Who just can't do fitness?

[CaptainQuintero]

  Bit of a contrast to the fitness regime thread!

  I've noticed this since I hit 30, I used to do weighs but would just pick up injuries too often even with decent form and not super heavy weights. Did fell running and went amazing until I got hit by a car. Recovered and my groin tendons just gave up. Started with body weigh exercises with pull up bar and dip bar, done my back!

  Nothing is even from doing things wrong or too quickly, they've all been when I've gotten used to the exercises and got into a rhythm/regime and then all of a sudden.. bam

  Starting to think my body is just not made for it, even swimming hurts my neck after a few weeks!

Anyone else thinking of going down the enthusiastic spectator route to fitness? Or when did your body just decide it wasn't going to be complicit in your plans?

 

[fitzy]

I’m in the same boat. I used to jog 6 days a week until I had problems with both of my hamstrings. Even though I stretched before/after it didn’t matter. I could barely touch my knees when that happened.

Two years later I still get that strained feeling in my hamstrings when I walk the dog lol

[BuzzArd]

I guess I quit before I started to feel like I was falling apart.   In my 20s and 30s I’d road ride 40 miles on a week day and about 150-180 on the weekends.   Moved to AZ, got a new bike and almost got hit several times by people with even newer cell phones. About the same time a car plowed into the group I used to ride with back in TX and killed and maimed several.  So I kinda quit heading out for rides at any time of the day.   Now I’m old, fat and everything’s starting to hurt....

 I’m definitely in your club.   

[Edward7]

I certainly had to lower my food intake to maintain. I am 36 now and don't feel that much worse than in my 20's, but it was just easier to be lean and keep muscle on. Nights out drinking didn't affect me as much back then either. My only saving grace is that I have the genetics that allows me to eat a good amount and remain pretty healthy and fit looking and that I started with exercise very young.

I think that the more injury prone you are, the more thoughtful and precise you need to be with your workout regiment. I have 5 herniated discs in my neck and about once every 18-24 months it can get debilitating and I end up needing cortisone shots in my neck. A combination of regular running, weight training, yoga, PT, and standing at the office a lot more than sitting helps. Anything is better than being fat and unhealthy though so all of that effort Is worth it.

[cigcars]

       *In my younger days I bicycled like a maniac - I don't know how many miles; just hours and hours at break-neck speed everyday. I could out race any 10 speed men's bike in rows of guys on my rusted, old fashioned, girl's coaster bike, still with the brakes in the pedals. Then I joined the military for all kinds of fun, thrills and laughs running and busting our humps for miles and miles on jagged, rugged and mountainous terrain. It was after my fifth year in the Army that my physicians began to notice the calcium deposits in my knees. Well in 1988 - joined the police force in Georgia in my early '30's for foot patrol and foot chases pretty regularly. Then I began to have problems with my knees. So I hunted up (this was in 1996) an old fashioned girl's coaster bike (which was not easy to find) with the brakes still in the pedals, etc. so I could get back in the swing of things. After about 4 evenings of around 20 minutes at a time on the bike...that next day it felt like somebody had shotgun blasted both my knee caps - urrgghh, the agony!  So needless to say I could tell - THAT won't be occurring again.  I gave the bike to my yardman for payment of some yard work - which he told me his wife promptly confiscated! "She LOOOVES that bike! She goes EVERYWHERE on it!" So I was glad I could make somebody's day on it. And now - in my '60's, declining various physicians' advice to get knee replacement, I just make it a point to at least walk; stay on my own feet; decline all the offers of scooters in stores, and move my legs around regularly because I dread physical dependency. Thank you for this post, Capt. Quint: glad to see how much company we all have nowadays in our approaching later years compared to our physically active, wild, crazy, rip-roaring, running, jumping, dancing, walking the ceiling younger days 

[BrightonCorgi]

Try different stuff.  Maybe a fitness class would be better.  I've been with a personal trainer the last couple of years.  I can't stand working out by myself and won't go on my own.  She is good varying the workouts and keeping it fresh.

[MD Puffer]

Have a kid at 43.  That's all the work out a burgeoning old man needs.

