quit smoking support @ woofmang.com
people helping people beat the addiction to nicotine
 
help support our communityDonate FAQFAQ SearchSearch RSS FeedRSS Feed MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

started my fitness program...

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    quit smoking support @ woofmang.com Forum Index > continuing the journey to wellness
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
kevin
Site Admin


Quit Date:
-

Posts: 9538
Location: cincinnati, oh

PostPosted: July 29, 2004 10:56 PM    Post subject: started my fitness program... Reply with quote

one of the things i learned from my father was the importance of maintaining physical fitness. after his death, my mom gave me a book he'd bought about 5 years before he died: "The Marine Corps 3X Fitness Program" (dad served in the navy in world war two, and he developed a lifelong respect for his 'comrades-in-arms' in the marine corps).

the first time i tried the program outlined in this book, i got excellent results; in the first 6 weeks, i reduced my percentage of body fat from 20.6% to 17% while maintaining the same weight (i.e, i built as much lean mass as i lost fat; a very good thing), and almost doubled my overall score on the marine fitness test.

(i wrote these results in the back of the book - regrettably, i recorded subsequent results in a notebook that i no longer have, but i remember the trend continuing until, eventually, i got my body fat percentage down to around 12% or 13% - not as low as it was in college, but low enough where - thanks to lots of situps - i had those fabled six-pack abs... Wink )

the marine fitness test (for men) consists of only three events: pullups (to test upper torso fitness), situps (to test the lower torso), and a 3-mile run (to test legs and cardiovascular fitness). here's how it works: for the pullup test, there's no time limit - you do as many pullups as you can - from a dead hang - without dropping from the chinning bar (the test is over when you give up and drop to the floor); for the situp test, you have 2 minutes to do as many situps as you possibly can; finally, for the run, you time how long it takes you to cover a 3 mile measured course. all of the events have points associated with them and there are charts in the book that show you your relative level of fitness, based on the total points you earned in the 3 tests.

as the first step in starting the program, i got up this morning and weighed myself, measured myself, calculated my body fat percentage, and took the fitness test. i was not at all surprised to find that my relative level of fitness is extremely low; after all, i've had a pretty sedentary lifestyle for the past 5 years, and i do like to eat... Smile i won't tell you just how poorly i did on the test; i'd be too embarrassed. i will tell you that i weighed in at 189 pounds, and my body fat percentage measured out to a whopping 23.8% (almost a quarter of my total body weight is fat! yuck!).

my main goals are to reduce my body fat percentage to 20% (without losing any more than 4 pounds; i'm 6 feet tall, and 185 is how much i weighed when i was in the best shape of my life, back in grad school) and to at least double my score on the fitness test in 6 weeks' time.

i'll let you know how i'm doing.
_________________

keep choosing life!

kevin

the zen of the quit
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Pamela



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 3542
Location: Gardiner, NY

PostPosted: July 30, 2004 7:37 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kevin, I'm picturing you doing your workout in one of those cool suits like Jack LaLanne used to wear, with your trusted german shepard at your side.....boy, am I old!
_________________

FIVE + years of freedom and loving it!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kannprint



Quit Date:
April 10, 2004

Posts: 4988
Location: St. Louis, MO

PostPosted: July 30, 2004 10:10 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dear Kevin,

I wish you luck. I couldn't begin to do all of that at one time. The 3 mile run would kill me. Guess I'm too far out of shape.

Please let us know how you're doing.
_________________

LIVE WELL, LAUGH OFTEN, LOVE MUCH.
Jo
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Carla



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 347
Location: Kansas City, MO

PostPosted: July 30, 2004 10:31 AM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck to you. I'll have Target dog standing by with ibuprofen.
_________________

Carla
Quit Date: January 4, 2004
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Snowlover



Quit Date:
-

Posts: 566
Location: Northern California

PostPosted: July 30, 2004 3:50 PM    Post subject: Exercise Goals Reply with quote

You'll be BUFF. Great goal.
In case you or others haven't thought about it (I hadn't). It takes a lot more oxygen to move the muscles in the upper body. So, any time you have your arms above the waist and especially above the shoulders you will have a harder time breathing (and consequently it is more work for your heart).
Walking takes less oxygen for the large muscles in the legs so you can walk a lot longer than you can do pullups.

This is what I'm learning in Pulmonary Rehab. I've slowed down now and exercise longer also. Hope to see those pounds dropping away any day now.

Just didn't want you to overdo it or get discouraged. Keep us posted.

I have lowered my blood pressure and resting heart rate in 3 weeks since I changed the way I was exercising and with the breathing exercises I learned.

Good Luck. Kaye
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Wanda



Quit Date:
March 15, 2004

Posts: 425
Location: Carlisle, PA

PostPosted: July 30, 2004 10:30 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kevin,

Here's to 20 percent body fat.

