<p>That the the thing MoWC, I do other things. I cycle. I do pilates. I practice yoga. I started lifting. It may seem that I only do yoga all the time to you, but it’s the only thing I’ve been able to do lately because of me getting ready for the new semester. But thank you, though. I understand you’re just looking out. Thank you. </p>
<p>I’m going to try what ID suggested just to see if I can do it. I think it’s be fun to see how long I can last and if I can get up afterwards!</p>
<p>Does anyone have any tips on piston lunges? Are you legs supposed to stay front? I was doing them and my knees goes towards each other.</p>
<p>Still checking in here. Have been to the gym 5x per week the last 3 weeks. Back on the recumbent and dreadmill. My goal is to stick with the weights at least 2x per week. My knee is ok…swelling a bit but will keep icing. Changed to a larger shoe to accommadate the baby toe I broke months ago that is still quite tender. Overall it is good to be back and see familiar faces at the gym.</p>
<p>Strength and stretching are both areas I need to focus more on. I also want to buy a foam roller for home but I have to say I am confused by the variety available. Any recommendations? </p>
<p>Challenges are fun but I enjoy them more when it’s something to work up to. Some folks, regardless of age, are never going to be able to squat as depicted in the two photos (which one are we supposed to do, anyway?). I need to go back and look for a hops challenge. Or maybe he could suggest one for the geezers? </p>
<p>Hmmm, abasket, while I like the way you think, I don’t think clean eating equates with the clean plate club!</p>
<p>Rollers are typically color coded by density with black the most dense and then blue and white. Some companies may not conform to that convention because of marketing cosmetics so be sure to read the packaging. You want a roller that is at least 30" long. Avoid rollers that have “knobbies” on them kind of like off road 4x4 tires. While great for really digging into soft tissue, they are better suited for experienced users who have heightened masochistic tendencies :).</p>
<p>As for the 4-minute squat… I think it’s okay, but I’d get bored too quickly! We used to do squat holds when I played basketball in high school. But we typically only held that for 30-45 seconds. I think a couple times we went for as long as two minutes. And we’d do a couple sets of them.</p>
<p>Thank you, Michael, that’s exactly what I needed to know! Hops, no rush on the challenge…I’ll be here all year… I seem to recall you and iDad doing something last year around this time but I doubt it’s something I’m capable of. </p>
<p>Today is a run day but given the cold sleet currently falling, it’s going to have to happen at the gym.</p>
<p>Yes, we did. But I can’t remember what it was. I was going to do a kettlebell challenge, but have already fallen off that bandwagon… after day 1 ;)</p>
<p>Just to be clear, I was only kidding about trying to hold the squat with outstretched weight for four minutes. I have turned to jello after 20 seconds, literally dripping sweat.</p>
<p>It was some kind of pushup challenge. Wasn’t it increasing by one each day so it ended up with a set of 31 pushups by the end of the month?</p>
<p>I recall that I did it, every day for 31 days. It did improve my pushup endurance a bunch, but I didn’t like sacrificing recovery from other stuff to an arbitrary challenge like that.</p>
<p>I don’t think exercising 7 days a week is a good plan for me. I start to accumulate soreness and fatigue.</p>
<p>I’m crazy enough to do it. Can’t stop me now. </p>
<p>There’s this challenge to see how many push-ups you can do in 20 seconds and I love ice you push yourself to failure…I’m unsure. I don’t do the challenge because I can barely do any push-ups…</p>
<p>I have this one from Perform Better. It’s their “softest” model. Molded white styrofoam (like the shipping boxes frozen lobster ships in!). 6 inches round, 3 feet long. I would not want to start with anything firmer. If I ever wear this one out from compressing it (which I doubt will ever happen), that would be the time to think about going up to a firmer one. </p>
<p>Working on push ups would be an excellent project, then. Not for big numbers. Not for speed. Just to be able to do a set of 10 or 20 good solid pushups. Fantastic excerise, for the core and upper body.</p>
<p>If you can barely do them, then start with your hands on a raised platform or bench so you are doing them at an angle. Once you can do ten that way, find a lower platform, and so on and so forth until your hands are on the ground. You could even use stairs for this, starting on the third step, then the second, then the first, then the ground.</p>
<p>I don’t think it makes a bit of sense to work on 4 minute squat holds or even crow poses until you’ve mastered a set of 10 good pushups – it’s such a fundamental measure of fitness. Your wrist issues with the yoga poses would go away if you committed to working on pushups for six months…</p>
<p>May go shovel snow here in a bit. Snow plow just went by so the driveway needs shoveled and I’ll have to shovel out my truck because I’m sure the plow piled it up around my truck sitting on the street…</p>
I seem to recall you and iDad doing something last year around this time but I doubt it’s something I’m capable of. </p>