Work Out Wednesday - Dude, Do you Even Lift? Confirming Health Benefits
Mates,
Months ago we talked about how to cobb together workouts during the shut down. I think unfortunately some (most?) gyms in the state are still closed - maybe good for virus but not good for continuing health in other areas.
This article I'm linking talks about some pretty expansive studies that show the benefits of strength work, not just cardio. The strength work can be body-weight stuff (push-ups, pull-ups, etc), it doesn't have to be iron.
Some of their findings are here:
The first is an analysis of the link between strength, muscle mass, and mortality, from a team at Indiana University using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The design was pretty straightforward: They assessed 4,440 adults ages 50 or up who had their strength and muscle mass assessed between 1999 and 2002. The researchers checked back in 2011 to see who had died.
For muscle mass, they used a DEXA scanner to determine that 23 percent of the subjects met one definition of “low muscle mass,” with total muscle in the arms and legs adding up to less than 43.5 pounds in men or 33 pounds in women. For strength, they used a device that measures maximum force of the knee extensors (the muscles that allow you to straighten your knee) and found that 19 percent of the subjects had low muscle strength.
The results, published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, found that those with low muscle strength were more than twice as likely to have died during the follow-up period than those with normal muscle strength. In contrast, having low muscle mass didn’t seem to matter as much.
Another study from the same article here:
Researchers in Australia analyzed data from 80,000 adults in England and Scotland who completed surveys about their physical activity patterns starting in the 1990s. The headline result was that those who reported doing any strength training were 23 percent less likely to die during the study period and 31 percent less likely to die of cancer.
Link to article here: https://getpocket.com/explore/item/to-delay-death-lift-weights?utm_source=pocket-newtab
Today's questions:
1. Are you doing any weight work these days, and if not, will you try to get to it if/when gyms in your area open up?
2. I have maintained for years that your muscles are the greatest producers of anti-bodies to fight infections/viruses. Maybe that's an old wives tale but I will say I have been blessed with pretty good health (despite my dough boy physique). What do you think is/are the most important keys to maintaining your health in the face of flu, or more seriously, C-19?
Stay well,
XM
Well, it's been nice knowing you all.
not you, rgard?
At very least, you should try to get 9 holes in regularly. I haven't seen any public golf course rules saying that you can't.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PAqKCdwkg93H1lORUeuSy1eT-ijdky4w/view?usp=drivesdk
I just do the 19th.
"Here's looking at you, kid"
I recently put in a home gym as a result of the shutdown and all I think when I'm down there is why didn't I do this sooner. As I've gotten older I've been a much bigger fan of weight training. Stuff quits working when you get older if you don't keep working it. I still love riding my bike but I need to lift at least 3 days a week. As far as staying healthy, I take my vitamins, get my rest and hope for the best.
I ride my bike every day - but your post has inspired and/or shamed me into figuring out what I need to do to start lifting again. Really. The "stuff quits working" comment is spot on. In my experience, the body reacts best when you do an hour of lifting 3 times a week, regular cardio, and being conscious of your daily diet. Not sure of the science - but just doing the cardio and decent diet doesn't quite do it.
Thanks for the posts, OP and Swalburn.
I don't do any weight training either (maybe once or twice a month), but I still have 85 lbs of muscles mass, and that got me wondering, are my interval workouts roughly equal to leg press workout?
I did some straw man calculations based on my training with a power meter and power required to leg press 270 lbs 0.5m in 1 second (roughly what I would do for a leg workout). I found that when I'm cruising and doing a cardio workout I'll require about 200 watts, which would be equal to leg presses of 90 lbs. When I do intervals, I'll hold 500-600 watts for a minute, which would be equal to 225-270lbs leg press for one. For longer intervals of up to 20 minutes, I'll hold 320 watts or 145ish lbs.
I'm sure there's holes in this (like I could instead calculate actual force required for me to generate X watts on the bike, but that got complicated when gearing comes into play), but it tracks for what I think I'm capable of on leg press.
So it may be possible to get a strength workout in on the bike if you add in some high power intervals?
I've found pretty much nothing translates from cycling to weightlfifting except maybe core strength. I used to race a little bit and my best 20 min power was 370 and when I started going to the gym there were women that lifted and squatted more than me. It was humbling. I legitimately added some muscle on my frame (and weight) and it made cycling so much more miserable. It was way easier just focusing on one thing but I decided to be really medicre at both.
I guess my point is more that from a health benefit standpoint it’s probably not all about weight training as the OP implies. From the view of muscles, 250 lbs of force is the same regardless of what exercise you are doing. Weight training might be more efficient or effective at getting the muscles to that point because of the nature of the exercise.
