how fit is fit enough ?

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  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    My primary goal with fitness is to be able to ride my bicycle anywhere in the city I want to go. Fort Worth covers most of a whole county, so that requires a lot of riding.
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    "Better than I was last year. How long that can continue to be as I approach 35 and then 40-" OK so you're still a baby. BUT, all race distances have age graded results. You can always strive to go from 55% to 65% to 75%... And, maintenance CAN be a goal as we age and, "supposedly", can't do as much.

    I know compared to some people I am yes. But I'm a weight lifter. and a woman. Sooooooo at some point- I won't be stronger and there will be a point where I will be "as strong as I've ever been" and that's it.

    One day- that will literally be it.
    :(

    This is something I struggle with. I started lifting at 43 and will be 53 this year. When I go through periodic strength troughs I wonder 'is this it?'. Is this the inevitable decline dictated by age? I'm still getting stronger but think I would have progressed more if I'd started when I was younger. The alternative is to just stop and I can't imagine that as so much of my life is taken up with lifting.
  • mburgess458
    mburgess458 Posts: 480 Member
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    Hexahedra wrote: »
    My goal is to pass a Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge. It's pretty cool to know you are fit enough to try out to be a SEAL.

    I looked it up and was surprised the minimums weren't harder. I have never tried swimming 500 yards so I have no idea how I'd stack up on that one... but I can easily meet the other items and I'm about to turn 50. Makes me feel more fit to see those.
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
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    The relevant answer is as individual as the people answering. Everyone has their own definition of what fit is depending on their jam... Runners... lifters, cross fitters, athletes devoted to their sports... and people who have just picked up the desire to be better versions of themselves... the only true endpoint for enough is 6 ft under... until then I say we all strive for one more rep, one more mile, one more goal.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    dlm7507 wrote: »
    For the kind of fitness many are thinking of, can you? 3 fitness tests you should be able to pass
    why is a 2 minute plank some sort of standard?
    I am in pretty good physical conditioning (IMHO) and I probably couldn't do a 2 minute plank. Why- because do anything for 2 minutes is not relevant to my needs.
    Seems ridiculous.
    Also- fox news is a cringe worthy source of anything.
    JoRocka wrote: »
    pondee629 wrote: »
    "Better than I was last year. How long that can continue to be as I approach 35 and then 40-" OK so you're still a baby. BUT, all race distances have age graded results. You can always strive to go from 55% to 65% to 75%... And, maintenance CAN be a goal as we age and, "supposedly", can't do as much.

    I know compared to some people I am yes. But I'm a weight lifter. and a woman. Sooooooo at some point- I won't be stronger and there will be a point where I will be "as strong as I've ever been" and that's it.

    One day- that will literally be it.
    :(

    This is something I struggle with. I started lifting at 43 and will be 53 this year. When I go through periodic strength troughs I wonder 'is this it?'. Is this the inevitable decline dictated by age? I'm still getting stronger but think I would have progressed more if I'd started when I was younger. The alternative is to just stop and I can't imagine that as so much of my life is taken up with lifting.
    indeed.
    I can't imagine not lifting- it's like my worst night mare. it's awful.
  • dlm7507
    dlm7507 Posts: 237 Member
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    That didn't start with Fox, but the answer is that not being able to do a two minute plank is an indication that your fitness plan is deficient. There are two reasons for not being able to do it; poor ab/core strength and/or you are obese. If you lift free weights, not sitting in a machine, the core strength deficiency is absolutely relative.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    dlm7507 wrote: »
    That didn't start with Fox, but the answer is that not being able to do a two minute plank is an indication that your fitness plan is deficient. There are two reasons for not being able to do it; poor ab/core strength and/or you are obese. If you lift free weights, not sitting in a machine, the core strength deficiency is absolutely relative.

    I can squat almost double my body weight. I can do more pull ups than half the guys in my gym. I can DL double my body weight.

    I can still run a sub 10 min mile- and I spend 15-20 hours a week dancing as a professional performer.

    Telling me again how my fitness is deficit because I can't hold still for 2 minutes with my face 2" from my cat hair covered carpet.
  • rollerjog
    rollerjog Posts: 154 Member
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    how fit is fit enough, for me it would be getting down to 6% to 10% body fat , thats fit enough for me, as of right now i weigh 250 im 73 inch tall, i have had 3 hydrostatic body fat test done and my lean body mass is 175 if i can keep my lean body mass at 175 i would be really ripped at 185 to 195, we will see what happens only time will tell
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    dlm7507 wrote: »
    That didn't start with Fox, but the answer is that not being able to do a two minute plank is an indication that your fitness plan is deficient. There are two reasons for not being able to do it; poor ab/core strength and/or you are obese. If you lift free weights, not sitting in a machine, the core strength deficiency is absolutely relative.

    I can squat almost double my body weight. I can do more pull ups than half the guys in my gym. I can DL double my body weight.

    I can still run a sub 10 min mile- and I spend 15-20 hours a week dancing as a professional performer.

    Telling me again how my fitness is deficit because I can't hold still for 2 minutes with my face 2" from my cat hair covered carpet.

    19842007.gif

    Lol...

    I'm a failure at fitness obviously. sigh. back to the drawing board- and now that I've been educated- I'm going to re-write my next 4 month dance training plan and take out all the drilling and just add in plank work. Because- clearly that's what I need.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    dlm7507 wrote: »
    That didn't start with Fox, but the answer is that not being able to do a two minute plank is an indication that your fitness plan is deficient. There are two reasons for not being able to do it; poor ab/core strength and/or you are obese. If you lift free weights, not sitting in a machine, the core strength deficiency is absolutely relative.

