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Looking for some fitness guidance

My hope is that doing strength will help me recruit more of the proper muscles for the swims (esp through OHP and BBR)
This week was the first time that i felt my lats close to cramping after a hard swim workout so theyre waking up but i wanna give them a bit of a nudge
Once i'm done with racing this year i'll move to a "better" strength program. Increase muscle mass from september to end of november, do a december/january cut and then start regular tri training again with just maintenance on the strength side.
I just want to reach certain lifting milestones and maintain; itll put me at being "stronger" than the average while being able to do triathlons at decent pace too.
Just a well rounded athlete.
Take a look at a UBE or upper body ergometer. A UBE is basically a arm bike you just sit or stand and crank away i have been using on for a couple of years. Got it for shoulder rehab and found it to be fantastic for increasing upper body endurance, mobility and toning arms and torso.
The UBE is one of the few endurance machines that isolate the upper body.
I do a half hour 5 days a week on a UBE following a half hour on a spin bike both at a high but sustainable cadence for winter maintenance works well for me.
 
My cardio is in the pooper. Really should focus on that. I’ve got a goal for 2023 of at least a 5km race, maybe a 10 within the season just to see how I would do.

A decade ago I could do 5km within 25-27min or so.

I’ve also noticed that my flexibility has gone to poo also once I started hitting larger numbers on bench and OHP.

Probably should do more rounded workouts instead of just lifting as heavy as I can.

Briefly toyed with the idea of a boxing bag…and quickly gave that up.
 
My cardio is in the pooper. Really should focus on that. I’ve got a goal for 2023 of at least a 5km race, maybe a 10 within the season just to see how I would do.

A decade ago I could do 5km within 25-27min or so.

I’ve also noticed that my flexibility has gone to poo also once I started hitting larger numbers on bench and OHP.

Probably should do more rounded workouts instead of just lifting as heavy as I can.

Briefly toyed with the idea of a boxing bag…and quickly gave that up.

so, let's start right now! Sign up for Around The Bay 5K - it's right around 8weeks away enough for a good training plan - and I'll see you there!
Did my registration last week so no excuses for me now :)

Another good option is High Park Spring Run Off in April - I'll be there as well for 5K, even more time to prepare!
 
Many years ago I did a bunch of upper body work and my swimming went to hell. I went from an easy cruise to floundering. Not sure what happened. Maybe set deeper in the water or less flexibility? Stopped working out and swimming recovered. Maybe it was solveable with more practice or coaching. Obviously strong people can be good swimmers.

You lose flexibility and range of motion, depending how far you go, it gets to a point where there's parts of your body, especially back, that you can't even reach to scratch.
 
Take a look at a UBE or upper body ergometer. A UBE is basically a arm bike you just sit or stand and crank away i have been using on for a couple of years. Got it for shoulder rehab and found it to be fantastic for increasing upper body endurance, mobility and toning arms and torso.
The UBE is one of the few endurance machines that isolate the upper body.
I do a half hour 5 days a week on a UBE following a half hour on a spin bike both at a high but sustainable cadence for winter maintenance works well for me.
I know the machine, when i used to do boxing training theyd make us use it... it was torture but it worked lol.

My countless swimming workouts (about 2-3 hours per week) do the same job but i want to increase strength which can't be increased effectively that way.
Just like strength can't be effectively increased on the bicycle.
Sure you become more efficient/proficient and you will wake up some more type 1 muscle fibers, but to raise the ceiling of the amount of power you can produce through the muscle, strength exercises are the best :)
 
so, let's start right now! Sign up for Around The Bay 5K - it's right around 8weeks away enough for a good training plan - and I'll see you there!
Did my registration last week so no excuses for me now :)

Another good option is High Park Spring Run Off in April - I'll be there as well for 5K, even more time to prepare!
Thanks! I think I’d have to do it later as winter time training for running is a no go for me.
 
You lose flexibility and range of motion, depending how far you go, it gets to a point where there's parts of your body, especially back, that you can't even reach to scratch.
This is me. I’ve become so inflexible that I can barely reach the majority of myback.
 
I know the machine, when i used to do boxing training theyd make us use it... it was torture but it worked lol.

