to roll out one limb at a time cause you apply more pressure by crossing one leg over the other and also you can work your leg side to side better if you're doing it one leg at a time.
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oh, also, you can take two tennis balls and stuff them down a sock, and tie it tightly. If you need something wider. very useful on legs and things like that.
oh, also, you can take two tennis balls and stuff them down a sock, and tie it tightly. If you need something wider. very useful on legs and things like that.
That's also really good for your back because you can fit your spine right in between them so you get the muscles without pressure on your spine.
First time I've seen a sub-190 number in probably 15 years. I'm 6'2", so by BMI standards (I know...I know...) I'm finally in the "Normal Weight" category.
But in all seriousness, that's p rad. Whatcha been doing to get to that weight? Also, remember weight is nothing but a number, esp if you're getting muscley and whatnot. I'm ~6 feet and ~210, so I have a long way to go before I'm near where I want to be.
But in all seriousness, that's p rad. Whatcha been doing to get to that weight? Also, remember weight is nothing but a number, esp if you're getting muscley and whatnot. I'm ~6 feet and ~210, so I have a long way to go before I'm near where I want to be.
It's been a quite a long and winding road. So I'll spoiler it to spare people my life's story.
I started off about a year and a half ago as an incredibly sedentary, zero muscle, 235lbs contemplating the jump to a 40" pants waist and lamenting the fact that I was annoyed when my then 3yo son would want me to get off my ass and play with him. So I started getting my diet under control with the help of MyFitnessPal (seriously, I was stopping at McDonald's on my way home from work 3-4 times a week for a light pre-dinner snack of two double cheeseburgers and a large fry). I also started a homemade (aka poorly thought out due to ignorance) exercise routine consisting mostly of body weight stuff mixed with a ton of stuff (mostly what I've learned is considered accessory work) with a pair of dumbbells and 30lbs of plates I had lying around collecting dust.
After a couple months of actually sticking with it for once in my life, my wife decided I'd proven myself serious enough to spend some real money. She got me the Insanity DVDs and I went through Month #1 twice and then got about halfway through Month #2 before deciding I needed to take a break from busting my ass 6 days a week.
That's when I started reading the Strength Training thread and for the first time in my life thought to myself that I might be in a good spot to switch my training mode from "I'd really like to not be so fat and lazy" to "I'd like to get strong and maybe see some muscles". So I went out and got a barbell and another 40lbs of plates and started doing a modified version of the Nerd Fitness Beginner Body Weight Routine (I used the barbell for the squats, rows, and added in OHPs). After doing that for a few months I started to feel like I needed something with more formalized progression. Up until then, all of my weight training had been very loosely structured and it felt like I needed some structure or else I was going to start losing motivation.
That's when I got another 50lbs of plates and started StrongLifts 5x5. I was debating between SL5x5 and Starting Strength 3x5, but went with SL5x5 mostly because the extra volume meant I could wait longer before needing to buy more weight plates, and because I don't have an olympic bar and I work out on our converted garage's tile floor, so Power Cleans aren't all that feasible. I love the program and would recommend it to anyone looking to start a real program developed by someone who actually knows what they're doing.
I've actually been taking a bit of a break for the past month or so just because I felt like I needed to take a mental break and spend some lazy time on the couch with my wife. But I haven't let my dietary decisions slip too far in the wrong direction so I've continued to slowly drop a few more pounds. Some of that is definitely muscle mass, but I've also dropped down another pants size (I'm down to 32" waist jeans) so it's not all just muscle atrophy. I'm actually starting to feel pretty guilty about not doing anything for so long, so I'm planning on starting back up again with SL5x5 after Thanksgiving.
I went to the doctor today, because my back and chest weren't getting better as fast as I would prefer. Apparently I "tore a muscle between my ribs, possibly near my heart." Oy.
The good news is that a mild sports massage is unlikely to do any harm, so I'm booking myself in for one of those ASAP. Yargh.
Welp, so much for the modicum of life fitness I had going. Get one long holiday break and I'm just vegging out and eating lots of delicious holiday food and not running and bleh.
Guess I should run tomorrow. Maybe I'll start Couch To 5K over, but this time I'll try to run faster than the old man shuffle/slightest of jogs.
No, he couldn't tell without an x-ray and even with one it might not be clear. He was just going off symptoms. I don't think it's too bad, I can lift things with my left arm now, though putting on shoes is a pain.
Running, however, is fine, which is good.*
*edit: arrgh, turns out that's a lie. It WAS ok last sunday, but turns out sitting at a computer all week has really fucked things up.
No, he can't tell without an x-ray and even with one it might not be clear. He was just going off symptoms. I don't think it's too bad, I can lift things with my left arm now, though putting on shoes is a pain.
Running, however, is fine, which is good.*
*edit: arrgh, turns out that's a lie. It WAS ok last sunday, but turns out sitting at a computer all week has really fucked things up.
Icing it is going to be interesting. I always used a plastic bag full of ice and a little water and just used some athletic tape to tape it to the body.
First time I've seen a sub-190 number in probably 15 years. I'm 6'2", so by BMI standards (I know...I know...) I'm finally in the "Normal Weight" category.
EDIT: wow, that's kind of an embarrassing TotP.
