Things I wish I knew 5/10 years ago

Patsy167 · 19-09-2020 11:17am #1

...or to come at it from a different angle, What have you changed your mind on over the years?

Can be as general or specific as you like on any area of Fitness, Nutrition, recovery, and mindset.

It's a question that often gets asked on various podcasts and interviews. The sample size is always N=1 so responses are always very insightful and don't have to be cold hard facts or generalities that need to apply to everyone.

Thought it might be a nice light and fun way of learning from other Boardsies

Alf Veedersane · 19-09-2020 11:25am

Deep Heat is not for groin injuries

Patsy167 · 19-09-2020 11:45am

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Deep Heat is not for groin injuries

Painful life lesson!

Cill94 · 19-09-2020 12:08pm

Good idea.

Probably the value of training with people that are stronger than you.

Forgot about this after I left school and have only recently realised what a positive effect it has on my lifting.

Patsy167 · 19-09-2020 1:52pm

Keep your identity small

I used to be always searching one perfect sport, exercise, nutrition program that would be my identity for life. I have only recently realized the error in my ways on this. Rather than black or white thinking, I put everything on a grey scale.

I'll readily switch things up when something has run its course. Sticking to a few key principles rather than rigid protocols. I've bounced between every type of exercise and keep nutrition very flexible. It's saved so much wasted energy previously and keeps things interesting!

Dtp1979 · 19-09-2020 3:23pm

I wish I could go back to a younger me and tell me to start deadlifting and squatting and that It’s not bad for my back.
I’d also tell me that Taking protein Straight after a workout isn’t important

Man with broke phone · 19-09-2020 3:26pm

Deadlift squat and bench and pullups.

Eat good clean food.

Everything else is just somebody trying to make some money out of you.

2 fast · 19-09-2020 4:04pm

Don't go to gyms that offer quick fixes, go to someplace that provides proper nutrition and shows you how to lift weight properly

D'Agger · 20-09-2020 8:13pm

Going to the beach and getting in the water even for a few minutes will do wonders for recovery and your mind after hard sessions. Wish I started doing it as frequently as I do now while I played football

Reps4jesus · 21-09-2020 8:41am

Stop going to failure on everything the whole time.
Focus on the big lifts, 15 different variations of flys arent gonna make much of a difference to me

Alf Veedersane · 21-09-2020 8:46am

Respect recovery.

I used be an awful spa for going into the gym on off days and training away because I had time despite the fact that the volume and intensity of the program was based on the number of training days.

Who'd have thought that I'd have less niggly injuries and get better results from it?!

Also, mobility. It's not stretching for 3 minutes before you start lifting. Left it far too long before investing proper time in it...lying on a foam roller being the totality of it for too long.

Black Sheep · 22-09-2020 9:03am

If I could go back 10 years, or better yet 20 years, I would take responsibility for programming my strength training out of my own hands and get a coach.

Between 20 and about 35 I basically trained myself, and although I was following some classic programs I didn't make the progress I could have.

..It's a bit like the saying that the lawyer that represents himself has a fool for a client.

ILoveYourVibes · 23-09-2020 5:04am

pilates works ..you don't need a gym ..that is for socializing ...running won't ruin your knees ...

As for lifting weights ..you don't need to compete with the guys ..don't take advice meant for a guys body ..find your own form in fact ..don't take advice for anyone elses body you are an individual

pre workouts are not drugs ..and won't give you a heart attack..

Not all calories are equal ...

Don't eat refined sugar too much its the devil...(im a slave to sugar!)

As you get older the health issues associated with being unhealthy are dire and serious.

You are not obsessive if you exercise every day..in fact you should.

Macy0161 · 23-09-2020 9:46am

I'd probably have to go back further than 10 years, as I was already making changes and had decided on calorie tracking/ deficit and incremental and sustainable changes to my diet and not to go a diet.

Importance of sleep and recovery.
If following a plan, take the rest/ recovery days.
Fuel workouts and recovery, even in an overall deficit (don't diet on the bike in my case).
It really is calories in v calories out - keep the faith in that and your calculations, even if a particular week you don't see expected results!
Depriving yourself of foods you enjoy just leads to binging - everything in moderation.
Stick with proven, peer reviewed science. Not just one off studies that may show a link/ benefit of avoiding/ doing something.
Linked to the above, diet regimes/ methods are the new religion. People are so invested they'll ignore science

scilover · 23-09-2020 10:07am

...reducing your weight is so hard when you're older.

DoctorEdgeWild · 23-09-2020 11:55am

If I could go back 20 years, I'd convince myself to take up bodybuilding sooner, get on stage sooner and maybe stand a better chance of placing higher!

Would also teach myself how to get that food in no matter what obstacles the day presents.

