Fitness Activities In Early Retirement

[Ready-4-ER-at-14]

We go to the gym and do the machines for an hour 3x a week. We go dancing multiple times a week. (4 planned per week in nov). Depending on the weather walking outdoors or marching in front of tv to get 5-10k steps.

We were doing water aerobics 2x a week but heater down in the pool for next couple of months.

Also importantly I have a few couch potato days every month or so. Time to see a play or something different even if just eating out.

 

[Orlin]

I started lifting heavy weights, powerlifting, at 51.

I converted half my garage to a home gym with squat rack, bench, barbells, dumbells, plates. I do simple routines of deadlifts, squats, benchpress, with some accessory work. Our bodies are working against us and we will lose 3-5% of our muscle mass every decade doing just cardio, or nothing. I like being stronger too.

(And if your SO is female, so am I, there is a near zero chance of "getting bulky" unless she wants to.)

[FONT=&quot]Yes I think for me, the iron is best. Started at 15 and been at it 50 years now. Not a bodybuilder or powerlifter, just good lifting. Bar a few injuries, it has only ever done me good all the years. Tried many approaches but always come back to more volume plus some intensity. It takes care of muscles, bones, lungs, heart, and what else. I supplement with some stretching and swimming. Currently only has about a third of my garage with a magic bench that does everything including squat rack, and a good bunch of weights. Working on finding a bigger space. There is no better return on investment. I love it.[/FONT]

 

[mickeyd]

Pickleball 3x/week, total conditioning 3X/week, yoga 2Xwk, line dancing 2x/wk, swimming weekly, gym (weights, machines weekly), gardening daily, bike rides, walking daily- This is a partial list of how I stay in shape. It is easy @ CCRC.

 

[1242Vintage]

To keep myself fit I race bicycles; mountain bike in the winter/spring, gravel endurance races all Spring and Summer and high intensity cyclocross in the Fall.

Love the whole experience. Nerves at the start line as you size up the competition, that initial adrenaline rush when the man says go, and race tactics during the event. And nothing beats a heart pounding sprint at the finish!

I’m closing in on 60 and will continue training (daily workouts on the bike and gym sessions) during the week and lining up on a Saturday or Sunday morning for as long as I can.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Golf 4 to 5 times a week, riding in a cart but the course is very hilly so with a ton of steep climbing. Play Pickleball once a week, but I don't find it strenuous at all when compared to golf. Gym for strength training class but similarly don't find it strenuous either when compared to all the hill climbing at our golf course and golfing.

 

[cyber888]

I do -
1) 30-40 Push ups every day (keep upper body strength)
2) 25 - 35 Squats every day (for mobility)
3) Run 3X a week 4 - 5 miles (50-60 minutes)
4) If not running, I walk or mow the lawn for 30-40 minutes.
5) Occasionally, I will do bench press, Lat pulls and weight stuff on the gym. I also have a gym room at home with barbells and dumbells.

 

[Time2]

I'm 68 and try, but I go through cycles of exercise. I'll go to the Planet Fitness for a couple months then miss a few days and not go back, I'll walk 3 miles a day and then, not. I have weights, I'll use them, and then not.
I can't seem to be consistent.
Maybe when I become an adult!

 

[Badger]

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.

I would suggest weight bearing and flexibility programs (Tai Chi and Yoga from a reputable instructor). I never was a weight lifter or body builder type but for ease of use, something that can supplement your weight training, be done at home during TV time, and can travel light I like a variety of elastic bands. I have a 4x4 in the ground with I-screws at various heights to attach a carabiner for different elastic band exercises. If your budget and living environment can allow then I highly recommend a hot tub after work outs. It can really make a difference in recovery.

Cheers!

 

[Exchme]

My lesson-learned is I'm not 30 anymore. I was working out - weights, inclined walking on the treadmill, stretching, etc. for 2.5+ hrs a day 6-7 days a week. Then about six weeks ago, I had (and still have) a shooting pain in the arm when I try to extend it. Each doctor finds something wrong and then concludes that that is unlikely to be my acute problem.

So far it's been three doctors, two X-rays, a nerve conduction test, an MRI and they have found multiple problems from overuse that need some combination of rest, physical therapy and if they keep getting worse may need surgery, but no diagnosis or treatment of my immediate problem. Off to see another doctor tomorrow.

So realize that doing something you can sustain is much better than acting like you're getting ready for an NFL tryout and overdoing it.

 

[1242Vintage]

Good test of training and cardio conditioning coming up this weekend. Bicycle races both Saturday and Sunday. And racing in a younger/faster age group.

And rain is in the forecast. Love racing in the mud!!!

 

[Ronstar]

I changed my workout per Chiropractor advice. I've had back pain recently and the Chiro recommended strength training - especially for the back. So now I'm doing dead lifts, squats, overhead press, incline bench presses, and rows. Along with 10,000 steps per day. No longer running - at least for now. Weight training seems to be helping my back.

 

[Aerides]

Weight training seems to be helping my back.

Yup, whenever I take a break, the aches and stiffness come back if I sit too long. If I'm keeping up with deadlifts in particular (and not even a super high weight), everything else I do is easy.

 

[pacergal]

We have continued what we did before retirement, and adjust as needed due to age or injury.
Walking, gardening/yard work, exercise club, yoga/various PT exercises at home.

 

[FREE866]

Anyone here do burpees?


I did them years ago and last week or so I've incorporated them back into my workouts and I really like them

 

[braumeister]

Anyone here do burpees?

I get their seed catalog in the mail every year, but I don't have much of a green thumb.

 

[Ronstar]

Anyone here do burpees?


