Physical Fitness (Jogging, Diet, Cardiovascular, and Strength )

[Shortman]

Hi, been a lurker here for a few months and i know this is the Canadian Army but i am joining the British Army and i am leaving in August for basic training.  I was wondering if any one here would be able to help me with my fitness. 

I started getting fit in december where i would try 1.5 mile runs and i couldnt do them.  I was really unfit .  Any way i got injured due to over training in january and wasnt able to get back to running until late february.  I have gotten pretty strong from doing weights at the gym 3 times a week so i dont need to work on my muscle.  When i went for my fitness test at recruit selection centre i done the 1.5 mile in 10.13 this was the 11th april.  Now i can do it in 9.53.  The thing that worries me is long distance running and working out a good routine.  I am afraid to run more than 3 times a week incase i get injured becuase my legs muscles aren't very strong.  I would run one day then have a rest day and so on.  But some days i feel like if i go running today im goin to hurt myself so i just dont go and leave it for another day. 

I have made out a new routine and was wondering if any one would be kind enough to give me some advice to help increase my fitness.  I can currently run 2 miles at a steady pace in about 15-16min.  But if i push hard i can get it in 14 min.  My breathing isnt really the problem when it comes to doing this its my legs get really fatigued and some days i am forced to slow down to a slow run then after 20-30 secs i can pick up the pace again and i am fine for the rest of the run.

Is slowing down bad in any way?

Any way this is the routine i had in mind

Monday: 2 mile run

Tuesday: chest/biceps at gym

Wednesday: 1.5 mile high intensity.

Thursday: shoulders/back

Friday: 2 mile run

Saturday: Triceps/legs/(abs thrown in)

Sunday: Rest day or 3 mile jog.

As far as i know im going in August so i have a good 4 months to prepare.

Any help would be great thanks! 

 

[Hedgehog18]

Hey i find that if you are jsut starting off doing this program is great o get you started and its not that tough at the begging quiet easy like you can skip the first couple of weeks if you want

http://running.about.com/od/gettingstarted/ss/startrunning.htm

 

[45506445210414924]

i ve been reading this section of the froum and kept my mouth shut for too long! best way to get in shape is to do (which i think, many of you may disagree) interval training on a 4 day sched. then up it the next week.... and so forth, i think weight training is good and all, but remember folks, you can lift and lift all you want but, if your goin out to mcdonalds and ordering there double big mac w/ cheese your pissing your oppourtunity for gains away! by that said...proper nutrition (geez i sound like my grama when i was  kid) is the way to go for Personal Fitness,

i just want to know are you allowed bringing darn multivitamins 
meh ill contact them tomorrow

cheers

goodluck!

 

[atticus]

Okay, I am a little bit confused from all the different things I've been reading about heart rate and jogging on the net. I've read that for me my BPM should be 130 on some sites to 160. Would somebody please explain to me what my BPM should be? I'm 20, 6 "2, 175 lb, and when I run with a heart rate monitor on it floats usually around 165, is this too high?

 

[NavComm]

Okay, I am a little bit confused from all the different things I've been reading about heart rate and jogging on the net. I've read that for me my BPM should be 130 on some sites to 160. Would somebody please explain to me what my BPM should be? I'm 20, 6 "2, 175 lb, and when I run with a heart rate monitor on it floats usually around 165, is this too high?

You can get all the information you need from http://www.recruiting.forces.ca/media/pdf/physical_fitness_en.pdf it explains everything you need to know aboutthe PT test and to prepare for BMQ.

On page 11 it explains heart rate and what to aim for as this:

65% - 90% of your maximum heatrate (220 - age x (intensity %) so at 20 to calculate your 65%-90% intensity

220 - 20x 65% = 130 beats per minute as a low
220 - 20 x 90% = 180 beats per minute max.

Hope this helps!

 

[Island Ryhno]

Eat bananas, it'll help with your muscle soreness. As for the stretch, um stick your hand up like you're asking a question, now take that hand and bend it at the elbow so that your forearm is behind your head. Now with your other hand hold the elbow for about 10 seconds, switch and repeat. These are static stretches, so don't "bounce" your muscles.

 

[mover1]

Eat bananas, it'll help with your muscle soreness. As for the stretch, um stick your hand up like you're asking a question, now take that hand and bend it at the elbow so that your forearm is behind your head. Now with your other hand hold the elbow for about 10 seconds, switch and repeat. These are static stretches, so don't "bounce" your muscles.

Clench your fist bend your arm at the elbow stretch your index finger insert it in your nose wiggle and clear your airways.

Actually the bananas thing does work and its sound advice. And (At least it works for me) is pump off a few push ups before you do the run. The aerobic exercises will get th blood flowing and your stiffness should be subdued a bit.

