Mostly Benign: It takes far longer to build up endurance than strength or flexibility—meaning months rather than weeks. I do have a runner's physique (short and slim) and it still took me two months to get up to running for an hour.
Also "running" is not actually straight out running. It's running till you're out of breath, then walking till you get your second wind, then running again, and repeat until you're exhausted and sweaty. Without the cool-down periods, you're talking about sprinting (which bulks up muscles rather than making them lean and wiry).
Leradny, I know. That's kind of why I hate the idea of doing it. Spending months in agony before getting to the point where running might actually give you a slight endorphin release... ugh.
Not to mention that I really do have a poor genetic makeup for anything endurance-related. I can get strong relatively easily, with the right diet, and I have a natural affinity toward acrobatics and gymnastics, but even when I did aerobic exercise almost exclusively for a couple of years, I just built muscle mass with only very modest endurance gains.
Oh well, maybe one day.
Also "running" is not actually straight out running. It's running till you're out of breath, then walking till you get your second wind, then running again, and repeat until you're exhausted and sweaty. Without the cool-down periods, you're talking about sprinting (which bulks up muscles rather than making them lean and wiry).
It took me 2 weeks from the first time I went on that 4+ mile road to make it all the way without stop. The first run I didn't even make 2 miles on it without stop and going to a walk. The next week I ran it (much slower than I am capable of) all the way there and after a stop at my destination all the way back and made that without stop.
Then again I am a natural endurance runner. Not the fastest endurance runner, but a natural at keeping going. When I was 19 I went from barely doing a mile to over 4 and a half in roughly 6 weeks. Some of it fell out of shape and I would rebuild it only to fall back again. Currently I am able to run in one day farther than I ever have.
And I'm 25 years old grabbing and making the best of my physical peak condition. I'm only gonna get it once and if I don't grab it now and make the best of it for potentially the next 10 years I'll never have it again.
Also I am not a "runner's physique" consisting of being a thin skinny rail. I'm beefy, large muscles where there isn't visible fat, and well balanced in muscle distribution. Sure I need to lose about 12 pounds by January before I ship out to boot, but hey I am not the stereotypical runner's build.
I was much much skinnier as a kid though so that may have more to do with it. Either that or I am way too Badass for my body composition. Possibly both.
You can't always tell these things by physique. Apart from having broad shoulders, I look like a stereotypical ectomorphic endurance athlete in pretty much every way. Yet, while I can match or surpass people significantly larger and heavier than myself in terms of strength, I'm pretty sure I couldn't run even a mile.
(My absolute highest running achievement ever was running a mile and a half in a Cooper test almost a decade ago, and that was after a couple of years of at least somewhat regular aerobic exercise. I nearly died.)
Kinesiology time!
Just some quick reminders for anyone who doesn't already know this: muscle memory is a bit of a misnomer and shouldn't be taken literally. Your muscles don't actually "remember" repetitious motor functions. Instead, your central nervous does that for you, fine tuning the electrical signals requested by the receptors in each part of your voluntary muscular system.
The muscles themselves are just watery blobs of flesh that need that electrical input from the brain in order to perform work, so they're not "remembering" anything at all. The mitochondria in your muscles do reallocate energy according to how much work they are doing, but that has more to do with caloric regulation. When people go through physical rehabilitation, you often hear of therapists saying "she needs to learn how to walk again". Whether they specify or not, this actually means that one must acquire the ability to walk. And yes, there is a neurological and cognitive difference between learning and acquisition, especially with motor skills.
In short, muscle memory should be seen as a short-hand term for motor function conditioning unless, of course, you've found some magical way to make your muscles independently sapient.
Also, saying you have "a stronger side" is technically incorrect. A more accurate description would be that you have a more coordinated side of your body. Strength is just a measure of your body's ability to do work, but again, you need instructions from your brain on how to do this work.
