HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: n9020351@henson.cc.wwu.edu (James Douglas Del-Vecchio)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Pyramids vs increasing weight, decreasing, etc.
Date: 15 Aug 92 19:21:55 GMT
Article-I.D.: henson.1992Aug15.192155.16485
Organization: Western Washington University


Pyramids vs increasing weight/reps, decreasing, etc.

I've used different methods of adjusting the weights for 
different exercises.   There seems to be no "best" way.
I just do one way until I get sick of it, then change.
Some exercises lend themselves to one way or another.

For pyramids, I use 5 sets, and I like to increase the top
set first, then the middle ones, and finaly all five have
moved up over three workouts.   I may not have such an intense
difference between the various levels of the pyramid as some
people, I don't know.




	For squats a pyramid of
170x15, 190x15, 215x15, 190x15, 170x15
	is typical of what I have been doing, but I plan to 
	do something along the lines of 
190x15, 215x15, 215x12, 215x9, 215x6,	(decending reps)
	next time, as I feel nothing but tedium from the last
	two sets.  I want to use 240, but not for a few weeks.
	For universal bench a descending pattern of 
140x13, 130x8, 120x4, 110x5, 100x7   (decending weight and reps)
	is typical, but I wonder if a higher start weight and
	a faster weight drop per set wouldn't be in order, as I
	tire very quickly and I barely even feel a 10lb drop per set
160x10, 140x7, 120x4, 110x5, 100x7
	I've been conservative on the weight because my elbow joints 
	used to hurt, but they don't seem to anymore.
	Leg curls at
70x12, 80x12, 90x10, 80x12, 70x12	(pyramid)
	have been very satisfactory, so I will keep the "pyramid"
	structure for now.   I used to go nowhere with leg curls,
	and I've gone from 5 sets of 15 with 40-50 lbs, to where I
	am now in a few months with the pyramid.   I feel that I
	will continue to improve quite a bit, as I am nowhere near
	the top of the machine.  I was told by a track coach that
	a "balanced leg" can curl half of what it does on the exentions.
	(at the time I was using 6-7x as much weight on the extentions.)
	No "balance" yet, but getting closer.
	Leg extention, the machine maxes out at 150(?) a weight that
	I can do 35 reps with and only get bored.   If I try the same
	weight with one leg, I can do 15-20 per set, but it bruises my
	shins terribly.   I have eliminated this exercise from my workout,
	as it seems pointless.

Enough rambling, I just did this to demonstrate my use of pyramids
vs decending weight, which are the two most common patterns for me.

If one or the other is more appropriate to particular exercises or
muscle groups, I'd sure like to know.

Any comments, suggestions, or shared workout patterns or tips are
certainly welcome.

Jim Del Vecchio
From: smay@hpdmd48.boi.hp.com (Scott Smay)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 15:24:46 GMT
Subject: Re: Rollerblades
Organization: Hewlett Packard - Boise, ID
Newsgroups: misc.fitness

Try rec.skate

cheers,
scott smay
From: dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Re: Chromium Polynicotinate or Picolinate
Date: 19 Aug 92 05:27:44 GMT
Article-I.D.: spdcc.1992Aug19.052744.9920
Organization: S.P. Dyer Computer Consulting, Cambridge MA

In article <1992Aug18.142341.19154@bwdls61.bnr.ca> mole@bnr.ca (Mark Asistores) writes:
>In a booklet I read on supplementation by Dr.  Fred  Hatfield  He
>states  that  Chromium Polynicotinate and not Chromium Picolinate
>has the best bioavailability.  He  says  that  because  of  that,
>Chromium  Polynicotinate is more expensive and thus products con-
>taining it are more  expensive  but  worth  it  the  good  doctor
>claims.
>
>I checked around and there are hardly any products with  Chromium
>Polynicotinate.   Also,  if  what  he  says  is true are we being
>ripped off by products containing Chromium Picolinate ?

Well, first, you could say that you're ripped off by any of these,
since they really don't do what they're heavily suggested to do,
and even what they're shown to do (i.e., improve the handling of glucose
and insulin) is a marginal effect which can't be consistently demon-
strated in humans, and which is hard to relate to any benefits in
most people.

On the other hand, chromium picolinate isn't very expensive.

Picolinic acid is simply a non-vitamin isomer of nicotinic acid.
I can't imagine there's much difference in "bioavailability" between
the two.

