When did you notice your physical activity level going down?

[aja8888]

After spending 4 hours at my daughter's house yesterday running 50' of #6 4 conductor stranded copper wire inside 1" PVC electrical conduit to wire up her new Jacuzzi, I woke up feeling 10 years older and sore today. LOL!

 

[Tetto]

I began to really notice at 58 years old(last year). Taking longer to complete jobs around the house. Making excuses to avoid them. Napping more….olalala

 

[martyp]

I retired at 55 and started exercising regularly. For about 5 years there I was in great shape. At 60 though I noticed that it took forever to recover from the regular workouts. I was just in overall muscle pain all the time. That couldn’t be right. I’ve had to cut back on the intensity of my workouts. I’m still trying to find the right balance.

I am still pretty active overall at 69.

 

[HFWR]

I retired at 55 and started exercising regularly. For about 5 years there I was in great shape. At 60 though I noticed that it took forever to recover from the regular workouts. I was just in overall muscle pain all the time. That couldn’t be right. I’ve had to cut back on the intensity of my workouts. I’m still trying to find the right balance.

I am still pretty active overall at 69.

We sure don't recover like we used to... But lower intensity and less frequent workouts are still effective. And inadequate recovery increases risk of injury and reduces the benefits.

 

[Guamaniac]

I noticed aches in my 50's when I bent over to pick something up from the floor. Glucosamine helped but retiring at 58 and running again meant those aches mostly went away. And I still feel much better at 63. Joined a gym two years ago to swim after meniscus surgery in right knee but now spend more time in the weight room.
I'm still running but lately have noticed more knee pain even after two cortisone injections and then an amniotic stem cell injection last November (which insurance doesn't cover). It may be time to invest in a bike.

 

[kgtest]

Hip is starting to bother me at 43. I haven't worked out in a while. Normally I would have been on here bragging about how fit I was a year ago. Things have changed.

I need to get back at it.

 

[wannabefire]

Turning 61 next week and still racing bicycles; Endurance Gravel races, high energy cyclocross, and cross country mountain bike.

Between race seasons, I’m riding at least 100 miles a week with 10,000 ft of hill climbing. And hitting the gym when rain is falling.

Love the whole race experience. It’s what keeps me young. Lining up with competitors on a Saturday morning, adrenaline flowing, sizing up the competitors, and then the man says “Go”! That’s when you get to see who has the horsepower, technical ability and endurance that day!

Next significant event is a gravel road race in Bend, Oregon. That race has kicked my butt for the last four years. Training up for that now and going to conquer that beast this June!

Pic is mid-race last year …. I’m in blue jersey … chasing down competitor.

Thanks for sharing! This thread was getting me depressed about other’s decline in physical ability. As a cyclist, formerly competitive, I aspire to keep up riding and having audacious goals to keep the old man out.

 

[Dtail]

I noticed aches in my 50's when I bent over to pick something up from the floor. Glucosamine helped but retiring at 58 and running again meant those aches mostly went away. And I still feel much better at 63. Joined a gym two years ago to swim after meniscus surgery in right knee but now spend more time in the weight room.
I'm still running but lately have noticed more knee pain even after two cortisone injections and then an amniotic stem cell injection last November (which insurance doesn't cover). It may be time to invest in a bike.

Not sold on the stem cell stuff.

 

[Ronstar]

Back in January when I thought I was in shape, I signed up for a half marathon. It's next Sunday. Problem is that my running ability has taken a nosedive in the past 6 weeks. This is going to be pathetic. There is going to be a lot of walking.

 

[Chuckanut]

I’m on a small crusade to lose 15 pounds. That’s equivalent to many times that amount of pressure gone from my knees and back.

Activity	Force multiplier	Extra force per 1 lb belly fat
Standing	4-5x	4-5 pounds
Sitting	6x–8x	6-8 pounds
Bending/Lifting	10x–12x	10-12 pounds

Above is courtesy of ChatGTP for the lower back

 

[Chuckanut]

Not sold on the stem cell stuff.

I hear almost daily commercials on the radio from a certain stem cell doctor. Patients speak glowingly about their great results that occur within days, weeks, and months. But, despite this guy being in the stem cell business for A LONG TIME, I never hear about the long term results from his patients. I would love to see the figures on his patient success rate after five years.

I have never run across one of his patients, much less one who would talk about how things are five years after the treatment.

