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Beginner's Health and Fitness Guide

127 points by luckystrike 16y ago

gfunk911 16y ago
Great article, agree with pretty much everything. The one advantage of machines over free weights is that the machine will enforce your form. If you are able to maintain form with free weights, the effort exerted to do so is an added bonus, but if you aren't, it's not good. I started with machines, and every couple workouts replaced a machine exercise with a free weight exercise. This helped me get started, and let me concentrate on the form on one new exercise at a time.
- gb 16y ago
  That's also why they're "bad" though, when you let the machine handle your form you aren't getting the full benefit of the exercise.
  - gfunk911 16y ago
    Exactly. Good form on free weights > Using a machine > Bad form on free weights. For me, introducing free weights gradually let me concentrate on the form for each one as I first did it.
    - greyboy 16y ago
      I think it's also important to make a distinction about the weight difference between machine and free weight exercises. It's not a 1:1 ratio. It's easy to grunt it out when you don't have to worry about a large, blunt object falling on your face.
      - dhimes 16y ago
        It's also about how fast you can go through a work out. I would do a lot less lifting if I used free weights; machines let me change weight fast. Of course, I'm 48, and when I was 18 I would have laughed at what I just said, because I was powerlifting. But my needs are different now. I do 30 minutes of interval training cardio, and 20 (or so) minutes of weights. I do 2 (maybe 3) sets. The first one is about 12 reps, where I do 4 warm-up reps, 4 at medium weight, at 4 at just-below-what-I'm-lifting-that-day weight (depends where I am in my cycle). I need machines to be able to change the weight "on the fly." Then I do a second set to failure (again, how many reps depends on how much weight I am pushing that week). This quick routine gives me the workout that I am looking for at this point, and I can get it done in the time I am willing to commit (4 days/week). If you don't know what I mean by "where I am in my cycle" (I'm male so it's not that) check out this link: http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/tomdesign.html http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/tomdesign.html The only problem is I may be running out of weight on some of the machines. I'll deal with that problem when I get there, though. The more likely result is that I'll lay off the weightlifting for a while and have to "rebuild" before that happens (if, say, I start sailing alot). Edit: typos
  - percept 16y ago
    Even worse, machines may enforce unnatural and potentially dangerous form (Smith machines are particularly linear, for example). Free weights can be more forgiving when your form is a bit off (versus being locked into a groove that leads to a pull or tear).
- yesimahuman 16y ago
  This is why you go slow and use easy weights when starting a new free weight workout. Having bad form can be dangerous (for example, the deadlift), but in general I find that it's just not as effective and that bothers me enough to make my form better.
  - matwood 16y ago
    Ah, the dead lift. The single most effective exercise ever invented. I don't remember where I read it, but the quote goes like this: "A kid walked up to me in the gym while I was dead lifting and asked 'what muscle does that work.' I responded by asking the kid 'have you ever watched a football player run across the field and tackle the player with the ball?' The kid responded 'sure.' To that I said 'that muscle.'"
    - jnorthrop 16y ago
      I love that quote -- I think that's a quote from Mike Boyle.
    - tome 16y ago
      The deadlift is great, as is the squat. I certainly feel like the squat is more effective for me because I find it harder! I'm not sure if there's an objective standard on this but I highly recommend both of them.
- gfunk911 16y ago
  To clarify, I meant that I replace the machine workout with the free weight workout permanently, so that eventually my workout is entirely free weights.
- matwood 16y ago
  The problem with machines and that most enforce 'bad' form. Every person has their own natural motion that a machine simply cannot match. The best way to learn a free weight exercise is to simply start doing it without any weight. Start squatting and dead lifting with just your body weight (use a broom handle to simulate the bar). Once you get that down start adding weight. There is a very little that a machine will do to help you with exercises like that and in fact it could end up enforcing bad habits.
  - thompo 16y ago
