Oldtimer1

[oldtimer1]

Prime ease yourself into it. I'm trying to get my running in gear and it feels like I aged a million years.  Hit running 6 days in a row last week and if I run tomorrow it will be 6 day out of the week. I just can't believe how slow I run now. I could excuse that I'm 59 but I think I'm just out of cardio shape. I will keep pushing it to see how my body responds. Prime, isn't a good thing that weights are adjustable?

[Primemuscle]

Prime ease yourself into it. I'm trying to get my running in gear and it feels like I aged a million years.  Hit running 6 days in a row last week and if I run tomorrow it will be 6 day out of the week. I just can't believe how slow I run now. I could excuse that I'm 59 but I think I'm just out of cardio shape. I will keep pushing it to see how my body responds. Prime, isn't a good thing that weights are adjustable?

Yes it is a good thing that the weights are adjustable. Unfortunately, I forgot to dial them back as much as I should have last Wednesday and now my back is so tight that I can barely straighten my arms over my head.   I am going to the gym tonight with low expectations, but I am still gonna do it. I'm afraid to run on anything besides a treadmill until I fully recover my equilibrium, if that is possible at my age....remember I am 15 years your senior. I remember the days when running was so easy that it almost felt like floating on air.

[oldtimer1]

Prime, maybe forget running and walk. Walking fast is an outstanding exercise and using an incline will be hard for anyone including a young person.

Sounds nuts but when my neck acts up I grab my skull and push up. I think it stretches and separates my vertebrate freeing the pressure on my nerves. Wondering if hanging from a chin bar or using ab straps might alleviate some pain. Of course this bit of bro science might not apply to your problem.

I follow this motto now as I get older. Do what you can and forget the rest. I mourned not being able to bench press anymore. The pain and the feeling I'm damaging my shoulder is not worth it. I won't be seen using a light weight for benching in a commercial gym. You can always find a substitute that will work. Forget running. Walk fast or use a stationary bike or other cardio. Concerning your lower back and balance problems find ways to work around it. Don't stop fighting. I know guys that stopped lifting because they couldn't bench anymore. There are 300 plus other exercises someone can do. Maybe no weight squats will work for you. Hell, Wilf Sylvester won the short Mr. Universe in 1975 using body weight squats with leg extensions and leg curls. He used 400 reps. Not sure if that was in sets or one set. 

[oldtimer1]

I think I'm running too much. Looks like I'm losing muscle and I feel really washed out.  I think the body adapts to the stress presented. Right now I'm telling my body I want to be a runner and it's responding. I hate losing muscle. Lost around 10 pounds in a little over 3 weeks. I feel so much better mentally when I just lift. I feel jittery when I run too much. Going to keep pushing the running for awhile in combo with lifting. I want to see how this old body reacts.

[IroNat]

I think I'm running too much. Looks like I'm losing muscle and I feel really washed out.  I think the body adapts to the stress presented. Right now I'm telling my body I want to be a runner and it's responding. I hate losing muscle. Lost around 10 pounds in a little over 3 weeks. I feel so much better mentally when I just lift. I feel jittery when I run too much. Going to keep pushing the running for awhile in combo with lifting. I want to see how this old body reacts.

Interesting.

[Primemuscle]

I think I'm running too much. Looks like I'm losing muscle and I feel really washed out.  I think the body adapts to the stress presented. Right now I'm telling my body I want to be a runner and it's responding. I hate losing muscle. Lost around 10 pounds in a little over 3 weeks. I feel so much better mentally when I just lift. I feel jittery when I run too much. Going to keep pushing the running for awhile in combo with lifting. I want to see how this old body reacts.

Don't mean to be critical, but this seems to be a theme with you. You often go full bore into a new or recycled routine only to realize your body can't handle it.

[oldtimer1]

Don't mean to be critical, but this seems to be a theme with you. You often go full bore into a new or recycled routine only to realize your body can't handle it.

Maybe you're right.  I've been lifting for 40 plus years and I'm never satisfied. At least over the 40 plus years I have rarely been out of shape. Maybe not by drug steroid standards but by gym rat standards.

