Fitness equipment

[cmwhitmoyer]

As my wife and I are both 52 and now starting to really feel the effects of aging, I am considering purchasing a piece of fitness equipment. Looking on local marketplace, I see quite a few elliptical machines and Bowflex Max Trainers. My needs aren't to train for a marathon but to lose some weight and improve my ling capacity so I don't get so winded hiking with my Scout Troop here is Southeast PA. To.me the Max Trainer looks to have more of a stepping/ climbing motion vs the elliptical walking motion. I suffer from occasional lower back issues so I don't want something that would aggravate it. Any suggestions/ thoughts

Chris

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[JohnnyB]

The thing that made a big difference for me is just walking. Walking a few miles everyday eventually led to to adding a pack with weight a few times a week and then adding a slow run a couple times a week.

You can add machines, but you don’t have to wait to get started. This routine made a big difference in my hunting not to mention dropping those last stubborn fifty pounds, lol. At 54, my endurance is better than ever.

 

[*zap*]

find a great personal trainer in the area and join the gym he works with. Have an evaluation done for both of you and start an actual fitness program that addresses weaknesses, strength, aerobic capacity, agility and nutrition.

 

[TheGDog]

If you can swing getting a Precor Elliptical Walker (the one with the hand-holds you pull back on whilst walking, and you can Afford it, and have the space) get that instead.

To properly push yourself on it... do 30min at Incline of 10 and resistance at 11 (or more if you happen to be able to handle it). Try to see how much farther than 3mi you can get in 30min. How much farther than 6mi you can get in 60 min.

In the beginning... start at that high resistance.... and try to remain at that high resistance as long as you can.. then... if needed... blip it down one notch in resistance.. and go for as long as you can.. then.. if needed.. blip it down one notch and go for as long as you can (lather rinse repeat), until you reach the end of your time.

10-15 minutes of all your various stretches BEFORE Elliptical.

Do the elliptical BEFORE doing any of your weights.

Ya might want to consider getting an Atlas trainer to. I got the Outdoorsman's one, I like it.

Me 54yo, disc-bulges 3mm-6mm on bottom 4, previous shoulder tear+surgery, Both Collarbones Fx'd, one plated, one not. Shattered wrist with buncha screws/titanium.

P.S. Good on ya for leading Scout Troops! My son is Life Rank, and essentially now just has to come up with his Eagle Scout Project.

 

[The_Jim]

find a great personal trainer in the area and join the gym he works with. Have an evaluation done for both of you and start an actual fitness program that addresses weaknesses, strength, aerobic capacity, agility and nutrition.

This is great advice. Weight training is going to be superior to anything you can do on cardio equipment and will do more for losing weight, fixing back problems etc.

 

[sodaksooner]

Ive got an indoor bike trainer that I use quite a bit and really want to look into a rowing machine. Im kind of put off by the monthly sub price though at like $44 per month. I pay 15 right now for zwift and that seems to be the sweet spot. I also have dumbells and a pullup bar so that helps. Ive really considered a personal trainer. A freind of mine has started a business doing that. His workouts are tailored to biking fitness though which is fine for me.

 

[teamwhitebelly]

walking, power walking, rucking, power rucking elevations, and as for machines a stationary bike like a Rogue Echo where you can use your arms, back, shoulders as well as resistance cycling will give you a full body workout in minutes.

 

[GreyBeck]

53yrs old. I think body weight exercises and stretching are key to start. I have everything in the garage and it’s body weight, resistance bands, trx strap exercises and stretching that get the most use. Followed my kettle bells and slam/medicine balls. Especially as I sit here recovering from meniscus repair #2 that I think was caused by jogging and made worse by rucking too much. I’m done running. Consistency and not looking to do too much too fast is key. My back hasn’t hurt in years since I started rolling out of bed, stretching, pushups, plank and a hollow body hold. Tighten up the core to help the back. Trying not to let the old man in hurts sometimes.

 

[twall13]

Ultimately you have to find what works for you. Consistency is the key, so if it's not something you can stand to do consistently it won't matter how good it is for you. Everyone is different. My wife won't work out unless she has an instructor telling her what to do and expecting her to be there. I much prefer the solitude of being on my own trail running, mountain biking, hiking, rucking, etc. Those are things I don't mind waking up early to do and I can be consistent at it.

I will agree that stretching has to become part of the routine. Hamstring and glute stretches help my lower back a lot, along with building a strong core. A personal trainer isn't a bad idea regardless of what you decide to get/do as they can give you some ideas of what to work on and how to do it.

I don't own an exercise machine unless you count a pull-up bar. If I did own one it would probably be a rower. That said, I tend to prefer body weight and cardio. You may be different so start with something simple and see what works for you. I think there are a lot of activities you can try before committing to an in home exercise machine.

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[Olympics777]

I am fairly young (28) but as a fitness nerd I would recommend joining a local gym and finding a coach who is a similar age to you. Tell them your goals, you’ll go so much further than you will with a random piece of gym equipment.

 

[*zap*]

what works for keeping you fit when your in the 50's is not enough to prepare for 60's-70's. strength is very important and lifting heavy things (among other things) will keep your t #'s up. Hips/glutes/hams/quad strength is very important (among other things) as is good nutrition. Drop to a lower body fat % will help tons...15% or so, lower if you can do that.

 

[The_Jim]

@*zap* is right on - Fitness advice might vary more than hunting advice, but studies have proven strength is king going in to your 60’s. You can cycle between strength and endurance training throughout the year depending on your goals.

Check out https://www.mindpumpmedia.com/ for workout programs and podcasts with good information. A good program or trainer will not promise you fast results - real lasting change takes months and is really a way of life.

