Your exercise plans for 2021 and how it went in 2020?

[audreyh1]

I'm stronger than I've ever been. "don't get bulky" well yeah I couldn't if I tried and it's not like that's gonna happen with no warning! (and I really won't mind a bit more definition - who cares what others say I should look like)

Women don’t generally bulk up. I don’t even know why that concern is still around as women have been strength training for decades, and it’s the best thing for older women to prevent bone loss and other common aging risks. I always thought it was maybe a convenient excuse not to do something that seems “unladylike”. Heck, ladies a bit older than my mom’s generation thought any exercise at all once adult was “unladylike”. My (much older than mom) aunt absolutely refused to exercise at all during her life which drove her daughter nuts as her mom aged. Yes, there are some champion female bodybuilders - it takes extreme conditioning and fat loss so you can even see the muscle definition.

 

[socca]

Only challenge is equipment (which ofc saw a surge for demand), but I've got a bar and plates to take me well into 2Q21 when I'll start to get close to deadlifting my weight.

If I tried to deadlift my own weight I would end up, um, .... dead.

I did buy a dumbbell set from amazon a few months ago. I don't anticipate needing over 8 lbs per arm at this time. Hey, I'm old!

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Agree women should lift heavy with perfect form to prevent injury. We are just not genetically gonna bulk up overnight. We have a natural higher body fat preventing easy muscle bulk

 

[Nemo2]

I generally do two twenty minute elliptical sessions, (at maximum incline and near maximum resistance), a day, (plus a few planks here and there if I think about them).

Pencilled in for a hip replacement "Sometime in the Spring", (I've nicknamed it "Godot" due to incessant lockdowns), which will necessitate a post-op hiatus.

DW is out of sorts because the community pool, (Inshallah temporary), closure has curtailed her four times a week 1 km swims.

 

[eytonxav]

After 11 years of gym workouts 3X/week, that run came to end in March. Since then I have not maintained nearly the workout intensity I was getting before and have lost muscle and stamina to some extent. Aside from some stretching at home and walking the dog, I played softball from July to October and then late in the year started pickleball. I really miss the gym, but will not go back until I can get vaccinated. I do not want to build a home gym and body weight exercises just do not get me motivated, so 2020 has been a lost year for me.

 

[Aerides]

If I tried to deadlift my own weight I would end up, um, .... dead.

Well yeah last August I started with a 20 lb body bar, but I'm over 100lb for reps now. That's what I love about it, you can start with almost nothing, but the gains come fast at first.

And yeah I don't know why everyone warns women not to do certain things because bulk.. is it bad for women to be a little jacked? It's ridiculously hard to do even if that's your intent! Like years of super dedication (and the compound exercises that make you stronger don't even do it). Guys it's easier ofc, but they still don't get peaks and bulges without targeted exercises for them.

 

[Lsbcal]

I was tempted to say something about guys liking floppy bits but that would be crude so I won't say that. What's the point of all that firmness anyway?

 

[audreyh1]

Agree women should lift heavy with perfect form to prevent injury. We are just not genetically gonna bulk up overnight. We have a natural higher body fat preventing easy muscle bulk

Also not nearly enough testosterone!

 

[donheff]

I was able to keep up with cycling despite the pandemic. DW and I do 70-100 miles a week in good weather. I switched from the gym to the house and have been pretty good at keeping up the strength training using pushups, planks, squats, and chinups/pullups coupled with curls using dumbbells. I had not done pullups in a long time. I am doing ten which seems OK for my geriatric body. I will probably forgo the gym until 2022 and will then re-evaluate.

 

[Music Lover]

2020 was bad for me working out. We were super busy (I know, not an excuse) and a large reno forced me to block access to my gym with storage. Things are close to normal now so I'm getting back into regular workouts.

I was thinking of starting a 2021 workout thread. That might give me more incentive to not skip training.

 

[bjorn2bwild]

2020 - Same as it ever was, same as it ever was/not.
The pandemic/fire closing of public lands greatly curtailed our adventure hiking, cycling and X-country skiing. Fortunately, I have an extensive trail system right out my back door - paved and dirt. I run the dirt, ride the pavement. A little boring, but it preserved most of my sanity.
Aerobic exercise is the great normalizer for me so I don't need resolutions/goal setting for motivation. Staying in shape is much more pleasant than getting in shape, and consistency reduces injury and subsequent set backs.
Best wishes for a better 2021.

 

[Lsbcal]

Lots of good exercise routines! That motivates me to get out early this morning when it's cool and few on the trail to do a nice walk.

 

[Chuckanut]

I have a short routine I try to do six days week. Four days a week I add on some extra stuff so the entire routine takes a little over an hour. One day a week is time off.
None of it requires fancy machines or a gym membership, other than my very simple to use, non-electric stationary bike (It's definitely not a Pelaton). I do want to get some adjustable weight dumbbells this year.

I do wish to walk more this year.

 

[rk911]

a .5 to 2.0 daily walk with Maggie the Wonder Dog, depending on the weather and my knee + 20-30 mins on the Schwinn Airdyne bike. goal is dropping 10-lbs to 190 by June. gotta control cravings and snacks.

