What's Your Exercise Routine/ Do You Exercise?

[LfcCharlie4]

Hey everyone

I'm not sure exercise if emphasized enough on this forum, it's such a key part to long term health and wellbeing, and quite frankly makes you feel AMAZING. It can also be used as part of a Spiritual 'Practice' when done mindfully and can truly bring us into complete being in the now, especially when you're playing a Sport or something similar, or in 'Flow' state. I don't think I need to go on about the benefits of exercise, everyone knows them, but I thought we could all post our current exercise routine, why we do it, and what our goals/ long term plans with our routines are- how we want to improve/ change them. 

Maybe it'll help people start their own as well!

Mine: 

Weight Training 3x Per Week- Following Lean Gains/ KinoBody method of Compound lifts, RPT and Rest-Pause Training, don't follow their nutrition though- eat WFPB and Health > Gains always. Training consists of Squats, Military/ Shoulder Presses, Weighted Chin Ups, Bench Press, Deadlifts, Rows, and Accessory work. 

Usually, follow this up with the Sauna& Cold Shower! (Highly recommend) 

Do this as I LOVE weight training, helps improve body composition, increases fat loss, builds stength and of course builds muscle. Also, feels amazing and gives you that extra incentive to eat healthily all the time. Will admit when I started when I was 16/17 was mainly wanting to look good, has evolved since then, but still one of the reasons is aesthetics, not main focus anymore though. 

HIIT- Recent addition, I was an idiot for years and hardly did cardio outside of my sport/ school when I was there. 

Now aim for 4-6 Tabata sets a week, mainly on off days, or post-workout. Do this as it's great for you, it's fun (and TOUGH at the end) and helps increase a number of key areas in fitness.

Occasionally do a mini Interval Swim, but not very well!

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/fitness-articles/workouts-exercise-articles/longevity-training/ (Section on Endurance) 

Fasted Cardio- New one for me, but I am to get 10-30 minutes of fasted cardio in every morning before a Cold Shower, basically helps accelerate fat loss, also in the article above, also LIC so like a walk, biking, swimming etc but not high intensity

Low-Intensity Physical Activity Throughout Day- I work from home, so every 25-30 minutes will take a break and go on a short walk, do jumping jacks, jump on the exercise bike etc, helps increase blood flow and emulate what blue zones do. Things like Pull Ups, Kettlebell swings great do, just don't have equipment at my house. If you work a physically active job you're very lucky in this regard. Also, gives boosts of energy throughout the day which is awesome.

Finally I play a sport called Cricket in the summer, for those outside the UK I'll link a video, this is purely for fun and enjoyment and I tend to play 1-2 matches a week (they last most of the day) and then train 1-2 evenings a week, so I'm all good for cardio in summer! 

So, what's your guys routine with exercise? Mine has developed this year as I turned my focus towards a more 'holistic approach' to fitness, instead of just 'Gym.' 

In terms of what I want to add- Foam Rolling/ Proper Stretching, Some form of sprinting potentially/ Power& Speed workouts

 

[Gili Trawangan]

1 hour ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

instead of just 'Gym.'

Mine is just Gym 

[Shiva99]

I'm running 3-5 times a week. 

[LfcCharlie4]

@Gili Trawangan Time to add in some more maybe? 

@Shiva99 Awesome. Training for anything like a race? 

[JonasVE12]

I'm doing stronglifts 5x5. The strength gains are amazing. I went from squatting 60kg 5x5 to 130kg 5x5 in 4 months. Now my girlfriend says I have a bigger ass than her. 

[LfcCharlie4]

@JonasVE12 Bro that's insane, how many days are you in the Gym? 

 

[JonasVE12]

@LfcCharlie4 Only 3 times a week. Mondag, wednesday, and friday. For me it's perfect. Every workout only takes about 45-60 minutes. It includes mostly compound movements like squat, deadlift, bench press, barbell barbell overhead press and bent over row. I also add some extra excercises to workout triceps and biceps. Perfect for adding strength and muscle. For me, there's no need for going to the gym 5 times a week. Thing is with this workout routine is that you really gotta put effort into lifting heavy. For some people if they don't have motivation, they will not gain much of this program because they half ass it and don't lift heavy enough.

Here's a guide for the program if you wanna look into it. https://stronglifts.com/5x5/#gref

[Arcangelo]

Yeah let's get people inspired!

