Site Search:
 
Speak Korean Now!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

EXERCISE IN KOREA: Buying protein, gym stories, etc
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General Discussion Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
huck



Joined: 19 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 4:19 am    Post subject: EXERCISE IN KOREA: Buying protein, gym stories, etc Reply with quote

[MOD note: This thread is a split off of issues about living in Korea from the "ESL Fitness Challenge" thread on the off-topic forum. Themes include: Buying protein suppliments, Korean gym stories, local marathons, etc.]

Hey, I was wondering if you guys who actually know something about this stuff could answer a couple of questions for me...

1. For those of you who are supplementing your diet with protein shakes, where do you buy them in Seoul?

2. And for the egg whites? Do you guys separate them yourselves - which I can do, but it's not as easy as just buying them in the store, yoiu know?

3. About the pyramid workout...why is it better to increase the weight and do less reps, rather than (after doing two sets at lighter weights) completely fatigue the muscle group you're working on at a higher weight, then immediately drop it 10 kg., then fatigue your muscles at that weight, then immediately drop it another 10 kg., and so on? It would seem like that way, when your muscles think they've done as much as they can, you show them that they can do a little bit more than they thought...

4. And finally - Before I came to Korea 2 years ago, my weight was always around 155 pounds (I'm 6 feet tall). In a year and a half, I gained about 15-18 pounds, before I went travelling last June, and lost most of the muscle mass I had gained. However, when I was bigger, and I was pretty cut - not really any visible fat, I practically had an 8pack on my stomach, etc - I noticed that my face seemed a lot puffier, and when i would stretch my neck and tilt my head to the side, puffy (fatty) skin would become obvious as it made my eyes look squishy. Anyways, now that I'm back down to 158 or so, that puffiness is gone...I've just started working out again a couple of weeks ago, but I'm worried that the puffy face/eyes/skin will come back...So, to make a long question even longer, to those of you who gain weight, has this side-effect occurred? Or does it just mean that I should probably be doing more cardio work?

Anyways, thanks for any questions you can answer. I really appreciate it. This thread is nice. It made me realize that I'm not the only one here who is trying to work out and improve my body while I'm in Korea....thanks for starting it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
VanIslander



Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 4:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know about the other stuff, but separating egg whites is as easy as boiling an egg. Just crack the egg open over a bowl, and toss the yolk back and forth from one side of the eggshell to the other until all the clear "whites" are out. I've very little dexterity with my hands but it only took me a couple of eggs to master the process.

Just separate your own egg whites and save yourself the expense. (And you can leave the yolks out for the underfed cats in Korea.)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mr. Pink



Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 4:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tokki wrote:
Cables are pretty good. I wouldnt put them in the same category of machines as crap ones like the chest press. Cables are great for a variety of exercises. Machines like Nautillus are useless. Well,some like the Peck deck are better than others. As good as cables are, freeweights are still better. DB flyes are better than cable flyes. Triceps are built more effectively with freeweights than cables. I use cables too in my routine, but I use primarily freeweights.

Anyway Zyz, dont worry about it. Atleast now as you make progress you will be making REAL progress. You have seen for yourself how the level of strength differs between machines and freeweights. Had you continued using machines, you would have been only wasting time and effort.

Are you on the barbell bench press yet?

I have one beef. Why the hell dont korean gyms have DBs that go past 50lbs? I cant progress past the 50lbs 1 arm preacher/concentration curls or the standing curls since Ive never even seen adjustable DBs here. That sucks. Anyone else have this problem? Too light DBs and not enough plates? Maybe I should talk to the guy who works at my gym about getting DBs up to 90lbs since it would be great to do some heavier DB exercises too for the chest, just to mix it up with the flat bench.

Quote:
okay, as to max weights. it's a given that you shouldn't do them often.
i'll test out my max weight for bench every 1 1/2 months just to fuel my curiousity. it's a good shock for the system but i hardly think it's productive in any physical sense


I do it twice a year. Usually I use a 1 RM calculator to roughly estimate my 1 RM from weights I can lift for 3 or 4 reps. Its not 100% accurate but its useful. The good thing is I dont need a spotter and I work out alone. Would I trust any of the guys at my gym to help me move 140kgs frommy chest? Um, the group of guys working out at my gym couldnt budge the 30kgs I loaded up on the EZ bar on my last set of preacher curls. So, no, I dont think they could help me if I needed help.


Most Koreans can't handle 25KG DBs. I can't handle it yet...and I bet it will be a year before I can. Most I can do is 12kg or so.

They have something bigger than a DB but smaller than a barbell...would that do the trick?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
tokki



Joined: 26 Jul 2003

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
They have something bigger than a DB but smaller than a barbell...would that do the trick?


not at my gym.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mr. Pink



Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2004 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

tokki wrote:
Lloyd Christmas wrote:
Quote:
How do your tattoos and hair style matter? You trying to get lucky on this thread LLoyd?