    Another thing I'd like to add to this: TAKE VIDEOS. If you're hesitant to bring a point and shoot to the gym, go later at night or before noon when the gym is relatively empty. Share your videos on any of the big lifting forums and ask for opinions. Sure, you can ask a trainer, but if you're lifting at any of the major chain gyms I wouldn't trust a lot of those guys to critique a squat as far as I can throw them. If you're doing a lift with improper form, you might as well not do it at all. The point of maintaining proper form is to not only remain injury free, but to also point out any strength imbalances you might have (weak quads in a deadlift, weak lower lumbar in a squat, etc etc). (example vid, i switched to sumo-stance for deadlifts and wanted to make sure i was doing it right before moving back up in weight -- http://www.imperial.org/~jd/deads275.wmv http://www.imperial.org/~jd/deads275.wmv ) I can respect -anybody- that posts videos and asks for help on form. The amount of weight you're moving is trivial - the fact that you want to focus on your form and perform the lift correctly speaks volumes. I respect the guy squatting 95lbs correctly infinitely more than the guy squatting 405lbs to 25% depth any day of the week.
    - matwood 16y ago
      Great advice! The 2 angles you generally want for a video are the front or back and the direct side angle. Luckily I haven't had to post and vids because I have a trainer friend who is very good at form and correction. He just adjusted a few things in my DLs and I'm closing in on 500lb DL again. I've tried sumos off and on, but I don't they are right for my body type. I have long arms and legs and I just get so much more leverage with the traditional DL. I do sumo holds though as accessory work to keep my glutes firing properly. And yea, the guy quarter squatting is generally a dumb ass. There are times to quarter squat, but for most people they should never need to.
- cdr 16y ago
  Definitely a great resource. I had never seen that site today, but it agrees again and again with my personal experience and what I've learned from reading.
liedra 16y ago
This is a great article, makes me want to get off my bum and do some exercise :) One thing I'd like to know is, for women, yoga and pilates and all that seems to be quite fashionable these days, but they don't tend to be either cardio or weightlifting -- what sort of effect do they have on the body?
- DavidMcLaughlin 16y ago
  It actually takes a significant amount of "functional" strength to do even just basic Yoga poses. The common myth is that Yoga is all about flexibility, but in fact a lot of the time "inflexibility" is actually just weak core strength. Having a good core is one of the easiest ways to maintain your health as you get older too and if you're active you will feel a great benefit having that balance and strength. Until I tried Snowboarding I had no idea my core was as weak as it was. The test I always like to give myself is being able to put my socks on in the morning whilst standing up, without wobbling all over the place or leaning on anything :)
  - liedra 16y ago
    Thanks! I've done some yoga in the past, and it can be quite tricky to do, but apart from the breathing and stretching it did I was never quite sure whether it was as good for me as, say, a run/cycle. Since I don't have access to a gym with weights and only a small set of dumbbells I'm not sure how much of the weight training side of this I can do, but I might try the running thing and perhaps some simpler weights that I can do with dumbbells. Maybe pick up a yoga class again too :)
    - dhimes 16y ago
      Plyometrics are an excellent substitute if you can't get to weights. These are basically calisthenics with explosive movements. For instance, squats where you explode upward into a jump and try to bring your knees to your chest, or push-ups where you explode upward and clap before catching yourself build strength (and stress the bone, which seems to be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis). Also, adding sprints to the end of your run is beneficial (I really like interval training in general, actually).
gyardley 16y ago
I can swear by this - I've lost almost forty pounds since New Year's by cutting out the danishes, making my own lunches, and going to the gym regularly for weight lifting and cardio. The only thing I'd add - working out is time-consuming, and getting started at a gym is both hard and intimidating. Gyms themselves are counting on you to stop going - that's how they make their money. If you're having trouble getting started, consider saving up your money and getting a personal trainer for a few months. The personal trainer will teach you how to use the equipment properly, get you more comfortable around the gym, and, most importantly, will be so godawful expensive you won't shrug it off and not bother to go to the sessions - the pain of wasting all that money will be too much. Yes, I know this is silly - but I was getting chunkier and chunkier over the past couple of years and for me that was the only thing that worked. Personal willpower just wasn't getting it done.
