Hope you are back on track for your goals now
Heart Rates and Fitness
- Thread starter Ooh-Rah
- Start date
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2012
- Messages
- 13,435
I wear a Garmin Fenix7 most days and at night, I’m often shocked at the ridiculously noticeable difference I see in my sleep, my resting heart rate, blood pressure and my respiration on weeks where I’m consistently working out versus weeks where I am not.
Another major “ah-ha” I have had, is alcohol; specifically in my sleep. Nights where I have a few beers, my sleep score is in the low 40s and a “poor“. A night where I drink nothing, my sleep scores are in the high 70s and fair to good.
Again, I don’t necessarily feel all that difference, but the watch definitely picks up the differences in my overall body health.
It doesn’t take much.
Another major “ah-ha” I have had, is alcohol; specifically in my sleep. Nights where I have a few beers, my sleep score is in the low 40s and a “poor“. A night where I drink nothing, my sleep scores are in the high 70s and fair to good.
Again, I don’t necessarily feel all that difference, but the watch definitely picks up the differences in my overall body health.
It doesn’t take much.
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2012
- Messages
- 13,435
I’m embarrassed to admit the amount of money I have spent on personal trainers over the years. For the past few months I have been using ChatGPT as a nutritionist and personal trainer, the impact it has had on my overall health, fitness and VO2 performance is ridiculously positive.
ThunderHorse
Verified Military
That's awesome.
Any tool in the box, that produces a positive result Brother. Good on you for finding something that is working
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2012
- Messages
- 13,435
I actually subscribed to GPT so I can have unlimited access. This thing has been life changing…
Perfect call.
Taking today as a full rest day is actually the smartest training move you could have made based on everything you’ve been building this week.
⸻
Here’s Why Today’s Rest Was a Win:
• Allows supercompensation:
Your body actually adapts during rest, not during the workout itself. Today gave your heart, muscles, and nervous system a chance to lock in the gains from all the cardio, strength, and core work you stacked earlier.
• Solidifies HRV improvements:
Remember your HRV chart climbing? Today helps anchor that trend, keeping you from tipping into overreaching (where HRV would stall or drop).
• Refuels your next performance:
Tomorrow’s workout (if you choose to ride or lift) will be stronger, cleaner, and better supported by glycogen, hydration, and muscular recovery.
• Mental recovery matters too:
Even feeling slightly “mentally fresher” tomorrow matters. Training isn’t just physical—it’s neurological.
⸻
Coach’s Note:
“A well-timed rest day isn’t you skipping a workout. It’s you making the long-term investment in a stronger, fitter, healthier version of yourself. You earned it.”
Taking today as a full rest day is actually the smartest training move you could have made based on everything you’ve been building this week.
⸻
Here’s Why Today’s Rest Was a Win:
• Allows supercompensation:
Your body actually adapts during rest, not during the workout itself. Today gave your heart, muscles, and nervous system a chance to lock in the gains from all the cardio, strength, and core work you stacked earlier.
• Solidifies HRV improvements:
Remember your HRV chart climbing? Today helps anchor that trend, keeping you from tipping into overreaching (where HRV would stall or drop).
• Refuels your next performance:
Tomorrow’s workout (if you choose to ride or lift) will be stronger, cleaner, and better supported by glycogen, hydration, and muscular recovery.
• Mental recovery matters too:
Even feeling slightly “mentally fresher” tomorrow matters. Training isn’t just physical—it’s neurological.
⸻
Coach’s Note:
“A well-timed rest day isn’t you skipping a workout. It’s you making the long-term investment in a stronger, fitter, healthier version of yourself. You earned it.”
SpongeBob*24
Verified Military
SponGPT says you take a day off when you die!!
Just kidding, I'm glad it's working out for you.
My new fitness goal is to wake up not sore. Don't know if that's possible anymore....
Just kidding, I'm glad it's working out for you.
My new fitness goal is to wake up not sore. Don't know if that's possible anymore....
I took my first rest day in the last 18 days today, and feel like an absolute piece of crap for doing it haha. I am so freaking sore/tired after yesterdays hinge/squat/carry day that I had to, but now I have lost all my gains, I am fat, and no one can depend on me. It's over (#tehscience).SponGPT says you take a day off when you die!!
Just kidding, I'm glad it's working out for you.
My new fitness goal is to wake up not sore. Don't know if that's possible anymore....
I blame my finisher (a HIIT workout under 20 minutes I add to my strength days)- one arm KB swings 10x each arm (35#), Onnit leg driver (basically a KB swing, with an an extended reach at the bottom of the squat) 10 reps 58lbs, farmers carry 50m x2 88lb kb, 5 rounds no rest, then right into 300m walking lunges (bodyweight), and a 2x 300m shuttle run with a 1 minute rest.
Awful.
SpongeBob*24
Verified Military
That finisher workout is Joe Rogan approved!
I can't say the word kettlebell without hurting my back. I got weak jeans..
I can't say the word kettlebell without hurting my back. I got weak jeans..
I don't know where I got it in my head... but I have started to include 2 things in my workouts because I just sort of decided I wanted to do them?That finisher workout is Joe Rogan approved!
I can't say the word kettlebell without hurting my back. I got weak jeans..
