Exercise: What's Your Workout?

[stillshimpy]

Are you taking any rest days, Dima?  I'm just curious :-) 

 

I am, as per usual, rotating workouts constantly.  

 

I added this one to my rotation last week.  I've done it three times thus far.  Oh...holy...crap.  Plank Jacks...in a workout with side-to-side burpees ...among other things. 

 

It's only classified as a level 4 on their website, and level 5 is their most challenging, but I have to say, by the end of this thing I am inventing gods to cuss out.  

 

 

 

I am almost absurdly grateful for their countdown clock on those cardio intervals.  

Edited January 12, 2015 by stillshimpy

[JAYJAY1979]

Here is some.excercisestive found while dealing with a yucky mid west winter.

http://www.chicagonow.com/confessions-coffeeholic/2015/01/creative-ways-exercising-frigid-weather/

[stillshimpy]

You wrote that, JayJay?  It's fun :-)  I completely agree about snow-shoveling, that stuff is hardcore.   

[JAYJAY1979]

Guilty stillshimpy! I'm the king of excuses so I figured I'd try to focus my creativity toward different ways to exercise as opposed to getting out of.exercising lol

[emma675]

My pool heater is finally fixed! After almost a month of not swimming, I jumped back in the pool yesterday (and maybe danced around in it a little bit) and went right back to my usual workout (which was a bit of a mistake--my shoulders are freaking sore today!). I'm actually upgrading to a bigger heater later this week so I can swim in a spa-like temperature; the old heater did okay in the warmer months but it can't keep up a higher temp when it gets down into the 40's.

 

I didn't realize I had missed swimming daily until I couldn't; my new plan is to swim 4 nights a week and do yoga 3 nights a week.

[ALenore]

I've been getting a lot of execise snow shoveling this past week, 2 hours on Tuesday, and another 2 hours yesteday.  It looks like I'll be doing more snow shoveling Monday.   I'm also getting exercise walking through snow, anywhere from 8 inches to over a foot.  I've been able to find calculations for how many calories you burn shoveling snow, but not any for how many calories you burn trudging through snow.  Maybe because it varies so much depending on how deep the snow is, howe heavy, etc . 

[Sweets McGee]

I've been getting a lot of execise snow shoveling this past week, 2 hours on Tuesday, and another 2 hours yesteday.  It looks like I'll be doing more snow shoveling Monday.   I'm also getting exercise walking through snow, anywhere from 8 inches to over a foot.  I've been able to find calculations for how many calories you burn shoveling snow, but not any for how many calories you burn trudging through snow.  Maybe because it varies so much depending on how deep the snow is, howe heavy, etc . 

 

It's also going to depend on your height and weight. My Lose It ap has snow shoveling at 22 calories per 5 minutes, but I'm a petite lady. (I realize now you meant walking through snow and not shoveling -oops)

 

I've been a treadmiller for awhile now - treadmill every day while watching TV. It's been a nice routine but recently my husband added a rowing machine to our home gym and I'm loving that thing. It's quite the full body workout. It's just harder to watch TV while doing it (I find documentaries work well, because I can just listen to it without having to look at the screen a lot). So now I'm alternating days between treadmill and rowing, with Sunday as my full rest day.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Sweets McGee

[editorgrrl]

I've been getting a lot of execise snow shoveling this past week, 2 hours on Tuesday, and another 2 hours yesteday.  It looks like I'll be doing more snow shoveling Monday.   I'm also getting exercise walking through snow, anywhere from 8 inches to over a foot.  I've been able to find calculations for how many calories you burn shoveling snow, but not any for how many calories you burn trudging through snow.  Maybe because it varies so much depending on how deep the snow is, howe heavy, etc . 

 

All calorie burns are estimates, and they vary depending on your sex, age, height & weight, too. It just takes a lot of trial & error to find your "sweet spot" of calories in vs. calories out.

[Qoass]

I would expect that your calorie burn for "trudging through show" would be similar to that for snowshoeing...  I went this weekend and it's amazing how much more taxing it is to blaze a trail than it is to follow a path that's already been stomped down.

[sunshinelover]

Y'all are making me jealous with your snow.  In my neck, winter seems to have gone missing this year.  We had a big rainy storm a couple weeks ago, but other than that it's sunny and into the 70's.  It is nice being able to work out outside, but I do love some winter weather...

[Janet Snakehole]

This seems like a good place for my question.

