The FastDay Forum

Well I'm far enough into the book to say yes I will give it a go so sign me up please Juliana. My exercise buddy who is fasting as well is interested. Starting day is Monday.

Wineoclock wrote: Well I'm far enough into the book to say yes I will give it a go so sign me up please Juliana. My exercise buddy who is fasting as well is interested. Starting day is Monday.

Welcome aboard the fast exercise fitness train @wineclock.. Member 25 thank you for joining and spreading the word.

Hello everyone & @Juliana.Rivers,

wow, so much activity here, I'm away for a couple of days, and already finding it hard to catch up! May I join in? I've been doing Steve Boutcher's 8sec/12sec intervals on my cross-trainer - still not easy or enjoyable, but getting there! So I've come here from my little thread, "HIIT newbie", I've order a paper copy of MM's book, but I may stay with Steve, I don't know yet.

oh @MaryAnn, bike short woes, I SO identify with - having had the hardest time finding some female ones to fit me. I ended up getting the most expensive Italian ones in 4X, and have never regretted it for a second - they are wonderful, many hundreds of kms later. But bike shorts are extremely gender-specific, don't buy male ones!!

@CreakyPete, were you on the road on your road bike??? That sounds a bit interesting! Or were you on the stationery chok things at home - might be a bit safer! Glad you can get a bit of a sweat up!

@OfficeMonkey, sorry to hear you're feeling so lethargic, I had that a bit last week, but it's better now it's cooler. I don't know what your health issues are, but maybe you could cut down a little? I'm not familiar with MM's protocol yet, but maybe just halve what you're doing & work it up over a few weeks? That's what Steve Boutcher recommends. Hope you can keep going at some level!

Just off to do my HIIT for today, I still have trouble just getting the motivation to get on the crosstrainer, because my brain tells me that it'll be hard! but once I'm on, I'm usually fine. Like standing on the edge of the ocean before you dive in!

Good morning

I have just completed session number two, I was considering an extra days rest today considering how much my arms were aching yesterday but I decided to have ago. I was up early anyway walking a friend's dog and I was already warmed up when I came. in.

So far all leg exercises are Ok. I put that down to the fitbt. but my arms and upper body as are so weak. I'm looking forward to seeing an improvement there.

Hope everyone has a good day.

jools7 wrote: Hello everyone & @Juliana.Rivers,

wow, so much activity here, I'm away for a couple of days, and already finding it hard to catch up! May I join in? I've been doing Steve Boutcher's 8sec/12sec intervals on my cross-trainer - still not easy or enjoyable, but getting there! So I've come here from my little thread, "HIIT newbie", I've order a paper copy of MM's book, but I may stay with Steve, I don't know yet.

Just off to do my HIIT for today, I still have trouble just getting the motivation to get on the crosstrainer, because my brain tells me that it'll be hard! but once I'm on, I'm usually fine. Like standing on the edge of the ocean before you dive in!

absolutely @jools7you are member 26 of the HIT club
its scary contemplating this stuff for sure but i think we wont look back once we really get into it.

Number 4 reporting- bruises on my tummy where madmax hit me on the back stroke and feel as though I've done 2 million crunches. Strangely, no other spaegie (muscle soreness)
@garnet25 I was doing a lot of exercise last year and had good fitness then met (via youtube) Jillian Michaels and her eeeevvviiilllll intervals in the 30 day shred. Killed me- or so it felt. Even after really working up the fitness levels, I still struggled with the minute (is that all) of serious heart gargling cardio. Don't know what it is that when you can have good stamina but these interval things are just WICKED!
Hopefully , we'll all manage to see a difference.
@julieathome hope the oops moments (what twonk thought that one up?) improve too
I'm wondering from reading the article that juliana posted if maybe the protocol I'm following will be too much for madmax...(says she hopefully ) ...

Yesterday's bike intervals seem to have improved my parkrun time today - only 6 seconds faster than last week but felt more like a runner in the first half.

Six seconds improvement every week would be great in the long term of course!

P.S. VO2 Max calculates at 45.2 today by Cooper test (1.57 miles in 12 minutes).

@Juliana Rivers unfortunately you have to be a subscriber to get to the UK Times online pages however the link posted by @Mary Ann is very similar.
@janeg I will have a look at the Jillian Michaels stuff on you tube.
I definitely think variation in exercise is best for me as I have a low boredom threshold.

Have just bought the book on Kindle looking forward to reading it.

