# how to get/stay in shape



## amg1322 (Nov 30, 2012)

i just finished my emt training and will hopefully be starting the academy in a few months. i am not in horrible shape. but i definitely want to get in kick *** shape. what does everyone do to get in good shape or keep in good shape.. do you have a regular gym workout? do you go to crossfit? or boxing? i'm just looking for something that everyone recommends will help with overall shape and help me through training... help please! :glare:


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## STXmedic (Nov 30, 2012)

Running, cycling, and crossfit. I despise weights. Lol


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## NYMedic828 (Nov 30, 2012)

Just a heads up, this is more for educational and job related training. We have a "health and fitness" section.


Anyway, if you are serious about getting in shape I cannot stress becoming a forum member over at bodybuilding.com over anything. I've been bodybuilding for 5 years now on and off and it makes me feel great. I went from a scrawny 138 to my current 180. 

Second thing, obviously you need to join a gym. I personally recommend weight lifting with cardio integrated. Cardio is important for your overall health but you will better do your job if you have some muscle behind you. Lifting weights does burn substantial calories even while you rest. (Healing)

The BIGGEST thing for your training and overall health, diet diet diet. A favorite saying of mine is "abs are made in the kitchen." You won't get anywhere on the stereotype EMS diet.


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## Thricenotrice (Nov 30, 2012)

Bodybuilding.com seconded. Really good info if you know how to weed out the bad.

Used to be addicted to those forums


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## NYMedic828 (Nov 30, 2012)

Thricenotrice said:


> Bodybuilding.com seconded. Really good info if you know how to weed out the bad.
> 
> Used to be addicted to those forums



Just stay away from "the misc" section and you'll be fine...


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## amg1322 (Nov 30, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> Just a heads up, this is more for educational and job related training. We have a "health and fitness" section.
> 
> 
> Anyway, if you are serious about getting in shape I cannot stress becoming a forum member over at bodybuilding.com over anything. I've been bodybuilding for 5 years now on and off and it makes me feel great. I went from a scrawny 138 to my current 180.
> ...



thanks for the input. i went ahead and created an account on bodybuilding.com theres tons of stuff there! any specific workouts you would recommend or any certain links on the site i should look into?


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## amg1322 (Nov 30, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> Running, cycling, and crossfit. I despise weights. Lol



i don't mind the weights, i definitely rather do that then running lol and i'm looking into crossfit i just can't seem to find a reasonably priced program in my area


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## Tigger (Nov 30, 2012)

Moved to Health and Fitness.


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## STXmedic (Nov 30, 2012)

amg1322 said:


> i don't mind the weights, i definitely rather do that then running lol and i'm looking into crossfit i just can't seem to find a reasonably priced program in my area



If you look into crossfit and you want to join a CF gym, I'd recommend only joining one for a month or two. They all seem to be quite unreasonably priced, and most all of the workouts you can do from home or at a normal gym. The 1-2 months can just be used to see the workouts, see how they're structure, and learn correct form.


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## NomadicMedic (Nov 30, 2012)

The CrossFit box here, they call them "a box" not "a gym", is very price friendly for paramedics, firefighters and other first responders.  And mine also offers a "fundamentals of CrossFit for beginners" it's kind of encouraging to be able to learn all the Moves with zero stress.  I find most of the CrossFit people are very nice, super encouraging and a lot of fun to work out with.

But yeah, it is a little bit more expensive than your typical nine dollar a month gym membership fee


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## NYMedic828 (Nov 30, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> If you look into crossfit and you want to join a CF gym, I'd recommend only joining one for a month or two. They all seem to be quite *unreasonably *priced, and most all of the workouts you can do from home or at a normal gym. The 1-2 months can just be used to see the workouts, see how they're structure, and learn correct form.



???:rofl:

Personally I find crossfit people to act like they are part of a cult...


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## Thricenotrice (Nov 30, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> Just stay away from "the misc" section and you'll be fine...



That used to be half the fun! Ha

I agree that crossfire guys/gals act like its a cult (stickers on cars and so on) but I have seen it work very well for many people (never done it myself). It's definitely a great cardio workout without having to jog on a treadmill staring at the person in front of you for an hour. I personally would just never be willing I fork out that kinda money


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## eprex (Dec 1, 2012)

If you're on a budget, find a decent jungle gym in your area. There's one a few blocks from my house that has parallel bars so I go there instead of the park right in front of my house. Pushups, pullups, chinups, muscle ups, dips, hanging leg raises, jump squats, and one legged lunges/squats are all you really need to get in shape. Sprints are superior to long distance running. It's when you want to put on mass that weights come in to play.

