I went down the rabbit hole that is Amazon and their eleventeen billion chinese knock offs before just deciding to give this guy my money. 

https://undersunfitness.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=USFYT&utm_campaign=beginners-guide

I like the ones from the Iron Infadel also but the price isn't much different and I couldn't find any content so again I say...  UnderSun did the work.  If I had a business and I worked harder than the other guys, I'd consider myself worth more than they are.  Also, James is really good about putting info in his video descriptions.  The above link, as you can see, came from the description of this video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWveMGgKtC8

Quote from: TwistedT on January 18, 2020, 07:52:37 AM

I love reading stories like this. So many people get to a certain point in life and give up on themselves. You're proof that with motivation change is possible. Good luck getting your health back!

I'd like to caution you, as someone who's been there, to please be very strict about proper form during exercise, any weight bearing exercise especially. Older bones/ligaments/tendons/joints/ etc are more prone to injury and are a stone cold bitch to rehab. 

So this post really got my attention.  For the most part, I'm not lifting what anyone would call heavy.  However, as I get stronger, I realize this might become an issue.  So I've been looking into a lower impact workout without sacrificing intensity.  I'm pretty much settled on going to resistance bands.  There's some pretty good content out there and I might even be able to get a computer and monitor in the workout area so I can actually work out along with the content makers.  The one guy I've been watching has a fair amount of content and has his own bands as well.  While I'm not usually inclined to pay more just for the sake of a name or marketing, I might just give this guy my business because he's done the work and put the content out there that I'll be using at no cost.  Why not reward him for his motivation?  Sample workout:  One of many.  Some are part of pay for programs and some are just free videos of him just working out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz9CoNlzoo8

You wanna workout? Ride an open class motocrosser as a trail bike. Every single muscle you have will alert you to it's use. 

You can use them while sitting on the couch as well. Damn Bill does my attempt at humor evade you? 

I can tell this whole personal trainer experiment is going well.  Even though I was a few pounds up at my monthly WeightWatchers weigh-in, all my clothes fit better.  I'll call that a net win!

  Weight is still hovering right above 2 bills but the shape of things is changing nicely. 

That sounds like you are gaining weight. Don't you want to get back to being just one Bill. 

Quote from: Vulcanbill on April 17, 2020, 02:30:16 PM

  Weight is still hovering right above 2 bills but the shape of things is changing nicely. 

That sounds like you are gaining weight. Don't you want to get back to being just one Bill. 

My actual goal is more like 3/4 bill. 😁

I'm getting tired of waiting for the gym to reopen, so I almost finished building this today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuWRid86W40

In addition to the brackets, I used wood glue.

I'm getting tired of waiting for the gym to reopen, so I almost finished building this today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuWRid86W40

In addition to the brackets, I used wood glue.

What's your routine like?  Do you have enough weight at home to entertain you?  I have, on occasion, found myself pressing big round logs just to keep it interesting.

Quote from: ChrisFZ1 on April 18, 2020, 08:50:43 PM

I'm getting tired of waiting for the gym to reopen, so I almost finished building this today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuWRid86W40

In addition to the brackets, I used wood glue.

What's your routine like?  Do you have enough weight at home to entertain you?  I have, on occasion, found myself pressing big round logs just to keep it interesting.

3-day split routine.

Day 1 - Chest, triceps, abs
Day 2 - Legs, calves, biceps
Day 3 - Back, shoulders

Monday, Tues, Thurs, Fri for weights

1 to 2 days a week something cardio.

Maybe 5 days a week weights, or 3 days a week cardio, depending on how I feel.

I have plenty of weight for the dumbells and curl bar, but the barbell for benching and squats I need to add at least two 25 pound plates to my collection.  For deadlifting I need even more, but for now I'm just going lighter and adding power cleans.

P.S.  I'm a firm believer in get into the gym and get out.  My weightlifting sessions take 45 min to an hour.

Quote from: Vulcanbill on April 23, 2020, 05:58:54 PM

Quote from: ChrisFZ1 on April 18, 2020, 08:50:43 PM

I'm getting tired of waiting for the gym to reopen, so I almost finished building this today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuWRid86W40

In addition to the brackets, I used wood glue.

What's your routine like?  Do you have enough weight at home to entertain you?  I have, on occasion, found myself pressing big round logs just to keep it interesting.

3-day split routine.

Day 1 - Chest, triceps, abs
Day 2 - Legs, calves, biceps
Day 3 - Back, shoulders

Monday, Tues, Thurs, Fri for weights

1 to 2 days a week something cardio.

Maybe 5 days a week weights, or 3 days a week cardio, depending on how I feel.

I have plenty of weight for the dumbells and curl bar, but the barbell for benching and squats I need to add at least two 25 pound plates to my collection.  For deadlifting I need even more, but for now I'm just going lighter and adding power cleans.

P.S.  I'm a firm believer in get into the gym and get out.  My weightlifting sessions take 45 min to an hour.

It's funny...  I'm not working my legs at all apart from the cardio.  That feels like quite a workout in and of itself but I'm just not at all motivated to build additional muscle in my legs.  Don't know why.  Probably because they're pretty strong and just about the right size just from holding my fat @$$ up all these years.  I'm really concentrating on upper body right now and hope to shed enough weight that the "underlying" results becomes even more apparent.  I'm trying to do about 30 min of upper body and 14 min of HIT or 20 - 30 min of cardio on the elliptical.  I really have no idea what I'm doing.  I am finding that I'm strongest on Mondays after a couple days off.  I should probably look into getting some help before I hurt myself.   

