Exercise before bed?
- Thread starter fermy88
- 36 comments
- 1,495 views
I never exercise in the evening - always before work or at lunchtime. I have enough trouble sleeping without raised metabolic levels to contend with.
My weekly regime is:
Sun - long run, 10-25km (depending on what I'm training for)
Mon - weights
Tue - treadmill hill running, 4-5km
Wed - treadmill hill running, 4-5km
Thu - treadmill hill running, 4-5km
Fri - weights
Sat - off (usually a round of golf)
I only do a simple weights routine to strengthen my trunk, bench press, lumbar raise, horizontal row, biceps and triceps (my only exercises for 'looks'), and 100 abs (either leg raises on the swiss ball, or the 'bicycle' one where you sit up and touch your elbow to your opposite knee, in a flowing pedalling motion).
My weekly regime is:
Sun - long run, 10-25km (depending on what I'm training for)
Mon - weights
Tue - treadmill hill running, 4-5km
Wed - treadmill hill running, 4-5km
Thu - treadmill hill running, 4-5km
Fri - weights
Sat - off (usually a round of golf)
I only do a simple weights routine to strengthen my trunk, bench press, lumbar raise, horizontal row, biceps and triceps (my only exercises for 'looks'), and 100 abs (either leg raises on the swiss ball, or the 'bicycle' one where you sit up and touch your elbow to your opposite knee, in a flowing pedalling motion).
Yup - resting heart is 46, body fat is coming down nicely (this is, at the end of the day, a project to get back into shape from 2 and a half years ago), and I've really slimmed down around the stomach area.
The strong abs are a huge help when I run - they stop me from slumping forward when I'm tired, I can almost 'lean' on them. Makes it a lost easier to maintain form.
I'm not really interested in muscle size, but tone is coming along quite nicely. It's working well. The good thing is because it's fairly intense it's no big deal to take a day off here or there.
The strong abs are a huge help when I run - they stop me from slumping forward when I'm tired, I can almost 'lean' on them. Makes it a lost easier to maintain form.
I'm not really interested in muscle size, but tone is coming along quite nicely. It's working well. The good thing is because it's fairly intense it's no big deal to take a day off here or there.
Originally posted by M5Power
Most likely you have to find an ol' captain's chair and bend over it or something.
Those Aussies...
Captain's Chair. Stand on chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body. Press your back against the pad and slowly lift knees towards your chest. Don't arch the back!
Sage
Staff Emeritus
- 12,533
- United States
- GTP_Sage
I just do whatever my Cross Country coach tells me to do! :smilewink
I'll note, however, that I don't excercise before bed... I usually do it in the morning, though I occasionally take recreational bike rides in the evening.
My Cross Country/Track routine consists of:
» Running anywhere between 3 - 7 miles per day, depending on terrain, day of week, etc.
» Some Ultimate Frisbee (and possibly Hockey next week)
» Lots of stretching (I'll describe them all if you wish)
» I did weight training for Track, but as of now, the coach is holding off on that for XC, though we may start up this week. I usually did 3 sets of 10 of everything... pushups, DB curls, some of the leg machines, and that annoying machine where you put your arms like this (the circle represents the head):
|_O_|
... and then you push the paddles foreward. Hurts like hell if you put too much weight on it.
» Then I bike occasionally... just to exercise some of my other muscles (since the leg muscles used for bicycling and the leg muscles used for running are often different).
I'll note, however, that I don't excercise before bed... I usually do it in the morning, though I occasionally take recreational bike rides in the evening.
My Cross Country/Track routine consists of:
» Running anywhere between 3 - 7 miles per day, depending on terrain, day of week, etc.
» Some Ultimate Frisbee (and possibly Hockey next week)
» Lots of stretching (I'll describe them all if you wish)
» I did weight training for Track, but as of now, the coach is holding off on that for XC, though we may start up this week. I usually did 3 sets of 10 of everything... pushups, DB curls, some of the leg machines, and that annoying machine where you put your arms like this (the circle represents the head):
|_O_|
... and then you push the paddles foreward. Hurts like hell if you put too much weight on it.
