<p>Back to the basement for me. Second time around with one of my new workouts.</p>
<p>Did the DB snatch with a 35 lb dumbbell. I think it was a first for me at that weight. I managed to do them, but 6 on each side was plenty!</p>
<p>Chin ups were just so-so. I’ve got to whip those into shape after not doing them for a while. Third set was the best, so at least I was getting going. 4 reps per set was all I could manage.</p>
<p>Did the rear foot elevated split squats with my foot in the jungle gym straps. 2 x 30 lb DBs. That is a hard exercise.</p>
<p>Kettlebell swings with the 50 lb’er were great.</p>
<p>Alternating bench press with 2 x 40 lb DBs were really good. I’ve seen some nice gains with DB bench press.</p>
<hr>
<p>Raw oysters for an appetizer. Now off to toss some chowder fish in a batch of Jacques and Julia’s Mediterranean Seafood Stew from the freezer…</p>
<p>abasket- I’ve bagged a bunch of races. Don’t feel guilty if you make that decision! No point in being miserable.</p>
<p>Blankmind- glad you had a better day. It’s when I string together a week (or weeks) of bad runs that I start to worry.</p>
<p>iDad- awesome workout as usual. You really have done an amazing job on all fronts- diet, exercise, education.</p>
<p>Did a “mind clearing” 1.5 miles after work. A little plug here for the women’s Brooks Pure Project shorts. They are fairly brief, but SO comfortable. Probably the best shorts Brooks has come out with. My young, fast friend talked me into trying them, and I’m glad I did. BUNSEN- you might want to check them out. It was SO windy that I almost blew over. Hope it dies down by the am. NO race (thankfully), but want to do about 8 slow miles.</p>
<p>Work has been really busy- in a good way- but tiring. Lots going on and I have some travel coming up. If I can’t settle a case over the weekend, I have to drive 5 hours to Indy for a mediation Mon-Tuesday. I’ve already scoped out where to run.</p>
<p>Thanks, MOWC. I remember vividly the day I drove up to the KMART near my house and bought a pair of 8 lb DBs to go along with the 5 lb DBs my wife had. I could barely carry them. I’m definitely the tortoise when it comes to strength, but I’ve kept at it for four years now, a little bit here a little bit there. I’m probably at or near the point where age will bring further gains to a screeching halt. Plus, in a several cases, there’s just no reason to try to lift more. For example, doing hex bar deadlifts with 160 pounds (my body weight) is enough for a 60 year old guy. There’s no point putting my back at risk. </p>
<p>Thanks for the support . i will see what tomorrow brings and make my call late or early Sunday morning. I DO NOT want to go fearful or feeling really apprehensive. I dont need it perfect but I do want it fun!!! It could really be miserable with the combo of cold, wind, ice and who knows what else. When I picked up the race packet they told me that part of the race is on the campground trail of this state park which may also be snow covered!!!</p>
<p>Earlier this week, my doctor weighed me. She had to take a double take and weigh me again. She shrieked, “What’s your weight? No…you don’t look it at all!” I beamed. Goes to show weight is nothin’ but a number and it’s how you look and feel rather than what the scale says. I’ve always had a natural muscular build, but it’s comforting now to know that the results I’m seeing are from me doing more and not just what I was “born” with. </p>
<p>I told myself I was going to switch up my workout plan after I got back from Spring Break. Did one day of CrossFit and slept through all the other days! School and going out has just pooped me out! When I get back on campus I’m going to focus on strength and cardio…a little more endurance focused for my international hiking trip. Don’t want to be winded on the trail when there are glorious sights to see! Altitude is my largest concern. Hope all will go well… :-SS </p>
<p>I stopped going to my group fitness classes and use a personal trainer. I enjoy one-on-one’s more given that I have more specific goals rather than “just a workout”. When I don’t use my personal trainer, I enjoy the moment of solitude it gives me.</p>
<p>Short Term Goal: Increase endurance for international hiking trip.
