Help! I'm trapped inside a 53 year old body!

[grumpy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum grumpy that's excellent swimming you do. .

Lazy,

Thanks. Swimming has been a lifelong passion. I taught swimming and was a lifeguard as a teenager. I met Mrs. Grumpy when she was also a lifeguard. Our kids learned to swim at age 6 months through the Water Babies program. My son grew up to be an elite swimmer - 4 time ACC champ in college, ranked 25th in the world in 1995 in the 200M Breast. This meant we were always involved with swimming as meet officials and club volunteers. We selected the 55 or better community where we now live based partly on the fact that there is a very nice indoor pool here. It is a 5 min. walk from the house. I use it almost every day along with the hot tub (feels great on my aching back).

Grumpy

[toofrugalformycat]

Donheff wrote: "...I am not sure which of the trainers really understand aging issues. Can you share some of the tips he or she gave you in addition to the wind sprints?"

It's tough because the information is so specific to my problems. I am not a trainer and don't want anyone to follow my advice and hurt themselves. First I'd encourage you to find a good trainer. Get to know the people at a gym and ask around, don't just believe the certification (although certification is comforting). I've known this guy for years, and watched him working with other geezettes. He's no spring chicken, either.

As partial answer to your question, my problems involved mostly proper form - wrist position and posture. He had to show me (and sometimes shove me) to do it correctly. Also I was using momentum (just swinging the weight) rather than pausing and holding. And he had me do more reps at lower weights. But really, it's specific for each person, especially if you have old injuries.
Oh yeah, he greatly improved my walking speed by having me stand up straighter and take shorter steps.

[mb]

Somebody mentioned the benefits of doing sprints intervals.

This is from an old thread but I think that it is also relevant to this thread:


I decided to post this after reading the "Die at 80" topic:

http://outside.away.com/outside/body...raining-1.html

It is an article from Outside magazine suggesting that brief, very intense physical exercise can increase natural human growth hormone (HGH) production and presumably slow the aging process.

I recall hearing many years ago that HGH production starts to decline in the 20s but that exercise stimulates production but have never bothered to research it.
(I'm an aerobic sports addict anyway so I would probably continue to do it even if it was unhealthy!)

The downside?* It hurts and it is easy to get injured.* I relearned that this week when I pulled a hamstring while doing 400m running intervals (part of the normal routine).

MB

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

I've been seeing this thread title for the past two days and resisting the temptation to post something about some of us being interested in finding a young(er) 53 year old body to get into...

I'm not sure you want to be trapped in a younger body, though.

[Beststash]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangomonster What should a 50+ body feel like?

I retired at 52 (now 56) and prior to my retirement I walked around a track in our office complex everyday at noon. In the summer Austin heat that was enough to "break a sweat". At the time I knew that I was not in good shape but I considered it better than just sitting at my desk all day.

I began a walking regime immediately upon retirement. I started at about 1 mile and gradually over about a year worked up to about 8 miles a day (2 hours).

During this year I dropped about 40 lbs. and I was constantly sore but not to the level of real discomfort and I also went through a period of just pushing myself in terms of breath and also energy.

I have kept up this routine for the last 4+ years (now 56) and now I am probably at a point where I will see no more changes unless I change or add my exercise routine. During this time I gradually began to add back weight slowly but in muscle. I am still about 25 lbs. less than I was before but my body has changed dramatically. My legs are pure muscle and the changes were very noticeable in terms of stamina and tone. Even during my youth my legs were not in that good of shape - it is really cool. I lost weight overall but the most noticeable was my waist and lower body. Walking does very little to the upper body in terms of toning but a change is noticeable in terms of weight loss. Now I am never out of breath at any time and that feels good but I still do not have the strength or stamina that I had in my earlier years. In general I feel great but still occasionally do get the tinge of arthritis, etc. I have found that I do much better to rest for a day about every 3-4 days but I usually let the weather take care of that for me.

Once you get into the habit - if you miss a over a couple of days you will not feel as well and because I have so many other vices - I view my short 2 hour exercise as a small "exercise credit" to help offset some of my other not so good habits.

I am very thankful that I found an exercise that seems to be just perfect for me - I cannot imagine now how much different my life would be otherwise.

I think whatever level of exercise you do will help offset some of the aging process in terms of qualify of life but their is just no magic pill. You will still have aches and pains, be unable to do what you did in your youth but it is not really that dramatic a difference - usually you don't do those things anyway (throwing frizbee, flag football, etc).

