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Training journal while learning to unicycle



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 26th 08, 08:14 AM posted to rec.sport.unicycling
lillestrøm_uni
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Posts: 20
Default Training journal while learning to unicycle


I set several personal bests this morning :-)

The most important one was swimming 3000 meters (500 more than
previosuly), but also nonstop (500 more than previously) and not only
that, but all of it was crawl! Previously I had to switch to breast
stroke after just 200 meters in order to "breathe", but now I managed
to pace myself and breathe on every third stroke, taking a deep gulp of
air to really fill my lungs, and even more importantly, breathe out
completely and not just partially each time. That is the secret I think
- in order to get as much oxygen as you can.

After about 2200 meters I was even able to start breathing for every
fourth stroke and the last 50 meters I did a sprint, breathing for
every fifth stroke, really feeling the urge for air as my blood levels
of carbon dioxide rose quickly.

On top of this, I managed to jog slowly both ways, not only from home
to the pool, but also all the way back afterwards, cutting the time for
5 km from about 45 minutes to about half an hour - and that while eating
an apple on the way home!

All in all, I pushed my limits way beyond what I thought was possible
at this time in my progress towards getting in better shape. I think
that's just excellent with regard to being able to mentally overcome my
difficulties in unicycling right now, where I need to "lean forward and
ride" as I've read several places as the key to move from standstill to
movement. It's all in your brain (when your muscles have adapted to the
balance thing, anyway).

I'll list my training efforts since 1 May here, to document the
progress:

7 May: 2000 meters swimming in 50 minutes - indoor 25m pool
12 May: 10 km running in 67 minutes
22 May: 2500 meters swimming in 51 minutes (2300 nonstop) - indoor 25m
pool
23 May: 2 hours walking
27 May: 10 km running in 63 minutes
29 May: 15 minutes swimming - Oslo fjord - about 15 degrees
31 May: 50 minutes walking
2 June: 2500 minutes swimming in 67 minutes - outdoor 50m pool + 5 km
jog/walk in 45 minutes + Day 1 unicycling - 3 hours
7 June: 4 hours biking
13 June: 2500 meters nonstop swimming in 55 minutes - outdoor 50m pool
(drove the car there)
14 June: Day 2 unicycling - 1,5 hours
17 June: Day 3 unicycling - 2 hours
20 June: Day 4 unicycling - 3 hours (hurt my knee)
24 June: 2000 meters swimming in 47 minutes - outdoor 50m pool + 5 km
jog/walk in 45 minutes
26 June: 3000 meters nonstop crawl swimming in 57 minutes - outdoor 50m
pool + 5 km jog in 30 minutes

This in addition to the regular morning exercise of 50 push-ups and 600
abs crunches. My weight has gone down from 97 kgs on 10 May to 88 kgs
today, with minima at 83 kgs on 3 June (which was the equivalent of 87
kgs since I had no food inside) and 84 kgs on 21 June (probably also on
a rather empty stomach).

So I really feel like I am making progress. I can't really remember
being this fit for more than 10 years :-) Considering that I've been
running 10 km in an hour, I might even consider that my shape is as
good or even better than when I did 30 minute runs of about 5-6 km back
in 1995-1998 as a student, and if so then I have to go back to when I
was 17-18 to beat my current fitness level.

And I ain't gonna stop here :-) :-) :-)


--
lillestrøm_uni

My 'training journal'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...php?p=1025788).
My todo list (augustdreamt™): -Assisted mount-ride-idle- / *Ride */ PD
/ Turn / Idle / Hops / Curbs / Uneven ground / 'Mount / Rolling mount
/ Jump mount' (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRW7ePkZ_8E) / Side mount
/ Kick-up mount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/69883


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  #2  
Old June 28th 08, 11:04 AM posted to rec.sport.unicycling
nubcake
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Posts: 13
Default Training journal while learning to unicycle


lillestrøm_uni wrote:
taking a deep gulp of air to really fill my lungs, and even more
importantly, breathe out completely and not just partially each time.
That is the secret I think - in order to get as much oxygen as you can.




it's things like that which are pushed out of attention due to the
immediate need of attention to other things, like getting air in to
breathe. It's probably a good example of what my original posts in the
'learning' thread are all about... not the everyday mantra's and obvious
things to DO, but a question on what things might be being missed or
being done extra that isn't realised. In your case and swimming you
probably didn't realise at first you weren't fully exhaling, which
means you can't really get a full and fresh inhale.



