Exercise and / or Kava?

[VictoryRider]

I was a runner for the vast majority of my life (mid teens to low 50s). A couple years back my right ankle started giving me trouble due to the many,
many injuries it has sustained over the years. Cumulative damage, and age.

So now I mostly lift. I've spent the last year or so building muscle, doing the heavy protein thing, etc. It has been wonderful! I still run 2-3 times
per month to keep my endurance up, and do HIIT once or twice a week to burn fat.

Kava WRT exercise: I think kava before exercise is counter-productive. It makes a person lazy, relaxes the muscles, leading to difficulty
sustaining "the burn". If you're walking or hiking, it might work OK, but in my experience it still makes me lazy.

Kava after exercise is wonderful. It really feels good after a really intense workout. Do it before protein shakes (if you're into that sort of thing)
or it will be less effective.

 

[VictoryRider]

Oh. And. Exercise, especially heavy exercise, is THE BEST anti-depressant there is.

When I was in my late 20's I went through a patch of pretty bad panic attacks and depression which lasted about 1.5 years.
No meds... I decided to soldier through without any meds. What I did do was really step up my running and exercise.

What a difference. It helped me feel better, and also helped me cope better. It built up my mental
endurance as well as physical. Really a tremendous help!!

 

[LunaKava]

I am an avid runner, at the peak of my running I was doing 50+ miles per week and drinking kava on weekends. While I don't advocate kava and heavy exercise as they are counter productive due to dehydration, I didn't suffer to much. I've run a few ultras and most recently pikes peak, if you are serious about fitness be conscious about whatever you put into your body. @VictoryRider I agree that exercise is one of the best antidepressants there is, just don't over do it.

 

[Crunked]

I can identify with the OP. I was a runner in the 70's too and I also used my copy of Jim Fixx's book as a bible. I stopped running some years ago, moving to the treadmill and machine weights but stopped that too because I found something that suits me much more. Now I lift weights in accordance with the Starting Strength program. I love the program and the results, e.g. see http://startingstrength.com/resourc...a/69039-physical-fitness-testing-results.html

However, I never consume kava before a workout. It would be no fun, I wouldn't perform at my best and frankly, it would be dangerous when lifting heavy weights. Having kava to look forward to is also a great motivator.

 

[VictoryRider]

I am an avid runner, at the peak of my running I was doing 50+ miles per week and drinking kava on weekends. While I don't advocate kava and heavy exercise as they are counter productive due to dehydration, I didn't suffer to much. I've run a few ultras and most recently pikes peak, if you are serious about fitness be conscious about whatever you put into your body. @VictoryRider I agree that exercise is one of the best antidepressants there is, just don't over do it.

Pike's Peak??? Congrats, that's an astounding feat!

I've ridden my motorcycle up (and of course down) Pike's Peak twice. I can't imagine running up it -- not only 13 miles of uphill road, but the thin air.
Very impressive!

 

[HeadHodge]

Oh. And. Exercise, especially heavy exercise, is THE BEST anti-depressant there is.

Many years ago I use to jog 5 miles/day. I loved the 'second wind' high I would get from it. But like a good heady kava, although it feels great, it doesn't last very long

 

[Groggy]

Does kneading kava count as exercise? If so I'm good

 

[Deleted User01]

For many, many years I did 3plus miles everyday in a huge wooded park nearby. On the weekends I would to 5-6 miles. Just very slow, watching my heart monitor, and all that. Anyway, once I started getting recurring hip pain, I dropped running like a hot potato. But for me, that is a great anti-depressant as well. And not to mention the weight loss, sleep, fitness benefits etc. During that time, I had a resting pulse in the low 50s. But running wears down human bones and you need to heed the warnings. Now I walk hard (with my wife) and I have added both weight training and core workouts to the mix. I'm still sore from yesterday in fact. Those deep pushups are brutal.
Kneading kava is good for hand strength. It should improve your tennis and golf grip. Foreeeeee !

 

[Jerome]

There is a lot of evidence now days that so called "chronic cardio" is actually detrimental to cardiovascular health.