Your left and right sides can perform roughly the same amount of work in terms of muscle fatigue, but right-handed people have a harder time with left-side reps not because of lack of strength, but because the right-side-dominant brain has a harder time delivering and executing instructions to that part of the body. There are theories regarding the evolutionary advantages behind this effect. Look them up when you get the chance.
If your body literally had a stronger side in terms of work performance, then you would have a much harder time lifting 15 lbs in one hand, a problem most human beings don't have. So again, the "stronger" side adage is a misnomer, and its misunderstanding is right up there with the "10 percent brain" myth and the "only 5 senses" issue. Not totally false, but misunderstood.
As far as work out regimes go, I'd recommend P 90 X for strength training, Chalene Extreme for toning, Insanity for cardio, and SEAL Fit for endurance/expeditionary training. Just be warned that SEAL Fit is designed for long-term body durability and WILL break you if you don't know what you're doing. If you just want to look good naked, go with Chalene Johnson's programs. If you're getting ready to climb Mount Everest, go with SEAL Fit. P 90 X is a healthy balance between the two.
Does anyone here do Yoga?
You know i've been in the air about P 90 X; I've got friends of mine who swear it's good so I'll probably give it another look sometime. ATM I'm trying to tweak my garage for cross-fit.
There are things about P 90 X I don't like, but it's an overall good program. Cross Fit seems to be more popular because it offers a flexible schedule and is easier to tweak for different performance standards. I personally enjoy SEAL Fit because it gives me the strength and endurance I need for martial arts without turning me into a monster.
That sounded like some early-morning infomercial. Tony Horton and Mark Divine should cut me a check.
@Lolipod: We need to know what your goals are before we can tweak your regimen, but here's a basic workout I recommend listed below. Seek a certified personal trainer that you can speak with in person. I have faith in my own words and I have the credentials, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm a faceless entity in cyberspace. I'm sure you already understand this.
Running: Do a 1.5 mile run three times a week. Push for 15 minutes for the first two weeks. For the second two weeks of the month, push for 12 minutes. Gradually work your way toward completion times of 11-10 minutes. If you want to do an advanced run, wear military cargo pants and boots. If that still isn't enough, soak your clothing in water and sprinkle it with sand and mud. Don't do this more than once a week unless you really know what you're doing. Excessive resistance being loaded onto your body can and will wear down the connective tissues in your hips and knees.
Swimming: 250-500 meter surface swim, using either a combat stroke or a freestyle stroke. Spend the first month just going through the motions and getting comfortable. Then, start setting time limits for yourself (between 11 and 16 minutes). For both running and swimming, stretch for five to ten minutes. Actually, do this for all of your exercise routines.
Pull-ups: Okay, let's see. You've got the following to choose from:
corn-cob pull-ups: palms forward, lift, shift to the left, to the right, to the front, and to the back, then back down.
L-shape: bend the body at a right angle and lift, maintaining flexation in the abdominals each time.
narrow chin-ups: palms back (pointing toward you), lift
wide pull-ups: palms forward, arms wide, lift
wide-leg pull-ups: legs in a V-shape, lift
towel assist pull-ups: wrap a towel around one side of the bar, lift with both arms (one tugging on the towel), do 3 reps, and switch arms. Harder than it sounds.
chair assist pull-ups: rest one foot against a chair and work to failure. Good for recovery drills.
rucksack: lift with a backpack weighed at 20, 30, or 40 lbs depending on strength level. Use a kettle bell, basketballs, or sand. Be extremely careful in relaxing the lumbar region.
abdominal pull-ups: tuck the legs in and lift, then lower the legs upon descending
edited 5th Dec '10 7:19:09 PM by Aprilla
Goals:
Short term (Next 2 or three months):
1.5 mile run in < 11 minutes
500 yard swim in < 10 minutes
20 pull ups
100 push ups in < 2 minutes
100 sit ups in < 2 minutes
Long term (next year):
3 mile run in < 16 minutes
500 yard swim in < 6:30 minutes
100 pullups
300 push ups in < 6 minutes
200 sit ups in < 4 minutes
I'm also hoping to work up to being able to do the Sealfit stuff.
edited 6th Dec '10 3:49:59 PM by LolipodDistortion
Underneath the bridge The tarp has sprung a leak And the animals I've trapped have all become my petsThat sounds good, especially since you're interested in the Marine Corps. Make absolutely sure you don't over-train, and use adequate sleep and food to complement your workout routine. For general reference, use the "3 days on, 1 day off" rule. I can't stress the importance of sleep enough.