If you lack motivation, get a gym membership and preferably a partner. Focus on form, not numbers. Better to deadlift 225 than permanently damage your back for 315 when you aren't ready. Squats are ideal for EMS workers as well. Shoot for as low of a depth as possible without rounding your back. Stretch to ensure loose hamstrings. And for god's sake push from your heels when lifting, not the toes.

Crossfit is an option but it's incredibly expensive and more of a "feel good and stay motivated" type deal, rather than some superior way of training. If this is the best way for you to stay motivated and push yourself, then perhaps it's worth the $100+ monthly membership. I'd rather rock climb!


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

I drank the CrossFit kool-aid a while ago. We used to go to the local box on-duty since a co-worker owned it. I can dl over 500#, run a sub 6 min mile, do 30 ring muscle-ups in sub 8:00 (bw 215#), and I can also go up 16 flights of stairs with 100 extra# of PPE and equipment and not be useless when I get to the top. 

Lost a ton of fat with Paleo too.

I got my start back in the day with www.rosstraining.com check out the site and his YouTube videos. Crushed the CPAT training like him (joke test though).


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## eprex (Dec 1, 2012)

46Young said:


> I drank the CrossFit kool-aid a while ago. We used to go to the local box on-duty since a co-worker owned it. I can dl over 500#, run a sub 6 min mile, do 30 ring muscle-ups in sub 8:00 (bw 215#), and I can also go up 16 flights of stairs with 100 extra# of PPE and equipment and not be useless when I get to the top.
> 
> Lost a ton of fat with Paleo too.
> 
> I got my start back in the day with www.rosstraining.com check out the site and his YouTube videos. Crushed the CPAT training like him (joke test though).



And you could have done all of this without crossfit. I'm not ragging on you, I just want people to understand that crossfit is not a magic pill for getting in awesome shape. Motivation, effort, and consistency are.


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## STXmedic (Dec 1, 2012)

eprex said:


> And you could have done all of this without crossfit. I'm not ragging on you, I just want people to understand that crossfit is not a magic pill for getting in awesome shape. Motivation, effort, and consistency are.



However, many people like myself can't bear the monotony of weightlifting, and get bored with it incredibly easy. Motivation, effort, and consistency are much easier to maintain when you don't dread going to work out. CF offers another means to get in to good shape without having to spend hours at the gym doing chest and biceps.


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## NomadicMedic (Dec 1, 2012)

The motivating factor for me is, CrossFit cost money. If I'm paying for it, I'm going.

I also like the positive feedback. That helps to keep me engaged.


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

eprex said:


> And you could have done all of this without crossfit. I'm not ragging on you, I just want people to understand that crossfit is not a magic pill for getting in awesome shape. Motivation, effort, and consistency are.



Perhaps, but CrossFit is one-stop shopping for well rounded GPP. On your own, you might figure out a few things, but not be able to piece it all together. A well rounded crossfitter can do decently at most physical endeavors without having doneit before specifically. I can do fairly well at a 5k, I can C&J more than BW, do basic gymnastic skills, I can still keep up with BJJ players even though I haven't rolled regularly in years. In fact, I have more stamina on the mat at 36y/o than I did at 24 y/o back in my Blue Belt days.


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> Just a heads up, this is more for educational and job related training. We have a "health and fitness" section.
> 
> 
> Anyway, if you are serious about getting in shape I cannot stress becoming a forum member over at bodybuilding.com over anything. I've been bodybuilding for 5 years now on and off and it makes me feel great. I went from a scrawny 138 to my current 180.
> ...



If you like bb.com, you''ll love www.t-nation.com


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> If you look into crossfit and you want to join a CF gym, I'd recommend only joining one for a month or two. They all seem to be quite unreasonably priced, and most all of the workouts you can do from home or at a normal gym. The 1-2 months can just be used to see the workouts, see how they're structure, and learn correct form.



The pricing is actually appropriate. The business model is the same as any Martial Arts studio.