The chan chan man · 23-09-2020 9:20pm

Full body workout is king!

Patsy167 · 24-09-2020 2:10pm

The chan chan man wrote: »

Full body workout is king!

What exercises, set/rep schemes, & frequency do you use?

Cill94 · 26-09-2020 3:47pm

Don't listen to the crossfitters telling you Paleo is the healthiest way to eat.

Also don't do the paleo diet. You'll never be able to stomach sweet potato again.

Kevhog1988 · 28-09-2020 12:22pm

Dont worry that your the fattest person on the team/in the gym just keep turning up.

Patsy167 · 28-09-2020 3:10pm

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

Dont worry that your the fattest person on the team/in the gym just keep turning up.

Was talking to someone at the weekend who said they found gyms intimidating as it made them self-conscious and her trainer had advised her to follow the 18-40-60 rule - "When you’re 18, you worry what people are thinking about you. When you’re 40, you don’t bother yourself with people’s opinions. When you’re 60, you realize that nobody was thinking about you to begin with"

paleoperson · 28-09-2020 3:16pm

Black Sheep wrote: »

..It's a bit like the saying that the lawyer that represents himself has a fool for a client.

ah now hang on...

completedit · 28-09-2020 7:35pm

Realise the importance of genetics.

iguana · 02-10-2020 9:27am

You don't necessarily have to just accept and learn to live with pregnancy damage. There is actually quite a lot you can do to minimise much of what mothers are told they are powerless about. I spent 6 years needlessly "accepting" the damage on my tummy area most of which was gone 6 months after I found my sporting hobby. It's really messed up that we teach people helplessness about something that we might actually have a lot of control over.

On that note, I wish I'd known 20+ years ago that women should maintain a strong core. I injured my back when I was 20 and suffered various levels of pain from that injury for 20 years. I went through numerous rounds of physio, saw many doctors including specialists. Took lots of medication including courses of steroid injections. And 20 years later, by complete chance I learned that a strong core would alleviate the pressure on my back and completely eliminate the pain. And once that pressure was off my back, I'd be able to dramatically increase the strength and flexibility of my back muscles. It's absolutely insane to me that over years and years of treatment not one single medical professional told me to strengthen my core.

ThunbergsAreGo · 02-10-2020 10:49am

Running is not boring and can in fact be great for your mental health.

Would have avoided it like the plague - but have got into it over lockdowns - a good podcast and off I go

4Ad · 02-10-2020 10:58am

iguana wrote: »

You don't necessarily have to just accept and learn to live with pregnancy damage. There is actually quite a lot you can do to minimise much of what mothers are told they are powerless about. I spent 6 years needlessly "accepting" the damage on my tummy area most of which was gone 6 months after I found my sporting hobby. It's really messed up that we teach people helplessness about something that we might actually have a lot of control over.

On that note, I wish I'd known 20+ years ago that women should maintain a strong core. I injured my back when I was 20 and suffered various levels of pain from that injury for 20 years. I went through numerous rounds of physio, saw many doctors including specialists. Took lots of medication including courses of steroid injections. And 20 years later, by complete chance I learned that a strong core would alleviate the pressure on my back and completely eliminate the pain. And once that pressure was off my back, I'd be able to dramatically increase the strength and flexibility of my back muscles. It's absolutely insane to me that over years and years of treatment not one single medical professional told me to strengthen my core.

I do alot of running but due to lower back and hip pain I decided to do a core strength exercise routine for runners last night, crippled this morning !!

Should of done it ages ago !!

ThunbergsAreGo · 02-10-2020 11:08am

4Ad wrote: »

I do alot of running but due to lower back and hip pain I decided to do a core strength exercise routine for runners last night, crippled this morning !!

Should of done it ages ago !!

Mind sharing?

4Ad · 02-10-2020 11:58am

ThunbergsAreGo wrote: »

Mind sharing?

https://youtu.be/b3zpfb1PZVk

The Run Experience 10 minute Core Exercise.

Patsy167 · 14-11-2020 12:15pm

I thought this was well worth a read. A few home truths that were like a dig in the ribs. Painful to read but much needed as a reminder when I find myself thinking over action.

https://www.reddit.com/r/naturalbodybuilding/comments/fob7rr/10_things_ive_learned_in_my_almost_20_years_of/

Cill94 · 15-11-2020 8:37pm

Something I wish someone had told me when I started training.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHlBMn7j0KH/

Alf Veedersane · 15-11-2020 11:29pm

Focus on the process more than the outcome.

Just thinking back, I was often far too concerned with the ultimate outcome rather than the process that would decide that.

When I switched that mindset, it made training more enjoyable because I could just focus on what I was doing and trusted that it would ultimately bring the results I wanted.

Things I wish I knew 5/10 years ago

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