Fitness Activities In Early Retirement

[iloveyoga]

Great post! I like reading all the stories. I walk daily with DH or friends. May through September we swim daily in our pool. I bike several times a week. But my true love is yoga. I try to do some yoga every other day whenever possible. My favorite teacher went on line during Covid and has a great on line studio. There are many great benefits to yoga, but what I like is I can keep doing it as I get older. And I finally have a yoga room set up.

 

[Music Lover]

I swim for an hour nonstop 5 days per week. I put in a few laps of butterfly at the end, which is like a sprint at the end of a jog. Swimming exercises upper and lower body, as well as core, and with every stroke there is a stretch. Flip turns are increasing my back flexibility and strengthening my abs. I returned to swimming 4 months ago and feel fantastic. It’s also a time to think without interruption.

I used to swim an hour twice a week but haven't for a long time. I really should get back into it.

 

[FREE866]

I swim for an hour nonstop 5 days per week.

thats incredible. I only go 3x a week and do about a quarter mile. I've found when I go more my rotator cuff starts to feel a little tweaked and I don't want to press it.

 

[levindb]

DW and I are in our early 70's and try to get physical every single day. Our UHC Renew Active helps cover the costs of gym memberships, so we are involved in group exercises 6 days/week:

1. Bikram Yoga (105 degrees, 26 postures) 3 days/week
2. OrangeTheory (bike/treadmill, rowing, weights) 2 days/week
3. Club Pilates (Reformer machine) 1 day/week

In addition, we have a tidal creek in our backyard, and we will kayak 2-3 times/week if high tide is at a reasonable hour...else we will bike 2.7 miles to Port Royal Sound, walk 2 miles along the shore, and then bike back home.

We firmly believe that you must use it or lose it, and we have seen many people 10-20 years younger than us who have a hard time getting around.

Once you leave the business world, your new job is taking care of yourselves...the pay is not great, but the benefits are amazing!!!

 

[ElizabethT]

I think you’ll find that you become even more active in retirement than pre, should that be one of your priorities, as you’ll have the time to give to your fitness activities that they require.

A better question for DH and I in retirement is more along the lines of what DON’T we do to stay fit!

Our primary activity is almost daily 6-8 mile coastal and hill walks, which generally include a lunchtime stop either during or afterward. We also do 1x a week 25-35 mile bike rides along one of our area’s many dedicated bike paths. We also kayak and SUP 1-2 times a month. We also do weight training at a gym 2x a week.

We just returned from walking 225 miles along the Camino de Compestelo in Spain, and are now in training for a metric century bicycle event. Once that is completed, we will begin training for a backpack across Catalina Island here in S. California. Setting goals and doing the necessary training to accomplish them is one of our favorite retirement activities.

I am in my early 60’s, my husband is in his late 60’s. I’m 5’3” and 115 pounds, my husband is 6’ and weighs 160. Another nice result of our continued focus on having fun while in motion!

 

[punkinhead]

I used to work out in our home gym while working but always hated it. It's something I had to force myself to do. Retirement allows me to get my exercise outside where it's more interesting.

This week was typical:

Monday: 6.5 mile fairly strenuous hike with the dog
Tuesday: 17 mile bike ride for lunch then took the dog for a 4 mile walk.
Wednesday: 28 mile bike ride
Thursday: 9 mile kayak trip on a nearby river
Friday (today): Took the dog for a 3 mile walk this morning. My wife and I plan to take a bike ride after lunch. 15-30 miles depending on our mood.

Next week it turns cold here so no more kayaking and fewer bike trips. We try to walk the dog 3-4 miles a day regardless of the weather and once a week take a more strenuous hike. In January we'll hop in the motorhome and head somewhere warm for a few months where we can kayak, bike, and hike.

 

[frayne]

Married, seventy-two year old married male and have been retired going on eighteen years. Golf two days a week, days I don't golf I work out at Planet Fitness for an hour. Every morning knock out one mile on stationary bike in under five minutes, 100 reps with hand weights along with leg stretching and thirty push-ups. I do this every morning regardless of the day's activities. Usually take two walks around the neighborhood 1.5 mile each for a total of 3 miles a day. Weigh in at 170-175# consistently, also 5'9" tall. I've been on this routine or something similar since I retired back in 2005. Use it or lose it is my motto.

 

[FREE866]

Before this thread I really felt like I was very active, but man after reading all these responses I think I have to up my game

 

[Some_Other_Guy]

Thank you to all who participated so far! There are tons of ideas for us to explore and potentially add to our routines as we get closer to the finish line. I've learned from personal experience and reading others' perspectives that w*rk seems to be the biggest roadblock to personal health and fitness for most people! We just need to work less!

 

[LakeRat1]

As part of our retirement plan we got healthier and are doing great..... We swim for two hours each day, along with vist the gym a few times during the week .... Wife has lost 65 lbs, I have lost 120 lbs ..... Life is gooder when retired

 

[meleana]

I walk 2 miles 5 days. I also use a stationary bike or gazelle in bad weather ( live in the Northeast). I do 10 minutes of isometric exercises with hand weights. About an hour and 15 minutes total exercise 5 days.

Or I clean the house. ��

Seriously I can’t hike or kayak or do a lot of stuff due to spine surgery and my back will never be the same. I can wade around in the HOA pool or the lake in summer.

I exercised every day most of my life and ended up like this ( I’m 67 btw) bad back and overweight.

 

[d]

mid-seventies ... yoga 6-10 hours a week, rowing 3 times a week, 60+ minutes each.

 

[YVRRocketSurgery]

My recently retired siblings keep asking me to go play pickleball with them but I refuse.

