<p>^Thanks. It took long enough!</p>
<p>Yesterday was my “core” day. Tomorrow will be my “lift heavy things over my head” day.</p>
<p>That was annoying – wrote a post, then got a “your token has expired” message when I attempted to post it just a couple minutes later – and the message is gone.</p>
<p>Anyway, I used a 50 lb. dumbbell yesterday with a squat variant, which is the first time in my life I’ve ever lifted a dumbbell of that size. It was heavy, but doable. (Not entirely sure why a 50lb. kid seems easier to lift?) Later in the session the trainer had me do one-legged bridges with the non-weight bearing leg crossed over the working leg, and I found them surprisingly easy. Three months ago I could barely get my butt off the ground in a two-legged bridge, but all the work we’ve done seems to be paying off. I’ve noticed that my walking has become faster and more powerful – especially on hills – because I can feel that I’m using my glutes – and even with all the walking I used to do I don’t remember ever being much aware of them. Coming downhill, I notice that I’m a lot more stable, and I think that has to do with all the ab and hip work. Slipped on a loose pebble coming down a hill, and had no problems recovering and just continuing the stride. I might not have fallen previously, but I would likely have jerked a whole lot more to try and stay on my feet. Nice.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, it has been hot as blazes here, so my outdoor time is limited at the moment – supposedly it will start to cool back down this weekend. Amen to that.</p>
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<p>I know exactly what you are saying. I’ve started to really feel my butt and glutes working when I walk, too. I notice it when I’m walking uphill, feeling the glutes drive the walking up the hill. I think I’m more stable walking downhill, too – but, I’m hesitant to jinx myself and do another faceplant next time out!</p>
<p>Warm Up
1 lap 270 m
15 push ups (did 10 real ones on my toes, just a few weeks ago I was stuck at 5)
20 air squats</p>
<p>Work Out</p>
<p>Power Snatch 55 lb.
1 in 1 minute
2 in 1 minute
3 in 1 minute</p>
<p>until 9, no rest</p>
<p>10 front squats (55 lb.)
10 push presses (55 lb.)
15 push ups</p>
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<p>Love this description. I always am forgetting the names of the various exercises and end up using this kind of terminology as well.</p>
<p>Isn’t that the correct terminology? </p>
<p>Seriously: I hold the weight over my head, lean to the side so I’m stretching my obliques while my chest is facing front. Then I turn so my chest is facing the floor, swoop forward with the weight in front of my head until I’m facing the opposite side; then I use my obliques to lift my upper body up. Repeat 10 times; start on the other side and repeat 10 times. </p>
<p>Seriously, “turny-things.” That’s what they are. ;)</p>
<p>Yep. Those sound like turny-things to me!</p>
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<p>I just finished a very hot, very hard workout. Some routine as Monday. iPod nazi kicked my butt, but today I at least managed to do all the exercises… some better than others, but just doing these is pretty satisfying. No breathers in this core workout. The sideplanks are brutal. Top leg in the plank position. Bottom leg off the ground the whole time, knee bent, driving it up towards the chest and back. 30 seconds of that on each side and I’m ready to throw in the towel.</p>
<p>Taking a day off after doing a double tennis workout. I brought my stuff in but bad timing at work on eating and work made it hard to get in a run and my body didn’t fell like a run. Will just take it easy and rest.</p>
<p>Is it okay if I just walk on the treadmill at about 4 mph for 30 or 40 minutes plus do about 10 minutes of random arm lifts on the hoist down in our basement – at least 5 days a week? I’m 52 and slim and my numbers are all quite good. </p>
<p>You guys are intimidating me a bit with the marathons and and super duper workouts. Isn’t it okay to be just moderate with exercise? </p>
<p>I’m not that motivated to take it to the next level.</p>
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<p>sewhappy, that is simply stellar! Keep on doing this. I’d call your exercise plan a balanced weight/cardio mantenance routine. A similar routine (except jogging 4 times a week for 2-3 miles instead of walking) helped me to bring my weight down. There is absolutely no need to train like a marathoner if you do not plan on running a marathon. Please do not feel intimidated! The DEHWST “fitness club” is open 24/7 and welcomes everyone!</p>
<p>Thanks, Bunsen. I want to play with you guys but some of you are really amazing. I honestly can’t imagine running a marathon. It makes my feet hurt just to visualize it.</p>
<p>Am thinking of taking up swimming again, though. Used to swim a mile a day back in grad school and there’s a nice Y near our house.</p>
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<p>Okay? Heck, it’s fantastic. And, it would be fantastic if you did that just three days a week. That would more more than 90% of 50 year old Americans do! The fact that you are doing some resistance training probably moves you up to the top 1%. </p>
<p>I don’t think I’ll be training for any marathons in the near future. I’m in awe of the runners just like you. I can jog for 2 minutes and not another step. When I do it, people nearby look at me like I’m about to keel over. I’ve spent the last year walking at 4 mph for 30 to 40 minutes. It’s great exercise.</p>
<p>The little home gym dumbbell and stabilty ball workouts I do (3 times a week) are really good general fitness workouts (especially for an ol’ formerly fat guy), but I’m hardly very advanced in either my strength or conditioning. I just keep chipping away at it.</p>
<p>I will never run! Just don’t have it in me. Love the recumbent bike though!</p>
<p>Tonight I did the water walk around the lazy river again. Nice workout for an hour in cool water while it is so stinkin’ hot!</p>
<p>I finally got to swing kettle bells today! Struggled with the motion on the clean. Overall it was fun and really got my heart rate up quickly. I didn’t believe him when he told me I was deadlifting a 70 lb weight. I made another appointment to work with the kb guy one more time when I get back from vacation.</p>
<p>^^^They’re lots of fun. Plenty of things to learn and always something new!</p>
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<p>I have said both those things almost verbatim and the next thing I knew I was running a marathon in the snow.</p>
<p>Not recommending, just saying - never say never.</p>
<p>I know I will take this back at the next workout, but I really kind of like the kettle bells, too, Chintzy. Keep us posted on what you do in the lessons with your trainer. I am interested.</p>
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<p>LOL. I’m really starting to like combining kettlebells and TRX stuff. Really great stuff!</p>
<p>A terrific video teaching the kettlebell clean:</p>
<p>[Troubleshooting</a> the KB Clean - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>Using the hips to power the weight up makes perfect sense. Driving the hips is what powers the barbell in all of the Olympic lifts. I can’t wait to try this with dumbbell cleans.</p>
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<p>On running a marathon, I am quite confident that I can say never. I just don’t think distance running is the best exercise choice for an ol’ (formerly) fat guy. Poor risk/reward ratio. Very high injury potential and not the optimum overall fitness/conditioning payoff for the effort invested.</p>