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Old 03-12-2023, 12:51 PM
 
310 posts, read 319,857 times
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I am a 61 year old female who has exercised for pretty much my whole life. Age, medications, and COVID lockdowns - have put some weight on me and limited my exercising, (quitting my gym, a medical condition that keeps me from long walks or hiking). I haven't gained a lot, but enough that it pisses me off, even more so that it is so danged hard to lose it now. But that is a different story.

I have a Peloton, (3years) and I have created a makeshift gym. I ride 5 times a week and do resistance training. I keep wanting to advance on my rides but it never really happens. I have always made the next workout more challenging than the previous so I am not phoning it in. My recovery is ridiculously long when doing squats, lunges, weights. My bike classes stay pretty much the same, with no moving to the next level.

Is this just me? My medication? My age? I am not trying to go crazy here, just to see more improvements than I am getting.
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Old 03-12-2023, 04:10 PM
 
1,063 posts, read 885,198 times
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#3 is correct.

the old saying is: after 40 it takes Twice as much exercise to maintain.
not improve...maintain.

then, after 50: without drugs or surgery, improvement is mainly mental, not physical.
after 60: strength achievement evolves into agility, mobility, and flexibility.
after that, the focus is on stability.

of course, these are generic statements.
outliers exist everywhere.
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Old 03-12-2023, 04:18 PM
 
Location: Western MA
2,556 posts, read 2,269,329 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luckyme609 View Post
I am a 61 year old female who has exercised for pretty much my whole life. Age, medications, and COVID lockdowns - have put some weight on me and limited my exercising, (quitting my gym, a medical condition that keeps me from long walks or hiking). I haven't gained a lot, but enough that it pisses me off, even more so that it is so danged hard to lose it now. But that is a different story.

I have a Peloton, (3years) and I have created a makeshift gym. I ride 5 times a week and do resistance training. I keep wanting to advance on my rides but it never really happens. I have always made the next workout more challenging than the previous so I am not phoning it in. My recovery is ridiculously long when doing squats, lunges, weights. My bike classes stay pretty much the same, with no moving to the next level.

Is this just me? My medication? My age? I am not trying to go crazy here, just to see more improvements than I am getting.
Have you looked into Power Zone training on the Peloton? Give the "Discover Your Power Zones" program a try. It's a game changer.
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Old 03-12-2023, 06:03 PM
 
Location: El Paso, TX
32,985 posts, read 26,220,890 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by luckyme609 View Post
I am a 61 year old female who has exercised for pretty much my whole life. Age, medications, and COVID lockdowns - have put some weight on me and limited my exercising, (quitting my gym, a medical condition that keeps me from long walks or hiking). I haven't gained a lot, but enough that it pisses me off, even more so that it is so danged hard to lose it now. But that is a different story.

I have a Peloton, (3years) and I have created a makeshift gym. I ride 5 times a week and do resistance training. I keep wanting to advance on my rides but it never really happens. I have always made the next workout more challenging than the previous so I am not phoning it in. My recovery is ridiculously long when doing squats, lunges, weights. My bike classes stay pretty much the same, with no moving to the next level.

Is this just me? My medication? My age? I am not trying to go crazy here, just to see more improvements than I am getting.
Well, it is true that recovery time increases as you get older. I'm 69 and need 7 to 8 days between heavy leg press sessions. It's not just muscles, but joints, and tendons as well need time to recover. But don't let anyone tell you that after a certain age you can't make strength gains because that just isn't true.

Have you considered rejoining the gym that you quit? That might give you more motivation to move to the next level on your bike riding. There's something about being around other people when you train that makes you want to do better.
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Old 03-12-2023, 07:08 PM
 
310 posts, read 319,857 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Way View Post
Well, it is true that recovery time increases as you get older. I'm 69 and need 7 to 8 days between heavy leg press sessions. It's not just muscles, but joints, and tendons as well need time to recover. But don't let anyone tell you that after a certain age you can't make strength gains because that just isn't true.

Have you considered rejoining the gym that you quit? That might give you more motivation to move to the next level on your bike riding. There's something about being around other people when you train that makes you want to do better.
COVID keeps me from the gym. Plus I love my Peloton and a gym membership plus the Peloton fees is just too much to spend.
Whenever I really push myself on the Peloton, different classes, different intensity, all out effort I end up overdoing it and feeling like crap for the rest of the day. My enthusiasm is there, but my capacity to take my intensity any higher is not without paying for it. That is what is frustrating. Getting old sucks.
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Old 03-15-2023, 09:22 AM
 
Location: Juneau, AK + Puna, HI
10,460 posts, read 7,585,833 times
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I'd be interested in hearing about the condition that prevents long walks, if you'd care to share.

As an older person, sometimes simply maintaining a certain level of fitness is an adequate goal.

This in the title of your thread, but you're talking about advancing in your post.
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Old 03-15-2023, 03:07 PM
 
310 posts, read 319,857 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arktikos View Post
I'd be interested in hearing about the condition that prevents long walks, if you'd care to share.

As an older person, sometimes simply maintaining a certain level of fitness is an adequate goal.

This in the title of your thread, but you're talking about advancing in your post.
I have peripheral neuropathy in my feet and the pain is chronic. I am currently on 3 medications to keep the pain at bay. Hiking or walking for long periods of time can aggravate it. I am talking anything over 4 miles or 5 miles.
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Old 03-15-2023, 03:24 PM
 
Location: PNW
7,303 posts, read 3,093,224 times
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I do not think it matters that it takes a long time to recover. But, I think it is a mistake to push yourself too hard. Rest is very important (enough rest).

We're not 20. I was at my new back doctor yesterday. My age came up. Your spine has spurs here, here, here, here and here. But, it looks better than average "for your age." I'm thinking "what exactly is she referring to?" Yes, I remember turning 60. I certainly don't think "60."

I was hobbled by an accident. Be very happy you are able to function as well as you do. Any of those body parts can become severely impaired or lobbed off. Try to look at the glass half full (more so, more than half full if you have fully functional limbs and joints, etc.).

Unfortunate, but, true that weight has more to do with food than exercise.
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Old 03-15-2023, 03:58 PM
 
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,297 posts, read 54,140,357 times
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While I freely admit I used the pandemic as a convenient excuse to quit doing some things, I'm about 8 months back into walking a little more than 3 miles 6 mornings a week and am convinced it's one of the best things I can do for myself. At 73 I've lost about 30 lbs. and my hips/knees feel better after walking than when I get out of bed in the AM.
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Old 03-15-2023, 04:10 PM
 
Location: Middle of the valley
48,407 posts, read 34,563,252 times
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I think age can definitely be a factor, plus some of those meds might be adding to the problems.

Over the years I think there have always been periods where I have "plateaued".

Usually I have to change up my routine. Doing lots of cardio? Add lots of weights, add push ups, planks or what not.

I have a type of RA in my feet so high impact is pretty much out for (racquetball is the most), but I invested in a pair of Hokas and that allowed me to do more without aggravating my feet. Probably the difference for us is if I push past the pain, I do not cause damage AND it actually reduces the inflammation in the long run.

I use SuperNatural on virtual reality for the majority of my cardio. There is not a lot of high impact to my feet, and I work up a sweat.


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