I am cheap, and only belong to a bare minimum gym with treadmills and weight machines, no classes. I have a lot of Jillian Michaels DVDs that I like, but want to start doing yoga at home too. Does anyone have any good recs? I would prefer something that has a couple of levels on it, and lasts about 30-45 minutes. I know Jillian has one, but it is a bit too focused on strength training for what I am looking for.

Edited April 9, 2015 by Janet Snakehole

[editorgrrl]

I strongly advise you to start with a few IRL yoga classes. Proper form is so important, and a good teacher will come around and (with your permission) adjust your body accordingly. Once you know proper alignment, you can do DVDs, YouTube, On Demand, etc. There's even a couple of yoga classes on PBS.

 

Check your local library, adult education center, etc. for affordable classes. Many yoga studios have a special "community" class for as little as five dollars.

[stillshimpy]

This seems like a good place for my question.

 

I am cheap, and only belong to a bare minimum gym with treadmills and weight machines, no classes. I have a lot of Jillian Michaels DVDs that I like, but want to start doing yoga at home too.

 

There are also free resources on the internet.  Do Yoga with Me is an excellent site.  Melissa McLeod is a good beginner instructor.   That's the one I'd recommend, with or without taking a class beforehand, but be aware you can actually hurt yourself  in some of those poses.  So check your local Y, which will be a good resource also, to see if you can take a beginner's class.  If you just plain-old can't do that , then make sure to watch anything through before attempting it.  Also Do Yoga with Me has a bunch of videos demonstrating the various poses.   

 

Might seem like a waste of time, but it makes a huge difference in how much you'll actually get out of the practice.  

[ALenore]

I finaly got back to doing my Nike workout, after almost 3 months of not doing it . It went great!.  I did do one of the easier workouts, only did 30 minutes, but I felt energized afterwards.   I have kept on walking and/or running  daily for the past 3 months, so I'm not totally out of shape, but I haven't really been working out my muscles much (except when shoveling snow).   I'm going to try to keep this up, doing a Nike workout every other day. 

[Qoass]

Do high intensity workouts really work?  I've got a few of them On Demand that are 19 minutes total.  You move like a maniac for a minute then rest for ten seconds for six sets then stay still for a minute.  Repeat the whole sequence twice more.

 

It certainly makes me pant and sweat but I have trouble "feeling the math" comparing something tough but quick with a brisk 50 minute walk.

[stillshimpy]

They do work, in my experience, Qoass. I do some really long ones actually.  From 30-60 minutes, but it took me kind of a long time to get to that level of being able to do sustained HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and this is just my personal opinion on the matter, but I think HIIT is a bad idea unless you are already pretty confidently in shape and confident that you can maintain good form when fatigued.  

 

Now, qualifier on that:  Chance are good I'm older than you are (I'm almost 48) so I try to keep potential injury recovery in mind for anything I do.  HIIT does have a higher injury possibility, because the entire point is to push to the endurance point.   It does work in terms of achieving fitness goals.  So if you really want to do something like, "I want defined muscles" "I want to increase cardio endurance"  , but in my personal opinion, it is a bad idea if you are trying to lose anything other than a few vanity pounds because maintaining form in those huge exertion bursts is really key.  

 

It's stuff like jump squats and plank jacks (which are every bit as difficult as they freaking sound) and burpees.  The amount of mass you're trying to move in that will absolutely be part of form/fatigue/possible injury.  

 

HIIT is really good for people trying to move from an intermediate fitness level to advanced and it works.  Seriously, I have had great strength and endurance results.  Using it as a weight loss tool is a little fraught with peril though and I'm officially in advanced shape and there's stuff from HIIT that I simply will not do.  Box jumps/squats look like a fabulous way to blow out a knee to me.  

 

We're in the middle of moving houses too, which means I have been working out less than usual for two weeks.  I'm still working out, mind you, but I plan on doing a solid month of rebuilding my fitness level (which really shouldn't be decreasing) before I head back to doing my regularly schedule HIIT stuff.  

 

Again, it's because I'm sort of old for HIIT as it is, but I do have a friend who was doing P90X stuff at my age.  She hurt herself doing it and essentially, she has had to accept that she can't ever go back to doing high intensity training for anything , because she tried for two years to get back to her fitness level following minor foot-surgery and it just became clear it was never going to happen.  