There's always an opportunity for nookie. Maybe one of the board hotties will read this, see me one day, put two and two together and them blam-O. HSMLAL (Hot Sweaty Monkey Love Ala Lloyd)

School's Out!


This is about lifting and exercising. Not your pathetic love life. I doubt anyone getting laid so often has to brag about it at every opportunity on a discussion forum.

If you lift, tell us about that. Lets keep this thread on topic, its a good and informative thread.

Oh, and an ankle tatoo?Smile hahahah


Exactly I wanna hear about lifting.

I also want to hear where you buy your protein power and does it taste good? My wife suggests Namdaemoon Market...wondering if there are any specialty stores for supplements in Seoul?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
tokki



Joined: 26 Jul 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 2:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lloyd Christmas wrote:
Fine i'll bite. I do attend a fitness center near my house. I use the rowing adn stepper machine probably 3 times a week. And i don't know why you're laughing about my tatoo. It's not something gay but one of those wrap around viney thorn tats. Many girls comment and tell me its sexy especially korean girls that hate big, ugly tatoos but surprisingly love smaller, less threatening ones. Trust me.


Schools Out


Im not laughing at the tattoo, per se, but the fact that you brought it up in a thread about lifting when it has nothing to do with lifting.

You only do cardio? What about weights?

Mr.Pink,

I dont supplement. I just eat food. Maybe If my goal was to get huge I would do creatine and protein shakes. I asked how much it would be to buy a box with 42 packets of whey protein. 150 thousand won. 42 packets, each being a single serving, divided by 3 comes out to about 2 weeks worth of the stuff. thats 300 grand a month. Um, a bit too expensive for me. I dont know about Namedaemun, I live 4 hours from Seoul so it isnt an option but looking at magz it all costs from 100 000 to 200 000w. Its not cheap at all. I really doubt my wife would approve.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
iwacima



Joined: 06 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 5:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can buy the protein powder at the Namdaemun market. Come out of exit 5 of the Namdaemun station and turn right. Walk for about 3 minutes....maybe 300 feet??..... and eventually on your right hand side you'll see stairs going down into the ground (there's a glass wall and roof enclosing them). When you walk down the stairs turn right again and you'll see a whole assortment of protein powders, creatine, vitimines, etc. The prices are pretty reasonable....not too much more than you would pay at home.

Has anyone ever tried liquid creatine? I started using the powder form last summer but stopped because my kidneys started hurting (I wasn't overloading and I was drinking lots of water) I've read that the liquid form doesn't have as many side-effects as the powder, but am curious if anyone else has used it.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Juggertha



Joined: 27 May 2003
Location: Anyang, Korea

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

huck wrote:
Hey, I was wondering if you guys who actually know something about this stuff could answer a couple of questions for me...

1. For those of you who are supplementing your diet with protein shakes, where do you buy them in Seoul?

2. And for the egg whites? Do you guys separate them yourselves - which I can do, but it's not as easy as just buying them in the store, yoiu know?

3. About the pyramid workout...why is it better to increase the weight and do less reps, rather than (after doing two sets at lighter weights) completely fatigue the muscle group you're working on at a higher weight, then immediately drop it 10 kg., then fatigue your muscles at that weight, then immediately drop it another 10 kg., and so on? It would seem like that way, when your muscles think they've done as much as they can, you show them that they can do a little bit more than they thought...

4. And finally - Before I came to Korea 2 years ago, my weight was always around 155 pounds (I'm 6 feet tall). In a year and a half, I gained about 15-18 pounds, before I went travelling last June, and lost most of the muscle mass I had gained. However, when I was bigger, and I was pretty cut - not really any visible fat, I practically had an 8pack on my stomach, etc - I noticed that my face seemed a lot puffier, and when i would stretch my neck and tilt my head to the side, puffy (fatty) skin would become obvious as it made my eyes look squishy. Anyways, now that I'm back down to 158 or so, that puffiness is gone...I've just started working out again a couple of weeks ago, but I'm worried that the puffy face/eyes/skin will come back...So, to make a long question even longer, to those of you who gain weight, has this side-effect occurred? Or does it just mean that I should probably be doing more cardio work?

Anyways, thanks for any questions you can answer. I really appreciate it. This thread is nice. It made me realize that I'm not the only one here who is trying to work out and improve my body while I'm in Korea....thanks for starting it.


#1-as mentioned before.. Namdeamun is hte place for it. go downstaris to the "inport market". (theres actuallly a few of them). negotiate if you can.

#2-carefull with eggs over here.. refrigerated they are not! try to go with a 2 whites to one yolk ratio. (enzym digestion purposes)

#3-pyramids, inverted ones, max pers, one set workouts.. the truth is any training regime will fail if you don't do one thing.. shock your muscles. Keep them on their toes and you will grow.. how you do it is up to you.

