Ask a Trainer

[Indy]

[quote="adamjaskie";p="477720"]How can you be so happy and enthusiastic when the world is such a dark and miserable place?[/quote]
I've had my share of darkness. Trust me. Or if you don't trust me, read my journal. I've also CAUSED my share of darkness in this world too. The point is, to get back up and keep on going.

-= indy =-

[adamjaskie]

I just think you need some moderation in your optimism.

[Lune [6 Option Mod]]

[quote="adamjaskie";p="477786"]I just think you need some moderation in your optimism.[/quote]

I think you should leave this thread if you're going to try and derail the topic. Kthx.

[adamjaskie]

I just find that if I try to be happy all the time, I realize I am just deciving myself. I try to look on the bright side, but then it just makes me sad when my overly high expectations of the world are shot down by reality.

So I gave up on that. The "laugh a lot" rule doesn't work so well in my experience. I can try, but it comes out forced and saccarine like. Normally, I push my emotions into a little box in my mind and let them fight each other out.

[Fixer]

adam, Indy is attempting to assist his fellow forum-goers. You are not assisting in this endeavor. If you want someone to cheer you up to make you stop posting depressing things in here, this is not the best method to do so.

Have you tried changing your diet? Diet can have a significant effect on a person's mood.

[adamjaskie]

The dorms don't exactly serve diet-friendly food, unless I go to eating nothing but white, half-frozen tomatos and wilted, brownish lettuce...

[Fixer]

I do believe you've found the source of part of your negativism. Poor nutrition. Unless you have stores of the appropriate vitamins or take appropriate supplements your body will react badly and make you quite miserable and depressed.

[adamjaskie]

Oh, I'm not really miserable and depressed, I'm just not happy and cheerful. I'm kinda in the middle, and only rarely do I get very happy OR sad about anything.

[Darkhan]

Sorry for the lack of response until now...

[quote="Indy";p="476745"]WEIGHT LIFTING FOR THE CHEST:
[quote="Darkhan";p="476624"]Here's one, most of my body is developed enough that I'm happy, even though I'm nowhere near the Governator, except my chest, which refuses to bulk up. Any excerises I can do at home that will help with that? If not, what gym excersises (and don't say bench press or incline, cause I've been doing those for years and it's not working).[/quote]

Alrighty, man... I've pondered all day and I have a couple things to say:

1) Bench presses are REALLY the best for chest, so I'm suspecting that something is wrong with your technique or weight or something that's causing there to be no bulk up. (So, if that's a major concern, let's discuss it further in regards to HOW you're working out)
2) Here's a list of chest exercises (excluding presses) you can try:
Dumbbell Fly, Dumbbell Pullover, Machine Fly, Pec Deck, Pullover Machine (narrow), Push-up, Standing Cable Fly, Wide Dip

It is VERY important that we discuss HOW you're weight lifting. Can you give me some more details about your body and about your exercise program? (Height, weight, times of exercis per week, goals, athletic past, etc.)[/quote]

Ok, as of now (for the last 18 months), I'm only doing a little excersizing (I've been busy). Every night, I do {25 cruches, 15 pushups} 4 times (I hope that notation makes sense), but i vary the types, so it's {normal crunches, normal pushups (arms at about shoulder length)}, lay flat for 5-10 secs {right side crunches, diamond pushups}, lay flat for 5-10 secs {left side crunches, wide pushups (arms at 1.5-2 shoulder lengths)}, lay flat for 5-10 secs {normal crunches, diamond pushups}. I go all the way down with my pushups, but I stop at about 1-2" from the floor. I do next to no cardio.

When I used to work out at the gym, I benched 4 sets of 10 reps at 150->185 lbs. My max lift was 225. Similarly, I inclined 4 sets of 10 reps at 135->150 lbs. My max was 190. My technique was arms at 1.5 shoulder length, lift the bar, lower down to my chest, raise bar, lock arms each time.
I did this every MWF. On TU, I did auxilery lifts, usually not going above 35 lbs per arm per lift. I hope that all makes sense. Same technique as the bench, just inclined

At that time, I weighed 180 and had practically no fat. Now, I weigh about 160-165 and have practically no fat (just some belly pudge). Now that I think of it, is there a quick way to get rid of that belly pudge? It's hard for me to do long running (not impossible, just hard... if I do it often enouh, I get used to it) due to my asthmatic bronchitis.

My diet is not great (usually have fast food at least once a day), and I prolly don't get all the water I need, but I get close.

OFF-TOPIC: Kitsune, my girlfriend has your same "needs to gain weight" problem. For some reason, you people were cursed with an overactive metabolism.

[Indy]

PESSIMISM:

I just find that if I try to be happy all the time, I realize I am just deciving myself. I try to look on the bright side, but then it just makes me sad when my overly high expectations of the world are shot down by reality.

So I gave up on that. The "laugh a lot" rule doesn't work so well in my experience. I can try, but it comes out forced and saccarine like. Normally, I push my emotions into a little box in my mind and let them fight each other out.

I'm not necessarily being happy and cheerful. I'm just being optimistic and encouraging. The people here are genuinely striving for their goals and asking for assistance in achieving them.

All I'm doing is offering a helping hand. If you don't want a hand, you don't need to post here. My 7 rules have worked for me and they seem to work great for others. That's all I can hope for.

Adam, if you have things that cause you to look down on yourself and you are unable to get out of depression, you need to seek help; not attempt to tear down others.