1- pullups. I had a grade 2 separation of my left shoulder, near full thickness rotator cuff tear, and a SLAP in 2011 that I never got fixed, cause I didn't want to come off deployment. Well, now that I don't constantly re-injure it, turns out it's pretty healthy, but I haven't done a single bodyweight pullup since like 2022. Well, I tested it out and did nine whole pullups pain free, which immediately pissed me off, cause that's passing but not maxing out the OFT, so now I will be doing sets of pullups to start every workout until my numbers are up.
2- I want a disgusting "engine", aka cardiorespiratory fitness. So now the finishers happen after every workout- lots of sprints, HIIT circuits, less than 20 minutes (in my 4-day programmed workout split, I do 1-1:30 of cardio on my fourth day so I get my long slow distance then).
I am not doing anything else, might as well be in the best shape of my life when I turn 45.
Devildoc
Verified Military
I get up in the morning. Like, out of the bed. On many days that alone deserves a medal.
I have weird shitty knees, so those lunges can go to hell. Rest of it sounds fun though.
Gotta ask how you're doing the leg driver, because there's apparently 3 dozen ways to do them. Is it one or two kb? Are you doing a full extension, or this bottom range thing?
Longtime goal of mine was to do a 1000+ powerlifting total and run a sub 20:00 5k. Figure that's pretty good for both strength/cardio.
Then I saw this video and realized I either need to get much faster or much stronger lol.
One of my teammates deadlifted 500 and ran a sub 5:00 mile... in the same training day. It was nuts.
For the leg driver- lots of variations for sure (also, I am an Onnit certified durability/KB/Mace/Club trainer, NBD)-
Address kettlebell appropriately in between heels, swing kettlebell out to full reach/bottom range of motion. As you're retrieving KB, pull through legs like the bottom range of motion of a swing; complete Russian swing (KB finishes eye level, elbows connected and in tight). That's 1 rep.
The movement pattern from the KB in the middle of legs would be- hinge to make KW weightess and swing, Pull KB back to starting position (hinge), swing to bottom range of driver like in the video (squat), pull kettlebell back to bottom position of swing (squat), then hinge to complete one rep. I will take a video of a set tomorrow, they're heinous.
Yea, I'd need to see it. I think I'm following along, but might overcomplicating it in my head.
Box
Verified SOF
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2018
- Messages
- 2,367
We do a ten minute NSDR in the conference room a few times a week that helps lower heartrate and promote something something hippy relaxation technique...
...DOGE probably doesn't approve of the wasted productivity but it does help control the bureaucratic rage simmering within my subconsciousness
...DOGE probably doesn't approve of the wasted productivity but it does help control the bureaucratic rage simmering within my subconsciousness
Long distance, long cruising run, long zone 2 run, 1-1:30 conversational run, recovery, low intensity, etc...
Just not slow. You never deliberately run slow, unless you want to be slow. Same for swimming and cycling. You take days easier and ignore the pace, while focusing on technique/form/breathing/etc, but you don't purposely try to go slow.
View attachment KB Swing.mov
@Cookie_ - Leg Driver KB variation.
I tried to do a super light weight for a visual of the positions- this is both a hinge (from the hip) and a squat (change of the hip/back angle with a bend of the knees and descending pelvis).
Notes:
- Focus on the two separate movements. The hinge is a hinge, the squat is a squat, the swing (generated by power through the opening of the hip at the end range of the hinge) should make the KB weightless
- Fight to prioritize your spine/hip and back angle and keep the head in a neutral positon (looking at the video, I realize I look slightly up out of the bottom of the swing, which is natural, but a good idea of what the wrong form looks like). If you had a softball ball under your chin, at no time should you drop the softball.
- Tight, tight, tight through the core at all times. Any time you move weight away from your centerline, things get wonky, so a constant brace is needed.
I used 80 freedom units in the second part, I usually do sets of 10-20 with 80/88lbs depending on my intended cardiovascular load/effort.
Have fun!
@Cookie_ - Leg Driver KB variation.
I tried to do a super light weight for a visual of the positions- this is both a hinge (from the hip) and a squat (change of the hip/back angle with a bend of the knees and descending pelvis).
Notes:
- Focus on the two separate movements. The hinge is a hinge, the squat is a squat, the swing (generated by power through the opening of the hip at the end range of the hinge) should make the KB weightless
- Fight to prioritize your spine/hip and back angle and keep the head in a neutral positon (looking at the video, I realize I look slightly up out of the bottom of the swing, which is natural, but a good idea of what the wrong form looks like). If you had a softball ball under your chin, at no time should you drop the softball.
- Tight, tight, tight through the core at all times. Any time you move weight away from your centerline, things get wonky, so a constant brace is needed.
I used 80 freedom units in the second part, I usually do sets of 10-20 with 80/88lbs depending on my intended cardiovascular load/effort.
Have fun!
Video helped a ton dude! The initial "ATG squat with KB swing" is the bit from your written explanation that my brain wasn't picking up on.
I'll be adding it to my rotation.
It's because I am retarded. That's why, not your fault.
Play around with your rep scheme- sometimes I'll do around 53lbs to failure, literally just try and go as long as I can. Burner.