- jedc 16y ago
  Well done! If personal willpower isn't getting it done, I'd suggest team sports. I got into rowing a few years ago, and it's been great. Basketball, soccer/football, tennis can be great sports for consistent quality workouts.
- KirinDave 16y ago
  40 lbs in less than 6 months represents a massive drop in your weight. Anytime you're losing more than 5lbs a month you're asking for trouble, especially when there isn't some kind of significant and readily identifiable reason for previous weight gain (e.g., hypothyroidism, limb injury, etc). While sudden drops of weightloss right at the start of a major lifestyle change are pretty normal, if you continue at this rate you should talk to your doctor.
  - hugh3 16y ago
    I disagree. Anything up to 2 lb per week is a reasonably healthy rate of weight loss, especially if you're quite overweight to start with. Losing 40 lb in six months is both perfectly healthy and a damn good achievement.
spking 16y ago
I agree with the author's recommendation to focus mainly on compound movements (squats, deadlifts, military presses, etc.) I stopped training arms directly and still packed on substantial muscle mass just by training back, chest and shoulders. I'd also point out that in my experience, training legs accounts for 50% of upper body growth due to the specific hormones released.
- chollida1 16y ago
  > I'd also point out that in my experience, training legs accounts for 50% of upper body growth due to the specific hormones released. I couldn't agree more with this statement. It always pains me to see guys at the gym who spend 2 days a week on chest and another 2 days on back with a day for arms and never train their legs. It's our legs that often break down first when we're older. You've got to take care of them:)
  - matwood 16y ago
    I point and laugh at those guys :)
KirinDave 16y ago
This article gets huge "Hell yeas" from me just for linking to published medical papers when making medical claims. I saw the jama link and almost clapped right then and there.
tyweir 16y ago
Looks pretty good. Two points that I'd not follow. Diet: Eating grains. Gluten is pretty much evil for everyone, including non-Celiacs. Google for "paleo diet" or "gluten autoimmune" to get a sense of gluten's impact. Also check out the "Save my Life" HN thread for more info about gluten-free/paleo. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1399450 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1399450 Exercise: Cardio, long slow distance is pretty much useless. High intensity intervals, 200m, 400m repeats will have a much bigger impact. If you really love endurance, check out http://crossfitendurance.com/ http://crossfitendurance.com/ and google for "tabata intervals"
- hugh3 16y ago
  Those two points seem to me like fringe advice. I'm sure if I googled "gluten autoimmune" and "tabata intervals" I'd find a bunch of people agreeing with you, but no more than I'd find with any number of other fad diets or exercise regimes. It'd take a helluva lot of evidence to persuade me that eating grains is bad, because... heck, grains are tasty, and the vast majority of humans who have lived over the last five thousand years have had grain-based diets with no obvious ill effects. Likewise, if you think long slow-distance cardio is pretty much useless, go watch long-distance runners for a while. My advice to anyone who is unfit and wants to be fit is to ignore everybody who's trying to sell you some very specific idea of what you have to do, and just concentrate on doing the lowest-common-denominator stuff: eat less junk, do more exercise.
  - tyweir 16y ago
    I understand your viewpoint and opinion, as I've run into it before. I'm going to disagree that gluten has had "no obvious ill effects" because I've seen the changes in my clients lives, experienced it my self (gluten-intolerant) and my mother (Celiac). And your argument that eating grains is not bad because they taste good is preposterous. As for LSD, can you tell what appeals to you about the physique of a marathoner? Changing peoples eating and exercise habits is like getting people to quit smoking, they need to have the impetus to start, outside advice/encouragement only goes so far. "eat less junk, do more exercise." I guess we differ on what "junk" is.
amh 16y ago
Good read, although the comments about saturated fat may be questionable in light of the recent research (e.g. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1332954 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1332954).
thompo 16y ago
