40 aint no joke - General fitness thread

Post by **GORDON** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 7:54 am

In 1994 I compressed my disk between L4 and L5 when putting too much weight on the seated military press. Before I even had the nerve problems, that was squeezing my sciatic nerve and if it got inflamed, like every 3 weeks, I would barely be able to walk.

That taught me my personal weight lifting mantra: "If you can't do it slow and steady, then you can't do it."

Also I learned it's important to work all your muscles, not just the pretty ones, because they all support each other. Too much weight working the shoulders, and not enough work keeping my lower back strong.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:41 pm

Bar none, the least important groups of muscles (as far as strength training goes) are in the upper body. If you've got enough power to breathe and hold your skull upright, you're doing fine.

Edited By Malcolm on 1450291317

Post by **TheCatt** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 2:58 pm

Malcolm wrote:Bar none, the least important groups of muscles (as far as strength training goes) are in the upper body. If you've got enough power to breathe and hold your skull upright, you're doing fine.

Apparently you don't rock climb or swim.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 3:59 pm

TheCatt wrote:
Malcolm wrote:Bar none, the least important groups of muscles (as far as strength training goes) are in the upper body. If you've got enough power to breathe and hold your skull upright, you're doing fine.
Apparently you don't rock climb or swim.

Not typically. But I'd still put your core above upper body in either case. If you're doing work along those lines, all the muscles count. For day to day doing things and living, it doesn't count unless you toss boxes for FedEx.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 2:22 pm

GORDON wrote:Well today the barbell curling rack and bar were open, and someone had left some light weight on it, and I thought "what the fuck" and had a seat and did some long sets. It happens to be facing a mirror. I thought, "Holy shit, where did those biceps come from?"

After 5 years as a fat lazy lump of shit, it's nice to see progress in the training regimen.

Had the gym to myself this morning at 6am, thought I would make a vid for the wife who thinks I am having some sort of midlife crisis with all the recent lifting.

<object type="application/x-shockwave-flash" style="width:560px; height:315px;" data="//www.youtube.com/v/p0QlOX1d-5M?color2=FBE9EC&version=3">
<param name="movie" value="//www.youtube.com/v/p0QlOX1d-5M?color2=FBE9EC&version=3" />
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" />
</object>

I realize there isn't much weight on that bar, but that was after a full workout when I was all pumped up.

If you are wanting sex show the video to your women to get them all turned on. Or your men, whatever, I don't judge.

Edited By GORDON on 1450553207

Post by **TPRJones** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:40 pm

Oddly artistic framing choice there. Highlighting the futility of bettering ourselves when considering the insignificance of our place in the universe?

Edited By TPRJones on 1450564874

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 5:55 pm

TPRJones wrote:Oddly artistic framing choice there. Highlighting the futility of bettering ourselves when considering the insignificance of our place in the universe?

Nailed it.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 7:13 pm

the wife who thinks I am having some sort of midlife crisis with all the recent lifting

Nailed it.

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 10:13 pm

Malcolm wrote:
the wife who thinks I am having some sort of midlife crisis with all the recent lifting
Nailed it.

You're about to get front row seats to the gun show.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Sat Dec 19, 2015 11:00 pm

GORDON wrote:
Malcolm wrote:
the wife who thinks I am having some sort of midlife crisis with all the recent lifting

Nailed it.

You're about to get front row seats to the gun show.

Your .22s are headlining the event?

Edited By Malcolm on 1450584055

Post by **GORDON** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 8:51 am

GORDON wrote:Well, it's a goal to work toward. The biggest hurdle is going to be doing the flip turn in the middle of it. Right now I need to make sure I have a lot of air in my lungs for that.

The last couple workouts, the 25s with 0 breaths have been getting easier, and today when I was getting to the end of one of them I thought "fuckit" and went ahead and did a flip turn, and I got about 30% back before I stopped for a breath. 37m, or so, with a flip-turn in the middle. I will reach my goal.

After a minute-long rest I was curious and timed myself on a 25... it was 22 seconds. Still shit, but it's about 8 seconds faster than what I was doing a month ago. I still have about 25 pounds of fat to lose so I assume that will help.

Edited By GORDON on 1451137963

Post by **TheCatt** » Sat Dec 26, 2015 9:49 am

GORDON wrote:The last couple workouts, the 25s with 0 breaths have been getting easier, and today when I was getting to the end of one of them I thought "fuckit" and went ahead and did a flip turn, and I got about 30% back before I stopped for a breath. 37m, or so, with a flip-turn in the middle. I will reach my goal.

