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I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

Fitness tips, Relaxation, Mind and Body
Gilgongo
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I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#434998

Postby Gilgongo » August 15th, 2021, 10:58 pm

Moderator Message:
Topic moved to Health and Wellbeing. Shadow left at the Snug.



I'm 54 and been lifting weights for over 3 years now, and while I'm not noticably any more muscular (although I'm able to lift a lot more than I could when I started), it's completely eliminated the quite bad lower back pain I used to get. Stiff neck, shoulder ache, etc. also a thing of the past.

No real idea if I'm an outlier. Never was at all sporty before, always been bit scrawny. Took about a year of lifting three times a week, but the effect has been remarkable ever since.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435002

Postby Dod101 » August 15th, 2021, 11:32 pm

Gilgongo wrote:I'm 54 and been lifting weights for over 3 years now, and while I'm not noticably any more muscular (although I'm able to lift a lot more than I could when I started), it's completely eliminated the quite bad lower back pain I used to get. Stiff neck, shoulder ache, etc. also a thing of the past.

No real idea if I'm an outlier. Never was at all sporty before, always been bit scrawny. Took about a year of lifting three times a week, but the effect has been remarkable ever since.


I would hate to think of your getting no responses but I think you may well be on to something. Any form of exercise is I have no doubt is good for all of us. Weights seems to be the exercise of choice at the moment and were I younger I might well do the same. As it is (in my late 70s) I walk about 20 or so miles a week (pathetic I know!) but I also lie daily on my back and 'cycle' in the air. That has done my stomach muscles no end of good. I can almost feel it happening; that and cutting down on carbohydrates. I think that sort of thing helps the general body balance for want of a better term, and that includes back pain and other aches. Good for you!

Dod

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435003

Postby mark88man » August 15th, 2021, 11:37 pm

That's really interesting. I'm just getting my aerobic fitness back and my son wants me to pick up weights. I don't disagree it would be fun but at a few years older than you, I am nervous about how fit you need to be to start weights properly

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435009

Postby nimnarb » August 16th, 2021, 12:30 am

but I also lie daily on my back and 'cycle' in the air. That has done my stomach muscles no end of good. I can almost feel it happening; that and cutting down on carbohydrates. I think that sort of thing helps the general body balance for want of a better term, and that includes back pain and other aches. Good for you!

Dod

Now I know I'm not totally mad. Do about 50 press ups before bed and then lying on said bed, exactly the same as you Dod. Usually get to 100 to 200 cycles in the air, but try doing it really slowly and stretching the legs, that's where it starts to hurt. Rather lost my resolve though today as stuffed about 15 macaroons in my gob in one go as started on one and couldn't stop. They are around 50 carbs each, so tonight will have to do 200 cycles. Proud of myself though, took three months of mind over matter, very little food(for me who is a foodie) and was around 194lbs and recently broke all records probably going back 40 years, and reached 143lbs. waist from 42inch to 34 and a half. Been away binging though and probably put on a stone as waist was 37 inch and don't want to get upset on the scale, so starting tomorrow, back to a strict regime.

Dod101
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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435011

Postby Dod101 » August 16th, 2021, 12:39 am

I tried to thank you but got 'invalid thank'. No idea what that means but I appreciate your comments.

Dod

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435034

Postby JuanDB » August 16th, 2021, 7:37 am

mark88man wrote:That's really interesting. I'm just getting my aerobic fitness back and my son wants me to pick up weights. I don't disagree it would be fun but at a few years older than you, I am nervous about how fit you need to be to start weights properly


Just start with weights so light that you wonder what the point is and then add a couple of kilos every 1-2 weeks. Gives your body (muscle, tendons, central nervous system) time to adapt and minimises the chance of injury.

