Fresh Start at the Gym....Once Again

[Primemuscle]

Finally got off my skinny ass and worked out twice yesterday. In the morning I did a half hour of core exercises and in the evening I worked legs and glutes.

Squats 5 X 25

leg extensions 5 X 25

Seated calf raises 5 X 25

Standing knee ups 4 X 20 ea leg

[illuminati]

Finally got off my skinny ass and worked out twice yesterday. In the morning I did a half hour of core exercises and in the evening I worked legs and glutes.

Squats 5 X 25

leg extensions 5 X 25

Seated calf raises 5 X 25

Standing knee ups 4 X 20 ea leg

Well done - Good going .

[oldtimer1]

I've been reading everything I can lately about high reps from Johnny Fuller to Kai Green.  Here you are putting it into practice.  A friend of mind that was a boxer who is into fitness now that he is 65.  He said life is a marathon and not a sprint. True words from a smart guy.

[Primemuscle]

I've been reading everything I can lately about high reps from Johnny Fuller to Kai Green.  Here you are putting it into practice.  A friend of mind that was a boxer who is into fitness now that he is 65.  He said life is a marathon and not a sprint. True words from a smart guy.

My theory is this, If I can't push it with added resistance, I can always stretch my limits with sets and reps. Not too long ago, I was doing 3 X 100 of squats at body-weight. Try it. I think you'll be surprised at the amazing pump you get.

[oldtimer1]

My theory is this, If I can't push it with added resistance, I can always stretch my limits with sets and reps. Not too long ago, I was doing 3 X 100 of squats at body-weight. Try it. I think you'll be surprised at the amazing pump you get.

Wilf Sylvester won the Mr. Universe doing body weight free hand squats.  After them he  did leg extensions and leg curls.

I usually do a set of bodyweight squats after doing the usual leg presses, weight squats, stiff leg dead, leg extension and leg curls. It's brutal and it really pumps the thighs. I do them really deep and full. I also don't flop into to it but do a controlled negative.

[Primemuscle]

Wilf Sylvester won the Mr. Universe doing body weight free hand squats.  After them he leg extensions and leg curls.

I usually do a set of bodyweight squats after doing the usual leg presses, weight squats, stiff leg dead, leg extension and leg curls. It's brutal and it really pumps the thighs. I do them really deep and full. I also don't flop into to it but do a controlled negative.

That is exactly what I like most about body-weight squats, I can go deeper than I can doing any other squat movement with added weight. Doing them at the end of a rigorous leg routine like what you describe would really pump them up.

[Primemuscle]

Last night I worked delts and traps using lightweight dumbbells.

Rolling shrugs 4 X 15, side lateral raises 4 X 15, front lateral raises 4 X 15, bent over rear delt raises 4 X 15, alternating overhead presses 4 X 10.

[oldtimer1]

Last night I worked delts and traps using lightweight dumbbells.

Rolling shrugs 4 X 15, side lateral raises 4 X 15, front lateral raises 4 X 15, bent over rear delt raises 4 X 15, alternating overhead presses 4 X 10.

When you are using high reps like 15 reps do you do a warm up or is the first set light enough not to need one?

[Primemuscle]

When you are using high reps like 15 reps do you do a warm up or is the first set light enough not to need one?

I have two pair of dumbbells at home. One pair weighs 10 lbs each and the other 25 lbs each. What's the point in warming up, I'm barely using any weight. If I were doing this at the gym 15 reps would be the warm up set or sets and the weight load would depend on the exercise.

Sundays are pretty much always a no workout day. Don't know why because it's not like I'm taking a day of rest for religious reasons. But, the truth is, I also frequently eat fish on Fridays. You could say it's because I married a Catholic, but she never ate fish on Friday because she was a rebel. It has never occurred to me to give something up for   Lent.

[AbrahamG]

I have two pair of dumbbells at home. One pair weighs 10 lbs each and the other 25 lbs each. What's the point in warming up, I'm barely using any weight. If I were doing this at the gym 15 reps would be the warm up set or sets and the weight load would depend on the exercise.

