I choose pain

In light of the 'bug's positive results of exercise on his BP readings, thought I'd add that I have a friend who is on the verge of reversing his diabetes through diet and exercise.

After being fiull blown diabetic, (was bad enough that he has already lost a toe to it) his DR says he is back to pre-diabetic status.

He hasn't needed any insulin in a good while now.
....and pre-diabetes can definitely be reversed.


Just throwin' that out there for anyone else reading that might be on the diabetes path and thinking they can't do anything about it.

I did a 20 miler 4 days ago but it was cooler. Yesterday it was hot and I pushed the speed because it was a new bike. Today it's hot, I am still tight and tired, so taking it easy and rehydrating. Thanks Joe!

Pain report

Today I jogged a mile early.

(afternoon)

I almost skipped the workout today. Yesterday was pretty intense and I wasn't sure if my body needed a rest day. But I had a good window, so I went for it.

Core Hold Series (immediate transitions)
Form 1 - It felt almost easy today. Lasted 30 breaths with back off the floor and it wasn't until breath 28 that I even felt a twinge of the back starting to lower to the floor. I'm guessing that's a result of not doing the Crucifix Crunch first.
Form 2 - I moved my arms and my back immediately hit the floor. lol. Keeping the lower back flat to the floor was easy until around breath 26 or so. I still made it to 30 with the lower back on the floor, but the last few breaths were a struggle.
Form 3 - I noticed that my kicks/legs were rising to higher angles to help my abs keep the lower back flat to the floor. I tried lowering the legs as I kicked and the abs struggled to keep the lower back flat to the floor. I finished 30 breaths with the lower back on the floor, but I've got work to do to improve the form and make the abs work harder.

Side planks - 20 reps each side. I didn't feel the burn on either side today, but my shoulders were signalling time to stop so I did. Obliques felt like they did work a few seconds after I stopped and got up. This exercise has always just defied my expectations on how the muscles should feel/respond.

Horse Stance - 3 sets of 60 is the goal?
Set 1 - I was feeling the burn almost instantly in my thighs - both quadriceps and hamstrings. I felt like I was going to collapse around breath 20 and my gaze across the room was unfocused. I pushed and lasted to breath 30 and managed to stand up without falling to the floor. Whew!
Set 2 - OMG. At breath 10 the burn was strong. At breath 16 or so, the knees are shaking as my thigh muscles are spasming. At breath 20, the pain was real. I wasn't sure if I would make it to 30, but I refused to quit and I did make it to 30. I almost fell over trying to stand up. Standing up again was difficult even putting my hands on my knees and pushing to assist the legs. Oof!
Set 3 - OMG x2. Just pain. I somehow lasted to breath 30 with seemingly every muscle in both legs shaking and spasming for about 25 of those breaths. Thread title checks out.

Wall Sit - 3 sets of 60 is the goal?
I seriously thought about skipping this one today after the Horse Stance. My poor quadriceps! I choose pain.
Set 1 - First 20 breaths feels like I'm in easy mode after the Horse Stance. I get to breath 30 and the burn is getting serious. I reach breath 40 and am somewhat surprised at how well I'm doing. I definitely feel the urge to stop at breath 45, but I don't. I push it. The burn is insane, but the legs are not shaking/spasming like yesterday (or like today during the horse stance). I make it to 60 seconds and stop. Standing back up was difficult.
Set 2 - OK. It didn't feel like easy mode any more. At breath 10 I was wondering if I would make it to breath 30. The burn in the quads is insane. But again the knees were not shaking from muscles spasming. I just kept my unfocused gaze on the bookshelf across the room and breathed. I started getting a bit light headed around breath 40. I pushed and finished at breath 60. I could barely stand up again. Legs are on fire.
Set 3 - I may have rested a tad longer than I should have after set 2, but set 3 was relatively easy. The legs burned of course, but not nearly as strongly as during set 1 or 2. Finished 60 breaths and stood up easier than after previous sets.

