What Was Your Work Out Today?

Stepped onto a treadmill for an hour, kept the pace the same at 3mph but played with the incline settings. Quite bizarre to be on a treadmill which can actually do a NEGATIVE incline (front lower than back), all the way up to 30 degrees (have to slow down going that extreme incline).

5k + 1 mile in 39:34. Ready for an adult beverage… 🔜

A 6.5 mile walk through the park with a friend. We had thought about driving to do a hike farther afield with hills, but I had to chase some wild geese and we got a later start. We're so lucky to have this big park so close. Aside from a few places on our walk that had no hills, we never walked on the same trail/path twice; we did cross it a few times. There were a few small places where the elevation changed -- a total of a whopping 253 feet over all 6.5 miles.

I was explaining to my friend about VO2Max. I had commented that someone the other day had asked how old I was. I said, "Yeah. How old am I?" Their guess was about ten years younger than I am. I didn't correct them. No worries. So I showed my friend about my VO2Max and the "Fitness Age" that Garmin suggests. During the walk it was 16 years younger than my chronological age. Well, when I got home, my VO2Max had increased by a a point from 41 to 42 ml/kg/min, and my "Fitness Age" had decreased by a year to 17 younger than the calendar says. Garmin also suggests my VO2Max is in the top 25% of people my age range and gender. Wow. I don't feel THAT fit. It suggests that over the last month, that VO2Max increased from 39 to 42 ml/kg/min over the last four weeks. This is just from walking. Six months ago, a couple months after I retired, it was down at 38 ml/kg/min, and it dipped as low as 37 back in October. I must have been lazy in the fall. It had been up to 42 back in April and August 2020 before the effect of COVID restrictions detuned my body I let the effect of COVID restrictions reduce my fitness level. In February 2019 it was up to 43 and 46 in January 2019; must have been when I was at my peak. Can I get there now that I'm four years older? Stay tuned to find out! I'll have to start running and swimming again; walking probably won't do it, but it's done me well.

Ultra easy pace stationary bike, 60' (83W) + 3' (82W), almost entirely Z2 (a short bit at the start below).

Some dumb dumbbell stuff and band hamstring curls, added reps, still low weight.

Physical therapy session with some exercises, plus later did the home ones that I didn't do then.

I do Les Mills workouts. Body Pump, Spin, The Trip, RPM, Body Attack, Body Combat. Mix it up every day. I did Pump and The Trip 29 today. I love it!

dralicephd wrote: »

30 min. easy elliptical session. I intended to go 45 min., but pieces of the foot pedal flew off mid-workout. It made for an exciting session!

Guess I'll be shopping tomorrow. Oh well. I think I can still use the old one in it's current condition for a little while longer. I think. We'll see.

Happy hunting!

Wednesday
I went to a ceilidh for Burn's night. It was fun. The dancing was minor anarchy. I ended up on 35,000 steps for the day. It was good fun, would do again.

Friday
Climbing. A slight ridiculous flat out 3 hour session. I could barely walk afterwards. It was good fun, I would do again.

Good workout this morning. Upper-body, core and cardio.

Stretched

36 minutes on the spin bike, heart rate avg/max: 137/164
28 minutes on the treadmill, heart rate avg/max: 138/153

51 minutes lifting weights:

Superset: Barbell bench press, Wide grip lat pull-downs, Barbell overhead press
Chest: 10@135, 8@165, 6@185, drop set: 3@205, 4@185, 6@165, 6@145, 8@125
Back: 10@110, 8@140, 6@160, drop set: 5@180, 6@160, 6@140, 6@120, 8@100
Shoulders: 10@65, 8@85, 6@105, drop set: 4@125, 4@105, 6@85, 6@65, 8@45

Superset: Triceps press-downs, Crunches, Dumbbell concentration curls, Weighted side bends, Resistance band face pulls.
Triceps: 10@40, 10@60, drop set 7@80, 8@50
Crunches: 25, 25, 25
Curls: 10@30, 8@35, drop set: 6@40, 8@30
Side Bends: 3*10@30lbs
Face Pulls: 3@10@60lbs

Stretched

Good workout this morning. Lower body, core and cardio.

