Exercise

Clever Pun

How much do you do other than your commute???

Myself
Commuting 26 miles a day
during the week
2 upper body gym weight sessions
Boxing class
netball (Plus 16 mile ride) yes that's right netball.

I had a few excess pounds and they're dropping off quite nicely now 8)

your go...

Mog Uk

Commute 4 times a week 10-12mile each way depending on my mood.
Gym 4 times a week - Weight training, each session concentrating on a different body part
Running twice a week - Varying between 6 - 13miles
Swimming twice a week

Might also throw in the odd MTB ride or road ride.

I spend most my life either sweating or aching......

JustRidecp

Only commute 5 miles round trip at the mo.

Climb - twice a week.

Club rides at weekends and sometimes a good climb sesh if I can find a partner.

Could devote more time to both but I like the beer too much.

Clever Pun

JustRidecp wrote:

Only commute 5 miles round trip at the mo.

Climb - twice a week.

Could devote more time to both but I like the beer too much.

Beers why I have tyo make sure I hit the gym

I miss climbing... I used to really enjoy that at the reebok in Canary Wharf

ash68

worn out just reading what you guys do. here's my rundown for what its worth.
commute 5 days a week - 27 miles a day
long ride on sunday 80 - 100 miles
weights 3 nights split into chest/biceps
shoulders/back/triceps
legs (usually midweek)
abs at beginning of each session


Most of the rest of my time spent relaxing,sleeping & rest
all cycling general riding, no special workouts.

Shadowduck

60 miles a week commute, probably another 30 or so bobbling about on my days off.
Ju Jitsu once or occasionally twice a week, hour and a half at a go.

Bit of a short list compared to some! I wonder what responses you'd get if you asked that question on a car forum?

ash68

Shadowduck what;s ju jitsu? sounds like some martial arts workout, but may be wrong. :?:

Shadowduck

ash68 wrote:

Shadowduck what;s ju jitsu? sounds like some martial arts workout, but may be wrong. :?:

Martial Arts*, as you say - the workout aspect is purely incidental but I never was good at exercise for it's own sake. I bike there and back for good measure.

*Or, as my darling wife calls it, "fighting in pyjamas".

ash68

might take it up. Could do with some self defence lessons with all these mad road rage wallies about. Depends if i have to wear my thomas the tank engine pyjamas when i'm riding my bike. might get some funny looks. might put my spiderman ones on instead

Shadowduck

I'd recommend it if you want to learn how to defend yourself - as a style it's not all showboating high kicks and spinny stuff like some disciplines, it's much more down to earth and practical. I'm told the unarmed combat training given to police and the armed forces are largely Ju Jitsu based, for that very reason.

Any martial art will stand you in good stead if things go that way, but Aikido and Wing Chun are two of the other more usable ones in terms of self defence - I think they'll even let you off with the Thomas jammies.

fossyant

That's quite a lot there folks.

I'm 20 miles round trip 5 days a week plus maybe 30-50 on Sat/Sun depending upon what we are doing with the kids.

Don't get much more time than that. Occasional 30 min runs when weather has not permitted commuting (i.e. ice or howling storms). Luckily there is a gym on site of the place I start work with in October, so that will be real handy on non bike days.

I've lost over a stone in the last couple of months - what a difference cycle commuting makes

Flycatcher

Nothing whatsoever apart from walking. I've started adding 6 miles each way to my commute though to miss out a big and dangerous hill. I'm doing the Manchester 100 tomorrow. Gyms don't interest me, the only machine I like at gyms is the one that sells chocolate.

Clever Pun

Shadowduck wrote:

I'd recommend it if you want to learn how to defend yourself - as a style it's not all showboating high kicks and spinny stuff like some disciplines, it's much more down to earth and practical. I'm told the unarmed combat training given to police and the armed forces are largely Ju Jitsu based, for that very reason.

Any martial art will stand you in good stead if things go that way, but Aikido and Wing Chun are two of the other more usable ones in terms of self defence - I think they'll even let you off with the Thomas jammies.

Boxing/kickboxing will make you pretty handy too...

Matteeboy

Did karate to brown belt, kickboxing competitions at national level (was 4th in the UK for my weight for a bit) - very good exercise - I was chief "torturer" at my classes - taught technique but was mainly in charge of nasty exercises.

If any of you are good at press ups, you will have to give my very evil Chinese press ups a go!

Been a fitness freak most of my life - Surf Life Saving Ironmans, passed selection for Officer entry to Royal Marines, run lots, cycle lots, do loads of bodyweight exercises, surf all the time etc.

A splendid way of living!

Gambatte

Some of the best self defense tips you'll get are from the books by Geoff Thompson. Basically telling you how to not act like a victim and how to read your surroundings and potential adversary. Lots of ways to win a fight, by not being in one to start with.

EDIT: Do a search for Geoff, ten minutes reading bits of bios will let you know he knows what he talks about

Gambatte

Do a bit of research if you want to join an MA club. Theres a lot out there who set up as instructors after a year or twos training.

Theres one karate school from australia who are running like a franchise business. Get a couple of grades and we'll set you up with your own school. The top guy in Oz apparantly gave himself his own black belt! This is a school that promotes itself by intensive leafletting.

