What was Your Workout Today?

[W2R]

JoeDreaming, your exercise routine sounds terrific!

Mom's continuing care facility in Honolulu had a gym room, with lots of machines and free weights that one could use when desired. Also every day a personal trainer held gym classes there for those seniors who were interested. She worked out daily, either with the trainer or on her own. She also walked for exercise. Maybe her daily exercise regimen is part of why she enjoyed life so much, even when she was over 90.

I think that more and more people are beginning to understand that keeping physically fit is so important for all of us as we age, in order to maintain a higher level of independence and capability than we might otherwise have and to keep our bodies functioning normally.

Right now, at 65, there are quite a few benefits of working out regularly. It just occurred to me this morning, after awakening from 9.5 hours of deep, pleasant sleep, that maybe the strength training that I do regularly is helping me to sleep better than many women my age that I know. Either that, or else I am extremely fortunate.

 

[Moscyn]

Golfed 18 holes and 1.5 hours of body massage.

 

[Mulligan]

JoeDreaming, your exercise routine sounds terrific!

Mom's continuing care facility in Honolulu had a gym room, with lots of machines and free weights that one could use when desired. Also every day a personal trainer held gym classes there for those seniors who were interested. She worked out daily, either with the trainer or on her own. She also walked for exercise. Maybe her daily exercise regimen is part of why she enjoyed life so much, even when she was over 90.

I think that more and more people are beginning to understand that keeping physically fit is so important for all of us as we age, in order to maintain a higher level of independence and capability than we might otherwise have and to keep our bodies functioning normally.

Right now, at 65, there are quite a few benefits of working out regularly. It just occurred to me this morning, after awakening from 9.5 hours of deep, pleasant sleep, that maybe the strength training that I do regularly is helping me to sleep better than many women my age that I know. Either that, or else I am extremely fortunate.

9.5 hours deep sleep.. I'm so jealous! Good thing you are a frugal lady, W2R, because living to be 125, isn't cheap, as you will last that long sleeping like that.

 

[W2R]

9.5 hours deep sleep.. I'm so jealous! Good thing you are a frugal lady, W2R, because living to be 125, isn't cheap, as you will last that long sleeping like that.

I wish!! If an immortality pill ever becomes available, I'll be the first in line... I know I'm really lucky about the sleep, though.

 

[eytonxav]

Still sore from yesterday. DS and I disassembled my Tuff Stuff weight rack, moved and reassembled it at DS's house. It wasn't all that bad, but trying to get some to bolt holes to line up on the top of the rack was a bit frustrating. He will certainly get more use from it, since I very rarely worked out at home. It also cleared a large space in our Master bathroom which we are about to remodel as pre-selling fixup.

 

[xyz]

Ran 13.1 this morning as I work toward the half ironman need to do some long runs so I have the confidence I can run the distance... That surely is a long way ! I have a lot of respect for those who have completed a full marathon.

 

[Moscyn]

Golf - 36 holes. Am surprised I still have stamina for it.

 

[W2R]

Continuing to lift 17.0 tons at each gym workout (every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).For some reason I don't feel ready to increase weights again quite yet, so I am patiently staying at the same weights and waiting until my body gives me the go-ahead to ratchet things up a bit.

I also stretch at the stretching station each time, something that Mulligan very correctly pointed out in another thread as being more and more helpful as we grow older. I really think stretching helps a lot in reducing aches and pains and feeling younger.

 

[eytonxav]

About a year ago, we cut down an Eve's Necklace tree that was too close to the house. The tree made a mess and kept clogging my gutters and was a jumping off point for the squirrels. Nevertheless, even after it was removed (and the stump ground), this tree continues to be a problem as it is propagating throughout a large part of my rear garden bed. Despite the fact that we killed the stump, this pest put out incredibly long roots that are 2-3+" in diameter and run along the outside of my foundation. Yesterday, I dug up about 25' feet of it and it just keeps going. Trying to dig this out of clay soil with other plantings intermixed is a back breaker. Had to go for the Advil last night and am feeling it in my shoulders today. Seriously thinking of hiring someone to dig out the rest of this sucker.

 

[Rambler]

Ruh-roh...