[Primemuscle]

Maybe you're right.  I've been lifting for 40 plus years and I'm never satisfied. At least over the 40 plus years I have rarely been out of shape. Maybe not by drug steroid standards but by gym rat standards.

See, never being satisfied seems wrong to me. You can appreciate your achievements without giving up the desire to do more or even to just maintain what you accomplished.

[oldtimer1]

I disagree. If you are satisfied you will lose ground. You always need goals to chase. A race to peak for, a vacation you want to look good on the beach for; etc. I never missed a complete week in about 3 years of working out.

I see too many people in the gym just going through the motions. Never straining to get one more rep. Never truly out of breath. Walking casually on a treadmill slower than they walked to the gym from their car. It all comes down to desire and passion. If you don't have it then you won't get the results.

[oldtimer1]

I trained back and chest today: No warms ups a listed. Feeling a little weak from cardio.

Pulldowns with a mag bar 2 x 10 140lbs (no cheat lean backs)
seated low pulley rows with a V bar attachment 2 x 12 170lbs
dumbbell rows 2 x 10 85lbs (all the way down and up)
Hammer strength pulldowns 2 x 10 160lbs (good full stretch and full contraction)

Hammer inclines 2 x 8 2 plates a side. Full slow range and slow cadence. Did a last set with 3 plates a side
Incline dumbbell press 2 x 8 75lbs (all the way down and controlled. No half reps)
flat flies 2 x 10 50lbs
Hammer flat bench 2 x 8
push ups 1 x max

deadlifts 2 x 4 300lbs then one rep with 325lbs
weighted back extensions 2 x 15 with a 25lbs plate behind my head.

Ab wheel roll outs 2 x 22
ab machine crunch 2 x 20

Tomorrow is a planned 6 x 880 yard repeats.  I know how fast I was in my youth and feel like a slow old man but I'm working on getting some speed back. Doing these on a treadmill with 440 yard (one lap) fast walking rests in between. I have plans to do the following.

1 x 8:45 pace
2 x 8:30 pace
2 x 8:00 pace
1 x 7:45 pace

If it wasn't for my excessive beer consumption I might get somewhere.  

[Primemuscle]

I disagree. If you are satisfied you will lose ground. You always need goals to chase. A race to peak for, a vacation you want to look good on the beach for; etc.

I see too many people in the gym just going through the motions. Never straining to get one more rep. Never truly out of breath. Walking casually on a treadmill slower than they walked to the gym from their car. It all comes down to desire and passion. If you don't have it then you won't get the results.

Sometimes excessive passion begets unrealistic goals which result in failure. One example is people, like yourself who push so hard that they end up trying to do something which cannot be sustained....running like a maniac until they drop and then stop completely.

You don't have to strain for one more rep to get healthy and fit. The fact that you did the exercise is more productive than doing nothing because you burned out the day before. Think of looking good at the beach as a side benefit, not your main goal. If looking good is the only thing motivating you at the gym or on a run, you've missed the point. It is also the height of vanity.

Patience and persistence will get you to where you want to go faster than impatience and exhaustion.  

[oldtimer1]

I train for function first then form comes with it. I see myself as an athlete and not a cosmetic bodybuilder.  Yes, I do sustain my fitness.

[Primemuscle]

Most likely, I won't be going to the gym today because yesterday I went crazy removing ivy from the steep slope on the front and side of my property. In the process of pulling and cutting it while standing on very uneven ground caused me to strain the tendons in my feet and ankles. Today, I'm using crutches to get around the house because I literally cannot walk using my right foot without suffering unbearable pain.

For now, I'm going to baby myself in hopes I can get the pain and swelling in check, so I'm able to resume my regular routine tomorrow. This is what happens when you overdo something...you end up not progressing at all. The work I did yesterday trying to remove the sea of ivy was a mere drop in the bucket...practically unnoticeable. I need to revisit hiring this project out or risk becoming cripple.

[Primemuscle]

I train for function first then form comes with it. I see myself as an athlete and not a cosmetic bodybuilder.  Yes, I do sustain my fitness.