I did them years ago and last week or so I've incorporated them back into my workouts and I really like them

DW's exercise class does burpees. And to celebrate birthdays of attendees, they do the number of burpees matching the age of the birthday person. One of DW's friends in class is 78. I made the mistake of going to class on her birthday a couple of months ago. Luckily they divided them into sets of 10. But still - I'm just now recovering.

 

[Badger]

I get their seed catalog in the mail every year, but I don't have much of a green thumb.

Cheers!

 

[More Cowbell]

My significant other and I are looking to retire early within the next 5-7 years, putting us both hitting the proverbial finish line at ~50 y/o. We're both relatively active, playing full-court singles pickleball (it's harder than you think!) 3-5 times a week, walking the dogs a couple miles a day, hiking and kayaking through three seasons a year as we can while still working. We're both hoping that we'll be able to keep up these types of activities well into our retirement, but we're always discussing the next new thing to try to maintain our health and physical fitness.

What are some things that those of you who already made it do to maintain your physical fitness and activity levels? What types of physical fitness routines have you started or maintained?

Late to this discussion:

You might consider trying a martial art that teaches how to safely roll and fall. There is a diverse spectrum of martial arts that incorporate rolling and falling, from aikido to BJJ, but you need to vet the instructor and school. Rolling and falling is a staple of most beginners classes, and some community colleges offer are introductory courses.

Although I am no longer active in martial arts, I still practice rolls and falls. The training kicked in when I tripped on a driveway curb cut. Not even a scrape, but the Apple Watch fall alert went off. Surprisingly, the fall alert isn’t triggered while practicing rolls and falls.

I know many anecdotes where rolling and falling training helped acquaintences fall safely on bicycles, on stairs, etc. Unfortunately, there are far more stories where people instinctively put out their arms and were injured, for example while running backwards in pickleball.

But if there aren’t any classes that suit you, then in a fall:

Tuck and roll as you exhale!

 

[1242Vintage]

I bike race.

The year goes like this. Start with Mountain bike season … then onto gravel endurance races in the Spring/Summer … and wrap it up in the Fall with cyclocross racing.

I don’t road race on pavement. Crashed hard in a criterium (asphalt road) when I was in my 20s. That hurt and was a long recovery.

Closing in on 60 this Spring and still hitting the podium on a regular basis. Grabbed a 2nd place this weekend racing against younger athletes. I’ll take that as a win!!!

 

[Ronstar]

Walking my former running route yesterday. Thinking - why not a post 70 marathon - sometime after 8/2025. I've run 6 marathons over the past 45 years, but my speed, distance and frequency has really dropped off. Knee discomfort builds through the summer and fall, and I rest up until spring. Last marathon was 2016. I haven't run at all since last September.

I saw an article from a guy in his 70's who runs once a week training for (and completing) a marathon.

Thinking about trying this, even though my doc is against it due to possible knee issues. Maybe once a week with 6 days of rest will avoid knee issues.

 

[braumeister]

Walking my former running route yesterday. Thinking - why not a post 70 marathon - sometime after 8/2025. I've run 6 marathons over the past 45 years, but my speed, distance and frequency has really dropped off.

If you want to take the easiest route, I can recommend Mainly Marathons.
They will let you be as slow as you like, and it's a popular program. Simple out & back courses, but always USATF certified. Lots of people are addicted to it, both for full and half marathons, and it's usually kind of a party atmosphere. Worth looking into.

 

[Ronstar]

If you want to take the easiest route, I can recommend Mainly Marathons.
They will let you be as slow as you like, and it's a popular program. Simple out & back courses, but always USATF certified. Lots of people are addicted to it, both for full and half marathons, and it's usually kind of a party atmosphere. Worth looking into.

Thanks - I'll check it out.

 

[mystang52]

Walking my former running route yesterday. Thinking - why not a post 70 marathon - sometime after 8/2025. I've run 6 marathons over the past 45 years, but my speed, distance and frequency has really dropped off. Knee discomfort builds through the summer and fall, and I rest up until spring. Last marathon was 2016. I haven't run at all since last September.

I saw an article from a guy in his 70's who runs once a week training for (and completing) a marathon.

Thinking about trying this, even though my doc is against it due to possible knee issues. Maybe once a week with 6 days of rest will avoid knee issues.

I am not a doctor. At 71, with a history of heart stents, I'm still a runner. I'm also a former marathon and half-marathon runner. I can't see how running just once a week is sufficient training for a marathon, unless the training includes progressively longer distances with a goal to walk the entire marathon.

 

[braumeister]

I am not a doctor. At 71, with a history of heart stents, I'm still a runner. I'm also a former marathon and half-marathon runner. I can't see how running just once a week is sufficient training for a marathon, unless the training includes progressively longer distances with a goal to walk the entire marathon.

Maybe it depends on how motivated you are.
I did my first marathon at 58, and didn't have a good idea how to train for it. The longest distance I had gone before the race was just 11 miles, because a guy I knew said that was enough.

Tough race, but I finished. I've never been fast, but I can be very stubborn!

 

[Ronstar]

I am not a doctor. At 71, with a history of heart stents, I'm still a runner. I'm also a former marathon and half-marathon runner. I can't see how running just once a week is sufficient training for a marathon, unless the training includes progressively longer distances with a goal to walk the entire marathon.

I was skeptical as well, but after reading how a guy ran a marathon on training one day a week, I became somewhat convinced it was possible.

My last marathon training was one long run (progressively increase to 20 miles) and a couple 5 milers a week. My thought is that those 5 milers were no help in running 26 miles.

I’m going to start 3 miles once week for 6 months, then progressively increase the mileage and see where that takes me.