Good luck with it!
_________________

Wanda
Quit Date 03/15/04
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
kevin
Site Admin


Quit Date:
-

Posts: 9538
Location: cincinnati, oh

PostPosted: July 30, 2004 11:07 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks for the encouragement, ladies!

to answer some specific questions/concerns:

Margaret: from my understanding (never having been a marine myself), the test that i described is the fitness test that all marines are required to pass with a minimum score twice a year (also, the test i described was the test for men: for women, the test consists of the flexed-arm hang in place of pullups, as many situps as possible in one minute, and best time around a 1.5 mile course); the actual program is designed to gradually condition you so that you're able to pass the test.

the program itself consists of 3 phases: a preparatory phase, a conditioning phase, and a maintenance phase. it's also designed to be done 3 times a week, and the exercises are done in cycles of 3 (i.e., you perform a sequence of exercises that work specific muscle groups, so, as you're working one, the others are resting; the sequence is then repeated 3 times - whew! talk about your terrible threes!).

there are actually 5 basic exercises in the program; each with a half-dozen or so "modifications" that allow you to start at your current level of fitness and increase the difficulty progressively as you gain strength and endurance. the basic exercise for the lower torso is the situp. for the upper torso, there are 3 basic exercises: the pushup, the pullup, and the triceps dip.

for legs and cardio, it's the 'walk/jog/run' program; in this, you do 30 minutes of aerobic activity: you start by walking at a brisk pace (and taking rest breaks periodically), and when you can sustain a brisk walk for 30 minutes, you gradually add jogging (dropping back to walking for 'rest breaks' when you get winded) until you can sustain a 30 minute jog, then you gradually add running (dropping back to jogging and/or walking when you get winded) until you can run a measured mile in 11 minutes. then you work towards a 10-minute mile, then go for 1.5 in 15-18 minutes, etc...

as to calculating body fat percentage, there are charts in the book that will tell you your body fat percentage based on your measurements. for men, it's simple; you measure your neck and your waist and find the place on the chart where the two measurements intersect. for women, it's a bit more complicated; you take 5 measurements (top of the thigh, bicep with arm extended, forearm with arm extended, neck, and waist) - each area has its own chart; you add up the points from all the charts and subtract a correction factor to get the percentage.

Pam - i remember Jack LaLanne and his spandex suit (way ahead of his time, wasn't he?) and the dog - did you know that, to celebrate his 80th birthday, he swam 80 miles with 80 pounds of rocks strapped to his back?

Jo - who said anything about running the whole 3 miles? i did some short bursts of jogging, but it was mostly walking (which is no doubt why my time for this event was so slow it wasn't even on the chart... Embarassed )

Carla - thanks; i've already hit the ibuprofen bottle... ouch!

thanks for the caution, Kay - actually, the pullup is perhaps the hardest exercise to do; it's strictly a strength-builder (like power-lifting). and i have a long way to go before i'll get more than one out in any one session (at least without cheating...). the pushup and the triceps dip are much easier exercises to do for multiple reps, and they'll help me build the strength to do the pullups. as i outlined in my response to Margaret, the program is based on progressive resistance, starting from whatever shape you're in, so i won't be pushing too hard too fast (been there/done that - back in college - and i already know the pitfalls of that approach).

thanks, Wanda! but 20% is just the first step towards the mid-teens...
_________________

keep choosing life!

kevin

the zen of the quit
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Kerry



Quit Date:
May 4, 2004

Posts: 862
Location: Illinois

PostPosted: August 1, 2004 7:50 PM    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wish you the best!!! Get those endorphins rockin' Very Happy Kerry
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
16Ocean



Quit Date:
April 16, 2004

Posts: 400

PostPosted: August 9, 2004 10:40 AM    Post subject: GOOD FOR YOU!!!!! Reply with quote

Hi Kevin, WOW, that is so cool that you have started a fitness program. Gosh, your body fat sounds low to me, already. Is that high for a guy? When I had my body fat measured a couple years ago, it was a shocking 38 percent, and me, only 15 or so pounds overweight. But, I did not eat all day, cleaned houses and physically worked hard all day, didnt eat until I got home, then, too much. They told me, your body holds onto your fat, because when you have those eating habits, it thinks you are starving it. So, I started working out, cardio and doing weights. I also started bringing a little food with me to eat throughout the day. To my surprise, by the time they did my second body fat, I had dropped it to 33 percent. And only lost ten pounds. I think weight is weird, right now, I weigh less than I did then, and look horrible, and havent any waist. So, I know when you start working out, your body changes fat to muscle, and you rearrange your body shape, so that you start looking pretty good, healthy wise too. So what is it that brings body fat down? Eating little more often, or the workout??? I am just curious. Anyways, I read this, and I just wanted to say, I think you are an AWESOME guy, and CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU!!!! For starting your fitness program. I am slow to go back, and start again, but know in my mind, how much better you feel and look. Reading this was positive, and actually has helped me to get going on my own program, so I say THANKS TO YOU KEVIN!!!! Heidi
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    quit smoking support @ woofmang.com Forum Index > continuing the journey to wellness All times are GMT - 4 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

quit smoking support
woofmang dot com