 

[Deleted User01]

Well then I'm glad I was forced to stop running. And just in the nick of time. That study sounds like the one my lil brother quotes me where he says low blood pressure is bad. Of course his is high and mine is normal on the low side. Just finished my sets of core. I hope the next study doesn't claim that core exercises are bad for you. Remember in the old days (very old days), they said that weight lifting was bad for athletes and made you muscle bound and inflexible. My Dad introduced weight lifting to his football team and his Jr. High team beat the B Team Varsity. That wasn't supposed to happen and it caused a little bit of a rukus. Anyway, the next year every high school coach/Jr High (4 in total?) in the city had a weight lifting program. That was one of his favorite stories.

 

[HeadHodge]

...I hope the next study doesn't claim that core exercises are bad for you. ...

My aged wisdom has determined that pretty much everything I enjoy or makes me happy is bad for me. I think I've added at least an extra 5 years to my life ever since I stopped having sex and started kicking the dog.

 

[HeadHodge]

Exercising after kava is real exercise.

 

[nickbroken]

Exercising after kava is real exercise.

Meh you arent kidding. I do pretty much only heavy and it's hard to get me to do much of anything. It's like why work out I'm just gonna die anyways, it takes up kava time, I should go on a chicken wing only diet.

 

[Deleted User01]

My aged wisdom has determined that pretty much everything I enjoy or makes me happy is bad for me. I think I've added at least an extra 5 years to my life ever since I stopped having sex and started kicking the dog.

Unfortunately, I hear ya loud and clear. But you gotta admit that Kava does help.
P.S. Except the dog thing. It's not my dog, it's my wife's dog. Hey, he's finally warming up to me. He had a bad childhood on the streets. But he loves his Mommy. Did I mention he pisses everywhere ...

 

[Capitán Bastos]

I row about 1,5miles in both morning and evenings everyday. Great for cardio and also working on most muscle groups.
I plank for 1-2min beforehand. Core.
After the rowing, I do max reps of curls and various other exercises.
About 5-6 days a week I manage to get in a 10k brisk walk.

Every other day I get as close as I can to 50 sit-ups, push-ups and deep squats.
I drink mate everyday, too much will mess up my workout. Sometimes I will have just one shell of kava when I wake up and follow that with some mate. I find, like @dino9832 that the kava helps with the motivation, it keeps the worry and stress at bay (one of my biggest sources of procrastination). And combining with a stimulant like mate, gives me a little extra like @Kavafied said it would. @Kavasseur giving up alcohol (and sugar) always helps.

July/August this year I was about 286lbs, my blood pressure was so high my doctor told me if I don't do something soon, I might just drop dead.. Walking just a short distance was like a marathon, the scariest was those couple of times when my body just quit on me. I didn't pass out, but fell and couldn't get up for a few seconds.

I changed the diet and slowly started to work out as much as I could. Also, I cut back on my working hours.

Yesterday I weighed in @ 215lbs.

 

[HeadHodge]

Yesterday I weighed in @ 215lbs.

Wow that's pretty awesome. I haven't been south of 220lbs in many years. But I'm hoping this is the year

 

[HeadHodge]

I changed the diet and slowly started to work out as much as I could. Also, I cut back on my working hours.

Yesterday I weighed in @ 215lbs.

How's the blood pressure doing now? How much kava are you using?

 

[Deleted User01]

That's a nice routine @Capitán Bastos. On Core day, I do (3) sets of 4 ab exercises. I do 1 minute of planks per set. That is one exercise that makes me very happy ... when it's done. I really don't have big weight issues but I'm shooting to loose at least 1/2 inch so I can fit more comfortably in my pants. I also want to buy a blue suit but I would like to keep it at 34inch if possible. That being said, I horsed down a plate of homemade pasta last night. Yeah, I got the pasta machine out a few days ago. In fact, I swirled the pasta around in garlic butter before adding the cheese. My wife noticed the difference in taste immediately. Butter is everyone's friend. So to hell with dieting, it ain't for me. But I don't mind working out to the point of exhaustion.

 

[HeadHodge]

...That being said, I horsed down a plate of homemade pasta last night. Yeah, I got the pasta machine out a few days ago. In fact, I swirled the pasta around in garlic butter before adding the cheese....

Diet busting bastard.

 

[Deleted User01]

It's hard to do a diet when people around you don't cooperate. So I gave up. I worked out with weights before lunch till I was seeing stars. I had chocolate ice cream for dessert. But just a small portion. Now I never buy ice cream, cake, pie, etc. But like I said, I get no cooperation.