When were you at your weakest? How did you rebuild?

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Nezz123
Nezz123 Posts: 35 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was strong in 2013. In 2014, work and stress killed my appetite. 100-1,000 calories per day couldn't keep my strength up; I went weak as wet noodle.

In 2015, I broke out and got back up to 110 lbs.

But I'm still weak! And stiff!

Basic yoga helps with stability, but I can't do squats, lunges, or deadlifts with 5 lb weights anymore. It's embarrassing, but my form falls apart.

So I'm doing similar stuff without weights, hoping to work up to water bottles and light dumbbells.

But I wonder how other folks' experiences compare....

1. Have you ever lost strength, but then got it back?
2. Have you ever failed to do one push-up but practiced until you could do 10?
3. How do you stop from getting mad yourself when you can barely hold a plank for 30 seconds?
4. How would you feel if your exercise buddy/inspiration was a middle-aged shitzu? (<--He is about on my level.)
5. What weights did you start with? What did you eventually work your way up to?


Replies

  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
    edited March 2016
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    1) Yes, menopausal and weak as a kitten.

    Started with aqua fit 3x60. That helped with flexibility, mobility, posture, balance.
    It had enough resistance against the water to strengthen my muscles initially, and enough cardio to improve my heart and lungs.

    From that I moved to....
    Belly dancing, helps with balance mobility, and identifying and isolating muscles in the torso, abs T, abs R, inner & outter obliques, and pelvic floor, etc.

    Pilates, bodyweight and light equipment. It was enough to improve strength, endurance, and flexibility.
    I trained for my first 10km while doing this.

    Next step was Nerdfitness' bodyweight routine. This was totally challenging as I couldn't complete one set of any exercise. I modified everything until I could do a complete set, then worked up to the three sets.
    Once I could do the 3 sets I started adding weights to lunges, rows to planks, side planks, and weight to squats, etc. anything to keep upping the challenge.

    A few months ago I started the All Pro programme. I can't use the 45lbs bar for every move yet, hand weights and body bars are substituted. But I can dead lift 75lbs. Not a great weight, but 3/4 of my body weight so I am happy.

    2) yes and it took time but perseverance and starting at the kitchen table top helped.

    3) I don't get mad at myself. I aimed for 3 seconds more once I could do 15 sec and built to 2 minutes.

    4) My cat sits and watches me at home, so a guess a shitzu is fine.

    5) Not even body weight to 75lbs dead lift.

    I should note all this was done slowly over time. You could increase your fitness level much faster. Have a look at Nerdfitness and go from there.

    Cheers, h.
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/
  • rachaelbell21
    rachaelbell21 Posts: 27 Member
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    I didn't used to be able to do even 1 proper push up, started 30 day shred and kept practising and by the end of level 1 could do 15!! Never thought I would be able to do that!

    My 3 yr old son is my exercise companion, he likes to climb under, over and on top of me while I'm exercising, either that or ask me constant questions about fireman Sam which I'm guessing is a lot less helpful than a middle aged shih tzu
  • awnurmarc
    awnurmarc Posts: 125 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Had an ischemic stroke on October 10, 2015. The morning of October 11 my right side was so weak I could hardly move it at all.

    By December 3 I could limp well enough to walk to the gym. I left my cane at home to not draw attention to myself. I squatted with just the bar, pressed overhead, and deadlifted 65 lbs. I focused on keeping the bar horizontal through the lift. Two days later I returned and squatted, bench pressed and did some sort of row (probably dumbbell). For the squat I added 5 pounds to the bar.

    And repeat.

    Today I pulled a 255 lb barbell off the floor 3 times with normal grip double overhand and twice with hook grip. That's not much as deadlifts go and it isn't up to my old record from before that stroke.

    But it's progress. The only way I know to get stronger is to measurably load my skeleton and challenge my muscle, recover (eat and sleep), and repeat with a slightly greater load/challenge. You start were you are and move from there.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    For most of my life growing up I was involved in sports and athletics...I did track and field from about 3rd grade on through high school graduation...along the way I was also a gymnast, a swimmer, a wrestler, and played football. After all of that I went into the Marine Corps...and after that, when I went back to college I still remained very active in my day to day and lifted weights and commuted by bike, etc.

    I became a weakling after graduation when I took a desk job and went from going 100 MPH all of the time to being very sedentary...and also, the smoking caught up to me as well as the frequent boozing. I basically got my *kitten* together when I was 38...at that time it was a chore just to walk my dog around the block...this was actually pretty depressing because at one point in time I was ranked third in the state in the 100M on the track...so yeah, from the flash to panting a 1/4 mile walk around the block.

    I just started putting one foot in front of the other...started a lot of walking...then added in some running...a few months later I got my but back into the weight room with some good solid programming...started riding, etc. That was all almost 3.5 years ago.

    These days...well, I'm not going to win the Tour de France or anything, but I get out and ride a good 80 miles per week at least...and I enjoy participating in various cycling tour events. And I'm now power lifter, but I hold my own in the weight room these days as well.

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