some extra programs if you're looking for more templated options: http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html Ross Enamait's "Never Gymless" - this guy will turn you into a freak of nature ... without a gym. Also be sure to check out "Infinite Intensity" and his other programs as well. http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/65-westside-for-skinny-bastards-part3.html http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/65-wes... West Side for Skinny Bastards 3 by Joe DeFranco - a four day split involving max effort, dynamic effort, and repetition days. http://www.aasgaardco.com/store/store.php?crn=199&rn=312&action=show_detail http://www.aasgaardco.com/store/store.php?crn=199&rn=312... Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe - one of the best books as far as learning the basics of barbell movements and how to apply them successfully. Also check out "Practical Programming" which will help you scale your workouts to beginner, intermediate, and advanced programs as you progress. And finally, if you're looking for a way to get a quick and brutal (did i mention brutal??) cardio workout, I highly suggest high intensity interval training (HIIT) in the form of barbell complexes. http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/screw_cardio_four_complexes_for_a_shredded_physique http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_train... I highly suggest Cosgrove's Evil 8 complex, you'll be entirely gassed in about ten minutes. Complexes are GREAT for people looking to build mass and continue doing high intensity cardio without the catabolism (muscle breakdown) associated with slower, long duration cardio.
lelele 16y ago
This guy has built an home fitness plan with inexpensive tools: http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/ http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/ He has posted videos too. Good for those who haven't got an (inexpensive) gym nearby (like me). EDIT: His push-ups tutorial is highly recommended: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S990kHLMVFg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S990kHLMVFg
vital101 16y ago
For those of us who have enjoyed running the past or would like to start up, I highly recommend getting Nike+ (http://nikeplus.com http://nikeplus.com). It connects to your ipod, and via a sensor in your shoe gives you feedback about your run. You can join challenges and make friends on their site. Having graphical feedback of your run is pretty cool too. Being able to visualize your progress is very motivating.
- j_b_f 16y ago
  If you have an iPhone or Android device with GPS, I'd suggest Runkeeper (http://www.runkeeper.com http://www.runkeeper.com). The app and site is top-notch.
  - abalashov 16y ago
    I would second that recommendation.
listic 16y ago
I really hate it how many people when talking about health talk about losing weight. It somehow undermines credibility of other things theys say. What if I don't need to lose weight? What if I actually need to eat more? Haven't you thought about it, mister?
zackattack 16y ago
Shin splints can also be caused by shoes with poor ankle support.
billpaetzke 16y ago
Eating healthy has to just become how you eat most of the time. Exercise has to become a habitual thing you do every day or two, like mowing the lawn or taking out the trash. Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the key, "the secret," to fitness.
- tome 16y ago
  Absolutely. Becoming more fit is making a change to your lifestyle that you can sustain in the long term.
mbv 16y ago
How much does smoking pot affect your health and fitness? Is it in same category as bad food (i.e. you can smoke a joint a couple times a week and get away with it) or is it worse?
- philwelch 16y ago
  It's not the pot that makes you fat, it's the munchies.
- mbv 16y ago
  I'm being downvoted, but it's an honest question. Weed's good friend alcohol gets a brief mention in the article, but it doesn't say how much the drug itself affects your fitness. It only says that many alcoholic drinks are bad for you because they have high calories from the sugar and alcohol. For some people, especially college students like me, weed and alcohol are part of their lifestyle. Yes, they're bad for you, but my question is how bad?
tome 16y ago
If you're interested in protein supplements in the UK I recommend MyProtein. I'm not affiliated with them, but I am a very happy customer.
- tome 16y ago
  I posted the above comment because the article contains the text: "TrueProtein sells among the cheapest and also highest quality protein powders." I thought it would be helpful for UK readers to have an alternative to the USA based TrueProtein. I've been downmodded for the comment (at the time of writing) so if company endorsement is inappropriate here could someone please let me know?

