They are trying to kill me!

[guest]

One of my goals after retiring was to see about getting myself back into some kind of reasonable shape. The last 15 years or so have been spent sitting at a desk and my outside/off job activities have been typically a day of bust tail efforts (weekend warrior) followed by being sore and tired only to return to my desk on Monday. As years passed, my weekend warrior stuff declined to less and less.....call me "three hour warrior!"

Today I went to the "gym" for the first time in a hundred or so years. Nothing has changed........except everything in it. So many machines I have never seen! Space Agey Amazing!! I met with my fitness leader and she started me up on a 4 week cardio program.

I just about died! I only got 40 minutes in and said "enough"! I was dripping like Washington rain and my legs asked me what they did to pi$$ me off. And she wants me in there every day....I'm concerned if my legs will actually work later today! And I was on the easy treadmill thing....forget that bike or that monster step thing she showed me. The training demo alone alone had my legs burning in 2 minutes! Geeeez!

Anyone else embark on this adventure after retiring? I know it is supposed to get easier.....hopefully that will be by tomorrow! Any advice for the beginner?

 

[My Dream]

I just about died! I only got 40 minutes in and said "enough"! I

40 minutes, I wish, last time I went I could only last 20 and I was yelling for AIR!They say it's never to late to get in shape, well then, I guess I'm going to think about it.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Trek]

You want a real workout. Try spending 2 minutes on a motorized climbing wall. See if your gym has one.

 

[freebird5825]

Find another fitness leader, pronto.

Anyone who takes a former "desk warrior" from zero to 60 mph in the first exercise session is courting disaster. You could injure yourself or have a much much worse outcome. This applies to ANY age and fitness level.

Every day is too frequent for a beginner. Your muscles, ligaments, and tendons need rest and recovery time.

A new exerciser needs to gradually build up endurance. Please go slowly.
Stretch before using the machines. Only exercise until you feel very very minor discomfort, no more. As you do light weights (yes, start with only what feels easy to do) and a few more repetitions each session, your body will respond and you will know YOUR limits.

Throw the fitness leader's dream sheet [of reps performed and weight loads lifted] away for a few weeks until you "shape up" a little more.

 

[guest]

Oh yeah, I can see me on that. I already have to leave most my dignity at home! What do they do when you just flip over or get trapped under one of those things??

 

[calmloki]

You want a real workout. Try spending 2 minutes on a motorized climbing wall. See if your gym has one.

Visions of ending up looking like a player piano roll as the wall runs me underneath, spindling and mutilating! Have a tough enough time staggering along on the treadmill followed by a bit of stretches, some weights, holding a "plank", and rolling this little lawnmower wheel with axle out as far as i can fifteen times or so..

 

[guest]

Find another fitness leader, pronto.

Anyone who takes a former "desk warrior" from zero to 60 mph in the first exercise session is courting disaster. You could injure yourself or have a much much worse outcome. This applies to ANY age and fitness level.

Every day is too frequent for a beginner. Your muscles, ligaments, and tendons need rest and recovery time.

A new exerciser needs to gradually build up endurance. Please go slowly.
Stretch before using the machines. Only exercise until you feel very very minor discomfort, no more. As you do light weights (yes, start with only what feels easy to do) and a few more repetitions each session, your body will respond and you will know YOUR limits.

Throw the fitness leaders dream sheet [of reps performed and weight loads lifted] away for a few weeks until you "shape up" a little more.

I thought it was a bit much too. I don't look as "out of shape" as I really am....a little (?) gut and lots of no tone muscles. I haven't worked out ever really. Grew up in sports and then moved to other stuff later but never gym time.

She did say to listen to the body and I will admit to being a little bit of an over-doer type. I will talk to her if I can walk tomorrow!

 

[Bestwifeever]

My first personal training session seemed like torture to me too but looking back on it it was actually an extremely light workout. Maybe it's a matter of perspective.

 

[Moemg]

Anyone else embark on this adventure after retiring? I know it is supposed to get easier.....hopefully that will be by tomorrow! Any advice for the beginner?

My advice would be to start at a slower pace . Try maybe 15 minutes walking on the treadmill and slowly work your way up to a faster pace . I started back at the gym seriously last March and the first time I was on the stepper I thought I was going to have a heart attack . Now I do an hour and fifteen minutes of cardio and twenty minutes or so of weight training and I hardly break a sweat . You also have to find something you enjoy doing so it does not seem like a chore . I find basic exercising boring but I enjoy the different classes . I find doing it in a group keeps me motivated plus we make fun of each other and laugh a lot .

 

[guest]

....I started back at the gym seriously last March and the first time I was on the stepper I thought I was going to have a heart attack..... . quote]

That was quite the machine. First she had me high stepping and the long stepping (weak descriptions!)....wow! Not only was it difficult, I felt like I needed another level of coordination to kick in! That was one of the reasons I went back to the treadmill for day one.

 

[socca]

Do you really need a dominatrix to get / stay motivated?

I exercise at the gym every other day, which is more than enough for me. I always bring something to read while using the elliptical machines, stationary bikes, and treadmills. I can't read while weight-lifting, but I don't do much of that anyway.

Good luck!

 

[tmm99]

Whenever I get into the workout frenzy, I get exhausted and end up catching a cold, so take some good vitamins with Vit C.

Workout after a long break

1st day - feels like my knees would give out when I walk.
2nd day - I walk like a penguin when I walk down slope. Going down stairs gets tricky.
3rd day - start to feel better.

