Strength training

[recondo82]

I talked to a few of you on XBox about strength training, and thought I would post what I have found to be the best for all around strength increases. I have been training for the Tough Mudder in December, and have made great strides in my overall conditioning with a mix of weights, running and diet.

The main thing is to constantly mix it up and not let your muscles get used to the same exercises all the time. I do a lot of free weights, but I also do a lot of body weight exercises.

Wide grip pull-ups with palms facing away are by far the absolute best exercise you can do to strengthen your back. Use as wide a grip as possible on the bar, and make sure you come to a complete dead hang with arms locked at the bottom of each repetition. You won't be able to do as many, but proper form is the best way to increase back strength. I could do maybe 2 or 3 reps when I started, and now I do sets of 10 with a 25lb plate strapped to my waist. It just takes time and determination. Probably the hardest part is feeling like everyone is laughing at you when you first start out and can't do many reps. Get over it and push on in true Airborne fashion.

Another good body weight exercise for back, and easier to do if you are just starting out, is to use a bar on a Smith machine, set it to a height that lets your back hang just off the floor with arms extended, feet resting on the floor, and do pullups so your chest touches the bar, then lower yourself slowly back to the starting position. Again, put your hands well more than shoulder width apart on the bar.

For chest bodyweight exercise, nothing beats the pushup with a twist. Do a set of pushups the normal way until you reach muscle failure. Next elevate your feet and do another set until failure. I use the Smith machine bar because you can kick the bar up a notch or two after each set. The point is to get your feet up higher and higher each set to work your chest from different angles, which will give you more overall chest strength and keep your chest from getting used to the "standard" pushup.

One thing many people fail to understand is that a lot of your chest strength is tied in to your triceps strength. Stronger triceps help both your bench press and, more practically for military people, your pushups.

For triceps, do either normal dips on a dip bar or bench dips. Use two benches, put your feet up on one and your hands on the other so your body is suspended between the two benches. Keep your legs and back straight, lower and raise yourself using only your triceps. When you can do 25 or more reps without reaching muscle failure, hold a dumbbell between your knees and do the reps. If you don't have weight benches, you can use 3 chairs. Set them up in a triangle, feet on one, one hand on each of the other two. It works just as well and you can do them at home that way.

For cardio endurance, I have mixed interval sprints and incline running/walking. Sprints increase your lung capacity and heart output, and incline running/walking does both of those plus strengthens your calf muscles for any hills you come across.

Honestly, without a decent diet, the strength training and cardio will not yield great results. Until March of this year, I did all strength training, virtually no cardio and an off and on diet plan. Since adding cardio and a strict diet, I have lost about 15 lbs of fat and replaced it with about 10 lbs of lean muscle mass. Chicken breast (not fried), broccoli, lean ground beef, and eggs. I cheat once a week with one meal and have pizza or ice cream, because if you don't ever cheat, you will end up binging at some point and breaking your diet completely.

I'm 46, and in the best shape of my life. I can't do better than a 13:50 2 miles, but I have only been doing solid cardio for 3 months, and will probably never break 12:00 like I did in the 80s. I'm fine with that.

The point is to set a goal and work to attain that goal for yourself. I started taking pictures of myself once a week back in March, and while it is hard to see the difference when you look in the mirror, putting before and after pictures side by side lets you know how much your work has paid off.

I put up a before and after picture in my Family and Me album, not to brag, but because I am proud of what I have accomplished in 4 months. I was soft in March, and now I am not. I'm 46. I've been out of the military for over 20 years. Being a paratrooper gave me the discipline and focus to accomplish any goal I set. That is probably the single greatest thing I got from being Airborne.

Note: I started with the Jack Daniels and Diet Dr. Pepper early tonight (just ask Mike and Fred), so some or all of this may sound corny. Sue me, bwahahaha.

[RH]

unless you are an

[recondo82]

Fred, you are the same age as me. None of that old-timer shit, especially from a Ranger.

