Best Way to Get Fit

[bedman]

If he is doing 4 badminton practices a week and track and field practice on top of that, he doesn't need to do 1h or running every day...

 

Anyway, most of the things you listed seem to be pretty right, or at least, that's what I read about it too.

[amoeba_009]

The best way to get fit and stay that way is

 

1. Eat healthy!!! No matter how much you exercise, if you keep on intaking bad substances (fat, cholesterol, white sugar, etc.), you'll never be in your top shape. An analogy would be: eating unhealthy substances is like putting yourself on a conveyor belt going the wrong way. (note: soft drinks are really really bad!!! 30% of the can is white sugar!)

 

2. Run/Jog (depending on your fitness) Aerobic fitness is often negliged. It helps blood circulation and that naturally makes you stronger, you will also last longer when weight lifting so your progress is much faster. Also, most fit people have a six pack. Well, actually everyone has a six pack, just that it may be hidden under a layer of fat. The only way to get rid of that layer of fat is to run/jog. Doing sit-ups, crunches, etc. won't get rid of that fat! Contrary to most beliefs, you can not lose fat locally; your body distributes fat evenly throughout the body (running is the most calorie consuming activity). A good 20-25 minute (4-5 mile run) per 2 days is great [around 600 calories burned]. note: you do not need to run that fast, but at least 20 minutes (your body only starts using your fat as energy after 20 min, before that your body uses glycogen)

 

3. Free weight lifting

I know many people may disagree on this topic, but I recommend free weights if you're intending on building muscles. The progress may not be as quick (look-wise), but you will be much stronger physically. (using machines will hypertrophy [extreme cell expansion; does not give more strength, your cells are filled with large amounts of water] your muscles, using free weights will cause your cells to multiply more [you'll have much more muscle cells, thus you are stronger, but they will be smaller]. Also, free weights train balance, a big plus if you're clumsy. (exercises: push-ups, standing squats, bicep curls, chin-ups, etc.)

 

4. Flexibility

This is the recovery phase of your training. If you do not stretch, your muscles WILL become SORE after exercising! Also, stretching will make your muscles longer, so the cells have more space to develop (it's like if you plant 1000 trees in 10 acres of land vs planting 1000 trees in 20 acres of land; the latter trees will develop significantly faster).

 

Please feel free to leave any comments. These are only recommendations. I am just a provincial level track and field athlete and AA level badminton player, not a certified coach.

 

Yes, eat healthy, brown rice, lean ground beef, lots of veggies, fruits, milk, brown bread etc. Also no pop.

 

That whole Hypertrophy thing you've conceived is total [cabbage]. Your muscles wont tell the difference between dumbell and barbell curls, all they know is muscular breakdown. Now, what accomplishes this more efficiently, free weights, not machines because you work your assistance muscles too. This is through the three big lifts, squat (full range [wagon] to grass, dont be a sissy), deadlift and bench. Also overhead press is good. All other exercises are not the builders but rather assistance to the big 3 (or 4).

 

Your muscles do not become sore because you dont stretch, they become sore because they have not reciveed proper recovery material. However stretching will help the broken down muscle recover FASTER.

 

That is all.

[Youmu]

Isn't getting enough sleep each day also an important part of keeping fit?

 

If you don't, you will feel like you don't have energy to do anything.

[myshadow7]

http://liamrosen.com/fitness.html

[Flyingjj]

I said that I could list around 200 just from a domestic sporting league, not that there was ONLY 200. I offered up the figures I have available to me. How about you provide a source that proves that over 50% of the worlds population can not do it? Exactly, you can't, so stop being a smart [wagon] and thinking statistics are everything. I will stake money on the majority of people, meaning at least 50% + 1 as you explained to me (forgive me for being less intelligent than you, I've been out of high school for a few years and the fact that I'm at university in conjuction with a full time job suggests that I probably have a lower IQ than you) that I know can run a mile in 5 minutes or less. How about this statistic? In the town I grew up in, I know that as of Wednesday the 25/11/2009, MORE THAN HALF of the residents can run a mile in under 5 minutes. How do I know? I watched them do it. So from the data obtained in this test group, which is how these studies are done, we can extrapolate that over 50% of people CAN run a mile in under 300 seconds.

 

My source is myself, which you pretend I made up. Want to play this game? Cool, I'll call [cabbage] on everything you present. According to you, that makes it all made up yeah?

 

Best way does not equal easiest way and you should know thats a load of [cabbage]. You need a few extra calories? Have full cream milk with your cereal instead of skim. Ta da. How much time did that take out of your "busy day"? Drink a glass of fruit juice instead of water. How hard was that? Yeah, I'll bet that took you a long time. Have a gatorade instead of a water when you work out. Wow, where did those hours go? It really is hard to find these extra calories if you are dedicated about your health, isn't it? Exercise doesn't burn too many calories, you just aren't ingesting enough calories.

 

Now, a final line which I could've done earlier. Where did I ever mention a majority of the population can do it? Mm, whoops, good work buddy, I like the way you read, you sure you don't work for my government?

