GMAT Club's Health & Fitness Thread

Also, for those interested in interval training.

There are a number of apps which are great for interval training. I have a droid, and theres an app "Tabata Sport Interval Timer" which is pretty great.

It's super easy to use, you just set the effort time, the pause time (recovery), and the number of intervals you'd like to do, and hit 'start', it'll count down from 5 and then start your training with a whistle to start the effort interval, and a buzz to end the effort interval.

Ok so replacement Timex came in the mail (gotta love amazon prime) today. Threw it on and ran 2 miles. Dang does 2.5 weeks off the routine kill you.

I give it a 85/100 after the first use.

I wasn't expecting the world, but this thing is extremely user unfriendly. It may be the most counter intuitive electronic device I have ever used. It does read the heart rate decently though. I don't really like that thing you have to strap around your chest to get your reading, but I suppose this is unavoidable. You get used to it after awhile though...

So yea, underwhelmed, but I wasn't expecting very much either. If you are looking for something at the basic level (in price and performance), then this will get the job done.

Are any of you seeing visible/measurable results for your training yet? I added each of you and your training goals to the first post of the thread, so let me know if you'd like to make any changes.

I think May is going to be great month for gains!

Making some progress on my biking goals, 2:38 for 40 miles yesterday, getting closer to the 2:30 goal.
https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/gi5-pIlxiFU

Haven't had a chance to get outside climbing yet, but I've got a trip planned for may, so we'll see about that.

That's a great improvement over the past two weeks. I think you're going to hit 2:30 very soon

2:36 for 40 miles this morning, getting closer.

Nice! I'm at 3mi at 10min pace. Going for 9 min pace, then maybe I'll up it to 5 mi!

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I had a great week for gains. With a combination of high intensity workouts, dedicated nutrition, and my first week of creatine supplementation, I increased my bodyweight by 6 lbs in 7 days. Creatine adds a lot of water weight, so my real gains are probably closer to 3 lbs. for the week.

I feel like my body is finally warmed up for some awesome gains, but I might have to sit out a few days to finish off the cold I caught 3 weeks ago. Hopefully I can post another 3 lbs. of muscle mass next week!

If you haven't seen the Arnold Loves the Pump video, it's pretty hilarious.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMjG2s6UOaw[/youtube]

hahaha yep. fomer executive power for the state of california!

failing on all accounts except increasing my water intake I seem to get in a good groove and love the way I feel when I'm excercising until something like getting sick, or a vacation comes up and totally throws off my routine, then it is soo hard to get back, even though I know I will love it once I do.

It's funny the only reason I've been successful drinking water is because of the 32oz Booth water bottle they gave us at admit weekend, been making sure to carry it everywhere and have no problem drinking 2 of those a day. Guess B-school is already bringing some positive change to my life. Heading to the gym for the first time in weeks tonight and gearing up for a successful May!

woo woo, 2:27 for 40 miles. broke the 2:30 barrier.

https://www.endomondo.com/workouts/msdU7WYsnec

Next up, 2:15.

Cheers!

My fitness goal is to get back into my HS athletic shape which means dropping some lbs, and gaining some muscle tone. Anyone ever try Cross Fit?

Heard it was even more intense than a P90X routine... which means I will probably vomit/faint if I tried CrossFit. But fitness fanatics seem to like it (from what I hear)

I work with a guy that does Crossfit 3-4 times a week. It's definitely one of the most effective workouts for cutting fat, toning muscles, and increasing endurance. Crossfit doesn't require a lot of equipment, but most gyms charge a monthly membership fee of $100. If you can find a Crossfit gym nearby, you should be able to sample a class for $10-15 per session (if not for free).

I just checked a local Cross Fit gym and it's about $150/month, which is pricey (compared to 24 HR fitness at $30/month) but you are getting personalized attention. It's still on par with Equinox NYC pricing.

How in shape is your co-worker who does this 3-4 times a week?

My co-worker was a pole vaulter in college, so he was in pretty good shape before he started Crossfit. One thing to consider when you're evaulating the cost of a Crossfit membership is that it's most comparable to having a personal trainer at a regular gym. If you decide to go the regular gym route, I'd recommend finding a gym that specializes in group exercises, such as circuit training, heavy bag boxing, TRX, etc. 24hr Fitness does offer group exercise classes, but I feel like the smaller gyms have better programs (personal preference).

Edit: I forgot to specifically answer the question about the shape my co-worker is currently in. I believe his body fat is hovering around 8% right now, which feels unattainable for most people. He works really hard, but he has insanely active metabolism too.