All the weights sound heavy to me, and a little intimidating.
I guess with exercise and wellness it’s like many other things, finding the right for the individual. I related what I was reading about to track and field because I’m a little more familiar with that due to my daughter having competed in track & field and cross country. I was impressed with how the coaches matched kids up with events that made the most of their strengths. They certainly found a good fit for my daughter.
I suppose shot put, discus, and javelin each require something a little different. I observe them and think, ah, must take some strong arms and upper body strength, but as CJane pointed out in a recent post, done well an upper body intensive activity may definitely also be making the most of using a lot of other muscles.* This is part of where I think it can be easy to miss something when it comes to fitness – balancing development of strength and flexibility in various muscle groups. I don’t know much about what to look out for in that regard. I would think that’s pretty common.
<ul>
<li>hope I didn’t get this totally wrong or butcher it in paraphrasing, CJane</li>
</ul>
<p>I started out two years ago with pink 3lb dumbbells and red 5lb dumbbells that my wife had. I never used the 3 lb DBs very much because that was pretty light even for an ol’ fat guy. But, the 5 lbs were my mainstay in the early going.</p>
<p>It was a big day when I was in KMART and bought the really heavy 8 lb dumbbells that I could barely carry out to the car. :)</p>
<p>I feel intimidated at the YMCA where you have real bodybuilders with 200+ pounds on barbells. Sometimes way over 200 pounds. That doesn’t happen at the office - we’re a bunch of geeks and I think that I’m way above average in this population on weights - and it doesn’t take much. There are a lot of geeks that don’t work out - they may be really skinny but that doesn’t make them fit.</p>
<p>Basically use whatever you are comfortable with and whatever is handy or affordable. My wife used to use soup cans.</p>
<p>Here is what you need to understand- no one cares how much you lift. At least no one over 17. I have worked out since I am 14 years old and at one time was extremely strong but never as strong as my brother or some of my friends. No one cared then and no one cares now. Go to the gym meet people have fun.
Some of the strongest people are helpful and some are jerks. Some know what they are talking about and some are lucky they do not hurt themselves with the things they do incorrectly.
Do what Idad does- do the exercises with proper form and work into your progress. You have plenty of time to increase both strength, speed, distance and flexibility. You will be amazed how far you progress. Do not be afraid to push yourself but do not be careless about it. If an exercise hurts do not do that exercise. There is a substitute for every exercise.
Understand that at a certain point diet defeats every exercise program. I work out hard but I can not out exercise my poor diet.</p>
@Snowflake-- thanks for the update. I will toss out the ketostix then, since they are clearly expired and worthless.
interesting, albeit highly technical stuff on the kbs, idad. Thanks. Some of the sample sizes are so small in the articles it’s hard to extrapolate to one’s own individual situation. Thought the interview was interesting, referencing not pulling in the abdominals on heavy weight bearing exercises, rather pushing out. That is the first time I heard that.
today’s workout
Dynamic stretches
2 rounds 2 minutes as many as possible
Burpees
lateral bench jumps
4 rounds 60 sec. on/ 60 seconds off
heavy rope undulations (all about the hip snap)
hanging knee to elbows
OH wall sit
one armed, elevated push ups
One thing to keep in mind is that, when you first start resistance strength training, the gains are extremely rapid. If you started from scratch today and worked at it three times a week for the next year, you would be lifting weights that are inconceivable to you today.
After the first year or two, the progress slows way down. That’s OK, too. If I never added a pound to any of my exercises from where I am today, I would be happy with that. To me, it’s never been about the number on the dumbbell, but about making sure that the exercises continue to be beneficial and progressively challenging.
Heck, the hardest exercise I’m doing right now (the single leg squat) is done with no weight at all.