    I can squat almost double my body weight. I can do more pull ups than half the guys in my gym. I can DL double my body weight.

    I can still run a sub 10 min mile- and I spend 15-20 hours a week dancing as a professional performer.

    Telling me again how my fitness is deficit because I can't hold still for 2 minutes with my face 2" from my cat hair covered carpet.

    19842007.gif

    Lol...

    I'm a failure at fitness obviously. sigh. back to the drawing board- and now that I've been educated- I'm going to re-write my next 4 month dance training plan and take out all the drilling and just add in plank work. Because- clearly that's what I need.

    I was going to do a 40 mile ride on Sunday, but I think I'm just going to plank instead...it'll save me a few hours anyway...
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    dlm7507 wrote: »
    That didn't start with Fox, but the answer is that not being able to do a two minute plank is an indication that your fitness plan is deficient. There are two reasons for not being able to do it; poor ab/core strength and/or you are obese. If you lift free weights, not sitting in a machine, the core strength deficiency is absolutely relative.

    I can squat almost double my body weight. I can do more pull ups than half the guys in my gym. I can DL double my body weight.

    I can still run a sub 10 min mile- and I spend 15-20 hours a week dancing as a professional performer.

    Telling me again how my fitness is deficit because I can't hold still for 2 minutes with my face 2" from my cat hair covered carpet.

    19842007.gif

    Lol...

    I'm a failure at fitness obviously. sigh. back to the drawing board- and now that I've been educated- I'm going to re-write my next 4 month dance training plan and take out all the drilling and just add in plank work. Because- clearly that's what I need.

    I was going to do a 40 mile ride on Sunday, but I think I'm just going to plank instead...it'll save me a few hours anyway...

    You definitely need to scrub that ride and refocus so you can go do your plank training.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    priorities son- priorities.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I think planking went from being a very underrated exercise to being extremely overrated. I do pushups...plank with some extra work.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I think planking went from being a very underrated exercise to being extremely overrated. I do pushups...plank with some extra work.

    I cosign- it became a huge crossfit/functional bullsh*t thing. way to ruin everything "functional training"
  • BruinsGal_91
    BruinsGal_91 Posts: 1,400 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    dlm7507 wrote: »
    That didn't start with Fox, but the answer is that not being able to do a two minute plank is an indication that your fitness plan is deficient. There are two reasons for not being able to do it; poor ab/core strength and/or you are obese. If you lift free weights, not sitting in a machine, the core strength deficiency is absolutely relative.

    I can squat almost double my body weight. I can do more pull ups than half the guys in my gym. I can DL double my body weight.

    I can still run a sub 10 min mile- and I spend 15-20 hours a week dancing as a professional performer.

    Telling me again how my fitness is deficit because I can't hold still for 2 minutes with my face 2" from my cat hair covered carpet.

    19842007.gif

    Lol...

    I'm a failure at fitness obviously. sigh. back to the drawing board- and now that I've been educated- I'm going to re-write my next 4 month dance training plan and take out all the drilling and just add in plank work. Because- clearly that's what I need.

    I was going to do a 40 mile ride on Sunday, but I think I'm just going to plank instead...it'll save me a few hours anyway...

    You definitely need to scrub that ride and refocus so you can go do your plank training.

    Yep. And I'm not going to bother with my 10k, just gonna plank instead.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    JoRocka wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    dlm7507 wrote: »
    That didn't start with Fox, but the answer is that not being able to do a two minute plank is an indication that your fitness plan is deficient. There are two reasons for not being able to do it; poor ab/core strength and/or you are obese. If you lift free weights, not sitting in a machine, the core strength deficiency is absolutely relative.

    I can squat almost double my body weight. I can do more pull ups than half the guys in my gym. I can DL double my body weight.

    I can still run a sub 10 min mile- and I spend 15-20 hours a week dancing as a professional performer.

    Telling me again how my fitness is deficit because I can't hold still for 2 minutes with my face 2" from my cat hair covered carpet.

    19842007.gif

    Lol...

    I'm a failure at fitness obviously. sigh. back to the drawing board- and now that I've been educated- I'm going to re-write my next 4 month dance training plan and take out all the drilling and just add in plank work. Because- clearly that's what I need.

    I was going to do a 40 mile ride on Sunday, but I think I'm just going to plank instead...it'll save me a few hours anyway...

    You definitely need to scrub that ride and refocus so you can go do your plank training.

    Yep. And I'm not going to bother with my 10k, just gonna plank instead.

    obviously you'll be more fitter for your wise choice and change of plan.
  • juliewatkin
    juliewatkin Posts: 764 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    I think planking went from being a very underrated exercise to being extremely overrated. I do pushups...plank with some extra work.

    I'm with you on that. I count push ups as core work. Having said that, I do actually do core work. I just include push ups as one part of it.
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
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    RavenLibra wrote: »
    The relevant answer is as individual as the people answering. Everyone has their own definition of what fit is depending on their jam... Runners... lifters, cross fitters, athletes devoted to their sports... and people who have just picked up the desire to be better versions of themselves... the only true endpoint for enough is 6 ft under... until then I say we all strive for one more rep, one more mile, one more goal.

    ^^ this.

    One of the things I've noticed is that people who are passionate about their chosen fitness activity don't seem to have an endpoint. For them, its all about the journey, not the destination.

    As an example, we have a fair number of 60& year old members in our tri club who will be doing full Ironman distance races this season. Two of them are focused on qualifying for the World championships in Kona. This level of drive applies to both men and women. I've noticed the same attributes among some of the members of my gym who are weightlifters. These folks are just committed to "getting better" and their age or current fitness level doesn't really matter.