Fitness thread

[Kronos]

As I've started to ramp up walking (around town when I'm in the City), it's been driving me crazy that my Fitbit's GPS doesn't seem to kick in. Previously, when I selected "walking" or "running" on the exercise menu, it would indicate it was connecting to GPS and it would tell you when that connection was achieved. Lately, no such indications on the device and no map or mileage totals on the app.

None of this is crucial information -- at my stage, all I really need to see are steps, on the grand theory that more steps are better than fewer steps -- but it's fun and motivating to see maps and mileage.

I checked a zillion fora, rebooted the device, rebooted the phone, checked and re-checked the settings on both the Fitbit and the phone, all to no avail.

Finally, I noticed that on the Fitbit's exercise menu, in addition to walking, running, etc., there is an exercise simply labeled "outdoor activity". Sure enough, when I selected that, the GPS popped up and connected. And, at the end of my walk, the mileage and map showed up in the app.

I'm not sure why they made this change, but there it is.







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Spooky]

As I've started to ramp up walking (around town when I'm in the City), it's been driving me crazy that my Fitbit's GPS doesn't seem to kick in. Previously, when I selected "walking" or "running" on the exercise menu, it would indicate it was connecting to GPS and it would tell you when that connection was achieved. Lately, no such indications on the device and no map or mileage totals on the app.

None of this is crucial information -- at my stage, all I really need to see are steps, on the grand theory that more steps are better than fewer steps -- but it's fun and motivating to see maps and mileage.

I checked a zillion fora, rebooted the device, rebooted the phone, checked and re-checked the settings on both the Fitbit and the phone, all to no avail.

Finally, I noticed that on the Fitbit's exercise menu, in addition to walking, running, etc., there is an exercise simply labeled "outdoor activity". Sure enough, when I selected that, the GPS popped up and connected. And, at the end of my walk, the mileage and map showed up in the app.

I'm not sure why they made this change, but there it is.







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Excellent! Very nice. Looks like a beautiful location as well.




My walk on the neighbor's treadmill was much less scenic.

He, the Wife, and I have talked ourselves into a wager.

Each of us wishes to lose approximately 45 pounds. So we've entered into a bet, $60.00 paid to whomever can lose 45 pounds by or before 10/31/2025. Eric's mother heard of the bet and has promised an additional $30.00 for a total of $90.00 to the winner. The oral agreement is that winnings are going to be spent on a celebratory dinner for everybody at HuHot here in Lincoln. We're also footing the bill for our impartial Judge Tom, and his daughter.

Weigh ins will be every Saturday, observed by all three plus the Judge, on the same scale in the same place.

Vitals:
Eric, 51 years old, 6'3 - Starting Weight 262.4
Nichole, 37 years old, 5'6 - Starting Weight 232.4
Myself, 37 years old, 5'7 - Starting weight 219.2

I am off to hydrate.

[geoffbot]

190kg pb. Not great form! Do powelifters get penalised for bad form BTW? (unrelated )tried 200kg and failed. Maybe from fresh. Can do 180kg x 2 nice form https://youtube.com/shorts/tVnS7VPw5...uGpshyixuRS92H

[happyscrappyheropup]

190kg pb. Not great form! Do powelifters get penalised for bad form BTW? (unrelated )tried 200kg and failed. Maybe from fresh. Can do 180kg x 2 nice form https://youtube.com/shorts/tVnS7VPw5...uGpshyixuRS92H

Wear shoes with harder soles, Chucks, Vans, whatever works for you. I use a mixture of Chucks and dedicated weightlifting shoes. They're safer for your lifts and you want to be solidly anchored to the ground for all of your lifts. Your shoes compress when you pick up the weight and they don't necessarily compress evenly so your form/alignment can suffer.

It is bad form - your lumbar spine is in a bad position. When you have lumbar spinal flexion under heavy load, you risk herniating a disc. I'd go way down in weight and work up slowly until you start to break *slightly*, then back off and work from that weight. Nobody cares what you lift outside of a comp, my recommendation is to never lift a weight you can't lift for 3-5 reps. If you push for 1rm, especially with bad form, you increase your risk of injury without any real benefit.

Stuart McGill has some stuff on spinal flexion during lifts, but there is some nuance to it. For most lifters, you want to avoid spinal flexion. Here's a good discussion on it between Stuart McGill and Aaron Horschig - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQUFXyQdG00
As far as powerlifting, for most federations there are rules against things like hitching in the deadlift (you can hitch in strongman but not PL), but form doesn't matter much as long as you adhere to the rules and make the lift.

