I choose pain

[Goldhedge]

I ran across this video:

Just watched and leared a bit about what I'm doing wrong.

I use the machines up at the Community center in our neighborhood. There are four. I haven't kept track of any progress as that seems a bit anal retentive to me.

I have been working the upper 5 days a week though. It was hard at first but now it's like a good stretching exercise.

I haven't been great at reps, but have increased the number 10, to 3 times that with a short 60 sec rest period in between. There's two options on the first machine, so I do the chest pushes first, 1 min rest and then the bicep pulls. 3x each working different muscle groups, so as to not over do it. I might rest 30 secs more?

I've gained progress in that I could only do one rep at 10lbs per arm and now I can do 3! Sometimes it just feels good to keep going, but after watching the video I'll try 12lbs (much harder!) and see what happens.

I forget what the other machines do, I'll make a note of it. I do know the last machine is a gut cruncher at 10lbs. At 12lbs I'm unable to pull forward. It has these padded straps I pull over my shoulders. I do 3x 10 and sometimes 3x 20 reps on that. My gut is pretty strong.

I'll do the stair stepper/ellipse machine on T and Th and upper body MWF. That seems to be a good workout. Weekends off. Increase the weights as necessary and increase the rest periods.

I really need to learn the name of muscles!

I wonder if there are any apps to put on a phone to track stuff...? Anyone?

 

[Joe King]

That's impressive.

Thanks! It sounds like a lot, but it's really not that hard. Average speed over the whole distance is about 12mph, with about 15-18 mph being normal cruising speed.
....and two 30 minutes breaks along the way at a couple spots to see some trains.

Mix in some HIIT where I do intervals at faster speeds.
Takes about 5 hours or so. Burns a bunch of calories too.

We have a bike rack on the sidewalk. Last year when they redid the automatic lawn sprinkler, they put a new sprinkler head...right next to the bike rack. Nobody uses it.

Clearly planned by people who prolly haven't ridden a bike since they were 8 years old.

But mine is across town

Nothing closer? What's out of sight stays out of mind.
.....and what is inconvenient to get to, doesn't get used.

and I just opted not to bother.

If the point is to stay in shape as you age, then ya gotta figure something else out, as time is not exactly on our side anymore after a certain age.

Have to treat it the same way as havin' a job.
Ie: gotta get up and go make time for it whether we feel like it or not.

Traffic is way, way up, too...ever go to a rural or mountain town somewhere, Opening Day on Deer Season?

Yea, small towns suck when it comes to traffic. All the little two lane roads can fill up quick.

and the heat...

Its been up to 109 here this Summer. I love it when it gets that hot. That's when I wanna get out for a long ride.

Now, the weather's changed and the A/C is put away...but I haven't got the bike back out.

No time like the present.

Better hurry and get some riding in. It'll prolly be -40 there before long. Lol

 

[Joe King]

I haven't kept track of any progress as that seems a bit anal retentive to me.

What gets measured gets improved.

I wonder if there are any apps to put on a phone to track stuff...? Anyone?

Look on the app stores for activity trackers.

If on Android, you can also try Fdroid.

 

[Casey Jones]

Nothing closer? What's out of sight stays out of mind.
.....and what is inconvenient to get to, doesn't get used.

No. I tell you, this is a funny town...it's become a magnet for people who live in California and have FedGov jobs, and seniority enough to transfer...jobs with NWS, NPS, Forest Service, FAA air-traffic control. I've been here 14 years and the town size has grown half-again.

That has the roads clogged up (many of them, now 4-lane; it's funny to go to Google and see what the Street Views looked like 15 years ago)...

...but also, has led to an explosion in U-Stor locker-demand. See, these Calinvaders sell HOUSES out there, get their millions, and come out here, where houses not only aren't much cheaper anymore (they were, in 2012) but just aren't there. So they move into one of the new rabbit-warrens being set up, and all their furniture goes into those storage units.

I've been waiting three years to get into one of the three that are close by my current building. Contrast that to when I moved out here...no wait, no problem, low price.

 

[pmbug]

... I do know the last machine is a gut cruncher ... My gut is pretty strong. ...

How are you mentally at enduring pain? Try the crucifix crunch, core hold series and side planks (video in the first post of this thread) instead of that machine. It is very challenging when you start, but pain will lead to gains (gains that help improve real core strength (and posture) and relieve lower back stress). After my journey, I'm a believer.

 

[pmbug]

This morning jogged a mile at the track.

(afternoon)

Crucifix Crunch - 3 sets of 15 reps slow & controlled.

Core Hold Series (immediate transitions)
Form 1 - Arms parallel to legs @ ~20 degrees angle to the floor (I kept feet lower to the floor than usual today). Back started lowering a little with every breath starting around breath 16. I really tried to bear down and stop it, but the muscles were not listening to my brain. Back hit the floor after breath 25. I finished to breath 30 with the back down.
Form 2 - I kept my lower flat to the floor and was able to keep my legs/feet low to the floor as well (maintaining the ~20 degree angle). Around breath 15 or so I realized lower back was slightly off the ground and I bore down with the abs and was able to push the lower back flat to the floor where it stayed for the rest of the Form. 30 breaths done.
Form 3 - Today I kept my kicks super low - around 20 to 30 degree range from bottom to top. Lower back stayed flat to the floor. 30 breaths done. Abs felt ... tired more than sore when I finished. They did work today.

Side planks
Left side - Slow and controlled. 20 reps. Shoulder signaled pain at rep 18 and reps 19 and 20 were a struggle to maintain form.
Right side - 20 reps. I did them faster than I probably should have. Shoulder and oblique could have done more.

Active Dead Hang - Wide grip today. Today I got my wife to use the stopwatch app on my phone and time my hang while I counted my breaths as usual. At breath 17, I could feel my back getting tired, but I pushed. At breath 20 I was hoping to make it to 25, but I ended up stopping after breath 21. That took a lot of effort. I was shocked to see the stopwatch app reporting a whopping 40.61 seconds. I guess my breath is longer than a second when I'm doing these isometric exercises!