127 points by luckystrike 16y ago

Great article, agree with pretty much everything. The one advantage of machines over free weights is that the machine will enforce your form. If you are able to maintain form with free weights, the effort exerted to do so is an added bonus, but if you aren't, it's not good. I started with machines, and every couple workouts replaced a machine exercise with a free weight exercise. This helped me get started, and let me concentrate on the form on one new exercise at a time.

gb 16y ago
That's also why they're "bad" though, when you let the machine handle your form you aren't getting the full benefit of the exercise.
- gfunk911 16y ago
  Exactly. Good form on free weights > Using a machine > Bad form on free weights. For me, introducing free weights gradually let me concentrate on the form for each one as I first did it.
  - greyboy 16y ago
    I think it's also important to make a distinction about the weight difference between machine and free weight exercises. It's not a 1:1 ratio. It's easy to grunt it out when you don't have to worry about a large, blunt object falling on your face.
    - dhimes 16y ago
      It's also about how fast you can go through a work out. I would do a lot less lifting if I used free weights; machines let me change weight fast. Of course, I'm 48, and when I was 18 I would have laughed at what I just said, because I was powerlifting. But my needs are different now. I do 30 minutes of interval training cardio, and 20 (or so) minutes of weights. I do 2 (maybe 3) sets. The first one is about 12 reps, where I do 4 warm-up reps, 4 at medium weight, at 4 at just-below-what-I'm-lifting-that-day weight (depends where I am in my cycle). I need machines to be able to change the weight "on the fly." Then I do a second set to failure (again, how many reps depends on how much weight I am pushing that week). This quick routine gives me the workout that I am looking for at this point, and I can get it done in the time I am willing to commit (4 days/week). If you don't know what I mean by "where I am in my cycle" (I'm male so it's not that) check out this link: http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/tomdesign.html http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/tomdesign.html The only problem is I may be running out of weight on some of the machines. I'll deal with that problem when I get there, though. The more likely result is that I'll lay off the weightlifting for a while and have to "rebuild" before that happens (if, say, I start sailing alot). Edit: typos
- percept 16y ago
  Even worse, machines may enforce unnatural and potentially dangerous form (Smith machines are particularly linear, for example). Free weights can be more forgiving when your form is a bit off (versus being locked into a groove that leads to a pull or tear).
yesimahuman 16y ago
This is why you go slow and use easy weights when starting a new free weight workout. Having bad form can be dangerous (for example, the deadlift), but in general I find that it's just not as effective and that bothers me enough to make my form better.
- matwood 16y ago
  Ah, the dead lift. The single most effective exercise ever invented. I don't remember where I read it, but the quote goes like this: "A kid walked up to me in the gym while I was dead lifting and asked 'what muscle does that work.' I responded by asking the kid 'have you ever watched a football player run across the field and tackle the player with the ball?' The kid responded 'sure.' To that I said 'that muscle.'"
  - jnorthrop 16y ago
    I love that quote -- I think that's a quote from Mike Boyle.
  - tome 16y ago
    The deadlift is great, as is the squat. I certainly feel like the squat is more effective for me because I find it harder! I'm not sure if there's an objective standard on this but I highly recommend both of them.
gfunk911 16y ago
To clarify, I meant that I replace the machine workout with the free weight workout permanently, so that eventually my workout is entirely free weights.
matwood 16y ago
The problem with machines and that most enforce 'bad' form. Every person has their own natural motion that a machine simply cannot match. The best way to learn a free weight exercise is to simply start doing it without any weight. Start squatting and dead lifting with just your body weight (use a broom handle to simulate the bar). Once you get that down start adding weight. There is a very little that a machine will do to help you with exercises like that and in fact it could end up enforcing bad habits.
- thompo 16y ago
  Another thing I'd like to add to this: TAKE VIDEOS. If you're hesitant to bring a point and shoot to the gym, go later at night or before noon when the gym is relatively empty. Share your videos on any of the big lifting forums and ask for opinions. Sure, you can ask a trainer, but if you're lifting at any of the major chain gyms I wouldn't trust a lot of those guys to critique a squat as far as I can throw them. If you're doing a lift with improper form, you might as well not do it at all. The point of maintaining proper form is to not only remain injury free, but to also point out any strength imbalances you might have (weak quads in a deadlift, weak lower lumbar in a squat, etc etc). (example vid, i switched to sumo-stance for deadlifts and wanted to make sure i was doing it right before moving back up in weight -- http://www.imperial.org/~jd/deads275.wmv http://www.imperial.org/~jd/deads275.wmv ) I can respect -anybody- that posts videos and asks for help on form. The amount of weight you're moving is trivial - the fact that you want to focus on your form and perform the lift correctly speaks volumes. I respect the guy squatting 95lbs correctly infinitely more than the guy squatting 405lbs to 25% depth any day of the week.
  - matwood 16y ago
    Great advice! The 2 angles you generally want for a video are the front or back and the direct side angle. Luckily I haven't had to post and vids because I have a trainer friend who is very good at form and correction. He just adjusted a few things in my DLs and I'm closing in on 500lb DL again. I've tried sumos off and on, but I don't they are right for my body type. I have long arms and legs and I just get so much more leverage with the traditional DL. I do sumo holds though as accessory work to keep my glutes firing properly. And yea, the guy quarter squatting is generally a dumb ass. There are times to quarter squat, but for most people they should never need to.
cdr 16y ago
Definitely a great resource. I had never seen that site today, but it agrees again and again with my personal experience and what I've learned from reading.

