The five fitness goals ev... to reach.

There are a few fitness goals that every guy knows he needs to achieve within his lifetime. Some are simply designed to boost a guy's ego and give him something to brag about, while others are essential to helping him live a longer, healthier life. In no particular order, here are five of the top achievements every guy should try to accomplish — even if it's just to say you did it once.

Bucket list item #1: Achieve a waist circumference of .80 or less

Why it's important for men: First, measure the circumference of your waist at its narrowest spot. Next, measure the circumference around your hips and butt at its the widest spot. Finally, divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. The higher it is over .80, the more belly fat you're packing in your midsection, and, the higher your odds of developing heart disease.

Best ways to reach your goal: The key to losing weight wisely is eating only the amount of calories that your body requires, then doing some form of exercise that forces it to burn off excess body fat.

To start, take your current weight and subtract 10. Then multiply that new number by 12, and then againby 15. The two numbers you're left with is the range of calories your body truly requires each day to maintain that bodyweight. For example, if you're currently 210 pounds, you would subtract 10 from your bodyweight to get 200, then multiply 200 by 12 (to get 2,400) and 15 (to get 3,000). That would mean you should only consume between 2,400 to 3,000 calories each day.

With your diet in place, the next step is to add some form of aerobic activity into your schedule at least three times a week (up to five times a week) for at least 30 minutes each session. Afterwards, you'll stick with this formula, but adjust it weekly by reweighing yourself, then take your 'new' current weight (which should be one or two pounds lighter), subtract it by ten and multiply it by 12 and 15 for a new, lower calorie range.

Pitfalls to avoid: Don't drastically decrease the amount of calories you eat in an effort to drop weight faster. Reducing your caloric intake can cause your body to convert more of the calories you're eating as unwanted body fat.

Bucket list item #2: Bench press 1.5 times your bodyweight for one rep

Why it's important for men: It's the granddaddy of all chest exercises, but more importantly, it's the single exercise that every guy uses as the benchmark when it comes to where they rate strength-wise compared to other men.

Best ways to reach your goal: Bad form is the biggest reason most men never reach this fitness goal, but doing it the right way from the start can build a foundation of strength that can allow any guy to quickly add on the pounds.

To begin, lie face up on an exercise bench with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Grab a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it directly above your chest, arms straight and perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower the bar down to your chest, then forcefully push the bar back up until your arms are straight, elbows unlocked. Inhale as you lower the bar, then exhale as you press it back up into the start position.

Pitfalls to avoid: Keep your head, back, and butt touching the bench at all times. Arching your back positions your body to allow other muscles — particularly your triceps — to help lift the weight, which removes effort from your chest, while placing your lower back at less risk of strain.

Bucket list item #3: Do 10 pull-ups

Why it's important for men: Pull-ups aren't just ideal for letting a man demonstrate his overall strength, but they're also one of the best back exercises out there. In addition to being one of the top five back exercises for building size and power, they also target your latissimus dorsi — the muscles that flare out along the sides of your body — helping a man achieve a more V-shaped symmetry that tapers his torso and creates the illusion of a narrower waistline.

Best ways to reach your goal: Just like the bench press, the main reason most men never achieve this goal is because they never do the exercise the right way from the very start. Here's the best form to use: Grab the bar with a supinated grip (palms facing you), hands shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar with your arms straight, elbows unlocked. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar. Lower yourself back down into the start position and repeat.

If you're not strong enough to do this exercise for the required number of repetitions, attach one end of a stretch band to the chin-up bar, let the other end hang down, then put one foot through the end of the band. This trick can help support a partial portion of your weight, so that you're able to perform the exercise for the required number of repetitions without sacrificing your form.

TIP: If you're heavy, the type of resistance bands you'll find in stores may be too thin and not support as much of your weight. The strength bands that the pros swear by to support any sized guy are from Muscle Driver USA.

Pitfalls to avoid: Avoid jerking and twisting yourself up to reach the bar. The movement should always be steady and fluid, or else you could be compromising your neck, wrists and elbows.

Bucket list item #4: Sprint one mile in 6.5 minutes or less

Why it's important for men: Have you ever seen a male sprinter that didn't have a muscular physique? There's a reason sprinters tend to not look as lean and lanky as their long-distance, marathon-racing male counterparts. That's because traditional cardio does very little to elevate your metabolism and build muscle.