[Weazle23]

Nice! Truly inspirational and I mean it, that's no bull. I'm in the process of revamping myself too. I haven't gotten into serious strength training yet, it's mainly been the CardioX workout of P90X with pushups afterwards or a 2 mile run. With my wife and I doing the Weight Watchers thing, I've been making good progress. I've already attained my goal of maxing the police PT test, but I want to keep getting stronger and faster. I refuse to pay to use a gym, so the body weight training ideas are exactly what I need to hear about.

Sorry I missed you on the 360 earlier, sounds like it was one helluva conversation lol.

[skyshark91]

I been doing a two week work out.
Mon chest ,triceps, run 3-4 miles, abs
Tue and thursday shoulders, easy legs, abs, run 3-4
Wed back run
Fri same as Monday
2nd week same but Mon and Fri I do back Wed chest.
Weekends off I try to run 15 or more miles a week.

chest
flat bench
warmup 135lb 2 sets 12 reps,
185lbs 3reps 20 sec rest, 3reps 20 sec rest, 3reps 20 sec rest, 3reps 20 sec rest, 3reps 20 sec rest.
205lbs same 3 reps 20 sec rest 3 reps 5 x
215lbs same
225lbs same
175 1 set 15 reps
(Adding 5lbs every two weeks to everything but warmup)

3 sets of inclined or declined bench
3 sets flys on machine
tricep 3 sets of dips, 3-4 sets pull downs, 3 sets of scullcrushers

Back
3-4 sets fo pull downs
3-4 sets pull ups
3 4 sets cable rows

[ArticPara]

I envy you guys that can still run a few miles, my knees won't take it and stick to shorter intervals. I've been focusing on kettlebells and occasionally throw 400m runs into the circuit.

[recondo82]

My suggestion is to stay away from cable exercises except to get a good burn at the end of your workout. Dumbbell or barbell rows will help strengthen your core. Free weights or body weight exercises will lead to more stability.

The main thing is to do something and do it often. 12 ounce curls don't count.

Great job, Weazle and skyshark91. Keep at it.

[recondo82]

I envy you guys that can still run a few miles, my knees won't take it and stick to shorter intervals. I've been focusing on kettlebells and occasionally throw 400m runs into the circuit.

Brother, get yourself some Vibram Five Fingers. I have no cartilage in my left knee but with those shoes my knees never bother me.

[MAC11B3V]

Good stuff Recondo!

Also check out www.MilitaryAthlete.com I'm hooked!

[Gato Rojo]

I echo everything you said about form being of utmost importance, Scott!

The last time I was in truly great shape was when I was on Status. When I was 24, I weighed 204 at 5'10.5" (at 72, I'm down to 5'9") and thought I was king kong. I had an olympic bar and a few light plates tht I used in my BOQ room, but I really didn't have any idea of what to do so I just did some standing military presses, some clean and presses and some upright rows with it.

Fast forward to age 58 when I retired. My weight was semi-OK, but I really was soft and out of shape, so I joined a health club and started working out. I've never looked back (except to laugh at what a wuss I'd become) since then, and by my 60th BD, I could bench press 185 and do 500 lbs on the incline leg press. Alas, a couple of years (and a surprise divorce) later, I find myself in Pensacola, starting over after a 3-month layoff.

It took me quite a while to build back up, but eventually, I was able to bench press 4 plates for 3 sets of 6. At that point, I was up to 192 pretty solid lbs, and of course, I took a big hit from the big C and had to stay out of the gym for 6 months. i got back in the gym as soon as I could (late Feb, '10), but I'd lost a huge hunk of weight, down to 154; and most of my strength. I'm back up to 166 lbs and benching 185, and will eventually get back to 4 plates.