 

[NavComm]

just did a pre-test type thing, cranked out quite a bit of pushups feeling loosened up now.....also feeling a bit confident going in! ha, anyways guys gotta head to the armouries, take it eas'

I don't know if that's considered strenuous excercise but they do tell you not to excercise prior to the test, you may disqualify yourself and have to come back another day. http://www.recruiting.forces.ca/engraph/howtojoin/fitness_eval_e.aspx

 

[Island Ryhno]

Muscle are grown during the rest period. If you are constantly tearing down your muscles they can't grow. The only way you could work out hard every day is a one a day split. I.E. Mon - legs, Tues-arms, etc etc, one body part per day. Really anything less than 48 hours of recovery time is damaging to your muscles. I find also that 7 days a week is completely draining mentally and erodes motivation, but that's just my spin. Try some of theses sites for info on muscle recovery.
http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/weight.htm
http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/training-fitness/build-muscle-lose-fat.htm
http://umanitoba.fitdv.com/new/articles/article.html?artid=21

 

[atticus]

So, I noticed that after I run, my legs aren't sore the next day at all now. Even if I run in the morning that evening it feels as if I didn't run at all. Is this okay, or should I be taking this as a note to work harder?

 

[MysticLies]

I don't know if this has been brought up yet, but I just wanted to add that running on a threadmill isn't exactly the same as running on a track. In my case I have been running for like 30 minutes each day on the threadmill, for like 2 weeks now. two days ago I decided to run on the outside track instead, and boy did I feel a difference, maybe I ran faster, but for some reason I got tired pretty early compared to when I was on the threadmil.

my adivce is to run some days on the threadmills and others on a track or something like that.

 

[Island Ryhno]

Atticus, I'm not sure if your comment was tongue in cheek or not. However the articles and most conventional fitness wisdom state that you should allow around 48 hours of recovery time, muscles sore or not. My muscles don't get sore anymore but I don't train them constantly just because they're not sore. I've learned that over time, some people don't and figure they should run 7 days a week or lift weights 7 days a week because they think that more and more and more is better, I don't think it's that way at all, but I'm just a lowly nobody. MysticLies, as for the treadmill theory, I've found the same thing, most articles and running experts suggest setting the incline to 3 or so on the treadmill to mimic running outside as you would never run on a perfectly flat surface outdoors! Again, just a lowly nobody's opinion.  8)

 

[MysticLies]

after reading many different sources, taking time off between sessions does seem like the smart thing. This may be off topic: I haven't been to BMQ yet, but I recall someone saying that we basically workout everyday, if that is true doesn't that contradict the whole take time off from session to session? Or is BMQ not like that at all.

 

[Hedgehog18]

after reading many different sources, taking time off between sessions does seem like the smart thing. This may be off topic: I haven't been to BMQ yet, but I recall someone saying that we basically workout everyday, if that is true doesn't that contradict the whole take time off from session to session? Or is BMQ not like that at all.

because your not trying to get use to bmq your trying to get your musscles and lungs ect stronger so over working them well just take longer .. IMOP

 

[atticus]

Atticus, I'm not sure if your comment was tongue in cheek or not. However the articles and most conventional fitness wisdom state that you should allow around 48 hours of recovery time, muscles sore or not. My muscles don't get sore anymore but I don't train them constantly just because they're not sore.

So does it just mean I'm in better shape and my body has gotten used to the work out? (I don't go for a jog more than once a day, about five times a week time willing).

 

[Sivad]

So does it just mean I'm in better shape and my body has gotten used to the work out? (I don't go for a jog more than once a day, about five times a week time willing).

you probably are in better shape but more importantly are you doing the same routine evertime you workout?  if yes than this is why your muscles won't grow as much and will not be sore.  What happends when you do the same routine over and over is that your muscles will cheat eventually and find and easier way to lift the weight.  Your muscles are lazy and you need to change your routine ever 3-6weeks to keep strength and grow gowing.  Change is good.  I change my workout routine every 6 weeks and I have been working out for years and I still get sore.  and always give your muscles & body time to rest you only grow when at rest!  48 hour turnaroun time between workouts is KEY! and minimal!

 

[MysticLies]

hey this may be out of place, but I have been running  on both the track and the threadmill for sometime. I was just wondering what speed on the threadmill is appropriate? I currently run from anywhere from 6-7 miles/hour, with an incline of 3%, and near the end I sprint for on a speed from 8-9. Is that a good speed, or should I increase of decrease? thankyou in advance.

 

[atticus]

hey this may be out of place, but I have been running  on both the track and the threadmill for sometime. I was just wondering what speed on the threadmill is appropriate? I currently run from anywhere from 6-7 miles/hour, with an incline of 3%, and near the end I sprint for on a speed from 8-9. Is that a good speed, or should I increase of decrease? thankyou in advance.

If you can do the 2.4 km (or 1.5 miles) in about 11:30 seconds the speed is probably good.

 

[Hedgehog18]

Hey i got a question .. Ive been just doing Push ups Sit ups and running to get ready for BMQ and i still got atleast 8 months togo .. now is doing these basic work outs good or should i been working with weight too .. i read somewhere that push ups work a larger variety of muscles as long as they are done right and after my workouts it feels like every musscle is acheing (hope i didnt miss one lol)

If there is a added exercise i should be doing i would appreciate a tip or too ...

thanks
Howard Greffel

 

[atticus]

I've been pretty sick with the flu for about a week or so now and haven't been able to work out for awhile. Is there anything I should be looking out for as a start my way back into my regular schedule? Should I just take it easy kind of easy for the first few weeks?