Sprinting on the other hand elevates your metabolism for a long amount of time, allowing your body to burn fat while helping it to add muscle fast. It also burns through stored glycogen much faster than sticking with a traditional long-duration, steady-state aerobic workout, causing your body to turn to stored fat as a fuel source a lot sooner.

Best ways to reach your goal: The best approach for building up sprinting speed and endurance is to break up your workouts into shorter distances with rest periods in between. This six-week plan is designed to be performed three times a week with one day rest in between each workout. After walking in place for five minutes to warm up your muscles, try this six-week routine. In between each and every sprint, you'll rest no more than one full minute to keep your heart elevated.
Week 1: Sprint 20 yards x3; 40 yards x3; 60 yards x3
Week 2: Sprint 20 yards x2; 40 yards x2; 60 yards x2; 80 yards x2
Week 3: Sprint 20 yards x3; 40 yards x3; 60 yards x3; 80 yards x3
Week 4: Sprint 30 yards x2; 50 yards x2; 75 yards x2; 100 yards x2
Week 5: Sprint 30 yards x3; 50 yards x3; 75 yards x3; 100 yards x3
Week 6: Sprint 30 yards x2; 50 yards x4; 75 yards x4; 100 yards x3

At the start and end of the six-week program, try sprinting full out for seven minutes to measure how much you've improved your sprint time.

Pitfalls to avoid: Your body should always be in perfect alignment as you sprint. Your eyes should always stay focused ahead of you (never looking down at your feet) with your arms kept bent at a 90-degree angle at all times. With reach stroke, pump your fist towards the height of your chin, then pull your elbow back as far as you comfortably can to help propel you forward.

Bucket list item #5: Reach down and touch your toes

Why it's important for men: Being able to bend over — or sit with your legs extended in front of you — and reach towards your feet and touch them may seem silly to some men. However, it's having that kind of flexibility that can prevent unnecessary back pain caused from tight, stiff lower back muscles and hamstrings.

Best ways to reach your goal: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Concentrate on bending at the waist and reach your fingers towards your toes. As you go, roll your shoulders and back forward. At the bottom of the move, don't bounce or strain to get your fingers to go lower. Instead, let your arms simply hang down, then concentrate on taking a few deep, relaxing breathes.

Pitfalls to avoid: Never stretch before warming up first. Instead, try jogging in place for three to five minutes before you stretch to bring blood into your muscles.

imago said:

Well, as for me, I am far from achieving these.

1. Achieve a waist circumference of .80 or less

I don't need a calculator to determine that I'm carrying fat around my midsection. I have a HELL of a time getting rid of it, and when I do, it comes back instantenously.

2. Bench press 1.5 times your bodyweight for one rep

I need to lose alot of weight before this is feasible. At my current weight I'd need to bench almost 280lbs.

3. Do 10 pull-ups

This one is more do-able. In fact, 2 summers ago I had this goal in mind and I eventually managed to get 3 unassisted pullups. (Sloppy but they count dammit!) Now I can't do a single one without an assist.

4. Sprint one mile in 6.5 minutes or less

I haven't run since high school. Maybe I should pump up the speed on the treadmill.

5. Reach down and touch your toes

I just started Yoga (again) so maybe I will be able to do this without bending my knees soon.

MacDaddy said:

Don't you go encouraging him!!!

Benchpressing 1.5 times your body weight ain't easy. I weigh 200 and benchpress 311, which barely makes the cut, and I am very, very strong (for an old guy, at least!).

I'd say a more realistic goal is to BP your weight.

But PurpleJedi is going to get 225 up if it kills me! I mean, him!

PurpleJedi said:

Bucket list item #4: Sprint one mile in 6.5 minutes or less

I've never met anyone who could do this

aardvark15 said:

PurpleJedi said:

Bucket list item #4: Sprint one mile in 6.5 minutes or less

I've never met anyone who could do this

All of these tips scare me (except for the one about touching your toes:lol: ), but this particular one really scares me because I've seen people doing this, slipped and went flying off the treadmill!!! I'm trying to work my way back up to a 5.5 but I think that's as fast as I'm willing to go.

aardvark15 said:

PurpleJedi said:

Bucket list item #4: Sprint one mile in 6.5 minutes or less

I've never met anyone who could do this

I could, when I was in my 20's.

I couldn't sprint 1/4 mile in 6.5 minutes now, LOL.

Most of these things on this list are not realistic.

.

[Edited 3/14/13 11:45am]

RodeoSchro said:

Benchpressing 1.5 times your body weight ain't easy. I weigh 200 and benchpress 311, which barely makes the cut, and I am very, very strong (for an old guy, at least!).