I weighed myself at 226 today. Down from like 238 2 months ago when I started work. Being on my feet for 12 periods and hardly eating helps a lot. BMI is dumb though. I was 185 in iraq when I was eating 1 MRE walking several miles with weight in 100 degree weather and had diarrhea. If that's what it takes to be normal I'm not sure that's normal, at least for my build.
I went to a sports massage therapist today. Her verdict on my back/shoulder was "whoo. Crunchy."
anyway an hour later I feel improved but also quite dizzy (that could have been something in the oil she was using though). I think I need a cup of tea.
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Everything you could ever possibly want to know about Self Myofascial Release (aka foam rolling).
oh wow, thank you, I'll give this a read!
FYI, I just picked up a new foam roller to replace the super crappy cheapo one I've been using.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Golds-Gym-18-Performance-Roller/28911587
The PVC core means it's good and firm and won't lose it's shape, and the little diamond nubs really dig in for some deep tissue work.
The ball is more pin-point pressure, so it's really good at digging in at very specific spots.
Calves need a lot of pressure, can be hard to get with a foam roller without putting weight on em
Who'd have thought I'd look forward to buying a tennis ball so much!
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Voila
I mostly use mine on my piriformis and hip flexors and it's ridiculously helpful
That's also really good for your back because you can fit your spine right in between them so you get the muscles without pressure on your spine.
First time I've seen a sub-190 number in probably 15 years. I'm 6'2", so by BMI standards (I know...I know...) I'm finally in the "Normal Weight" category.
EDIT: wow, that's kind of an embarrassing TotP.
3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
3DS Friend Code: 2165-6448-8348 www.Twitch.TV/cooljammer00
Battle.Net: JohnDarc#1203 Origin/UPlay: CoolJammer00
It's been a quite a long and winding road. So I'll spoiler it to spare people my life's story.
After a couple months of actually sticking with it for once in my life, my wife decided I'd proven myself serious enough to spend some real money. She got me the Insanity DVDs and I went through Month #1 twice and then got about halfway through Month #2 before deciding I needed to take a break from busting my ass 6 days a week.
That's when I started reading the Strength Training thread and for the first time in my life thought to myself that I might be in a good spot to switch my training mode from "I'd really like to not be so fat and lazy" to "I'd like to get strong and maybe see some muscles". So I went out and got a barbell and another 40lbs of plates and started doing a modified version of the Nerd Fitness Beginner Body Weight Routine (I used the barbell for the squats, rows, and added in OHPs). After doing that for a few months I started to feel like I needed something with more formalized progression. Up until then, all of my weight training had been very loosely structured and it felt like I needed some structure or else I was going to start losing motivation.
That's when I got another 50lbs of plates and started StrongLifts 5x5. I was debating between SL5x5 and Starting Strength 3x5, but went with SL5x5 mostly because the extra volume meant I could wait longer before needing to buy more weight plates, and because I don't have an olympic bar and I work out on our converted garage's tile floor, so Power Cleans aren't all that feasible. I love the program and would recommend it to anyone looking to start a real program developed by someone who actually knows what they're doing.
I've actually been taking a bit of a break for the past month or so just because I felt like I needed to take a mental break and spend some lazy time on the couch with my wife. But I haven't let my dietary decisions slip too far in the wrong direction so I've continued to slowly drop a few more pounds. Some of that is definitely muscle mass, but I've also dropped down another pants size (I'm down to 32" waist jeans) so it's not all just muscle atrophy. I'm actually starting to feel pretty guilty about not doing anything for so long, so I'm planning on starting back up again with SL5x5 after Thanksgiving.
The good news is that a mild sports massage is unlikely to do any harm, so I'm booking myself in for one of those ASAP. Yargh.
Guess I should run tomorrow. Maybe I'll start Couch To 5K over, but this time I'll try to run faster than the old man shuffle/slightest of jogs.
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No, he couldn't tell without an x-ray and even with one it might not be clear. He was just going off symptoms. I don't think it's too bad, I can lift things with my left arm now, though putting on shoes is a pain.
Running, however, is fine, which is good.*
*edit: arrgh, turns out that's a lie. It WAS ok last sunday, but turns out sitting at a computer all week has really fucked things up.
My god.
So good on shoulders and calves. Thanks guys!
Icing it is going to be interesting. I always used a plastic bag full of ice and a little water and just used some athletic tape to tape it to the body.
I weighed myself at 226 today. Down from like 238 2 months ago when I started work. Being on my feet for 12 periods and hardly eating helps a lot. BMI is dumb though. I was 185 in iraq when I was eating 1 MRE walking several miles with weight in 100 degree weather and had diarrhea. If that's what it takes to be normal I'm not sure that's normal, at least for my build.
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anyway an hour later I feel improved but also quite dizzy (that could have been something in the oil she was using though). I think I need a cup of tea.
Woo--oowwww
Not enough tho, not sure I can use up all these passes before they expire
Still pretty bad though but getting better
I oughta take a class at some point but for now practice is helping
Fingers so weak tho
I bought a new bike guys.
It is a very fast bike.
I feel I can ride it even faster.
Satans..... hints.....
Glam shot!
Satans..... hints.....