I MTB 5-6 days a week, practice JJJ for 2 hours once a week, push ups every day (sets of 5) and I do calisthenics while I do the laundry like 3 times a week.

I used to BKB but not anymore.

[Preety_India]

20 minutes ago, Arcangelo said:

Yeah let's get people inspired!

I MTB 5-6 days a week, practice JJJ for 2 hours once a week, push ups every day (sets of 5) and I do calisthenics while I do the laundry like 3 times a week.

I used to BKB but not anymore.

Holy Shit!! What am I doing? I'm so much younger than you. I better get going. I just stare at the laundry. Now I know I can I use laundry time. 

 

 

[Preety_India]

 

You guys are making me jealous. Stop it already. 

If I ever do a teeny tiny bit  of exercise, my feet begin to hurt like hell. 

I am must be really unlucky. 

 

[Arcangelo]

Everything is gonna hurt at the beginning. You'll also feel silly, inadequate and that sports/exercising is not who you are.

Listen to your body. Start with low or no impact stuff.

Have you ever felt the runner's high? You need this in your life Pretty, you know it.

 

Arc

[Preety_India]

@Arcangelo  thank you so much. You are a godsend.

 

[DrewNows]

for all you exercise envious folks, create a new passion/routine/habit 

I currently have no routines, only desires, which include moving my body, working the muscles, and doing various meditative exercise/breath work. I am not against routine, just focused on other areas, like energy cultivation 

[Gili Trawangan]

15 hours ago, LfcCharlie4 said:

@Gili Trawangan Time to add in some more maybe? 

@Shiva99 Awesome. Training for anything like a race? 

@LfcCharlie4 Nah, man, very happy just Being

[Arcangelo]

5 hours ago, Keyhole said:

Any advice on how to work out with possible heart issues?

Go to a cardiologist and do an effort test? He will first do an ECG

 

5 hours ago, Keyhole said:

I have a peddler, an incline machine, stretch bands and 5 lb weights.

If I was you I'll use the weights and the stretch bands to go for a walk, a jog or a run, depends on what the cardiologist says.

[LfcCharlie4]

@JonasVE12 That sounds fucking awesome man, I also go 3 days a week, but get nowhere near the volume, it's very Minimalist I don't like jumping ship so I'll keep this up for at least the year, but 5x5 is defo something I want to look into. Although I have slight lower back issues so may need to get them addressed if I am to start doing heavy deadlifts 3x per week, and when I'm playing my sport in summer it could be overkill. 

@Arcangelo Sorry I'm a noob, MTB and BTK? Laundry sounds awesome  That's what I meant about Low-Level throughout the day, everyone can do some jumping jacks when the coffee is brewing or some mountain climbers in between Netflix episodes- no excuses  

@Soulbass Awesome. 

@Gili Trawangan Using Non-Duality as an excuse, I'll let you off  

@Preety_India What @Arcangelo said, even daily 10 minute walks will help, start small and gradually build up  

@DrewNows Good vid man, excess dopamine is no joke! And, I get you, everyone has different focuses. I personally believe some form of routine is great without becoming completely Anal about it. Like if you only workout 'when you feel like it' you probs won't get very far, but if you make it a habit that you hit the gym 3x a week, you'll go regardless. However, proper eating and rest and you'll usually get addicted to exercise so it won't take that much discipline  Like I like to have a structure for Work and Working out usually, for me it just helps me stay focused and know what I'm doing, I've found without it I can easily get distracted especially when working. 

 

[Amandine]

First thing every morning after a coffee, I burn 300 calories (on the highest resistance level) standing on my indoor bike (not sitting) which takes about 40 minutes. Then there's the housework, cleaning windows, shopping, gardening, ... a woman's work is never done lol. I also do a little salsa while waiting for the kettle to boil. Actually I dance a lot at home, I'm a happy person. There's also all that stuff that goes on between the sheets  

Tbh, can't be arsed after all that to do stuff like weights or strength training, no energy left man. I kinda do what I enjoy, make it fun, and leave the rest. But at least you can't call me lazy. It's better than what my hubby's doing, which is absolutely nothing, apart from taking down the trash. I'll try and galvanize him to do a bit more, don't want him dying before me and leaving me all on my lonesome. Just kidding.  