Bottom Push Up Hold - 3 sets of 45-60 seconds is the goal?
Set 1 - I focused. I breathed. I made it to breath 20 and collapsed. Pecs spasming. Triceps on the verge of it.
Set 2 - At breath 10 my muscles (pecs and triceps) are starting to spasm/shake. I really pushed and lasted through breath 20 before hitting muscle failure and collapsing to the floor.
Set 3 - lol. I only lasted 12 breaths this time. Oof.

Bear Crawl Hold - 3 sets of 45-60 seconds is the goal?
Only 1 set - running out of time. Arms and legs are shaking/spasming at around breath 40. I push and finish 60 breaths.

Iron Bridge - 3 sets of 60-90 seconds is the goal?
Only 1 set - running out of time. Lasted to 21 breaths and chose to stop. My shoulders are the limiting factor. I didn't even feel a burn anywhere else.

Active Dead Hang - Wide grip. Lasted 20 breaths before stopping. I might have been able to push a couple more breaths, but doubt I would have made it to 25.

~~~

This workout routine takes too much time. I'm going to reduce sets for some of the exercises to cut down on the time demand. Video above recommends doing the routine 3x/week. I'm going to reduce sets, but try to do it every day (with occasional misses and rest days) as I've been doing with the ab routine.

foolsgold said:

I did a 20 miler 4 days ago but it was cooler. Yesterday it was hot and I pushed the speed because it was a new bike. Today it's hot, I am still tight and tired, so taking it easy and rehydrating. Thanks Joe!

Click to expand...

Ooooh, a new bike huh? What'd ya get?

I just got back about an hour and a half ago from a 52 miler.

pmbug said:

This workout routine takes too much time. I'm going to reduce sets for some of the exercises to cut down on the time demand. Video above recommends doing the routine 3x/week. I'm going to reduce sets, but try to do it every day (with occasional misses and rest days) as I've been doing with the ab routine.

Click to expand...

Something you could do is to split things up and do half of what you are doing every other day.

You have 8 exercises listed, so do full routine on four of them, then do the other four the next day, and give yourself one day off per week.



What you absolutely do not want to do, is to try to do so much that you end stopping due to how much time it eats up.

That's what happens to a lot of people when they start doing new stuff on a daily basis.


It's important to do what you are realistically able to do consistently over the long term.

Because if it's something you can't do long term, you risk losing the gains you've made.

Joe King said:

Something you could do is to split things up and do half of what you are doing every other day.

You have 8 exercises listed, so do full routine on four of them, then do the other four the next day, and give yourself one day off per week.
...

Click to expand...

I considered it, but the video emphasized that the order of the exercises was important. I want to keep things as simple as possible as some days circumstances do not allow me to get a workout in, and splitting the workout would potentially mean long stretches (3-4 days) between specific exercises.

Joe King said:

What you absolutely do not want to do, is to try to do so much that you end stopping due to how much time it eats up.

Click to expand...

Well, that's precisely why I mentioned the issue yesterday. I'm aware that the full routine is not going to work long term for me.

I woke up this morning feeling yesterday's workout all over. I'm taking a rest day from the workout today. I'll still go for my jog though. I enjoy the morning air outside.

Joe King said:

Ooooh, a new bike huh? What'd ya get?

I just got back about an hour and a half ago from a 52 miler.

Click to expand...

Wow 52 miles holy mackeral. I couldn't dream of going that far. I got a Specialized Diverge 4.

Joe King said:

In light of the 'bug's positive results of exercise on his BP readings, thought I'd add that I have a friend who is on the verge of reversing his diabetes through diet and exercise.

After being fiull blown diabetic, (was bad enough that he has already lost a toe to it) his DR says he is back to pre-diabetic status.

He hasn't needed any insulin in a good while now.
....and pre-diabetes can definitely be reversed.


Just throwin' that out there for anyone else reading that might be on the diabetes path and thinking they can't do anything about it.

Click to expand...

It's becoming obvious: Drop your weight, and watch Type II respond.

After I lost a metric schitt-ton of weight, thanks to the Coof...I went back into Pre-Diabetic A1C range. Until I broke my hip, couldn't get around, and lived for six weeks on Meals-On-Wheels.