Just watched the truth about exercise and have two conclusions from it.
My aerobic fitness doesn't seem to get any better no matter what/how much exercise I do. I think I am a nonresponder. Bummer
The madmax janeg interface protocol is tough! Maybe too tough, going by what the TV research says.
So,
I'm going to half it and do
5mins warm up
10 mins of 20 sec up 40 sec down
Cool down.
That's week one. The following weeks build up the UP and reduce the DOWN.
Need to think how that works or theoretically I could be going hell for leather for 10 solid minutes . Surely that's not the point.
Thoughts, suggestions anyone?
@garnet if you need lots of variety, the book I got has loads of different things, from treadmill and outside running to circuits and lots more. And it was a cheapy in kindle (only reason I got it)

Hi, #17 here. Found a great little tabata timer app on Android & did my first sets this morning. d#@% am I out of shape! Bit I knew that. It is 8-20 sec intervals w/10 secs between. I was just doing stair running, jumping jacks, modified burpees (very modified!) & fast running in place high knees. Max heart rate when done was 150, 1 min post 110 & 2 min post 90. Considering my ultra beginner status, I don't think that's too bad, but i'll plug into the calculators & such later. For now, I'm done & feel great. Is this where we'll check in when commenting or should I look for different threads each day?

Hi, Juliana. I have finished reading MM's book and I would like to join the club, please. I don't really know why because I am extremely exercise averse and have failed miserably at every form of exercise that I have tried.

I started using my son's Concept 2 rowing machine on the 10th January, with very low targets! I aimed for 2000m with the intention of improving, over time, the speed taken to complete it. I seem to average 12 minutes, which is appalling but, I assume, better than nothing!

I managed to do four consecutive days without much trouble (I needed a brief break at 1000m for a burst of my inhaler) then on my regular visit to my osteopath, he suggested that, as I was starting at point zero on the exercise scale, I should do alternate days! This was marvellous news and I think will fit in well with the information in MM's book that doing more than 3 sessions of HIT a week will bring no added benefits. Music to my ears!

I intend to stick to my 2000 metres but introduce some short, intense bursts into it. I'll let you know how I get on! Wish me luck!

Hi Juliana,

I'd also like to join the club. I just got back from my 7th session of HIT.

Last year I did lots of MIT exercise and weights (2-2.5 hour sessions). I started HIT about two weeks ago doing 4 x 1 minute sets on an exercise bike at the gym, pulse at 155 max. I found the "broad in the beam" seats crippling (should probably try a spin class type of bike), so have switched to the elliptical trainer, which seems to suit me better. Currently on 6 x 45 seconds at level 15 with 2 mins warm up and a 3-4 mins recovery between sprints and a 4 min cool down at the end.

Today, I managed to get pulse to 167 max which works out at 100% plus maximum heart rate (based on 220 - age)

hi LastChance - yes I love my crosstrainer, even though it nearly goes into orbit on my sprints - I may eventually need a better quality one! Exercise bike - hmm, I agree about those huge seats, extremely uncomfortable! And I always think, being a cyclist, that an exercise bike is like "trying to have a shower in a raincoat", forgive the reference!

oh, @janeg, glad you've managed to rekindle your relationship with MadMax - but it does sound tough - as I was saying, the Steve Boutcher intervals I've been doing - here's the reference for his book:

http://books.google.com.au/books?id=bFZ ... er&f=false

anyway, he suggests 12sec sprints 18 sec recovery for 30 mins for the rowing maching - he reckons it's more doable if you're not very fit to start with.

and I'm sorry to hear about the bruises!

happy HIITing, everyone! #26 signing out.

So... I think I've seriously bruised my tailbone. I can't even sit down unless I'm really careful. I suspect there are multiple problems: I'm bonier now, I did a few sessions without bike shorts, bad form/wrong seat height, and just generally the seat shape being a problem for ladies (got a lot of hits on google). The shorts definitely helped with general saddle soreness, and I've tried two more shops and still not found ladies bike shorts (evidently Okinawan women don't cycle), so I'll stick with the men's ones I bought. Better than nothing.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience with spin vs. regular upright exercise bike for HIT? I'm guessing spin will be better for my tail bone because the handle bars are racing bike style so you lean forward more.

P.s. Sorry if I'm whining too much or repeating myself. I've been whining over on fb too and can't remember where I've said what. OMG I'm in agony

Ouch @maryann that sounds too uncomfortable. Hope it eases. Does icing it help. (Now having weird images of fondant and royal icing being applied to bike seats and posteriors! )
@stowgateresident madmax is a concept 2 and, despite my moans and groans , I'm actually rather found to it. Best was when I lived in Hong Kong and the gym overlooked the water. I could race the tankers and wee boats. Was doing intervals not even realising it.
@jools yon Steve man sounds a hard task master! 12 sec sprints and 18 secs recovery?!
For 30 minutes! ? Can you hear my voice getting higher? That would be something to aim for.
There does seem to be a big disparity between the protocols we're working with (tabata, Steve etc) and what the good Dr M suggests. Is he aiming for the most sustainable way, I wonder?

Anyway, 2nd one done this morning
5 min warm up (bed was much warmer and cosier...)
10 sprints of 20 secs and 40 secs recovery
Warm/cool down

2.6km 16 mins on madmax, max row speed hit about 2'08 for 500m in the sprint (slower than last time) average speed about 3'25 on recovery.
Fast day for me so did it first thing and we'll see how that goes.
Number 4 needs to go to work
Byeee