IMHO, the most important thing is to stick with your plan and gie it time as you slowly progress. Once you get through the short term stress, pain, your body will reward your mind and spirit.

Have fun!!

Peace

[lazygood4nothinbum]

grumpy, maybe there is a swimming gene. grandma was either a state or high school champ (i forget what the story was) and mom had a beautiful stroke and dive. i've been swimming as far back as i can remember. my brother never took to laps (he's more a baseball guy) and so my niece & nephews can swim but they were never well trained. i tried talking them into training the youngest because i could tell early on he'd be a strong swimmer. i guess there was too much soccer, computer, whatever, in the way. too bad, the kid's already starting to put on weight that swimming would have kept off him.

thought of you at the hall of fame today. you'd love that pool. i thought it would be crowded because of the holiday but i got my own lane. fifty meters of wonderful.

mb, why not sprint with less impact sports. after i do laps i end with a couple of sprints of the 50-meter pool. it is a very different workout from lapping. then when i bike home i sprint on & off the last few miles home.

[Cattusbabe]

Great thread. As a life long couch potato and a "ahem" woman of size I have started that 10,000 steps a day program last month and I feel great. I put the pedometer on in the AM and have started walking various routes around my home. Finally got up to 10,000 steps (5 miles) last week and would like to get up to 12,000 steps soon. At 52 and never having had much in the way of stamina I feel much better and would like to get in good enough shape to get back on a bicycle. ( haven't ridden one since I was a kid.) There a lot of trails to explore here and now I have the time to see them. Now that I no longer work I felt that is was finally time to do something about my health. I am enjoying not working so much I want this to last a long as possible.

Lots of good information here:
Prevention.com: Diet, Health, Weight Loss, Anti-Aging, and More!

[mb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum mb, why not sprint with less impact sports. after i do laps i end with a couple of sprints of the 50-meter pool. it is a very different workout from lapping. then when i bike home i sprint on & off the last few miles home.

A minor thread hijack,

LG4NB, I think that both swim and bike sprints should work. If I remember the article correctly, I think that what is important is that you use enough large muscle groups in what ever exercise you are doing that you go deeply anaerobic. You can effectively do that swimming or biking.

I sometimes do 50-yard or 100-yard sprints in a 25-yard pool. Sometimes a couple at the end of a long continuous swim like what you mention. Other times as the main set with say 1000 yards of sprints with warmup and warmdown and maybe some kicks or something. I usually bike to the pool too

But my favorite water workout is my aqua duathlon which consists of hottub, swim, hottub. Every once in a while I skip the middle leg

Is that the Swimming Hall of Fame pool in Florida that you mentioned? I don't have access to a 50 m pool

MB

[Linney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cattusbabe Great thread. As a life long couch potato and a "ahem" woman of size I have started that 10,000 steps a day program last month and I feel great. I put the pedometer on in the AM and have started walking various routes around my home. Finally got up to 10,000 steps (5 miles) last week and would like to get up to 12,000 steps soon. At 52 and never having had much in the way of stamina I feel much better and would like to get in good enough shape to get back on a bicycle. ( haven't ridden one since I was a kid.)....

Hi Cattusbabe,

I love the 10,000 steps program and have gotten several coworkers to take up the challenge at work as a first stage to developing a healthier lifestyle.

My husband challenged me to take up bike riding 3 years ago and it is my new passion. Be sure to have your bike fitted for you and learn how to make some of the basic adjustments yourself so you can fine-tune the bike over time. A well fitted bike is a joy to ride, but an ill-fitted one can cause you to give up with the assumption that "bicycling just isn't for me".

I searched the internet for local bike paths and bike routes and have had a blast exploring them, both city and rural. Our local bike clubs sponsor women's only rides so that women can get more comfortable riding on their own. Best wishes, and here's hoping you are another convert to bicycling. We could use more women riders out there!

--Linney

[mb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linney Be sure to have your bike fitted for you and learn how to make some of the basic adjustments yourself so you can fine-tune the bike over time. A well fitted bike is a joy to ride, but an ill-fitted one can cause you to give up with the assumption that "bicycling just isn't for me". --Linney

I agree with Linney on bike fit. Stay away from department store bikes. Go to a good bike shop and make sure they spend enough time with you to properly fit the bike. I think this is still more important for women even though there are now many bikes with "women specific geometry."