This in addition to the regular morning exercise of 50 push-ups and 600
abs crunches. My weight has gone down from 97 kgs on 10 May to 88 kgs
today, with minima at 83 kgs on 3 June (which was the equivalent of 87
kgs since I had no food inside) and 84 kgs on 21 June (probably also on
a rather empty stomach).




Be aware that ab crunches are a bit cheap so don't get too into how
many you can do. You would do better to put your attention elsewhere
(maybe hand-weights for leg and arm muscle development and for further
calorie expenditure). Think of it this way... a person can pretty much
stand or sit for as long as needed due to the 'core muscles' which is
generally just a shortcut for saying stomach and lower back muscles.
Now if you didn't already have 'a strong core' to begin with then you
wouldn't be able to function as every other person who sits and stands
and leans and sways etc, as a 'weak core' would mean you would struggle
keeping your upper body up in the first place. Now clearly you aren't
falling over yourself so your 'core' is clearly ok. I could probably
do lame crunches all day if I didn't get bored or hungry or need to pee
etc.

It's not about quantity it's about quality. Anyone can do a thousand
rubbish crunches that are useless. What counts with ALL muscle
development is actually taxing the muscles with a handful or two of
intense use e.g. for arms doing roughly 10-12 heavy weight lifts as
opposed to lifting a pencil 100,000 times, and for abs doing probably
at a guess around 30 to 50 intense crunches (perhaps like slow movement
V crunches where you lift your feet off the ground at the same time and
basically touch your toes vertically if you are flexible enough,
Pilates like).

As with all new exercise that is different from what used to be the
normal daily routine (watching tv eating a bag of Doritos and smoking
20 cigarettes during the ad breaks) there will be muscles that are
engaged more than usual which you will feel sore from at first as they
get used to being used, but like I said above with the stomach it's not
particularly beneficial to do many crunches / sit-ups as you aren't
likely to put on any significant or even noticeable muscle-mass in
those muscles without steroid abuse and some hardcore crunches using
weights/resistance to intensify the muscle requirement. You'd fair
better to put that type of training (minus the steroids of course) into
your legs and arms i think.

It's always better to strive for some more muscle than to just do lots
of aerobic-like exercises as a person with more muscle doing nothing
burns more calories than a person with less muscle doing nothing, so in
the day to day scheme of things when not actually working-out a person
with more muscle is accruing more calorie expenditure 'on the cheap' so
to speak. Moderation is the key though because who wants to be a 100
kilo mound of muscle who gets puffed walking up a flight of stairs and
has lots of strength but no stamina.



So I really feel like I am making progress. I can't really remember
being this fit for more than 10 years :-) Considering that I've been
running 10 km in an hour, I might even consider that my shape is as
good or even better than when I did 30 minute runs of about 5-6 km back
in 1995-1998 as a student, and if so then I have to go back to when I
was 17-18 to beat my current fitness level.

And I ain't gonna stop here :-) :-) :-)




Maybe even write-down what you are currently doing and store that away
somewhere for future reference in case you lose the plot a little and
change things too much and lose your way... that way you can always
read what your plan was for now when things felt great and you were
making progress. It's just too easy to change small things bit by bit
and then completely get lost and forget where you were going and how
you were getting there.


--
nubcake
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  #3  
Old January 12th 09, 12:52 AM posted to rec.sport.unicycling
lillestrøm_uni
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Posts: 20
Default Training journal while learning to unicycle


lillestrøm_uni;1050262 wrote:

I'll list my training efforts since 1 May here, to document the
progress:

7 May: 2000 meters swimming in 50 minutes - indoor 25m pool
12 May: 10 km running in 67 minutes
22 May: 2500 meters swimming in 51 minutes (2300 nonstop) - indoor 25m
pool
23 May: 2 hours walking
27 May: 10 km running in 63 minutes
29 May: 15 minutes swimming - Oslo fjord - about 15 degrees
31 May: 50 minutes walking
2 June: 2500 minutes swimming in 67 minutes - outdoor 50m pool + 5 km
jog/walk in 45 minutes + Day 1 unicycling - 3 hours
7 June: 4 hours biking
13 June: 2500 meters nonstop swimming in 55 minutes - outdoor 50m pool
(drove the car there)
14 June: Day 2 unicycling - 1,5 hours
17 June: Day 3 unicycling - 2 hours
20 June: Day 4 unicycling - 3 hours (hurt my knee)
24 June: 2000 meters swimming in 47 minutes - outdoor 50m pool + 5 km
jog/walk in 45 minutes
26 June: 3000 meters nonstop crawl swimming in 57 minutes - outdoor 50m
pool + 5 km jog in 30 minutes

This in addition to the regular morning exercise of 50 push-ups and 600
abs crunches. *My weight has gone down from 97 kgs on 10 May to 88 kgs
today*, with minima at 83 kgs on 3 June (which was the equivalent of 87
kgs since I had no food inside) and 84 kgs on 21 June (probably also on
a rather empty stomach).

