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I have noticed that, for example, if I take a swim and actually put effort into it for just 10 or 15 minutes, I ill wake up the next morning sore and in fact I might not be able to lift my hands over my head for a while or I might limp along with sore hips for a day or two. .
Then "actually put effort into it" for five minutes and see how you feel. If that's okay, keep doing it. If it starts to get easy, increase to 7 or 10 minutes and see how that feels. Rinse and repeat. It might not be that you can't do 10-15 minutes all-out, it's just that you have to work up to it. And there's nothing wrong with that.
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Originally Posted by GalileoSmith
I went to YouTube recently and did a search on "gentle yoga". Just about the most gentle yoga I found would put me in the hospital. It would not be a heart attack. It would be a dislocated knee or shoulder. There are some that are very easy and I will do them but I'd like to think that age has not deteriorated me that much.
Again, go small. Many people use straps or blocks or blankets or what-have-you to assist in yoga movements they find difficult. Older people, young people, overweight people, skinny people. We're not all super-flexible or strong (in the ways needed for yoga) or used to that kind of movement, and few people go into it able to do it all (you're not meant to...). For example, if you can't reach your feet when you bend over (as many people cannot, no matter who or how old they are), put a block or a stack of books there and put your hands on that. The point of yoga is to be able to progress. Go slow (give the miss to "flow" or "dynamic" or vinyasa/ashtanga styles), bend your body only as much as you're able assisted by props, and enjoy--whether you see progress in your flexibility or not. I took a yoga class once. One person in the class had limitations in flexibility; the teacher would quietly hand her a strap or block and she'd get to it and no one else said anything. Sometimes he'd challenge beyond what any or most of us could do, and we'd all laugh while we tried and fell over.
Everyone starts somewhere. For some people, it's at a lower level than others (and perhaps even lower than they would wish). And perhaps progress is slower for some people than others. This evening I did a core workout with a coworker. He was dying while I was fine and should've worked harder-- I'm okay on abs much of the time and I've done more of it than he has-- and he said he wished he could be as "in shape" as I am. I pointed out to him that I might be better than he is with abs or dance (having done both for years), but he's likely way beyond me in lifting (I'm a hard gainer and find it very difficult to gain both muscle and strength). It may be discouraging when you have to backtrack to, or start at, a place lower in intensity than you would like, but at least you are starting, and will probably improve. Trust me, I know. I said for years "I can't run." I get out of breath easily (doesn't matter how much I work out or how "in shape" I am. I just do). From the time I was a kid, couldn't run. Then I read the advice to slow down. I did. When I started, I was "running" barely above power-walking speed. I did Couch to 5k. I've run a 10k. I'm still ridiculously slow, especially for someone of my age and apparent fitness level (I've been passed in races by old people, little kids, pregnant women, and people with kids in joggers. All in one race. If I went any distance further than 10k they'd have to come back and pick me up at the finish line the next day; it would literally take me longer to do a half marathon than it would take many people to do a full one). But I run, and I can run, and I'd love to be faster but hey, sometimes it's not in the cards so I try not to beat myself up over it. Someday I'll probably be even slower, and I'll need to accept that too. After people I've known with mobility issues, I will still be grateful for the day I can even walk. But I hope I'll always try to do what I can, for as long as I can, and not give up until I literally cannot at all.
I had to stop shoulder presses and dips because of arthritis. I do a handful of yoga poses every morning, some ab work and modified push-ups. I hit the gym and weights every so often, but am not consistent in it. Learn the poses and do them each day. It gets easier.
There's a good book by Bell, MD. He shows modifications. Got to do balance, flexibility, strengthening as we age.
Personally, I believe the key is to eat healthy and just keep moving as much as possible as long as it’s just aches and pains from doing something physically. This will keep your body functioning better and healthier than being sedentary.
At 69 I hit the gym at least once a week ( in the summer ) ride bikes, either mtn or road , volunteer on a mountain bike trail once a week as well as carpentry at Habitat for Humanity at least once a week as well and misc yard work and grass cutting.
Sure I’m tired and often have hand and shoulder pain the next day but I push myself to get out and do something. It frightens me to sit around thinking about growing old more than suffering from aches and pains by actually doing something useful.
Your mind is stronger than you could imagine and if you convince yourself you can’t do something, then sure enough you won’t be able to.