So give yourself a few days to recover, and then work out some more. I usually feel pretty good and stronger in 2 weeks.

tmm

 

[guest]

....So give yourself a few days to recover, and then work out some more. I usually feel pretty good and stronger in 2 weeks.

tmm

That is what I thinking.....I have to change my approach and why I felt like "Sure! I'll do 5 days a week!" is really reflective of my methods many many moons ago. I have decided on three days/week and to SLOW down when I'm there.

See, I shared the 40 minutes time thing and mentioned I am an "over-doer" BUT I should also add I set the incline up to nine, the speed up to 4 (still walking but it was a hustle) and varied things up and down every once in a while for "muscle confusion". I guess I really wanted my muscles totally confused!!

Today I stayed home (could have still gone though) and well see if Saturday or Sunday presents a chance. As was mentioned above, one needs to keep this as fun as possible so they don't lose interest!

"Do you really need a dominatrix to get / stay motivated? "....Well now, there is something to think about!

 

[Midpack]

At our advanced age and having not worked out recently, 20-30 minutes every other day is plenty to start. A strenuous 40 min workout every day is too much, I'm not sure what your leader is thinking unless to impress you by overworking you or he/she just gives everyone the same workout which isn't worth your time. He/she should tailor the workout to you, not just give everyone the same routine with slight changes in weight/reps/duration.

You can build up to every day and/or longer workouts, but if you just want to get into good health and maintain, you don't need to work out every day anyway. If nothing else, lift weights or some other resistance training 20-30 min every other day 3 days/week (M-W-F) and 20-30 min cardio on the other 3 days/off (T-Th-S) - and take Sunday off. That's more than enough for anyone. Your legs will recover and the workouts will get not easier, but you will adapt, and actually be able to use your body parts between workouts after a few weeks.

Your definitely on the right track...

 

[brewer12345]

I started up at the beginning of '08 after several years of a very sedentary lifestyle. It took me about 2 months of light workouts 3X a week before I was fit enough to start doing more strenuous stuff. Then after 3 or 4 months I started going 5X a week, cardio 3X and weights 2X. I would say that it took a good 3 or 4 months with the weights to really get up to speed. More recently I did a few sessions with a trainer to evaluate where I am and what I am missing in my normal routine, and I know have a bunch of balance, coordination and core training stuff to mix in.

What I am getting at is that this stuff takes time. You are retired and have plenty of time, so don't be too much of an eager beaver. Your body needs time to adjust and if it doesn't get that time you will be dealing with injuries. This is a long term journey, so keep at it, but don't push too hard.

 

[guest]

Okay, back on track and I slowed down as recommended. All went way better and I still met my cardio level requirements.

Question: It took me what seemed like forever to get my cardio level up to where they said I needed to be before my workout time really started. I never did get there on the "recumbent" (?) bike.

What is the quickest way to get up to that 120/130 level? My legs tired way before my heart rate climbed on everything but the treadmill.

Does anyone have a routine they care to share?

 

[jug]

Forget about the cardio level. The best thing to do is gauge what works for you where you built up a bit of sweat without exhausting yourself. Each person has their own "cardio" level, can't go by the charts and no need to build to something that will make you feel lousy anyhow.

When you are breathing a little harder, sweating a bit more, but can talk some, then you are in the zone. Got to find a slightly "uncomfortable" zone to be in for about 20-30 mins. Gradually build up, but rest for a day or two when body tells you to.

jug

 

[Moemg]

.

Question: It took me what seemed like forever to get my cardio level up to where they said I needed to be before my workout time really started. I never did get there on the "recumbent" (?) bike.

By any chance do you take medicine for BP or heart problems ? If so you may be taking a beta blocker which slows heart rate .

 

[FinanceDude]

Consider a heart rate monitor. You can get a good Omron for $35. You can set an upper and lower limit so you don't work yourself too hard........

 

[guest]

By any chance do you take medicine for BP or heart problems ? If so you may be taking a beta blocker which slows heart rate .

No heart medicine.....in fact no medicine except for sleep (Ambien) and of course I can relate to Dawg54! I am a golfer and being dedicated, I [-]am commited to keeping my fluids flowing[/-] have an occassional sip.

 

[guest]

Consider a heart rate monitor. You can get a good Omron for $35. You can set an upper and lower limit so you don't work yourself too hard........

I have been pausing to count my rate (beats for 6 sec times 10) and checking it with the machines themselves. Are they accurate? So far it seems like we are close.

I can see where it would be convienient to have a personal monitor though.

 

[brewer12345]

Okay, back on track and I slowed down as recommended. All went way better and I still met my cardio level requirements.

Question: It took me what seemed like forever to get my cardio level up to where they said I needed to be before my workout time really started. I never did get there on the "recumbent" (?) bike.

What is the quickest way to get up to that 120/130 level? My legs tired way before my heart rate climbed on everything but the treadmill.

Does anyone have a routine they care to share?

I found that the recumbent doesn't do it for me either. The eliptical machine is a good choice and easier on the joints than the treadmill.

 

[clifp]

I found that the recumbent doesn't do it for me either. The eliptical machine is a good choice and easier on the joints than the treadmill.

Same here. Recumbent is nice if you want to read while exercising. Elliptical machine gets the cardo up quickly. I personally get dizzy on a treadmill.

 

[W2R]

I found that the recumbent doesn't do it for me either. The eliptical machine is a good choice and easier on the joints than the treadmill.

Oh gosh. Elliptical workouts are so hard for me, though it does good things for me so I know it is just what I need. I really admire people who can do long workouts on an elliptical. I [-]guess[/-] know I am really out of shape because my heart rate increases on a recumbent bike.

 

[Dawg52]

Whenever I start thinking about joining a fitness club, I quickly take one of my meds.