I agree with what you said about the importance of Tri's as well, about 6 months ago I bought a "Dip belt" and I love to do dips with it.
i do a set of 10 or 12 to warm up, then I put the belt on with 10 Lbs, do a set of 10, add another 10 lbs, do a set of 8-10, then add another 10 lbs and do 8-10, then drop the small weights and put a plate on and do 6, then add 10 lbs and do another 6, and finally, add another 10 and do a couple (or 3) sets to failure. That usually goes 6 on the first set, then 3-5 and 3-4 on the last set. My goal is 3 good set of 6 at 2 plates, but I've got a ways to go for that.

I agree on going as wide as you can for pull-ups too. I can do 10-12 regular Airborne pull-ups (ie. perfect form, no cheating or "kip"ing), but I can only do about 6 or 7 really wide grip with good form. More if I cheat, but I hate cheating in general as it wastes energy that could be used to do perfect form for max benefit. Heavy one armed rows are also great for back, and I like the T-bar row as well.

Stretching after a hard set of anything is essential for maximum muscle growth as well, and truly, nothing is more important than diet, but sweet weepin' Hay-suse on the cross, it is a stone pain in the ass to do right. I mean, I tried it seriously for 6 months and it seemed like all I did during that time was eat or fix food. I finally quit in disgust and have been winging it since. I'd probably gain weight faster, if I stayed with the rigorous diet business, but I'm keeping my body fat around 8-10% anyway, so I'm pretty ripped for a 72 year old, if I do say so myself.

Oh yeah, I don't run for several reasons, primary reason being that I have no use of my right foot, courtesy of a bullet through the sciatic nerve some years ago. In fact, I have no ability to balance myself on my right leg either, thanks to another bullet in the back of L-3 which knocked out the internal rotator function in my right hip. But even if I could, I wouldn't. Bones are mildly inconvenient when you break 'em, but joints are forever. Damage one and you will have to deal with the damage for the rest of your life. After about age 40, the smart realize that there is equal cardiological value to brisk walking, and quit running in favor of brisk walking. I've broken a shit-load of bones, but never damaged any joint other than turf-toe in my left big toe, and that one is a mutha-fornicator.

A footnote, the feedback from the HH6 is worth it all...

[recondo82]

I echo everything you said about form being of utmost importance, Scott!

The last time I was in truly great shape was when I was on Status. When I was 24, I weighed 204 at 5'10.5" (at 72, I'm down to 5'9") and thought I was king kong. I had an olympic bar and a few light plates tht I used in my BOQ room, but I really didn't have any idea of what to do so I just did some standing military presses, some clean and presses and some upright rows with it.

Fast forward to age 58 when I retired. My weight was semi-OK, but I really was soft and out of shape, so I joined a health club and started working out. I've never looked back (except to laugh at what a wuss I'd become) since then, and by my 60th BD, I could bench press 185 and do 500 lbs on the incline leg press. Alas, a couple of years (and a surprise divorce) later, I find myself in Pensacola, starting over after a 3-month layoff.

It took me quite a while to build back up, but eventually, I was able to bench press 4 plates for 3 sets of 6. At that point, I was up to 192 pretty solid lbs, and of course, I took a big hit from the big C and had to stay out of the gym for 6 months. i got back in the gym as soon as I could (late Feb, '10), but I'd lost a huge hunk of weight, down to 154; and most of my strength. I'm back up to 166 lbs and benching 185, and will eventually get back to 4 plates.

I agree with what you said about the importance of Tri's as well, about 6 months ago I bought a "Dip belt" and I love to do dips with it.
i do a set of 10 or 12 to warm up, then I put the belt on with 10 Lbs, do a set of 10, add another 10 lbs, do a set of 8-10, then add another 10 lbs and do 8-10, then drop the small weights and put a plate on and do 6, then add 10 lbs and do another 6, and finally, add another 10 and do a couple (or 3) sets to failure. That usually goes 6 on the first set, then 3-5 and 3-4 on the last set. My goal is 3 good set of 6 at 2 plates, but I've got a ways to go for that.

