Cardio

[ProxyAmenRa]

I want to join a speedball (paintball) team. To do this I need to work on my cardio. I have started running for an hour every day, the usual 100 sit ups, 20 or so push ups and 20 or so pull ups. (my upper body strength is bad)

Does anyone recommend anything else I can do?

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Keep running, and stop counting everything else. Counting makes it easy to track your progress in an excel graph, but you're more apt to cheat if you're counting. Work on one muscle group a day to the point where you can no longer continue, i.e. if you're doing bicep curls, do them until you can't move your arms (and then rest for 10 minutes and repeat until you really can't move your arms). Let that muscle group rest for 2-3 days while you work on other areas, then repeat. On that note, you should do bicep/tricep curls. Helps you climb stuff.

Push ups... I'm not sure how much developing your chest will help in paintball, but it's probably worth it.

I would ditch the sit-ups for this:

Spoiler

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fU_8kJeXeE

To summarize: day 1=bicep+tricep curls, day 2=core+abs, day 3/4=running+pull ups+push ups

And then of course you should be reinforcing all of this with a high protein diet, etc., but that's another can of worms.

 

[Cogwulf]

Keep running, and stop counting everything else. Counting makes it easy to track your progress in an excel graph, but you're more apt to cheat if you're counting. Work on one muscle group a day to the point where you can no longer continue, i.e. if you're doing bicep curls, do them until you can't move your arms (and then rest for 10 minutes and repeat until you really can't move your arms). Let that muscle group rest for 2-3 days while you work on other areas, then repeat. On that note, you should do bicep/tricep curls. Helps you climb stuff.

I would add that for muscle building the recommended method is usually to do 8 reps, rest, then another 8, and so on until you can't do any more. And if you rest for more than a few minutes then healing kicks in and when you do more you will not get anything else out of it.
You will not get huge muscles just lifting your own weight, if you keep up a routine like this you will very quickly start getting less and less out of each session, but it will achieve a better balance between strength and endurance for what you want to do than if you started lifting weights.

Finally there's no substitute for prolonged exercise for teaching the body to efficiently deal with lactic acid, for this I suggest strenuous swimming or better yet something like a rowing machine, you want to maintain as much intensity as you can for as long as you can.

Cross trainers are far better for cardio, they work the entire body more efficiently than rowing machines, and I find I can keep up the same level of activity for much longer on cross trainers because they put much less strain on the back.

Rowing machines put most of the load of your quadriceps, biceps, shoulders and back. Cross trainers work both the front and back of your thighs, the glutes, much of the arm and shoulders, and even the core muscles and lower legs to some extent.

 

[Jah]

HIIT sprints. (Tabata or similar protocol)

That should be all if your goal is improved stamina.


e.g. Tabata;
Sprint, full out, for 20 seconds,
then jog/walk for 10 seconds.
Sprint 20 seconds,
jog/walk for 10.

repeat this for 8 cycles.
And when I say Full out, you literally want to push it as hard as you can.
And no cheating on the time.


of course the time-signatures can be altered to suit your needs, so if you would usually need to sprint for 30 seconds during speedball, then use that as your interval and extend the "rest" intervals by a little as well (maybe up them to 15 seconds).
But once you've decided on time-signatures for the work-out, stick to them even if it means running till you feel faint.

This workout should take you something like 10 minutes, but is among the most effective exercises you can do. (also it is scientifically proven to be at least as effective as tediously running for 1-2 hours at lower intensity. (jogging etc.))



I'll see if I can't dig out those articles comparing the two.

 

[Jah]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8897392

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/what-are-tabata-sprints/#axzz1n2PGOYTI



oh, and there seems to be a lot of confusion online about Tabata, but every single one the intervals are to be performed at Maximum effort.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

HIIT sprints. (Tabata or similar protocol)

That should be all if your goal is improved stamina.


e.g. Tabata;
Sprint, full out, for 20 seconds,
then jog/walk for 10 seconds.
Sprint 20 seconds,
jog/walk for 10.

repeat this for 8 cycles.
And when I say Full out, you literally want to push it as hard as you can.
And no cheating on the time.


of course the time-signatures can be altered to suit your needs, so if you would usually need to sprint for 30 seconds during speedball, then use that as your interval and extend the "rest" intervals by a little as well (maybe up them to 15 seconds).
But once you've decided on time-signatures for the work-out, stick to them even if it means running till you feel faint.

