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Starting a new me
I'm almost 54. After years of attempts to be cool or look good or fit in with the crowd I found some transformation videos on youtube and got hooked.
Now starting to get about transformation more methodically.
In my youth I did some rowing. I quite liked it. The trainer dumped me after a year as I didn't make any progress. I didn't know I was supposed to make progress or how.
Anyway through my life I did what I was told, except in business. Spent too much time in the office and with clients the last 25 years.
Am a bit lost now. Sloth, slug, knee problems, body of a seal, as in elephant seal. Lost job and income. Started walking everywhere to save bus money. Got a new job after the last unemployment. Office with a built-in gym. And shower.
So I started using the gym now and then. Took the bicycle to work and back, some running at lunch time.
I quit smoking. Cut down on beer, sweets, chocolates, extensive dinners, biscuits.
But the weight is constant for years. No muscles above the belt.
So, this is my recent attempt to transform myself to a more attractive body.
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First week.
Started with pushup. Just 5 reps on my knees. Rest. More reps. 5 sets, with the last only getting to 2 reps.
Keeping elbows closer to body than before.
A day later the pain is in the triceps, neck, shoulder. Good that I didn't go overboard that first day. There seems to be no inflammation as on that first day in the army when my 3 pullups weren't deemed enough and I had to continue until I couldn't get the arms straight again. 2 weeks later the arms were straight again. But then I was down to zero pullups. Took me 5 more months to get to the minimum 6 required.
1 day rest.
2nd day: max 6 pushups done, 5 sets, last set done at 1 pushup (still on knees);
Added australian pullups. Feet just behind the bar. 15x each shoulder, wide, close grip. (Need to start somewhere)
Yin Yoga 1h in the evening.
Started yoga in January and like it. Organised. Go at your own pace. Totally mixed group.
The group seems to be thinned by cold and flu. But nice stretching done. Mostly legs but also arms and shoulders. Just what I need.
Diet:
Moved the protein shake to the morning.
And salted water before, during and after yoga. Plain water makes me too tired.
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The slow start is just fine. Body needs to get used to exercise. Aka repair newly used muscles and tendons.
I can feel now all the used muscles. But they don't hurt so much as to make me want to stop. Looking forward to the next session and further progress.
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Saturday Thai massage. Sunday max 8 pushups in first set.
Monday dentist. No sport.
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Trying to search workout programs on this site but only find questions for links and answers to use a search engine. Probably need to check the paid section.
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Hey man, good luck on your journey! For a beginners program and information on fat loss in general, check the link below.
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Wednesday: pushup on knees. 5 sets to fail: 10 - 7 - 5 - 3 -1; Australian pullup: 3x15 + 1x10; hanging; rowing 5min, Japanese sitting
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[QUOTE=wave_length;1575090941]Hey man, good luck on your journey! For a beginners program and information on fat loss in general, check the link below.[/QUOTE]
Thanks. I really need to up my protein intake. 200g protein are 650g lean beef. I'm not getting nearly there.
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Rib flare. Not noticeable with tbe belly. But once the belly shrinks it becomes more obvious.
Also, the ribs don't hold stuff in. Everything below "naturally" bulges out.
It took me a while to even find the term "flared ribs". Doctors didn't say anything about it after my childhood.
Anyway. It looks ugly. But I don't care anymore. After the shoulders got a bit more muscles I'll work on pulling those ribs in. And if I look as if I just escaped a concentration camp, so be it.
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Yoga class was really full yesterday. And more men. 1 hour stretching in impossible poses.
Today gym: 12 pushups on knee, but second set only 5. Need to remember to turn the elbow in. 12/5/5/3/2
Australian pullup: 2x15 +12. Half foot off the vertical, 2nd rung from the top of smith machine.
Lunch: Rocket, Tomato, celery, Cucumber, Feta, 3 boiled eggs, pepper, salt, oil
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HIIT Pilates until muscle failure.
And pulse through the roof.
Miniscule rest. And repeat.
60 minutes.
Everybody having fun.
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Mutton curry. 1.5kg mutton in pressure cooker, 2 onions, 3 sweet pepper, 2 cans tomatoes, 1 garlic bulb, bag of pulses.
Spices: turmeric, salt, pepper, chili, garam masala, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, asafoetida
1 tablespoon lard to fry first the meat then the onions
Should be sufficient to provide lunch for the whole week.
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Hi Andy. I'm a similar age to you at 54 bud, but I've been training a long time. Even so, it takes an age to "get big", especially from the beginning.
