Well said Push. I just turned 55 and agree with you all the way.
[quote]pushharder wrote:
In my forties I have become stronger, fitter, more muscular and had the best sex of my life. I’m not special. I’m not gifted. If I can do it so can you other guys. [/quote]
Those are awesome sentiments - and that’s what I hope to be saying real soon - that my forties find me in the best condition of my life…
And if anyone is interested, I posted my tincture recipe:
http://www.T-Nation.com/tmagnum/readTopic.do?id=1874765&pageNo=0#1875183
Gotta start a workout blog next…
Don
The thing about growing older is that exercising actually becomes more important than when you were younger. Most people tend to slack off as they get older and this can lead to age related health problems that could have been delayed or avoided.
I see 6 different doctors on a regular basis because of 2 kinds of cancer that I have had, along with osteoporosis and a bad heart valve. I have been told verbally and in writing to get to exercising 3 to 5 times a week by more than one of these doctors.
I have only been back at it for about 3 weeks or so and I already feel a lot better. It is never too late to get started exercising. I used to lift weights quite a bit, but just got out of the habit of doing it. Now there is a definite reason to do it because the load bearing exercises will make my bones stronger along with my muscles.
I will stick to this because the doctors run enough different tests to know if I am slacking off.
Thanks MEJ - glad to see you’re on your way as well…
I have a family room that is on the ground floor of my house and is on the concrete slab that extends out into my garage. It is going to be a dedicated exercise room. I can bring the equipment straight in from the driveway without going up or down any stairs and the concrete can handle the weight. The carpet is coming up and I will put a heavy duty rug under each machine.
As soon as the weather warms up, I will finish the deck surface just outside this room and bring in a 300 gallon spa. I do not intend to have to drive to a gym or wait in a line to exercise. Right now, my weight bench is up 3 flights of stairs from this room, but it will be a lot better to have everything on the ground floor. Once I get things set up, in a few months, I will post some pictures.
Sounds great. There is no way I will deal with the unwashed masses either. Traing at home is the way to go.
I dunno. I suppose that if I had a workout buddy here at home it might be OK, but for me, that’s been one of the big obstacles in “getting back in the groove”. I need “motivational input”, I need someone to spot me so that I don’t let my head keep me from getting that last rep I know I have in me.
Or, in situations like last week… I need someone there to unpin me from my failed bench press 
My gut still hurts from rolling that bastard down to my thighs…
Don
I am getting ready to buy a weight machine that will prevent me from getting pinned under the weights. I need to measure my family room and determine just how big of a machine I can fit in it. I may need to go with a more middle of the road weight machine or there won’t be room for the treadmill that I want to get.
“I am getting ready to buy a weight machine that will prevent me from getting pinned under the weights.”
Hopefully this is a power rack. That and a barbell and bench are all you really need.
[quote]pushharder wrote:
As someone who always trains alone my advice would be to train your bench exercises with dumbbells.[/quote]
Yeah - unfortunately I have a bit of “unlearning” to do. Back in the day I was very fortunate to have a “crew” to hang with at the gym (all MUCH larger than I) and I kinda got into the mindset about things like the BP and squat that I’m going to have to rethink.
I did my first chest workout with “just 'bells” a couple days ago, and while I don’t have that “bombed the sh!t out of them” feeling I get from the big bar presses, I do feel like I worked more of the overall group, and really that’s what the TBT is all about.
Now to work out the squats. I’ve never been a huge fan of the deadlift, but I’ll work something out. In the long run, I think I just need to start looking for a cheap (as in used) rack…
Thanks Push!
[quote]mej wrote:
I am getting ready to buy a weight machine…[/quote]
Not sure what your overall goals are, but if I could offer some experience…
-
if you can, try the machine out! Hit the local “Big Box Sporting Goods Retailer” or Sears and see if there’s the machine you’re considering or one like it. I am tall (but not that tall) and there are some things that a machine just falls short on because of my height or the length of my appendages…
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make sure it can supply MORE weight than you think you need. I LOVE to bomb my back with seated rows and pull-downs, and sadly I am already using the whole stack, so soon this machine will be rather worthless for either
I bought a multi-station gym partly on price and partly on footprint, and sadly half of the stuff it can do I don’t do because of the above.
In short, if you’ve got the room, and you’re gonna spend the money on something, outfit yourself with free-weight stuff first!
JMO
Don
I may have to put my weight training on hold in a few weeks. I just went to my cardiologist and is sounds like I may be needing a heart valve repair or replacement by the end of January or early February. If that happens, it will be even harder to get in shape after the down time that will cause. I guess it is better to get it done early instead of waiting until it does damage to my heart or lungs.
Of course, I’m not doctor, but if I were you (and you’re otherwise free of meds) I’d start dosing with CoQ10 immediately. A lot. Note that it has antagonistic properties with other heart meds (like Toperol)
You might not be able to lift, but you can work on nutrition, perhaps some stretching…
I’m curious - have you noticed any fatigue, etc? Typically a condition like yours has some obvious characteristics…
Good luck - better to find out now than after some bit of exercise gives you a full blow-out.
Don
They did an electrocardiogram today and the indications are that the valve is just now getting bad enough to start causing problems, so the doctor wants it fixed now before it has a chance to do any heart muscle damage. I agree with him that it is best to do it now.
I can always hit the weights in late summer or early fall. It really will depend upon how the fix is done, but I expect it to be right through the sternum.
I recommend trying riptoe’s workout if you find it hard to find a program the suites you. Basically he made this program for teenagers or anyone new to lifting but even if you have lifted in the past there is nothing wrong with going back to the basics and rebuilding a strong foundation. When I got back into lifting I was kinda lost and going from program to program, checking out everything I saw. I kept seeing this riptoe thing come up and finaly checked it out. I eventually decided to give it a shot and am very very pleased. Everything is spelled out on what to do and what not to do and how to progress. My only problem is it’s not on this site…
Thanks Rapt -
Actually, I did check out that workout on bb.com (joined there early last year) and while I like the premise (and thoroughness of the presentation) the issue is that it’s largely “big bar” based, and I don’t have the confidence or equipment to support that kind of workout safely.
However, the Total Body Training article here is largely similar, and in the end I am taking those basic principles and exercises and following them using dumbbell movements. As I progress I will revisit this “dilemma” but for now I an really just eager to get back on a program.
Really, the biggest (and common) components of these routines is pretty straight forward:
Work big muscle groups, and in some cases hit them from different angles more than once a week
Keep the exercise movements varied
I am extremely guilty of failure on the second point - my chest and back routines have been the same for a year, and I’ve found every excuse possible not to work abs, etc, etc. Time to move on to the next level…
bb.com also recently started a “12 Week Video Program” with a guy in terrible starting shape (none to coincidentally around the same time the The Physique Clinic started here). It’s largely based in the same principals. Should be an equally interesting story to follow…
Thanks again for the input -
Don
Mixing it up by changing your routine every few weeks is a good way to get your muscles to respond. Even if you only have two sets of variations, changing every 1 to 2 months will keep your muscles from hitting a plateau where you quit making gains.
I have found that sometimes it doesn’t take a big change to feel it in your muscles. The most important thing is to not get bored with doing the same thing all of the time and just stopping the exercising.