<p>I’m pretty happy with what I’ve been doing this spring so far and excited about the couch to 5K. Thanks for the great tips. I’ll be lurking here, reading along. :-)</p>
<p>I feel that machines are safer than free weights and that is the reason I am going to gym. I do not want to get hurt. I do not care who is doing what around me, 500 lbs or whatever. I jusr remove their huge weights, put my 25 lbs and go on with my set. Yes, some people are very bulging, good for them, it never been my goal. I am happy with maintaining my height, good enough to postpone osteoporosis…just enjoying one day at a time. Yesterday got caught in a rain rollerblading, hopefully it will be better experience today. Have fun, do not push too hard…but 10 miles is a must…just kidding…</p>
<p>I use some machines but I am a big proponent of dumb bells. Free weights gives the extra requirement of control and balance which you do not get with a machine. I also believe it is easier to “cheat” with machines since momentum is more in play.</p>
<p>An Internet weight-loss sensation that involves a new, high-intensity form of yoga has led a once-obese man to drop a 100 pounds.</p>
<p>Arthur Boorman, 47, has managed to lose the weight using DDP, or Diamond Dallas Page, which is a pumped-up form of yoga that forgoes all of the gongs and serenity typically associated with the Hindu physical and spiritual discipline.</p>
<p>“It’s a different kind of yoga. We make a joke: ‘It ain’t your momma’s yoga,’” Boorman said. </p>
<p>I use machines, free weights and in-between (I’d consider the Smith Machine to be in-between). The machines allow you to do isolation exercises and also allow you to do exercises that you otherwise couldn’t do because of injuries.</p>
<p>I use 3 lbs weights in my shoulder/arm routine.</p>
<p>I went to an exercise class at the senior center that I hadn’t been to in a while because I was doing PT and Zumba instead. There is a small segment using dumbbells in this class and I noticed the teacher has upped her weights to 4 lbs. (up from 3.) The pressure is on. ;)</p>
<p>Yeah. All the stuff with the arms extended, like lateral raises, requires very light weights. </p>
<p>I haven’t done them in a long time, but the last time iPod nazi had me doing lunge walks with lateral raises, I was kicking myself for giving away my 5lb and 8lb DBs, because the 10 lbs were killing me! I finally realized that I can just use a 5-lb weight plate.</p>
<p>So far okay with the food intake today
Decent workout 1.5 miles-15 minutes
planks- regular side and leg on a ball about 5 minutes worth total
lat pulls/corner rows 8 sets between the two
3 sets of steps to a 15 inch bench/ leg curls another 3 sets
lateral raise with db and front raises with various weighted barbells total 6 sets
curl machine and barbell curls 6 sets</p>
<p>Yep. Particularly for geezer fitness, DBs are the way to go. Much more core and stability benefit compared to machines. I mean, most of us get this way because we spend too much time sitting. So, does it really make any sense to sit on a machine for exercise? Better to stand up and force the hips and core to stabilize.</p>
<p>Plus, DBs are generally safer than barbells. Easier to drop on the floor if you get in trouble. More training effect with lighter weights, etc.</p>
<p>The only big mistake I’ve made outfitting my home workout stuff is that, if I had known I would end up lifting 60 pound DBs, I would have bit the bullet and bought a set of adjustable DBs:</p>
<p>At the time, they seemed ridiculously expensive, but I’ve ended up spending more than that buying gray hex prison dumbbells from Walmart. And, my assortment of weights takes up a heck of lot more room than a pair of these would.</p>
<p>WalMart sells a version that goes from 5 to 25 pounds in 2.5 pound increments. That would be a great choice for most women our age. $58 each or $116 for a pair. Buying the assortment of prison DBs from 5 to 25 pounds in five lb increments would cost $150 for two of each and take up a ton of room.</p>
<p>idad, I own the powerblock, along with a bunch of other stuff, which I cannot bring myself to use in my own home. I proceed to drive to a gym, where a buff guy has to tell me to use them…which I then do.</p>
<p>I am so impressed with all of you who can motivate yourselves to work out on your own.
I can run on my own, but that’s about it.</p>