Sundays are pretty much always a no workout day. Don't know why because it's not like I'm taking a day of rest for religious reasons. But, the truth is, I also frequently eat fish on Fridays. You could say it's because I married a Catholic, but she never ate fish on Friday because she was a rebel. It has never occurred to me to give something up for   Lent.

We haven't practiced Catholicism in years.  But, we still do fish on Fridays throughout Lent.  It is basically a family tradition and maybe it makes me feel close to my parents still (both of whom are deceased). 

[IroNat]

I have two pair of dumbbells at home. One pair weighs 10 lbs each and the other 25 lbs each. What's the point in warming up, I'm barely using any weight. If I were doing this at the gym 15 reps would be the warm up set or sets and the weight load would depend on the exercise.

Sundays are pretty much always a no workout day. Don't know why because it's not like I'm taking a day of rest for religious reasons. But, the truth is, I also frequently eat fish on Fridays. You could say it's because I married a Catholic, but she never ate fish on Friday because she was a rebel. It has never occurred to me to give something up for   Lent.

Catholics don't have to eat fish on Fridays in Lent.  They just can't eat animal meat.

https://www.catholic.org/lent/abfast.php

Obey your Sky Wizard or else!

[Primemuscle]

Catholics don't have to eat fish on Fridays in Lent.  They just can't eat animal meat.

https://www.catholic.org/lent/abfast.php

Obey your Sky Wizard or else!

Perhaps you forgot that I am 75 years old. Eating fish on Friday's was a common tradition in the 60's when I met and married my wife. Fish being cold blooded was not considered meat.

During Lent, many Christians commit to fasting, as well as giving up certain luxuries in order to replicate the account of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ's journey into the desert for 40 days; this is known as one's Lenten sacrifice.

Also, there's a difference between tradition and doctrine. Tradition is generally voluntary while doctrine is a directive.

Lot's of folks traditionally ate fish on Fridays, not just Catholics. 

[Primemuscle]

Here it is a week since the gym opened up and I've still not gone. 

Today is the anniversary of my wife's passing. My daughter, son-in-law and I went out to breakfast at her favorite restaurant. My daughter ordered the same meal my her mom always did. We had a good time just as Margie would have wanted us to.

Yesterday, I did real old fashioned sit-ups instead of crunches. Tucking my feet under a chair in the corner of the bedroom for stabilization, I completed for sets of ten full range sit-ups. This morning my back was a little sore and I thought uh, oh I probably messed it up. Within about an hour it was fine. -Might wait a day before trying them again.

[oldtimer1]

Nice way to honor your wife.

[IroNat]

Nice, Prime.

[oldtimer1]

Regarding no weight free hand squats I found another who did them a few days ago doing some reading. The great Serge Nubret did them after his thigh routine. Now I found two champ bodybuilders who did them, Nubret and Wilf Sylvester.

[Primemuscle]

Last night I did;
4 X 10 sit-ups
4 X 10 straight legged toe touches
4 X 10 squats
5 X 15 seated calf raises

[Primemuscle]

For some reason, I've been inspired to only work legs and abs lately. It is kind of weird because I want my waistline to shrink while I desperately need bigger wheels. This morning, my quads measured 23" cold. That's the biggest they've been in years. My dream used to have 27" quads. I think this is because a long time ago I was reading an article where the bodybuilder pictured had 27" quads and they look great but still proportionate to the rest of their physique. I wear 32" jeans which often have a 25" thigh measurement and a 39" hip measurement which is exactly what mine are.

Last night I did 4 X 20 leg extensions and 5 X 25 calf raises while sitting on the edge of the bed. This is not much of a routine. But, it is better than doing nothing.

[Primemuscle]

Today was the day I finally made it to the gym.....Yahoo!

With the exception of hack squats, I stuck to exercising on Nautilus equipment. Everything was 1 set of 12 with modest resistance. I loaded no plates onto the hack squat equipment. So any added resistance to body weight was the weight of the machine.