liedra 16y ago

This is a great article, makes me want to get off my bum and do some exercise :) One thing I'd like to know is, for women, yoga and pilates and all that seems to be quite fashionable these days, but they don't tend to be either cardio or weightlifting -- what sort of effect do they have on the body?

DavidMcLaughlin 16y ago
It actually takes a significant amount of "functional" strength to do even just basic Yoga poses. The common myth is that Yoga is all about flexibility, but in fact a lot of the time "inflexibility" is actually just weak core strength. Having a good core is one of the easiest ways to maintain your health as you get older too and if you're active you will feel a great benefit having that balance and strength. Until I tried Snowboarding I had no idea my core was as weak as it was. The test I always like to give myself is being able to put my socks on in the morning whilst standing up, without wobbling all over the place or leaning on anything :)
- liedra 16y ago
  Thanks! I've done some yoga in the past, and it can be quite tricky to do, but apart from the breathing and stretching it did I was never quite sure whether it was as good for me as, say, a run/cycle. Since I don't have access to a gym with weights and only a small set of dumbbells I'm not sure how much of the weight training side of this I can do, but I might try the running thing and perhaps some simpler weights that I can do with dumbbells. Maybe pick up a yoga class again too :)
  - dhimes 16y ago
    Plyometrics are an excellent substitute if you can't get to weights. These are basically calisthenics with explosive movements. For instance, squats where you explode upward into a jump and try to bring your knees to your chest, or push-ups where you explode upward and clap before catching yourself build strength (and stress the bone, which seems to be beneficial in preventing osteoporosis). Also, adding sprints to the end of your run is beneficial (I really like interval training in general, actually).

gyardley 16y ago

I can swear by this - I've lost almost forty pounds since New Year's by cutting out the danishes, making my own lunches, and going to the gym regularly for weight lifting and cardio. The only thing I'd add - working out is time-consuming, and getting started at a gym is both hard and intimidating. Gyms themselves are counting on you to stop going - that's how they make their money. If you're having trouble getting started, consider saving up your money and getting a personal trainer for a few months. The personal trainer will teach you how to use the equipment properly, get you more comfortable around the gym, and, most importantly, will be so godawful expensive you won't shrug it off and not bother to go to the sessions - the pain of wasting all that money will be too much. Yes, I know this is silly - but I was getting chunkier and chunkier over the past couple of years and for me that was the only thing that worked. Personal willpower just wasn't getting it done.