 

[Koolau]

Back in January when I thought I was in shape, I signed up for a half marathon. It's next Sunday. Problem is that my running ability has taken a nosedive in the past 6 weeks. This is going to be pathetic. There is going to be a lot of walking.

We're at the half way point of the Honolulu (full) Marathon. MOST of the "runners" are walking by the time they get to us.

 

[RetiredHappy]

I hear almost daily commercials on the radio from a certain stem cell doctor. Patients speak glowingly about their great results that occur within days, weeks, and months. But, despite this guy being in the stem cell business for A LONG TIME, I never hear about the long term results from his patients. I would love to see the figures on his patient success rate after five years.

I have never run across one of his patients, much less one who would talk about how things are five years after the treatment.

My friend did the stem cell thing on the knee and not covered by medical insurance, it didn't work. She finally had a half knee replacement and she is pain-free again.

 

[aja8888]

We're at the half way point of the Honolulu (full) Marathon. MOST of the "runners" are walking by the time they get to us.

Years of competitive running is how I wore out both my hips (LOL!). Walking was not a mind set for me back then. But it paid off with pretty good health, flexibility, good legs, heart and lungs at almost 82. It was well worth the effort,

 

[skyking1]

I noticed a marked drop in pure horsepower about 57. Just a few years before I had a job where I was handling 20' long 4x6 dunnage frequently. I'd feel it, but I could do it. Then I lost all sorts of weight and got in shape so to speak, but heavy weights were more challenging than I remembered.
Now I am wrestling 2/3rds of a sheet of 1" form ply and it kicks my butt. Full sheets, I get help. A full sheet is about 100 pounds.

 

[flyoverstate]

Flyover, I’m assuming you live in a fairly rural area where you can cycle for distances like that without taking your life in your hands with congested traffic, mean spirited drivers and other road hazards. More than the physical challenges of cycling, these external road conditions where I live in NJ, were the primary reasons I stopped doing “serious” road riding several years ago. Now my cycling is done on my Peloton Bike at home and with my grandchildren at our Jersey shore home along paths by the boardwalk (and the wind is always a factor traveling one direction or the other).

We made a conscious decision to move to an area with great outdoor access, including some of the best cycling in the US, road/gravel/MTB. Great hiking, paddling, and XC skiing as well.

Even the cycling mecca of Boulder is way too dangerous these days, even on the bike paths, where collisions between riders and with walkers, dogs, and yes, cars, are frequent.

 

[Pointby2]

Since I run, I can see the slow inevitable slide in my performance at every distance. Nagging injuries are harder to overcome. Yearly mileage is erratic, 100 miles a year, 572, 1,417, 1,029, 509, 428 all due to knee, hip, groin, achilles injuries. It's like everything is falling apart. All started around age 60. Still fighting like hell though. Over 150 miles so far this year!

 

[HFWR]

We made a conscious decision to move to an area with great outdoor access, including some of the best cycling in the US, road/gravel/MTB. Great hiking, paddling, and XC skiing as well.

Even the cycling mecca of Boulder is way too dangerous these days, even on the bike paths, where collisions between riders and with walkers, dogs, and yes, cars, are frequent.

Etiquette on MPTs or MUTs is mixed around here. Failure to alert when passing, motorized vehicles, excessive speed, off-leash dogs, leaving doggie bombs, etc.

Off-peak is less of an issue.

 

[NeilDH]

I’ve been cycling seriously for 22 years, not racing but distance at a good pace. My avg mph creeps down each year. In FIRE I ride more miles per outing, so then my avg drops further — fine. This year and last I’m feeling more arthritis kind of pains (like in the forearms, even thumbs?!?), and I’m starting this season with more knee … aches, I’d call them. So I’m watching my mileage. Pretty soon I’ll have to get a new bike that’s more comfortable, less leaning forward.

 

[Koolau]

I’ve been cycling seriously for 22 years, not racing but distance at a good pace. My avg mph creeps down each year. In FIRE I ride more miles per outing, so then my avg drops further — fine. This year and last I’m feeling more arthritis kind of pains (like in the forearms, even thumbs?!?), and I’m starting this season with more knee … aches, I’d call them. So I’m watching my mileage. Pretty soon I’ll have to get a new bike that’s more comfortable, less leaning forward.

Heh, heh, maybe an e-bike!? Gotta be better on the knees.

 

[Zathras]

When did I notice my activity level going down?
When I got my Atari 2600