-- 
Steve Dyer
dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com aka {ima,harvard,rayssd,linus,m2c}!spdcc!dyer
From: jack@jato.jpl.nasa.gov (Jack Kobzeff)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Re: Life Cycle comments wanted - oops, make that Life Circuit
Date: 21 Aug 92 23:49:03 GMT
Followup-To: misc.fitness
Organization: Jet Propulsion Lab

In article <1992Aug20.194920.6094@sco.com>, evanh@sco.COM (Evan Hunt)
wrote:
> 
> 
> SSDC2@BROWNVM.BROWN.EDU (J Green) writes:
> <>From: evanh@sco.COM (Evan Hunt)

> >Life Circuit is a line of weight machines that are/were initially only
> >available at Holiday Health clubs. i tried them a few times and they
> >are WONDERFUL machines. some of the most adjustable machines i've used!!

I just used these for the first time a couple of days ago, and was
moderatly impressed. The machines do bump up your negative rep weights, and
they do try to 'stretch' your flexability. I was only uncomfortable with
the 'stressing the flexability' once. (Could have been due to incorrect
setup.) These machines ask you to 'do a sample 'easy' rep' as part of a
setup, then vary the weight used for a 12 rep set. The first few reps have
increasing weight, the middle are at 'your max', and the last few are
deceasing weight. Most of the machines seemed to bump up the negative
'pounds' by about a third. After a couple of sets on the Life Circuit, I
was sore in a couple of places I'm not normally sore in after a workout. 

Does anyone know what mechanism is used for resistance in these machines?

Jack Kobzeff     (jack@jato.jpl.nasa.gov)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
From: stark@dwovax.enet.dec.com (Todd I. Stark)
Subject: Re: suggested books/exercises for ab work?
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 14 AUG 92 11:13:18    


ecurtis@orion.oac.uci.edu (Evans Curtis) writes...

>>>
Todd>>>Another traditional ab exercise from boxing is leg throw downs,
>>>
>>
Dave>>Your phrase "potentially dangerous for your back" is a dangerous case of
Dave>>understatement!  I most sincerely hope noone runs to the gym to try this
>>
> 
Evans>I cannot stress enough how delicate one's lower back is.  At one point or 
Evans>another I've done all these exercises, yet what threw out MY back was 
Evans>reaching over and lifting about 25 lbs. around this time I was squatting 
Evans>about 365 Lbs. (I weigh 175).  I thought I had a 'strong' back.  It seems to
Evans>me that once you screw up your back, it stays with you forever.
> 
Evans>Dave, if one shouldn't do leg raises, what CAN one do to strenghten a lower
Evans>back?  Anything in Ironman about that?  

The tensions in the back are so tricky.  Problems can seemingly come out
of nowhere, you can deadlift 700 lbs one day and then screw up your lower
back picking up a 10 lb infant !

I had some disabling lower back problems a few years ago, *spasms* rather
than lumbar joint or muscle tear problems.  It was mainly when I had gotten 
somewhat overweight for a period and was under unusual job stress.  My 
recovery program involved some of the stretches in Bob Anderson's _Stretching_ 
book, some changes in lifting technique and daily sitting posture, and just a 
general awareness of when I felt strain in that area.  

I think the last part was the most important
factor, sensing when something was causing a problem myself, more than
relying on other people's rules of thumb.  Previously, I'd feel strain there
and ignore it or work through it.  Now I just stop when I feel strain in
potentially vulnerable joints.  I do hyperextensions and some
other exercises for the lower back, but nothing heavy, and I stop training
if I feel any unusual strain there (or in other joints that are commonly sources
of problems for other people, like knees and ankles).  I've been able to
do some pretty intense training without further injury by using that approach.  
It's largely a matter of self-learning, rather than a magic list of exercises,
though, I think.   I discovered the same thing about stretching and flexibility
training, it was something like 80% a matter of learning to sense the tension 
level in my own muscles while stretching, and to relax them at will, and only
about 20% a matter of what stretch I was doing (with a few exceptions for some
that *never* felt right).  

I've never been able to deadlift heavy, or do 'good mornings' and other back 
training that some people seem to consider basic, yet I can safely do some 
'kinky' exercises that people who are far far stronger can't imagine being 
able to do.  There's a lot more to it than a few rules of thumb, there's
a large matter of learning new subtle skills for training yourself.

							kind regards,

							todd
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
From: lmiller@heineken.tuc.nrao.edu (Luther Miller)
Subject: Re: I WAS ON ABC W/ADAM FOR TWO MIN
Organization: National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Tucson Az.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 14:51:17 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.180237.3576@spcvxb.spc.edu> 8schutting_r@spcvxb.spc.edu writes:
>why does adam always have to put at the end of every message that he's a power
>lifter and arm wrestler? is this official designated title bestowed on him by
>the univ. of maryland president?