 

[Ian S]

DH and I have been walking for several years. Living in a dry climate enables us to get out walking pretty much every day with our terrier dog. We have a loop route to which we added a nice hill this year for a total of 5.6 miles. Takes about 100 minutes. We don't come in contact with many people and when we do, we easily keep a distance of at least 30 feet. We don't wear a mask although we have them if needed. In the rare instance when someone gets a little too close for comfort (10 feet or less) we hold our breath until we get past them. With this regimen, we've not had any issue with weight gain and the red rock scenery is glorious!

 

[UtahSkier]

Complete slug reporting in...

Normally, I am an exercise fanatic. 2 hours a day at the gym and mtn biking and skiing occupy my time.

Good news is DW and I are still paying $40 per month for the gym membership despite having not visited the gym since February. While I have a stationary bike that I love using, knee issues forced me to buy an ellipitcal for the home gym. So far, I have barely used it.

Turns out that over eating and drinking excessive alcohol helps my sleep and I have been sleeping better in 2020.

My hobby has turned into a project of passion with deadlines and mostly 8-12 hour daily efforts. Excessive Tequila consumption helps with productivity. Many deadlines forecasted for 2021.

With Covid restrictions and poor snow conditions, the 2020-21 ski season sucks. Have not made any effort to get in good shape for skiing. Zero ski days so far.

Just finished the holiday over-eating season and sure enough, my belly circumference is at an all time high. Prospects for an improved 2021 are not looking good at the moment.

 

[harllee]

I let my gym membership lapse last spring. Since then I ride my bike for an hour every other day, outside if weather permits, inside on stationary bike if weather is bad (much prefer outside riding). On the days I don't ride the bike I work out for an hour at home--stretching, yoga, weights. So I try to get an hour of exercise every day.

By the way, I was having a hemorrhoid problem (I started a separate thread on that) and someone suggested a yoga pose called "legs up the wall". I tried that pose and it really helped my hemorrhoids--I do that pose for 20 minutes a day.

 

[friar1610]

Pre-COVID: Regular gym attendance (spinning classes, elliptical, C2 rower, light weight lifting) + 30-45 minute dog walks most days.

Post-COVID: No gym except the one in my basement with old Nordic Track ski machine and old piston-type rower + dumbbells. Still walk the dog. Also joined an on-line subscription service (teambodyproject.com) that has excellent on-line workouts of various types (cardio, resistance, abs, Pilates, yoga). Normally do 4-5 of them per week in addition to “something else” daily.

I’m working out about 85% of the days over the course of a month vs about 70% previously. Weight and overall fitness level are pretty much the same. Jury is still out on whether to continue with this routine or rejoin the gym when the COVID threat goes away. Will probably upgrade to a C2 rower at home if I don’t rejoin the gym.

 

[MRG]

2019 - gym 3x weekly sometimes more
Haven't been there in a year. Walked some it's time to get out the snowshoes and go. I really enjoy the outdoors but prefer going to the gym to exercise.

 

[Lsbcal]

Happy New Year!

I just saw this short worthwhile article on how to customize your Apple Watch for workouts:
https://www.howtogeek.com/703035/how-to-customize-the-workout-stats-you-see-on-a-apple-watch/

 

[W2R]

After 11 years of gym workouts 3X/week, that run came to end in March. Since then I have not maintained nearly the workout intensity I was getting before and have lost muscle and stamina to some extent.

2019 - gym 3x weekly sometimes more
Haven't been there in a year. Walked some it's time to get out the snowshoes and go. I really enjoy the outdoors but prefer going to the gym to exercise.

Good news is DW and I are still paying $40 per month for the gym membership despite having not visited the gym since February.

Like some others here, I have always preferred the gym to working out at home. I think the pandemic has been especially hard on those of us who were formerly more or less "gym rats". Like UtahSkier I still pay $42/month for my gym membership, but I haven't gone regularly since February either. We did go a couple of times in late May when they re-opened (with loads of restrictions), but it just seemed kind of spooky, definitely did not seem the same.

After reading and posting in the thread about home gym equipment yesterday, I have been thinking maybe I should start using it more! I have a stationary recumbent bike, a Concept 2 rowing machine, a few dumbbells, and a 60" TV with Wii Fit and other Wii fitness games in my home gym room. The room has big mirrors and two big ceiling fans which are helpful when working out. I think it's a nice setup and I will try using it again for a while.

If it turns out that I can get into a habit of daily workouts at home, then maybe I'll go to the gym and cancel that $42/month membership. I hate to do that since memberships have been $65 for years, and I am grandfathered into the $42 deal.

 

[harllee]

It is rainy outside so I just finished riding 60 minutes on my stationary bike. I am out of breathe now!

 

[tutan]

Used to go to two different gyms: one for weights and the Y for swimming. The first gym has shut down for now. But the Y has moved some equipment outdoors so I get to do both weights and swimming at the Y for now.

 

[Born2BRetd]

I walk three miles every morning and do yoga/stretch of some sort for about an hour 5 times a week. My yoga studio finally upped their game and added in Zoom classes in September so I've enjoyed seeing my fellow classmates on the screen. Unfortunately, it looks like the studio is not going to survive and the owner is going to let the lease lapse. There's a possibility of a new owner coming in to buy and/or the current teachers continuing online with Zoom. I subscribed to Yoga International and take a class or two a week from there but I really prefer to have regular instruction with instructors who know me and my level.

 

[Lsbcal]

I started the New Year with a hilly run and celebrated with this:

Not a recommended procedure but it went down easily.