Here's what I did in about :45 minutes

Seated leg curls, leg extensions, lying leg curls, hack squats, bench press, pec flys, pullover, compound rowing, lat pulldown, low back, shoulder press, lateral raise, seated dips, biceps curl, triceps extension, rotary torso, crunches.

Since the resistance was modest on all exercises I shouldn't be sore, but if I am it will be my entire body.

Some gym observations were that all staff people were wearing masks. Several staff people were wiping down equipment. There were between 20 and 30 people working out and I was literally the only one wearing a mask. Some members were wiping down equipment before and after they used it. All the equipment had signage which asked that folks leave at least one workout station unused between those being used. I was at the gym between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. and about half the folks exercising were seniors.

Gonna cool it tomorrow and plan to go back on Wednesday.

[The Scott]

Good for you!  Learn from the forum's resident maroon not to overdo it.  Or not!  Either way, it's good to exercise and I am happy for you that oyou got in the gym.

[Primemuscle]

I'll admit, I have a flat butt. It's genetic. Anyway, it this shouldn't be the case since I've been doing squats and lunges like forever, plus other leg exercises that don't involve the glutes so directly. Anyway, I watched a Youtube video specific to building a good muscular butt while stuck at home.

One of the demonstrated exercises looks like nothing special, but damn, it really made my glutes sore. You brace your back on a chair with legs slightly bent so you're in a modified sitting position. Put the bottom of your feet facing each other and touching, so the sides of your feet rest on the floor and then slowly thrust you middle until you back is arched, contract your glutes and return to the seated position but keep your ass slightly off the floor so it remains flexed. Do somewhere between 10 and 12 reps and about 3 sets.

I did these Tuesday night and last night, plus lunges and crouched side stepping with a band around my legs just below the knees. I also did very wide stance, toes pointing out squats using a short range of movement near the bottom of the squat so that you never quite straighten out your legs.

Did not make it to the gym yesterday or today because the arborist was here thinning and pruning several large trees. I plan to resume the gym workout tomorrow.

[Primemuscle]

I may revive this thread soon. Just found out the 24 Hour Fitness a couple of miles from my house is open. They close at midnight, so they obviously aren't back to a full opening. This gives me two gyms to choose from, each of which is about 5 minutes away. My favorite gym,a L.A. Fitness in Portland is about 12 miles away. I need to check to see if they too are open now. It is getting to the point where I'll have no excuses.

[Primemuscle]

Still waiting to make another fresh start at the gym. Although they are open, I am not convinced it is the best idea for someone like me who is in a high risk group for age and respiratory concerns for COVID-19 to expose myself to a bunch of hard breathing, droplet spitting gym rats.

Saw my ophthalmologist today who gave me some information about glaucoma prevention. Did you know that the bench press increases the pressure in the eye which can cause or advance glaucoma? On the other hand, exercise such as cardio is beneficial for eye health? 

[IroNat]

You were doing well training at home, Prime.

Consistency is key.

[Primemuscle]

I was training consistently at home. I don't know why I haven't stayed with it. I guess I had in mind that once the gym opened up I'd go back. That hasn't happened mainly because I'm not convinced it is a smart move for me and COVID-19 exposure. It is the best choice for me in terms of training because I tend to stay with it better when I go to the gym. This is probably because I get bored more quickly when training at home.

I did have an excuse earlier this week because I think I might have had a bladder infection. I've been treating it with the usual home remedies which is mainly to drink gallons of water and at least one glass of whole cranberry juice each day. I was going to call the doctor today if it didn't seem better...whew. I've also been sleeping a lot so I may have been fighting something off. Unfortunately right now any ill feelings are frightening in that they may mean COVID-19. I hate this kind of worrying!

Anyway, I need to get back with the training soon. I feel so much better when I am exercising on a regular basis. Since my goal at this stage of the game is simply to stay fit, it isn't hard for me to attain. Growing 18" biceps and 26" quads would be nice but isn't my focus these days.

You, the Scott, Oldtimer and NJflex are still my inspiration and I read your training posts daily.