RUN, FAT BOY, RUN

scrump — Tue, 13 May 2008 14:50:59 -0800

How do I go from out-of-shape to a baseline level of fitness in a relatively short time without giving myself a heart attack or a stroke? So a coworker is rustling up people for a recreational soccer league. I love soccer, but I'm 36, about 50 pounds out of shape and haven't played since 1986. Despite this, my coworker persists in believing that I'll have fun doing this, and I have to say that he's probably right.

I just need to undo, er, about 22 years of bad habits.

What I think I want to do is improve my cardiovascular fitness in a relatively short period of time (say 3 months or 12 weeks) without injuring myself in so doing. I want to be able to run the field, for instance, without getting excessively winded or seeing spots.

I'm not looking for quick fixes: I realize that there's no easy way to achieve fitness. What I'm looking for is a realistic training/nutrition plan (I have 5-day-a-week gym access) that will build a good foundation for continuing improvement. Something that will give me a solid base that I can improve on year after year.

So what's the quickest safe way to tune up your cardio without injury?

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RUN, FAT BOY, RUN