I agree on going as wide as you can for pull-ups too. I can do 10-12 regular Airborne pull-ups (ie. perfect form, no cheating or "kip"ing), but I can only do about 6 or 7 really wide grip with good form. More if I cheat, but I hate cheating in general as it wastes energy that could be used to do perfect form for max benefit. Heavy one armed rows are also great for back, and I like the T-bar row as well.

Stretching after a hard set of anything is essential for maximum muscle growth as well, and truly, nothing is more important than diet, but sweet weepin' Hay-suse on the cross, it is a stone pain in the ass to do right. I mean, I tried it seriously for 6 months and it seemed like all I did during that time was eat or fix food. I finally quit in disgust and have been winging it since. I'd probably gain weight faster, if I stayed with the rigorous diet business, but I'm keeping my body fat around 8-10% anyway, so I'm pretty ripped for a 72 year old, if I do say so myself.

Oh yeah, I don't run for several reasons, primary reason being that I have no use of my right foot, courtesy of a bullet through the sciatic nerve some years ago. In fact, I have no ability to balance myself on my right leg either, thanks to another bullet in the back of L-3 which knocked out the internal rotator function in my right hip. But even if I could, I wouldn't. Bones are mildly inconvenient when you break 'em, but joints are forever. Damage one and you will have to deal with the damage for the rest of your life. After about age 40, the smart realize that there is equal cardiological value to brisk walking, and quit running in favor of brisk walking. I've broken a shit-load of bones, but never damaged any joint other than turf-toe in my left big toe, and that one is a mutha-fornicator.

A footnote, the feedback from the HH6 is worth it all...

Brother, I quoted your whole post because every part of your story makes you my new hero. Considering most people who have zero health issues don't keep in shape, the fact that you can't use your right foot, you're a cancer survivor and a septuagenarian makes your story that much more amazing.

Great advice on stretching. I do plenty of it, but forgot to add it into my original post.

Running has bothered my knees since I was mid-30s, which is about when the effects of jumping out of planes started showing up; for that reason, I rarely ran until last fall when I decided to run 5 miles in combat boots to raise money for a veterans organization. Honestly, the barefoot running style has completely changed my view of running. I actually look forward to it now, and never have hip or knee pain during or after my runs.

Diet is always the hardest part, and the success of staying the course depends on your goals and how bad you want to reach them. For me, my cheat day keeps me from the temptation of going off the diet, and the cheat food is that much more satisfying when I eat it.

[Gato Rojo]

Thanks for the kind words, Scott!

I just thought of a couple of other items that fit this thread.

One is about building a bigger, stonger back, that I read in one of the many email letters I get via subscriptions. It says that if you tighten your scapular muscles before and while you do your pullups, you will increase your strength and size very quickly; much more so than doing lat pulldowns which seems to be everyone's major back exercise. (it also suggests forgetting lat pull downs altogether, in favor of straight pullups (palms out) and chinups (palms in); and doing them with your scapular muscles tight (squeeze your shoulder blades together while you do the exercise.) I've tried this technique successfully doing one-arm dumb bell rows, but I have difficulty with pullups or chinups (I always seem to lose focus on my back because the sheer effort to pull my body weight up over-rides it.)

Maybe perservance is the answer, (isn't it always...?) we'll see...

The other thing I wanted to add is an expansion of the importance of proper form. The web is a great thing, there are many good illustrations of good form available, and one place I always recommend as a "one-stop shop" is

http://www.scoobyshomeworkouts.com/

This guy has a great philosophy and at 50, is in fantastic shape. He illustrates proper form for every weight lifting exercise you can think of, and has a great section covering proper nutrition (the diet thing) with a handy calculator to help you figure how much you actually need to eat to either gain or lose weight. This is a great resource, with no BS or sales pitch for any product.

[recondo82]

Hey Bart, I tried those pull-ups while maintaining constant tension on my scapular muscles, and found that I could do 2 less reps on each set. It's definitely more work to not release tension at the bottom of the negative. I'll do them that way for a few back workouts and see what happens.

