Nutrition, Diet, and Exercise: Notes, Goals, and Resources (these people just keep talking about crossfit)

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Ugh. I have a conundrum. Weightlifting gym is $185/month for 3x per week. Works out to around $15/session with a max of 10 people per class (but I’ve never seen more than 3 other people with me). I’d like to keep going to this gym because it’s within walking distance of my apartment and there isn’t a ton of running (my feet/knees are shot, so a lot of cycling or rowing is used for cardio).

I was going to do kickboxing 2x week for $100/month...which I like, but the classes I’ve gone to so far haven’t been ultra varied. More like warmups, then a couple combos/partner drills. I sweat like a pig and am def sore In my shoulders/back next day. This is within walking distance, but I have to take my car because it starts earlier after work (5:15pm versus the weight lifting at 5:30pm)  

But then I went horseback riding today...that’s $200/month for 4 lessons ($50/each), which is pretty reasonable. I forgot how much I genuinely like grooming/riding/attempting to jump. The trainer is also super legit and there is no barn drama. I could see myself learning a lot under this trainer, but it is 30-min drive away.

I can afford doing all three, but I don’t think that’s be sustainable (or healthy) for me to juggle them all. So I figure it’s going to be the weightlifting + one other. Lower-middle class JK is still baffled by the cost and worrying about paying a car payment per month towards “gym memberships”, but I do want to try and get healthier. This is all in my quest to get terrifying thighs  

Thoughts? Kickboxing or horseback riding?

 
vhab49_PE said:
Well, sounds like you might get more enjoyment out of horseback riding. Could you do horseback spring summer fall and kickboxing winter? Or is winter horseback riding a thing?
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Winter horseback riding is a thing. This facility has a pretty big indoor arena, which is why I started lessons in March right before covid shut down everything. 

 
JayKay PE said:
Ugh. I have a conundrum. Weightlifting gym is $185/month for 3x per week. Works out to around $15/session with a max of 10 people per class (but I’ve never seen more than 3 other people with me). I’d like to keep going to this gym because it’s within walking distance of my apartment and there isn’t a ton of running (my feet/knees are shot, so a lot of cycling or rowing is used for cardio).

I was going to do kickboxing 2x week for $100/month...which I like, but the classes I’ve gone to so far haven’t been ultra varied. More like warmups, then a couple combos/partner drills. I sweat like a pig and am def sore In my shoulders/back next day. This is within walking distance, but I have to take my car because it starts earlier after work (5:15pm versus the weight lifting at 5:30pm)  

But then I went horseback riding today...that’s $200/month for 4 lessons ($50/each), which is pretty reasonable. I forgot how much I genuinely like grooming/riding/attempting to jump. The trainer is also super legit and there is no barn drama. I could see myself learning a lot under this trainer, but it is 30-min drive away.

I can afford doing all three, but I don’t think that’s be sustainable (or healthy) for me to juggle them all. So I figure it’s going to be the weightlifting + one other. Lower-middle class JK is still baffled by the cost and worrying about paying a car payment per month towards “gym memberships”, but I do want to try and get healthier. This is all in my quest to get terrifying thighs  

Thoughts? Kickboxing or horseback riding?
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You should combine the two. Kickbox with the horse.

You can probably win if you stay in front. But if you end up behind the horse, WATCH OUT!

 
I vote horses.  Cardio is free.  Weights and horses cost money.

 
csb said:
I vote horses as well. A friend gave up running for increased horse time and has lost 30 lbs (she also modified her diet). 
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I found out that I’m in the “good/advanced trainer” class. I didn’t know there was lower level trainers at the facility. Very weird to think I might be okay at horseback riding? I never had the “rider” body/was always surrounded by super competitive people, so it’s nice to know I’m okay with riding. 
 

plus I think horses are just neat!

 
JayKay PE said:
I found out that I’m in the “good/advanced trainer” class. I didn’t know there was lower level trainers at the facility. Very weird to think I might be okay at horseback riding? I never had the “rider” body/was always surrounded by super competitive people, so it’s nice to know I’m okay with riding. 
 

plus I think horses are just neat!
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I'm ignorant on the topic...

Is riding horses physically demanding?

 
jean15paul_PE said:
I'm ignorant on the topic...

Is riding horses physically demanding?
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Pretend you're sitting on one of those office ball chairs that were all the rage a while ago.  You know, the bouncy ones that make your abs ache a little after a while due to all the little shifting and clenching of your body trying to naturally balance itself.  Only make it a little more difficult and don't let your feet touch the ground for balance, the 'ball' has an attitude , and you have to tell it what to do silently using a combination of your heels, ass, and soft, gentle, hands.  It has to look like you're doing nothing and the 'ball' sometimes decides it wants to kill you today, because that plastic bag is scary or because it needs to fart, so you'll be dealing with a 'ball' that is bouncing around while you're trying to stick to it like glue.

Tbh, I know a ton of people who don't think it's hard when they first get on/are only walking, and then the next day their legs are total crap.  It's pretty much a half-squat position, dropping all your weight in your heels and gripping with your thigh, while sitting on a live animal that has a brain and may, just may, decide to not listen to you.

 
JayKay PE said:
Pretend you're sitting on one of those office ball chairs that were all the rage a while ago.  You know, the bouncy ones that make your abs ache a little after a while due to all the little shifting and clenching of your body trying to naturally balance itself.  Only make it a little more difficult and don't let your feet touch the ground for balance, the 'ball' has an attitude , and you have to tell it what to do silently using a combination of your heels, ass, and soft, gentle, hands.  It has to look like you're doing nothing and the 'ball' sometimes decides it wants to kill you today, because that plastic bag is scary or because it needs to fart, so you'll be dealing with a 'ball' that is bouncing around while you're trying to stick to it like glue.

Tbh, I know a ton of people who don't think it's hard when they first get on/are only walking, and then the next day their legs are total crap.  It's pretty much a half-squat position, dropping all your weight in your heels and gripping with your thigh, while sitting on a live animal that has a brain and may, just may, decide to not listen to you.
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That sounds equal parts difficult, terrifying, and sexy.

LOL

 
riding...I was going to say major core, back and knee work out.  After the trail ride I did last month with minisnick the knee was twinging a little bit right after for an hour or so.  The only other thing that hurt was the area where the butt and legs join together.  Too much weight sitting on the saddle instead of using the heels to take some of the weight.  

 
Ble_PE said:
JayKay PE said:
you have to tell it what to do silently using a combination of your heels, ass, and soft, gentle, hands.  
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Go on...
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It's a skill that surprisingly translates very well in other aspects of my life.  🤷‍♀️

@jean15paul_PE, when you first start it's a little scary because you don't realize how tall it is on the back of a horse until you get up there.  Then you have to tell the horse what to do, which they may or may not listen to depending on if they're hungry or don't like the other horse.  It def it crazy when you get to upper level stuff and you've got like 15-things going on at once (guiding rein + sit deep + inside to outside +flex + collect before a jump).

@snickerd3 Yeah, the knee thing happens when you use the stirrups as more of a foot rest than actually dropping all your weight into your heels for balance.  As for the hurting between the butt/leg joint...might have been a crappy saddle/undersized saddle, tbh.

 
N.S. Nandagopal, P E

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