fitness

coldfront · November 01, 2022, 08:23:02 AM

been a bit of a 'topic' on the internet (or Interweb as DWV likes to say).

if you haven't seen his 'hickbilly' youtube videos, you might ought to go take a look. #hickbillyoutdoors. some good content there. some excellent advice. some thoughts that are sure to foment thought. for instance: would love to have an 'iced tea' conversation with dale over otters.

a goes into fitness.

as an 'older' guy (let's just say 60) ... last June I cut the cable and with the $$$ savings put it to good use: got a local gym membership. chose it for several reasons. 1. it's close (about 2 miles away). 2. has an OUTDOOR pool for lap swimming (25 meters for those who care) 3. outstanding equipment INSIDE that's capable of supporting folks of all levels up to elite level body-builders. 4. steam room. 5. sauna.

let's just say it's been an exercise in humility and patience. 35 years of 'not doing what I needed to be doing' is a heck of a hurdle to clear. but it's been a commitment to go EVERY day and do what I can. the patience/humility piece has been to do what I SHOULD be doing, not what my 'inner 20 year old self' remembers me doing. there's a VAST amount of space between those two things.

I've been working on letting tendons and ligaments adjust/adapt to ranges of motion, loads they've not been subjected to for decades. it's not been pain-free but it has been INJURY-FREE.

5 months in now, I can see, feel the differences. Most days I still get to the point where my inner voice is shouting 'OW!' and 'c'mon man, just quit 'this ONE time...' that inner voice sucks.

but it's getting enjoyable. I'm moving better. a LOT more pain-free than when I started. core-strength has helped stabilize the lower back. flexibility is much better. just working through the rest of the pain (rotator stuff, legs always burning).

getting old sucks. getting old HURTS. old tough guys won't tell you that, but it's true. a lifetime of poor choices and consequences add up. still, the question, the opportunity: do you sit back, play defense?

or do you carry the fight to the opponent?

Mike Cork · November 01, 2022, 12:02:08 PM

I started getting into a great stretching routine, probably 4 months into it and things were moving much better. But it finally happened, 4 back surgeries reminded me that I'll never be 25 again. Yep my fault for pushing it. But once you get so far, in the beginning, I feel like it's just a half inch more....

Anyway I ended up with several injections and then a nerve burn... doc says "if this doesn't work, I'm sending you back to the surgeon" as he shakes his finger at me. Stretching is good, exercise is awesome, but know your limits.

I'm feeling much better now, I know I won't touch my toes again but I could walk a mile so maybe I'll work that direction this time

Dark3 · November 01, 2022, 12:39:52 PM

Im stretching as I read this. I've dealt with lower back disc/nerve issue for about 10-12 years and I am 40 now. Actually have an appt with the nuero surgeon next week to see what they say. Sitting causing nerve contact leading to spasm literally causing my body to lean forward/over and its very painful. With that being said I am an avid runner and spend alot of time focused on physical fitness. Its sort of a contradiction but Im gojng to try to get this back under control which will greatly improve quality of life.

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coldfront · November 01, 2022, 01:18:06 PM

dark: one of the things I've been able to gain ground on... is core stability.
have an L5/S1 issue that leads to significant instability (it's a birth defect) and manifests as severe back spasms.

been able to get on a crunch 'machine' that takes the strain off the lower back, but allows me to work/strengthen abdominal muscles. this combined with 'weighted' torso rotations has really helped.

I started out in june doing that as 'warm up' (100 crunches followed by 40 'rotations') and then into the pool for a non-weight bearing work out. add on a gravity table (hang upside down from the ankles) and I'm very happy with progress made. sleep pain free now. walk just fine. still can't stand for any length of time... so trolling motor work is out and I fish 'from the bill dance' position.

the other cool thing: hip pain. doc said 'replacement'. by moving to swimming instead of walking, i gave the hip time to 'mend'. been out of the pool now for 6 weeks (transitioned indoors to weights and stationary bike). strengthening muscles around the joint has seemed to help and hip pain has for all practical purposes disappeared.

so much of our joint pain, I think, is related to joint stability. that's a muscular strength thing. elbows, knees, hips... lower back...

Dark3 · November 01, 2022, 01:24:57 PM

Coldfront, sounds like you have put in alot of work to lessen your pain. Its a great investment. I definitely lack core strength compared to other parts of the body due to an avoidance of using it lol. I have a disc on my S2 nerve root whatever that means but the spasms are awful. Just whole lower back locking up, cant stand up straight etc. the immediate relief for me is to lay down on a rigid surface and let my back relax down into the floor. I recently invested alot into a new firm mattress and try to put my legs up on a special wedge shaped pillow. All this being said I just completed a hilly half marathon in under 2 hours, and work out regularly in order to stay in shape for the Armys physical fitness test which is now 6 events including a deadlift fml.

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D.W. Verts · November 02, 2022, 05:56:43 PM

Man, thanks Kurt. Then only way I have a successful YT channel is because I spread my B.S. in such a wide and varied manner... Seriously tho', that video spawned (see how I did that?) some real positive responses. Folks say I "motivated" them Wow, right?

I started another big move to get in shape in June of '21. I (mostly) quit the soda, worked even harder on the eating (try THAT when you own a restaurant), and lost maybe twenty pounds in a year. Maybe. I don't use scales- what a waste of time and a real motivation killer too.

