Ow Ow Ow...

Inspired by the Fundy's book I recieved in late January (and poured over throughout Feb) I determined to integrate a commitment to fitness with my re-commitment to diving.

background:

* 42 YO - will be 43 in Nov (being over 40 freaks me out enough...I am not aging gracefully...)

* 5'8 medium build. Stocky, really. Short legs, long torso, muscular shoulders, back and legs. Soft in the middle, now.

* 3 sport letterman in HS - a long damn time ago, now!

* Drummer - schlepping gear, very physical in my approach to playing (think Tommy Aldredge as opposed to Bun E. Carlos...)

I've never been in what I would consider terrible shape. Always active - fishing, playing, etc, etc. Judging myself against my contemporaries (my first problem) I've always felt comparably fit.

Then I hit 40. And gravity took over. I went up to about 203 (Body Fat % = 32) in summer of 2001. I said ENOUGH - and through better diet I dropped down to 174 (Body Fat % = 21). I creeped up to about 180 through the holidays, and am now back to about 176 (Body Fat % = 19.5). I've basically lost all I'm going to lose and shaped up as much as I can through eating better. Its time for a plan. Its time to (gasp) exercise.

I've never worked out in my life. Never. So this commitment to getting in the best shape of my life thing is all new. My objectives are very clear on this:

1) Endurance / Stamina. Puffing on long surface swims sucks. I want to increase my stamina... being able to puff longer.

2) Flexibility - I have always had horseshoe flexibility, even when I was running every day.

3) Strength - there's nothing I can't lift or move right now, so this is number 3.

I understand the program, the formulas, etc. The importance of diet and hydration, etc. Being the Type A that I am, I needed stated objectives to plow towards with single minded determination. I visit a trainer twice a week at my gym (mostly for flexibility and strength), and do 3 - 4 cardio 25 - 30 minute sessions a week. At home between sessions I work on flexibility, abs, and strength.

Its been three weeks now. I'm seeing progress. Not the huge before and after your results may vary stuff, but small steps.

I noticed it this weekend when diving. Mostly in my flexibility, and my kicking. I'm noticing it now.

I'm feeling it too. Ow Ow Ow. I'm recovering faster, and that's encouraging. I made the mistake of sharing that with my evil trainer the other day. This weekend I felt like an old 42 y/o who bit off more than he can chew.

Ow ow ow. Stretching helps. A lot. But I hurt.

I hate evil devil spawn Marq.

I'll probably love him one day, but today he must be killed.

ow.

K

You should be really proud of yourself for getting into a fitness routine and sticking with it. I know it can be tough, but the rewards will make everything so much better for the rest of your life. Everything is affected by our health, our strength, our endurance, and exercise is a great stress reliever.

I couldn't have managed graduate school, and my schedule, WITHOUT my workouts. I think I would have died a long time ago. LOL

You will be so happy with your results, and how you feel, that you won't want to go back to feeling sluggish or 'soft'. Plus, you will turn into a lady killer with great abs and biceps. LOL

Just take some Motrin for the soreness, it will really help. That's great news!

It wasn't really dive related, but I, too, have begun a new fitness regimen related to the onset of middle age. In February, I started meeting with a trainer once a week, doing 20-30 min of cardio 4-5 times a week, followed by weight training and finally ab work ans stretching. I pick (or the trainer chooses) a few different machines/devices each time, focusing on a different body area. I, too, am starting to notice results. It's a good feeling, but I keep discovering new muscle groups that ache.

Congrats, Ken! Fitness is important. Myself, I have stopped the shots of Black Jack with my beer. Maker's Mark is so much healthier!

Arnaud
16% body fat, 8% to go, will I ever?

I hear you. It's more difficult to try to get fit, or fitter, when your significant other is more into whining about not being fit, than getting out and doing anything about it. And then hassling you over not spending more time with them!

:hohum:

Hey Arnaud - with that bum knee, you better stay focused and eat right or else you'll be joining us in the 20+ BFI in no time!

K

Mo2vation once bubbled...
Hey Arnaud - with that bum knee, you better stay focused and eat right or else you'll be joining us in the 20+ BFI in no time!

K

Click to expand...

Well, you read my mind. I was thinking the exact same while typing the previous post...;-0

You ain't seen nuthin yet...

Just wait until the edited video is done and shown to future students.

From what a diver was birthed from has nothin to do with his/her evilness...

<heh-heh>:mean:

Mo2vation

In January with the Big 50 approaching I decided to get fitter and got a regime laid out by one of the personal trainers at the gym I go to.

As for exercise I do two CardioVascular days a week - this is a 5 minute warm up followed by 20 minutes of interval training followed by a 5 minute warm down and some stretching. The interval training works on the principle of starting at a level which on a scale of 1 to 10 is a 5 and working up to 9 over a 5 minute period then back down to 5 then up again to 9 over the next 5 minutes and so on with the aim being that for the final 5 minutes you start on 6 and hit 10 in the 20th minute. I do this on a treadmill and you can vary the routine by adding gradient/speed etc. You then check heart rate at finish, 1 minute, 3 minutes and 5 minutes.

The other 3 days are either 2 days of upper body exercises with 1 day of lower body or 2 days of lower body and one of upper body. There are only 4 exercises to do and each works on the principle of 12 reps followed by a minute's rest, then 10 followed by a minute's rest, then 8 then 6 then 12 again followed by 12 reps of another exercise on the same muscle group. The point here is that you should barely be able to manage the 6 reps at whatever weight you're using. The 8 reps are one weight less, the 10 two weights less and the 12 3 weights less, so you might start one exercise using , say, 40 kilos, the enxt set is at 45, then 50, then 55 and back to 40 for the final 12 reps. The other point is that the next time you do the exercises you have to add some weight even if it's only say 2 kilos.

As for the diet aspect I was told to drink lots of water and eat 5 meals a day but with a lot more protein than normal and as little fat as possible. I'm allowed the weekend off. Net result has been 10 kilos off in 3 months and I feel a whole lot fitter and more alert. Also added advantage of a whle new wardrobe without buying any new clothes as I can get into all the old suits etc which would not do up around the waist.

Hope this helps.

regards

Okay, I'm 38 and last fall I was looking in the mirror and couldn't convince my self that I wasn't fat any longer. I am 5'8" and weighed (at the time) 230. I've sense lost 45 lbs. I'm down to 185 and I'm looking to lose another 15. I started off just dieting, but about three months ago I joined a gym. Now I go about 6 times a week I usually do about 45 minutes on the tread mill 3 days a week and 3 days a week I do weights and about 20 minutes of cardio. I'm training to run a 5K in May.

Let me just tell you that it's great. A lady at church that has known me for 7 years stopped me on Sunday and asked if I was related to Tom. She didn't believe I was me. Even the teenagers I work with say I look like I'm in my 20's now.

All I can say is. A) It can be done. If I can do it anyone can. and B) it's worth doing. Blessings to everyone.