What was Your Workout Today?

[Derslickmeister]

Raised my right arm over my head a couple of times Seven weeks out from surgery and finally starting to feel like it was worth it...

 

[W2R]

Wonderful, Derslickmeister! Those rotator cuff injuries are so painful and if you can do that and bear it, it does indeed sound like the surgery was worthwhile.

As for me, my workout today was weightlifting again. My total lifted today (adding up all the lifts) was 19.3 tons on 20 weight machines. The upper back machine is STILL broken. But I am using the other 20 of the 21 machines listed here.

I am still hoping to lift 20 tons on Monday the 9th, the day after my 66th birthday, but I have never lifted that much before. I think that my maximum was 19.7 tons on April 25th. I am awfully close to 20, but top priority is what my body is telling me and I'll pay attention to that on that day. Maybe I'll make it, or maybe I won't. After 19.3 tons today, I am pretty tired, in the good way, at the moment.

 

[Mr._Graybeard]

Interesting that people brought up shoulder issues- I developed a "frozen shoulder" a few months ago- probably a combination of stress at work and almost 40 years of desk work. With gentle exercise I'm slowly breaking up the scar tissue and my range of motion is increasing. (Basically, reaching behind me with my right arm has been very painful.) What a relief that it's finally getting better.

I developed a frozen left shoulder a few years ago. It was indeed very painful and very limiting. I'm a lefty, so it was my dominant arm.

In fact, I found myself developing a number of stiff joints in recent years, and never had a lot of body flexibility in the first place. So, about six months ago I took up yoga. It's really helped.

To my surprise the thing that has had the greatest positive effect is the deep breathing that is de rigeur during yoga workouts. The breathing technique is to allow your belly and lower rib cage to expand while inhaling. It takes tension out of the upper back specifically and generally induces a feeling of overall relaxation. Nice.

 

[Leonidas]

Cardio with a power emphasis today. The fun part was that for the first half I was performing better than my training partner, and had a lower heart rate while doing it.

5 sets of 500 meter rows superset with 15 deadlifts at 135 pounds.

I've almost always rowed faster than he does because my technique is better, but today I did it and my HR was 15 bpm lower than his. I figure that's especially good considering he's 22 years younger than me.

5 sets of 15 leg extensions at 80 pounds. New trick with this exercise is to focus on the core by not using the hand holds and keeping your back straight and off the seat.

5 sets of 15 leg curls at 90 pounds.

30 minutes low-intensity cardio.

 

[racy]

2 - 3.5 miles on treadmill every morning. 2 mile walk around our lake every afternoon, rain, snow, heat, whatever.

 

[panacea]

Back on my alternating cardio / strength training routine today after a weekend of eating too much and exercise composed only of chopping wood and knife throwing. It was a wonderful weekend in the wilderness. Suffering from a sore shoulder now, but I think I'll work through it okay over the next few days.

 

[W2R]

Today I reached my goal, and lifted over 20 tons on the weight lifting machines! 20.5 tons, to be exact, if you add up all the lifts on all the machines. I wanted to do this next Monday, the day after my 66th birthday, but since Frank and I have been fighting off a cold or virus I thought I should just go ahead and do it while I can. I can always repeat it next week. Yeah right!

Anyway, this was one of those birthday self-dares. I would never dare to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, or swim to Alcatraz, or something phenomenal like that, but surpassing 20 tons is a big deal for me.

pounds|sets of 10| machine
140|2|Keiser triceps pushdown machine
50|2|Keiser biaxial chest press machine
100|2|Nautilus lateral pulldown machine
45|2|Nautilus fly machine
60|2|Nautilus triceps extension machine
115|2|Nautilus abdominal machine (first round)
60|2|Cybex arm extension machine
180|2|Cybex calf rotator machine
90|2|Cybex leg curl machine
140|3|Nautilus leg press machine
35|2|Cybex overhead press machine
155|2|Cybex back extension machine
40|2|Nautilus arm curl machine
65|2|Nautilus chest press machine
130|2|Nautilus compound row machine
105|2|Cybex hip abductor machine
160|2|Cybex hip adductor machine
115|2|Nautilus abdominal machine (second round)
65|2|Keiser leg extension machine
85|3|Cybex seated row machine

 

[eytonxav]

Today I reached my goal, and lifted over 20 tons on the weight lifting machines! 20.5 tons, to be exact, if you add up all the lifts on all the machines. I wanted to do this next Monday, the day after my 66th birthday, but since Frank and I have been fighting off a cold or virus I thought I should just go ahead and do it while I can. I can always repeat it next week. Yeah right!