This workout should take you something like 10 minutes, but is among the most effective exercises you can do. (also it is scientifically proven to be at least as effective as tediously running for 1-2 hours at lower intensity. (jogging etc.))



I'll see if I can't dig out those articles comparing the two.

I was doing this for a while but I kept on pulling my muscles.

 

[sammael]

Keep running, and stop counting everything else. Counting makes it easy to track your progress in an excel graph, but you're more apt to cheat if you're counting. Work on one muscle group a day to the point where you can no longer continue, i.e. if you're doing bicep curls, do them until you can't move your arms (and then rest for 10 minutes and repeat until you really can't move your arms). Let that muscle group rest for 2-3 days while you work on other areas, then repeat.

You have to keep track of what is being done somehow, if not rep counting some other method needs to be employed, such as a timeframe for each set/exercise. How can you consistently and reliably progressively overload the muscles if you have no idea what you are doing? Also, 10 minute rests? What exactly is meant to be achieved? The muscles would long since have recovered in 10 minutes, which would make doing more than one set all but pointless.

On that note, you should do bicep/tricep curls. Helps you climb stuff.

Push ups... I'm not sure how much developing your chest will help in paintball, but it's probably worth it.

To summarize: day 1=bicep+tricep curls, day 2=core+abs, day 3/4=running+pull ups+push ups

Isolation exercises (single joint/muscle group) such as bicep/tricep curls/extensions should only be used for specific purposes, like rehab, injury prevention, sport specific training, or when training is specifically size related. Functionally, for what Proxy is doing they would be a waste of time. Compound movements like pushups and pullups are much closer to real life activities such as climbing and will work the biceps and triceps all that is necessary.

I would perhaps suggest doing the pushups and pullups in sets, say three sets at 60-80% volume of what can be done in one i.e. if 20 pushups can be done in one set do 12-16 per set in three sets with about one minute rest in between. The muscles are worked harder this way and overall volume is higher. I would also throw in bodyweight squats, but that's just me.

And STRETCH, I know no one likes doing it, but it is really pretty important. Lack of flexibility is a major factor to pulled muscles and other problems/injuries.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Thank you all for the advice.

Is running with wrist weights a good idea?

 

[BigApplePi]

When I saw you were running an hour I was going to suggest something like Jah has. If you start out going all out you WILL pull muscles (not sure about all body types - I am thinnish). Feel free to run fast at first but not all out. You must prepare for it. There are some who say stretching is not required but I must stretch all relevant muscles. I do about 15 minutes of various stretches gently holding for 60 seconds.

I run only 1.7 miles three times per week (not right now as I'm recovering from an eye operation, doctor's orders). I sprint only the last minute of the run. But I notice after a layoff, I should not try it. Sprinting uses muscles far from jogging. Jogging, running, sprinting -- all are different. So one must get in shape for each to avoid pulled muscles. Nevertheless I've had many injuries so I've learned to be careful.

That guy with the couch exercises were modest. Should start like that to avoid injury. Only thing is couch doesn't have to be black. Any color will do if firmish.

Added: even stretching requires gently at first. When I first do hamstrings after a layoff it hurts and can be sore the next day. Then a week or two later it doesn't ... no soreness at all.

If you are sore the next day after any exercise, you know it is new. Once you are in shape you will not be sore ... only weaker until you recover.

Discuss?

 

[BigApplePi]

Thank you all for the advice.

Is running with wrist weights a good idea?

I see guys in the park running with those. Looks like crap to me. You have to carry them instead of being free. You can do arm stuff at home. You can use any weight from two books to 20 or more pounds. But don't do what I did. I tore some rotator cuffs with the wrong exercise, had to have MRI's and regret it today.