Which are poison, FWIW. I gained that weight back as fast as I lost it.

I'm still struggling to re-lose the weight; but the path, the answer, is plain.

No, I don't think these weight-loss drugs are the answer, either...although they may turn out to be second-best, better than active diabetes.

foolsgold said:

I did a 20 miler 4 days ago but it was cooler. Yesterday it was hot and I pushed the speed because it was a new bike. Today it's hot, I am still tight and tired, so taking it easy and rehydrating. Thanks Joe!

Click to expand...

Actually running?

Or, are we talking, on a bicycle?

Casey Jones said:

Actually running?

Or, are we talking, on a bicycle?

Click to expand...

On the bycycle pictured above.

pmbug said:

I considered it, but the video emphasized that the order of the exercises was important. I want to keep things as simple as possible as some days circumstances do not allow me to get a workout in, and splitting the workout would potentially mean long stretches (3-4 days) between specific exercises.



Well, that's precisely why I mentioned the issue yesterday. I'm aware that the full routine is not going to work long term for me.

I woke up this morning feeling yesterday's workout all over. I'm taking a rest day from the workout today. I'll still go for my jog though. I enjoy the morning air outside.

Click to expand...

Do whatever ya gotta do to be able to keep doing any of it.

The most important thing, is that you're doing stuff like that at all.

Casey Jones said:

It's becoming obvious: Drop your weight, and watch Type II respond.

Click to expand...

For practically everyone, that's the way it works.

Especially so as we age, as muscle metabolizes blood sugar better than any other tissue we have.
.....and we tend to loose muscle mass as we age.

So if we loose muscle mass, and keep all the same eating and activity habits of our younger years, namely little to no exercise and eating whatever tastes good, it's recipe for acquiring diabetes.
.......and only thing that scares me more than idea of getting dementia in old age, is becoming diabetic.

Casey Jones said:

Actually running?

Or, are we talking, on a bicycle?

Click to expand...

I know a little about running. Get a bike and save your body the pounding of running, and even walking. I am 70+ years old, biking cured my platear faciitis.

P.S. I am diabetic.

foolsgold said:

Wow 52 miles holy mackeral. I couldn't dream of going that far. I got a Specialized Diverge 4.
View attachment 20599

Click to expand...

Wow, nice bike! I bet you're liking that a lot.

I looked it up. Says it weighs a whole 23 lbs. Nice.

What size is it? What kind of riding are you doing? Road? Trails? Gravel?



I just weighed mine. It's just under 40 lbs, lol
....but 12 lbs of that is just my wheels and tires. I use ebike tires on mine cause I hate flats. The Continental's I run are pretty bullet proof.

I see where yours says it's tubeless ready. Gonna go that route? I like tubes, myself.

foolsgold said:

I know a little about running. Get a bike and save your body the pounding of running, and even walking. I am 70+ years old, biking cured my platear faciitis.

P.S. I am diabetic.
View attachment 20614

Click to expand...

Damn! That's a great marathon time.

I couldn't even imagine doin' that.
.....in any amount of time. Lol

I can ride like the wind all day long, but running a hundred yards would give me one of those side pains that'd make me have to stop. Lol

I can walk a good ways, no prob.
.....but running? Nope. Not going there.

Never been a runner. I remember having to do that Presidents fitness thing in school, and the running part was what always screwed up my ranking on it.



Like you say, running is hard on the knees.
.....and as I always say, f' 'em up and you'll miss 'em terribly.


As for being diabetic, did you start riding in order to help with that? Or have you always rode?
Im thinkin' that if you were running marathons at that level, you prolly know how to stay reasonably fit.

foolsgold said:

On the bycycle pictured above.

Click to expand...

Oops.

Good on ya. I have an excellent Mountain bike, and I have little trouble doing 20 miles or so on it...but for the high-altitude summertime HEAT. It's been up around 100 most days the last few weeks.

I can do laps in the gym in the (relative) air conditioning...they're cutting back, too, only chilled to 80.

I'll get back on the bike come September.

Joe King said:

Damn! That's a great marathon time.

I couldn't even imagine doin' that.
.....in any amount of time. Lol

I can ride like the wind all day long, but running a hundred yards would give me one of those side pains that'd make me have to stop. Lol