I think the biggest change in retirement for me has been walking a few hours a day versus sitting at a desk for the work day.
I jump on the treadmill when the weather isn't that great and for more intensity.
Carried on from pre-retirement has been softball in the spring/summer and hockey in the fall winter but it's more for the social aspect.

One thing I need to build in is stretching to maintain flexibility. I already feel I don't have a much range for certain movements.

 

[Happy30]

I play Super Natural on the Meta Quest 3. So fun!

 

[Badger]

For what it is worth I'm 75 with a history of backpacking, canoe/kayaking, sprint triathlons, etc. Now I am getting a bit worn out with a fused back, knee replacement, and a few screws in other areas holding me together. I can only walk about a block and my upper body is arthritic.
However, I can still ride a stock recumbent bike (nothing electric). I usually ride 10-15 miles 5 days a week at an average of 12 mph. My wife is 77 in better shape and plays doubles tennis in a few different leagues 5 days a week and sometimes twice a day. She is a B1/A3 level player.
Keep moving but know your limitations and you should be just fine.

Cheers!

 

[GaryInCO]

Pickleball (but not singles!) usually 2x/wk, light weight work 2-3x/wk, hiking in season, treadmill in winter. Just ordered a new e-bike.

…but I keep falling off the wagon.

That’s me too. I tried to start up a serious regimen of weightlifting a few months ago. Got a great start for a month or so, then off the wagon I fell. Trying to get back into it, but maybe not quite as aggressively.

 

[Singletrack]

Like several others here, I’m a long time cyclist (mountain and gravel, mainly). I used to run, but after four knee surgeries, I stick with biking, hiking and walking.

Weather permitting, I’m on the bike three times per week with my Garmin and heart rate monitor. I’ve always disliked weight training and gyms, but I purchased a weight bench and some Bowflex adjustable dumbbells for my home workout room. Now, I also do weight training three days a week after realizing my arms were withering away to twigs (I’m 66). I also ride a Peloton when the weather gets bad here in Colorado. I enjoy the 30 and 45 minute Power Zone Endurance rides the most, but sometimes I’ll just ride and listen to business news.

I have been doing cardio workouts for decades. I’ve found that I can stay consistent by rotating between two or three different activities to minimize boredom. Also, if I need to take some time off, I do it rather forcing myself and burning out.

 

[dgalbraith100]

One more thing to throw out there that nobody else has mentioned. See if there is a rock-climbing gym in your area. There are usually bouldering and/or rope gyms. Bouldering will be a little more intense for older bodies because you are jumping off the wall onto a thick pad. (So unless you've been doing that from a younger age and know how to fall, I probably wouldn't start there)

Rope climbing is nice no matter your age. I have found climbing to be a great upper body workout and also good brain exercise. Problem solving while under "stress".

Look for a gym that has auto-belay walls which you can climb alone and are pretty safe to fall on. It is really fun and will get you a good upper body workout before you even know you are working. You can always progress up to lead climbing and then take it outdoors if you want to go harder. (And climb in some beautiful mountains)

I also MTB, road ride, run and hike. I added climbing in about 10 years ago and it has really helped the upper body workouts and let me balance aerobic vs weights without actually having to lift weights which is boring.

David

 

[behappy]

Daily Golf

18 holes of golf every single day. I hope to do this until the day I die.

 

[JBTX]

- go to gym several times a week, mainly cardio - elliptic rider, rower, occasionally bike or stair climber
- try to get a couple of days of modest weight training at gym, but taking a break due to shoulder pain
- occasionally swim at gym, former swimmer, but again limited by shoulder pain
- May walk couple of days a week, but not much more due to metatarsal issues.

At 60, have to alternate things to avoid getting any particular joint overly sore. Good thing since retired a year or so ago is have lost 30 lbs and now exercise most days a week.

 

[FLSUnFIRE]

For what it is worth I'm 75 with a history of backpacking, canoe/kayaking, sprint triathlons, etc. Now I am getting a bit worn out with a fused back, knee replacement, and a few screws in other areas holding me together. I can only walk about a block and my upper body is arthritic.
However, I can still ride a stock recumbent bike (nothing electric). I usually ride 10-15 miles 5 days a week at an average of 12 mph. My wife is 77 in better shape and plays doubles tennis in a few different leagues 5 days a week and sometimes twice a day. She is a B1/A3 level player.
Keep moving but know your limitations and you should be just fine.

Cheers!

That's my fear as an active person. I am pretty careful with "good pain" vs "bad pain" and have no shame resting when I get bad pain. At only 49 I do notice my recovery time is increasing after heavy loads. Are there any warning signs early on you encountered? Any prophylactic regimes you'd recommend? Ideally, I'd like to maintain my OEM equipment throughout my life.

 

[frayne]

18 holes of golf every single day. I hope to do this until the day I die.

+1

 

[iloveyoga]

Great post! I like reading all the stories. I walk daily with DH or friends. May through September we swim daily in our pool. I bike several times a week. But my true love is yoga. I try to do some yoga every other day whenever possible. My favorite teacher went on line during Covid and has a great on line studio. There are many great benefits to yoga, but what I like is I can keep doing it as I get older. And I finally have a yoga room set up.

Also, I do weight and strength training (30 minutes) once a week. My least favorite workout thing to do.

 

[WhenIsItTime]

I use exercise to fulfill my daily dose of accomplishments: golf (walking, often carrying my bag), tennis, bike, DIY projects, and weightlifting. For me, weightlifting is key. I have a set of adjustable dumbbells and a quality bench. I use moderate weight for 10-20 reps most exercises.

Don't let the old man in.

 

[aja8888]

18 holes of golf every single day. I hope to do this until the day I die.

+1

+2