Stretched

32 minutes on the spin bike, heart rate avg/max: 136/161
26 minutes on the treadmill, heart rate avg/max: 134/148

45 minutes lifting weights:

Wide Stance Leg Press: 15@210, 12@300, 10@390, 10@390, 10@390, drop set: 10@390, 10@300, 12@210
Crunches: 25, 25, 25, 25
Barbell Romanian Deadlifts: 12@95, 10@145, 10@145, drop set: 10@145, 10@95
Kettlebell Side Swings, each side: 4*8@30lbs.

Stretched

I think it's time a de-load this week, I'm feeling a little beat-up so it's time for a little recovery.

Djproulx wrote: »

I've done some easy lap swimming, plus a trainer ride and some walking over the last few days. The CT scan on Thursday confirmed that I have a hernia that needs to be addressed. I have an appointment with the surgeon this afternoon, hoping we can get this scheduled and done quickly.

I'm determined not to let this injury put a big crimp in my schedule. We're doing a full kitchen remodel later in February, then leaving for Florida in early March, so I'm hoping surgery can be done during the next few weeks. In the meantime, I'll live vicariously through the regulars posting here!

Well dang, @Djproulx . . . but I hope that will put you on track to even a higher level of functioning post-surgery/recovery after the temporary disruption of routine.

Even if you're not doing much in the way of workouts, it would be nice IMO to hear from you occasionally about how you're doing along that route: You've been such a regular contributor here over a long time.

Wishing you speedy surgery, smooth and speedy recovery!

AM
Yoga (10m)
Jumprope - 5x2m (10m)

PM
KB Swing - 10x10r (100)
24kg
Dips - 10x5r (50)
EMOM (20m)

@Djproulx Hang in there! And yes, please keep posting.


30 min. elliptical session today followed by a full-body low/body weight strength training session. Part of me feels like I can probably kick up some of the weight, but I'm afraid to do so. Every time I've done that in the past, I've gotten injured. So... I'll just keep on with the same for awhile for muscle maintenance.

Thanks to everyone for the nice comments.

I met with the surgeon yesterday. Turns out I have both right and left side hernia issues, though the left side perforation is very small and doesn't cause any pain.

The surgeon said no restrictions in activity before surgery, so I'll simply stay aware of any
discomfort and adjust accordingly. Surgery is set for Feb 10th. I can resume a normal routine soon afterwards. I'm encouraged by the surgeon's comments about a quick return to normal activities.

I did a brief yoga practice yesterday and used the foam roller this morning. I'll swim at lunch. Plan is to get in a few swims and trainer rides this week.

Namaste.

Monday report: Still the stationary bike 60' (92W) + 3' (82W). It was mostly Z2, a little Z3.

Did some small bit of dumbbell stuff, band hamstring curls - increasing something (reps, sets, or weight) on most exercises. Finished with my physical therapy exercises.

BTW, I'm not discouraged by days when I'm slower: LISS has fitness value, it's essential even, and it's easier for me to do longer LISS on the bike vs. rowing machine. Rowing, I'm more likely to want to go for a little faster split.

Last year, after the holidays, I kept rowing/biking volume kind of high (for me), plus added strength training, and sort of overdid total exercise stress. No major bad effects, but I accumulated fatigue and burned out fast. (It's easy for me to burn out on the Winter exercise, which just isn't as fun as the summer versions.)

This year, my theory is that I'll keep the hour bike rides for now, but let intensity there be whatever my energy level leads me to do while not giving it much attention. Usually, that means declining intensity over the week, and a bit of increase after Sunday rest day. Fine by me.

Speaking of which, Sunday was rest day, so all I did was the PT exercises, mild stuff.

Thank you for the kind words, @annpt77. Quite often (ok, almost always), your posts are the most comprehensive, well thought out posts in an entire thread. For you to compliment my little addition, that just makes my day. 🤩

Yesterday was an hour on the elliptical, really banged my intensity out of the park. Not sure if it's because I took the weekend off from exercise, or because I was over on calories for the weekend and had energy to burn, but either way it was a great session.

Today was an hour on the treadmill at an average incline of 10.5. This gives my quads a rest from the elliptical, but boy does it do a number on my calves!