My exercise today was a drive to my doc's office...first time since we came back to the States.

I had a very good run last Wednesday, well, the first 2.5 miles of my planned 3+ mile run. Started easy, uphill for the first 1.7 miles, but was cruising at a very nice pace after the first km or so. I had run on Monday without any problems. Wednesday I felt a minor twinge at the start...common for me, but after I was warmed up and going, the twinge faded and I was doing great. At 2.5 miles, coming back down the hill, the pain I've been experiencing came back, so I slowed, then walked a couple hundred yards, then jogged thru it, slowly, back to my hotel.

This is the third or fourth time this has occurred since early April, and I had yet to follow the advice to foam roll the ITB for it. After struggling in pain to get out of bed to use the facilities for six nights, and after limping around for 5 days, I decided to go see the doc.

So doc feels and bends and twists my leg and ankle, and gets a weird look on his face. He finds the meniscus, and I take in a sharp breath. Then he asks me again, "are you sure you've never injured this knee before?" I couldn't remember ever injuring it. (Later today, I recalled doing the limbo at a company function some 10 years ago, during which my knee failed/collapsed, hurt like hell, and I fell over in pain...but even though it really hurt at the time of injury, it didn't last, so I thought nothing of it and flew home a couple of days later, never seeking medical attention for it).

Then doc tells me he thinks I have an old injury, a torn or ruptured ACL, which in turn caused instability in the knee, which probably caused a meniscus tear when I was out running in Hawaii a couple months ago. He said that in palpating the knee he thought that the ACL injury was present due to the sloppiness/instability of the knee, and that he could tell the meniscus was damaged by my wince. He said that if the ACL injury was recent, the pain would present differently, where he noticed no pain related to the ACL itself.

Next up: x-rays to rule out simple arthritis and possibly find a bone fragment related to a possible ACL injury. Following this it will be an MRI to confirm doc's diagnosis. Doc, BTW, is in family practice, but also has a sports medicine specialty, and was a team doc for a soccer team before joining a family practice.

So, my question to the runners and the docs out there: if I had a torn or ruptured ACL all these years, is it really even possible to take up running? (I started running 5 years ago, the only injury I can think of happened 10ish years ago). How could I have been injured so badly and not had any problems before now.

I'm kind of feeling bummed, because it took a long time to start enjoying running. Now that I thoroughly enjoy it, I find out that running may be out for weeks or months, maybe even a year...I'm really bummed about that. No tri for me this year

R

 

[eytonxav]

Rambler,

Sorry to hear about this, but I wouldn't jump to any conclusions about how this will impact your running until you get results from the x-rays/MRI.
Its amazing at what just a tight muscle/tendon can do to a joint like your knee and while I'm no Dr, I'd be surprised that the Dr can diagnose a problem like that just by feel. In any event, hope it turns out to be nothing serious.

 

[Dawg52]

Took the mutt to the local lake/hiking trail this morning and walked a little over 3 miles. I can't believe how hot it has been the last couple of days. Humidity getting up there. Playing golf this afternoon. Even though I will be riding, still decent exercise in the heat.

 

[jclarksnakes]

This weather is HOT. Tuesday I cut 2 and a half lawns and then kayaked for about 2 hours. I rode the bike 26 miles yesterday. The second half of that was in the afternoon with the temperature above 95. This morning I did 15 miles on the bike before it got too hot and this afternoon did a total of 110 chin-ups, 130 pushups, 75 chair dips, 140 curls, 80 triceps extensions and 100 lawnmowers. The lawnmowers, curls and extensions were with 30 pound dumbbells. I also walked the dog about 30 minutes at a very slow pace all three days.

 

[eytonxav]

For any of you weight lifters, here are some strength standards to compare yourself against for various types of lifts by weight and age. I was shocked to find I am at an elite level, as I've really only thought of myself as being average+.

Killustrated Weightlifting Freebies

While this is kind of interesting, I think its best to not compare oneself to others when lifting weights, just compete against yourself.