jedc 16y ago
Well done! If personal willpower isn't getting it done, I'd suggest team sports. I got into rowing a few years ago, and it's been great. Basketball, soccer/football, tennis can be great sports for consistent quality workouts.
KirinDave 16y ago
40 lbs in less than 6 months represents a massive drop in your weight. Anytime you're losing more than 5lbs a month you're asking for trouble, especially when there isn't some kind of significant and readily identifiable reason for previous weight gain (e.g., hypothyroidism, limb injury, etc). While sudden drops of weightloss right at the start of a major lifestyle change are pretty normal, if you continue at this rate you should talk to your doctor.
- hugh3 16y ago
  I disagree. Anything up to 2 lb per week is a reasonably healthy rate of weight loss, especially if you're quite overweight to start with. Losing 40 lb in six months is both perfectly healthy and a damn good achievement.

spking 16y ago

I agree with the author's recommendation to focus mainly on compound movements (squats, deadlifts, military presses, etc.) I stopped training arms directly and still packed on substantial muscle mass just by training back, chest and shoulders. I'd also point out that in my experience, training legs accounts for 50% of upper body growth due to the specific hormones released.

chollida1 16y ago
> I'd also point out that in my experience, training legs accounts for 50% of upper body growth due to the specific hormones released. I couldn't agree more with this statement. It always pains me to see guys at the gym who spend 2 days a week on chest and another 2 days on back with a day for arms and never train their legs. It's our legs that often break down first when we're older. You've got to take care of them:)
- matwood 16y ago
  I point and laugh at those guys :)

KirinDave 16y ago

This article gets huge "Hell yeas" from me just for linking to published medical papers when making medical claims. I saw the jama link and almost clapped right then and there.

tyweir 16y ago

Looks pretty good. Two points that I'd not follow. Diet: Eating grains. Gluten is pretty much evil for everyone, including non-Celiacs. Google for "paleo diet" or "gluten autoimmune" to get a sense of gluten's impact. Also check out the "Save my Life" HN thread for more info about gluten-free/paleo. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1399450 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1399450 Exercise: Cardio, long slow distance is pretty much useless. High intensity intervals, 200m, 400m repeats will have a much bigger impact. If you really love endurance, check out http://crossfitendurance.com/ http://crossfitendurance.com/ and google for "tabata intervals"

hugh3 16y ago
Those two points seem to me like fringe advice. I'm sure if I googled "gluten autoimmune" and "tabata intervals" I'd find a bunch of people agreeing with you, but no more than I'd find with any number of other fad diets or exercise regimes. It'd take a helluva lot of evidence to persuade me that eating grains is bad, because... heck, grains are tasty, and the vast majority of humans who have lived over the last five thousand years have had grain-based diets with no obvious ill effects. Likewise, if you think long slow-distance cardio is pretty much useless, go watch long-distance runners for a while. My advice to anyone who is unfit and wants to be fit is to ignore everybody who's trying to sell you some very specific idea of what you have to do, and just concentrate on doing the lowest-common-denominator stuff: eat less junk, do more exercise.
- tyweir 16y ago
  I understand your viewpoint and opinion, as I've run into it before. I'm going to disagree that gluten has had "no obvious ill effects" because I've seen the changes in my clients lives, experienced it my self (gluten-intolerant) and my mother (Celiac). And your argument that eating grains is not bad because they taste good is preposterous. As for LSD, can you tell what appeals to you about the physique of a marathoner? Changing peoples eating and exercise habits is like getting people to quit smoking, they need to have the impetus to start, outside advice/encouragement only goes so far. "eat less junk, do more exercise." I guess we differ on what "junk" is.

amh 16y ago

Good read, although the comments about saturated fat may be questionable in light of the recent research (e.g. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1332954 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1332954).