After a minute-long rest I was curious and timed myself on a 25... it was 22 seconds. Still shit, but it's about 8 seconds faster than what I was doing a month ago. I still have about 25 pounds of fat to lose so I assume that will help.

Nice.

22s isn't bad for an in-pool start 25yard. I think I do 16 now.

Post by **GORDON** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 1:52 pm

So the workout room has big windows overlooking the pool, and I always check out the sitch before I head down for laps... see how crowded it is, and whatnot. I get a good view of everybody in the pool.

What's the deal with old fuckers using these hand paddles during laps, and half of them using swim fins? Doesn't that just make it take less work to do your laps, and if so, what's the point?

I see half those fuckers not even kicking while they swim, just dragging their legs behind them like two dead lumps of flesh.

I even saw one dude in the pool with a fucking snorkel in the middle of his face attached to his goggles. Never saw that before.

Post by **GORDON** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 7:50 pm

GORDON wrote:
GORDON wrote:Well, it's a goal to work toward. The biggest hurdle is going to be doing the flip turn in the middle of it. Right now I need to make sure I have a lot of air in my lungs for that.
The last couple workouts, the 25s with 0 breaths have been getting easier, and today when I was getting to the end of one of them I thought "fuckit" and went ahead and did a flip turn, and I got about 30% back before I stopped for a breath. 37m, or so, with a flip-turn in the middle. I will reach my goal.

After a minute-long rest I was curious and timed myself on a 25... it was 22 seconds. Still shit, but it's about 8 seconds faster than what I was doing a month ago. I still have about 25 pounds of fat to lose so I assume that will help.

Know what... correction. If 70 laps is a mile in that pool, as it is posted, that means each length is 75 feet, which is 25 yards, not meters. Yards are longer. I did 25 yards in 22 seconds.

Post by **thibodeaux** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 7:53 pm

GORDON wrote:What's the deal with old fuckers using these hand paddles during laps, and half of them using swim fins? Doesn't that just make it take less work to do your laps, and if so, what's the point?
...
I even saw one dude in the pool with a fucking snorkel in the middle of his face attached to his goggles. Never saw that before.

I think I heard my mother in law say she does laps with fins and a snorkel. Not kidding.

Post by **GORDON** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 7:56 pm

So like your weighted-incline-treadmill question... does doing more laps with less effort = a better workout, or what?

Post by **TheCatt** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 8:25 pm

GORDON wrote:Know what... correction. If 70 laps is a mile in that pool, as it is posted, that means each length is 75 feet, which is 25 yards, not meters. Yards are longer. I did 25 yards in 22 seconds.

Yards are shorter.

Post by **TheCatt** » Tue Dec 29, 2015 8:30 pm

GORDON wrote:What's the deal with old fuckers using these hand paddles during laps, and half of them using swim fins? Doesn't that just make it take less work to do your laps, and if so, what's the point?

Hand paddles make it harder.

Fins can function similarly and make it a different/harder workout. Or they can make it a lot easier. It depends on how they are used. But it lets you move against a lot more water, which can work your muscle harder.

I see half those fuckers not even kicking while they swim, just dragging their legs behind them like two dead lumps of flesh.

For distance, that's practically good form. You don't want to use your legs much, particularly if you are a triathlete.

I even saw one dude in the pool with a fucking snorkel in the middle of his face attached to his goggles. Never saw that before.

Many old people have flexibility issues, particularly in their neck, so this make breathing easier.

Edited By TheCatt on 1451439097

Post by **GORDON** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 7:59 am

TheCatt wrote:
GORDON wrote:Know what... correction. If 70 laps is a mile in that pool, as it is posted, that means each length is 75 feet, which is 25 yards, not meters. Yards are longer. I did 25 yards in 22 seconds.
Yards are shorter.

I'm trying to figure out if I never knew that or if I had a brain fart.

I know a kilometer is shorter than a mile.

Or do I?

Post by **TheCatt** » Wed Dec 30, 2015 8:57 am

GORDON wrote:
TheCatt wrote:
GORDON wrote:Know what... correction. If 70 laps is a mile in that pool, as it is posted, that means each length is 75 feet, which is 25 yards, not meters. Yards are longer. I did 25 yards in 22 seconds.
Yards are shorter.
I'm trying to figure out if I never knew that or if I had a brain fart.

I know a kilometer is shorter than a mile.

Or do I?

You know nothing, Gordon Snow.