[happyscrappyheropup]

One more from Horschig on rounding your back during the deadlift.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SQxAvi67AY

Plus there are a few bonus cameos, Martins Licis (former World's Strongest Man) and Ed Coan, the greatest powerlifter ever.

[Kronos]

Excellent! Very nice. Looks like a beautiful location as well.




My walk on the neighbor's treadmill was much less scenic.

He, the Wife, and I have talked ourselves into a wager.

Each of us wishes to lose approximately 45 pounds. So we've entered into a bet, $60.00 paid to whomever can lose 45 pounds by or before 10/31/2025. Eric's mother heard of the bet and has promised an additional $30.00 for a total of $90.00 to the winner. The oral agreement is that winnings are going to be spent on a celebratory dinner for everybody at HuHot here in Lincoln. We're also footing the bill for our impartial Judge Tom, and his daughter.

Weigh ins will be every Saturday, observed by all three plus the Judge, on the same scale in the same place.

Vitals:
Eric, 51 years old, 6'3 - Starting Weight 262.4
Nichole, 37 years old, 5'6 - Starting Weight 232.4
Myself, 37 years old, 5'7 - Starting weight 219.2

I am off to hydrate.

45 lbs by 10/31/25 is essentially 5 lbs per month (including February). A significant pace, but not a crazy one.

More important than the number on the scale is making lifestyle changes you can sustain and feel good about. You clearly are already on that road. I hope your neighbor and your wife embark on a similar journey!

Good luck to all!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Kronos]

I'll likely exceed 7,000 steps today, even though I've spent much of the day at my desk.

Today's 45 minute saunter with the dog:








Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[geoffbot]

Wear shoes with harder soles, Chucks, Vans, whatever works for you. I use a mixture of Chucks and dedicated weightlifting shoes. They're safer for your lifts and you want to be solidly anchored to the ground for all of your lifts. Your shoes compress when you pick up the weight and they don't necessarily compress evenly so your form/alignment can suffer.

It is bad form - your lumbar spine is in a bad position. When you have lumbar spinal flexion under heavy load, you risk herniating a disc. I'd go way down in weight and work up slowly until you start to break *slightly*, then back off and work from that weight. Nobody cares what you lift outside of a comp, my recommendation is to never lift a weight you can't lift for 3-5 reps. If you push for 1rm, especially with bad form, you increase your risk of injury without any real benefit.

Stuart McGill has some stuff on spinal flexion during lifts, but there is some nuance to it. For most lifters, you want to avoid spinal flexion. Here's a good discussion on it between Stuart McGill and Aaron Horschig - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQUFXyQdG00
As far as powerlifting, for most federations there are rules against things like hitching in the deadlift (you can hitch in strongman but not PL), but form doesn't matter much as long as you adhere to the rules and make the lift.

Thanks. I'm fine at 170 form wise so I'll stick to that. After my recent injury I'm not keen to repeat it!

[Spooky]

45 lbs by 10/31/25 is essentially 5 lbs per month (including February). A significant pace, but not a crazy one.

More important than the number on the scale is making lifestyle changes you can sustain and feel good about. You clearly are already on that road. I hope your neighbor and your wife embark on a similar journey!

Good luck to all!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I feel as if 2025 is trying to conspire against me. Lol

First I enter the new year with a sprained ankle, then I pick up Influenza A in February.


(Yes I know my name and dob is on there, I track people down for a living, it’s fine. )

Tamiflu and an Albuterol inhaler and I’ve been down since Tuesday evening. Stepped off the treadmill sensing something wasn’t right.


I wonder who I caught it from?

She’s also positive for Influenza A and out of school/activities until Monday. Thankfully she’s only been prescribed Tamiflu and doesn’t require an inhaler. The nausea from last night seems to be subsided as well. On the mend for sure.

In less negative but still positive news, I think dehydration has shown me a new record on the scale:



I ran a bit of an experiment today as well. My hair is a little past the middle of my back these days. I wondered if stepping out of the shower made any difference in weight. Squeezed/dried as normal, and it read exactly the same. (Which I take to mean simply less than a tenth of a pound because that’s the gradation of my scale. )

“He only weighs X soaking wet.”
Seems that old saying is rather inaccurate.


Edit: if I really wanted to be scientific I suppose I could put my glasses, skivvies and phone on my food scale and subtract that. But that seems, excessive?
In truth I care more about the trend than the exact gram.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[happyscrappyheropup]

I hope it’s an easy flu for you two, take good care of yourself and don’t rush back to full speed.