 

So I don't mean to be discouraging, but it always bugs me a little to see people pushing stuff like Shred and HIIT for weight-loss without outlining the kind increased opportunity for a sidelining and possibly permanent injury that stuff represents.  Approach with caution and a trainer .  

Edited April 22, 2015 by stillshimpy

[Qoass]

Thanks, stillshimpy.  Sounds like I'm on the right track-- in pretty good shape, looking to increase my fitness level while keeping my current weight in check.  I have come to the conclusion that high speed lunges are not conducive to my knee safety so forget those but some of the other moves are actually kind of fun.  There's one thing-- don't know what it's called-- in which you keep your hands and feet on the floor while raising your hips up to make kind of a face up table.  Then you're supposed to kick your feet off the ground as fast as you can.  That one's an epic fail for me.

[ALenore]

I've read articles about HIIT and considered trying it, but I guess I'm probably too old for it (I'm 59).   I do do squats, lunges, burpees, and the like (although I've never tried a plank jack), but I do all of them pretty slowly, so as not to injure myself.    I think I do get a pretty good workout, but the only exercise I can to at all fast is running in place.  

[DkNNy79]

I've been doing crossfit for a year.  I go 5x a week and bike on the weekends now that the weather is nicer.  Its really addicting.  I'm usually miserable during the workout, but I feel great afterwards.  My box is having two in house competitions (team and individual) and I signed up for both.

 

I've always been an active person, but that's because I love to eat.  I work out so that I don't have to diet, but I would like to lose 10-15 lbs (the fat that is under my muscle).  If only I could get my diet in check. Le sigh... :(

[Shannon L.]

I'm in the process of changing my workout routine because my back is finally telling me that it's had enough of what I've been doing (it's nothing crucial--just something that happens to most spines after a certain age).  It's frustrating because I was working out in a manner that allowed me to eat enough to not be hungry and still maintain my weight.  I saw the scale go up 2-3 pounds the first week, now I'm hovering  1-2lb over my average weight, so I'm not as worried as I was in the beginning. 

 

I've started doing three, one hour, weight lifting sessions a week (either 24 Hour Fitness Body Pump classes or the machines, depending on when I can get to the gym) and cardio one the treadmill or elliptical 6 days a week when possible, and at least one Zumba class that I now modify so it doesn't hurt.  I know that sounds like a lot, but difference is that over the past 3+ years, I've been hiking up and down the foothills, 6 days a week, for an 1hr and 15 min-1-1/2 hours, one body pump class and two Zumba Fitness (going as hard as I could).  I just can't do that kind of cardio anymore.

 

On the plus side, not only does my back feel better, but I really should have been doing at least 3 hours of weight lifting a week to keep my muscles and bones healthy anyway.  On the negative side, I feel like I'm living at the gym and the treadmill and elliptical are boring!

[alicamolik]

diet diet and diet. Eating is basically the whole thing with gaining mass or cutting fat. PHAT looks really cool for a bb routine and I hear a lot of great results about it never tried it myself tough because I like to have my training frequency not too high. Push Pull Legs worked great for me, and I really enjoyed it too^^ and the stronger you get, the bigger you'll get

[Shannon L.]

Yeah, I know that my diet is important.  I just hate those first two or three weeks of adjusting to lower calories because I feel hungry all the time.  I had my first physical therapy appointment on Friday and am happy with most of what she said:  I can continue my body pump class and only have to modify the workout for my back and stomach exercises-for now, anyway-and the exercises she gave me are challenging enough for me to feel like I've actually worked out.  Now, if we could just make the treadmill a little less boring.....

[editorgrrl]

Yeah, I know that my diet is important.  I just hate those first two or three weeks of adjusting to lower calories because I feel hungry all the time.

 

Now, if we could just make the treadmill a little less boring.....

 

How about playlists you're only allowed to watch/listen to whilst on the dreadmill?

 

And I'm less hungry when I eat more fiber & protein. A 90-calorie cheese stick + a hard-boiled egg keeps me full way longer than a sugary 160-calorie granola bar. YMMV.

[Shannon L.]

 

How about playlists you're only allowed to watch/listen to whilst on the dreadmill?

I've got some and it helps a little.  Reading is the best to pass the time, but at 6 hours a week, that's a lot of books.  It may be time to dust off some old favorites :)

 

I'll try the higher protein and fiber snacks, too.  Thanks for tip! 

[legaleagle53]

How about playlists you're only allowed to watch/listen to whilst on the dreadmill?