Yeah! Lets see some references to prove this, Adam!!

>BS in powerlifting & arm wrestling. don't worry about getting an education adam
>pro arm wrestling is going to be on american gladiators. maybe you'll finally 
>be able to do something with that degree.
>
>i eventually lifted the 100lbs. off of adam's chest with one arm then impressed
>the audience by doing a one arm curl. adam then asked me for advice on how to 
>lift!!!!
>bob

Luther
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
From: stark@dwovax.enet.dec.com (Todd I. Stark)
Subject: Re: Body Fat % measured...
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: 14 AUG 92 10:49:20    


cline+@cs.cmu.edu (Kenneth Cline) writes...
> 
>I don't mean to pick on Richard, but I question the notion that
>densitometry is necessarily more accurate than other method of body
>composition determination.  
[etc.]

Wow, there's a lot to this.  I guess the only sure way is to dissect the
individual, render their parts, and do a spectrographic analysis of the
resulting goo.  

Sounds expensive, though.  :-)
From: m23364@mwunix (James Meritt)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: USENET groups?
Date: 20 Aug 92 18:52:12 GMT
Organization: MITRE Corporation, McLean VA


What USENET groups are informative on this general topic?  I have found
misc.fitness (of course), rec.running, bit.listserv.sportpsy, rec.martial-arts.
Are there others?  If so, what?

Thanks!

Jim


--
James W. Meritt:  m23364@mwunix.mitre.org - or - jmeritt@rod.mitre.org
The opinions above are mine.  If anyone else wants to share them, fine.
They may say so if they wish. The facts "belong" to noone and simply are.
From: silver@macbeth.umd.edu (Adam Silver)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Re: The performance tables
Date: 17 Aug 92 20:48:40 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland

In article <Aug.15.20.47.05.1992.24837@remus.rutgers.edu> clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long) writes:

>I don't have much vascularity in my arms now.  I have some in the
>forearms, but that's about it.  I train heavy, with few sets and
>exercises.  This is great for muscle growth, but not for vascularity.
>You do lots of sets/exercises, right?  I do 8 sets for biceps,
>how much have you been doing?

I do 5 sets of straight bar curls including my warm-up set.  Then I do 4 sets
of alternating dumbbell curls.  I then do 3 or 4 sets of hammer curls and do
3 sets of concentration curls.

>When I drop down to 220 from 240 and switch to doing more sets and
>exercises together with more aerobics, they should start appearing.
>Are you doing any aerobics, Adam?  What's your rest pulse like?  I
>measured mine last week at 54.

I'm not doing any aerobics, but my workouts are fairly intense.  I definitely
need to start the aerobics to drop the fat around my waist.  It's just about
gone from everywhere else.  My resting pulse is around 75.  Yikes!

							-Adam

-- 
     **********************************************************************
     *               Adam Silver    Powerlifter/Armwrestler               *
     *           silver@umd5.umd.edu    University of Maryland            *
     **********************************************************************
From: becker@edwards-vax.af.mil
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Re: Fitness Thoughts
Date: 17 Aug 92 08:03:44 -0800
Organization: IFAST - EDWARDS Air Force Base

>From: whare@ac.dal.ca  writes.....

>	O.K. Right now I'm trying to get off that half inch ( closer
>to an inch ) of fat around my waist. I right now do about forty min-
>utes on a bicycle called the windracer or forty minutes on a stair 
>climber or Concept 2 rowing machine. I usually four or five of these
>aerobic workouts a week plus weights.

You do realize that for burning FAT you must find your target heart
rate and keep it at that rate for 20 minutes before your body begins
to burn fat?  THat is why it is good to do a 40 minute aerobic workout
twice a day....gives you the best results.  Many people work up to
one hour at a time.  The heart rate is the key here, remember that.

>	Well my question is whether since the legs is the predominant
>part of the body used in these workouts will it still burn off the fat
>around my waist? ( I have virtually no fat around my legs ).

Yes, fat burns throughout the whole body.  It is not isolated to one 
area.

>	Also, does lifting weights at least encourage fat reduction
>in the muscle group being worked on?

Lifting weights, according to how much weight you are pumping and how
many reps etc encourges muscle toning, and/or building mass!

>	Plus I've just had three hamburgers at Mcdonald's plus a large
>fries and a coke and frankly I'm a bit worried I've ruined a lot of 
>the aerobics I've been doing. Well, how much does fast foods set back 
>your training.Keep in mind, even though I'm fourteen I'd like to be in 

You are fourteen years old.  I think it is wonderful that you are so
aware of your body and what goes into it!  But please keep in mind
that your body needs fats etc to grow and build.  Alot of us older
folks on the net don't need what a growing, maturing body needs.  You
should keep in contact with a Doctor. A Doctor that specializes in
sports.  He will be able to keep you going in the right direction, help
you keep in balance.  

