Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Well done on the run, Surfermom. And no, you're no big baby...sometimes we just don't feel like training too hard, whatever the guilt trip does to us. Well Done!

Bratti, Ruthio...keep on with your exercising too. As with all of us, a little is better than nothing at all and you'll sure feel invigorated afterwards when you've had that invigorating shower.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Change of plan today as my wife was able to collect my granddaughter from school to then go shopping, so I had the afternoon to myself. So on with the final part of my 3-day routine which was completed, with a couple of other exercises added too.

I’m very happy with the way this programme is going now. The full body workout each time works a treat as no muscle group is being exerted too much and vice versa – not too little either. At the end of this trial I’ve been juggling around the exercises and most of them have seen gradually added weight but taking into account that I’m not decreasing the reps too much. I don’t want to go back down the ‘strength road’ too much, although I know I’m certainly in a position to if I wanted.
I think I’m in really good shape at the moment, in fact much better shape than say a year ago with no ligament issues to speak of and the muscles looking toned and to a good standard without too much bulk mass. The belly is staying at a reasonable waist size, though I’ll be working more on the abs from the two month point before my June holiday.

As usual, the push, pull and legs were done ‘as and when’ I could use the apparatus required.


Friday, 9 Mar 18:

Smith flat bench press, 40kg:
20/15/12
*2kg added to the last set.

Incline chest press, 40kg:
20/15/12
*A different variation of the standard chest press. This is half way between the usual horizontal ‘push out’ combined with a sort of 45° shoulder press. Nice bit of kit.

Lat pulldown, hammer bar, 35kg:
25/20/15
*Adding 5kg next time.

Machine curls, both arms together, 25kg:
25/20/15
*I’ll be upping the weight by 5kg next week and may decrease the reps until I get used to the extra poundage.

Fly dec (pec dec but with arms outstretched not bent), 50kg:
36/30/25
*I was quite astounded how easy this was and I really need to increase the weight quite considerably next time, perhaps to 65kg as these reps were far too many. I’ll leave the reps blank on my template and adjust things as I go along next time.

Hamstring curls, 40kg:
40/30/20
*Just right on this. Staying the same next time.

Adductor (‘knees inwards’, i.e. good girls lol), 60kg:
35/25/15
*Again, fine with this weight and reps.

Extensions, 35kg:
25/20/15
*I reintroduced this exercise last week cautiously as I thought it may aggravate my knees but there were no problems, even with this added 10kg. Next time I’ll be upping it to 40kg, same reps.

Barbell standing curls, 30kg:
10/10/10
*With all the E-Z bars in use, I went for a traditional straight barbell instead and did my curls standing rather than seated on the preacher bench. Nice change and an exercise I’ll retain for next time where I’ll sort out the rep structure.

Tricep extensions, 40kg:
20/15/12
*The extra 5kg was added, but I still need more so it will be 45 next week.

Machine curls:
15x30

DB concentration curls, 16kg, alt:
10/10/10
*Just a final quickie thrown in to round the time up basically. Nice to feel that extra pump in the guns! A good exercise to end with so I’ll leave it in the programme.


1hr 20mins.

That was one of the best sessions I’ve done in ages. Not too strenuous but taxing enough to feel that slight burn of the lactic acid going through the muscles, but still agile enough to not be exhausted. May be something to do that it was Friday of course though!

Pending stuff to do at home, I’ll try to fit in a quick session on Sunday. That may depend on Saturday night’s excess though…going to see a local gig featuring an ex-member of Mick Ronson’s first band The Rats, even before he teamed up with David Bowie who call themselves The Alligators.


Thanks folks, have a great weekend!

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Now you sound like you are really back on track, Floydy and I think it's super that your wife was able to help you out in getting a full workout in without having the ticking of the clock pressuring you. Have a great time out tonight. It seems that your area affords you a lot of music experience. Lucky you!

The new watch worked out splendidly and my daughter, using hers, couldn't wait to compare data when we were through. We were both appalled at our pace - and declining pace, so that information has become a bit of a challenge between us to show some improvement.