So I really feel like I am making progress. I can't really remember
being this fit for more than 10 years :-) Considering that I've been
running 10 km in an hour, I might even consider that my shape is as good
or even better than when I did 30 minute runs of about 5-6 km back in
1995-1998 as a student, and if so then I have to go back to when I was
17-18 to beat my current fitness level.

And I ain't gonna stop here :-) :-) :-)




Well, I have to admit that I didn't manage to follow up on this. In
addition to the unicycle riding I've already posted about, I did a
little running, basketball (not much more than what I posted about, if
any) and swimming - a pitiful 3 - *three *- sessions covering 1000,
2000 and 2500 m respectively.

Add to this a lot of good food, beer and wine - I'm basically back to
my old eating habits, plus that I feel ill during Christmas and didn't
do my daily routine of morning exercise since Christmas Eve, and you've
got me pretty much back where I started at the beginning of May.

I weighed in at 94 kgs on my friend's Wii on Friday, up 11 kgs from 2
June when I weighed myself there last time (83 kgs). That was down from
97 kgs at the beginning of May (so I am not quite as heavy now as I was
then, but if you give or take a couple of kgs due to the measurement
accuracy, my clothes and how much I ate before I weighed myself, then I
am more or less back where I was.

So, now I am starting a new diet. I won't do it for as long as I did in
May (about 24-25 days and losing 11-12 kgs in that time) - my first goal
now is to do it until next week, when I have a business trip and then I
will eat lunch and dinner there. Then I hope to continue for another
week at the end of the month. If I succeed in losing 5 kgs by the end of
January I'll be very satisfied.

Round that off to 4 and I'm down at an even 90 kgs (or 200 lbs for
those in the US). That would be a nice starting point for February.

But, of course, weight loss makes no sense without exercise, both in
order to keep the muscles from withering and making sure it is actually
the fat that disappears, but also in order to feel healthy and last, but
not, least - to stay slimmer, and not go back up. I think the lack of
exercise this fall is at least as much to blame as my increased eating.

So, I am aiming to take up swimming again, at least once a week, which
is what I tried in the fall but I couldn't get up in the morning - the
swimming is only on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 0630 to 0730 at a local
school, so I can go there before work (like the others). One of the
other guys there actually run there from home, and then he runs back (or
to his office, I am not sure). That way he warms up before swimming, as
he says. Pretty tough to go out running at 0600 in Norway in the winter,
if you ask me.

I'm not aiming that high, but if I can do the following, I will be
happy:



- Daily morning exercise
- Swim at least once a week (except when travelling, which was also a
reason why I couldn't get a good routine for the swimming this fall)
- Go out for a walk twice a week or so
- Get out hiking or skiing at least one weekend in February (January
is already fully booked)




All right, I'll keep posting here about my progress with the diet and
the exercise. And then I'll also see, of course, when I can get back in
the unicycle saddle. My feeling is that it won't be until late spring
when I can do it outside, though...


--
lillestrøm_uni

My 'training journal'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...php?p=1025788).
My todo list (augustdreamt™): -Assisted mount-ride-idle- / -Ride- /
-PD- / -Turn- / -Uphill/Downhill- / Idle / Hops / -Curbs- / -Uneven
ground- / Mount / Rolling mount / Jump mount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
lillestrøm_uni's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/17152
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/69883


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  #4  
Old January 12th 09, 05:26 PM posted to rec.sport.unicycling
lillestrøm_uni
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Posts: 20
Default Training journal while learning to unicycle


Weighed in at 91 kgs this morning. Now I think I stabilised my weight,
yesterday I was still emptying my intestines and drinking lots of
fluids. So this is now my "dry weight" that I can refer to when I keep
dieting. My similar reference weight in May was 93 kgs.

I will try to post here every day about the progress. Still didn't do
the morning excercise, don't feel completely restored yet. Will try to
go early to bed and then see if I can get up at 0530 tomorrow morning
and go swimming before work. Obviously, if I manage to do that and I
feel fine with the exercise, then I could really boost my metabolism and
burn fat while doing the diet.

So far today I feel fine, haven't really been very hungry. I feel it of
course, but I keep drinking the mixture and additional water, like I did
yesterday, always keeping the stomach full, as far as possible.

