I'm Starting Couch to 5K

***iacas*** · November 9, 2011

I've never been one to work out or do much of anything intentionally to stay in shape. I've simply done fine on my own. Walking the golf course, walking from the far parking spots, playing hockey, soccer and baseball growing up, etc.

But as I begin to lead a more sedentary life (hey, I'm a web/software programmer and a golf instructor), I realize I'm going to need to keep my activity level up. I've decided to run, and I'm starting with the Couch to 5K program (eventually I'd like to move to the Couch to 10K program). I don't normally like running but a very good friend of mine runs and, well, you can't exactly inline skate through the winter or indoors very easily in Erie, PA.

So this thread will track any workouts any of us do. Just make a post here when you've done a workout - of any kind - and we can see how everyone else is doing, similar to the " What'd You Shoot Today? " thread or the " Best Shot of the Week " thread.

Monday I ran my first Couch to 5K segment. Today I did my second, but kind of goofed it up. I paused the music during a run segment and probably ran for two minutes instead of the 60 seconds I was supposed to. Needless to say my walking and running for the next segments was a bit slower. But even factoring in the running and walking, my pace is just under 10 minutes. So I'm relatively pleased with that. I have one more segment in week one, again 60/90 run/walk, and next week it steps up a little. I'll have to learn to pace myself somehow, maybe get a GPS watch or something.

BTW, if you're on Daily Mile or RunKeeper, here are my profiles. Add me as a friend and make fun of my lousy times or something. ;-)

http://www.dailymile.com/people/iacas

http://runkeeper.com/user/iacas

**TN94z** · November 9, 2011

My wife and I just finished that program last month. It's good. I plan on training for a half starting in January

***iacas*** · November 9, 2011

Originally Posted by TN94z

My wife and I just finished that program last month. It's good. I plan on training for a half starting in January

Great! Good luck! I'm hoping that this thread will be like the others I cited above, so please post your workouts on the days that you do them.

**Williamevanl** · November 9, 2011

I'd like to run but I can't imagine doing something that requires so much work that doesn't change the way I look at all. :) I'm already pretty skinny, and even if I wasn't the amount of running it takes to burn off a cheeseburger is comical. It takes something like an hour of full speed running to burn off two cheeseburgers, that's crazy. After college I spent some time at my parents and their treadmill would calculate calories burned and I remember just trying to burn off the amount of calories from a few beers was nothing short of hysterical.

Anyway... during the off season Octobober to April I spend 45 minutes - 1 hour, 3 days a week, t,th,sun benching, curling, perfect pushups, pullups, crunches, squats. Last year I focused on getting to as much weight as I could with at least 6-8 reps but I didn't really get to where I wanted to be So this year my focus is just killing myself with less weight until I feel like I'm going to throw up. Seems to be getting results a lot faster this way.

My goal is to get to 200 lbs' (as in weigh 200 lbs), I'm 5 9' and currently 185 but the last 15 lb's will surely kill me.

**saevel25** · November 10, 2011

I need to run more, but i need to find a track somewere, or a path to run on. I live in a hilly area, and i would die if i had to run up the hills around here starting out. Something to work up to though.. Congrats on starting a program to improve your health. I love it, i get so much more energy from working out, its greatly improved my life.

**TN94z** · November 10, 2011

Originally Posted by Williamevanl

I'd like to run but I can't imagine doing something that requires so much work that doesn't change the way I look at all. :) I'm already pretty skinny, and even if I wasn't the amount of running it takes to burn off a cheeseburger is comical. It takes something like an hour of full speed running to burn off two cheeseburgers, that's crazy. After college I spent some time at my parents and their treadmill would calculate calories burned and I remember just trying to burn off the amount of calories from a few beers was nothing short of hysterical.

Anyway... during the off season Octobober to April I spend 45 minutes - 1 hour, 3 days a week, t,th,sun benching, curling, perfect pushups, pullups, crunches, squats. Last year I focused on getting to as much weight as I could with at least 6-8 reps but I didn't really get to where I wanted to be So this year my focus is just killing myself with less weight until I feel like I'm going to throw up. Seems to be getting results a lot faster this way.

My goal is to get to 200 lbs' (as in weigh 200 lbs), I'm 5 9' and currently 185 but the last 15 lb's will surely kill me.

Running is not all about burning calories. Where it lacks in calorie burn, it makes up for in cardiovascular health. Most people that are concerned with burning calories and losing weight....don't eat two cheeseburgers...lol. If you cross train running with weigh training, the "two cheeseburgers" won't be so bad. Most bodybuilders I know don't even use cardio to burn calories and lean down. They make adjustments in their diets (that don't include cheeseburgers) and the rest period between sets.