#4-each person will gain weight in different ways. often weight is gained BECAUSE OF WATER. Although everyones an individual, muscle weight rarely addes puffyness to the face (look at lean BB's). Check sodium intake and your diet.. it might be fund there.


also someone mentioned liquid Creatine.. not bad stuff. honestly though I never did stomach it well. even with simple carbs in the mix its "poop" it out just as quick. the only ones that worked were "bonded" samples.. such as creatine bonded to a simple carb (ei Cre-X 12, Celltech)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
huck



Joined: 19 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Jan 20, 2004 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the replies....
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Juggertha



Joined: 27 May 2003
Location: Anyang, Korea

PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2004 8:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With no central heating in my gym it was soooo freakin' cold today I would see my breath while I did bench! (not to mention how cold that dam bar was)
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
oldfort



Joined: 09 Oct 2003

PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2004 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay, I've decided to improve my endurance. At home, I was running 10-15 K three times a week, and 20 K once a week, but since coming to Korea, I've just been doing 5K once or twice a week Embarassed It hasn't helped that for the month I've been here, I've been teaching intensives. Honestly, I've had no time.

Anyway, the Seoul Marathon is in a month and a bit--not that I'm going for THAT, but I'm debating between the half and the 10 K.

This weekend, I'm going to get serious. I have to! I don't feel like myself anymore, got to get back into the swing.

Good luck to the rest of you at your phizz endeavours!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
tokki



Joined: 26 Jul 2003

PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 4:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The thread is running out of steam.

Lets share stories of idiots at our gyms. Im sure there will be no shortage of such stories.

1. There is a group of 5 or 6 guys at my gym. They come at the same time as me, and are there every day. The only exercises I see them doing are bench presses on the smith machine. They load a massive 10 kgs (total, not on each side) on the bar and struggle for 6 or 7 reps. Sometimes they use just the bar. In the 3 months I have been there, not one has made any progress.

2. There are these 2 guys. If you averaged out their physiques, they would be an average guy. One is really chubby, the other freakishly skinny. They come to the gym every day, and they do NOTHING. The skinny guy will ride a bike for 2 minutes, at the lowest level resistance level, lazily reading a newspaper. His chubby friend waits around for him to finish. Then they walk around the gym and get in my way as they sit on equipment. Usually the bench press when its heavy chest day. Funny how it always works out that there is 110kgs loaded up on the bar, I am stretching a couple of steps away from the bench, and they think the bench is not being used.

3. I risk breaking my legs because people leave their shoes on the stairs. So when I want to leave, I have to try and not step on their shoes. This is very difficult since the 4 or 5 steps from the top are filled with shoes. Now I just step on them, since its pissing me off. I look for the cleanest and whitest ones and step on them.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mr. Pink



Joined: 21 Oct 2003
Location: China

PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 5:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gym Stories:

There is this guy that joined up, not sure if he is still a member but I had to hold my laughter in. The first time he came in, he walks up the the punching ball, hits it a few times, looks around, leaves. I thought maybe he forgot something in the locker room - nope, just left.

Second time I saw him, he did about 10mins on the treadmill, then left.

The most I have seen him do is 20 mins of TOTAL exercises.

I laugh because why pay to join a gym if walking will give you more exercise.


Good story is the guy who is the trainer has some SWEET forearms. I asked him how long it took for him to make them, he said 3 years. Gives me inspiration cause his forearms ROCK.

I notice most guys just use the 4-5 machines we have then leave.



Anyone else have funny gym stories?

Lastly anyone have a spotter at your gym?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TheUrbanMyth



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Location: Retired

PostPosted: Fri Jan 30, 2004 11:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gym Stories, hmmm
I can relate to that. Some of the people who go there are weird types.



The 'backroad boys'
There was the time when I was benching, only to interupted in the middle of my set, by a hand (Korean male) feeling my pectorals. I managed NOT to kill him...but it was a near thing.


Then there would be the 'groupies'. About 6-8 of them (the number changed every day). I never saw them do any exercises while I was in the gym. They would follow me from place to place and observe me doing my exercises. Then they would comment in loud tones about how they could lift more. I bore it for as long as I could. One day, I got good and angry. After warming up, I went to the machine bench (the free bench was occupied by someone doing ab crunches on it) loaded up the entire stack of 110 kilos and did 9 full reps with it. Then I stood up and invited the 'groupies' to use it at that weight. They declined the offer...and I never saw them again after that.

Then there were the 'macho men' I encountered this kind at at least three gyms in Korea. I nicknamed them 'macho men' because they would always size me up, then tap me on the shoulder while I was warming up. They would then kneel down by a bench and put their arm on it in arm wrestling position. I would be like "Buddy I beat you last week...and the week before and the week before that. I don't think anything has changed." Finally I had to resort to flatly refusing them.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
katydid



Joined: 02 Feb 2003
Location: Here kitty kitty kitty...

PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As you can see, swimming is good exercise and can be done easily in Korea.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Yahoo Messenger
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Korean Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> General Discussion Forum All times are GMT - 8 Hours
Goto page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
Page 1 of 5

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

TEFL International Supports Dave's ESL Cafe
TEFL Courses, TESOL Course, English Teaching Jobs - TEFL International