I'm not sure what training for function means here. IMO form is primary to successful exercising, regardless of what a person is trying to achieve, be it more strength, bigger muscles, being fit or all of those things.

[oldtimer1]

I'm not sure what training for function means here. IMO form is primary to successful exercising, regardless of what a person is trying to achieve, be it more strength, bigger muscles, being fit or all of those things.

Function means training for strength, muscular endurance, increasing VO2, increasing power not to be confused with strength. Not training for function is training for cosmetics. I'm sure you would agree many professional bodybuilders couldn't lift 225lbs from the floor to over head and are not capable of running a decent mile time. Many go through the motions with no goal of increasing any of the above. I realize at your age you're trying to maintain health. Personal records are out of the question and maybe even recent performance personal records isn't a goal.  I've recently went from 190lbs at 5'8" fairly muscular to 182 lbs. I hope to get into the high 170lbs.  Personally I will never run a string of sub 6 minute miles like I use to anymore. I will never run a quarter mile in 50 seconds anymore. I challenge recent personal records. Maybe I'm losing. LOL. My current goal is to string a couple of miles under 8 minutes while maintaining my lifting.

On a side note of striving for being the best you can be per genetics and innate ability is a guy I use to work with. He use to run once in awhile a 5K recreational charity race. He never really trained for running. He retired and moved to Florida with his wife. His wife suddenly died and he felt lost. He was in Florida with few friends and no family. He wanted to get out socially. He saw a local running club and thought maybe that's what I should do. He was in his late 60's.  Soon he was obsessed with running training long distances. Now in his 70's one year he was the age group world champion in the marathon.  He competes all over the world. He ran 26 miles in the low 7 minute per mile time. That's flying.  Now he's around 75 and his times are slowing but I assume he's in a new age bracket now. He runs around 15 miles at a time 4 days a week with some speed work thrown in.

[Primemuscle]

Function means training for strength, muscular endurance, increasing VO2, increasing power not to be confused with strength. Not training for function is training for cosmetics. I'm sure you would agree many professional bodybuilders couldn't lift 225lbs from the floor to over head and are not capable of running a decent mile time. Many go through the motions with no goal of increasing any of the above. I realize at your age you're trying to maintain health. Personal records are out of the question and maybe even recent performance personal records isn't a goal.  I've recently went from 190lbs at 5'8" fairly muscular to 182 lbs. I hope to get into the high 170lbs.  Personally I will never run a string of sub 6 minute miles like I use to anymore. I will never run a quarter mile in 50 seconds anymore. I challenge recent personal records. Maybe I'm losing. LOL. My current goal is to string a couple of miles under 8 minutes while maintaining my lifting.

On a side note of striving for being the best you can be per genetics and innate ability is a guy I use to work with. He use to run once in awhile a 5K recreational charity race. He never really trained for running. He retired and moved to Florida with his wife. His wife suddenly died and he felt lost. He was in Florida with few friends and no family. He wanted to get out socially. He saw a local running club and thought maybe that's what I should do. He was in his late 60's.  Soon he was obsessed with running training long distances. Now in his 70's one year he was the age group world champion in the marathon.  He competes all over the world. He ran 26 miles in the low 7 minute per mile time. That's flying.  Now he's around 75 and his times are slowing but I assume he's in a new age bracket now. He runs around 15 miles at a time 4 days a week with some speed work thrown in.

My friend Earl who trains/trained at the same gym I did, liked to talk about wining masters power lifting contests in the 70+ age bracket. He'd joke that the reason he won was that he was the only person his age competing. There was a bodybuilding competition photo hanging on the gym wall of him when he was in his early 30's. He was in excellent condition back then. He still looked better than most when in his early 70's. Unfortunately, he developed Parkinson's. After which, his gym visits became less and less frequent, particularly after he could no longer drive himself and his wife or son had to chauffeur him. When last I saw him, he still had a really good sense of humor and he loved to chat it up with all of us, which nobody minded. He'd be 84 now and I no longer go to that gym so I have no idea how he's doing these days. I am apprehensive about finding out.