**Zeph** · November 10, 2011

A: Squats, bench press, cable rows, dips B: Deadlift, push-ups, chins, lateral raise C: Squats, bench press, cable rows, dips Three sessions a week. Eg.; Tue, Thu, Sat.

**TN94z** · November 10, 2011

Here is my usual workout....

Monday

Rotator stuff and dc shoulder stretch

Dips, 2 x failure

Smyth machine reverse grip bench,

Machine flies,

Upright rows,

Cable side laterals,

Skull crushers,

Easy bar curls,

Hammer grip db curls,

Tuesday

Leg press or hack squat machine

Db 1 leg lunges,

Leg ext,

Db stiff leg deads,

Standing leg curls,

Ad/abductors,

Calf raises,

Thursday

Rotator stuff and dc shoulder stretch

Guillotine press,

Flat db bench,

Slight incline db flies,

Smyth machine military press,

Tri ext,

Straight bar curls,

Friday

Rack pulls,

45° hypers,

Leg curls,

Hammer strength high row,

Hammer strength low row,

Wide grip lat pull downs,

I try to get in 3 days or running as well

**MiniBlueDragon** · November 10, 2011

Originally Posted by TN94z

...

Rotator stuff and dc shoulder stretch

Considering I'm just getting over a rotator cuff tear, these interest me. What 'stuff' do you do?

**TN94z** · November 10, 2011

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

Considering I'm just getting over a rotator cuff tear, these interest me. What 'stuff' do you do?

Rotator work:

DC stretch:

The guy in the rotator video is my friend/trainer. He is a genius when it comes to getting strong and bodybuilding. The rotator work is basically just to get some blood in there and warm up for your work sets. The DC stretch feels GREAT! A co-worker of mine had some shoulder problems and I got him doing the DC Stretch and he said it really helped him. Obviously I'm no doctor so do these at your own risk.

**MiniBlueDragon** · November 10, 2011

That's perfect, thanks. The stretches I do at the moment recommended by my physio are:

left elbow against my side and forarm parallel to the ground. Thumb upward.

latex band held in both hands.

Left forarm rotates counter clockwise at the elbow staying parallel to the ground and pulling the band tight.

and:

Stand back against the wall.

Tuck chin in (double chin look)

Tilt head to the right, keeping chin against chest

When warmed up, add a turn to the right of the head so that right cheek is on the shoulder

Fingers crossed a nice combination of everything will stengthen and warm up my shoulders to avoid another injury. ;-)

**TN94z** · November 10, 2011

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

That's perfect, thanks. The stretches I do at the moment recommended by my physio are:

left elbow against my side and forarm parallel to the ground. Thumb upward.

latex band held in both hands.

Left forarm rotates counter clockwise at the elbow staying parallel to the ground and pulling the band tight.

and:

Stand back against the wall.

Tuck chin in (double chin look)

Tilt head to the right, keeping chin against chest

When warmed up, add a turn to the right of the head so that right cheek is on the shoulder

Fingers crossed a nice combination of everything will stengthen and warm up my shoulders to avoid another injury. ;-)

No problem. I'm sure you know this, but the rotator work should be done with very light weight. It's just to get the blood flowing

***iacas*** · November 10, 2011

Obviously I wasn't too clear in what this thread should be, so I'll rename it tomorrow and start this one (what this was going to be) again. :-)

**TN94z** · November 10, 2011

It did go off course. Sorry for my involvement in that

**MiniBlueDragon** · November 10, 2011

My bad. Will PM in future.

**poser** · November 10, 2011

I travel alot now so working out at a gym isn't really an option anymore. I bought a pullupbar, and some free weights and I do the p90x workouts during the week. I skip the yoga because it's just to damn boring for me and sub it out for running.

Normal workout week.

Monday - P90x chest / back

Tuesday - 3 mile run

Wednesday - Triceps / biceps / shoulders

Thursday - 3 mile run

Friday - Legs / back

Saturday - Sunday - 5 mile run and walk golf course.

Sometimes I will throw a 300 workout in there when I'm on the road and have limited workout equipment.

I have subbed out alot of the running with the elliptical due to back issues but, seem to actually burn more calories doing it on high resistance than I did running.

***iacas*** · November 10, 2011

Originally Posted by TN94z

It did go off course. Sorry for my involvement in that

It's fine. I renamed it, so now we're all kind of back on topic. I'll start the other one again tomorrow. :-)

**Bo the Golfer** · November 10, 2011

I did the couch to 5k last year to prepare for the 5k portion of a team triathlon I did with friends. I think it's a great program and worked wonders for me. If you plan on running a 5k at the end of it make sure you run some of the last workouts outside. Found out very quickly how different it is to run outside versus the treadmill. I will have to restart this program as I never felt better than at the conclusion of it. Good luck Erik!

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