370 is really good. What was your weight then? My best was 4.8 wt/kg for one hour. But that was 6 years and 45 pounds of fat ago.
I was 179 when I got 370 so I was always on the heavy side. Now I'm around 197 and cycling isn't near as fun. I needed at least 10 hours on the bike a week to be competitive in the Master's division. It is a great sport but I'm content just riding now and doing more lifting and other activities.
I haven't competed in anything other than golf in a few years (complete used loosely for golf). I'm 6'4" and the lightest I was 170-175lbs at the time of the 4.8 wt/kg. I tried to get to 165, but I felt awful for the two or three days I was below 170. I'm not sure my frame can handle being lighter.
At this point I like to be in good enough shape to keep up on group rides and not get dropped on climbs. That's been pretty hard lately as I was 240 lbs at the start of the year. I'm down to 215 now (and can still put out 320 FTP), but I'm really only trying to get to 180-190 rather than mash power.
XM, love you and your posts my man.
I have worked out for more than 25 years. Killing me that gyms not open here in NC. I have been trying to walk 4 miles a day 3 times a week. Also do 300 push-ups, shoulders and biceps (use 20 pound dumbbells) as well as plank. Not great, but have to do something.
Yes, XM is a great MGoBlogger.
Truer words ne'er were spoken. I basically only log in to see if XM has posted.
Not /s
thanks guys. will try to earn that praise.
I thought I'd fall apart once our gyms closed. I used the elliptical machines for my cardio and went to classes for most of my strength training. I was able to find strength training classes on YouTube. Since my body prevents me from running, I, too, started walking; 4-5 miles at least 5 times a week. When the gyms opened back up a couple weeks ago, I was stunned that I could resume my regular cardio workout without any degredation, in fact, I felt stronger. With all the restricitons currently in place at the gym (no locker room mainly), I'm wondering if the membership is even worth it. I'm sure I'll continue to enjoy my walks until the weather turns.
I am running as I diet and will likely continue to do so until I reach the lower end of the body weight I want, then I plan on getting into lifting. It's really not practical for me to get a home gym, so my plan is to really lean out with the time I can't lift.
Yes. But holy hell, the price of dumbbells these days. New steel dumbbells are typically around $1/lb, but individuals on LetGo, CraigsList, etc are now demanding ~$125 for a 55lb dumbbell.
Whoops. Intention was to replay to OP.
as XM pointed out, there are many strength training exercises one can do w/o the gym. push ups, tricep dips, calve raises, etc.
I have a power rack in my garage. Gyms have been closed in NJ since February. Gym in the garage has been great except for the heat wave we are going through. It’s hotter in the garage than outside but I’m still working out.
I had been doing yoga every day to maintain strength, flexibility, and balance. However, I pulled a muscle in my shoulder/neck area a few weeks ago and had to take time off to heal. In the meantime, it's been a lot of aerobic walking, though the decline in muscle tone and mass is noticeable.
I totally agree with you that strength training is vital for overall health and wellness. I haven't done any lifting in probably five years, but the muscle development was still there because of the yoga and other body weight exercises. Now that my muscles and connective tissues aren't as stiff and sore as they were for the past few weeks, I'll probably start getting back into yoga.
I was going to write this also, and wanted to see if anyone else beat me to it. I have found over the years that using weights does not really help me too much, but responds really well to natural body weight workouts. Pull ups, chin ups, dips, and the like do really well for me. Doing Yoga also seems to really help.
I also have been doing Yoga since January and have felt the most fit I have in a long time. It takes a while to get used to, but after a while it has really been a benefit for me. When some people talk about Yoga, they think about soccer moms and hippie guys, so I like to call what I do "Guy Yoga" because it is more of a workout.
For those who are interested, there is a guy on youtube named Sean Vigue and he has a lot of workout playlists for people at different levels of experience. It would be perfect for those who do not own weights, but still want a good workout. Best of all, it is also completely free.
I've been doing Yoga With Adriene on YouTube at my daughter's recommendation. I'm sure Sean is a great yoga instructor. But Adriene is also an actress (in no production you've ever heard of) so she's pretty hot.
I feel so dirty now.
That's weird. I hit <save> once, and got rewarded with two responses. Are the mods running a two-fer special?
BOGO! Or more appropriately, POGO!
Your comment was better the second time around.
I kind of thought so, too. It made me laugh. It made me cry.
I would highly recommend resistance training of some kind to anyone.
I have a home gym. Unfortunately right before lock down I hurt my damn shoulder and had to give up weight lifting entirely until late May. Since then I have stuck to leg exercises (e.g., front squats, Romanian dead lifts, kettle bell swings). I am almost to the point where I can do a bench press without pain.
