need some ff-quality workout advice

[agavegrove]

I'm looking for a good workout that build strength but also allows me to keep my cardio up (think of it as "heavy cardio.") I don't care how 'cut' I look, I just need to be able to function better. I'm a 29yo male FF/P, 160# skinny, if that helps.

I've heard it's better to either focus on muscle mass building or cardio and not combine the two. However, as you know, FFs have to have good cardio.

Any tips?

TIA,
Alan
San Angelo FD

[THEFIRENUT]

I'm looking for a good workout that build strength but also allows me to keep my cardio up (think of it as "heavy cardio.") I don't care how 'cut' I look, I just need to be able to function better. I'm a 29yo male FF/P, 160# skinny, if that helps.

I've heard it's better to either focus on muscle mass building or cardio and not combine the two. However, as you know, FFs have to have good cardio.

Any tips?

TIA,
Alan
San Angelo FD

Hi Alan,

I myself have heard that you should always do both. They compliment each other. Just find a muscle building exercise right for your build and add the cardio. Whether running, swimming or cycling.

Hows the weather there? I visit Goodfellow AFB from time to time. I may visit again this year or maybe next for a rescue class. Take care.

[agavegrove]

It got near 100 yesterday. Looking at 98 today, sunny, clear, with no chance of rain. And the usual 10mph breeze. So it's been warmer than it should be, but not suprising for a city located 80 miles from a desert. Where are you from?

[S8ER95Z]

You can do a good mix by shadow boxing with weights. I usually do ~10mins throwing punches with 10lb weights in each hand. Running and lifting weights will of course compliment each other and THEFIRENUT was dead on.. you should always try to do both... maybe not all in one sitting but don't just do cardio and don't just do weight training.

[DSMtuned]

I like throwing on a 60lb backpack and hiking up and down flights of stairs. My old office building was 13 stories and I would hit the stairwell on every lunch break. This is really good for both cardio and strength building.

-Craig

[S8ER95Z]

Excellent Idea...
DSM?? You on DSMtalk ever?

[DSMtuned]

Excellent Idea...
DSM?? You on DSMtalk ever?

Yeah I visit there occassionally. Mostly I stick to my local clubs, CODSM (Colorado DSM) and RMDSM (Rocky Mountain DSM).


-Craig

[S8ER95Z]

Cool.. used to hang on there a while back.. mainly in kill stories.. DSM Respect from this corner.

[chopper12]

High protein, high fiber diet, plus regular aerobic and weight training is the way to go. Here's what my schedule looks like:

Monday - 20 min aerobic, 40 min lower body strength
Tuesday - 40 min aerobic
Wednesday - 20 min aerobic, 40 min upper body strength
Thursday - 40 min aerobic
Friday - 20 min aerobic, 40 min lower body strength
Saturday - 40 min aerobic
Sunday - Day off

The schedule rotates depending on shift, but that's the idea. The reason I do lower body twice and upper body once is simply hormones - hitting the lower body hard will help stimulate the upper body growth just on it's own.

[ewelk33]

Could you be a little more specific with your goals? If you are looking to gain strength you need to lift heavy weights. If you already lift weights start slowing increasing the amount of weight you are lifting and your strength will increase. Make sure you are doing strength building movements like squats, deadlifts, benchpress, rows, etc.

You can still include cardio in your workouts, just be sure you do it AFTER your weight training. Bodybuilders go through cycles called cutting and bulking. This is because it is extremely difficult, but not impossible to gain muscle mass while trying to drop bodyfat. To drop bodyfat you have to decrease your caloric intake below your maintence.To bulk you need to increase calories above your maintence. Often cardio is cut back and limited to 20 minutes of moderate intensity when in the bulking phase so the body does not start breaking down your muscle mass.

Chopper hit on this and it is very important. Make sure you are getting enough protien in your diet. Shoot for at least 1 gram of protien per pound of bodyweight daily. Chicken, fish, eggs, cottage chz, whey protien powder.

If you need help on a workout plan just ask or pm if you want.