I'd say a more realistic goal is to BP your weight.

But PurpleJedi is going to get 225 up if it kills me! I mean, him!

kitbradley said:

aardvark15 said:

I've never met anyone who could do this

All of these tips scare me (except for the one about touching your toes:lol: ), but this particular one really scares me because I've seen people doing this, slipped and went flying off the treadmill!!! I'm trying to work my way back up to a 5.5 but I think that's as fast as I'm willing to go.

My buddy does sprints at the local school track.

I should go with him the next time he does it and see how I fare.

i'm not sure how fast i could run a mile.. but i could do all the rest now

But seriously, from which decade is this list?

PurpleJedi said:

The five fitness goals ev... to reach.

There are a few fitness goals that every guy knows he needs to achieve within his lifetime. Some are simply designed to boost a guy's ego and give him something to brag about, while others are essential to helping him live a longer, healthier life. In no particular order, here are five of the top achievements every guy should try to accomplish — even if it's just to say you did it once.

Bucket list item #1: Achieve a waist circumference of .80 or less

Why it's important for men: First, measure the circumference of your waist at its narrowest spot. Next, measure the circumference around your hips and butt at its the widest spot. Finally, divide your waist circumference by your hip circumference. The higher it is over .80, the more belly fat you're packing in your midsection, and, the higher your odds of developing heart disease.

Best ways to reach your goal: The key to losing weight wisely is eating only the amount of calories that your body requires, then doing some form of exercise that forces it to burn off excess body fat.

To start, take your current weight and subtract 10. Then multiply that new number by 12, and then againby 15. The two numbers you're left with is the range of calories your body truly requires each day to maintain that bodyweight. For example, if you're currently 210 pounds, you would subtract 10 from your bodyweight to get 200, then multiply 200 by 12 (to get 2,400) and 15 (to get 3,000). That would mean you should only consume between 2,400 to 3,000 calories each day.

With your diet in place, the next step is to add some form of aerobic activity into your schedule at least three times a week (up to five times a week) for at least 30 minutes each session. Afterwards, you'll stick with this formula, but adjust it weekly by reweighing yourself, then take your 'new' current weight (which should be one or two pounds lighter), subtract it by ten and multiply it by 12 and 15 for a new, lower calorie range.

Pitfalls to avoid: Don't drastically decrease the amount of calories you eat in an effort to drop weight faster. Reducing your caloric intake can cause your body to convert more of the calories you're eating as unwanted body fat.

Bucket list item #2: Bench press 1.5 times your bodyweight for one rep

Why it's important for men: It's the granddaddy of all chest exercises, but more importantly, it's the single exercise that every guy uses as the benchmark when it comes to where they rate strength-wise compared to other men.

Best ways to reach your goal: Bad form is the biggest reason most men never reach this fitness goal, but doing it the right way from the start can build a foundation of strength that can allow any guy to quickly add on the pounds.

To begin, lie face up on an exercise bench with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Grab a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it directly above your chest, arms straight and perpendicular to the floor. Slowly lower the bar down to your chest, then forcefully push the bar back up until your arms are straight, elbows unlocked. Inhale as you lower the bar, then exhale as you press it back up into the start position.

Pitfalls to avoid: Keep your head, back, and butt touching the bench at all times. Arching your back positions your body to allow other muscles — particularly your triceps — to help lift the weight, which removes effort from your chest, while placing your lower back at less risk of strain.

Bucket list item #3: Do 10 pull-ups

Why it's important for men: Pull-ups aren't just ideal for letting a man demonstrate his overall strength, but they're also one of the best back exercises out there. In addition to being one of the top five back exercises for building size and power, they also target your latissimus dorsi — the muscles that flare out along the sides of your body — helping a man achieve a more V-shaped symmetry that tapers his torso and creates the illusion of a narrower waistline.

Best ways to reach your goal: Just like the bench press, the main reason most men never achieve this goal is because they never do the exercise the right way from the very start. Here's the best form to use: Grab the bar with a supinated grip (palms facing you), hands shoulder-width apart. Hang from the bar with your arms straight, elbows unlocked. Pull yourself up until your chin clears the bar. Lower yourself back down into the start position and repeat.

If you're not strong enough to do this exercise for the required number of repetitions, attach one end of a stretch band to the chin-up bar, let the other end hang down, then put one foot through the end of the band. This trick can help support a partial portion of your weight, so that you're able to perform the exercise for the required number of repetitions without sacrificing your form.

