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Getting Back In Shape


Reshoot

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BACKGROUND:

Retired, 63 years old. Back surgery in 2001, neuro stimulator implant 2003. Getting ready to start my fourth year of USPSA shooting.

SITUTATION:

For the last two months I have suffered with break-through pain and put on 10 pounds. Things started turning around a week ago, thank goodness!

CURRENTLY:

Two days ago (2/2/12) I aired up the tires on my mountain bike and am currently riding two miles a day. That is my cardio and leg work. While my heart is still pounding, I work my upper body with free weights. Oh, and do ab crunches on a ball. All this pain free.

If anyone has suggestions . . . other things I should be doing, I welcome the input.

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Would suggest you Google for Will Brink's site and pose the question there. I have found his site to be very helpful with health and fitness. BTW, I'm 67 and still in the game.

Thank you for the information, Tom! I'll have to check it out.

I am up to 3 miles on the bike now. Whew!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Check out "Peak 8" training. Google peak 8 and a wealth of good info will pop up.

In a nut shell, you get on your bike (stationary or otherwise), eliptical--or whatever--and go as hard as you can for 30 seconds. Then rest for 90 seconds. Repeat for eight cycles. My wife dropped 5 pounds in a week using this method.

This is just one version of sprint interval training that studies are showing is fantastic for weight loss and fitness in general.

Good luck! And feel free to pm me with any questions.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Interval training is great, read about HITT train high intensity interval training, I do sprint training twice a week for 15 min and eaily run a 5 miler on sat mornings. Also Paleo/Primal eating will inprove your health greatly in my experience, read marks daily apple blog!

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Will Brink is pretty squared away. If you have significant back problems then for the love of jeebus stop with the crunches. A google search will show you what they do to an unhealthy back. Your best bet is to use anti-flexion like planks and not doing anything supported in a chair.

Edited by John Thompson
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I had most of my spine fused in 2007 and put 20 lbs. on my pre-surgery weight (after dropping 15 lbs. laying in bed for a month) while I was recovering. I was able to get back to decent shape through hard work with a regimen like you say you are currently doing, but I never was able to drop all the weight and my stamina wasn't even close to what it was before the surgery. About 9 months ago, my wife talked me into working with a personal trainer once or twice a week, and it has been MUCH more effective for me. I dropped the 20 lbs. in about 6 weeks, and have put on another 10ish lbs. of muscle since then. The trainer has me doing planks and other back-friendly core work, which is critical for everything else. Just having someone else designing a constantly-changing workout (so your body doesn't get used to it and stop progressing) is a great help for me. I know it's expensive, but you might think about this option if you can.

Good luck and keep working, you'll get there!

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Thanks to all of you, for the great tips and advise! Expecially the planks!!

I am making progress, finally. My weight is only down 3 ~ 4 pounds but, my waist is smaller by an inch! Excellent . . . :D

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Regardless of what activities you choose, the biggest change has to occur in your mind. You have to make doing your exercise non-negotiable, like brushing your teeth or sleeping. Whatever routine you get on, do not allow yourself to get off it. Once you start letting things slip, even by a tiny amount, it makes it a little easier to slip it more and more often. Make exercise non-negotiable, make it a habit, and you will make your body into whatever you want.

:cheers:

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I don't press directly overhead much anymore but when I do I do it sitting with my butt on the floor and my legs extended straight out (powerlifters call it a z-press and there are some youtube vids on it). That's the hardest core exercise I've done and it limits the amount of weight I can press up while still making for some effort. Use dumbells and start out really light to see if it's suitable or not. If it feels ok then switch to a bar which is even harder because it's in front of you in the rack position.

Edited by John Thompson
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  • 2 years later...
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  • 8 months later...

After years of doing other things, I went back to swimming. I was a swimmer and water polo player from grade school through college. Without getting into stroke technique and other boring things, I think two aspects of my workout may help you. First get a set of Churchill fins (I like the old school blue and yellow, lol) and second a set of hand paddles(either hard or soft paddles, doesn't matter in the beginning). I do a lot of kick and pull sets that really help me stretch out and also build muscle w/out having to lift heavy weights. Also, cardio wise almost nothing beats out swimming.

Some people think that training with either paddles and fins just makes it easier, WRONG. You'll get all the workout you need and more. If your interested in some details, please PM me and I'd be glad to help you with some ideas.

Matt

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  • 1 month later...

I went from 240 to 195 in six months from just cleaning up my drive through diet and walking.

Get the book "Starve the fat,feed the muscle" by Tom Venuto.Spelling may be wrong.I bought a bunch of books,his was my favorite.

I am coming off back surgery almost 2 years ago.Any weight training has been a struggle due to my horrible back.

Good luck.

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strength training is what put me in my current situtation ... wrist surgery 7 weeks ago with another 6 before I'm allowed to even start picking up a 9mm again .... Ben Stoeger has great advise ... work with teh strength you have, it will be enough. That said I have to agree that swimming is the best all around exercise there is. If you have access to a community pool best way to get and stay in shape there is ... the 25 yr old hard bodies in tiny bikinis is just a bonus .... think of it as add-on vision training ... :)

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  • 6 months later...

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