 

Ha, I see what you did there!  :-P

[JAYJAY1979]

Oddly...I've found since being unemployed that I've kept to a health program..probably cause I'm not tired, stressed, and have no excuses.

http://www.chicagonow.com/confessions-coffeeholic/2015/06/four-reasons-unemployment-diet/

[Athena]

Oddly...I've found since being unemployed that I've kept to a health program..probably cause I'm not tired, stressed, and have no excuses.

http://www.chicagonow.com/confessions-coffeeholic/2015/06/four-reasons-unemployment-diet/

 

This happened to me too. I was not working one August and spent it running, doing swim lessons, and yoga. I had the time. I felt really good and fit for awhile. I don't train every day, but it does take a lot of time when you have other hobbies or past times. Work takes a lot of one's week.

[stillshimpy]

I live in fear of the soreness to come.  I haven't been able to do my regular workout schedule for close a month...which is the longest I've taken off in years, including when I had surgery.  Also, saying that I've taken it off isn't entirely accurate in that we were moving...long story...but someone approached us wanting to buy our house, it was a good deal, we took it...but it left us scrambling to find another place with a very quick possession date.   So we ended up doing a ton of things ourselves, because everyone was booked.  

 

I painted the entire inside of our new house from ceilings to  base boards ...so about 2200 square feet of floor space...which will tell you how much ceiling I painted and give you a rather frightening idea of how much wall space.  By the time I was down to the baseboards, it was a good thing they were so close to the floor as I was taking any excuse to plonk my butt down.  

 

But still...anyone who works out knows that even if you're doing physically exhausting stuff like moving furniture all over gods and monster's creation, it doesn't do the same stuff as a formal workout.  

 

The only area I noticed "Yup, not as strong..." was in those blasted pushups....which will be so much fun in terms of the "Well...ow."  of it all :-D 

[auntlada]

I'm impressed you're still mobile at all after all that painting, especially ceilings.

[stillshimpy]

I'm impressed you're still mobile at all after all that painting, especially ceilings.

 

Thanks, I've been touching up the walls here and there, because you can definitely see where I started to flag at points.  I used an edger on the top of the walls too, so I wasn't cutting it in solely by hand. 

 

I did have en extension pole on the ceilings, so I was able to be on the ground the entire time, but oh my god, it sucked.  Even my husband -- who had to do touch up runs on the last ceiling I painted ...because I just couldn't even look up any longer -- said "I have no clue how you did this all day."  <--- that was the key part, I did the ceilings in a day, just freaking forcing myself through the last two rooms, because I knew I'd barely be able to lift my arms to blow my nose the next day.  

 

It never did end up hurting on the level I thought it would, but boy, did I ever gain tremendous respect for house painters.  if I had to do that for a living, I'd cry a lot more than I do now.  

 

It also helped that walls so desperately needed to be painted -- it kind of looked like there was a failed military coup in here, beat to hell and with scary stains -- so there was no way on earth to decide "Maybe this isn't too bad...."  .  It was bad.  It had to go. 

 

Then I had to take anti-inflammatories because...ow.  That's the gig today too.  Good news for anyone who ever has to take time off from formal exercise, apparently the abs hold on to fitness level pretty darned well.  I have zero soreness there and I did plank jacks and all kinds of abdominal nonsense yesterday.  Upper body soreness is a different story and every time I think "This is actually pretty damned sore" I remember "Peak soreness hits on the second day"....so if anyone notices me being a surly poster tomorrow, you can probably get me to stop by threatening to tickle me (which is the most agonizing thing when you're sore...tensing up muscles...zowie yowie).  

 

I am living in fear of tomorrow's reintroduction to lower-body, jump squats, etc.  However, I was so nervous about how much that would end up hurting, that I kept randomly doing squats in the last four weeks.  I'd just be walking through the living room, suddenly be overwhelmed by the thought of "How much will I end up hurting when I go back to HIIT?" and do fifteen squats ...in an attempt to keep up my fitness level that I am sure will be entirely in vain

[Pickles Aplenty]

I take Zumba classes and weight train at the gym.  I also go for walks and use the elliptical and treadmill as much as I can, just to keep myself moving.  Sunday is my day of rest. :P  I've been curious about yoga and pilates, as I hear they're great for toning.  Any advice for a beginner?

[editorgrrl]

I've been curious about yoga and pilates, as I hear they're great for toning. Any advice for a beginner?

