My NROL Experience

[stingo]

I already have a stability ball but think I might get a new one since I really like the ones at the gym I use now. So blast straps would be preferable to the TRX? Just curious... Thanks for all the help!

[ParanoidAndroid]

Originally Posted by stingo

So if I'm understanding this correctly, I'd need:

Power cage
Bench
TRX and/or Blast Straps
Olympic Barbell + Weights

Right?

thats pretty much all you need for a home gym.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by Lost Dog

It's not worth the effort to make steel cut oats on the stove. You can use a crockpot or slowcooker, too. Easier, but still more trouble than it's worth. Jill's method is the best one. Nuking is the second best one.

Personally, I'll pass on the steel cut oats. Rolled oats are oatmeal. Steel cut oats are good, but they aren't oatmeal. I do see why some people like them better, but I don't.

And, since there's no health advantage to one vs. the other, I choose rolled (ie., Old Fashioned, 5 Minute Oats, etc.)

I like the change of texture for when I get tired of oatmeal. And yes they are rather more difficult to make too, but with practice I hope to get the hang of it.

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by stingo

I already have a stability ball but think I might get a new one since I really like the ones at the gym I use now. So blast straps would be preferable to the TRX? Just curious... Thanks for all the help!

Blast straps are cheaper. They aren't as versatile as the TRX, but if you don't plan to travel with them or use them outside, the blast straps would be okay. Also, maybe Roland can chime in here, but it may be easier to do neutral grip pullups using the blast straps vs the TRX.

P.S. I think steel cut oats taste better personally. matter of preference.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

Blast straps are cheaper. They aren't as versatile as the TRX, but if you don't plan to travel with them or use them outside, the blast straps would be okay. Also, maybe Roland can chime in here, but it may be easier to do neutral grip pullups using the blast straps vs the TRX.

P.S. I think steel cut oats taste better personally. matter of preference.

Yeah but all the cool kids have the TRX.

[Lost Dog]

Originally Posted by stingo

I already have a stability ball but think I might get a new one since I really like the ones at the gym I use now. So blast straps would be preferable to the TRX? Just curious... Thanks for all the help!

There's pretty much nothing that Blast Straps can do that TRX can't, but the reverse isn't true.

However, the Blast Straps are simpler and cheaper, so if you plan to only use them in the home gym, doing certain exercises, they should be fine. But, taking them outdoors and hooking them to a tree or attaching them to a hotel door is more of a challenge for the Blast Straps, but a breeze for the TRX.

I'm not sure you can hook feet into the BSs, either. That's a big part of the TRX, suspending yourself with your feet in the air, which is pretty unstable and challenging to the core.

Here are a couple of threads that discuss the options and differences.

Blast Straps

TRX Options

Alcoholiday has the BSs and a power rack. If I had a home gym, I might prefer the simplicity of the BSs, too.

[Victoria]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

Also, to make Steel Cut Oats...here's a trick I learned from John Berardi. Make them the night before. Bring the required amount of water to a boil, drop in the oats, put on the lid, turn off the heat, let it sit overnight. In the morning it will be perfectly done. You just need to reheat.

Back to the oatmeal...

This just makes me nervous, leaving food that is warm, out all night, in a covered pot. Seems a perfect environment for something really bad to colonize in it. But, I guess it's ok or else people wouldn't be doing it. I just wouldn't.

[L'ilJ]

Originally Posted by Victoria

Back to the oatmeal...

This just makes me nervous, leaving food that is warm, out all night, in a covered pot. Seems a perfect environment for something really bad to colonize in it. But, I guess it's ok or else people wouldn't be doing it. I just wouldn't.

I haven't had a problem with it.

[stingo]

I did something this weekend that I've not done in a long time - watched a few movies and Fox's cartoon primetime lineup.

I didn't know it when I rented them, but Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch were both Guy Ritchie films. Seeing one right after the other shows the formula and the variations on it present in both films. Both were more enjoyable, though I think Snatch had the more satisfying ending. I like Ritchie's way of telling a story as well as incorporating humor and violence, making them not entirely comedies, but not exactly true crime movies either. I really liked how something would happen in one scene, and then it would be explained a few scenes later (won't say what, because I don't want to give anything away). At any rate, well worth the rent (I might even buy them).

I also watched a movie on tv (well the last part anyhow) - Spike was running a Saturdasian marathon, which of course means martial arts films. Now I'm always one for a good martial arts film, but the one I saw was really good - Hero, with Jet Li. I was reminded of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in terms of its production values and certain scenes (I don't know which one came first) - but it was a really good historical film. And, for something rather less intellectual, I watched Meals on Wheels - an old Jackie Chan/Sammo Hung film which did have some funny moments in it.