An interesting side note is that he only started training because his wife decided to join a gym and he went along with her. After she gave the gym workouts up, he continued going and training. Hopefully, he still is.

[oldtimer1]

We all get old sick and die. Hopefully through good genes, hard work and pure luck we can live a very active life till the end.

[Primemuscle]

We all get old sick and die. Hopefully through good genes, hard work and pure luck we can live a very active life till the end.

This is my goal.

[IroNat]

If you feel over-trained (which you do) take a few days off.  Reduce your workload.

We become addicted to exercising due to the endorphin rush and feel if we miss a workout our body will fall apart.

You know all this.

[oldtimer1]

Did cardio today. The hardcore stuck in time place I work out in has all different brand treadmills. I like the True brand. A girl was running on a treadmill and all the other ones were open. The True one I like was right next to her. I'm sure she thinks I was trying to strike up a conversation to hit on her but I was hitting it hard today.

I did 6 x 880 yards or half mile repeats.

1 x 8:41 minute mile pace
2 x 8:30 pace
2 x 8:00 pace
1 x 7:45 pace

After I hit the heavy bag for two 3 minute rounds.

It's 11 hours after that workout and I still feel wasted. Tomorrow is legs. Thinking about doing power squats after seeing a video of Mike O'Herne squatting. For many decades I only did Power lifting type squats in my younger years. Wide stance and low bar placement. For awhile I did Olympic type squats. High bar placement and a narrow stance spreading the knees out. Now in my older years I do a bodybuilding type squat. It has a high bar placement with a just past parallel squat depth. I'm curious about going old school in my training life and doing a power lifter type squat again.

[oldtimer1]

Trained legs today doing powerlifter type squats. Used a light weight just to get into the groove. Haven't used them in ages. They felt great. I feel it hits the lower back, hips and maybe hams more than the quads.  Still experimenting with leg width and bar placement. I used narrow stance leg press to hit the quads. Did the usual leg extensions, leg curls, abs and calves. I remember in my  college days I used a power lifter type squats exclusively when I was on the track team.  I squatted 400lbs raw when I weighed 144lbs at 16 or 17. I realize that's nothing to brag about. But for little guy I was happy with that.

[oldtimer1]

Treadmill intervals today:

6 x 880 half mile repeats

1 x 8:47 per mile pace
1 x 8:30
3 x 8:00
1 x 7:47

Hit the heavy bag for two rounds. Came home and mowed the grass in 92 degree humid heat. Good day of cardio. Hope to get under 180lbs soon. My butt felt sore from the power lifting style squats. My knee felt sore but I'm attributing it the the horrible leg press machine I use in the commercial gym I go to.  My home unit has much better angles and smoother. I think the damage is done. Going to stop using the leg press for awhile and hope the clicking sore knee gets better.

[IroNat]

You are kicking some azz,

Way to go.

[oldtimer1]

You are kicking some azz,

Way to go.

Maybe it explains why I had trouble picking my cell phone off the floor this morning.  Sore as hell.

[oldtimer1]

Trained delts and arms:

Military press 2 x 8 115lbs (cleaned the weight and went all the way down to the upper chest. I try to be strict with my bad shoulder)
dumbbell lateral raise 2 x 10 30lbs
rear delt dumbbell lateral raise 2 x 10 40lbs
Machine laterals 2 x 10
dumbbell shrugs 2 x 10 95lbs

weighted dips 2 x 10 25lbs (all the way down. No half reps)
two hand single dumbbell tricep extension 2 x 10 75lbs
tricep pulley push downs 2 x 10

dumbbell alternate curls 2 x 8 45lbs
machine curls 2 x 10
concentration curl strict 2 x 10 25lbs.

forearm wrist curls 2 x 25 95lbs
rope curls 2 x 12

ab coaster 1x 35 40lbs
machine crunches 2 x 20

Floated in the pool and drank 4 beers. Ugh. Never getting abs. LOL.  Tomorrow is an early morning short run of two miles then work.