Start with IRL yoga classes, so the instructor can correct your form. Yoga doesn't burn many calories, but it's bodyweight exercise–so you get stronger. It's also great for flexibility, balance, and stress relief.

[Athena]

I take Zumba classes and weight train at the gym.  I also go for walks and use the elliptical and treadmill as much as I can, just to keep myself moving.  Sunday is my day of rest. :P  I've been curious about yoga and pilates, as I hear they're great for toning.  Any advice for a beginner?

 

I second the recommendation of taking these classes in person. I've tried being a DVD person, but it's not for me and you need the correct form for poses to actually stretch, tone, and work yourself.

 

Yoga can be calorie burning (though probably not as much as standard cardio) if you do certain forms such as Hot Yoga, or Hot Vinyasa. I primarily do a hot yoga which is more fast paced and core strengthening. I would not recommend this for beginners necessarily, but there are more relaxed hot yoga classes as well.

[Brooklynista]

My location at work revamped and they added a new fitness center. It's small, only a handful of treadmills, ellipticals and some circuit training machines. But the amazing thing about the gym is the trainer it comes with.

For $15 a month we get unlimited access and a trainer who offers dozens of boot camp classes a week. This man is amazing! Not only will he whip you into shape in the gym but he has taken to coming upstairs to people's desk and demanding we open our desks and trash our snack drawers. It's quite a challenge to find an emergency candy bar on the floor now for fear he'll come up and bust you with it.

I was cute and together before but now?? I'm really too much for myself now. What's most surprising is how much I look forward to being beat up by him.

I always thought I was Team Bob, but it turns out I'm Team Jillian. Beatings beatings beatings.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Brooklynista

[stillshimpy]

That sounds like fun :-)  Plus, what a nice perk at work. 

 

I'm going to agree on the "take a class" for yoga.  There are just a couple of poses that you really need someone to show you "your hips should be pushing up" or very specific things like that.  After you get them down,  you can absolutely do yoga at home though.  

 

Pilates tends to be better for core strength, less emphasis on flexibility and more likely to make you work up a sweat before  you advance to higher levels.  However, yoga is usually better for all over toning and Pilates -- in the beginner forms -- is really pretty core centric.  Plus, Yoga offers such an increase in flexibility. I used to Pilates, started Yoga at one point...and just don't bother with Pilates any longer.  I'm not doing Yoga as much as I used to and it doesn't offer the same toning benefits of weight training, unless you are already pretty lean :-)  

[JAYJAY1979]

Did a flashback friday workout to jane fonda...feel the burn indeed :)

http://www.chicagonow.com/confessions-coffeeholic/2015/07/flashback-friday-jane-fonda-feel-the-burn/

[stillshimpy]

Check it out: Huffpo did a piece with the 50 best free workout video sources online :-) 

 

If you scroll all the way through, there is something for everyone.  I'm actually really familiar with the top 5, but there were several I'd never even heard of before.  

[topanga]

Check it out: Huffpo did a piece with the 50 best free workout video sources online :-) 

 

If you scroll all the way through, there is something for everyone.  I'm actually really familiar with the top 5, but there were several I'd never even heard of before.  

That's a great list, but I have to work out around other people. Which is weird since I'm loner in every other aspect of my life. 

 

 

I've read articles about HIIT and considered trying it, but I guess I'm probably too old for it (I'm 59).   I do do squats, lunges, burpees, and the like (although I've never tried a plank jack), but I do all of them pretty slowly, so as not to injure myself.    I think I do get a pretty good workout, but the only exercise I can to at all fast is running in place.  

With HIIT, the exercises are supposed to be done at your own pace. Even if you have a perky instructor yelling at you  to move to the pace of the sped-up techo-dance music (or even faster), that's not necessary. If your heart rate is going up during the exercise, then that's as fast as you need to go. The health and weight-loss benefits of HIIT stem from the interval nature of it--do the exercise for a certain amount of time to raise your heart rate, recover to lower your HR slightly, exercise again to raise the HR, etc. 

Edited February 24, 2016 by topanga

[magicdog]

If you would like to get some additional reviews of various workout DVDs may I suggest Dysfunctional Parrot.  Canadian office worker and family man by day, fitness buff by night!  He's reviewed honestly the best known workouts by just trying them out himself.   

[stillshimpy]

That's awesome, thank you for the link.   