The weather is also better now, it's around 5-6 degrees outside and it
didn't rain today, even if it was grey all day. So, all in all, a nice
Monday :-)


--
lillestrøm_uni

My 'training journal'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...php?p=1025788).
My todo list (augustdreamt™): -Assisted mount-ride-idle- / -Ride- /
-PD- / -Turn- / -Uphill/Downhill- / Idle / Hops / -Curbs- / -Uneven
ground- / Mount / Rolling mount / Jump mount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/69883


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  #5  
Old January 13th 09, 07:45 AM posted to rec.sport.unicycling
lillestrøm_uni
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Posts: 20
Default Training journal while learning to unicycle


Still 91 kgs, but I think the needle was a little on the low side today,
as opposed to yesterday when I probably rounded a little bit down. I
only read off my weight in whole kgs since the scale is analog and the
scale is not that accurate.

But I'd like to think that my first half kg is gone already - when
I've taken this diet before I've lost around half a kg per day (first
time in September 2006 it was 3-4 kgs in 8-10 days, second time in May
2008 it was 10-12 kgs in 24-25 days).

All right, off to work...


--
lillestrøm_uni

My 'training journal'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...php?p=1025788).
My todo list (augustdreamt™): -Assisted mount-ride-idle- / -Ride- /
-PD- / -Turn- / -Uphill/Downhill- / Idle / Hops / -Curbs- / -Uneven
ground- / Mount / Rolling mount / Jump mount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
lillestrøm_uni's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/17152
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/69883


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  #6  
Old January 14th 09, 09:50 AM posted to rec.sport.unicycling
lillestrøm_uni
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Posts: 20
Default Training journal while learning to unicycle


90 kgs today, or even a little under :-)

I slept for almost 11 hours, so I probably lost a lot of water during
the night. But still, it seems like I am on track for the 0,5 kg per day
weight loss. Feeling fine, haven't really been hungry and at a long
meeting at work yesterday I was the one who kept a clear head since my
blood sugar level is constant with this diet, while for the others it
went down after breakfast and then up again after lunch, then down again
before dinner. This is also how I feel on regular days - so it is really
important to eat more often (or use this diet) to stay alert all day.

PS: I also dreamt about eating a big meal tonight... hehe


--
lillestrøm_uni

My 'training journal'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...php?p=1025788).
My todo list (augustdreamt™): -Assisted mount-ride-idle- / -Ride- /
-PD- / -Turn- / -Uphill/Downhill- / Idle / Hops / -Curbs- / -Uneven
ground- / Mount / Rolling mount / Jump mount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
lillestrøm_uni's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/17152
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/69883


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  #7  
Old January 16th 09, 10:34 AM posted to rec.sport.unicycling
lillestrøm_uni
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Posts: 20
Default Training journal while learning to unicycle


I was up to 91 kgs again last morning, I think this could be because I
had some soup Wednesday evening - not more calories than the diet drink
but it contained some salt which retained more water in my body, and I
also drank a portion of protein powder - last time I dieted I lost
significant muscle mass as well as fat since I only took in
carbohydrates during the three week period of the diet. So I will try to
compensate this time by taking in some proteins as well.

Today I weighed in at just under 90 kgs, so I expect to get down to 89
during the weekend. Will be interesting to see if that holds. I guess
I'll be happy even if I lose 2 kgs this week - 3 kgs is pretty tough
after all. Then again I am going to diet for 8 days, so of course I am
hoping for 3 kgs.

Have a nice day!

PS: The weather has turned really cold (minus 6 now) but I am sleeping
a lot and feeling like I am finally getting back to 100% restitution
after my bronchitis that lasted more than 3 weeks since I started
coughing on Christmas Eve, and I am also feeling better in my back and
in other parts of my body that got small infections due to the decreased
immune system during my illness. So I am hoping to take up my morning
exercise soon, and that will help burning calories of course. I did do
quite a lot of exercise last May, obviously it is much harder to lose
weight when dieting if you're not moving your body at all... So far this
year I've been working long days at work and mostly sleeping when I'm
not working. Not healthy.


--
lillestrøm_uni

My 'training journal'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...php?p=1025788).
My todo list (augustdreamt™): -Assisted mount-ride-idle- / -Ride- /
-PD- / -Turn- / -Uphill/Downhill- / Idle / Hops / -Curbs- / -Uneven
ground- / Mount / Rolling mount / Jump mount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
lillestrøm_uni's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/17152
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/69883


Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
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