Richard Askew

Any ideas from the lettuce munching fit types on here how to improve CV/aerobic fitness fairly quickly? I have good strength ie can bench press quite a good weight over a lot of reps but I need to improve aerobic fitness within the next 6 weeks.
I am 25/ 6ft2/ 15 stone/ light drinker now (am reformed alcohol dependant) but I smoke quite a bit 20-30 a day. Obviously **** will be the first to go but then whats the next step without giving me a heart attack or my lungs leaving my body? Run, swim?
Please help - a new job may depend on it

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

You can't beat running in my experiance.........but I hate doing it!

PG

cycling, running or swimming
or alternate between them so you dont get bored of one of them.

scoobydooooo

cycling , great for it , i find running too hard on my football incurred injuries now i'm past it !!

ozzy

Jog more like; you'll probably have a heart attack if you run

Running is the best but can be sore on the legs if you're not used to it and it's the most susceptable to injury.

Cycling's the next best thing and swimming's good, especially if you have a bad technique as that'll make you work harder. These will work your heart and lungs with less impact on your body.

Running is still the best (IMHO) for giving you an overall body workout.

If you do try running keep off the hard stuff, local parks or football fields are best on the legs.

If it were me, I'd start jogging 3 times per week (Mon, Wed & Fri) around a local park for around 20mins.

On Tue & Thu, I'd go for a 30min cycle or a 20min swim.

I'd also do some general conditioning work, like press-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc. but you might want to miss that if you're lifting weights regularly.

Do thes regularly for at least 2 weeks, then every subsequent 2-weeks add 5-10mins for each run, ride or swim.

If you do increase things after 2 weeks, make sure it's just one thing. e.g. just the time, or just distance (say an extra 1/2 mile) or the speed you jog, run, cycle or swim at. If you change too many things at once you can start picking up injuries.

Having said all that, you're young and if reasonably fit, then just go with something you feel is pushing you forward and don't worry too much about overdoing it. If you find a 20min run too easy, then pick up the pace or run the extra couple of miles if you feel good.

After 3 weeks of regular running, you could try doing some interval training. The steady jogging builds your core CV system, but to increase the efficiency of your bodies ability to uptake oxygen (referred to as V02 max) and use it in the muscles you need to do short, high-burts of exercise with some rest in between.

A good example would be too sprint 3 times around a football pitch, but rest for 2 minutes between each lap. If you're struggling with a full lap, try 3/4 or 1/2. It's not how much you're doing that counts (in the beginning), but that you're working your heart & lungs hard in small dozes that counts.

Stefan

Disclaimer: If you've not exercised in a while and have been a heavy smoker I'd go and get the all-clear from your doc first.

WRX Wannabe

You could try Badminton or Squash

But the normal cycling/running/swimming are very good

scoob_babe

Askew minus the cigs
do you have a gym/sports centre that could help out with a tailored program?

P1Fanatic

Squash is a killer if you play it at a decent pace. Id say swimming would be the easiest to get into but at the same time you have to push yourself harder to get any real CV benefit. The number of people you see at pools swimming slower than a floating t*rd thinking they are super fit cos they swim once a week.

Set an amount of time e.g. 30 mins twice or three times a week and then gradually increase it to do more lengths per session so it gets harder.

As the others said, swimming has the least chance of injury too.

Simon.

scoob_babe

P1 - its the women that go swimming fully plastered in make-up trying not to get their face/hair wet that usually think they're the super-fit ones round our way!!!!!!!
I take great delight in kicking up as much spray as possible when I get fed up with them

Richard Askew

Cheers guys - running *may* be an option but I mullered both ankles playing rugby for county schools about 9 years ago so I have to be careful. Cycling wont happen whilst I'm living in London and my 2grand mountain bike lives in Worcester So it looks like swimming, weight lifting, and circuit training it is then..

Jonto

I play squash in northwest counties league 2. TBH you have to be fit to play squash as opposed to play squash to get fit.

I don't run, it destroys your knees. I row alot, good for arms and legs aswell as for CV. Lets face it if you are doin alot of CV exercise you are using your arms and legs anyway. Cycling is good too, as is swimming !

But just hit the rowers like me !

fatherpierre

Circuit training for the ultimate mixture of muscle groups excercised and good CV fitness building.

Rowing machines are pretty good too.

P1Fanatic

I would say Squash has to be up there for running in terms of stress on your body. The constant changing of directions does your joints no good at all. That said better players should be running around less.

And I agree - you should be fit before even contemplating playing squash. I recall seeing some stats that said it was in the top 3 of sports that can trigger heart and other issues in joe average. Mainly cos lots of office workers jump straight on the court with no warmup and then proceed to chase the ball around like a madmen and nearly killing themselves.

Simon.

Jonto

Dominate the "T" then you don't really need to run as much easier said than done !