But then came the WALL that always happens. I explain my health issues (bad ankle) in the video that kills me for cardio. But then I tried a Mountain Bike, and CRAP. It works. It may kill me, but it works. The weight is falling off, and my legs are bigger than they've been in 25 years.

A lot of stretching. All day long. I lift weights at least three times a week. The eating is the hard part, but it's WHAT I eat. The biggest thing there is SMALLER portions, eating more often to supply the energy and recovery needed, and DO NOT eat later night. BIG deal.

Anyway, it's working. Slowly and surely. I need surgeries too, but it IS getting better.

Thanks for the plug coldfront- I do fishin' videos too. The Richard Simmons of Bass Fishin'.

Dale

Donald Garner · November 02, 2022, 07:30:09 PM

Dale, good luck with this fitness venture. I too am looking at losing weight > eating the right things and smaller portions. I get this BP thing stabilized there will be more walking and other things.

Dark3 · November 02, 2022, 07:48:42 PM

Anybody looking for weight loss/Cardio in a low profile environment I would highly recommend iFit and a home treadmill. Its kind of like peloton but a treadmill where you follow trainers as they hike/walk/run in different series based all over the world. Its pretty interesting and a good distraction. They even offer very affordable financing. When I got my first one I financed it, 0% interest like 50 a month for 36.
Check out the ProForm and Nordic track websites.

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coldfront · November 03, 2022, 08:42:48 AM

Quote from: D.W. Verts on November 02, 2022, 05:56:43 PM
But then came the WALL that always happens. I explain my health issues (bad ankle) in the video that kills me for cardio. But then I tried a Mountain Bike, and CRAP. It works. It may kill me, but it works. The weight is falling off, and my legs are bigger than they've been in 25 years.

A lot of stretching. All day long. I lift weights at least three times a week. The eating is the hard part, but it's WHAT I eat. The biggest thing there is SMALLER portions, eating more often to supply the energy and recovery needed, and DO NOT eat later night. BIG deal.

Anyway, it's working. Slowly and surely. I need surgeries too, but it IS getting better.

Thanks for the plug coldfront- I do fishin' videos too. The Richard Simmons of Bass Fishin'.

Dale

I know Dale. I watch your fishing videos. Your arrowhead videos. and that latest fitness video. appreciate your work and see a lot of what you do, how you think, that could sure benefit a wider audience.

you struck a nerve in this 'older guy' who's trying to be on the 'same path'. we all pick up that burden at times... and I can confirm that after 35 years of focus on work, family and putting my fitness way way back on the back of the stove (frankly, the burner wasn't even on...) the look up from the bottom of the mountain where I was, was and CONTINUES to be, daunting.

some other things that I've found helpful, and as a SINGLE guy are a lot easier to get done:
1. not eating after 6PM. try that while attempting to be a social person, married person, family person... that's HARD
2. protein focused, green, leafy vegetables after that. as few carbs as possible (so you love batter fried fish?...) cook with two fats: unsalted butter and light olive oil.
3. intermittent fasting...
4. learned to like diet soda (diet coke). no it's not good for you but it doesn't mess up my blood glucose levels either.
5. when I really really 'need' sugar: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries.

finally, this summer my efforts started off in the pool swimming laps. first few weeks it was 50 meters/1 lap and *huff-n-puff* like an old fat steam locomotive... basically, just trying to survive and get to substantive total distance. first week it took me all of an hour to go 20 laps. fast forward to end of summer I was able to get 60 laps in under an hours. Next year, the 'stretch goal' is 80 laps in my hour.

what I found though, Dale was this: as the distance, the intensity and 'constancy' of my work increased, the dietary support 'gaps' began to show: trying to swim almost continuously for an hour would really be a grind... the muscles just didn't have any snap, there was no 'energy'. it was just a grind.

I started adding back carbohydrates. mostly good, but sometimes 'not so good'. found that a bowl of canteloupe eaten a few hours ahead of the workout really helped get through it. that sugar (muscles feed on glucose) really helped.

I just make sure when I do take in carbs that it's a couple hours ahead of what basically amounts to cardio so I can burn it off.

last month and a half I've had to move indoors as the water temps were just too cold for this 'nancy-boy'. figured if I ended up shivering/aching for over an hour after the swim... maybe it was time to wait for spring.

it's been replaced with my version of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) on the stationary bike (advantage to city life: access to gym just 3 miles down the road). Doing 4 7 minute sessions on the bike with effort to maintain pedal stroke rate between 90 and 100. it can get the heart pumping.

speaking of which... I keep in mind that old guidance for max heart rate which is 220 minus your age. and then they suggest you work in the 75% range of 'that' number

so for a 60 year old person...
that's 220 - 60 = 160 bpm max heart rate and75% times 160 = 120 target for aerobic training.

the other simple guidance for those who don't want to run the numbers? talk-test. if you can't talk while you're working, running, etc... because you're out of breathe... you've gone aerobic and can consider throttling back.

here's one of the 'tales of the tape' (yes I have a garmin smart watch to help me keep tabs). there's great evidence there of a couple of things:

1. male stupidity. trying to do what your mind remembers... but not taking into account your body ain't 20 years old anymore...
2. pushing levels of heart activity. insert your reference about 'blowing out the cobwebs' as if arteries work that way...
3. it is however, evidence of the effect of HIIT. I try to do this every day. usually not getting my heart rate up quite that high...

I try to do this every day BECAUSE it's too easy for me to take a day off and have that stretch to two, maybe three or more.... every day sucks BUT it keeps the string alive and progress being made.