I can walk a good ways, no prob.
.....but running? Nope. Not going there.

Never been a runner. I remember having to do that Presidents fitness thing in school, and the running part was what always screwed up my ranking on it.



Like you say, running is hard on the knees.
.....and as I always say, f' 'em up and you'll miss 'em terribly.


As for being diabetic, did you start riding in order to help with that? Or have you always rode?
Im thinkin' that if you were running marathons at that level, you prolly know how to stay reasonably fit.

Click to expand...

Me being non-competitive, running was one of the few sports I could endure. I won't say, "enjoyed" - but unlike me getting my arse beat in basketball, or football or even volleyball; unlike even swimming (I don't float, no lie) running was at my own pace, and usually early in the morning, when sane people were asleep.

I started running in the early 1980s, and stuck with it until the railroad-lifer pounds built up. Railroad life prevents a normal sleep/wake cycle; and I stopped...saw what all those garbage meals in company hotels were doing, and then really forced myself to take it back up.

And blew out a knee. I thought I'd have to have surgery - I was off two months, but it did heal. I bought my first bike as an adult, at that time, but with the chaos of my work life, I couldn't stick with it.

Now I have bad hips, lower back, that knee...I can walk, but running is not only impossible, it would be insane to try.

Joe King said:

Wow, nice bike! I bet you're liking that a lot.

I looked it up. Says it weighs a whole 23 lbs. Nice.

What size is it? What kind of riding are you doing? Road? Trails? Gravel?



I just weighed mine. It's just under 40 lbs, lol
....but 12 lbs of that is just my wheels and tires. I use ebike tires on mine cause I hate flats. The Continental's I run are pretty bullet proof.

I see where yours says it's tubeless ready. Gonna go that route? I like tubes, myself.

Click to expand...

The new bike weighed 22lbs (fiber frame) when it left the shop. I bought the top Garmen computer and the rear tail light/ Radar combination. I am leery about road riding.
-Garmin Edge 1050
-Garmin Varia RearVue 820
Add a couple water bottles and call it 25lbs.

The 20 year old bike pictured below weighs 37lbs

Been missing the pain reports for a few days now, @pmbug.




Still (dead) hanging in there?


No slackin' now. Chop! chop!


Edited to add: reading about what you're doing gives positive incentive for more of us to get off our (sometimes) dead asses and do some of that stuff too.

Monday morning I went for my morning jog, but skipped the workout because I was sore from Sunday.

Tuesday morning, I found ants in the house and while spraying the weepholes outside with ant killer, noticed the expansion joint in the brick wall had opened 0.25" indicating foundation problem getting serious. I skipped the run to make appointments with some foundation repair companies. In the afternoon, I didn't have a convenient window to do the workout as I was busy. Allergies started hammering me.

Yesterday I missed the morning jog because allergies were hammering me too hard and I didn't want to aggravate them with an outdoor run. I took a day trip with he wife to visit her father and was gone until late evening, so I didn't get a chance to do my workout.

This morning I skipped the jog because allergies are still bothering me. I'm not sure if I'll get the workout in as a foundation repair company is scheduled to arrive this afternoon to do an inspection and quote for repair work.

When it rains, it pours!

Ok, was hoping you weren't falling by the wayside.
....or upset with all the bike talk in your thread. Lol

Whenever I do get a window to workout again, after missing a few days, it's going to be painful, so I've got that working for me, which is nice.

foolsgold said:

Wow 52 miles holy mackeral. I in couldn't dream of going that far. I got a Specialized Diverge 4.

Click to expand...

My butt couldn't take it.

foolsgold said:

I know a little about running. Get a bike and save your body the pounding of running, and even walking. I am 70+ years old, biking cured my platear faciitis.

P.S. I am diabetic.

Click to expand...

I have plantar fasciitis in my right heel. I used a golf ball to alleviate most of it. Hurt like hell doing it, but it removed 90% of the issue.

I rolled the ball under the sore spots and massaged it away.