I would suggest do yoga as well. A myriad of benefits aside from flexibility, it helps manage appetite, weight loss and greatly adds to general muscle condition. Start yoga a couple of weeks before you start weights.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435061

Postby kyu66 » August 16th, 2021, 9:45 am

mark88man wrote:That's really interesting. I'm just getting my aerobic fitness back and my son wants me to pick up weights. I don't disagree it would be fun but at a few years older than you, I am nervous about how fit you need to be to start weights properly

Performing some form of resistance training is more important the older you get due to the deterioration of lean muscle mass as you age. You do not need to be fit, just do some safe form of training that 'exercises' i.e. tires out the muscles. To start I would advise body weight exercises only, e.g. squats, press-ups (from knees if necessary) etc and isometric exercise where you do not move a weight, just put the muscle under tension.

Search for bodyweight resistance training (isometrics) on t'internet there is lots of good stuff out there, Youtube has lots of good video channels on mobility and resistance training. I recommend Tom Morrison https://www.youtube.com/c/TomMorrison1/playlists
he has some excellent beginner/starter mobility routines.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435094

Postby tonyreptiles » August 16th, 2021, 11:24 am

Some of the older TMF members might remember that I was a fitness professional back in the early 2000s. Although I don't do that anymore I'm till working out regularly and keeping up with as much fitness science as I can. I do my best at CrossFit 2-3 (sometimes more) days a week, even though most of the rest of the clientele is 20-30 years younger than me. (I'm 50)

I'm a BIG advocate of resistance training, whether it be lifting weights or working with your body weight. It'd need a book to write even a summary of the physiological and psychological benefits. But, in short, almost every major biological system of the body will benefit from increased lean mass.

Muscle is metabolically active tissue - it needs to consume calories to survive. More muscle = fewer stored calories and more burned calories.
Lean mass and the biological processes associated with building and maintaining it assist with regulating many of the body's hormones, making it especially important for menopausal women.
Resistance training also counters osteoporosis by improving bone density.

But, the most important benefit for me is that it helps to maintain the body's functionality. Look at any frail old person and you'll see they just can't do certain things easily. They can't pick something up off he floor, they can't get their footing if they trip, and they can't easily get up if they do end up on the floor. They can't climb stairs, get in and out of the bath, climb out of a car or carry shopping easily.

Resistance training won't make you immortal, but it will stop you from becoming 'old' before your time.


Here's my number one resistance training tip.
If you sit down a lot, you'll likely have have back pain.
This is because sitting down weakens the 'posterior chain' a group of muscles down the back of your body that often work together to achieve movement and stability. These muscles include the hamstrings (back of your thigh) , glutes (butt cheeks) and the lower back (Erector spinae).

There are numerous resistance exercises you can do to improve these muscles. However, pinpointing one muscle to work it in isolation isn't recommended. The posterior chain works as a chain - all together. An, like a chain, a weak link messes up the whole thing.

Instead, compound movements are much more effective, such as:

Squats (With or without weights)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMvwVtlqjTE

Lunges
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlhojghkaQ0

Deadlifts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=op9kVnSso6Q
(Replace barbell with a bottle of water)

And my favourite bad back fixer...
Straight-leg deadlifts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N97yeNuDBcQ
(Again, barbell replaced with water/kettlebell is just as effective.)

I'd highly recommend you get at least one session with a competent trainer to coach you on these lifts. They're complex, multi-joint movements and there's potential for error.

The movements above are what cured my rapidly-worsening back problem, which had escalated after I switched my fitness career for the life of a desk-bound writer. I'd been out of fitness for a few years and was rarely training. Only when I started training again, and focusing on these lists, did my back pain go away.

Enjoy!

TR

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435227

Postby minimag » August 16th, 2021, 9:01 pm

I'd done weights for a couple of years (pre lockdown), but then went on to running when the gyms all shut down. I find aerobic training easier and more satisfying than resistance training. I have lost weight as a result (but nobody would call me skinny, just I like to think toned :) ). I'm now regurlarly running half marathons (twice a week), and find the satisfaction and 'high' you get from running extremely satisfying, and also am fitter and faster than I was in my 40's (20 years ago). Running on the roads is free, and you can explore and find interesting paths and trails you never new existed.
Starting out can be hard, but you can incorporate running/walking (say from lampost to lampost, then extending it).
I've entered the Oxford half in October and the Brighton marathon next April, fair to say I've got addicted!