TIP: If you're heavy, the type of resistance bands you'll find in stores may be too thin and not support as much of your weight. The strength bands that the pros swear by to support any sized guy are from Muscle Driver USA.

Pitfalls to avoid: Avoid jerking and twisting yourself up to reach the bar. The movement should always be steady and fluid, or else you could be compromising your neck, wrists and elbows.

Bucket list item #4: Sprint one mile in 6.5 minutes or less

Why it's important for men: Have you ever seen a male sprinter that didn't have a muscular physique? There's a reason sprinters tend to not look as lean and lanky as their long-distance, marathon-racing male counterparts. That's because traditional cardio does very little to elevate your metabolism and build muscle.

Sprinting on the other hand elevates your metabolism for a long amount of time, allowing your body to burn fat while helping it to add muscle fast. It also burns through stored glycogen much faster than sticking with a traditional long-duration, steady-state aerobic workout, causing your body to turn to stored fat as a fuel source a lot sooner.

Best ways to reach your goal: The best approach for building up sprinting speed and endurance is to break up your workouts into shorter distances with rest periods in between. This six-week plan is designed to be performed three times a week with one day rest in between each workout. After walking in place for five minutes to warm up your muscles, try this six-week routine. In between each and every sprint, you'll rest no more than one full minute to keep your heart elevated.
Week 1: Sprint 20 yards x3; 40 yards x3; 60 yards x3
Week 2: Sprint 20 yards x2; 40 yards x2; 60 yards x2; 80 yards x2
Week 3: Sprint 20 yards x3; 40 yards x3; 60 yards x3; 80 yards x3
Week 4: Sprint 30 yards x2; 50 yards x2; 75 yards x2; 100 yards x2
Week 5: Sprint 30 yards x3; 50 yards x3; 75 yards x3; 100 yards x3
Week 6: Sprint 30 yards x2; 50 yards x4; 75 yards x4; 100 yards x3

At the start and end of the six-week program, try sprinting full out for seven minutes to measure how much you've improved your sprint time.

Pitfalls to avoid: Your body should always be in perfect alignment as you sprint. Your eyes should always stay focused ahead of you (never looking down at your feet) with your arms kept bent at a 90-degree angle at all times. With reach stroke, pump your fist towards the height of your chin, then pull your elbow back as far as you comfortably can to help propel you forward.

Bucket list item #5: Reach down and touch your toes

Why it's important for men: Being able to bend over — or sit with your legs extended in front of you — and reach towards your feet and touch them may seem silly to some men. However, it's having that kind of flexibility that can prevent unnecessary back pain caused from tight, stiff lower back muscles and hamstrings.

Best ways to reach your goal: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent. Concentrate on bending at the waist and reach your fingers towards your toes. As you go, roll your shoulders and back forward. At the bottom of the move, don't bounce or strain to get your fingers to go lower. Instead, let your arms simply hang down, then concentrate on taking a few deep, relaxing breathes.

Pitfalls to avoid: Never stretch before warming up first. Instead, try jogging in place for three to five minutes before you stretch to bring blood into your muscles.

[img:$uid]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YD8Na5Mv4oY/USZJ0T5RKQI/AAAAAAAADnU/5U871_OaqRE/s1600/Ain-t-Nobody-Got-Time-Fo-Dat-sweet-brown-31241125-480-330.jpg[/img:$uid]

MacDaddy said:

But seriously, from which decade is this list?

It's American.

Adisa said:

[img:$uid]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YD8Na5Mv4oY/USZJ0T5RKQI/AAAAAAAADnU/5U871_OaqRE/s1600/Ain-t-Nobody-Got-Time-Fo-Dat-sweet-brown-31241125-480-330.jpg[/img:$uid]

PurpleJedi said:

At my age (52) I can only do 3 & 5. I can't bench and squat like I did in my 20s and 30s.

I read the thread title as "Fitness Bucket List for Gays."

Genesia said:

I read the thread title as "Fitness Bucket List for Gays."

You have/had alot of gay friends.

imago said:

x 1,000

sex is best for fitness

ThisOne said:

sex is best for fitness

[Edited 3/15/13 22:31pm]

ThisOne said:

sex is best for fitness

Well, this explains why everyone on the org is out of shape.

imago said:

ThisOne said:

sex is best for fitness

Well, this explains why everyone on the org is out of shape.

speak 4 your self

iaminparties said:

ThisOne said:

sex is best for fitness

[Edited 3/15/13 22:31pm]

u r rather trim 2 Panties