I've been walking 1/2 mile to the rec center in our community where I fast walk 1 mile on the treadmill. Cardio is improving. Yesterday I did upper body weight training. Only 8lbs to start as I haven't lifted weights for 30+ years! Gotta start slow and light. I ain't no spring chicken ya know! Today my pecs are sore just from doing 10 reps!! I knew that would be the case. I used the machines, not the free weights. I think I'll fast walk today and hit the weights again tomorrow... don't want to tear anything.

Yesterday I did sneak in an Active Dead hang (wide grip) that lasted 20 breaths.

Pain report

Last night I noticed my allergies weren't bothering me and I did not take an anti-histamine (24 hour). This morning I felt good enough and went ahead and jogged a mile early. Knees felt strong after a couple day's rest.

(later)

I've revised the workout plan slightly to cut down on the time requirement and make it something I can do daily if my schedule allows.

Core Hold Series (immediate transitions)
Form 1 - Went 30 breaths easily. Abs didn't even complain.
Form 2 - I moved my arms into position slowly and managed to keep my back off the floor for one breath. Finishing to 30 breaths with shoulders up and lower back flat tot he floor took some effort, but was not a struggle. I was conscious of how high my legs were lifted off the ground. I kept them as low as I could while keeping the lower back flat to the floor.
Form 3 - Abs started getting tired mid way through this set, but I kept the legs low and the lower back flat to the floor. It took more effort than Form 2.

I think I might need to add the Crucifix Crunch back into the rotation before the Core hold series. The core hold series seems too easy when I skip the Crunches.

Side planks - Right side, I reach rep 10 and think I might push to 30 reps today. The reps feel good and smooth. I reach breath 15 and my shoulder starts complaining. With each successive rep, the pain/discomfort grows. I stop after rep 20 and my shoulder rejoices. I also did 20 reps on the left side and the left shoulder was also complaining, but not as loudly as the right side did.

Horse Stance - 1 set of 60 is MY goal
Set 1 - First 10 breaths I'm still playing with the position and finally get my hips rotated so that my spine is straight/vertical. Quadriceps start burning. Around breath 20, the burn feels strong, but good. Around breath 25-30, the knees start shaking/spasming. I keep breathing. Around breath 40 it seems like time slows down. The breath count is taking forever. My legs are burning all over (not just the quads). I reach breath 50 and the finish line is in sight, but I mentally dial back from counting chickens. Every breath from here on is a struggle not to collapse. I reach breath 55 and nearly lost it. I reach breath 60, put my hands on my knees and slowly push myself back to standing position. My legs are jello.

Wall Sit - 1 set of 60 is MY goal
Set 1 - First ten breaths, I didn't have my lower back firm against the wall. I corrected that and drove my heels into the floor. Quads were burning I relived the Horse Stance trauma all over again. At breath 20 I'm wondering if I can make 60 or not. At breath 30, I'm getting a bit light headed, but I press on. At breath 40, the burning in the quads is insane, but my knees are not shaking/spasming. At breath 50 I mentally enter a Zen state knowing I'm almost done. I reach breath 60 and have to shimmy my back up the wall because I cannot just lean forward and stand up using my legs.

Bottom Push Up Hold - 1 set of 45-60 seconds is MY goal
Set 1 - I only lasted 16 breaths. Weak! I will try another set.
Set 2 - Damn. I only lasted 10 breaths this time. I don't even feel a burn. Muscles just go from "I'm good" to "I'm spasming" to "Failure." in a couple of breaths.

Bear Crawl Hold - 1 set of 45-60 seconds is MY goal
Set 1 - It wasn't until breath 30 that I noticed any strain at all. Arms/elbows/shoulders started shaking. Shaking stayed more or less steady as I finished out 60 breaths. Legs/quads barely complained - I think they were already beyond pain from Horse Stance & Wall Sit.

Iron Bridge - 1 set of 60-90 seconds is MY goal
Set 1 - I got into the full (calves vertical to the floor, knees bent) Iron Bridge position and immediately my hamstrings started to cramp. I changed to the "easy mode" Iron Bridge (straight plank) and lasted 40 breaths with the entire body shaking from shoulders/arms spasming almost the entire time.

Active Dead Hang - I used shoulder width grip today. Lasted 25 breaths. Shoulders/back were a bit tired from the Push Up & Bear Crawl Holds.

pmbug said:

My legs are jello.

Click to expand...

Don't you just love that feeling?

I

Pain report

Yesterday I got my 1mi jog done in the morning, but was busy all day and didn't find a window to get the workout in.

Today instead of my jog, I did two hours of yard work (mowing, edging, sweeping, etc.) in the morning sun.