MB

[grumpy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum i guess there was too much soccer, computer, whatever, in the way. too bad, the kid's already starting to put on weight that swimming would have kept off him. thought of you at the hall of fame today. you'd love that pool. i thought it would be crowded because of the holiday but i got my own lane. fifty meters of wonderful.

Lazy,

Is the Hall of Fame pool still in Ft. Lauderdale? I think I remember that they moved somewhere else. I was there years ago for one of my son's meets. I don't have access to a 50M pool now. I do remember years ago swimming laps at Mission Viejo and IUPUI after his meets. The pools seemed endless!

When my son was 12 he was still playing soccer and basketball along with year-round swimming. His swim coach told him it was time to make a choice. If he wanted to take his swimming as far as possible he needed to give up the other sports and step up his training. He agonized over the decision for a few weeks but later said he didn't regret it. I always wondered, though, about the other kids who made the same sacrifices but never reached their goals. Many of his teammates trained just as hard but never made national or olympic trial cuts, never got to travel to international meets, never got swimming scholarships, etc. For some kids it may be better to participate casually in a few different activities.

Grumpy

[lazygood4nothinbum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mb But my favorite water workout is my aqua duathlon which consists of hottub, swim, hottub. Every once in a while I skip the middle leg Is that the Swimming Hall of Fame pool in Florida that you mentioned? I don't have access to a 50 m pool MB

at gym i go from hot tub to pool. i love the cold shock on my body after 10 minutes of sweating underwater.

yes, that is the pool. been swimming there for 30 years. thought they were going to move it but now doing a rehab instead. very happy. nothing better than swimming 50 meters without a turn. sometimes i swim a mile at the gym pool but that's like 70 lengths, annoying to track and all the turning makes me dizzy. midway i also have a 25 yard pool at the local high school available from 5 to 8 pm most days.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy Lazy, Is the Hall of Fame pool still in Ft. Lauderdale? I think I remember that they moved somewhere else. I was there years ago for one of my son's meets. I don't have access to a 50M pool now. I do remember years ago swimming laps at Mission Viejo and IUPUI after his meets. The pools seemed endless! When my son was 12 he was still playing soccer and basketball along with year-round swimming. His swim coach told him it was time to make a choice. If he wanted to take his swimming as far as possible he needed to give up the other sports and step up his training. He agonized over the decision for a few weeks but later said he didn't regret it. I always wondered, though, about the other kids who made the same sacrifices but never reached their goals. Many of his teammates trained just as hard but never made national or olympic trial cuts, never got to travel to international meets, never got swimming scholarships, etc. For some kids it may be better to participate casually in a few different activities. Grumpy

well, yes. actually the pool is now called the fort lauderdale swim complex though the swim hall of fame is still on location. i continue to call the complex the swimming hall of fame because i've been calling it that for 30 years. there was a rift between the hall and the city back when real estate was crazy and the hall of fame thought they could move anywhere. since every proposal to move went bust and they are still in place i imagine some crow was digested between then and now.

your kid sounds much more ambitious than my nephew so i'm not sure any decision would have made a difference. at least my niece picked up on the family love for horses (this weekend i get to play with the new baby stallion, can't wait). would have been nice if they would have picked up on the love of swimming too. who knows. maybe if i move onto a boat and they find themselves with snorkle gear in the caribbean i'm sure they'll find a way to quickly adapt. the kid did pretty good with me on a past cruise to the bahamas. he's just swimming for pleasure, not competition.

[TargaDave]

I missed this thread. Only 49 but I figure it's close enough to 50. One thing to add. They say that loss of balance is normal as you age but you can delay it with different types of balance training. Lot's of people train for endurance but few train for maintaining balance into later years. I have a unicycle and an Indo board. The Indo board is really great and there is all kinds of simple "tricks" you can learn.

[simple girl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TargaDave I missed this thread. Only 49 but I figure it's close enough to 50. One thing to add. They say that loss of balance is normal as you age but you can delay it with different types of balance training. Lot's of people train for endurance but few train for maintaining balance into later years. I have a unicycle and an Indo board. The Indo board is really great and there is all kinds of simple "tricks" you can learn.

I agree. Other exercises that are great for training the balance system are thai chi and yoga (certain poses). Even just practicing balancing on one leg can be a challenge for some.