One thing noticeably absent from most of my workouts until the last month and a half was ab work. Once I started getting my body fat down, I felt like I needed to add ab work to my schedule. It was tough going at first, but now it's a 3 day a week deal with a lot of reps at high intensity. Besides crunches, Russian twists and leg raises (for lower abs), I do planks for as long as I can hold them. Planks are a great stabilization exercise and will strengthen your core, in addition to flattening out your stomach.

[Gato Rojo]

Scott, you bring up a very important point about doing the Plank. i recently read in another of those pesky emailings, that crunches and situps are really bad for the lower spine, and they recommend planks in place of crunches or situps. it makes sense to me, but I'm going to have to search some more to find the original txt nd post it so you (or anyone else interested) can decide for yourself.

Meanwhile, here's an interesting variation of pull-ups. I tried this last week, and was smoked after completing one "rep" (check the link below)

http://nicktumminello.com/2011/07/th...-up-variation/

BTW, today was a goof-off day, all I did was weighted dips, pullups and lnclined leg presses. And Tuesday, I struggled with 65# dips, so I did 4 sets of 10 with 45# today (after one set bodyweight x 15 plus 1 set at 25# x 10 as warmup.) All perfect form, no cheats.

I did pullups with my weight belt (and a 25# weight) today for the first time. I couldn't do 10, and I think my best was 8 or 9, but I did 4 sets of 6 (not all perfect AIRBORNE pullups, I'm afraid, the last 1 or 2 of each set would have gotten me resounding "NO!" from Black Hat...)

(sigh, so now I've got to start ABS too, as if starting legs wasn't enough...)

J/K, I started again on legs three weeks ago. I did 4 sets of inclined leg press with 8 plates today (10-8-8-7 reps). Still haven't started abs, but it's in the pipeline now.

[recondo82]

I'm about to change up my whole routine. I figure I am strong enough in terms of general weight lifting strength. Now it's time to work on endurance. That means high intensity aerobic weight lifting as opposed to the anaerobic do a set of bench press, rest, do another set, etc. I'm still working out the details, and there will be some trial and error to see if I can handle the whole routine, but it's going to be a full body workout, between 20 and 30 minutes. The point of a high intensity aerobic workout is to engage all of the muscle groups through compound exercises with little to no rest. If your routine goes over 20-30 minutes (and you can complete it), then your intensity isn't high enough. You should be smoked in 20-30 minutes max. This not only forces your muscles to adapt, giving you more practical strength for combat, but also increases your endurance by strengthening your heart and lungs. It will mostly involve body weight, dumbbells and kettle bells, with some resistance bands thrown in for pushups and crunches.

On a side note, I have been measuring my progress the last few months against the minimum and recommended scores for Ranger School. No, it doesn't mean I could pass Ranger School. I never went, so moot point whether i could or could not. PT scores are a small part of it. But it's something to measure against, and better to strive for a tough goal than a mediocre goal. Anyway, the minimum became laughable a month or so ago, and I can easily max everything on the recommended list except the 2 mile and 5 mile run. 13:46 is my best time on the 2 mile, and I just posted a 39:25 on the 5 mile tonight when it was 86 degrees despite the sun being down. When I first started running again about 5 months ago, my 2 mile was about 19 minutes, so I've definitely improved. I might never make it to 13:00/35:00 again, but it's something to go after, which gives me another reason to keep at it.

Lastly, I use a Polar heart rate monitor when I run, and I've found that it helps me maintain an even pace. It also lets me know early on if I am going to have a good run or a bad run based on how quickly I get up to my target heart rate and/or go too far beyond it. It also measures distance, time of run, and calories burned, although I don't really pay attention to the distance because I have my routes mapped out and measured. It has a database that keeps track of all your runs so you can review your sessions and see all the particulars. I plan on wearing it when I switch to my high intensity sessions. It's definitely a worthwhile investment for us older folks.