Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm a 70-year-old woman and I've been doing this exercise routine 3-4 times a week since I was 60:
1. 30-35 minutes on the elliptical, pedaling an average of 5 mph for 2.50 to 3 miles
2. 5 arm resistance machines (3 sets of 12 reps on each machine)
3. 1 ab resistance machine (3 sets of 12 reps)
4. 1 leg press (3 sets of 12 reps)
5. 1 lower back resistance machine (3 sets of 12 reps)
6. 20-25 minutes on the treadmill at ~3 mph for at least one mile.
I am not trying to build big muscles, and I don't push myself too hard because I don't want to get hurt. I listen to my body and don't try to work through pain because that's how chronic injuries happen.
I guess I can't argue with you about it since you've been doing it for10 yrs, but I also cringe when I see people using the "ab & low back resistance machines== they put awkward strain on the psoas & glutes respectively...Think about it-- extending the back against resistance is equivalent to bending at the waist and lifting with your back instead of with your legs.
And the ab machine is equivalent to doing sit-ups with a weight.-- no need to develop bulky psoas mm. (Your abs don't sit you up. They just hold your intestines in so you don't explode when you strain. This is why weightlifters wear belts-- to protect their abs, not their backs)
I guess I can't argue with you about it since you've been doing it for10 yrs, but I also cringe when I see people using the "ab & low back resistance machines== they put awkward strain on the psoas & glutes respectively...Think about it-- extending the back against resistance is equivalent to bending at the waist and lifting with your back instead of with your legs.
And the ab machine is equivalent to doing sit-ups with a weight.-- no need to develop bulky psoas mm. (Your abs don't sit you up. They just hold your intestines in so you don't explode when you strain. This is why weightlifters wear belts-- to protect their abs, not their backs)
Don't forget, you're not 60 anymore!
Thanks for the advice. I have not had any problems yet using these machines, but I will keep what you said in mind and be extra careful.
Is there a reason you do a lot of arm machines and ignore chest, back, and shoulders?
The arm machines I use are all different, and each one works different areas of the arms, chest, shoulders and upper back. I called them all "arm machines" because they are all operated using the arms. This may have sounded misleading. I should have said "upper body machines." Sorry for the confusion.
Location: Formerly Pleasanton Ca, now in Marietta Ga
10,307 posts, read 8,471,577 times
Reputation: 16586
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bayarea4
The arm machines I use are all different, and each one works different areas of the arms, chest, shoulders and upper back. I called them all "arm machines" because they are all operated using the arms. This may have sounded misleading. I should have said "upper body machines." Sorry for the confusion.
Got it. That sounds like a good balance. I was envisioning Popeye.
I'm on the road RVing and have very limited equipment (resistance bands) and enjoy exercising outdoors and find you can have an outstanding body-wt session with very little. Just resistance bands alone, you can work out a lot of the different muscle groups. Doing exercises demonstrated in the times article also gets it done.
I couldn’t get in the abs machine, somehow my feet/shoes were too big. But I’m glad I read this thread because I didn’t like the one that I had to push back with my back.
Mostly I ski. I put on 20,000 to 30,000 vertical feet about 5 days/week - mostly through moguls and tree runs. It definitely gets the ticker pumping fast.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.