:shock:

Are we talking about the same length of a mile here? I'm no athlete here, but a 5 minute mile was something most people in my PE classes in high school wouldn't think of accomplishing. 6-7 minutes was a decent average.

Also, a 5 minute mile is much more easily accomplished than 5 miles in 25 minutes.

I don't mean to be starting anything, I'm just presenting my experience.

[Ouchy]

Endurance on rowing machines: use your abs. The owner of the (pretty big, 4,000+ member) gym is the one who told me this tip, and it really works.

 

Assuming all rowing machines in the world are the same (I noticed they're the same in 3 separate gyms), can anyone beat 1KM in 3:36? :thumbsup:

 

I'm doing an erg later today, I'll try and beat it ;P

 

To the OP: It's all good to say 'this is how to get fit', but fit for what? The fitness level needed between a sprinter and someone cycling would be a lot different yes?

[Range_This11]

I've lost 30 pounds and all I did was eat healthier and cycle every other day for 5-10 miles. It's quite easy. All that you need is willpower.

[db300]

I've lost 30 pounds and all I did was eat healthier and cycle every other day for 5-10 miles. It's quite easy. All that you need is willpower.

Well said. I have always been athletic (compared to the average person), but was overweight because I ate bad. I lost about 20 pounds in my first semester at college just by cutting out junk food. Didn't even work out more than I normally do.

[Tim]

I've lost 30 pounds and all I did was eat healthier and cycle every other day for 5-10 miles. It's quite easy. All that you need is willpower.

Well said. I have always been athletic (compared to the average person), but was overweight because I ate bad. I lost about 20 pounds in my first semester at college just by cutting out junk food. Didn't even work out more than I normally do.

Jeez, I dare not imagine how much I'll lose when I cut soft-drinks out of my diet 95% after new years. O.o

[Jeffwilson99]

I've lost 30 pounds and all I did was eat healthier and cycle every other day for 5-10 miles. It's quite easy. All that you need is willpower.

Well said. I have always been athletic (compared to the average person), but was overweight because I ate bad. I lost about 20 pounds in my first semester at college just by cutting out junk food. Didn't even work out more than I normally do.

Jeez, I dare not imagine how much I'll lose when I cut soft-drinks out of my diet 95% after new years. O.o

 

Why wait 'til New Years? I never see why people like soft drinks, or "sodas", so much. Apart from the fact they don't even taste that great, I always feel like crap after drinking soft drink and they always make you thirsty...

[LegendaryStu]

Yes, eat healthy, brown rice, lean ground beef, lots of veggies, fruits, milk, brown bread etc. Also no pop.

 

That whole Hypertrophy thing you've conceived is total [cabbage]. Your muscles wont tell the difference between dumbell and barbell curls, all they know is muscular breakdown. Now, what accomplishes this more efficiently, free weights, not machines because you work your assistance muscles too. This is through the three big lifts, squat (full range [wagon] to grass, dont be a sissy), deadlift and bench. Also overhead press is good. All other exercises are not the builders but rather assistance to the big 3 (or 4).

 

Your muscles do not become sore because you dont stretch, they become sore because they have not reciveed proper recovery material. However stretching will help the broken down muscle recover FASTER.

 

That is all.

 

Its nice to see there is someone else here with a vague idea of the reality behind it all.

[Powman3]

It matters what your goals are, obviously.

 

For me, I'm trying to build muscle mass while gaining weight. To do that, I need to consume carbs and protein (which I do).

 

I'm also running but not so much as to where I lose so much weight.

 

FYI - machines do not fill your muscles with water. They just don't workout fine muscles. And even when you do workout with free weighs, your muscles still fill themselves with water. That's the "swelling" feeling you get.

[depresins]

:shock:

Are we talking about the same length of a mile here? I'm no athlete here, but a 5 minute mile was something most people in my PE classes in high school wouldn't think of accomplishing. 6-7 minutes was a decent average.

Also, a 5 minute mile is much more easily accomplished than 5 miles in 25 minutes.

I don't mean to be starting anything, I'm just presenting my experience.

 

Sorry about the lateness of my reply, I've been bed ridden with what can be politely explained as stuff firing out both ends. I've actually lost about 15 pounds :S

 

I'm making the assumption a mile is 1,600 metres. The definition I have been using and the topic of running 1 mile in 5 minutes or less. I'm under the impression the OP brought up 5 miles in 25 minutes and the age groups to try present statistics that only apply to his experiences.

 

The vast, vast majority of people I have known throughout my life could run 1,600 metres in 5 minutes. Could they run 8,000 metres in 25 minutes? I would say, yes, a majority (meaning 50% + 1 or more) can manage to do it. But again, I come from a country town. In my country, in the outback towns, sport and labouring is all there is to do. Even as a teenager, before I was playing sport professionally, I was employed in trades that attracted physically fit people.

 

Don't ever be afraid of "starting anything". The reasons forums are so great is because everybody presents their experiences and opinions so that other people can learn from them.