A year or three back (it has been awhile) I was listening to Dan Patrick during my summer break. He stated something that I thought is indicative of many gentlemen, and gentlewomen in middle age. He share that (paraphrase): I just finished P90X. I have never been in better shape in my life. I have also never felt so bad.
And there is the trick. Finding a way to be fit, but doing it in a manner that does not keep us hobbled after we exercise. My internist and I have discussed this. My spine specialist has drawn the line in the exam room, no free weights or jogging, etc.
I have obviously found the Bullworker and Charles Atlas, as well as swimming. I intersperse these workouts on occassion with Airdyne rides.
I have discussed with my wife how all of the weights I lifted in my early adulthood and early middle age did nothing more than pound my body without lasting results in the fitness department. I think the 60+ year old I know who runs 1/2 marathons is an outlier.
What do you all think?
The bottom line is that we become more and more fragile as we age. That is just a fact of human physiology. I am in good physical condition, but there are many things I cannot and should not do anymore. The body doesn't recover as well, and is not as resilient as it was in our younger years. We can stave off the aging process with exercise, but we have to be more careful in how we exercise.
Zieglerj, I believe we all went differant ways with weights. But I think the one constant mistake, to much weight and probably to often. With most guys it's the macho thing and it's all about the weight. So they use more momentum and fool themselves. Some guys can take more than others. But is it really worth it? You're seeing it's not and I know Stickman that use to post has shared the same.
Now I'm not against weights or any training type. In moderation and without ego any training type can be productive. Like with weights, if we lightened them up and used tension. Or if we did full body with a heavy/light medium day. Again that's just an example. I will be experimenting with light dumbells in the near future( 5 to 20 lbs).
What Bob says here sums it up good: " I believe we should follow only enjoyable exercises that correspond to our age and that gives us long-lasting good feelings after our workout." You have to do what You like or You won't want to do it. I believe it also should be about health and Zieglerj You seem like You found all this for Yourself. Not everyone is going to enjoy the same thing therefore we exercise differantly. That's a good thing because we can learn from each other especially if we don't think our way is the only way.
I believe we should follow only enjoyable exercises that correspond to our age and that give us long-lasting good feelings after our workout.
Also, from my personal viewpoint, the best way is to find or develop a workout that allows daily training the majority of muscles without overtraining.