Long Term Goal: Get fit to buffer a fun summer! ;)</p>
<p>I’ve read here on CC how some people’s daughter’s have put on weight from drinking…That is my fear. </p>
<p>BTW, when I was posting a link to a DB snatch video, I came across a terrific video of my favorite warmup exercise. This one feels so good. It’s the stretch/movement warmup that hits the exact movement you need to turn around and look behind you when backing the car down the driveway. I don’t know about the rest of you “middle age” folk, but I found a few years ago that my head no longer turned that much! This exercise improves that…</p>
<p>The only change I would make is rocking the hips back so the butt is closer to the heels (if comfortable). That locks the lower spine out of the exercise even more – this one is supposed to hit the mobility of the upper spine. Follow the elbow with your eyes.</p>
<p>I do six of these on each side in every warmup. I like fewer reps so I don’t rush Nice and slow, really working on maximum rotation. I’ve been doing these two or three times a week for nearly a year now. Simple little exercises that pay huge dividends</p>
<hr>
<p>I don’t know who the trainer in the videos is (St. Catharine’s College in Kentucky), but she has a terrific library of exercises. Worth bookmarking. Looks like a follower of Mike Boyles…</p>
<p>MOfWC - I will definitely check those out. The “briefnes” issue can be solved by wearing them over cat tights when it is cold (when the weather is hot, no one gives a runner’s rear end about what everyone else on the trail is wearing). A lady can never have too many running shorts, even if she owns every style of Lulu shorts in every color imaginable. :D</p>
<p>Spent a good chunk of the morning snorkeling - chasing after a giant turtle. My dinner plans for tonight: a short run and a chunk of Hula pie. ;)</p>
<p>Those should be awesome. Black Diamond makes very good stuff across the board. Definitely one of the two top brands of trekking poles (LEKI being the other).</p>
<p>I have Black Diamond Trail Ergo trekking poles:</p>
<p>I needed adjustable length to accommodate the steep uphills and steep downhills I do. I haven’t killed them yet… and lord knows I’ve tried. Wedging them in rocks. Tripping over them. Banging them against rocks. Haven’t even bent one.</p>
<p>One of the nice things about Black Diamond is that parts are widely available. The tips are easy to replace if they get worn down. You can get small baskets for summer hiking and snow baskets for snow shoeing or skiiing.</p>
<p>Jym - I have BD hiking poles, not as fancy as the one pictured, but I’ve been very happy with them. I have not used them for skiing since I got ski poles that came bundled with my xc skis. </p>
<p>I’m not sure where you are going hiking, but if it’s in the mountains, the two exercises I would do:</p>
<p>a) Put the treadmill on a 15 degree incline and practice walking at whatever pace you need to to keep your heart rate at 80% of max or below and a pace that keeps your legs from burning. Learning that pace and acclimating to it has really helped me, I just wish that pace could be a little bit faster!</p>
<p>b) DB step ups. Step ups to a high box or weight bench with DBs in your hands. Sets of 10 on one leg, then 10 on the other. Push to go as heavy as you can. This exercise perfectly duplicates scrambling up a steep rocky bit with a backpack on your back.</p>
<p>Yes, I’m hiking in the Andes Mountains. I’ll definitely try those! </p>
<p>For the trip, I’m unsure what shoes I should wear. I know I’m not a serious hiker so I don’t want to get legit hiking shoes, but I don’t want to wear my exercise shoes. I’m planning on being covered up head to toe and don’t want exposed ankles. (Being tasted by exotic bugs are not my forte! ) </p>
<p>The fashion these days is ultralight trail running shoes for hiking. I started hiking in those and my feet and ankles were taking a beating banging against rocks. I’d come home with my ankles black and blue and came close to breaking a toe a couple of times stubbing my toe into a rock or a root. I would need to be much more graceful to get away with those shoes.</p>
<p>I hike in fairly lightweight classic mid-height leather hiking boots:</p>
<p>Made in Europe by an Italian boot company. No break-in at all. Wore 'em around the house for a few hours and took off hiking. Never had a blister. Comfortable from day one. I wear 'em with shorts in the summer, long pants snow shoeing. Bean sells them in narrow, regular, and wide widths so you can get a good fit. And, they have Bean’s lifetime money back guarantee.</p>
<p>If you want something a little lighter. Something like the Keen or Merrill mid-height or low-cut hikers are really popular among hikers in New Hampshire:</p>
<p>These are built like a running shoe, but with heavier materials so they can handle rocks and dirt and stuff. This would be great choice for a trip like you are planning because they would do double duty sightseeing in town.</p>
<hr>
<p>Word of advice: Err on the side to TOO BIG, not TOO SMALL. Hiking boots where you are banging your toes into the front of the boot walking downhill will cause agony (and your toenails to fall off). Plus, you want room for cushy hiking socks (or better yet, a thin liner sock under cushy hiking socks). If in doubt, size up. I ordered two pair of the Bean boots and wore them around the house. The pair that felt the best for the first hour ended up starting to feel a little tight after an hour or so, so I went with the pair that felt a little too big at first. I think that’s a big reason I’ve never at any pain or blisters.</p>
<p>The other thing I would strongly recommend is finding yourself a steep hill and practicing the “rest step”. You fully extent and lock out the leg with each step, so you are are resting on the bones and unloading the muscles for a split second while you swing the back leg forward. Looks like the wedding march:</p>
<p>It can be done with a barely perceptible pause with each step or, if it’s really steep, a pause long enough for deep breath or two deep breathes or three deep breathes between steps. Unweighting the leg muscles like this with each step will keep your legs from “burning”, which in turn will keep your heart rate from soaring.</p>
<p>Takes a little practice, but it’s a very helpful trick when hiking uphill. Well worth finding a hill and getting the knack of it.</p>
<p>Niquii - make sure that you find a sturdy, comfy pair of hiking shoes AND break them in before your hike. Even with the broken in shoes, band aids and antibiotic ointment are must haves in your backpack. </p>
<p>Don’t recall if you were reading this thread last spring, but my trail was lousy with Mosquitos. On iDad’s advice, I treated all my hiking clothing with permethrin and it made a huge difference. I also found a netted hat helpful. I’ll go try to find the links for ya in sec :)</p>
<p>Idad, those videos make me lonesome for a trail breaker </p>
<p>And those keens are nice. I’m still in the process of killing my Merrill’s on the hill, but they’re next up for me. They feel quite light despite the sturdy design. Mind you, “light” is relative when you’re talking about hikers :)</p>
<p>Thanks for the reassurance, everyone. I feel much better. I tried to do a reasonable amount of research before buying them. THey are a b’day present for DS’s girlfriend… I’d seen some collapsable poles when I was overseas, made by Komperdell, and almost bought them, but did not. I’d looked at Leki’s and REI brand ones as well.</p>
<p>THey arrived at her place about 10 days ago, but she is waiting til her birthday to open them! She has better patience than I. And, she will be getting another present that day that will trump the poles…</p>
) </p>
</p>