I also try to get out every day and go for a walk with my wife before work. It has really helped with my mood.
Got sick of the gyms being closed so I built a gym in my basement. I have since been able to upgrade the weight plates, which is nice. still need to tweak a few things, want to redo the lat pulldown with a different design and need to get a horse stall mat to build a deadlift platform.
Impressive. Well done
Wow, that is legit impressive, well done. Just out of curiosity, how much was the material cost compared to purchasing something similar? Or did you go the do-it-yourself route to get exactly what you wanted and/or aesthetics.
Material cost was probably $300-$400. Didn't really keep track. To purchase one would have been anywhere from $500 to a $1000+ depending on how big you went. Probably wasn't that much in savings, especially when you take into consideration the man hours. But nothing was in stock so I couldn't just buy one even if I wanted to. Plus I'm still not working so it wasn't like I didn't have the time, and I DIY everything anyways so it was kind of a no brainer. Couldn't put it in my garage as that is my workshop. Currently working on some custom crown molding for the foyer.
Very awesome. Even if you could've purchased a similar rig at a similar cost, yours turned out really slick.
Looks great. Where do you store the cuffs, collars, chains and rope?
Dude this is incredible! I love the concrete weights.
Nerd warning: I'm a stress engineer so I have an abnormal interest in this. This looks great and is impressive from a build standpoint, but is it an approved design with reliable load limits? Racks are usually built out of steel for a reason (duh). Just wouldn't want to hear about you getting hurt using this.
I'm an engineering dropout so I didn't do any calculations, but I'm pretty sure it's overkill. Wood is incredibly strong and everything is held together with 3/4" ply gussets and 3/8" through bolts. This is not held together by a bunch of flimsy screws.
I can confirm that WichitanWolverine is indeed a nerd.
bluewolve02, outstanding work. love the concrete weights.
Into my mid 30's now.. have lifted pretty regularly all of my life. As I get older, I've placed more emphasis on higher reps and better form.. I don't need the beach muscle mass I used to have. Gyms are open in Ohio, so no biggie there.
As far as overall immune health, I'll parrot what Joe Rogan talks about quite a bit on his podcast. Sleep, eating a nutritious diet with vitamin supplements (esp. zinc, and vitamins C & D), and maintaining a healthy weight. Note... I'm pretty good at these about 4 days a week, the rest.... not so much.
Everyone is so focused on a vaccine, but while we wait for that (if it ever comes), there are plenty of things we call could be doing to bolster our immune health should we be unlucky enough to catch a virus.
I used to row in the gym. Have 5 million meters on my log sheet. I’m 86 so have already beaten the odds for a long life. I now walk 15 to 20 miles per week. Lost my appetite for very much red meat. Other than that I eat what I want drink a couple glasses of wine 4-5 days a week. Go to bed around mid-night and get up at 7:30 AM, but take an hours nap in the PM.
Take reasonable care of yourself but don’t be fanatic about exercise or diet. Relax, enjoy your family and your life it goes by damn fast.
Wow...good for you sir! I hope I'm still able to walk at 86, much less walking 15-20 miles a week.
I'm by no means a fanatic.. just try to skip the processed foods where I can, and get a good sweat going a few times a week. I need to work on the napping part, I've never really been able to nap. Cheers to a few drinks before bed.. for me it's the best way to unwind from the day.
Sounds like you've got it figured out, keep it up!
I’m on my bike right now during a Webex meeting, which is awesome.
I’ve been doing less weights at home since March but really doubtful that my wife and I return to the gym anytime soon (even though they’re open here). I used to stop at the gym on the way home from the office but now it just seems like an inconvenience when I’m getting similar results at home.
I have lost almost all of my muscle during this shutdown. I just cannot work out at home - i need the gym.
I have also gained 14 pounds. So do the math, gaining 14 pounds and losing a shit ton of muscle - i am in the worst shape of my life.
I feel like i cannot even internet bully you guys anymore because if you type to fast you will kick my ass now.
Please open the gyms back up! Please!
I have kept up with my strength training. The first 3 months consisted of body lifts and using one 40lbs kettlebell. Created 20-30 min circuits to maintain. When my gym opened a month (now closed), I noticed my strength was still the same.
XM: give this workout a try. Do 10 push-ups and 10 arm raises (no weights) and continue down to 1 rep for each.
we have what amounts to a pretty good set up in the basement and my lifting actually improved, body fat went down, got more sleep which made all the difference. on chest day we mix hundreds of push ups in between sets with the weights. probably 15-20 sets of each, weights and push ups. seems to work, keep the heart rate up.