[MigsG]

1 hour ago, cigcars said:

       *In my younger days I bicycled like a maniac - I don't know how many miles; just hours and hours at break-neck speed everyday. I could out race any 10 speed men's bike in rows of guys on my rusted, old fashioned, girl's coaster bike, still with the brakes in the pedals. Then I joined the military for all kinds of fun, thrills and laughs running and busting our humps for miles and miles on jagged, rugged and mountainous terrain. It was after my fifth year in the Army that my physicians began to notice the calcium deposits in my knees. Well in 1988 - joined the police force in Georgia in my early '30's for foot patrol and foot chases pretty regularly. Then I began to have problems with my knees. So I hunted up (this was in 1996) an old fashioned girl's coaster bike (which was not easy to find) with the brakes still in the pedals, etc. so I could get back in the swing of things. After about 4 evenings of around 20 minutes at a time on the bike...that next day it felt like somebody had shotgun blasted both my knee caps - urrgghh, the agony!  So needless to say I could tell - THAT won't be occurring again.  I gave the bike to my yardman for payment of some yard work - which he told me his wife promptly confiscated! "She LOOOVES that bike! She goes EVERYWHERE on it!" So I was glad I could make somebody's day on it. And now - in my '60's, declining various physicians' advice to get knee replacement, I just make it a point to at least walk; stay on my own feet; decline all the offers of scooters in stores, and move my legs around regularly because I dread physical dependency. Thank you for this post, Capt. Quint: glad to see how much company we all have nowadays in our approaching later years compared to our physically active, wild, crazy, rip-roaring, running, jumping, dancing, walking the ceiling younger days 

Love the rusted bike story! Reminds me of my teenage days. Didn't have a girl's bike though. But a very heavy cheaply made Chinese mountain bike.

Thanks for sharing.  ?

[Corylax18]

I hate the Gym. Haven't stepped foot in one in over a decade, but I hate being unhealthy/over weight even more. I'm lucky enough to be blessed with great genetics, my Dad, both brothers, and Myself stand between 6'-2" and 6'-5" and are all under 200 lbs. 

2 or 3 times a week, I'll ride my stationary bike for a couple hours while streaming something, I get to climb cell towers for work a few times a month as well. But, my absolute favorite exercise is Chopping firewood. It works just about every muscle in your body, and is great cardio if you get the pace just right. My buddies family has some land up in the mountains with plenty of beetle kill, we cut down, buck and delimb a couple trees a month, then bring them back down to our places to split as time allows. I do about 2 1/2 cords a year, its enough to keep me busy for most of the spring and summer. 

[Colt45]

4 hours ago, CaptainQuintero said:

  Starting to think my body is just not made for it

Try walking - steady pace, not so fast as to start feeling it in the shins. For resistance training, perhaps try resistance bands.

Good luck!

[CaptainQuintero]

27 minutes ago, Colt45 said:

Try walking - steady pace, not so fast as to start feeling it in the shins. For resistance training, perhaps try resistance bands.

Good luck!

  I think this is where my future lies, I'm in a national park and the slow and steady, taking in the views, style is the direction I'm heading in.

  I've a yoga dvd somewhere I bought because of the woman in Spandex on the front, that could be a way forward.

"No dear, this is my new fitness regime"

[Capt. Corona]

Weather permitting.....a 30-45 min minimum bike ride at least 5 times a week.

For me...weather generally only permits Oct to May...otherwise too hot!

[cigcars]

2 hours ago, MigsG said:

Love the rusted bike story! Reminds me of my teenage days. Didn't have a girl's bike though. But a very heavy cheaply made Chinese mountain bike.

Thanks for sharing.  ?

    *In your mentioning about not being a girl's bike, though - as I mentioned I could out-race anything on 2 bike wheels, i.e., whenever I had to stop I didn't dare grind the pedal brakes - I had to jump off using my feet to stop along the pavement, timing just right to prevent shoe damage. Anyways this particular day I was riding a guy's bike - y'know, the bar across the leg area instead of the nice dip like on our girls'. I was doing my thing, power speeding, and out of habit I jumped off to stop - BANG!!! right between my "area"! I had to stop and wait to recover, cussing myself out for not remembering this was a men's bike. And the only thing I really remember contemplating was - "Man - what if I was a GUY!!" having stopped and hit the bar THAT hard!? I was wondering why on earth would they even design bicycles like that - for men! I'm telling you if I had've been a fella, as hard as I hit that bar....yes, I would have ended up in a coma...

[LLC]

If you see me running, call for help because someone is chasing me

Seriously though, I do like to stay active but don’t work out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MigsG]

32 minutes ago, cigcars said:

    *In your mentioning about not being a girl's bike, though - as I mentioned I could out-race anything on 2 bike wheels, i.e., whenever I had to stop I didn't dare grind the pedal brakes - I had to jump off using my feet to stop along the pavement, timing just right to prevent shoe damage. Anyways this particular day I was riding a guy's bike - y'know, the bar across the leg area instead of the nice dip like on our girls'. I was doing my thing, power speeding, and out of habit I jumped off to stop - BANG!!! right between my "area"! I had to stop and wait to recover, cussing myself out for not remembering this was a men's bike. And the only thing I really remember contemplating was - "Man - what if I was a GUY!!" having stopped and hit the bar THAT hard!? I was wondering why on earth would they even design bicycles like that - for men! I'm telling you if I had've been a fella, as hard as I hit that bar....yes, I would have ended up in a coma...