If you want to know about other charlatans, google 'Ashida Kim'

Shadowduck

Clever Pun wrote:

Shadowduck wrote:

I'd recommend it if you want to learn how to defend yourself - as a style it's not all showboating high kicks and spinny stuff like some disciplines, it's much more down to earth and practical. I'm told the unarmed combat training given to police and the armed forces are largely Ju Jitsu based, for that very reason.

Any martial art will stand you in good stead if things go that way, but Aikido and Wing Chun are two of the other more usable ones in terms of self defence - I think they'll even let you off with the Thomas jammies.

Boxing/kickboxing will make you pretty handy too...

Aye, as I said pretty much any martial art will do the job in a street fight - the fact that you've got trained fighting reflexes is a lot more important than exactly what the reflexes are! That said, it's a braver man than me that tries any kind of jumping or spinning kick in the middle of a bunch of drunken chavs on uneven pavement. If it comes off it'll be very spectacular but the potential for disaster is a bit too great for my liking.

Shadowduck

Gambatte wrote:

Do a bit of research if you want to join an MA club.

Seconded. The club I attend is run by a 5th Dan master instructor - he won "Champion of Champions" at the Irish Cup in Dublin this year (among many other honours over the years) so his credentials are pretty impressive. There are plenty out there who aren't so well qualified.

Apologies for the martial arts hijack everyone!

Matteeboy

I disagree about martial arts and streetfights.
Having been involved in National kickboxing comps and far too many streetfights, the dynamic is TOTALLY different.

An experienced fighter with no formal training can easily take out a black belt in various martial arts - look at that Jason guy from Last Man Standing as a crude example!

I'd be more fearful of a total nutter with a bottle or knife than someone who has only experienced "fighting" in a dojo.

Yes martial arts build up reactions and technique but the majority of martial artists would simply fall apart if faced with a "real" situation where the odds can be much higher.

And this is also backed up by multiple UK, European and World KBing champ (my instructor!)

If someone tries to impress me with their tales of martial arts experience, I normally chuckle to myself.

Shadowduck

Matteeboy wrote:

I'd be more fearful of a total nutter with a bottle or knife than someone who has only experienced "fighting" in a dojo.

Agreed, I think most people would be. My point was that a trained fighter will have more chance against *insert random street attack here* than someone totally untrained, I didn't mean to imply they would be invincible by any stretch of the imagination.

Experienced streetfighters probably fall into the class of martial artists for the purposes of this discussion - they may not have the formal training but they certainly have the reflexes. Personally, I have no intention of becoming an experienced streetfighter; Ju Jitsu gives me a (hopefully) similar level of expertise without having to kick someone's head in every Friday and Saturday night to gain it!

One of the reasons I chose to study Ju Jitsu over other styles is that it's less focused on the perfect kick or the perfect punch and much more about defending yourself against real-world attacks by multiple opponents. As an example, kicks above waist height are actively discouraged (at my club, at least); why make yourself vulnerable and wear yourself out doing high kicks when a kick to the side of the knee will smash the joint and take the opponent out just as quickly?

The best way to avoid losing a fight is not to get into one in the first place and that's another point that's made frequently. I overheard the following conversation between one of our instructors and a newbie...

N: What's the best thing to do if someone comes at you with a knife?
I: Run.
N: *laughs* Yeah, but what would YOU do?
I: Run, if I could. If you fight someone with a knife, you're going to get hurt. Ignore anyone who tells you different.

Hopefully, I'll never use what I'm learning outside the dojo. I never have yet. At the same time, they just buried a guy who got kicked to death by a bunch of teenagers and I don't want to be the next one.

Apologies again for the hijack!

*edited to clarify a point*

Matteeboy

Shadow - Some good points made. My instructors opinion was exactly the same, but of course we learned a lot of disarming techniques "just in case"

I'm not some loon streetfighter - just used to get involved a lot - never started anything, just finished off, quite often for lairy mates who got themselves in trouble then panicked! Have had two hospital trips (a four on one and a six on one - me being the "one" both times") and suffer scarring to me ribs (screwdriver) but got through it all and will now avoid trouble at all costs.

Yes, martial arts build reactions - stopped several attackers dead in their tracks simply with a block or two - they think twice when they know a defender is a bit harder work than expected.
Jiu Jitsu is a good one - I found kickboxing very "realistic" too - In proper comps you almost never throw high kicks and the moves are very basic (not like in films!), but the speed and fluidity is there - I found karate too rigid, although I enjoyed it at the time.

Anyway MASSIVE thread hijack now! I'll post the press up one day - it's a killer!

Clever Pun

MA is a form of exercise....

I mentioned boxing mainly becuase you learn how to punch instead of wildly swinging your arms a couple of well aimed blows (elbow to the face) will floor someone... giving you enough time to dissapear

Saying that's I've not been in a fight for over 10-12 years, being 6'5, 16 stone and covered in tattoos scare most off thinking about giving me sh!t...

Matteeboy

CP - I feel a little sorry for your poor bike!

cupofteacp

30 miles a day comute

3 1/2 mile run each lunch time

and two nights a week swim 1k

Oh and I've got three kids