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I think I'm in the worst shape of my life

E

Exterous

Super Moderator
Cardio wise anyway. I've had a string of health issues that started with I couldn't move that much and moved on to other issues that resulted in a Doctor telling me to not move too much (anything that would get my heart rate up). I went in to my first workout yesterday planning on easing in and its a good thing I did as it was a lot worse than I had guessed. There's no way I could do the workouts I was doing 6 months ago let alone the hiking of last summer. Well building my cardio in my 40s should be just as my teens right? (The last time I needed to make a big improvement for sports)
 
This happens to me with weightlifting every couple of months. I'll get into an excellent routine, then tweak my lower back. I've had to step away from traditional dead-lifts in lieu of using a hexagonal trap bar.

#tallpeopleproblems
 
The good news is that you're still relatively young. You should build back up at a good rate, just don't overdo it.
 
I've been doing a simple routine 5x/wk for the last month and feel pretty good for almost 47. I do 30 pushups, 30 situps, 30 squats, and 30 tricep presses on the arm of our couch (10 sets of each), then take the bigger dog on a 1.5 mile walk and the little for a .5 mile walk. Before that, I tried getting back into running but just couldn't really do it. Was getting shin splints and it's been way too hot. Now, I get up around 545-6am and hit it, and if I skip a day, I feel guilty about it so that's a good thing IMO.

At least you're getting back into doing something. Take your time and take it easy, your body will start to feel it and you'll get used to it again.
 
I'm turning 43 next month and am probably in the best shape of my life. My cardio isn't the best but I'm now playing basketball weekly so that is helping. I was doing cardio 3x a week in the spring/summer when I was trying to lean up, but nothing intense. Just some fast pace walking on a steep incline for 25 mins each session.

When it comes to weights, somewhat recently (like 4-5 months ago) I totally changed my routines up to focus more on form and doing slower eccentric motions. It lead to me having to leave my ego at the door and drop weight in most exercises but now I am not ego lifting and throwing weight around with the higher risk of injury. I have a nagging shoulder injury that's bothered me for over a decade and it will never be perfect, but I'm pretty good about what I can and can't do to aggravate it.

Today I was doing shoulders and was doing standing barbell presses, and my first working set was 135x8, and I literally thought to myself "I wonder how many 42 year olds can overhead press 135lbs 8 times with good form ... probably not many."

I plan on working out until I'm dead or physically unable to.
 
Yeah I'll take it easy ramping up - was just a little jarring to realize where my new starting position was going to be
 
Get a HRM to monitor your HR - keep it out of Zone 5! Long duration cardio in Z3 and low Z4 as you build up.

Big fan of Scoshe.

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You need a dog man. Go adopt something with a cute snoot and a fondness for gratitude and kisses. By walking the dog you get your steps in, plus the benefit from the heart healthy companionship.

Might want to supplement protein once or twice a day, a good shake'll do it. Aim for 60 grams/day. Once you're pulling actual long walks or runs, add Japanese pushups and a kettlebell.
 
Just turned 40 this month. Similar issues. Have to force myself to go to the gym. But once I get there, I just focus on progress, not perfection. Good luck.
 
kage69 said:
You need a dog man.
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🙁 Our dog of 15 years passed away a couple months ago. For us its still too soon. We dog sat recently and it felt like those two dogs were doing Being A Dog wrong. They were pretty well trained and perfectly nice so that wasn't at all their fault - just too many things were off for me. Maybe down the road a bit
 
I'm 54. Strength-wise, I'm probably the strongest I've ever been - I've packed on a lot of muscle this year. Cardio-wise, I can hold my own but have been much fitter - there's a fair amount of room for improvement. Not to brag, but most people who know me would say that I'm extremely fit - fitter than most people much younger than me. Want to know my secret?

Find something that motivates you to stay fit. For me that motivator is climbing/backpacking/hiking. A long time ago, I learned that I really don't enjoy going to the gym, running, etc. just for the sake of staying fit, looking good, or whatever. Lifting sucks. Running sucks. Eating healthy sucks. However, what *does* motivate me to do all those things extremely hard is knowing that it enables me able to do the things that I love.

So, for example - next August I have an epic climbing trip planned. I intend to climb the Teton Traverse - i.e. I'll climb all but 1 of the major peaks in the Grand Teton range, and I'm going to do it in 3 days or fewer. So this past May, I started hitting the gym harder than I have in a long time. I'm constantly visualizing the climb while I work out - and it gets me really amped, making me want to lift *all* the weights.
 
Exterous said:
🙁 Our dog of 15 years passed away a couple months ago. For us its still too soon. We dog sat recently and it felt like those two dogs were doing Being A Dog wrong. They were pretty well trained and perfectly nice so that wasn't at all their fault - just too many things were off for me. Maybe down the road a bit
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Ooof. I know of what you speak, totally understand. Also, sorry. I'm glad you had a good long run with your pup though. My brother just lost his 3yr old Rhodesian to a freak respiratory infection yesterday. He is not ok.

I expect he will take a break for awhile. Like me, like you. :persevere:
 
kage69 said:
Ooof. I know of what you speak, totally understand. Also, sorry. I'm glad you had a good long run with your pup though. My brother just lost his 3yr old Rhodesian to a freak respiratory infection yesterday. He is not ok.

I expect he will take a break for awhile. Like me, like you. :persevere:
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Thanks. Yeah we had a good long run for sure which also means little reminders are going to show up for awhile. I knew the absence of the food and water bowls would take a while to get over - I didn't anticipate the floor under those wasn't sun bleached so there was an even more stark reminder. Just put on my fall jacket yesterday - stuck my hands in my pocket and found a poop bag for dog walks 🙁
 
Exterous said:
Thanks. Yeah we had a good long run for sure which also means little reminders are going to show up for awhile. I knew the absence of the food and water bowls would take a while to get over - I didn't anticipate the floor under those wasn't sun bleached so there was an even more stark reminder. Just put on my fall jacket yesterday - stuck my hands in my pocket and found a poop bag for dog walks 🙁
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It's always the little things that hit the hardest. I feel like having a dog gave me some purpose. Right now I come home to....an empty house. Not quite ready for a dog, but I was thinking about it the other day and told my friend that I'm pretty sure the best time in my life so far was when I had a dog.

So if I start posting pictures of a giant great dane again....y'all know what happened 😛
 
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