Lastly, Fox's cartoon lineup was good this time around - the Simpsons picking on the Fox network was pretty brave considering it's biting the hand that feeds them. Family Guy was good too, but I think the best was the show that came in between (American Dad or something like that?) - can't remember the name offhand. The one where the dad works at the CIA and is supposedly the all-American father. At any rate, the episode dealt with anorexia and was pretty clever in the way it portrayed it - using the dad rather than the daughter or wife (in fact the way the counselor talked it seemed like only women had the condition). Very well done.

And lastly, I got a look at South Park, having not seen it the past few seasons. As far as I could tell the characters hadn't changed much, except now that Mr. Garrison seems to have become Ms. Garrison. At any rate, the episode was about looks-ism and intolerance, but in a much more militant and hateful way than the American Dad episode. Still, it was good viewing.

[L'ilJ]

Did someone say Snatch?

Whatever you do...don't rent any more Guy Ritchie movies! Especially not Swept Away! Boy, did his career go down the tubes once he married Madonna. Anyway, I liked Lock, Stock and Snatch.

If you liked Hero (awesome movie!), you should check out The House of Flying Daggers and Fearless (the Jet Li one). Both are very similar to Hero and Crouching Tiger.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by L'ilJ

Did someone say Snatch?

Whatever you do...don't rent any more Guy Ritchie movies! Especially not Swept Away! Boy, did his career go down the tubes once he married Madonna. Anyway, I liked Lock, Stock and Snatch.

If you liked Hero (awesome movie!), you should check out The House of Flying Daggers and Fearless (the Jet Li one). Both are very similar to Hero and Crouching Tiger.

Yes - and I was dying to post it in your log (about watching Snatch).

I think I liked Snatch better than Lock - the ending was more satisfying.

As for Hero, I'd wanted to see it for a long time but I only caught probably half or less of the movie on Spike. I'll look into renting/buying it. Thanks for the recommendations - I'll look for them on Netflix. (Though I prefer buying the Chinese editions as I understand some American companies (Miramax) cut the originals.)

[stingo]

30 seconds rest after each exercise

Snatch Grip Deadlift 3x8@150 (substituted dumbbell DL)
T Pushup 3x8@5 (previous editions had weight in one hand - this time weight in both)

Split Squat (4 second hold) 3x8
Underhand Lat Pulldown 3x8@100

Deadlift w/Row 3x8@42.5
Lower Body Russian Twist 3x8

Notes:

The deadlift is coming along nicely, and I'm very much learning the importance of doing warmup sets before doing the work sets. Very happy with this one.

I'm also quite pleased with the T-pushup, as now I'm using weights in both hands to do it. Granted, it's a small weight, but it's a start. For whatever reason, doing the exercise using only one dumbbell is easier - not sure if it's because one side is done and then the other.

Some gains in the split squat - I find I can do the sets (with the 4 second hold but without the press) with my right leg unaided, but the left leg still needs some help with balancing. Still, this is a LOT better than when I started, so I'm happy about it.

I kept the lat pulldown at 100 and I think I did the right thing. Much more control this time around, so I think I will increase to 110 for B6.

The deadlift with the row continues to confound - it always seems like I should be using a lot more weight than I do, but still, I was able to increase, even if just by 2.5 lbs on each side.

Today was the first day I did all three sets of the lower body Russian twist unmodified (at least not intentionally, and to the limit of my current flexibility), so definitely a score in the plus column.

I'm quite happy with this workout - the 30 second rest proved to be more of a factor in B than in A. And although it's still a butt-kicker, it's not the soul-destroyer it once was, so I can say I've definitely made progress.

[SpacecityPaula]

I'll second Jill's recommendation for Hero... very awesome movie. I wasn't as impressed with House of Flying Daggers, but it's still pretty good.

[stingo]

Originally Posted by SpacecityPaula

I'll second Jill's recommendation for Hero... very awesome movie. I wasn't as impressed with House of Flying Daggers, but it's still pretty good.

Thanks Paula - I'm trying to find the director's cut with English subtitles but it looks like that's gonna be difficult. Yeah I could get the US version but companies like Buena Vista (a Di$ney company) are known to cut oriental films when they release them for the US market.

[RacerBill]

Best way I've found for steel cut oats is make them risotto-style. Melt a bit of butter in the bottom of your saucepan, add the oats and stir and toast them for about two minutes. Add the boiling water to the pan (I use a teakettle for that). It will bubble up for a few seconds, then subside. Turn the heat way down, to a bare simmer. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes. That's enough time to go take a shower. After 20 minutes are up, add a splash of milk and Splenda (I add a bit of molasses, too, for some brown sugar flavor). Bring it back to a simmer and cook for about ten minutes... it gives you enough time to get the coffee brewing and get the table set.

I don't have time to do this except on Sunday morning, but it makes a nice breakfast, especially on a cold morning.