 

[LongWayAround]

I got into rowing for awhile and decided I had to have a Concept2 at the house. $1000 later and I never use that thing at home, fortunately my lady loves it... My monthly gym cost is about $35. If I had just bought the rower and canned the gym, it would still have taken over two years worth of membership dues.

Moral of the story: find a gym, hire a trainer if you need to. It is much more accountable for me to have a place I go to workout.

If I were going to do it over, I would buy some sort of bike trainer for the house. Something mindless that I could do while watching TV or similar.

 

[cmwhitmoyer]

To be honest, I can't see myself going to the gym after work. I work in habitat management running equipment, chainsaws, etc so I am usually grimy, gritty smelling like diesel fuel so I would want to shower before going to a public gym. The advantage of a home piece of equipment is I think I would be more likely to hop on after work without needing to make myself presentable.

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[The_Jim]

If your doing physical labor over training is very easy to do. I’m an electrician so I only strength train 2 days a week.

Dumbells are a really nice start, I used them for about 4 years slowly accumulating weights. I finally upgraded to a squat rack and barbells this summer.

 

[TheGDog]

OH.. also? If you're serious about getting more fit?

Gotta take a HARD look at what you're eating. Cut out all the sugars. Home cook all your meals, etc.

DO NOT Watch TV programs with advertising in-between... between the hours of 5p -8p. That shizzle will bombard you with images of all the BAD isht you shouldn't be eating.

BTW: RE: Weights? Don't buy a bar, buy dumbbells instead. From 5Lbs up to... meh... 30Lbs at first. Then when you're ready, possibly up to 60's. And with that, and a bench, and a padded floor mat. You can pretty much do everything you'll need to do.

 

[Marbles]

Nothing about a gym membership or even having a full home gym will take the place of motivation. Not having equipment often becomes an excuse, and once we have it, we move on to another excuse. There must be some introspection and commitment on your part. If you struggle, I would suggest a professional (personal trainer or dietician) who can help you set goals and understand the why behind them.

Consider subscribing to the @V2Pnutrition podcast. Consider an activity tracker (this has helped me, but does not help every one). Consider a gym membership (they have showers, so you can rinse off before hand.

For me, stationary equipment becomes boring. Having a bad weather option can be nice, but I have found I'm more likely to go to the gym than I am to use a rowing machine in my living room when the weather is bad. Some of this is having small kids at home (which I don't think applies to you), but honestly I had trouble being consistent with it before I had kids. For me, I enjoy running, and for training for a marathon nothing can replace running.

Don't let what you want to do get in the way of doing something. For example, once I build up my training distances, I start wanting to run for 2-4 hours ever time, but it is hard to carve out that much time from a day. This usually leads to a tapering off in my training, however if I accept that a 30 minute run is better than no run and stop worrying about pushing distance, I would be better off.

Good luck. There is little more beneficial to long-term health than exercise (done thoughtfully, without over training). Clean up diet at the same time and over 6 to 12 months the results can truly be life changing.

My advice for today, start taking a 15-30 minute walk every day at a brisk pace. Start working on the discipline of making time now. If the weather is bad, get the proper clothing. If it is icy, get microspikes.

 

[*zap*]

To be honest, I can't see myself going to the gym after work. I work in habitat management running equipment, chainsaws, etc so I am usually grimy, gritty smelling like diesel fuel so I would want to shower before going to a public gym. The advantage of a home piece of equipment is I think I would be more likely to hop on after work without needing to make myself presentable.

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That's one of the best rationazations for not working out I have heard. I have been going to a gym after doing pretty much the same work for years and no one has come over to smell me, ever. I just wash my hands and change into my workout clothes.

 

[LongWayAround]

That's one of the best rationazations for not working out I have heard. I have been going to a gym after doing pretty much the same work for years and no one has come over to smell me, ever. I just wash my hands and change into my workout clothes.

I once got called out for being rather aromatic. I told the guy that I work in all day in the sun before coming to the gym and don't give a rat's ass what I smell like.

Years ago, the guys I did tree work with would give me a hard time about going to workout after we were done. I was in the best shape of my life.

I still work outside and go to the gym afterwards. Some days a shower before is a nice pick-me-up. But if I go home, shower, eat, sit down... I'm probably not going to workout.

 

[V2Pnutrition]

Nothing about a gym membership or even having a full home gym will take the place of motivation. Not having equipment often becomes an excuse, and once we have it, we move on to another excuse. There must be some introspection and commitment on your part. If you struggle, I would suggest a professional (personal trainer or dietician) who can help you set goals and understand the why behind them.

Consider subscribing to the @V2Pnutrition podcast. Consider an activity tracker (this has helped me, but does not help every one). Consider a gym membership (they have showers, so you can rinse off before hand.

For me, stationary equipment becomes boring. Having a bad weather option can be nice, but I have found I'm more likely to go to the gym than I am to use a rowing machine in my living room when the weather is bad. Some of this is having small kids at home (which I don't think applies to you), but honestly I had trouble being consistent with it before I had kids. For me, I enjoy running, and for training for a marathon nothing can replace running.

Don't let what you want to do get in the way of doing something. For example, once I build up my training distances, I start wanting to run for 2-4 hours ever time, but it is hard to carve out that much time from a day. This usually leads to a tapering off in my training, however if I accept that a 30 minute run is better than no run and stop worrying about pushing distance, I would be better off.

Good luck. There is little more beneficial to long-term health than exercise (done thoughtfully, without over training). Clean up diet at the same time and over 6 to 12 months the results can truly be life changing.

My advice for today, start taking a 15-30 minute walk every day at a brisk pace. Start working on the discipline of making time now. If the weather is bad, get the proper clothing. If it is icy, get microspikes.

Appreciate that, @Marbles .
Thanks for the mention, Micah.