What is your workout

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ripper1

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I started a new workout in December that is 6 days a week for about 30 minutes to complete. Day 1, 3, and 5 I do three circuits with dumbells that are only multijoint or compound exercises. One or two minutes of rest between circuits. On days 2, 4, and 6, I do a high intensity cardio on a treadmill for 20 minutes with alternating speeds that gets my heart rate up to 90%. So far so good. I feel great.
 
Please explain yourself as this workout was prescribed to me by a Navy Seal who has done this workout himself. He is my age which is 55 and is in fantastic shape.
 
What I mean is that in doing the strength training 3x/week, you are probably only getting, say, 20% more benefit than if you did it only once per week. IOW, that seal might be in almost as good shape if he only did strength training once per week.

That is, the studies referenced in the first link suggest that much of the extra effort is wasted.

Of course, sometimes a 20% improvement is worth a 200% extra effort.

SealVsJaws001.jpg


And as for cardio, the conclusions of Body By Science are that the risks of cardio far outweigh the benefits. IOW, how many former runners do you know who can no longer run due to knee problems?
 
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ripper1 said:
I started a new workout in December that is 6 days a week for about 30 minutes to complete. Day 1, 3, and 5 I do three circuits with dumbells that are only multijoint or compound exercises. One or two minutes of rest between circuits. On days 2, 4, and 6, I do a high intensity cardio on a treadmill for 20 minutes with alternating speeds that gets my heart rate up to 90%. So far so good. I feel great.
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That looks like a pretty good schedule to me. You can look at the threads Al posted, but meanwhile what you are doing is just great imo.

FWIW, I'm in the Younger Next Year camp and do about 10 hrs a week exercise varying from yoga and body sculpting, to aerobic exercise such as cylcing outdoors and tennis, and weight lifting in a gym.
 
TromboneAl said:
And as for cardio, the conclusions of Body By Science are that the risks of cardio far outweigh the benefits. IOW, how many former runners do you know who can no longer run due to knee problems?
Click to expand...

When I was in college in the mid-80s, I seriously considered starting a running program, but aborted that idea due to just this reason (knee/impact problems). But I still think cardio/aerobic exercise has its benefits, I just do it with things like bicycling/elliptical/plain old walking. Sure lifts your mood!
 
TromboneAl said:
how many former runners do you know who can no longer run due to knee problems?
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Here's one.....with osteoarthritis - no cartilage in either knee......not caused by running but I'll bet it was exacerbated by it........in the 1970s I was doing 10 miles a day, every day.

Right now, (turned 69 last September), I try and do 80 minutes a day, over 2 sessions, on the elliptical at interval setting...........I'd like to do weights, but wrists/elbows are also affected.
 
I have always heard that the best exercise is the one that you'll actually do. I am still looking for the best exercise! :)
 
Trombone Al and Alan, thanks for your replies. I think everybody is different for their tolerances and recovery periods. I have worked out on and off most my life and I believe you just have to keep changing things up. I'm going to give this one a shot for about 3 months and then will probably go on to something different. The weight training sessions for me only last about 20 minutes and I'm not lifting real heavy dumbells. Doing circuits also give me the aerobic effect. I also incorporate stretching at the end. I played basketball a lot when I was younger, Trombone, and I have some friends who have indeed suffered knee injuries. But again I think everybody handles things differently. I guess I have been lucky there. I never run farther than 3 miles though.
 
Nemo2 said:
Here's one.....with osteoarthritis - no cartilage in either knee......not caused by running but I'll bet it was exacerbated by it........in the 1970s I was doing 10 miles a day, every day.

Right now, (turned 69 last September), I try and do 80 minutes a day, over 2 sessions, on the elliptical at interval setting...........I'd like to do weights, but wrists/elbows are also affected.
Click to expand...

Whenever asked for advice on a single machine to do a workout, I always recommend the elliptical trainer.

