Piper's Old Man's journey

[piperman]

I'm moving here from the other workout forum, since being over 35 (actually double 35!) I belong here.

Bodybuilder is not exactly what one would call me; more like a fitness wannabe. Having battled cancer and endured chemo five years ago, I started workouts three years ago and have been rather consistent since. I don't put on weight, but have added a tiny bit of muscle size and considerable strength during that time. I even participated in an armwrestling competition last July!

My hope is that I could inspire other older men like me to aim at fitness and not let the body deteriorate as it wants to at this--or any--stage of life.

Having just recuperated from a wicked bout of flu and complications, I'm finally back at the gym and did a light workout today. Feels good!

Piperman

[jtroster]

Welcome!

[ChocoChick]

Welcome, Piperman. Nice to have you with us :)

[Hibiscus09]

Nice to hear from you again, Piperman! :) I look forward to following your progress -- and you are NOT a wannabe!

[joed]

Glad to see ya Piper, been wondering where you were.

[jaguarr]

Hey, welcome to the journaling crew, Piper! :cool:

jag

[piperman]

I'm pondering a question relative to something I have wanted to do for almost a year. Last year I competed in an armwrestling tournament nearby, which, alas, had no category for older men. I wanted to make a statement for older guys who want to maintain fitness, and I'd still like to do that. However, first, the sport is designed on a weight basis only, which means that my competition thoroughly outmuscled me (I'm 6', 155#). So I didn't stand a chance of winning a match. (My two competitors were several inches shorter than me, but the same weight.) But I did make the statement! Second, I've just come through a wicked bout of flu which left me pretty weaked and I am just now beginning to get back on track. So, instead of gaining strength as I had hoped, I have lost some at this point. The tournament is July 4.

Question: should I enter, lose my two bouts and be eliminated, but make a statement. Or should I forget it (at least for this year) and look for another sport (some kind of walking event) where I might be a true competitor?

Piperman

[cocomo]

Howdy, Piper.

Your answer may lie in your signature.

[jaguarr]

Howdy, Piper.

Your answer may lie in your signature.


Exactly. It really comes down to which is more important to you: The statement itself, the competitive aspects, or both. :)

jag

[piperman]

OK, Cocomo and Jag, you've pinned me down! I am a competitive guy, but, knowing my slight to none chances of winning at the conventional armwrestling tournament, I still would like to make a statement--even if that means getting beat.

Provided it works OK with my family, who may not revel at the thoughts of sitting for several hours at a tournament on the 4th of July, I probably will enter it.

Piperman

[piperman]

A friend of mine calls the ability of the muscles to bounce back to former strength after a layoff period - muscle memory. I'm experiencing that now. Today I went to the gym again after my first time back on Tuesday; and I found that I could already lift more weight. A good feeling! So maybe I'll be back to where I was by the end of the month. I had also worked pretty hard a couple of days ago scrubbing the floors and windows of the school bus I drive -- end-of-the-year cleanup time! So the ol' bod is getting back in shape.

To me as a keyboard performer, I always thought of muscle memory as the ability to remember by feel certain pieces of music learned long ago or the feel of scales, etc. Oh, well, to each his own as far as that term goes. It works either way.

Piperman

[jaguarr]

Sounds like you found the decision you were looking for on that arm-wrestling tournament, Piper. I wish you well in your endeavor to make that statement of yours (and fully support what you have to say with it as well). Looks like you've found your strength in the gym again as well. I'd say things are going your way for sure. :cool:

jag

[piperman]

I haven't posted in over a month. Last time I was hoping to get back into shape enough to compete in the July 4 armwrestling tournament nearby. Alas, I had a relapse following my earlier illness in May. And it took me several weeks to recuperate. So, no 4th of July competition for me. I am looking to next year with the hope of truly gaining some strength in the next few months.

Fortunately, I have been able to work out several times now since being ill, and the former strength is returning. I also feel really good these days. A real plus after a siege of illness!

Looking forward to working out tomorrow.