Ccommercial gyms make their money by signing up a lot of customers for cheap knowing most will hardly show up if at all.


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

n7lxi said:


> The motivating factor for me is, CrossFit cost money. If I'm paying for it, I'm going.
> 
> I also like the positive feedback. That helps to keep me engaged.



It's a whole world of difference when the rest of the group is grinding it out with you.


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> Running, cycling, and crossfit. I despise weights. Lol



Weights are part of CrossFit, no?


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## STXmedic (Dec 1, 2012)

46Young said:


> Weights are part of CrossFit, no?



Yes, but not the sole part. Not even the majority.


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## 46Young (Dec 1, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> Yes, but not the sole part. Not even the majority.



I beg to differ. Many WODs have kettlebell swings, squats, front squats, snatches, cleans, DL's, shoulder to overhead, thrusters, loaded carries, etc. 

If you go on the CrossFit Journal and read the article about theoretical template for crossfit training (March or April 2003), you see how weightlifting, gymnastics, and monostructural are mixed and matched in a regular pattern. The "W" comes up quite a bit, probably 50% of the time.

The mainsite has some form of weightlifting on many of their WOD's. Just to be sure we're speaking the same language, CrossFit defines weightlifting as controlling an external object. That could be a max effort back squat, or a 53# kettlebell within a chipper WOD.

Edit: Ignoring today, which was a rest day, 5 out of the 7 last mainsite WOD's had a weightlifting component, and one of those days was also a rest day.


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## NomadicMedic (Dec 2, 2012)

Yep. I just did a WOD with KBS, split jerks and walking lunges. 2 of the three movements were weighted.


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## STXmedic (Dec 2, 2012)

I'm not talking about using weights in general. I'm talking about the more traditional weightlifting: bench, squat, curls, moving from one to the other and never having a change in pace or movement. Considering I mentioned that I do crossfit fairly regularly, I'm quite aware that there are weights involved in crossfit.


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

PoeticInjustice said:


> I'm not talking about using weights in general. I'm talking about the more traditional weightlifting: bench, squat, curls, moving from one to the other and never having a change in pace or movement. Considering I mentioned that I do crossfit fairly regularly, I'm quite aware that there are weights involved in crossfit.



Sure, but others may not be aware. Many times at the different stations I work at they say that they do crossfit, but it's all bodyweight stuff, maybe some kettlebell swings and push presses with light dumbbells if that.


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## bryanpearl (Dec 2, 2012)

I go to a "big-box" gym which is right by my work/school, so it is motivating to me to not pass up an opportunity to go work out.. Seeing the gym as I drive by motivates me. I also concour strongly with the group thing, find a gym partner! I get bored sometimes without one and I have to motivate myself through listening to metal (epic battle songs while you run just make you feel epic).


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## kthealy (Dec 2, 2012)

Crossfit is the Scientology of fitness. Lift some weights, get on the incline treadmill, and keep your metabolic rate up


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## NYMedic828 (Dec 2, 2012)

All sides have their benefit.

Personally, have never done crossfit but many friends and co workers are obsessed with it.

As much as I think they act like a cult, that's the motivation that makes them strong and keeps them showing up for workouts and improving.

Me personally, my volunteer firehouse has a very well equipped full gym that I have access to for free. It isn't worth it for me to spend the $100+ a month to go elsewhere.

What keeps me going is looking in the mirror and the desire to lift more weight than I did the last time. If I benched 310 last week, attempting to do 315 this week is what gets me in there.


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## 46Young (Dec 2, 2012)

kthealy said:


> Crossfit is the Scientology of fitness. Lift some weights, get on the incline treadmill, and keep your metabolic rate up



The treadmill time will be of limited usefulness when you need to control heavy and unwieldy external objects for an extended period of time (firefighting tools, wrestling, strongman type events). Likewise, if all I do is barbell complexes and the like for conditioning, I'm not going to do too well in a 5k/10k or a jump rope workout. You need both, and more.

People find this out quickly when they fail the CPAT (37 out of 39 one session IIRC). Three mins on the treadmill with 75# extra, then pull a hose, carry some tools, and they're done before they have to swing the sledge, let alone drag the dummy, let alone do the overhead breach and pull. The sad thing is, the CPAT is only a small fraction of the true physical demands of the fireground.


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