I'd like to maybe ease your mind about something.  I eat whatever I want
because I keep close tabs on my system and whats going on and change my
routines accordingly.  I work out 5 days a week, aerobics (stairmaster to
be specific) 1 hour a day.  I lost weight this way and maintain this way.
Now, I don't eat JUNK food very often at all....doesn't taste good anymore.
But if you do, don't flip out over it.  You'll be fine.  If you start
doing it everyday, well then there may be a problem. :-)

Newsgroups: misc.fitness
From: chaos@zeus.tamu.edu (Kimberly Diane Faircloth)
Subject: Re: Best thing to do
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 13:50:00 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.182317.89864@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu>, gb03@ns1.cc.lehigh.edu (GEORGE PHILIP BLUHM) writes...
>In article <#g+y3ag@rpi.edu>, willic6@vccsouth16.its.rpi.edu (Charles Williams)
>writes:
>>What is the best thing to do to remove excess fat from the abdominal area?
>>I've heard that situps do not do the trick... I'd prefer a method that does
>>not require weights, not going to a gym.
>>
>>Thanks
>>
>DIET!!!!!!!
> 
>George

	Why does everyone use the word 'diet' in this manner?  No wonder
	it carries such bad connotations.  For the longest time I thought	
	the word meant to cut down on what you eat, ie. starve; when 
	actually it refers to the eating habits and  that food included,
	ie. everyone is on a diet.  

	For the man with the desire to get rid of the spare tire...
	CHANGE your EATING HABITS...eat less fat and more complex
	carbohydrates(veggies, rice,etc.) and do some aerobic exercise.  
	I don't know if this is strictly a characteristic with females, 
	but that's (and my breasts) the first place I start losing weight 
	when I do this.

	
Kimberly Faircloth             |   x045kf@tamvm1.tamu.edu
Users Consultant               |   k1f8236@zeus.tamu.edu
Texas A&M University           |   chaos@zeus.tamu.edu
(409) 845-8956                 |

"But Soft!  What rock through yonder window breaks? It is a brick!              
           and Juliet is out cold..."
From: jimj@cleanplate.EBay.Sun.COM (James D. Jones)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Re: Don't do leglifts (was Re: suggested books/exercises for ab work?)
Date: 13 Aug 1992 18:52:16 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: cleanplate.ebay.sun.com

In article <1992Aug13.151849.9000@mailhost.aa.cad.slb.com> wilson@mailhost.aa.cad.slb.com (David Wilson) writes:
<The sports medicine column in Iron Man has addressed abdominal training
<three times in the last two years or so.  The latest announced some
<research that had come up with a variation on the crunch that truly
<prevents involvement of the muscles that rotate the hips (the hip flexors)
<and pull on the lumbar vertebrae in the process.
<
<One of the earlier columns was very specific on the fact that leglifts
<in particular, and any excercises that depend on the same muscles,
<are to be avoided.  Unless you are a gymnast you don't need great
<strength in those muscles anyway.  The author said their clinic has
<never seen a gymnast who DIDN'T have serious lowback pain.  He described
<a case involving a female sprinter who was doing leglifts to, she thought,
<strengthen muscles she needed to set better times.  After getting her to
<quit the leglifts, her back pain was resolved, and she proceeded to set
<new personal bests.

Well, I stopped doing twists some time ago on a chiropractor's advice,
but I didn't know that leg lifts were bad.  Since I don't get Ironman
and have no way to get back issues, can you tell me how to do this 
non-toxic crunch of theirs?

Thanks,

Jim Jones
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
From: robin@cs.columbia.edu (Jacques Robin)
Subject: Olympic lifting questions
Organization: Columbia University Department of Computer Science
Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1992 18:01:17 GMT


Does anyone on this net know the answer to the following questions:

1/ What are the height and weight of Olympic medalists Alexandr Kurlovich
and Leonid Taranenko? 

2/ If there was a "freestyle" lifting event in the Olympics would all the 
competitors use the clean & jerk or is there some non-olympic lifting
technique that allows to lift heavier charges ?


Thanks in advance, cheers,


Jacques.
From: clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Re: The performance tables
Date: 14 Aug 92 11:00:12 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <14959@umd5.umd.edu>, Adam Silver writes:

> I don't know if you're joking or not, but I'm getting pissed now.  Chris, my
> bodyweight with just underwear on is 158 pounds (on a highly accurate and
> expensive electronic scale that is extremely well calibrated).