» Then I bike occasionally... just to exercise some of my other muscles (since the leg muscles used for bicycling and the leg muscles used for running are often different).
- 2,312
- Misnblu
- Misnblu
I have no choice but to work out at night. I dont have time in the am or lunch (work is 35 miles away), so I have no choice but at night.
I can feel what you say about the high metabolic rate after the workout and it has affected the sleep on occasions.
Its all good though, its the staying in shape that I like and for being 43 years old, am still in the same size pants as high school.
Staying healthy has been a life long goal and has worked for me many times over. Its nice to play sports with the young turks and keep up and surpass their expectations for an old man. :haha: 
If you do workout at night, give yourself at least a couple of hours for the metabolism to calm down and you should be ok.
Good luck.
[marquee]Misnblu[/marquee]
I can feel what you say about the high metabolic rate after the workout and it has affected the sleep on occasions.
Its all good though, its the staying in shape that I like and for being 43 years old, am still in the same size pants as high school.
Staying healthy has been a life long goal and has worked for me many times over. Its nice to play sports with the young turks and keep up and surpass their expectations for an old man. :haha:
If you do workout at night, give yourself at least a couple of hours for the metabolism to calm down and you should be ok.
Good luck.
[marquee]Misnblu[/marquee]
- 2,312
- Misnblu
- Misnblu
Fermy88, I cant post all of the things I do as I split the workout into two seperate workouts.
I concentrate on the upper body, chest, arms and back on one section and the other day I workout the legs and some arms too.
Its a routine Ive used for many years and has yielded some nice results for me.
Im not into gaining huge muscles, just staying in shape and going for the tone and health benefits.
It also helps to have a nice setup at the house to do most everything you can do at a gym. I still miss the gym though, there are some things you cant do at home you can do at the gym.
Good luck to you and your workout.
[marquee]Misnblu[/marquee]
I concentrate on the upper body, chest, arms and back on one section and the other day I workout the legs and some arms too.
Its a routine Ive used for many years and has yielded some nice results for me.
Im not into gaining huge muscles, just staying in shape and going for the tone and health benefits.
It also helps to have a nice setup at the house to do most everything you can do at a gym. I still miss the gym though, there are some things you cant do at home you can do at the gym.
Good luck to you and your workout.
[marquee]Misnblu[/marquee]
Max Powers
(Banned)
- 4,475
- XBL: MelBlount
- MelBlount
I have just started lifting recently (although I have been running for years) I mostly started it for some more upper body strength, I do it 5 nights a week
one night working my biceps, chest, and shoulders
and the next working my abs, back, and triceps
I have already begun to feel a difference at work and while playing hockey. Now I just need to get that 6 pack, chest, and bulging biceps before the beach next summer
one night working my biceps, chest, and shoulders
and the next working my abs, back, and triceps
I have already begun to feel a difference at work and while playing hockey. Now I just need to get that 6 pack, chest, and bulging biceps before the beach next summer
- 1,671
nah i use to have probs with my lower back, when i wa lil we moved a lot and when i say a lot, i mean from country to country, from city to city and from house to house, and my parents were divorced, so i was the only man in the family so i did most of the moving, and like all unexperienced kid i did all the work with my back, few months after i couldn't even walk, somehow it got pretty strong, and now i can lift stuff with no prob.
oh and i know u weren't being fecetious, i was just kidding
oh and i know u weren't being fecetious, i was just kidding
Okay, lie down on your back, with your hands holding the back of your head and your legs stretched out.
Bring your knees up, so that your thights are pointing vertically, and your knees are bent at 90 degrees so your calves are horizontal with the floor.
Using your abs, left your upper back off the floor. Try to focus on pressing your lower back into the floor.
Now, touch your right elbow (keeping your hands behind your head) to your left knee. Your elbow and knee will have to move together to touch, with the opposite elbow and knee moving apart. Then repeat for the other side - you should then get a flowing motion where your legs make this bicycle pedalling motion as you straighten and draw up each knee.
Probably not the best description, but that's what you get. Good luck.
Max Powers
(Banned)
- 4,475
- XBL: MelBlount
- MelBlount
That bicycle method is really good...I definately feel the burn doing that a lot quicker than I do while doing crunches
