How "in shape" was the average knight or man at arms?

[Das Bill]

Agreed with Sir Wolf.  DON'T GIVE UP!  I've often found alternating the workout makes a big difference.  A mix of weights and cardio works best for me, and I try to mix up the routine every six weeks or so (screws around with muscle memory so the buggers can't get lazy).

This is excellent advice. Cardio is excellent for the heart and for lung capacity, as well as general fitness, but it's a little slower on weight loss. Muscle building actually burns fat faster, though in the long run does less for you in terms of general health. Mixing it up will make you much healthier overall. Plus, it helps keep the excercise from getting too boring.

I'm lucky in that I have a job which has me constantly moving, and even when I'm not teaching I'm still on my feet, but I still have to do strength training to supplemant it, combined with eating right.

[Sir William]

Sir Wolf, I have a fatburner trick that's worked wonders for me, maybe it'll work for you.  It sounds easy and I guess it is eventually, but it was tough as hell in the beginning.

I use a treadmill, raise the incline as high as it'll go (15 degrees if you can get it) and do a 2.3 mph walk while carrying 10lb handweights...start with 5lbs in each hand then work your way up eventually.  It'll take a while to get to that point unless you've been doing similar exercises.  Anyway, so you're basically walking uphill...do it for 20 minutes three times a week and watch the fat just melt off.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?

The heavy lifters at my gym tried it just once...5 minutes in they dropped the weights, 5 minutes after that they were holding on to the upright bar of the treadmill to avoid falling off!  lol

I tried to tell them, it might look like nothing, but it is definitely SOMETHING.  Give it a try!