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435272

Postby Gerry557 » August 17th, 2021, 8:18 am

mark88man wrote:That's really interesting. I'm just getting my aerobic fitness back and my son wants me to pick up weights. I don't disagree it would be fun but at a few years older than you, I am nervous about how fit you need to be to start weights properly


As mentioned earlier, start small and work up. Try doing 3 sets of 6 exercises, reps, and increase the reps the next time 777 - 888 etc till 10. Then increase the weight and go back to 6 reps.

It's important to maintain "form" ie doing the exercise correctly rather than swinging too heavy weights about. The aim is to progress all the time ie heavier or more reps. Sometimes it might be a tiny increase 0.5kg or 666 to 667 etc

There is an app called gym ace useful for recording and timing your sessions and seeing improvements over time although a mirror will help there.

Muscle wastage in older gents is a big issue hence why lifting is recommended. You used to be able to get a £30 set of dumbells at argos with a chart of exercises. Good to start and if you want to progress even further, a bench and barbel would be next. Assuming you have room all the way to a squat rack or power cage would be top of the range.

Focus on compound exercises. Squats, deadlifts and military press rather than bicep curls.

I would recommend everyone, girls included do some lifting. You won't turn into arnie there is much more than just lifting. Food plays a big part and hopefully seeing the benefits will encourage you to eat more healthy too so it's win win

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435273

Postby Gerry557 » August 17th, 2021, 8:24 am

Serves me right for starting to reply..... Going out for the day and then continuing. I didn't see the last couple of posts covering the same issues.

Hopefully you have the knowledge and support to get going

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435325

Postby bluedonkey » August 17th, 2021, 11:05 am

Lots of good advice on here. The only solitary exercise I do is pool swimming, though even then you end up getting to know the regulars and chatting. My suggestion is exercise that involves some getting together with others. I go out with a cycling club and also a kayaking club. There are running clubs of course. It's usually possible to find some group that is at your required level/speed. It makes it easier I think doing these activities as a social group.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435331

Postby stewamax » August 17th, 2021, 11:33 am

From a judo injury when I was a teenager, the lower part of my spine is 'like blancmange' (medic's comment...) and is now infested with arthritis.
Weightlifting - as opposed to bench pressing - is a no-no, but if you have access to a gym, pull-downs (handles or a bar) are highly recommended as they stretch the spine as well as tone shoulders, chest and biceps.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435476

Postby AF62 » August 17th, 2021, 6:41 pm

November 2019 at 57 and having done damn all exercise for many years, other than a couple of mile walk every day to the office, I decided to take out a one month membership at the local leisure centre that covered the gym, swimming pool, classes, etc. If I hated it then little lost.

Surprisingly I quite enjoyed it, going three or four times a week to the gym fitting in before or after work, so I bit the bullet and took out an annual membership in December 2019. Well all went well and I continued at the same rate until March 2020…

Then there was the false restart in July (?) 2020 and then the next shutdown in November, before reopening again in May this year.

Since then early retirement/redundancy happened so I can pick and choose the times I go, so pop along most days.

I have tended to mix between the rowing machine and cross trainer to boost my aerobic capacity, and the resistance weights from the good range of machines they have. And with the latter, starting sensibly from the guidance of the helpful staff and slowly increasing over time.

All good so far. My dodgy knee is far less dodgy. I am not out of breath running for a bus. I have had to buy new trousers because the old ones were falling down due to the weight lost. Bending down to pick things up isn’t an effort. Generally life is just a bit better.

My takeaway is, you are never too old to start, and everyone is welcomed no matter their level of fitness. Do it; what do you have to lose.