Anyway, this was one of those birthday self-dares. I would never dare to jump out of a perfectly good airplane, or swim to Alcatraz, or something phenomenal like that, but surpassing 20 tons is a big deal for me.

pounds|sets of 10| machine
140|2|Keiser triceps pushdown machine
50|2|Keiser biaxial chest press machine
100|2|Nautilus lateral pulldown machine
45|2|Nautilus fly machine
60|2|Nautilus triceps extension machine
115|2|Nautilus abdominal machine (first round)
60|2|Cybex arm extension machine
180|2|Cybex calf rotator machine
90|2|Cybex leg curl machine
140|3|leg press machine
35|2|Cybex overhead press machine
155|2|Cybex back extension machine
40|2|Nautilus arm curl machine
65|2|Nautilus chest press machine
130|2|Nautilus compound row machine
105|2|Cybex hip abductor machine
160|2|Cybex hip adductor machine
115|2|Nautilus abdominal machine (second round)
65|2|Keiser leg extension machine
85|3|Cybex seated row machine

Some of us just get better with age. What a great way to celebrate a birthday, congrats

 

[W2R]

Some of us just get better with age. What a great way to celebrate a birthday, congrats

Thank you!! Back in 2002 or so, when I was around 53 years old and had only lifted weights for maybe a year, I could only lift 6-8 tons (and was proud of that at the time). I love the fact that I am getting stronger as I age, despite the stereotypes of "feeble little old ladies". Not me, not yet anyway.

The upper back machine is broken so as you can see, I only did 20 of my usual 21 machines. I added a third set to the Cybex seated row machine in an attempt to make up for it, since it uses the same upper back muscles more or less.

 

[xyz]

W2R Congratulations on reaching your goal ! Have been seeing your progress over the years you are doing awesome !

 

[W2R]

Thank you! You all are making my day, today.

And congratulations to YOU, xyz... I see that you completed the Ironman Triathalon! Wow! http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f29/what-did-you-do-today-37868-712.html#post1454988

 

[Leonidas]

Today I reached my goal, and lifted over 20 tons on the weight lifting machines! 20.5 tons, to be exact,

That's excellent!

 

[ls99]

WHeeee. That is over four more tons than sixteen, and not deeper in debt. Congrats.

 

[W2R]

Thank you, Leonidas and ls99!! I never want to become feeble with age, so weight lifting seems like a great way to celebrate my 66th birthday this weekend.

Yesterday was gym day again, and I wanted to take it easy on the weight lifting after Monday. Monday was kind of a "pull-out-all-the-stops" gym day for me; I doubt I could do much more without compromising on form; that's all I've got, folks! So anyway yesterday, I rode the seated elliptical for 20 minutes and then did only 10 of my weight lifting machines, at about half the weight I did on Monday. It felt good to just go through the movements just for muscle memory, even though the weights were low. I focused on perfect form and it was fun.

 

[Leonidas]

My training partner has decided that it's time to expand my abilities by entering a bodybuilding contest, and to learn how to train other people. I'm not sure about the first idea, but I'm intrigued by the second. Over the last year I've gotten good at diagnosing problems in others and formulating corrective actions. But today my partner introduced me to my first "client". My partner is the official trainer, but I'm doing the work under his supervision (the 'client' get this all for free). So today my workout included evaluating what's wrong with "Bob" and devising a training plan.

Bob is like the great majority of middle-aged Americans, years of sedentary living have left him with an overall lack of physicality, athleticism, and strength as well as a limited range of movement in most joints, and a weak core that has to be addressed before we can do any serious work on the rest. I started working there, and will add strength, cardio and endurance as we go along.

His first workout today was all focused on evaluating the weakness in his core and addressing it:

10 minute cardio warmup
4 sets of 15 modified squats
4 sets of lunges
4 sets of 15 modified pushups.

The weird part was looking at him and realizing that he is about where I was 2-2 1/2 years ago. Part of me is sympathizing with him - because I know how it feels. But another part of me is amazed at how far I've progressed in that time.

 

[eytonxav]

That sounds great Leonidas and should be both fun and rewarding. I've wondered about doing that as well, but my flexibility and aerobic capacity are probably not good enough to be a good example for clients. I was sedate behind a desk for most of my life, except for playing adult hardball for a few years about 17 years ago. When I turned 59+, I came down with diabetes and that got me started. Walked off about 35 lbs the first 3 months and then hit the gym shortly thereafter. I wasn't sure whether I would keep going after about 8 personal training sessions, but I did and it became a way of life for me that I really enjoy. Its now been over five years in the gym and I'm not slowing down much, but certainly can relate to where you came from and where your client is now.

I think the hardest part of training clients is convincing them that 70% of their results will be a function of what they put in their mouths, as the gym work is actually the easiest part. I still haven't gotten my nutrition down, although I should know better

 

[W2R]

Leonidas, do it if it is fun, but if it becomes work then don't feel bad about quitting!