This seems a good enough place to post this:

I was out for a little over an hour on my bicycle this morning.  There's a good bike/pedestrian trail nearby that stretches to the far suburbs/exurbs to the north and I can (theoretically) connect all the way to Milwaukee's lakefront going south.  I haven't biked regularly in about 30-ish years, and I was surprised that I didn't wimp out.

This is overdue. I've made it to retirement without having yet had my first heart attack, and maybe I can keep it that way.  The docs think I might be able to exercise my way off of my high blood pressure medication. And reducing the Buddha belly might be a good thing as well.

First sign of heart attack. 


Sudden death.


May want to watch for it.

Second signs; severe chest pain and arm numbness.  Unless you are female, then the signs are not as clear...

a heart only has so many beats in it, don;t speed up death by wasting them on exercise. 

I rode the pedal bike another hour today. I maintained a slightly faster pace than yesterday and now I think that I'll be feeling this later today and tomorrow.  Storms look likely for all day tomorrow, so maybe I give it a rest for one day.  I know that I can get very lazy when it comes to fitness.  So I'd better keep on it.  Maybe if I think of myself as an older house or motorcycle that requires a lot of maintenance?   

Most folks on the path--both bikers and walkers--appear to be old retired fuddy-duddies such as myself.  There were a few recent moms with strollers.  And two bikers who looked to be training for a race.

I don't expect that a couple of weeks--or even one season--of riding the pedal bike will moot 25-ish years of substantial inactivity.  But I'm already noticing a small increase in stamina, a slight looseness in clothing, and some additional leg strength.  In particular, my already very light motor bike is feeling lighter still when at stoplights, etc.

I need to start doing this as well. dirtbiking this year has me out of breath far too easily. thanks for the kick in the ass.

I need to start doing this as well. dirtbiking this year has me out of breath far too easily. thanks for the kick in the ass.

You might already know this, but I'll mention it because I didn't know it.  Shortness of breath was the first sign that I'd developed high blood pressure.  That's something that can sneak up on people.

Now I have to take pills and go to the docs without even being sick first.  Bah!

^Where is the Like button?

Congratulations!

Nice job, Baxter.  Keep going.  It feels so good. 

Added some light ab work to the mix recently.  One of the arm/chest things I do with the bands is to pull from the side straight out in front of me across my chest with the band anchored about shoulder height.  As I complete the rep, the band is essentially sitting across my upper arm.  Before, I would just reverse the motion releasing the tension from the band and repeat 10 or 15 times.  Now, after I get the band fully extended and resting on my upper arm, I do a sort of standing crunch which extends the band even more so I'm fighting some pretty good resistance.  It's only about a half bend but it's working.  When I complete the set with arms, I pause on the last one and just do 15 of the standing crunches without the arm portion.  So my current routine is this:

50 pushups to start in whatever configuration I'm capable of that day.  Usually 35, pause, 5 pause, 5 pause, 3 then 2.  Weak days might see 25 then smaller increments but still totaling 50 even if I have to do them a couple at a time.

15 standing curls with the medium band anchored low. 
10 one arm presses with the same band anchored low pressing up and away
15 of the above mentioned side pulls with the crunch
15 standing crunches
15 reps on angled bench on the bowflex thing.  Weight unknown but it hurts and I can barely get 15 by the time I get there. 

Repeat from curls down a 2nd time

25 pushups

20 minutes on the elliptical at about  90% of my max heart rate with a sprint in the last minute or two to try to hit my max just for fun.  Max at my age is 170

25 more pushups on a regular day.  If I'm feeling good, I'll just keep adding 10 for as long as my arms work.  Yesterday the 25 turned to 75 for a total of 150 during the workout.

Then I have to clean up the puddles I've made because I'm working out in a hot warehouse and losing a LOT of fluids.  Then sanitize the equipment, of course.  Luckily, I work out alone. 

I also feel like it's time to start my phase 3.  Phase one was weight loss, phase two is build muscle and fitness, phase three is going to be more weight loss.  I figure another 30 lbs will look pretty good so I'm unofficially shooting for 170 over the next couple weeks.  I'm off sugar again and probably going to be doing some fasting.  Wish me discipline.  I don't need luck. 

My work with the Pedal Ninja is paying off!  The docs just reduced my blood pressure meds, we'll see next week whether there's a rebound or not.  My eventual goal is to wean myself off them entirely.

Update:  My BP after a week on the reduced RX is still good--the experiment worked!  Now to keep it up and eliminate the meds entirely.

I lost a buncha weight and my BP meds have been reduced and it's way down. Don't see it going away though. Once that switch is tripped it's unlikely to turn it back off.

The doc thinks it's possible for me--the BP has been the only thing I have to deal with so far in life, no other contributing issues, and the cardio effort seems to be the major factor in my reduction. 

Keep at it. Good luck.

Thanks!

Ugghhh...

  I just got tagged in a Facebook Challenge.  25 push-ups for 25 days.  This should be entertaining.  I'll be lucky to get up to 25 push-ups in 25 days 

does it say all at once?