It definitely helps. I know some who just force themselves to do something because they recognize they have to but that is really hard.
I enjoy variety. I am more focused on endurance than strength training (cycling, running, a rowing machine and an elliptical in the basement), but for strength have a set of rings in the yard to do pull ups and dips, and dumbbells of various weights. I have a balance ball that I use both for body weight exercises designed for balance ball and as my bench for presses. I have a balance disc that I do a variety of exercises while standing on, and I have a 10 pound steel mace that I do a variety of exercises with, including on the balance disc. I had been rucking up and down stairs with a weighted pack as well training for a hike but the hike is done and likely will phase that out.
For me that’s play.
The key I believe is stressing the system, enough but not too much, and allowing recovery. And gradual progression. Weights are a straightforward tool to use but so are many other approaches. Body weight progressions that include skill building are also great and fun challenges for some.
For me: CrossFit. I’d been doing some form of it since 2008, but only went “brand name” in 2016. I know it gets a “cult” label, and is stereotyped as a bunch of acrobatic meatheads, but of the seven or eight “boxes” I’ve visited around the country (besides the one in my hometown), its a wide variety of ages and abilities in each class.
But between a cool, fun group of friends to work out with, I really cleaned up the nutrition–thanks to the lack of travel due to COVID. Since '20, I’ve dropped and kept off 25 lbs. I’m in better shape now than I was on active duty.
Yeah, I get it. . . I sound like a shill. Not my intent, i just found some structured, consistent plans that works for me.
I used to be a semi-serious runner, but I have a lot of miles on my leg joints at this point. I’ve been running regularly for around 45 years now, and now “regularly” is 4-5 miles three times a week. We just got a dog, so I’ve been walking him around an hour every morning. It’s not very fast walking due to his sniffing. I also work out with light dumbbells, moving veeeerrrrryyyy slowly. I read about this somewhere, and it’s worked very well. My arms are more ripped than when I did pushups. I’ve also limited my beer consumption to a couple per month, which probably has a lot to do with me dropping 10 pounds in the last 6 months.
Man, was this almost a year ago? Here’s the list below. I’m finally doing the first nine, because both knees are suddenly giving me grief and I’m taking a break from walking.
Slow sit-stand (chair squat)
Countertop press-up
Bent-over row (kettlebell)
Reverse lunge
Standing row pull (with bands)
Farmer’s carry
Glute bridge
Heel toe & raise
Dead bug
Low-impact cardio
Limited equipment, slow working of muscles basically.
That’ll be some exercise. Honestly, it’s very hard to describe any set exercise in plain English. You usually get a page with several pictures just to describe one exercise. And a lot of them have standard names. So it makes sense to refer to them that way.
(I don’t know what “dead bug” means, either. I’m guessing it’s done on the back, though.)
One of the best (and safest) core exercises for older adults is the dead bug exercise. To do the dead bug, you lie on your back on a flat surface (the ground or your bed) and engage all your abdominal muscles as you move your limbs up and down to imitate a dying insect.
I’m 58. The main way I keep my body “in tone” is to not overeat, and eat nutritious foods (fresh vegetables, lean protein). I also run 5K two or three times a week.
In my heart of hearts, I’m a lazy person. If left to my own devices, I’d sit on my ass all day long, either reading, watching TV, or sitting in front of a computer. Fortunately for me, life has had other plans for me. I’ve been practicing judo for a long time (in about a week, it’ll be 55 years). In that time I’ve worked out at least twice weekly, and sometimes four times per week regularly. These days, I’m the head instructor, and I lead warm-ups and drills, so I have little choice but to get some exercise. I don’t spend nearly as much time as I used to slamming people or getting slammed: My body would remind me how old it is if I did. Still, I’m doing a lot of push-ups and sit ups and squats. I also get a lot of movement when I have to demonstrate or teach specific techniques. I don’t dare turn these tasks over to younger and fitter assistant instructors, though, because then I’d spend most of the workout time just wandering around with my hands on my hips or arms crossed, dispensing advice and criticism but not actually breaking a sweat, and I know that would lead me to getting fatter than I already am. What I don’t do enough of, though, is stretch. My muscles and joints are far less flexible than they should be.