 

[Mello]

Jump rope. Bike?

Don't forget to stretch.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Jump rope. Bike?

Don't forget to stretch.

What about a kayak? I am considering buying one.

 

[Mello]

What about a kayak? I am considering buying one.

If you're able to use it all the time, sure why not?

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

If you're able to use it all the time, sure why not?

There is lake next to my house with a rough perimeter of 5 km.

 

[Mello]

There is lake next to my house with a rough perimeter of 5 km.

Would you just be kayaking by yourself?

A jump rope or bike would be much cheaper and easier to do. :3

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Would you just be kayaking by yourself?

Yes, I will be kayaking alone. My phone has hundreds of hours worth of audio books on there. I was thinking I could go kayaking for 2 or so hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I have nothing else to do. If it improves my cardio + upper body strength the better.

A jump rope or bike would be much cheaper and easier to do. :3

Would be cheaper. How about I do all three?

I have been somewhat eager to restore my fitness to the level I was at before I got incredibly sick last year.

 

[Agent Intellect]

Problem with doing cardio without involving the legs is that the skeletal muscles in the legs help move the blood through the veins. By sitting in a kayak for several hours, blood will pool in the leg veins somewhat, which can also lead to clotting cascades (long enough times can cause pulmonary embolism). The probability of that happening is small, but the point is that kayaking doesn't involve all of the cardiovascular system if you are looking to get a good cardio workout.

 

[Mello]

Yes, I will be kayaking alone. My phone has hundreds of hours worth of audio books on there. I was thinking I could go kayaking for 2 or so hours on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I have nothing else to do. If it improves my cardio + upper body strength the better.



Would be cheaper. How about I do all three?

I have been somewhat eager to restore my fitness to the level I was at before I got incredibly sick last year.

I don't know. Kayaking alone seems somewhat dangerous.

Lifting weights would be an easier way to increase upper body strength.

 

[Dapper Dan]

Mind if I ask why you're putting so much focus on the upper body? Paintball is pretty much just sprinting and crouching.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Mind if I ask why you're putting so much focus on the upper body? Paintball is pretty much just sprinting and crouching.

I lost 20 kg or 44 pounds when I was sick. I have literally no muscle left. Sigh, and I use to be somewhat of an athlete. So regaining some upper body strength would be nice but the over-all emphasis is on cardio.

 

[lucky12]

Oh man, I miss speed ball. I used to play with an autococker Everyone made fun of me, they all had DM3's and shockers. Bleh.

Please stretch, and be mindful of core exercises + lower back strengthening. You will be diving after all. You don't play back do you?

 

[Jah]

Running is a skill, so train as much skill-specific as you can.

by that I mean, train as you would use it in playing speedball.
If this includes short sprints and longer jogs, then train that way.

As close to the real thing as possible.

If you carry gear, then train with it.




Here's a great source for training advice:
http://www.myosynthesis.com/

Some info regarding size in this article:
http://www.myosynthesis.com/occlusion-ischemia-the-pump




But as to the topic: If you want to improve specifically for speed balling, then train in that fashion.


I'm going to argue against Stretching, btw.
If you want to stretch to become more flexible, do that as a separate work-out. (and as to injury-reduction, it doesn't seem to have any effect, nor does it alleviate soreness. )
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1250267/



As to "core":
http://startingstrength.com/articles/core_stability_rippetoe.pdf
I think that one covers it.


Provided adequate nutrition getting back to a previous good shape shouldn't take long. (look to Tim Ferris' 4 hour body, also mentioned by Skyler Tanner here: http://skylertanner.com/2011/04/02/the-six-year-itch-or-was-it-all-a-waste-of-time/ or for a video presentation of the same subject: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCCwGJGAzLE&feature=relmfu )

 

[BigApplePi]

Have you guys discussed timing? That is, micro and macro? Macro: not to go all out everyday. Maybe every four days. Go heavy, go light ... alternate so you can recover.

Caution: if you are weak to start with, start out slowly. That is if you go hard the first day you risk getting too sore for the next time and break something. Makes sense?