And something that certainly helped was buying an Apple watch to use at the gym. Not for the fitness recording, although that is helpful, but the ability to play podcasts and music from the watch to wireless Bluetooth earphones (I use Apple’s AirPods). The watch automatically syncs with the phone so it always has stored on it the most recent podcasts or music playlists. It certainly makes the time run faster when listening to something more interesting than the ‘boom, boom, boom’ apology for music they play.

Sure you can do the same from your phone, but keeping putting it down on the floor and picking it up or it falling out of your pocket is annoying, and armband cases aren’t very good when using the machines.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435559

Postby nimnarb » August 18th, 2021, 2:03 am

Any advice for severe osteoporosis where one actually has to be careful of exercise due to possibly fracturing yet another part of the spine which is now slumped over? Not for me but someone else.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435615

Postby brightncheerful » August 18th, 2021, 11:01 am

But, the most important benefit for me is that it helps to maintain the body's functionality. Look at any frail old person and you'll see they just can't do certain things easily. They can't pick something up off he floor, they can't get their footing if they trip, and they can't easily get up if they do end up on the floor. They can't climb stairs, get in and out of the bath, climb out of a car or carry shopping easily.

Resistance training won't make you immortal, but it will stop you from becoming 'old' before your time.


I've been going to a gym regularly (once a week) for more than 30 years. I have a sedentary job and although i was playing social standard badminton evenings twice weekly until lockdown 1 (I've not played since, not that it's not on but puppy commitments take priority) I thought perhaps that improving my muscular strength would help playing badminton. Sure enough it did: after just a few weeks no more straining my shoulders when overhead clear hitting the shuttle from back of the court. The gym exercises I wanted to do were mostly weight resistance, sitting down exercises. Running machine not my scene, cycling machine alright but similarly.

Now that I've not played badminton for more than 1 year I am so glad i have continued the weight lifting (whenever the gym has been open). Ater years of benchpress lifting 10kg (excluding the 15kg weight of the bar) I can now lift 20kg (excluding); that's akin to 35kg. Not very much compared to some i observe, but enough for me. It was only fairly recently that I managed to lift more than 10kg (2 * 5kg) excluding and only after i asked the gym's resident champion weightlifter how I could break though the plateau that i discovered just how much more beneficial my lifting heavier weights could be.

Another gym regular i asked how he managed to go from novice to lifting 40kg excluding: he said he tried to once and finding the weight wouldn't budge set out to do so until it did: he suggested one doesn't know one's limits until one tries. That's not my scene: something i've always been acutely aware of is how necessary it is for me to keep healthy for my work. Unlike an employee who would receive sick pay if off work I do not have that luxury.

Over the years, also change of gym and to different equipment, i have reduced the number of different machines I use to just two now. On the leg press I managed to lift 125kg but after a while my knees started to hurt. As i need my knees physically fit to squat comfortably for general purposes, in particular for car cleaning, washing polishing and waxing car doors, as well as for crouching down to the bottom shelf in a supermarket to lift up a case of bottled water with two fingers and swing it easily into the trolley; also crouching alongside puppy when stroking her; climbing stairs two at a time, etc. As for puppy, Mrs Bnc is not a physically hardy person: when puppy pulls on the lead which puppy doe Mrs Bnc not yet having found away to deter, Mrs Bnc's shoulders and arms ache from trying to curb puppy's forcefulness. Whereas when i hold the lead curbing is effortless.

My gym habit has held me in good stead as has my preference for only doing the exercises i enjoy and not over-doing it. For about a year before lockdown 1, i would go to the gym for about 30 minutes then attend 45 minutes circuit training classes. I stopped circuit training because i was finding the pace too quick for my liking - also i discovered or rather remembered i couldn't run around. [i'm built for comfort, not speed.] Now that every day includes two walks, each at least 45 minutes, with puppy a combination of the gym plus every day not eating anything after about 3pm means i have lost so far more than 1 stone in weight since lockdown 1.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#435983

Postby tonyreptiles » August 19th, 2021, 3:50 pm

nimnarb wrote:Any advice for severe osteoporosis where one actually has to be careful of exercise due to possibly fracturing yet another part of the spine which is now slumped over? Not for me but someone else.