(afternoon)

Crucifix Crunch - 1 set of 15 reps just to get the abs warmed up.

Core Hold Series (immediate transitions)
Form 1 - Today I positioned my arms at a slight incline (maybe 20 to 30 degrees) to the plane of the floor instead of keeping them parallel. The higher the hands, the more difficult the hold. I thought I'd try doing this until I can do the hold with the back off the floor and my arms in Form 2's position. I really focused on keeping the abs tight and made it to 30 breaths, but just barely. My back hit the floor as I was exhaling breath 30.
Form 2 - I moved my arms into position and immediately felt the lower back move slightly off the ground. It wasn't a full blown arching, but I fought to keep it a hair's width off the floor the whole time. I had to elevate my legs/feet more than I really wanted to, but lower back on the floor is higher priority. Made it to 30 breaths.
Form 3 - I really had to focus to keep the abs tight and the lower back low to the floor (as in previous Form). Kicks to 30 breaths weren't a problem.

Abs struggled to keep the lower back in place, but I didn't really feel pain or burning as they worked. It feels strange compared to what I experienced over the last couple of months while doing these abs workouts.

Side planks - Right side, I pushed it and did 25 reps today even though my shoulder was signalling pain. My shoulder was very sore when I finished. The reps felt good and smooth though. Left side, I also did 25 reps however, the left shoulder signaled pain much faster than the right side had done. After rep 20, my form got very sloppy and it was not "good and smooth".

Horse Stance - 1 set of 60 is MY goal
Set 1 - First 10 breaths I'm still playing with the position (again) and finally get my hips rotated so that my spine is straight/vertical. Quadriceps start burning. Around breath 20, the burn is noticable, but good. Around breath 30, the burning intensifies. The knees start shaking/spasming around breath 42. I keep breathing. Around breath 50, my legs are burning all over (not just the quads). The last ten breaths to 60 are excruciating. I reach 60, audibly groan and use hands on knees to reclaim a standing position.

Wall Sit - 1 set of 60 is MY goal
Set 1 - I sit into good position immediately today. Quads start burning immediately too as I drive down on my heels. The burning is strong and intense, but not overwhelming. There is no panic within me - just acceptance of the burning pain as I count my breaths at a steady pace. Around breath 40 I'm noticing that my knees are not shaking. I finish 60 breaths without any shaking in the knees and again have to shimmy my back up the wall to stand up again. Whew!

(workout interrupted as I had to run some errands)

Bottom Push Up Hold - 1 set of 45-60 seconds is MY goal
Set 1 - I lasted 21 breaths. I felt a burn in my triceps, but it was my back that really failed to maintain tension at the end. Which is surprising as the hold is supposed to stress the chest/pecs with the triceps.

Bear Crawl Hold - 1 set of 45-60 seconds is MY goal
Set 1 - Similar to last time, it wasn't until breath 30 or so that I noticed any strain at all. Arms/elbows/shoulders started shaking then, but it was mild. Shaking stayed more or less steady as I finished out 60 breaths. Quads started to burn around breath 55 or so. I think the errand interruption gave them too much rest post Wall Sit.

Iron Bridge - 1 set of 60-90 seconds is MY goal
Set 1 - I chose the "easy mode" straight plank bridge today. Around breath 40, my shoulders started shaking. Around breath 50, shoulders are shaking worse and my right hamstring starts to cramp. I keep breathing and it's getting harder and harder to keep it together. Shoulders are shaking so much that my head is now bobbing up and down and I can't stop it. Right hammy starts to cramp and I collapse at breath 59. Almost made 60 breaths.

Active Dead Hang - I used shoulder width grip today. Lasted 24 breaths. Today, my left hand/grip was the weak link.

pmbug said:

Yesterday I got my 1mi jog done in the morning,

Click to expand...

Curious, when you jog do you do regular breathing or rhythmic breathing?

I don't make any effort to consciously control the breathing. I just control the pace of my jog and my breathing just adjusts accordingly. I usually hit my second wind breathing pattern a little past halfway on the first lap.

pmbug said:

Abs struggled to keep the lower back in place, but I didn't really feel pain or burning as they worked. It feels strange compared to what I experienced over the last couple of months while doing these abs workouts.

Click to expand...