As for my workout, I have been lifting a more normal-for-me amount of 16-17 tons on the weight lifting machines each MWF. I feel like I can't keep lifting 20.5 tons each time like I did on June 2nd, or I would just wear myself out completely in this heat. But 16-17 tons feels about right and leaves me with enough energy to live my life.

Today at the gym I am thinking of doing something completely different. I'm not sure what! Maybe getting back on the elliptical, just walking for a while, or lifting free weights.

 

[kcowan]

We tried pickleball at the community center yesterday. It was fun and we will become regulars at it. We are both finding some new aches today.

 

[jclarksnakes]

12 miles on the bike in 47 minutes. Then P90X back and biceps workout. Then Body Beast shoulders workout.

 

[Leonidas]

Leonidas, do it if it is fun, but if it becomes work then don't feel bad about quitting!

Those are my thoughts as well. But the more I do it the more I realize it really benefits me as much as Bob. It's making me look at fitness from a different angle, and it's improving how I think about my own training.

Another benefit is that it gives me an outlet for a growing desire to help people who want to improve their fitness. Once I learned how our bodies are supposed to function and move - looking at all the broken people walking around is almost heart breakingly painful.

Today at the gym I am thinking of doing something completely different. I'm not sure what! Maybe getting back on the elliptical, just walking for a while, or lifting free weights.

That's a great idea. Variety in training workouts make it more interesting and motivating. Exercise is supposed to be stressful, and getting into a routine removes a huge part of that required stress. I see people in the gym every day who are slaves to routine; they arrive at the same time, do the exact same exercises in the same order, and even wear the same clothes. At a certain point your body adapts to that routine and you stop improving. And that's what happened to those people, they look exactly the same as they did two years ago when I first saw them.

That sounds great Leonidas and should be both fun and rewarding. I've wondered about doing that as well, but my flexibility and aerobic capacity are probably not good enough to be a good example for clients. I was sedate behind a desk for most of my life, except for playing adult hardball for a few years about 17 years ago. When I turned 59+, I came down with diabetes and that got me started. Walked off about 35 lbs the first 3 months and then hit the gym shortly thereafter. I wasn't sure whether I would keep going after about 8 personal training sessions, but I did and it became a way of life for me that I really enjoy. Its now been over five years in the gym and I'm not slowing down much, but certainly can relate to where you came from and where your client is now.

My story is similar and I have that same lifelong commitment to fitness and health.

I think the hardest part of training clients is convincing them that 70% of their results will be a function of what they put in their mouths, as the gym work is actually the easiest part. I still haven't gotten my nutrition down, although I should know better

Training people is not all about the body - you have to train their minds as well. People have hard time understanding that there is so much they don't know about fitness, nutrition and health.

My journey is similar to yours, I wanted to learn the Olympic lifts and sought out a trainer for what I thought would be a month of training. Luckily for me, when he said that it was a minimum of a 6-month process, I listened and agreed to the time. It was at least a year before we got around to any real O-lifting, because it took that long to train my mind and body to get to that place. Years of doing it all wrong had screwed up a lot of things.

At a certain point I realized I had overcome dealing with whatever complaints my body gives me when I stress it with exercise. But overcoming the barriers that the mind puts in my way is a continuing struggle. At least once a week I have to remind myself to be "teachable".

 

[W2R]

That's a great idea. Variety in training workouts make it more interesting and motivating. Exercise is supposed to be stressful, and getting into a routine removes a huge part of that required stress.

That's what I love about my gym - - if I ever get bored, there are so many different things to do.

Yesterday, after stretching I ended up devoting my whole workout to the Precor elliptical and the seated elliptical. That was fun and very different from my usual workout.

 

[athena53]

Today I did a 31-mile charity bike ride that turned into 37 miles 'cause I kept getting lost. Yes, even with turn-by-turn directions, a GPS and markings in the road I got lost. It was a perfect day and, according to my heart rate monitor, I burned 1,600 calories. Woo-hoo!

 

[ls99]

Moved several multi hundred pound logs at the camp. 4 wheel drive pickup truck, rope, chain, some pulleys, 8 foot digging bar and a variety rocks were involved for leverage.

When I got home DW pointed to the shower. With the look. I guess I did work up some sweat, even though the high od the day was only 62F.

 

[ERhoosier]

Biked 101mi in today's beautiful Midwest weather (sunny 75F w/10mph breeze). About 78mi in local club ride, then 13mi solo, then another 10mi easy spin with DW. Legs are tired & my bum feels like I've been attacked by a belt sander. Not near enough miles logged this year to have earned my butt calluses
And to think some of my older cycling buddies are riding the 24hr challenge today with goals of >300mi for the 24hrs.

 

[athena53]

Biked 101mi in today's beautiful Midwest weather (sunny 75F w/10mph breeze).

OK, OK... so I'm an amateur!