Is this how you lift?  Doesn't anyone make fun of you?  Oh, I see,
you're so strong they're scared to.

Oh, c'mon Adam, you love being picked on.  Confess.

> I'm benching 315 for 2 perfect reps on my 4th set.  I'll estimate my one-rep
> maximum (with no pre-exhausting sets) to be about 330.  This is a pretty safe
> guess.

That's great for your bodyweight.  How are your arms doing?  I'm using
2" diameter 75-pound dumbbells for my concentration curls now.  I'm
making progress towards 18" arms and a 50" chest, it looks like
both are possible goals.

Btw, will you be competing in the arm-wrestling tourney at the
Trenton State Fair again this year?  They sent me a flyer (I guess
they were impressed with how quickly I went 0-2 last year).  Also,
I'm still looking for that arm-wrestling magazine subscription
information (from what I recall, it tends to have lots of good
stuff on forearm training).  You might want to post it, since
I'm sure others would be interested, too.
-- 
Chris Long, 265 Old York Rd., Bridgewater, NJ  08807-2618

"In a study of schoolboys, an educator discovered a correlation between size
 of feet and quality of handwriting.  The boys with the larger feet were,
 on the average, older."        Wallis & Roberts, _The Nature of Statistics_
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
From: muchor@zow12.desy.de (Krzys Muchorowski (Warsaw))
Subject: Re: What's the deal with those carbohydrates
Reply-To: muchor@vax58b.desy.de
Organization: DESY
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 12:46:39 GMT

I might have missed that, but what is the difference between the
complex and simple carbohydrates ? I mean, the difference not between
the chemical bonds or whatever, but rather why our body reacts in
a different way and thus it is better to fuel a body for a workout
with complex carbos ?
   Krzys
From: clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long)
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: Re: The performance tables
Date: 16 Aug 92 00:47:05 GMT
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.

In article <15001@umd5.umd.edu>, Adam Silver writes:

> Well, I'm curling 115x5.  I don't do concentration curls until the end of
> my workout, but I'll try some heavy ones to see how I do.  My arms
> are 15", but with very little fat on my arms.  They are VERY vascular.  I
> have lots of veins.  How about you? (Be honest, now)

I don't have much vascularity in my arms now.  I have some in the
forearms, but that's about it.  I train heavy, with few sets and
exercises.  This is great for muscle growth, but not for vascularity.
You do lots of sets/exercises, right?  I do 8 sets for biceps,
how much have you been doing?

When I drop down to 220 from 240 and switch to doing more sets and
exercises together with more aerobics, they should start appearing.
Are you doing any aerobics, Adam?  What's your rest pulse like?  I
measured mine last week at 54.
-- 
Chris Long, 265 Old York Rd., Bridgewater, NJ  08807-2618

"In a study of schoolboys, an educator discovered a correlation between size
 of feet and quality of handwriting.  The boys with the larger feet were,
 on the average, older."        Wallis & Roberts, _The Nature of Statistics_
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
From: vxv4@po.CWRU.Edu (Virgilio Velasco)
Subject: Re: Favorite Foods
Reply-To: vxv4@po.CWRU.Edu (Virgilio Velasco)
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 92 23:52:05 GMT


In a previous article, stgprao@st.unocal.COM (Richard Ottolini) says:

>In article <Aug.19.22.24.08.1992.7867@remus.rutgers.edu> clong@remus.rutgers.edu (Chris Long) writes:
>>
>>What type of healthy food do you really like?  I'm very fond of
>>yogurt; my one-day record is over 100 ounces (really!).  I
>>also like low-fat cottage cheese, and I regularly eat 24 ounces
>>of it at one sitting.  I've been known to eat lots of rice, also.
>
>The "health" of yorgurt is a marketing myth.
>It is more or less equivalent to milk except for the brands that add tons
>of sugar to make it taste sweet.

	Not quite.  There is evidence that the bacilli in yogurt (regular,
not frozen!) fight the nasty bacteria in your intestines.  In fact,
Prevention magazine recently ranked plain nonfat yogurt (presumably the
unsweetened kind) just above skim milk in terms of nutritive value,
making it the most nutritious dairy product available.

	Frozen yogurt, unfortunately, doesn't have all the benefits of
the regular stuff.

 
-- 
Virgilio "Dean" Velasco Jr., grad student & roboticist-in-training, CWRU

"If God does not judge the United States, then He owes |    My boss is a 
 an apology to Sodom and Gomorrah."   - Billy Graham   |  Jewish carpenter.