If you want to slowly work your way into an endurance schedule, do a normal indoor workout four days a week and use the other two days for an outdoor cold confidence routine. Wear enough clothing to keep yourself moderately warm, but don't wear so many layers that you can't even do a decent curl. I use cold-weather training for my cardio drills, but I'm going to start lifting weights outside once I finish my final exams for the semester. I don't have the body weight for that kind of training right now, so I'm spending the next couple of weeks getting more food. I'm just not getting enough calories at the moment, so make sure you get plenty of energy.
Given what you've told me, here's what I go for in terms of nutrition.
Ideal: No sugar, little saturated fat, whole-grain wheat bread at minimum, no processed carbohydrates, lean poultry, no red meat, and several fruits and green vegetables. Beans are your best friend. Use whey protein supplements with an 8-ounce glass of whole or 2% fat milk. Stay away from fat-free dairy products. If they don't have any fat, you're no longer dealing with dairy products, in my opinion. When shopping for food, shop at the produce section and check daily percent values. The best foods are in the fringes, not in the aisles. Many SEAL trainers and civilian athletes have preached about this in detail. Drink about half of your body weight in water using 8 ounces or more in a sitting. If you're like me (very slender but extremely muscular and devoid of fat), shift your daily calorie intake from 2500 to 3000 calories, but make sure you're building lean muscle that actually does work. Again, if you're just wanting to look good naked, don't follow this approach.
More Realistic: Modest sugar (try to cut back on artificial sweeteners), cut back on beef and pork, plenty of dairy, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and beans. Flash-frozen vegetables are decent, but avoid them if you can afford it. Avoid meats with antibiotics, and keep your eyes peeled for livestock raised in cage-free environments. Increase your fiber intake with high-fiber cereals or bars, but don't overboard with granola bars because they are loaded with artificial sweeteners (ever wonder about that gel holds the granola together?). Avoid fast food, but splurge once a week if you really want to do so. Be on the lookout for high-sodium foods, and drink plenty of water with any high-sodium meal you have.
Either way, make sure you eat every two hours by using a healthy snack. The three-square-meal routine is a bit outdated, so break down your meals into six smaller sittings. To save money and time, make a large meal and work your way through the leftovers throughout the week, mixing and matching as you go along. Don't EVER skip breakfast, and maintain a steady sleep schedule if you can. Wait two to three hours before going to sleep so your brain and cardiovascular system can gradually settle for the night. You'll be restless if you try to sleep right after a strenuous workout. Whey protein and recovery formulas work pretty well, but don't spend more than 50 dollars on any one container. There are a lot of scams out there in the supplement market, and the best protein boost you'll get will come from lean meats, fruits, and veggies. Vitamins help, too, but nothing will replace a good, hot meal.
Good hunting.
So, I have no friggin clue what I'm doing, and most of the information I do find conflicts with other information, so my questions are thusly:
- What's the best way to get started?
- How exactly does one figure out how much weight or reps or sets they need to do (or however the fuck it all works)?
- What's the minimum I should expect to work out before I see results?
Incidentally, I'm not fat, but my body looks like an uncooked breadstick.
"Wax on, wax off..." "But Mr. Miyagi, I don't see how this is helping me do Karate..." "Pubic hair is weakness, Daniel-san!"I've been trying to work up to performing a front lever
for a couple of weeks now, and it's made me aware of muscles I never even knew existed. I can stay in the advanced tuck progression for half a minute or so, but my upper back feels like it's being injected with napalm.

Just do your best, set a time to beat, then work from there to improve it. Or you could do what I did and run from a dog a la Sandlot.