Your training so far looks good but can I ask...are you lifting weights at all yet as well as pull-ups and push-ups? An all-over full body workout twice a week for say, a month will see some dramatic increases in general muscle tone and even some size starting to form. After that you will be ready to take your training to the next stage which is working on specific programmes - splits into certain muscle groups etc.
Good luck with your progress Andy :)
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Thanks Floyd.
At the moment i need to get into the habit of working out. Not dropping out after a few weeks because of tendonitis, exhaustion, other things I need to do due to neglect.
I don't know how often I started with a regular workout already.
So the full body exhausting workout will need to wait.
I started a yoga class. Doing it 2-3 times a week.
The pushup - every 2nd day.
Walking every day 2x3.5km.
Next: warmup. Usually a warmup leaves me totally exhausted, resulting in skipping the warmup and going straight to the weights, then getting inflammation, and dropping out for weeks and months.
Now I told everybody that I want to lose that potbelly. I can't afford dropping out.
So a warmup is important and that I will do in addition to the pushup. Even if that's all I do.
And the stretching doing yoga. Maintenance, flexibility, mobility.
When I'm running most of my work is against my own stiff muscles. And keeping a slow pace to avoid knee pain and shin splints.
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Gym:
gymnastics warmup. More tiring than rowing.
Need to write down and extend
Pushup: 10/6/5/3/2;
Pullup: vertical+10cm. 15x3
Jap. Sitting back to ball. 4 disks high,
Some hanging
Left Knee hurts less while squatting. Not quite ready for running or squatting under load;
Obliques pull while standing hurts most in the knee. Will have to wait.
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1h HIIT Pilates. Not all exercises in good form yet, or until end.
Lost balance in the end..coordination totally gone.
Pulse racing.
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Good to see you in there fighting. You're only two weeks in, so you're wise to take it slowly. But don't be afraid of the weights. You're getting close to the point where they will do you good. As long as you don't overdo it and start a well-planned program, it will do your joints and your body shape a world of good.
Again, though -- be patient. Nothing good happens overnight. Except a good overnighter.
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Another yoga class in the book. Yin yoga is really great to my joints. Slow moving to the edge. Not too much, not too little just about right.
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I love reading about people that rediscover the gym. It's a life affirming experience. Keep working hard! The insides of the body changes first. Fat around the viscera goes away, and you begin to transform. Stay hyped bro!
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Tight muscles everywhere. Can't even do beginners exercises properly and full range.
Yoga teacher: if you can't do the basics, the foundation, don't force the advanced poses.
Start with the beginning. And master that.
If you can't stand on two legs without swaying there is no point trying one leg and falling over all the time.
So start at the beginning.
Warmup. Warmup slowly and properly. Get supple. Regain balance.
It's less boring when listening to music. Beethoven, or Heavy Metal, doesn't matter.
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Time flies. Warmup is excellent choice. Many exercises, whole body workout. And lunchtime is over before you know it.
Good stretching of hamstring and quads.
Fingertips can touch the floor for first time in decades.
No pain afterwards. Very important. Less rest required.
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Yoga in the morning. Makes me tired. Good for fat loss? Hope so. Definitely not good for office.
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Yin yoga. Still the best and most gentle. Basically 1 hour stretching.
"Find your edge", and stay there. For minutes.
My knees and hips have benefitted so much already.
No more pain during normal activities like sitting down or getting up. So no more alternative movements putting strain on other joints.
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Cycling and gardening over the weekend.
Still took some km to warm the knee up.
Lots of stretching when planting.
Pruning is good for grip.
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Yoga is taking over. 1h every two days. Flexibility seems to get better.
Knee pain, hip pain are addressed.
Wrist pain is gone.
Rediscovered tennis ball for foot massage.
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That wasn't nice at all. Need a break. Shivering, profuse sweating, nausea, dizziness, headache.
Need to take a break.
Doctors say everything is ok.
When it clearly isn't.
Oh well, didn't see any doctor..They only had a nurse for me who asked me whether I have a wife and that she should make dinner for me...
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There we are. Overtraining, illness, injury.
Pause. A week off training.
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Next try.
First workout yesterday after too long a rest.
Not really a workout. Just extended warmup and stretching.
That'll need to do for a while. I hate the injury/illness resting weeks.
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The only constant now is 1h yoga once per week and the daily walks.
Set myself an alarm every day just before dinner time for gym time.
Warmup yoga shower.
Serene Music
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Made some pictures. And I'm horrified by them.
Good thing: I'm largely pain free. And I am not totally sedentary.
But I really need to step it up.
Diet wise, and workouts.