Whoever said "keeping fit is good" should be shot!

[Polarice]

disgruntled70shab said:

And part of that balance thing for me is not taking it too seriously any more. It's alright to play competative sports and keeping in shape. But, for me at least, keeping in shape includes what I want to do, not what I have to do. Driving the body and shooting the foot (miliatry lads understand this term very well) now takes a back seat to enjoying myself while keeping in shape.

Sounds like a lot of folks here in this thread have already figured that out.

Cheers.

100% agree Dis, if your not having fun why bother do it at all. I enjoy going to the gym, playing baseball, hockey and golfing. Also its a great stress relief from work. What a better way to spend a morning then walking down the fairway at six in the morning, watching the deer and the foxes in the distant mist with the sun on the horizon. Man there is nothing better then enjoying mother nature.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

polarice said:

disgruntled70shab said:

And part of that balance thing for me is not taking it too seriously any more. It's alright to play competative sports and keeping in shape. But, for me at least, keeping in shape includes what I want to do, not what I have to do. Driving the body and shooting the foot (miliatry lads understand this term very well) now takes a back seat to enjoying myself while keeping in shape.

Sounds like a lot of folks here in this thread have already figured that out.

Cheers.

100% agree Dis, if your not having fun why bother do it at all. I enjoy going to the gym, playing baseball, hockey and golfing. Also its a great stress relief from work. What a better way to spend a morning then walking down the fairway at six in the morning, watching the deer and the foxes in the distant mist with the sun on the horizon. Man there is nothing better then enjoying mother nature.

And don't forget side-stepping the goose turds.

Seriously, if you get out with the right bunch it's a good time. I still like shooting a low score, I mean who doesn't? But, my pride doesn't rest with my golf score. I've been out with guys who will take a mulligan every hole if you let them. Then again, I've been out with guys whose highlight of the round is waiting for the beer girl to bounce by in her cart.

I'm still trying to get Mrs. Dis out and I think she'll eventually cave. Dis Jr. can't wait for his collar bone to heal so he can get out with his dad. I don't normally get a cart, but if the two of them are coming out, I'll get one for them. And as soon as we're out of view of the clubhouse, Dis Jr. becomes the driver.

As for the gym, I've decided I'm going back starting Monday mainly because I want to. Time to make the time again.

Cheers.

[Skilly]

disgruntled70shab said:

The one thing I neglect the most though, is stretching. And if I do stretch it's usually not enough. That's pretty important the older you get.

When I had a membership at Nubody's this was one myth they stressed. During orientation and during the 5 personal trainer sessions I purchased they told me it is way more important to stretch AFTER you exercised, and that stretching BEFORE can actually result in injuries.

The theory as they told it to me goes like this: Imagine your muscles are elastic bands. If you put the elastic bands in the freezer and tried to stretch them, they would break. However, if you warmed them up prior to stretching then they they will not break. They told me that 5-10 minutes of light to medium cardio, prior to lifting weights, or stretching before a strenous exercise is better than stretching and then running/working out. He told me that most ligament injuries and knee problems are a result of people stretching without warming their muscles up and pulls and tears occur.

[Disgruntled70sHab]

skilly said:

disgruntled70shab said:

The one thing I neglect the most though, is stretching. And if I do stretch it's usually not enough. That's pretty important the older you get.

When I had a membership at Nubody's this was one myth they stressed. During orientation and during the 5 personal trainer sessions I purchased they told me it is way more important to stretch AFTER you exercised, and that stretching BEFORE can actually result in injuries.

The theory as they told it to me goes like this: Imagine your muscles are elastic bands. If you put the elastic bands in the freezer and tried to stretch them, they would break. However, if you warmed them up prior to stretching then they they will not break. They told me that 5-10 minutes of light to medium cardio, prior to lifting weights, or stretching before a strenous exercise is better than stretching and then running/working out. He told me that most ligament injuries and knee problems are a result of people stretching without warming their muscles up and pulls and tears occur.

You got the right advise there, skilly. We used to jog around the hanger at work before starting our stretching; warm up then stretch. After running a minimum of 5 km, we'd warm down by stretching.

I even have to stretch a bit after golf. Not so much after cycling, though I should I guess.

Cheers.

[CentreHice]

Yep, that's the advice I received from The Running Room.....stretch after your run.

I've never had knee problems.....good shoes do wonders....although with all the pound, pound, pound I wonder.....

Joints lubricate as you use them.

I'd be interested to know if serious runners (marathons, half-marathons) need knee/hip replacements as they age.

Any studies on that?

[franko]

centrehice said:

Joints lubricate as you use them.

My knees don't believe you. I spent a month one week installing ceramic tile though our main floor. Took a couple of weeks or more for me to be able to walk at a regular pace again.

[duster]

I'm not 100% sure if a correlation has been established between long distance running and knee/ hip issues. My doctor runs marathons and he has all kinds of issues, but most of them seem to be muscular.

I know I had to give up doing squats using the rack and switch back to lunges since my knees couldn't handle it anymore. I don't have any issues after I run, but pushing heavy weight seems to be problematic as time goes by. I'm thinking too many years of sudden stop-starts playing midfield in soccer was likely the main culprit.

You'd be surprised how many people injure themselves because they don't stretch properly. One of the guys who works out here is a chiropractor and he showed a lot of people how to do it right. It makes all the difference. I stretch before and after, but do it differently before I exercise (after warming up) than after I'm finished.

[Cranky]

skilly said:

disgruntled70shab said:

The one thing I neglect the most though, is stretching. And if I do stretch it's usually not enough. That's pretty important the older you get.

When I had a membership at Nubody's this was one myth they stressed. During orientation and during the 5 personal trainer sessions I purchased they told me it is way more important to stretch AFTER you exercised, and that stretching BEFORE can actually result in injuries.

The theory as they told it to me goes like this: Imagine your muscles are elastic bands. If you put the elastic bands in the freezer and tried to stretch them, they would break. However, if you warmed them up prior to stretching then they they will not break. They told me that 5-10 minutes of light to medium cardio, prior to lifting weights, or stretching before a strenous exercise is better than stretching and then running/working out. He told me that most ligament injuries and knee problems are a result of people stretching without warming their muscles up and pulls and tears occur.

Skilly, have you tried stretching after a hard ride? I have to hold on to something and sit down the minute I get off the bike or I'll collapse. I stretch before the ride, start with a medium pace, stop and stretch at one hour intervals (quarter of a choclate bar reward ) but by the end of the ride, it's pain city. Takes about ten minutes before I can walk upright or drive the van safely.

Anywho......

You guys are having fun? What the hell is that? If one doesn't throw up in the first outing, then it's just not fun! LOL!

[Cranky]

disgruntled70shab said:

It's not only the knees, HA. You know yourself, even after a good bike ride like you did, the recovery time is a lot longer.

.

And getting LOOOONGER! At our age, I don't think that we have that many good years left. And by good years, I am talking about doing 80% of what we could do at 25. I have a sneaking suspicion (and fear) that by 60, the only "hammering" we will do is fixing the rocking chair.

We got to buy some more GOOD years and I think that the only way to do is is to be in some sort of decent shape.