 

I'm on a comparatively light workout schedule -- no HIIT until we finish a relocation, I can't risk injury or even extreme soreness when I'm the only person taking care of the dogs -- and so I actually need to try and find something sort of challenging that isn't high impact for the next few months.  

 

So that's like the perfect link for me.  Thank you, magicdog (cool name) 

 

ETA:  Oh he also writes well.  That makes it enjoyable.  I just read his review of bulletproof coffee (also known at the coffee I will never, ever drink, because wow, that's a lot of fat to add to coffee) and I like his style. 

Edited March 10, 2016 by stillshimpy

[RescueMom]

Hey everyone!  I've been MIA on this thread for a while - life got crazy busy and so I started minimally lurking on just 1-2 threads and rarely posting.  It's been fun to read this thread and hear what everyone else has been doing for fitness!

 

I joined a gym last summer with no intention of doing anything but using the treadmill and pool - we mainly joined for my husband, but the discounts are through my work, so I joined by default.  Best thing that could have ever happened to me.  I started working with a trainer and have discovered a ridiculous amount of love for weight training!  If you would have told me a year ago that I would be voluntarily heading over to the "big boy" section of the gym and tossing around free weights, I would have laughed in your face.  Well, I'm down 40 pounds of fat and have managed to build quite a bit of muscle - I still have a way to go to be where I want to be, but I feel (and look) better than I have in years!  I'm a 47-year-old vegan woman, so building muscle is a little harder for me than it would be for, say, a 20-year-old guy - but it hasn't been nearly as hard as I expected.

 

So these days, I do targeted work with weights about 3 days a week, try to do HIIT/crossfit/cycle/row/run/whatever 3 days a week, and take one full rest day each week.  I've also signed up to ride the MS 150 this June, which is a 150-mile bike ride to raise money for MS.  75 miles/day for 2 consecutive days.  So I'm just starting to really ramp up training for that now that it is nice outside.

[Shannon L.]

That's great, RescueMom!  I love my weight lifting class and wish I could fit more into my schedule, but I can't, so I have to lift weights on my own, which is fine, but not as fun and, I must admit, I do cheat myself a little, whereas in the classes, I do what I'm told. 

 

You guys, I'm so bummed.  I don't think I can keep up with my usual workouts.  My back is getting increasingly painful during Zumba classes (although, the core exercises I've been doing helps it on a daily basis with regular activities)  and I have to be very careful with my form during my weightlifting class.  I'm also developing a regular pain in my left foot.  I don't want to slow down, but I fear that that day is coming.  I'm just so scared about putting the weight back on after it took so long to get it off and keep it off!  I'll come to grips with it eventually, I guess. 

 

In the meantime, here's something that I hope will enjoy as much as I did:

 

[stillshimpy]

Ha!! That was cute, Shannon.  Make sure you're doing stretches for your feet, as it's possible plantar's faciitis is at the root of your foot pain.  I'm sorry you're having some issues, but remember, you can likely take spinning if you develop a chronic foot problem.    I hope it heals up soon.  

 

Hey RescueMom, good to see you here :-)  We've been in touch elsewhere, so I have been following along for a while :-D  You are kicking butt and taking no prisoners, Vegan Powerlifting Lady!  Give 'em hell! 

[Shannon L.]

 

Ha!! That was cute, Shannon.  Make sure you're doing stretches for your feet, as it's possible plantar's faciitis is at the root of your foot pain.  I'm sorry you're having some issues, but remember, you can likely take spinning if you develop a chronic foot problem.    I hope it heals up soon.

Glad you liked it!  And thanks for the suggestion.  I'm going to start getting to the gym early enough to stretch before classes as well as after.  It also just occurred to me that I stopped taking turmeric a couple of months ago when I ran out.  It was expensive for me at first, then I just forgot about it.  That could have something to do with it, so I just got more, so we'll see if that helps.

[RescueMom]

You guys, I'm so bummed.  I don't think I can keep up with my usual workouts.  My back is getting increasingly painful during Zumba classes (although, the core exercises I've been doing helps it on a daily basis with regular activities)  and I have to be very careful with my form during my weightlifting class.  I'm also developing a regular pain in my left foot.  I don't want to slow down, but I fear that that day is coming.  I'm just so scared about putting the weight back on after it took so long to get it off and keep it off!  I'll come to grips with it eventually, I guess. 

