Getting fit for skiing

Bandit,
I do agree with you (because muscle weighs more than fat), but it's a good general guideline though, which is why our doctors and nurses use it. Some of the sites also include wrist circumference etc. to allow for bone size

And how many of us are built like Arnold Swartzenegger anyway? Apart from you of course :wink:

Have fun at the gym :D

Ally

AllyG wrote:Bandit,
I do agree with you (because muscle weighs more than fat), but it's a good general guideline though, which is why our doctors and nurses use it. Some of the sites also include wrist circumference etc. to allow for bone size

And how many of us are built like Arnold Swartzenegger anyway? Apart from you of course :wink:

Have fun at the gym :D

Ally

It is an outdated measure, since it was developed in the mid 1800's and people are generally taller and heavier now. It does nothing to measure adipose tissue, but if your parents were big boned, you can look forward to lots of lectures about how overweight you are (even if your ribs stick out).

I imagine that the NHS uses it, because it's free, and they can put it on their computers, thereby removing any need to make a clinical judgement based on an examination, and allowing them to put a tick in a box.

Bandit,
Have you tried those fat measuring weighing machines, and if so, what do you think of them? There's one in our local Boots.

Vincentus,
With a program like that I wouldn't think there was much left for you to try out.

I have a ski exercise book, and it does have a few exercises specifically related to ski-ing which you might not have tried already.

1. Rotating jumps - jump both feet together whilst rotating the upper body in the opposite direction to the lower body.
2. Single legged heel raise - stand on one leg and then lift your heel up and down, improves to doing it without putting your heel down in between lifts.
3. One legged stand - lean backwards and forwards while standing on one leg.
4. Single legged jump and balance - jump out in front about 1 metre landing on one leg and hold your balance for 2 seconds.

Ally

AllyG wrote:

Tony_H wrote:Thanks. I dont eat too much, and I probably dont exercise enough. Oh well.

Tony,
Have you tried calculating your Body Mass Index?

http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Pages/healthyweightcalculator.aspx

It's quite a useful way of calculating whether one is actually overweight or not. I have just calculated mine, and I'm now 23, which is towards the upper end of a healthy, normal weight. I am still, however, planning on dieting until I'm right in the middle of the healthy weight band, which for me means losing half a stone on top of what I've already lost.

If you just eat less when trying to lose weight then your body becomes more efficient at utilising the calories you eat, and your basal metabolic rate drops, so you have to eat even less to lose weight. But if you exercise as well then it counteracts this effect, because exercise generally increases your BMR. Plus, of course exercise is good for you anyway.

Ally

Yes I have. Its all a load of balls as Bandit rightly points out anyway. They want people to think they are overweight!
Anyway, I know I could lose a stone and lose a few little extra bits. One knows what one should weigh and look like better than any BS charts!

And stop telling me to eat less, that doesn't achieve anything apart from bringing on illness.

After watching Arctic Man last night I thought I'd try holding the squat position..............OMG my poor wee thighs...............and I only got to 1min30

Eljay wrote:After watching Iron Man last night I thought I'd try holding the squat position..............OMG my poor wee thighs...............and I only got to 1min30

Hi Eljay
Which ironman contest were you watching as we have one in May every year over here & err I don't do it in case someone asks.

I stand corrected............sorry I meant the Arctic Man programme :oops:

Eljay wrote:I stand corrected............sorry I meant the Arctic Man programme :oops:

Correction noted & accepted :-)