Getting stronger....

[yeahbethany]

Hi all!
I'm so happy to see this category here! Alissa, I must say, after watching your DVD and hearing you talk about bodybuilding, I'm inspired to be more serious about my workouts! It would be great to have people to share support/motivation with!

Its been sort of a life long wish to be able to do a pull up. I'm far from there...but maybe some day =). Now I've been doing upper/lower body splits and some cardio. I work out in the mornings so I don't wimp out on going to the gym later in the day. Often, I work out before eating anything, then have fruit for breakfast.

So, who else is curious as to Alissa's workout program (hint, hint...)

-Bethany =)

[thunderdancer]

Hi Bethany :)

Good on ya!!
Thanks for the inspiration, I don't have a gym but since I did a fitness test I REALLY want to beat it!! I did 2 pull ups (assisted) and I really want to do one of my own LOL
I have a fitness trail out in the woods here, in my ideal dreams I would go jogging to the park and then work out at the trail and jog home... and another day i'd do a long slow jog, another day i'd do a short fast one. I'm doing my hand weights though every day - i'm upto 12 reps a set a couple of times a day or 3.

I forgot about running today things came up, but I was gutted when I remembered this is my week to GO GO GO!!!

What do you do to get/keep fit?

[smasty]

Oh yeah pullups...the ultimate! I'd love to be able to do one too! Unassisted!

[Curtis]

I use free weights Monday and Friday and on Wednesday I use a stationary bike.

[Analeah]

I have been doing Bikram yoga every day for about the past week and it is amazing what results I am able to see just by doing it for a week and for only about a half hour per day! I can already see muscle definition beginning to develop in my arms and legs and abs too. I think if I keep doing this for another month or less I will probably have a six pac lol.

[Curtis]

lol Analeah that is my goal for first of next year. :)
Been overweight most of my life and decided 3 months ago when I got serious with eating and exercising my first goal to trim up so I could see my ab muscles.

[Analeah]

I think the thing that helps the most with toning muscles is bikram yoga but running will help almost as well because it will help you lose fat from many different areas. I don't usually go running and do yoga but I am thinking about seeing if I have the energy and strength to do it. Good luck with your exercise!

[thunderdancer]

Hi Analeah that's awesome! I'd love to go to a yoga class but I do it at home for now, 30 mins or 60 if I feel like carrying on and doing the 2nd part. The yoga I do is pretty gentle, Bikram is a real workout right?

I run too - off right now in fact - I find it goes really well with the yoga myself - partly because of the cardio but mostly because of the breathing, when I run I regulate my breathing and that's an important part of the yoga too - I found I really need to develop my breathing, maybe from having asthma and poor posture etc.. but the yoga and running are both increasing my breathing and my awareness of it and my use of all my lungs and diaphragm - plus it is VERY meditational (is that a word lol)

Love

[Analeah]

Hi Thunderdancer :) Yeah the Bikram yoga is pretty intense but I love it. I think it really has helped with eating raw too because it makes me less hungry and more relaxed and calm. What kind of yoga do you do?

[thunderdancer]

Hi Annaleah,

Hey did get to go hangliding in the end?

I do a video from the Kripalu Centre in the US, it's called Kripalu Yoga Gentle.
I just got Geeta S. Iyengar's book 'yoga for women' and i'm looking forward to reading this :)

[Analeah]

Hey thats cool, I'll have to check that out. I have never done anything but Bikram and I think it would be interesting to experience different kinds of yoga. I haven't gone hang gliding yet due to the continued bad weather here It's been really cloudy or rainy ever since the end of last week so I am just waiting for the weather to clear up a bit. I hope we will get some nice weather soon though because I'm really stoked to go!

[Scotia Scott]

Heya Folks,

I began training with the Russian freeweight called a kettlebell 9 months ago, and I have been very impressed with this 'gym in a cannonball'. The 'swings' require you to use the whole body, and so it is a great workout for core strength, stability, endurance, focus, and tone. And because one needs to actively exert to get the exercises happening, it develops great progress in one's neuromuscular strength, as opposed to just conditioning the muscles to bear weight.
...Most body-builders are only able to contract 20-30% of their muscle tissue, the same as the average person who does not engage in fitness activities. Conventional weight lifting conditions the muscles to bear weight passively or in linear motion, and not neccesarily to be strong through tensile contraction of muscle tissues.

I gained 10 pounds in the first 5 months of kettlebell training, and that was a welcome addition in my case. I also eat a good deal mroe protein now, though for the reason of feeling strong, and not so much for building muscles. I started this when I found out that neuro-transmitters and receptors are built from amino acids, including those for proprioception that make us 'feel' strong. I get this great sensation of solidity when I eat at least a fist-size portion of high-proteinous food each day, usually hemp seed/protein powder.

[rawbellydancer]

hi thunder dancer, ya know yoga is very "meditational" , but you should try belly dancing, its like a complete workout ,,you work different muscles of your body but you also get a cardio workout.
So tell me about it when youtry :)

[Analeah]

Whoa thats awsome bellydancer! I always wanted to try belly dancing. How did you learn how to do it?

[thunderdancer]

Hi Scott and welcome :)

WOw, it sounds like you've found a great way to work out. I have a core stability ball (inflatable) and want to work more with this, just need to get an adapter so I can inflate it :)

Bellydancer - heeeeey you must be psychic, just yesterday I was dancing, up until VERY recently I was much too self conscious to dance but I discovered Gabrielle Roth's tapes and book and some other music and a friend really inspired me a while ago and it all came together - so yesterday I just danced my feelings and it was awesome. Not belly dancing but my belly did move :)