EVERYONE: The most difficult obsticle you will encounter on your route to achieving your goals is yourself. Always strive to be the best you can be. Anyone and everyone can achieve whatever goals they would like. If you truly put your mind to it and work hard, you can achieve anything. There will always be nay-sayers. Just keep your head high and keep on going.

I will point out that Adam is right about one thing. There is a difference between realism and optimism, but there's also a difference between realism and pessimism. Some people can't stand allowing others to achieve what they do not have the will to do. Because of that, they attempt to brings others down. Ignore them. It's ALL up to you!

-= indy =-

P.S. I want to quote my thread starting post, to drive the point home:

I would prefer if any commentary on personal conditions could be kept to a minimum. It's very difficult for some people to discuss personal health and to have their conditions trivialized would be insensitive.

[Darkhan]

[quote="adamjaskie";p="477832"]The dorms don't exactly serve diet-friendly food, unless I go to eating nothing but white, half-frozen tomatos and wilted, brownish lettuce...[/quote]

What college do you go to? My dorm served such a diverse ammount of food it was insane. Not all of it was good, but I made sure to eat a salad (or other healthy alternative) before dinner so that I ate less of the good-tasting junk.

Posted Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:25 pm:



Oh, one more thing for Indy: how can I do weightlifting if I don't know anyone at my level? Everyone seems too high or too low. I don't like lifting without a spotter.

[Smaointe]

Rather than start a new topic, I thought I would post this here because it is health and sports related... and would interest anyone with joint pain, muscle aches, and circulation problems.

To cut a very long story short, last night I discovered that giving fish to a very old and arthritic rat will transform her into a young rat again. After 3 weeks of hind and foreleg paralysis, weakness, and open sores that would not heal, suddenly (and I mean overnight), she is walking, eating, drinking, and her skin is pink and healthy (I thought her problem was due to a stroke, the symptoms in rats are very similar to arthritis). This might not interest you guys since you're not rat-crazy like me, but this has huge implications for all the rat lovers out there with geriatric rats.... but it also has implications for anyone with joint, muscle and circulation problems.

From tonight I will be supplementing my rats' diets with Herbalifeline, which is a fish-oil gel capsule that also contains:

Thyme oil for poor circulation, arthritis, rheumatism, muscular aches and pains, sprains and sport injuries

Clove oil for respiratory ailments such as asthma and bronchitis (respiratory problems are SO common in rats), muscle aches, sprains and strains, arthritis and rheumatism, body pain

Peppermint oil which is antispasmodic and an analgesic

They couldn't have made a more perfect rat remedy.

The friend I mentioned before (gymnastics coach/sports acrobat) takes Herbalifeline because she has had bad joint issues from childhood, but also because it is really good for promoting joint flexibility. She just dislocated her knee, fun times. I take it because I have some poor circulation issues, and because there is a history of heart health issues in my family... and also because I have suffered with pain in my wrists for the last 5 years or so.

If you have flexibility problems, joint pain, muscular aches or circulation problems, I would recommend supplementing your diet with something similar, particularly if you're not a big fish fan, which I'm not.

[naval_aviator_2040]

Due to my training as a singer and Tuba player I have an almost over-developed diaphragm muscle (actually surprisingly common in low brass instrumentalists due to breathing techniques). the problem is that during Navy ROTC body composition assessments this gives me a very large waist line and since I'm already a bit overwieght (not all that much honestly to look the only thing that would give it away is the diaphragm) it can make my composition reading look worse than it is. there's not as much fat there as it looks like. do you have any exercises that will reduce the prominence of this muscle but not reduce my breath control?

[Indy]

FITNESS PLATEAU:
[quote="Darkhan";p="477894"]Sorry for the lack of response until now...

Ok, as of now (for the last 18 months), I'm only doing a little excersizing (I've been busy). Every night, I do .........[/quote]

Aha! I knew something was amiss! You're over exercising, man. Unless you are in any club or professional sports, I want you to take two weeks off starting tomorrow (Saturday). I mean it. Two weeks. For those to weeks, take an active rest period. Meaning, be recreational, but never work yourself hard.

What's happened is that you've hit a fitness plateau. We need to totally restructure your exercise program so that you can continue to grow throughout your life. Just so that you're not surprised, during this 2 week break, your strength, weight, and endurance will go down hill. When we start you back up, you will notice it will be hard to get back to where you are now, HOWEVER I will promise you that you will finally pass that plateau.

So, two weeks, Dark. Can you do that? We'll discuss your new schedule to pass the time, but first I need to know that you'll honestly take this active rest period.
-= indy =-

Posted 200504.08 10:26:

[quote="naval_aviator_2040";p="477995"]Due to my training as a singer and Tuba player I have an almost over-developed diaphragm muscle (actually surprisingly common in low brass instrumentalists due to breathing techniques). the problem is that during Navy ROTC body composition assessments this gives me a very large waist line and since I'm already a bit overwieght (not all that much honestly to look the only thing that would give it away is the diaphragm) it can make my composition reading look worse than it is. there's not as much fat there as it looks like. do you have any exercises that will reduce the prominence of this muscle but not reduce my breath control?[/quote]

I need some more information before I can answer your questions. What part of the comp test are you worried about? Doesn't the Navy take body fat measurements with a caliper? What are your ROTC specs right now and how does that compare percentage-wise to your fellow officers (since I'm really only familiar with Marine fitness)?

-= indy =-

[naval_aviator_2040]

the navy uses tape measures in stead of calipers. here are my specs. 67" 201 lbs, 39" waist (damn diaphragm) and 18" neck

as it compares to the other ROTC guys I'm not sure