That just means that you are getting better at it. Ie: improving.

One thing I noticed in your couple of reports, where you had skipped a day or more, is they read as though you were more easily able to do your routine.
....and sometimes a day or so off gives muscles time to react to what you've previously done, and become stronger.


Just been noticing a lot more comments recently like the following that convey a marked improvement from many of your earlier comments describing your efforts. Good job! Keep it up.

pmbug said:

Went 30 breaths easily. Abs didn't even complain.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

took some effort, but was not a struggle.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

I reach rep 10 and think I might push to 30 reps today. The reps feel good and smooth.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

the burn feels strong, but good

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

It wasn't until breath 30 that I noticed any strain at all.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

The burning is strong and intense, but not overwhelming. There is no panic within me

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

I'm noticing that my knees are not shaking.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

wasn't until breath 30 or so that I noticed any strain at all.

Click to expand...

For comparison, I clicked on page three and looked at what you wrote then.

It was a bit of a different tone, barely a Month and a half ago.

pmbug said:

By the time I finished the last rep though, I was near exhaustion.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

At breath16, the whole back fell to the floor

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

Really felt like quitting the workout after the core hold series today

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

I was near failure and felt good about making it to 20.

Click to expand...

pmbug said:

Did 15 reps each side. I was huffing and puffing by the end.

Click to expand...

Just pointing this stuff out, because when it comes to small incremental gains, we sometimes not notice that we are in fact making gains.


Trying to help keep you motivated.

Had a real wake-up yesterday.

Not a strenuous workout. Eight hours of standing around...it was Range Day, I was in an AR-15 instruction course. Shooting, breakdown and cleaning. A lot of standing on the firing line at varying differences.

Holding a carbine. Not heavy at all.

The shocking thing was, after eight hours, I was literally beat to snot. It was frankly shocking...I used to work standing for eight hours, even on the railroad when covering for a switchman's position (it happens on short lines). That wasn't that long ago.

Just mentioning it, how little it can take to knock you out, if you don't stay on top of physical conditioning.

Was it an outdoor range (ie. were you in the heat)?

Casey Jones said:

Had a real wake-up yesterday.

Not a strenuous workout. Eight hours of standing around...it was Range Day, I was in an AR-15 instruction course. Shooting, breakdown and cleaning. A lot of standing on the firing line at varying differences.

Holding a carbine. Not heavy at all.

The shocking thing was, after eight hours, I was literally beat to snot. It was frankly shocking...I used to work standing for eight hours, even on the railroad when covering for a switchman's position (it happens on short lines). That wasn't that long ago.

Just mentioning it, how little it can take to knock you out, if you don't stay on top of physical conditioning.

Click to expand...

What you are describing is why it is CRUCIAL to keep up with maintaining your muscles.

Especially in older age.

It is a fact that once one gets into late 50's to 60 and beyond, muscle mass begins decreasing at a faster rate.

Tie that in with retirement where most people see a reduction in their physical activity, and it can accelerate.

Even just standing a lot in a job helps your muscles. It takes muscle use and constant balance just TO stand.

Sit down and all those muscles suddenly relax and no longer have to work to keep you upright.

Beyond walking and standing more, a good way to help strengthen your leg and ankle muscles indoors is to practice standing on one leg for a period of time. Then switch to other leg.

Then repeat a few times.

Soon as you do this, you will feel those muscles suddenly jump into action as they work to try to keep you standing upright.

Without work to do, muscles atrophy.

It's your job to prevent that from happening.

Now that you've gotten a wake up call on this, the question is, what are you going to do about it?