My countless swimming workouts (about 2-3 hours per week) do the same job but i want to increase strength which can't be increased effectively that way.
Just like strength can't be effectively increased on the bicycle.
Sure you become more efficient/proficient and you will wake up some more type 1 muscle fibers, but to raise the ceiling of the amount of power you can produce through the muscle, strength exercises are the best :)

Strength programs are typically geared towards short bursts of power.. I would have thought tri athletes, and similar, would be more into high rep, endurance type workouts?
 
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Strength programs are typically geared towards short bursts of power.. I would have thought tri athletes, and similar, would be more into high rep, endurance type workouts?
I would but i just have lacking strength.

This pre-season i'm gonna work on strength. Next post season ill work on hypertrophy and probably early 2024 ill work more on strength-endurance.
But i just need to get to a minimum level of muscle mass to work with. I still carry around too much fat.

EDIT) and im not going for crazy numbers either
for my bw i just want
OHP 0.75x bodyweight
BP 1x bodyweight
SQ 1.5x bodyweight
DL 2x bodyweight
once i reach that i'm happy

on the lifter scale its still "beginner-ish" but for an endurance athlete its more than whats necessary
 
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few updates on fitness:
1. Cut out coffee & caffeine completely, first week was pretty rough but I'm on my third now and feel fine. Will go for a month as a 'cleanse'.
But have not changed weight much in either direction.

2. Just finished a cycle a week ago and pushed my 1 rep maxes.
315 squat - finally 3 plates
230 bench
365 deadlift
910 total so only 90lbs from goal.
Slowly but steadily. Hopefully will reach it before the end of the year.
 
Gained only 2-3lbs in Cuba over the week. Will know in a few days for sure once all the water and sugar retention leaves my body. So should be a wash.

Want to lose about 10-12lbs total as my gut is growing like hell and I’m not happy with that. First thing I see in the fridge this morning…

1737FED6-034D-4CC1-8819-A2B692C73C8D.jpeg

MIL used to be a baker, and I can confirm I are nothing of this thing.

@killvino super curious as to how the coffee cutout works for you. I’m just brewing my 10 cup morning java hit.
 
I’m down to 0.5-1 cup of coffee a day from the usual 3-4. Over that time I’ve also brought my leg strength back up with the addition of having the leg press back in my routine. Muscle mass and testosterone are both skyrocketing which I’m attributing to the leg press (and with the at some fat loss).
 
I’m down to 0.5-1 cup of coffee a day from the usual 3-4. Over that time I’ve also brought my leg strength back up with the addition of having the leg press back in my routine. Muscle mass and testosterone are both skyrocketing which I’m attributing to the leg press (and with the at some fat loss).
I think at this stage coffee is almost a habit more than anything for me.

I’ll cut down as of tomorrow to half. Wtf. May as well see what happens.

As for me it’s difficult because I was always taught ‘keep eating’ and with 2 kids…I hate seeing their food go to waste so I finish theirs too.
 
What you guys think of switching to decaf? I drink coffee out of habit and cause I like the taste but I don't need the caffeine. Would it be healthier to switch to decaf?
 
I’m down to 0.5-1 cup of coffee a day from the usual 3-4. Over that time I’ve also brought my leg strength back up with the addition of having the leg press back in my routine. Muscle mass and testosterone are both skyrocketing which I’m attributing to the leg press (and with the at some fat loss).

Were you squatting before getting the press?

I've been thinking about a hack/press sled.

Back/neck issues are a factor in adding weight to my squats.
 
Were you squatting before getting the press?

I've been thinking about a hack/press sled.

Back/neck issues are a factor in adding weight to my squats.
Yes, religiously. Back/knee issues hold back my heavy squat days so that was a big reason for the press. I looked at the sled but the press was only a few hundred more and worth it (sled is good, my friend has one, but I like the press better).
 
Yes, religiously. Back/knee issues hold back my heavy squat days so that was a big reason for the press. I looked at the sled but the press was only a few hundred more and worth it (sled is good, my friend has one, but I like the press better).
I find those machines you bought are a far bigger killer on my lower back than the squats. That’s why I stay the eff away from them. Got high numbers but lower back suffered for weeks afterwards.

With the squat Im hitting much lower weights, but enjoy it and feel it better.
 

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