Personally, I believe the key is to eat healthy and just keep moving as much as possible as long as it’s just aches and pains from doing something physically. This will keep your body functioning better and healthier than being sedentary.
At 69 I hit the gym at least once a week ( in the summer ) ride bikes, either mtn or road , volunteer on a mountain bike trail once a week as well as carpentry at Habitat for Humanity at least once a week as well and misc yard work and grass cutting.
Sure I’m tired and often have hand and shoulder pain the next day but I push myself to get out and do something. It frightens me to sit around thinking about growing old more than suffering from aches and pains by actually doing something useful.
Your mind is stronger than you could imagine and if you convince yourself you can’t do something, then sure enough you won’t be able to.
Good post -
Speaking of the mind/brain, since leaving the work force, I feel that I'm not as sharp as I used to be in that department. Work involved constant trouble-shooting, putting out fires, dealing w/ various personalities, anticipating issues/problems before they occur, etc. Not sure if I have that capability anymore - feels like I've lost a step or two in the mental exercise department - do you do anything to exercise your mind/brain? Any suggestions?
Good post -
Speaking of the mind/brain, since leaving the work force, I feel that I'm not as sharp as I used to be in that department. Work involved constant trouble-shooting, putting out fires, dealing w/ various personalities, anticipating issues/problems before they occur, etc. Not sure if I have that capability anymore - feels like I've lost a step or two in the mental exercise department - do you do anything to exercise your mind/brain? Any suggestions?
I feel the same way as you do and think there are several reasons for that at least in my case. At work, I felt like I was on a tread mill and had to deal with chaos and problems every day, and personalities as you have mentioned, as they presented themselves so it was like constant problem solving. I didn’t have time to focus or think about other things, my mind was fully occupied for 10 hours a day or so and even at night when anticipating the next day. It was a rigid routine, mentality and physically.
Now being retired, it’s totally the opposite and we need to create our own individual routine that keeps us going, physically and mentally as well. This process comes with some trial and error since we need to determine what fulfills, gives us satisfaction and makes life interesting. There’s definitely some mental sharpness that decreases with age, it’s just a part of the aging process and memory is one of them for sure.
I try not to worry about it and depend more on my iPhone or electronic devices to keep track of many dates, facts and information that I want to have at my fingertips. This way I’m still in the know even if I have to check first to confirm. I do much more reading and research and explore subjects that are of interest to me. Since I have an abundance of free time being retired, I pick and choose my hobbies and interests and have three to four days a week that I do some physically while have a hobby or two that is not physically demanding.it no fun getting out of bed before 6 am to work at Habitat but I push myself to do so. When the day ends I usually feel good about what I accomplished, my conversations with other people and just the satisfaction that I was useful and look forward to resting up the following day.
It seems it’s easier to get out of bed each day as long as we have something to look forward to as small as that something might be! Don’t want to sit around dwelling on the aging process, that alone would be enough to cause immeasurable harm both mentally and physically. Guess we all need to push ourselves to be the best we can while focusing on the positives in our lives and it doesn’t come naturally, it requires discipline and work.
I have a "circle the wagons" philosophy. It kind of goes: do the best you can to keep fit and healthy but eventually the time will come when the goal is to avoid self-inflicted injuries while performing modest physical activities. It is the point of circling the wagons or, full defensive mode. I think ideally we all get to that point, however we want that point to come at age 97 and not 67.
My philosophy is slightly different: when I stop moving, I start deteriorating.
I'm 67 and I relate to the soreness and stiffness the morning after a workout. Three years ago I joined a fitness program for seniors sponsored by the local college. I expected it to be real relaxed, non-challenging and slow paced. Well, it turns out it CAN be that, but it can also be as grueling as one would want to make it; aerobics, calisthenics and free weights. It's supervised by grad students, most majoring in physical therapy or occupational therapy. There are participants ranging from 50 years old up to a few in their 80s.
I work it hard and for a long time, I'd wake up stiff and sore the following morning. Just considered it the price for maintaining some fitness in old age.
But I finally found the key to avoiding all that.
In addition to the "standard" post exercise stretching/cool down routine, I've added a few that I learned recently from the book, Live Pain Free by Lee Albert. It has many stretches designed to alleviate pain in specific muscle groups. I've just added three that work wonderfully for shoulder, lower back and hip soreness.
They're easy and require only a minute apiece.
Just a suggestion.
Good luck!
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