[TargaDave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy I have been swimming laps daily for the past 30 years and periodically keep track of my time for a one mile swim. The times have lengthened gradually and steadily over that period, despite staying at the same perceived level of exertion. In my 30's I could do a mile in under 30 mins. Now that I've hit 60 it takes me around 35 mins. That's not too steep a decline. My stamina has also declined. Until a few years ago I would generally swim up to 1.5 miles of continuous freestyle. Now, completing one mile is about my limit and some days I only do a half to three quarters of a mile. I used to enhance my cardio fitness by varying my breathing patterns (e.g. only breathe every 4th or 6th or 8th stroke). Now, due to back problems, I mostly use a snorkel (to reduce twisting). I've also given up flip turns and due to my back I hardly kick at all (causes foot and leg cramps). This puts extra stain on shoulders and elbows which sometimes requires me to take a day or two off. Grumpy

Hey Grump, you and I sound pretty similar though I only got into swimming in my early 30's due to old back problems. Mostly stuck with it even though the back is much better these days. Can average a 40 sec/50 yd pace for a half mile without too much pain. Never really pushed for a straight mile, though I'll add a set of 100 yd sprints and some breast stroke when I'm in the mood. Have this long stretch stroke so I usually average 12-13 strokes per length. Also flip and do most of the workout with a pull buoy (left over habit from the bad back days). Once in a while I'll strain the neck or upper back, even with breathing to both sides so same here with the few day rest to recover. I figure swimming and bicycling are two of the few endurance things I'll be doing if I get past 70. Oh yeah, our Y swim coach was in the '68 olympic trials (same year as Spitz) while still at USC. Said he choked big time. Great ambassador for a great sport though.

[grumpy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TargaDave Hey Grump, you and I sound pretty similar though I only got into swimming in my early 30's due to old back problems. Mostly stuck with it even though the back is much better these days. Can average a 40 sec/50 yd pace for a half mile without too much pain. Never really pushed for a straight mile, though I'll add a set of 100 yd sprints and some breast stroke when I'm in the mood. Have this long stretch stroke so I usually average 12-13 strokes per length. Also flip and do most of the workout with a pull buoy (left over habit from the bad back days). Once in a while I'll strain the neck or upper back, even with breathing to both sides so same here with the few day rest to recover. I figure swimming and bicycling are two of the few endurance things I'll be doing if I get past 70. Oh yeah, our Y swim coach was in the '68 olympic trials (same year as Spitz) while still at USC. Said he choked big time. Great ambassador for a great sport though.

TargaDave,

Hey, if you can hold 1:20's per 100 yds. average for a half mile you are WAY faster than I am. I have to push to hold 1:45's. I was much faster in my 30's but after radiation treatments for cancer my strength and stamina were never the same. I have never been able to believe that Lance Armstrong could be faster (and drug free) after his treatment for the same type of cancer. I can remember when I was younger watching the old guys swimming laps and wondering why they were going so slow. Now I know!

Grumpy

[TromboneAl]

Any bad falls off the indo board when you first started using it? "Bad" includes the board flying out and going through a window.

[TargaDave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grumpy TargaDave, Hey, if you can hold 1:20's per 100 yds. average for a half mile you are WAY faster than I am. I have to push to hold 1:45's. I was much faster in my 30's but after radiation treatments for cancer my strength and stamina were never the same. I have never been able to believe that Lance Armstrong could be faster (and drug free) after his treatment for the same type of cancer. I can remember when I was younger watching the old guys swimming laps and wondering why they were going so slow. Now I know! Grumpy

To be fair I should mention that if I've been away from the routine for any time period my pace goes to hell in hand basket (more of the aging thing). Been out for 2 months due to a rib separation (kiting) and I can barely hold a 1:26 100 pace at the moment. I admire anyone willing to get in the pool, or walk into the gym and push along at any speed. It's all a personal quest in the end anyway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl Any bad falls off the indo board when you first started using it? "Bad" includes the board flying out and going through a window.

Nope, no board flying butt-elbow wipeouts so far. Just used a high support to grab onto when first learning. You do need reasonable reflexes. I can pull off about 50% of my 180 deg jump turns. Doing the first one of those was a bit scary. The unicycle is also bit more challenging when it comes to avoiding not-so-fun spills. I guess it's just the eternal kid thing in me as opposed to more stationairy balance routines like yoga (which I know can be really challenging as well).

[TromboneAl]

Will be checking Craigslist for indo boards, thanks for the idea. I had a unicycle as a kid, but the risk/benefit ratio on that would be too high at this point.

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Will be checking Craigslist for indo boards, thanks for the idea.

Just realized I can make my own, duh! How To Build a Balance Board

And I'll make one for DD as well as a Christmas present!!