Hi Nimnarb.

Yes, absolutely. The aim of the game should be 'weight-bearing' rather than 'impact'.

I'm no doctor and don't know the specifics of the person's condition, but I'd bet my bottom dollar that a physician would advocate weight bearing exercise in all but the most extreme of osteoporosis cases.

I'd begin with nutrition and hormonal balance. If the person is female I'd recommend finding out about peri/post menopausal hormonal issues and seek remedy there. Then I'd look very closely at vitamin D3 intake. (Vit D3 is indeed a hormone, rather than a vitamin!) You can't absorb calcium without D3 and most people spend too much time indoors to generate adequate amounts of D3 from UV/sunlight exposure. (This is especially true of dark-skinned people living in dull countries like the UK.

Next, I'd cut sugar from my diet. Whatever your health issue or physiological constraint, cutting out sugar will help.
Start here, with this informative and engaging video and then dive down the YouTube rabbit hole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_4Q9Iv7_Ao&t=2s

Basically, sugar poisons you slowly until it eventually kills you. The more sugar you can cut out of your diet the better.

From there I'd be looking at functional movements. These are the movements which closely mimic the needs of every day life. These would include:

- Squats
- Lunges
- Press ups
- Rows

I'd speak to my physician about abdominal and lower back exercises as this is the site of the issue.

However, I'd be strongly in favour of strengthening this core area as there's nowt else doing the job to stablise the midsection.

Consider at the skeleton.
You'll notice loads of bones holding the body stable from the ribs upward.
You'll notice loads of bones holding the body stable from from the pelvis and below.
And you'll notice a big gap in between the ribs and the pelvis where there are only a few vertebrae holding the body stable. These vertebrae need all the help they can get - and that's what the core muscles are there to do.

If they can get the go ahead for core work I'd be keen to get the physician's advice about which specific exercises to do. Anything which requires balance will help to activate the smaller, often ignored core muscles, so that's a big consideration.

Above all else I'd be keen to stress that there's every likelihood that improvements can be made if the person is willing to do some work. Whatever their age and condition, improvements can be made in all but the most extreme of circumstances.

HTH

TR

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#436098

Postby johnstevens77 » August 19th, 2021, 10:40 pm

[/quote]I would suggest do yoga as well. A myriad of benefits aside from flexibility, it helps manage appetite, weight loss and greatly adds to general muscle condition. Start yoga a couple of weeks before you start weights.[/quote]

To yoga I added pilates and light weights. The pilates especialy strengthened my core so that head stands, forearm balance and wheel pose are easy for me, (I used to do hand stands as well until I dislocated my shoulder during lockdown). Pilates squats strengthened the legs for bird of paradise and balance and more besides.
Results are that my sciatica, arthritic knees and lower back pain are all under control. I am in the process of trimming the hedges and we have quite a few! Wielding the Stihl long reach hedge trimmer is no problem either. I am 79 years old but feel nowhere near that age.

john

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#436105

Postby nimnarb » August 19th, 2021, 11:15 pm

Thx TR and John. Great tips there and passing it on.

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Re: I can thoughly reccomend weight lifting

#436731

Postby stewamax » August 22nd, 2021, 9:08 pm

Some years ago I was daily using a workplace gym that had among other devices an adductor (leg clench) machine - which I used a lot.
One day I had a call from the gym asking me to please come down and 'unlock' the machine: I always used it on its highest setting and never realised that the next user needed to leg-clench a bit to free the setting mechanism. Even the male gym assistant who was build Mr Universe couldn't do it.
He asked me afterwards 'how come you have such strong adductors'. The answer was that I regularly rode batty horses cross-country.


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