new member

[squeek]

Hi, I am 6ft/205lb 35 yr old police officer and part time student from NYC. Here's a short personal history:

Lifted weights/regular running/boxing for last 15+ yrs on a regular schedule. Up to 3 yrs ago participated in 10k's and a half-marathon run when my schedule permitted it. Up to last summer I weighed 185-190lbs and was in what I consider pretty good shape.

Unfortunately I hurt my back at work that eventually led to surgery to relieve unbearable sciatic pain last Fall. During my recovery I gained weight from inactivity and employed a swimming routine to rehab my back.

On Doctors advice running is out as well as most weightlifting. Since June I have been doing this regimen every other day:

10 sets 25 push ups --this routine takes me 35-40 min.
05 sets 10 chins
05 sets 10 pulls
I also work on the heavy bag on alternate days for 10-15 min (5 x 2 min rds w/ 1min rest between).

I recently was referred to this site and was totally psyched to see something that seemes tailor- made for a non weight-lifter.

Sorry for such a long intro...looking forward to trying out some new stuff. When I do, I will post progress.

Any feedback from any other members who have had back surgeries would be greatly appreciated. Let me know what stuff worked best for you etc..

[koltz]

wow If I lifted for 15 years I'd do more then 10 chins and 25 pushups..

hope you get your old levels of fitness back anyway and welcome aboard

[Pryrates]

wow If I lifted for 15 years I'd do more then 10 chins and 25 pushups..


he does 10 times the 25 pushups and 5 times the 10 pulls... and then 5 x 10 chins...

[squeek]

The workout goes like this:

I do wrist curls w/ a pipe and string with a 5lb weight hangingfrom it 4x up & down w/ arms extended straight out.

25 push ups.

10 chin ups.

I then repeat 9 x alternating chins and pull ups..= total of 250 push ups,
50 chins, 50 pull ups.
= 35-40 min.

Like I said I am someout out of shape for my own standard...I get very winded about set 7. This is because my cardio is not there yet..still working on an alternative due to a ban on any running. I have tried elliptical machines and swimming but still have lingering back issues when I do. I am just trying to maintain a base level of fitness until I finish school this Dec and will have more time to dedicate to getting stronger and fit.

I had a laminectomy on my L5S1 disc and am wondering if anyone had a similar experience and what works for them on a regular basis for cardio.

[amorelli]

To replace running, you could also try a stationary bike. Dialing up the settings to add more resistance also enables a low impact, low back-stress leg strength workout. It isn't strictly bodyweight like this site is all about, but it could help. I used it to keep in shape for track after I messed up my back overtraining on hurdles.

To attemt to reach cardio-exhaustion, I adapted an intervel running workout to biking. (I am going to use running terms b/c they're more familiar to me. Jog is just slow cycling, sprint is as fast as you can go)

start with a 3 minute warm-up jog
sprint for 1 minute at a speed that you almost reach failure after 1 min
recovery jog 0:45
sprint for 2 minute at a speed that you almost reach failure after 2 min
recovery jog 1:30
sprint for 3 minute at a speed that you almost reach failure after 3 min
recovery jog 2:15
sprint for 3 minute at a speed that you almost reach failure after 3 min
recovery jog 1:30
sprint for 2 minute at a speed that you almost reach failure after 2 min
recovery jog 0:45
sprint for 1 minute at a speed that you almost reach failure after 1 min
cool down 3:00

this would be the basic format for a 123321 intervel workout. Depending on your current conditioning, you may want to do 1221, or 12321 to work up. Also, the workout can be made easier by increasing recovery and harder by decreasing it.

Hope this helps

[squeek]

Thanks for the input...I do have access to bikes as well. I will definitely start at the shorter intervals. When I give it a go I will post a reply.

Generally, how much recovery time between training sessions would you recommend? Also, how many times per week should I aim for?

[amorelli]

my only experience with that kind of cardio is with cross country, and there we do workouts like that one mon wed fri, and longer slower runs tues thurs sat.

Just make sure that you are never going into a workout fatigued. It's okay to be dead at the end of one, and even be tired the next day as your longer, medium paced effort removes the lactic acid from your muscles, but if you are tired on the day you were going to do a workout, don't do it. You don't want to overtrain.

Also, if you are going to lift legs, do them on a workout day, not a recovery day.

By "workout", I mean running/cycling that is not just evenly paced long distance, but rather some form of shorter effort, like intervals or hills.

Hope this helps.