Piperman

[Hibiscus09]

Glad you're able to workout again, piperman! I definitely think muscle memory exists. I'm an experienced slacker and have watched my strength come back quite readily once I get serious again. :)

[Gunn27]

Sorry to hear you were sick there Piper, but glad you have recovered and are back at the workouts!

[piperman]

Another workout today, this time mostly upper body, since I spent three days this week on my knees re-tiling the kitchen floor. It got my lower back and hamstrings sore, but not uncomfortably sore. My previous workouts have strengthened my back particularly, and it's nice to be able to do such things as these sometimes-difficult home projects and not suffer from it!

I found out quite dramatically the difference between strength and endurance: I can do a couple of sets on the standing calf-raise machine with considerably more than my body weight added; yet when I got on the elliptical machine for a couple of minutes, my calves began to cramp and tire out and I was panting. Typical? Guess I'll have to do the elliptical more regularly!

Piperman

[piperman]

Thanks, Hib and Gunn for your kind thoughts! It's people like you who make this forum rewarding.

Back to my last post, I'm thinking that part of the reason for my sagging performance yesterday on the elliptical mschine was that I had not recovered from the soreness in the legs from doing the floor tiling. Just a thought. . . But I wonder if there must be different training for endurance than for strength and whether the two can co-exist.

Piperman

[piperman]

I haven't posted in a while, so here goes. In the last couple of workouts (within the last week) I have measured my arms afterward and found almost 1/2 inch growth. That, of course, was before a bit of shrinkage as I cooled down. Anyway, it's progress for me. I'm not just interested in developing the arms, but this is probably the most obvious area where one notices growth.

Having gotten back my health (thank God) and into regular workouts again, I'm feeling great! I trust this will continue when I once again start driving kids to school in the Fall. One year of exposure to the germs on the bus will hopefully have given me a little more immunity! We'll see. And in the meantime I'll keep up the workouts.

Piperman

[stephenlouis]

you are an inspiration. Keep up the great work, I strongly believe in "if you got it you can keep it". As a nurse I have seen many happy life's wreaked from lack of conditioning to bounce back from injury or illness in seniors, you will not have this problem if, god forbid you do fall seriously ill or get hurt.

Keep it up!

[piperman]

I haven't posted in awhile, since it seems life sometimes is so normal! But I have continued to work fairly hard at my workouts, especially the upper body. The other day I measured my arms and found that since my low point (after two months of illness May/June) I have gained a 1/2 inch in my biceps size. That's encouraging at my age, and I hope to continue to get to maximum growth. It will never be a lot due to my genes and body type, but I still hope to see some results.

Piperman

[piperman]

I have left off posting here because of the new BodySpace sites and the opportunity to blog there. However, I guess hardly anyone would find that place unless they knew my ID. It's fun to get comments from time to time, and I have written a couple of blog entries that deal with some questions that came to my mind.

If anybody is reading this and cares, where should I post?

There's even a video clip on my BodySpace that I posted on YouTube of me flexing! Fancy that!! an old man posting on a site usually used by younger people. Well I'll stop rambling and go now. . .

Piperman

[Hibiscus09]

Hi Piperman,

I just read over your blog and tried to comment, but this silly site wouldn't let me. I'll try again tomorrow. Your biceps are looking awesome and I'm glad the Airborne is working for you. Kids are sweet, but definitely little germ carriers. :D

[piperman]

I just wrote a new message on my blog and wonder if anyone might like to read and comment on it. I feel sometimes as though there aren't any other men represented here who share my physical build and are concerned with maintaining fitness. Don't get me wrong, there are lots of older men who are magnificent specimens of physical development, such as Kenchi, but I refer to those who are thin like me, yet have an interest in taking what they have to greater heights.

Well, maybe I'll get some help here. . .

Piperman

[piperman]

My latest blog on my personal bodyspace tells of an accident on the bench press bench. Who else might have experienced this? I returned today, a week later, and did all that I could do without using my right hand!

http://blog.bodybuilding.com/piperman/2006/11/15/oh-oh/

Piperman