The Other Michael

This looks to be the most informative site (1000 plus pages) I've seen so far.

<a href="http://www.exrx.net/" target="_blank">Exercise Prescription</a>

The exercise section shows small videos of the different exercises being performed. The only caveat there is they go really fast, no doubt far faster than the exercise should actually be done. But it does show the technique to be used.

There is a big nutrition section too.

The authors of the site look to have both academic as well as practical qualifications in the fields.

cheers,
Michael

Dr Rick

Good Site, Michael; it provides very thorough and mostly unbiased useful information, much of it evidence-based.
Rick

The Other Michael

Hi Rick,

I was pleased to see that what I was reading in the BfL book was showing up at the EXRX site.

Plus it seems to go into much more detail on some topics, and I like having a bit more in-depth understanding when I can.

Those little videos of the exercises are a fine addition too - I had concerns about not being clear from just the still photos on how to correctly do the routines.

But I've only skimmed through the site - I'm sure there is lots of good info remaining.

cheers,
Michael

The Other Michael

I wake up once or twice a week in the night with a calf cramp trying to get started. Looking at the photos of the toe raises in the book makes me wonder if I'm going to be able to get any sleep at all!

Does anyone else have trouble with cramps, and have you found a way to prevent them?

My diet is already not too bad (in general), so I don't know if I'm likely to be suffering from a dietary deficiency. I take a multivitamin, usually have a banana most days at work (I've heard they are supposed to help prevent cramps - phosphorus content?) etc.

cheers,
Michael

brighid

Michael,

You might not be drinking enough water, or you may simply have overdone it for your 1st round of workouts. Normally, the 1st week or so will leave you extra sore and even walking funny, but it gets better shortly there after. Make sure to drink a big glass of water 30-60 minutes prior to exercise, one during and then one 30-60 minutes afterwards. This is recommended in BFL but it was also recommended to me by a doctor who attended my TKD school after I complained of a similar type thing. Calf cramps suck! I use to get similar cramps in the arch of my foot - talk about pain.

Brighid

Jimmy Higgins

Well, I've actually never been in bad shape, so I'm confused as to what advice I can give.

When I was popping out PR after PR the Summer of '99, my diet was a bowl of cereral in the morning followed by a strong high tension powerline run. Oh, the best place to run. Lunch would be decent, sandwich or pasta. Then a 40K bike in the heat of the day. Dinner would be large. Pasta was always with whatever I ate! Usually some sort of dead mammal with veggies. I rarely had deserts. No ice cream or brownies or cake. I just didn't want it. A good snack, in the warm months are ice pops. Those things you buy in packages of 64 and you have to freeze them. They only have 30 calories. I'd drink three to four liters a day of water. The body likes this. Come winter, I drink 1 or 2 liters a day. Though, you may be going to the bathroom more, the body likes it. Having been doing this water intake since '94, I can't stop it. Almost literally. I think my body depends on it now.

Here's how to intake less food for meals. When I'm not active, I usually have a LARGE drink with dinner. This may not keep me from having a decent sized meal, but desert is a rarity for me. Which sucks, because sometimes I'll make baked goods for work, which I do very well, and I'll want some after dinner, but I'll be too full because of the liquid intake.

Weight training? I think that is a person to person thing. I am a slow gainer and hate weight training. I don't think that has hurt my performance of physical shape. The most important muscle is the heart. Your resting rate is the indicator of your physical condition. I've been under 60 for years. Sometimes even under 50.

It sounds like there is good advice in here for losing weight. For the bike thing, I'll just let you know, as I learned, biking on one of those things is NOT like biking on a real bike. I was doing 30 to 50 mile bikes on a stationary at school for a couple of months. When I got home for spring break, I nearly killed myself trying to match that on my bike.

Good luck, and remember one thing. Every body is different. Experiment with yourself. See what you like better. That'll help you get to your goal sooner.

The Other Michael

Hi Brighid,

No workouts yet so I can't blame that (though I do a reasonably quick 5 story stair climb twice a day at work).

I managed to guzzle almost a gallon of water yesterday, and I'm just about through 1.5 quarts so far this morning, so I'll see what that does.

I'm not going to presume that the additional hydration as really kicked in yet for the cramp I had last night (and usually it is just trying to cramp, not a full-blown leap from bed screaming, fall on the floor cramp).

One of the BfL folks suggested doing stretches (I'm not very limber) to try and help the muscles avoid cramping.

I've not greatly changed my diet yet, but I am splitting my morning fruit and my lunch in half, and eating the portions about 30- 80 minutes apart, to start getting used to the small meals through the day.

cheers,
Michael

MadMordigan

Does anyone else have trouble with cramps, and have you found a way to prevent them?

I get them from time to time myself. Just suck it up and fight through it. This is easier to do if you distract yourself by a 240lb man trying to tie you in a knot.

brighid

Ah – running a few flights of stairs will really hit those calf muscles – no wonder you had muscle cramps later! I would also say that stretching will help especially if you are getting enough water.

My progress with BFL is going much better then I expected! My stupid scale wasn’t working this morning so I couldn’t actually weigh myself, BUT I could fit into a pair of pants that normally are a wee bit tight AND I did 11.5 dips this morning as part of my tricep workout – and NOT the girly way either off of a step, but at the dip station with full range of motion – not halfsies! I couldn’t get all the way back up! My next four weeks I will be attempting pull-ups – assisted. I am hoping to be able to do 12 unassisted pull-ups by the end of the program. I will look like Demi Moore in GI Jane – except better hair and I am going to say smaller boobs by that time. That might take me another cycle though If I had to venture a guess I would say I will have dropped 2-3 lbs this week, or 1% body fat with an increase in lean muscle mass by one or two pounds.

Brighid