Aside from my race last month, I have altogether abandoned speed work being ever concerned about protecting my knees. We are thinking that if we go easy at it and do our speedwork at the soft and stable track work, we can ease into a (in my case, ever-so-slightly) faster pace, but for fear of putting the cart before the horse, I'll hold back on talking about it too much.

As part of our-get-back-into-life program, not unlike Swimfeeders, Annie, Ruthio and several others here, we became so housebound that find ourselves almost having to work at getting out for something besides exercise, so today we are taking the bikes and cycling through the trail system to go to a local art festival. We thought it more fun and scenic than dealing with car traffic and parking.

So with that to look forward to, I am off for a short four miler before putting air in the bike tires...

Have a lovely Saturday afternoon and evening everyone. I hope that conditions and circumstances allow you to get out too.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Hi Surfermom,
Hope you enjoy your festival today. So what is it - a quick four-mile run and then a bike ride to the event? That's some going there. Enjoy the scenery!

You are right to abandon the speed work too I reckon. All that pounding the knees isn't good for the body (and I'm not going to say "at our age"!) at all. Long distance, relaxed running is surely good enough these days and will keep you fit and agile. Good call there.


** May I just mention before I continue:
Did you get my little note via a PM about my quandary if you got my long message the other day? It appears to have got lost somewhere when I pressed send. It took me ages to type out just before I began work on Thursday night, but I think I saved it and if it's okay with you I'll reply to your excellent previous reply when I get to work on Sunday. I can't access my work PC from home. Is that clear as mud?
Anyway, a brief thanks for yours and I'll tackle the points on your PM tomorrow night. Sorry about all that! **

- - - - - - - -

As yesterday’s session wasn’t exactly planned to be such a big workout I wasn’t even going to hit the gym today, but with some time spare this afternoon (after taking my granddaughter to her ballet class) I managed a pretty swift 45 minutes.

Being up to date with everything it was rather tricky to decide what exactly to do training-wise, but it ended up as five short exercises from my 3-set list: 2 pull, 2 push and one on the legs. Just as a top-up to a fulfilling week’s training.


Saturday, 10 Mar 18:

DB press, 15° incline bench, 20kg:
20/15/13
*Even doing this exercise yesterday my triceps were already recovered enough to manage an extra rep at the end. This means I’m stronger already after just two weeks of doing this programme, so I’ll be using the 22kg dumbbells next time.

Tricep extensions, 45kg:
20/15/16
*These are becoming a doddle. 5kg added from yesterday’s session and similar to the exercise above I was still able to add four reps to the final set. Next time the weight on this exercise will go up to 50kg – which is a pretty heavy weight to be doing high reps with – but I’m obviously easily able to lift it, so be it!

E-Z preacher curl, 85° vertical pull, close grip, 28kg:
20/15/15
*Again, three extra reps were possible on the last set but instead of increasing the weight on this exercise I’ll be targeting bigger reps next time of 22/16/14.

E-Z preacher curl, 45° standard pull, wide grip, 23kg:
20/15/18
*And yet again an extra three reps were possible but were very tough going on the final set. No matter, it’s best to push oneself and from next week the reps will be 22/20/18 which will really test my endurance.

Incline leg press, 180kg:
40/30
25x200kg
*Added another 20kg to the last set just for the hell of it. No problems at all.


45 mins.

So some good increases all round again despite only training yesterday. I’ll be taking a rest now until Tuesday just to give the muscles time to relax and grow back, but I’m expecting another decent performance like those of this week when I continue.


Thanks for reading

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

An extra rep or two keeps the doctor away, right Floydy? It's always a mental victory when you can do a little extra without doing damage. Good for you.

I think I burned enough calories to eat ice cream for a week:

After running a short but 4.5 miles in the morning, I raced home to get the bicycle tires filled with air and wrestled into the travel racks. More grease than girl, I took a quick, needed shower and we were off.

Armed with the new running watch to track our distance, my daughter and I drove to an outlying trailhead where we made our way 7.6 miles through the pine and oak forest to the art center. The building is a white clapboard southern colonial that backs up to the intracoastal waterway, beautifully framing the sprawling grassy venue.