Forgive me, @cigcars, I thought you ARE a guy!  That's what made that rusty girl's bike story even better for me.  ?

[inter4alia]

I "can" do it, it's the "want to" part I struggle with. 

[TBird55]

Used to run marathons and do triathlons. When training I would run 75 miles, bike around 200miles, and swim 3hours a week. Along with 100 pushups a day. Was struck by an automobile one morning(drunk driver), put an end to all that. Fortunate to be here, but I  do miss my workouts. Relegated to walking now. 

[CaptainQuintero]

The latest one is my wife has gotten back into hockey so I've been the training partner between practices. That twisting and bending, middle back is in ruins, so much so I thought I had developed lung issues until I sat down and tried to think what could have been doing recently that might have hurt my back!

 

[CaptainQuintero]

6 hours ago, cigcars said:

       *In my younger days I bicycled like a maniac - I don't know how many miles; just hours and hours at break-neck speed everyday. I could out race any 10 speed men's bike in rows of guys on my rusted, old fashioned, girl's coaster bike, still with the brakes in the pedals. Then I joined the military for all kinds of fun, thrills and laughs running and busting our humps for miles and miles on jagged, rugged and mountainous terrain. It was after my fifth year in the Army that my physicians began to notice the calcium deposits in my knees. Well in 1988 - joined the police force in Georgia in my early '30's for foot patrol and foot chases pretty regularly. Then I began to have problems with my knees. So I hunted up (this was in 1996) an old fashioned girl's coaster bike (which was not easy to find) with the brakes still in the pedals, etc. so I could get back in the swing of things. After about 4 evenings of around 20 minutes at a time on the bike...that next day it felt like somebody had shotgun blasted both my knee caps - urrgghh, the agony!  So needless to say I could tell - THAT won't be occurring again.  I gave the bike to my yardman for payment of some yard work - which he told me his wife promptly confiscated! "She LOOOVES that bike! She goes EVERYWHERE on it!" So I was glad I could make somebody's day on it. And now - in my '60's, declining various physicians' advice to get knee replacement, I just make it a point to at least walk; stay on my own feet; decline all the offers of scooters in stores, and move my legs around regularly because I dread physical dependency. Thank you for this post, Capt. Quint: glad to see how much company we all have nowadays in our approaching later years compared to our physically active, wild, crazy, rip-roaring, running, jumping, dancing, walking the ceiling younger days 

That's the thing, I'm only 32! 

  I think it's probably that kind of thing where you still throw yourself into things with the same vigour as your teenage self. The mind is willing but the flesh, it's weak and soft 

[alloy]

When I turned 60...screw exercise...it only gets you hurt.

[cigcars]

7 hours ago, MD Puffer said:

Have a kid at 43.  That's all the work out a burgeoning old man needs.

      *I can attest to that. Before I left for Atlanta I baby sat my best friend's 6 year old...that was the BEST workout I'd had in DECADES! When she returned home I was both thoroughly exhausted and thoroughly exhilarated. I told her, "You need to let me keep her for two weeks! I bet I'd lose 30 pounds!" She said, "I'll let you raise her - you'll lose your mind!"

[BJRPorter]

50 now. I grew up active at a high level. Life got busy in my early 40’s, by late 40’s, if I hit the golf ball wrong, I’d feel it for weeks or months. I dedicated myself to daily exercise and strength training, and I feel younger. When I do stop for a week, vacations and such, the old pains come back. I need to stay active to not be in pain.

My life is better with daily exercise, it also helps me focus on the positives mentally.

I hope you find something that works for you.

[RDB]

Keep going, guys! Up to my mid 30s I felt pretty much indestructible and was running hard and lifting weights and doing a lot of everything without too much thought. Then in late 30s I had a series of issues including serious Achilles tendonitis. No more marathons for me.

Now I’m 44, and still very active, but the degree of care and prep I have to put in is huge. I’m a rock climber, and it’s a full 30 - 40 minutes of careful warm up before I’m ready for hard efforts. Also my total potential volume is much lower: I have to really think about rest and recovery, and not push too much. Instead of running 30 miles a week it’s more like ten, and with more of a mix of other things. Climbing no more than every other day, and listening to the aches and pains ebb and flow.

Stretching and core work. Physio, diet and supplements (turmeric was a game-changer for me).

God it all sounds like a huge faff. But I enjoy the challenge, and I’m determined to be fit for my age. Of course we all decline... but it can be a very slow decline and older people can remain very physically capable.

[ErikB72]

Can’t do it. But I walk the dog and use my bicycle , so that’s something

[Ribeye]

I can't do it anymore either...., but what I can do is make great excuses. 

I'm too bored around home, but fly me to some far off city like London, Barcelona or Rome and I can walk 7 or 8 miles a day easy. Of course I'm stopping for coffee, cigars and various snacks, but I'm exercising. That's my excuse!