[i]I’m 52. Wasn’t that long ago that I was 265, 5’5" tall and had trouble moving 40 lbs on a weight machine. I was 188.8 this morning and by the end of the year I’ll be ready to start moving to free weights from the machines.
Keep the faith, one day at a time.[/i]
update October 1, 2008 I was 172.0, but I spent almost two years around 189 or so until I finally started dropping again. I had good reasons for keeping it stable there for a while, even if my goal is 160
Someone asked how I did it. One rep at a time. I know the AA guys do it one day at a time, I’m afraid I have an even shorter “one at a time” deadline.
Really. About four and a half-five years ago we signed up with Bally Fitness (I know, I know, but they had a nursery). I’d done machines a long time ago in a Nautilus program, trained off of videos and with help from Bob Barrow, a great guy. Thought I’d get started on machines again.
A long time ago = early 1980s. I’d gone back to machines at a local YMCA in the 1990s. I had a few derailing moments. I gained about twenty pounds with each, then some more weight. I won’t bore you with the reasons. As a friend told me, it isn’t how you got there, it is how you are going to get out.
Anyway, when I was young, I was a lot stronger. I thought that a decade or so of sloth couldn’t make that much difference. It did. Suddenly I’m lifting three times a week and with forty or so pounds on the machines I’m completely wiped after a work out.
But, one rep more, single sets approaching failure every time, 8-12 reps to a set, then moving up a weight. Time after time after time.
While I was at it I hurt my rotator cuffs doing bag work and so my work-out got a little skewed, but one day I’m working on the rotary torso machine, wondering if I’ll ever get to being able to move half the weight stack and I realize that I’m 20 lbs short of the top.
Some more rotator cuff problems (my wife told me to lay off the martial arts until they were healed, I gave in) and the physical therapist told me to start losing weight.
Well, I’d lost a little, down to 245 or so. But about two and a half years ago I got serious. Lost a lot of weight until I was about 189. Been there about a year, now I’m moving on to lose some more weight.
But I’m amazed how things go just one more weight at a time.
Currently I work out at the local recreation center. My daughter is old enough she doesn’t need the child care. No rotary torso machine, but they have cables and I can do wood chops (one of the guys who writes here wrote a book that really got me improved – New Rules Lifting).
For $65 a year you can’t beat the place I’m working out at, no lines, new equipment, plenty of plates and free weights too.
Oh, the rotator cuff problems? Lost weight, improved posture and they went away.
I’m doing better. www.pure-hit.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=111 is where I’m keeping my work-out logs on-line.
I know, but as long as it keeps working for me I’ll keep up with this method. When it stops giving me progress, I’m going to change.
The avatar? A friend did it for me, back in the sixus1.com days.
Still can’t do one armed push-ups or chin-ups like I used to, but in some ways I’m stronger than I’ve ever been. Now that I have my shoulders back, I’m sure the rest of me will catch up.
Once I can top out the machines I’ll be ready for real weights.
Anyway, that’s my story.
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I’ve switched the avatar for a photograph of myself on vacation. The avatar is on my profile page. // More avatar switches, Skidmark has me realizing I need to embrace change from time to time.