About 100 vendors filled white canopied tents with vibrant displays of their oils, watercolors, pottery, woodworking, and jewelry. It's funny how once I was just interested in the art, I am more impressed with their skills. It is one thing to have talent - something given without merit - but it is a feat of another layer to hone skills to a professional level.

But I digress.

After strolling around for a few hours, talking to artists, crossing paths with a few friends, losing the car key, finding the car key, and stopping for lemonade, we collected our things, and started the long trip back. By then the leaning sun was stretching the shadows, and by the time I looked at the watch, we had rounded out fifteen miles.

It was a wonderful day, and today we are a little muscle sore, but it was sure fun to have the bicycles out after a long winter.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

That sounds like a very eventful day, Surfermom. Great that you had your daughter along for company too.
I think the morning run would have sufficed as my exercise for the day, but to get the bikes out and cycle cross country well, that's some mighty adventurous workout. It must have been very cool too to walk around the art exhibits as well. What a great way to spend a Sunday.....although most mums will have been taking things easy on this side of the pond being pampered for Mother's Day. Do you have such an occasion in the US?
Anyway, I think you've earned your ice cream

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Hi, Floydy. Well that was written in too much haste, so I went back and cleaned it up a bit, but yes, it was definitely a fun day. I am happy - and grateful - that I still have the stamina to keep up with a twenty-year-old while it lasts

Our Mother's Day is in May. I know this was a difficult one for you having lost your mother last year, but it was nice you could remember her on a special day.

Three quick running miles today before the sky fell, and then back home for a round of step aerobics. A light but happy exercise day.

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Did my PM get through this time?

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

The sun is out, the kids on spring break are filling the beaches, but we have just experienced another thrashing cold front. There were a lot of goose-bumped bodies determined to work on their tans. Not me, though - warmth is the name of my game.

With tights a tank, and long sleeve running top, I squinted out at the condominum complexes looking like modern interpretations of the Giza pyramids on the horizon and set my watch. After all these years, I know the distance with almost every step, but with this being a pace day, one beep of the button and I was off. Knowing that OldGreyFox was somewhere off to my right a few hundred miles, I stood up straight and pressed on in good form might he have the binoculars out this morning.

Winter tides are higher and lower than spring's, which means the shoreline is at a steeper angle when the tide is out. This makes for difficult running with the inside leg having to push up more, and the leg adjacent to the shore taking more of the impact. While this is good for building muscle and stability, it can also be stressful on the knees, so it's conscientious going the whole way.

This is the beginning of nesting season with black skimmers and snowy plovers starting to make their annual appearance to find mates, but it's more important to keep a keen eye for their eggs on the ground. Snowy plovers lay them openly on the sand and because they are exposed, they leave their open air nests just long enough to get water, and vary rarely food. You can see why running involves looking down and staying vigilant the entire route, which is exactly what I did on this cloudless five miler today:

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Hi Surfermom.
It must be quite fascinating watching the comings and goings of the various birdies out there in Florida, seeing the pyramids in the distance and so on. It puts my perspective into shame definitely looking at the muddy banks of the River Humber. Even your cold spell I would die for right now as your location would temp me above any kind of dreary weather you are experiencing.

Nice run for you yesterday. Get yourself wrapped up warm and off you go. The motivation outweighs the chill I reckon as you get going.

Oh, and no it wouldn't surprise me at all if Bob is on the deck with his long range binoculars, lol. Wonder if he's taken some of our lost members in the thread with him as well. Ruthio, Mups, Annie, Swimmy etc. Where's everyone gone?

At least we can keep this boat afloat, as they say, with our occasional exercise bulletins for now. A session from me today, so there will be at least one post to come.

Take care and have a lovely day

Re: Post your daily exercise routine

Haha, yes, Floydy, it's high time we heard from the swimming, bending, posing, walking, and stretching aficianados. .

I am just wrapping up a little online work in preparation to run here in a few. The temps are still chilly and today the north winds have pushed the mullet into the rivers which means I should be able to spot a dolphin pod or two en route.

My pace is up ever so slightly and with this new program of yoga has my back feeling great, so today should be a good one. Five? Six? Will see....