I'll also add that I go EVERYWHERE by bike (never owned a car). So lugging a load of kilos of shopping (including cat litter) is all the weight training I think I need. Biking everywhere is great cos it's a great way to avoid the pick-up artists too haha. 

 

Why we do it? For the cardio, but also so I can watch my youtube videos without feeling like a couch potato (it's kinda mindful in so far as some of those videos are Leo's). Also because physical activity stimulates the release of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Tada, that's probably why I'm a happy person. 

What our goals/ long term plans with our routines are? To carry on doing the same.

How we want to improve/ change them? Happy with things as they are, thanks. 

 

You're so lucky  @LfcCharlie4  you get to play cricket, I can just imagine you clad out in all that smart cricket gear, I bet you look like the bee's knees. I used to really love sports as a kid, feeling nostalgic right now for those halcyon days in Summer at school ... hockey, baseball, netball, etc. Hope reincarnation exists if only to be able to come back and do all that stuff again, those days went by too fast for me, I never got enough of them. All of a sudden, they were frigging gone, no-one warned me about that.

But when I think about it, it wasn't very clever of my dad taking us for fish and chips straight after swimming classes, kinda undid all the good work. I can still smell the bleach mixed with malt vinegar on my spanking clean wrinkly fingers. 

Sometimes I wish I were a mum and I'd had kids, then I could get the chance to do all those crazy things on Sports Day like the egg-and-spoon race, the sack race, the blindfold race, 3-legged race, etc (do you guys know what I'm going on about?). I'm so competitive and sporty, just a big kid really, I'd just have to win. Sometimes on the tv I see adults doing amazing obstacle races, crawling through the mud and stuff, I'd enjoy doing all that. 

 

I'll love you and leave you, been on my arse too long already typing this, starting to feel antsy haha.

Edited February 28, 2020 by Amandine

[DrewNows]

@LfcCharlie4 I’ve been addicted to working out. I’ve beaten it like every other addiction. And I’ve fallen in love with so many new rituals/routines, it’s amazing and encouraging and fulfilling. I feel like life is happening in waves moving from simplicity to complexity back to simplicity it’s a trip! gotta keep going where the feelings right, how about them REDS! It’s an amazing season, so glad to be tuned in 

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by DrewNows

[LfcCharlie4]

@Amandine That sounds awesome, I can almost feel your happiness and positivity radiating through your post. I can't imagine carrying groceries by bike everywhere kudos to you. But, that's kind of what the Blue Zones do, so you've got the perfect foundations to live a very long time!!

Doing what you enjoy is key for one main reason, its fun! And, when you have fun you keep doing, and that makes it sustainable. What's the point in crash diets and crazy exercise if we give up after a month right? for me it's more about lifestyle than yo-yoing  

Also, yes I LOVE Sports, it's not just the playing but the socializing as well, which makes for an amazing summer full of lots of playing and socializing and just fun. Sadhguru speaks a lot about sports and taking life less seriously, it's definitely the way to go. You occasionally get the odd ego maniac who goes crazy when they get out or something goes wrong, but being competitive is part of the fun (until people punch holes in the changing room of course ) 

I'm only 20 and even I get nostalgic about my school days, I really took for granted seeing my friends 6 hours a day, 5 days a week and then seeing them at weekends playing more sports. You're right it's like one minute you're out until dark every day, and then suddenly you've got a job or career and things like taxes to deal with, like thanks life 

 

@DrewNows Yeah man, well just look at the Gym guys injecting steroids and training for hours on end, it's like anything you can take it too far and things get out of balance. All about doing what's right for you and what you enjoy. Personally, I still love the gym and building my strength and my body and I still find it very fulfiling as it's now about overall enjoyment, health, strngth and aesthetics. Not solely gains like it is for many, that's like chasing solely money, there's no end to the void you're trying to fill. Just like anything, there's a 'conscious' and more 'holistic' way to even approach the Gym and Weight Training! I'm glad you're finding things you love, life is love, and when we do what we love, we only express that love and joy- our true being  

And, man it's been the BEST season of my life so far, haha. Worried about the 2nd Leg Vs Athletico though, not sure we'll score 2 against their incredible Low Block, need Keita to turn up for a change! (sorry just went football Twitter mode there) 

Have a great weekend you two 

[Arcangelo]

MounTainBike and BasKetBall