[agavegrove]

Thanks for all the help, guys. It's useful stuff. The goal is pretty much this: build up as much muscle mass as I can, but still have the cardiovascular endurance I need to have. Body weight, body fat, and "cut" appearance aren't a priority. I currently weight 160#. I'd like to hit 180# but still be able to knock out a 5 mile run in 9 or less minutes.

[THEFIRENUT]

It got near 100 yesterday. Looking at 98 today, sunny, clear, with no chance of rain. And the usual 10mph breeze. So it's been warmer than it should be, but not suprising for a city located 80 miles from a desert. Where are you from?

From many places, but have been living in East Texas for the last 21 years. Spent 6 years active duty Air Force then laid out for almost 14 years and am now in the Air Force Reserve as FF. San Angelo is nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live there

[chopper12]

5 mile run in 9 minutes? Are you kidding me? I hope you mean an average of 9 minutes PER MILE... I'm VERY happy with my current 6 minute mile, I can't imagine running it in under 2.

[S8ER95Z]

Ditto... only grazed high 5s once and now I am around 6 1/2 minute miles... 9minute 5 mile run... that would be olympic gold right there.

[ewelk33]

Alan,
If you are trying to add 20 pounds of muscle mass, I'd lay off on the five mile runs for a while. There is a reason you don't see distance runners on the cover of Muscle & Fitness magazine. Cardio in those amounts will cause your body to feed on the only thing it has left, your hard earned muscle!

You are gonna have to eat like a mother f***er to gain 20 lbs. of muscle mass. Clean eating is a must even for gaining. Chicken, fish, lean steak, potatoes, oatmeal, brown rice, almonds, cottage chz, eggs, veggies, milk, etc.

Heavy weight training, lots of calories, & I'd scale back your cardio to 3 twenty or thirty minute sessions per week. You can do it! Let us know how your progress is going.

[HenryChan]

I was going to start a new thread but this subject is close to what I'm inquiring about.

I'm 29 years old and my knees are not in the best of shape. I ran eight years of Track & Field as a sprinter, then afterwards I began running four to six miles a day for several years. Needless to say, my knees are now hurting after about three miles at a 10 minute/mile pace.

I'm 185lb with about 15% body fat. I workout about five days a week with supersets and cardio. My concern is the line between doing cardio (running/biking) that will keep me in shape and lose fat, but at the same time not destroying my knees. I would love to lose a few extra pounds of fat while maintaining my joints! I already eat/drink a good amount of protein and other nutrients. My main concern is keeping my knees well while achieving good cardo. I do not have access to a swimming pool yet, I will in about a month probably.

Thoughts?

[Drjmilus]

I would recommend:
1500 mg/day Glucoseamine Sulfate/day (not glucose amine HCL!!!!!)
Keep training with weights the way you do.
Emphasize keeping hamstrings and medial quads strong (with bike/leg ext last 15*)
Do lots of abs- it's a huge muscle group!
Use eliptical trainer 2 times/wk 20-40 min.
Use bike 2/times/wk 20-40 min.
I know you love running, but I don't do it anymore (except to scrimmage with my lacrosse team)
You could swim instead of one of your other things, but not in addition- you sound like you are prone to over training!

You sound like you have a handle on this....

Dr. Jen
www.fireagility.com

[mcfd45]

try this out for size.
get in ful ppe and scba but don't hook up
take a 2.5 inch discharge and hook up 100 ft of inch and a half or three quarter. i would prefer the inch and three quarter because it is more to throw around. charge it with a closed nozzle or a cap if you got um. start at the nozzle bend over and push the hose through your legs and when you get to the end pull it up of the ground. then go to the front of your apparatus room and get on your belly, not your arms on your belly. and snake your way across the floor.
get up and do it again.
the hose pulls work your arms.
the crawling works your legs gut and arms because you get each one so tired you have to switch the muscle group you use.

our apparatus room has 4 bays in the front and i was able to do 5 or 6 before hving to cool down.
do it with friends to push yourself further.