 

[MsAnthropy_Indefatigably]

Wow, is it that serious?

My suggestion was gonna be Dance Central 2. lol

 

[BigApplePi]

Wow, is it that serious?

My suggestion was gonna be Dance Central 2. lol

Hell babe. Let me shoot you some testosterone. It will prime you, shoot all over your body, take over you mind so you do reckless things:

 

[Silvis]

I currently live in the South, where monsoon-like thunderstorms can make it difficult to get outside to exercise. So, to make things easier on myself I got a hold of some workout videos to do at home. My favorites are the ones by Beachbody; I've tried Insanity and P90X. They're pretty intense and high-impact, especially Insanity, but I definately noticed a difference in my cardio endurance and energy levels. Plus I could tell which muscles I'd been neglecting, as they were pretty sore afterwards!

Just an idea though, and I'm sure any good high-intensity workout that incorporates plyometrics and calisthenics would be just as effective. (And c'mon, jumping around like a little kid is fun. ) Crossfit is very popular but I've heard you have to be careful to avoid injury.

 

[sti_lin]

I would add that for muscle building the recommended method is usually to do 8 reps, rest, then another 8, and so on until you can't do any more. And if you rest for more than a few minutes then healing kicks in and when you do more you will not get anything else out of it.
You will not get huge muscles just lifting your own weight, if you keep up a routine like this you will very quickly start getting less and less out of each session, but it will achieve a better balance between strength and endurance for what you want to do than if you started lifting weights.





Cross trainers are far better for cardio, they work the entire body more efficiently than rowing machines, and I find I can keep up the same level of activity for much longer on cross trainers because they put much less strain on the back.

Rowing machines put most of the load of your quadriceps, biceps, shoulders and back. Cross trainers work both the front and back of your thighs, the glutes, much of the arm and shoulders, and even the core muscles and lower legs to some extent.

A little misleading, doing calisthenic type routines with only your body weight can be very beneficial and the sky is your limit. IE if you can do 20 pullups great, now do muscle ups or do horizontal pull-ups. There are always tweaks you can make to routines only using body weight that will push you to new levels. Gymnastics is a good example of the complete package strength routines. Your core is what matters in everything you do, build a strong core.

 

[Jason Smith]

Running is good, you should carry on it.
You can also add up jogging, swimming, and rope jumping in your workout for your better cardio training.

 

[Cognisant]

In my experience playing paintball it's not much of an endurance sport, you just do a lot of short distance sprinting, jumping and running up/down hills, that's what hurt the most running up a hill and jumping over logs on the way up for the third/fourth time after hours of stop/start sprinting.

Not much exhaustion but horrific lactic acid burn.

Good exercise

 

[OrLevitate]

I want to join a speedball (paintball) team. To do this I need to work on my cardio. I have started running for an hour every day, the usual 100 sit ups, 20 or so push ups and 20 or so pull ups. (my upper body strength is bad)

Does anyone recommend anything else I can do?

dude you're like the most coolest cat i've seen. what don't you have figured out? why are you even asking us mortals

 

[Jennywocky]

^^ Since the thread was 2.5 years old, I'm curious to hear if he made the team and whether he still plays.

 

[crippli]

Does anyone recommend anything else I can do?

Go into the forest and pluck berries. I plucked 25 liters of bilberries this evening in 2 hours. Excellent workout. Not too taxing on the body. Great for dexterity stealth and agility due to uneven and at times treacherous terrain. The taste gives felicity. The health benefits of the bilberries are a nice bonus. You can also pluck other berries, but this here is my recommendation. Sometimes pure workout isn't going to cut it. A dual work out program will be better. Purifying the body, both from the inside and the outside!

 

[Cavallier]

Bilberries?

*googles*

Oh, blueberries. Interesting.

 

[crippli]

Not the same. No blueberries here, but, this year, some places, a lot of bilberries. I think the anthocyanins profile is different. Both should still be on the top shelf.

I prefer to do the bulk of the work out with the food that I eat. And am convinced this is the most effective route. Since aerobic exercise is on the meny, wild berry plucking could be worth looking in to.