 

I would be super bummed as well.  I'm 47 and discovering that even if I pretend I can still go like I'm 21, my body is older and managing injuries and limitations is just part of the deal.  I mean, it is for everyone, but it becomes a much greater factor as we age. 

 

So I've done my best to get into the mindset of figuring out what I can do and focusing on that.  I have a shoulder injury that can't be fixed; I've had to drop bench presses and push-ups from my repertoire, and have found a few other things I simply can't do because it will cause the joint to degenerate more quickly.  A while ago I thought I might have to stop lifting heavy completely due to a different issue and I was really upset because heavy lifting is my absolutely favorite thing to do right now.  I still have one specialist to see to confirm I'm OK to keep going, and I'm overly worrying about it because it would be so depressing if I do have to give up heavy lifting - but if that is the case, my plan is to give myself a day to have a pity party and then figure out what I can do.

 

Do you have access to a rowing machine?  I'm not sure what your back allows and what it doesn't, but that is one of my favorite things at the gym - it gives both cardio and full-body strength benefits.  Swimming is also one of those things that almost anyone can do and it burns tons of calories.  And I love-love-love bike riding!  Hopefully you'll find a way to keep doing the stuff you love to do, but if not, there are so many different fitness options out there. 

 

I'm not sure if you've ever worked with a PT or a trainer, but it might be worth spending some time with someone good (good is important) - it is possible that a professional would be able to help you get stronger in ways that would allow you to keep doing what you love doing without injuring yourself. 

 

Good luck!!!

[Shannon L.]

 

So I've done my best to get into the mindset of figuring out what I can do and focusing on that.

I'm working on doing that right now.  I was able to work up a pretty good sweat at Zumba today in spite of having to modify a number of moves.  I still have some of the same aches and pains, but they aren't as bad as they have been.

 

 

Do you have access to a rowing machine?  I'm not sure what your back allows and what it doesn't, but that is one of my favorite things at the gym - it gives both cardio and full-body strength benefits.  Swimming is also one of those things that almost anyone can do and it burns tons of calories.  And I love-love-love bike riding!

My gym doesn't have a rowing machine and I hate water (not afraid of it--I know how to swim--I'm just not a big fan of it).  Biking I could get into, but, in spite of the fact that my 45 minute (almost daily) walk includes quite a few steep hills, bikes kill me!  I can barely make it to the end of the block.  It's a whole different set of muscles being used and I don't know that I have the patience to work on it.

 

 

I'm not sure if you've ever worked with a PT or a trainer, but it might be worth spending some time with someone good (good is important) - it is possible that a professional would be able to help you get stronger in ways that would allow you to keep doing what you love doing without injuring yourself.

 

I've worked with a PT back when I first hurt my back and she helped a lot.  The core exercises she gave me have helped quite a bit.  She also watched me do my moves for the weight lifting class, told me what not to do and approved of some other moves because I was able to keep proper form. 

 

Thanks for the advice!

[DkNNy79]

Do you have access to a rowing machine?  I'm not sure what your back allows and what it doesn't, but that is one of my favorite things at the gym - it gives both cardio and full-body strength benefits.  Swimming is also one of those things that almost anyone can do and it burns tons of calories.  And I love-love-love bike riding!  Hopefully you'll find a way to keep doing the stuff you love to do, but if not, there are so many different fitness options out there. 

I hate rowing with the passion of a thousand suns!!! Its so painful to me.  My coach yelled at me yesterday for skipping our rowing workout.

 

4 rounds of:

Row 1k

Rest 4 minutes

 

I'm sorry, but does that sound enjoyable to anyone?  Ugh!! 

[RescueMom]

I hate rowing with the passion of a thousand suns!!! Its so painful to me. My coach yelled at me yesterday for skipping our rowing workout.

4 rounds of:

Row 1k

Rest 4 minutes

I'm sorry, but does that sound enjoyable to anyone? Ugh!!

It does to me, but then again I voluntarily rowed a little over 5K meters today, so we clearly feel differently about it! :)

[DkNNy79]

My body is just not built for rowing. It's not for short people.

It humbles me that other folks that are not as strong as me (barbell wise) kick my ass in rowing.

[Shannon L.]

 

It humbles me that other folks that are not as strong as me (barbell wise) kick my ass in rowing.

I've never tried a rowing machine, but for me, it's bike riding!  I can do fairly heavy weights for squatting and I walk up and down some pretty steep hills 5-7 days a week, but I can barely make it around the block on a bike!