You can either let things continue to slide until the day comes when you'll need help getting up off the toilet, or you will find a way to keep those muscles strong so as to put off needing that help as long as possible.

Because that's really what it comes down to in old age. How long can you go without needing help to get up off of a toilet.

I don't know about you or anyone else, but I hope I never need that kind of help, because once you do, any independence you had, is long gone.
....and yes, I realize it's not realistic to never need that kind of help, but the farther you can push it closer to your final destination, the better off you will be.

Ie: better to only need that help for a short time at the end, than for the whole final decade of one's life, IMHO.

pmbug said:

Was it an outdoor range (ie. were you in the heat)?

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Outdoor, and beautiful, halfway up a mountain.

Half the day was brisk, an early-fall kind of day, temperature about 60. A weather front moved in about noon, sun was obscured, thunderclouds, and temperatures rose to 80. But we had plenty of water, and we all were dressed for it, including sun-screening hats.

Casey Jones said:

Outdoor, and beautiful, halfway up a mountain.

Half the day was brisk, an early-fall kind of day, temperature about 60. A weather front moved in about noon, sun was obscured, thunderclouds, and temperatures rose to 80. But we had plenty of water, and we all were dressed for it, including sun-screening hats.

Click to expand...

Just the way you describe that makes me want to be in a place like that again.

Hopefully someday, but glad Ive at least been there to experience it when I have.

Being up in the mountains is wonderful. I'm so jealous right now. Lol

Get out there and do that more often.

As for leg muscles, how many of you reading this can, from a standing position, sit down on the floor and then stand back up without using your hands and arms to assist you going up or down?

It's a good test to see just how strong those lower body muscles really are.

Joe King said:

Just the way you describe that makes me want to be in a place like that again.

Hopefully someday, but glad Ive at least been there to experience it when I have.

Being up in the mountains is wonderful. I'm so jealous right now. Lol

Get out there and do that more often.

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Wait until real-estate prices settle...and then head down to the Bitterroots, the Montana-Idaho line.

Social degeneration is slower here, just as the scenery is more beautiful.

You're from Texas, right? It's a whole 'nuther world out here...although there's a fair amount of ranching, east of us. This is where the mountains meet the prairie, and where the air is rare...we're about 4000 feet up...

But right now, Californication is burping up about half of LA, and a lot of them moving here. Home prices have exploded...to where a million dollars will buy a suburban-size lot and 1950s tract home (ten blocks from the University, but still...)

Joe King said:

Get out there and do that more often

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I'm a member of the club that owns that range.

Not active...they accept anyone willing to pay the annual dues; I should probably get more involved. But I needed a range to stay on top of my skills; it's there; it's out-of-the-way, and everyone's friendly.

Casey Jones said:

I'm a member of the club that owns that range.

Not active...they accept anyone willing to pay the annual dues; I should probably get more involved. But I needed a range to stay on top of my skills; it's there; it's out-of-the-way, and everyone's friendly.

Click to expand...

Is it close enough to ride your bike to?

Casey Jones said:

Wait until real-estate prices settle...and then head down to the Bitterroots, the Montana-Idaho line.

Social degeneration is slower here, just as the scenery is more beautiful.

You're from Texas, right? It's a whole 'nuther world out here...although there's a fair amount of ranching, east of us. This is where the mountains meet the prairie, and where the air is rare...we're about 4000 feet up...

But right now, Californication is burping up about half of LA, and a lot of them moving here. Home prices have exploded...to where a million dollars will buy a suburban-size lot and 1950s tract home (ten blocks from the University, but still...)

Click to expand...

I'd love to be able to do that, but current circumstances disallow it.

I'm just glad I was able to do stuff like that when I did. Maybe I'll get there again one of these days. Would love to climb a few more mountains.