For the last couple of years we have done deep water interval training which again has no impact but is a great way to get the heart pumping.
 
steelyman said:
When I was in college in the mid-80s, I seriously considered starting a running program, but aborted that idea due to just this reason (knee/impact problems). But I still think cardio/aerobic exercise has its benefits, I just do it with things like bicycling/elliptical/plain old walking. Sure lifts your mood!
Click to expand...
Good quality t-mills usually have flex decks which help a lot.
 
Bestwifeever said:
I have always heard that the best exercise is the one that you'll actually do. I am still looking for the best exercise! :)
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So, when you feel like you need to exercise, you lie down until the feeling goes away?
 
Alan said:
So, when you feel like you need to exercise, you lie down until the feeling goes away?
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I haven't even tried the lying down exercise yet! But I wonder if I would actually do it :)

I have a nice workout from a trainer I used in the fall--five different routines with weights and a little cardio, more intense cardio on alternate days. I wanted something to improve my balance, flexibility, range of motion, strength, and most importantly, "something so I don't feel like an idiot in the gym." I do like it.
 
Bestwifeever said:
I haven't even tried the lying down exercise yet! But I wonder if I would actually do it :)

I have a nice workout from a trainer I used in the fall--five different routines with weights and a little cardio, more intense cardio on alternate days. I wanted something to improve my balance, flexibility, range of motion, strength, and most importantly, "something so I don't feel like an idiot in the gym." I do like it.
Click to expand...

I completely agree that a workout that you like and feel good about is very important.
 
I walk (briskly) ~2 miles 4-5 days a week and do a once a week yoga class. I know that's not enough - I should be doing some kind of weights - but have never figured out what would work for me. DH suggests I join his gym, but I've never enjoyed / stuck with a gym in the past and don't think I would now. But I figure what I'm doing is much better than nothing so I'll stick with it for now.
 
MBAustin said:
I walk (briskly) ~2 miles 4-5 days a week and do a once a week yoga class. I know that's not enough - I should be doing some kind of weights - but have never figured out what would work for me. DH suggests I join his gym, but I've never enjoyed / stuck with a gym in the past and don't think I would now. But I figure what I'm doing is much better than nothing so I'll stick with it for now.
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Sounds like you are doing great. Keep it up.
 
Run 4 miles 5 times a week, incline treadmill fast walk 2 days for 45 minutes. Lift weights 2 exercises each 4 sets every day before cardio
 
My workout is to soak in the bathtub, pull the plug and fight the current.

Gotta do better.
 
Run 3 miles every morning at daylight (the pup makes sure I am up everyday), weights and exercise (pushups/crunches) 3 days a week.
 
I generally walk for an hour on very hilly terrain 5 days a week and lift weights 3 days a week. I am going to change to more aoerobic style more intensity and lift less weights as my joints are really starting to bark. Dont want to do permanent damage. Going to look at some kettle ball activities, too
 
I have been doing the Body by Science high intensity set once a week. 5 core exercises, one set of ~12 reps each super slow to total muscle exhaustion. I probably wuss out a bit on the level of max I reach but I still have better tone and definition than I had with my 3x weekly less intense routine I had been following for 30 years. I add in about 3 20-30 mile bike rides a week or some time on a stationery bike if the weather sucks. I would love to run but it messed with my joints.
 
Bestwifeever said:
I have always heard that the best exercise is the one that you'll actually do. I am still looking for the best exercise! :)
Click to expand...


That is why I do aquatic Zomba . The music makes the hour speed by . You feel like you are on an island rather than in a gym doing exercise now if only they would serve Margarita's I would attend every class !:)
 
Alan said:
Whenever asked for advice on a single machine to do a workout, I always recommend the elliptical trainer.

For the last couple of years we have done deep water interval training which again has no impact but is a great way to get the heart pumping.
Click to expand...


I was at the gym tonight and they just got a water elliptical trainer . I can't wait to try it !
 
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