thompo 16y ago

some extra programs if you're looking for more templated options: http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html http://www.rosstraining.com/nevergymless.html Ross Enamait's "Never Gymless" - this guy will turn you into a freak of nature ... without a gym. Also be sure to check out "Infinite Intensity" and his other programs as well. http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/65-westside-for-skinny-bastards-part3.html http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/65-wes... West Side for Skinny Bastards 3 by Joe DeFranco - a four day split involving max effort, dynamic effort, and repetition days. http://www.aasgaardco.com/store/store.php?crn=199&rn=312&action=show_detail http://www.aasgaardco.com/store/store.php?crn=199&rn=312... Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe - one of the best books as far as learning the basics of barbell movements and how to apply them successfully. Also check out "Practical Programming" which will help you scale your workouts to beginner, intermediate, and advanced programs as you progress. And finally, if you're looking for a way to get a quick and brutal (did i mention brutal??) cardio workout, I highly suggest high intensity interval training (HIIT) in the form of barbell complexes. http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/screw_cardio_four_complexes_for_a_shredded_physique http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_train... I highly suggest Cosgrove's Evil 8 complex, you'll be entirely gassed in about ten minutes. Complexes are GREAT for people looking to build mass and continue doing high intensity cardio without the catabolism (muscle breakdown) associated with slower, long duration cardio.

lelele 16y ago

This guy has built an home fitness plan with inexpensive tools: http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/ http://fitness.scoobysworkshop.com/ He has posted videos too. Good for those who haven't got an (inexpensive) gym nearby (like me). EDIT: His push-ups tutorial is highly recommended: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S990kHLMVFg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S990kHLMVFg

vital101 16y ago

For those of us who have enjoyed running the past or would like to start up, I highly recommend getting Nike+ (http://nikeplus.com http://nikeplus.com). It connects to your ipod, and via a sensor in your shoe gives you feedback about your run. You can join challenges and make friends on their site. Having graphical feedback of your run is pretty cool too. Being able to visualize your progress is very motivating.

j_b_f 16y ago
If you have an iPhone or Android device with GPS, I'd suggest Runkeeper (http://www.runkeeper.com http://www.runkeeper.com). The app and site is top-notch.
- abalashov 16y ago
  I would second that recommendation.

listic 16y ago

I really hate it how many people when talking about health talk about losing weight. It somehow undermines credibility of other things theys say. What if I don't need to lose weight? What if I actually need to eat more? Haven't you thought about it, mister?

zackattack 16y ago

Shin splints can also be caused by shoes with poor ankle support.

billpaetzke 16y ago

Eating healthy has to just become how you eat most of the time. Exercise has to become a habitual thing you do every day or two, like mowing the lawn or taking out the trash. Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the key, "the secret," to fitness.

tome 16y ago
Absolutely. Becoming more fit is making a change to your lifestyle that you can sustain in the long term.

mbv 16y ago

How much does smoking pot affect your health and fitness? Is it in same category as bad food (i.e. you can smoke a joint a couple times a week and get away with it) or is it worse?

philwelch 16y ago
It's not the pot that makes you fat, it's the munchies.
mbv 16y ago
I'm being downvoted, but it's an honest question. Weed's good friend alcohol gets a brief mention in the article, but it doesn't say how much the drug itself affects your fitness. It only says that many alcoholic drinks are bad for you because they have high calories from the sugar and alcohol. For some people, especially college students like me, weed and alcohol are part of their lifestyle. Yes, they're bad for you, but my question is how bad?

tome 16y ago

If you're interested in protein supplements in the UK I recommend MyProtein. I'm not affiliated with them, but I am a very happy customer.

tome 16y ago
I posted the above comment because the article contains the text: "TrueProtein sells among the cheapest and also highest quality protein powders." I thought it would be helpful for UK readers to have an alternative to the USA based TrueProtein. I've been downmodded for the comment (at the time of writing) so if company endorsement is inappropriate here could someone please let me know?