Good point though about warm downs. Do a proper one and you won't ache in the morning. I read somewhere that somebody did a survey on sports players heart rates, and you as a general rule achieve the highest heart playing squash than any of sport.

Just for the record, i am and 5'9" and weight 11 stone, and i eat and drink what i want Thats what playing squash 4/5 times a week does for you !

stevebt

iTrader: (8)

best for cv quickly is measure out a 3mile stretch run the distance to a time and beat it every time you run, but youll have to run in a realistic time under 18mins not walking as there will be no gain, do this 5 times a week and within 6 weeks you should see a big difference

fatherpierre

6 minute miles over 3 miles is very hard to do unless you're very fit and built for it.

8 minute miles are far more realistic. Assuming you can complete that distance, which most people won't be able to.

Squizz

HA!

Old age creeping up on you Rich?!

I'm getting stuck in to some decent CV training at the gym, now that my heart scare has been given the all-clear.

Good luck, mate.

mel

I'm willing to join you on this one Rich, i need to get some exercise in too.

Swimming is certainly one of my favourites, i used to do the early bird at 7am every tues and thurs morning (can't believe that now) but i'd love to get back into that because i used to feel great.


PS Drink more water!!!

ozzy

6min/mile, LOL. I think Steve needs a reality check

That's fine if you're very fit and have been running for donkeys. If you've not run in years, your body just won't be ready for running, let alone at that pace.

For anyone who thinks they are reasonably fit, try setting a treadmill to 10mph and running for a full 18mins at that level and see how you get on.

Stefan

daiscooby

Swimming is the best

Squizz

Rich - If you are near a gym, go and use one of those Cross-Trainer machines.

They simulate cross-country skiing. The benefit of using this instead of running is that they are a non-impact exercise and shouldn't hammer your (dodgy) ankles and kness anywhere near as much.

C

Chris B - Squash tips

I took it up as a 12 year old (odd sport to take up) & by the time I was 15 was in the National squad for under 16's. Its a bloody hard hard game, I thankfully am pretty blessed in that regard, good hand/eye co-ordination, always been able to pick up racket sports easily Went on from there to play for England in the Junior world championships, won the team event once & got to semi's of the individual once as well. Top 5 national ranking, top five European, & top 10 world

then I hit 19 & the world of fast cars, legal beer & fast women made me give it all up!!!

Didnt play for 3 years as I was sick to the eyeballs of a squash court, & all the associated training as you have to be the ultimate athlete in my eyes, you need the long term cardiovascular endurance & also the ability to recover from incrediably strenuous bursts in a rally.

No1 tip for me other than being able to hit the ball, would be to learn to move properly around a court. You will need coaching for this to learn the art of "ghosting" (playing without a ball to perfect your movement) as you will then become economical with you energy useable & it will all become second nature to you

Ther are only 6 or 8 main points on a court you ghost to, as these are the main places the ball goes if you play to any sort of standard, obviously there are exceptions to the rule for loose shots etc but when you are confident in your ability to move, then you will be confident in your ability to adapt to other situations

Other than that my advice would be to learn to volley & as per usual dominate the T & make the opponent do the running.

Never go for an outright winner off the 1st loose shot, play a "working" shot which will force your opponent into playing an even weaker return, thus opening the court up even more for an even easier winner.

When you get tired, push through it - you game WILL go to rat pooh, you will try unlikely winners as sometimes you feel like you are about to die, but try not to - rally down the walls with nice tight drives & be economical again, your breath will come back to you if you push.

Other than that I dont know - these are just a small percentage of the things I was taught as a junior to get me to the level I was at. But then im not the best person to play against as I would class myself as having "more flair" (not in a big headed way) on court than most, as im prepared to take the risks on the big shots, with deception etc where some people youlay are more "machine like" & all the do is drive the ball up & down the walls all day long - which is far too boring for me

Hope that helps - there is plenty more where that came from if need be lol

jjones

best ploy for the rags to riches VC fitness quickly is to go on a strict masturbation plan.

subscibe to television x or similar.

make sure fluid intake is high or else you can have trouble with dehydration.

SteveV-WRX

Rich

cant beat swimming for CV fitness, have a read through some of the posts on here!

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadID=225219

Steve

[Edited by SteveV-WRX - 7/9/2003 4:55:38 PM]

super_si

weighted step up's for endurance

[Edited by super_si - 7/9/2003 5:31:30 PM]

ChrisB

Any chance of some tips Jonto? I play my Sis occasionaly at Tollgate and I suck It's a good laugh though.

My suggestion would include a Spinning class. Some good choonage and a decent instructor will have you blowing like Ivor the Engine. I've been spinning once a week (along with other CV & Weights) and I still leave the class looking like I've showered in my shorts + T.

[Edited by ChrisB - 7/10/2003 12:02:21 AM]