 

[martyp]

I've been working out at a gym with a trainer for the past 2 yrs. He opened up his own place last week at a location too far for me to drive to. So today I started at a new gym. I am in the lucky situation of being a retiree from our local university so the yearly dues for their recreational sports facility are really low. About the same as for students and twice as low at the cost for staff/faculty. The equipment there is fabulous. With the money I've saved I can pay for occasional personal trainer sessions. Today was my first day with the trainer. Had a pretty intense weight lifting workout. And he gave me some homework to correct some of the tightness he detected in my evaluation. Cheaper. Closer to home. I think I'm going to enjoy this.

 

[martyp]

For any of you weight lifters, here are some strength standards to compare yourself against for various types of lifts by weight and age. I was shocked to find I am at an elite level, as I've really only thought of myself as being average+.

Killustrated Weightlifting Freebies

While this is kind of interesting, I think its best to not compare oneself to others when lifting weights, just compete against yourself.

I clock in at intermediate but you are right . . . you are only competing against yourself. Personally I am going to train more for endurance meaning more reps and lower weights.

 

[jclarksnakes]

For any of you weight lifters, here are some strength standards to compare yourself against for various types of lifts by weight and age. I was shocked to find I am at an elite level, as I've really only thought of myself as being average+.

Killustrated Weightlifting Freebies

While this is kind of interesting, I think its best to not compare oneself to others when lifting weights, just compete against yourself.

Thanks for posting that very interesting link. I do not lift big weights but, the standards do not look very tough for a little old guy. I could probably lift at the intermediate to advanced level on the squat and bench press and dead lift and press. I would need some professional training before I would attempt a power clean or power snatch. Looking at the muscle endurance standards for exercises that I regularly do I exceed the elite standards on the pull ups and push ups and meet the elite standard for sit ups. I was weak in these exercises when I started working out last august. I tend to think that if I can make this progress so can most anyone else if they are willing to put some work into it.

 

[eytonxav]

I clock in at intermediate but you are right . . . you are only competing against yourself. Personally I am going to train more for endurance meaning more reps and lower weights.

Marty, I think that is the best approach as you will most likely add more muscle definition/tone, but not pack on bulk or have as much risk for injury. I also definitely feel there is some aerobic benefit to weight lifting and thus improvement in ones endurance.

 

[eytonxav]

I tend to think that if I can make this progress so can most anyone else if they are willing to put some work into it.

Agree, I suspect some of those classifications are really a function of how long a person has been training, although there will always be exceptions.

 

[martyp]

Still getting oriented to this new gym and trainer. Today he had me start off with throwing a 30 lb sandbag. Jump & throw forward at the same time. Throw it at a wall forward and sideways. Terrific workout.

Like this:

 

[Ronstar]

Kayaking, hiking or biking daily. Sometimes kayaking and hiking or biking.

 

[martyp]

More fun with sandbags. Box jumps. Single leg walkout planks. TRX knee tuck push ups. Followed by a noon nap.

 

[W2R]

It has been tough to keep lifting as much in this heat, even in an air conditioned gym. Earlier in the week I decided to lift whatever amount resulted in about the same amount of exertion, and backed off a little. But yesterday I was afraid that I could be losing some of my hard earned conditioning, so I pushed on anyway despite the heat and lifted the full amount that I had been lifting previously. Should be interesting to see how it goes tomorrow.

On Monday I overheard one of the trainers at my gym telling his client that he should cut back on days when the weights just felt heavier, and increase on days when the weights feel lighter. I like that philosophy.

 

[eytonxav]

On Monday I overheard one of the trainers at my gym telling his client that he should cut back on days when the weights just felt heavier, and increase on days when the weights feel lighter. I like that philosophy.

The listen to your body approach is sage advice. I ramped up my workouts per session and more sessions per week after I retired and now my bod is pushing back, telling me to turn it down a few notches.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

I'm beside myself because today for the first time in a long while, I was able to get in some exercize. Having been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, I have just started physical therapy. My pain management doctor wanted to explore this avenue before we resort to steroid shots in the lower spine. As part of my exercize program, my therapist wanted me to start walking in a pool. In our community we have a number of pools, one of which is an indoor walking pool. So today I did 13 laps walking around the pool which equates to 1/4 mile. It really felt great as there was no pain in my hips or back because the water supports you and keeps the weight off your feet. I'm going to make this a daily habit along with my stretching to build up the body core.