Oh, gosh, I forgot to check in. Too late now but I will catch up tomorrow.
I have a good excuse; i was a surfing day!
Back in October 2015 Floydy started this topic, and it’s become a huge success with over 139 pages of activity. I love visiting this thread, and even when time is at a premium and I can’t peruse the rest of the forum I feel compelled to look in here and see how the regulars are doing.
So good morning Floydy, Surfermom and anyone else loitering on the forum and found themselves here…
Floydy! Go and get yourself checked out if those symptoms persist, it might be something or nothing, but it’s best to be on the safe side. There has been a proliferation of young’ish sportsmen passing over to the other side recently, and there aren’t enough posters propping up this thread to be able to lose one…;-)…An important one at that…
Surfermom! Forgot to check in aye’ perhaps searching for the lost back off your earring used up all of your allotted time, or could it have been the need to dispose of a bottle of wine after fining alternative employment for the cork…
:-D:-D:-D
Although I didn’t exercise yesterday, my piriformis did not react badly to the jogging on Thursday, and not only did I manage to leave my bed unaided, I even sorted out my garden, which after the winter, was in a worse state than me…
I have some great expectations for Sunday…:-D:cool:
Hahaha!! Bob, I hope I’m not about to jump off this mortal coil just yet bud. I may tell my doctor that he’s got to sort me out because the people on the OFF want to see me in a thread…Love that and it made my day! I’ve been a really grumpy person so far today until I saw that 
Actually I feel fine this morning (apart from being a moody git). I’m suspecting it’s nothing more than too much coffee. But my mind starts wandering on occasion, usually when I’m thinking about work or something and my endless quest for the Holy Grail of freedom. But I’ll play it by ear, go to the gym in a few minutes and see how I get on today.
Yourself mate, have a nice day today. I know it’s difficult, but try to exercise those bones and muscles with just a short walk if you can. Always good to see some more of those photos in here for example 
Suzie - see you later in here no doubt. Long as we know you’re okay, that’s the main thing
Waking up this morning after a good night’s sleep for a change, which is probably exactly what I needed to sort me out, I pottered around on here until noon and decided to see how a workout would go down.
Sticking with upper body work, but utilising different exercises from yesterday, it went averagely okay…
Saturday, 7 Apr 18: Basic upper body workout (again):
DB press:
24kg: 12+2, 8+2
26kg: 8
*With this weight increase it’s becoming harder to keep up the required number of reps. Since doing larger reps to begin with in this routine I must alter things to get back to that format, otherwise I will end up gaining strength again when fitness is my aim. A bit of a revision coming with my programme coming up I suspect.
Flat bench press:
40kg: 20+2, 15+2
50kg: 13
*First time with this “+reps” routine on the standard bench press. All went well, but it was hard work.
Incline chest press:
40kg: 20+1, 10
50kg: 8
*Very disappointed with my lack of power on this inclined press which is probably due to a lack of shoulder strength at the moment. I need to get back to using that particular apparatus next time.
E-Z preacher curl, close grip:
33kg: 15+2, 12+2
38kg: 8
*Up 5kg from last time. These were going brilliantly, so I decided to add some pure strength sets just to see if I’m still up to it:
6x43, 4x48, 1x53, 35x18 high reps
*These went very well indeed. Nice to see my arms are still in very fine fettle if nothing else is!
Fly dec:
72.5kg: 25+3, 20+3
80kg: 15
*Up from 65 last time. Just about the right weight for the reps now.
Tricep extensions:
30x25 high reps
55 mins.
Quite happy with that although these two sessions were not what I had in mind. I wanted to have two really massive workouts but with my dodgy dizziness etc I didn’t feel like trying. I’d like to do a legs session tomorrow but we’ll have to see what happens, see how things pan out next week.
Good rainy morning from Florida!
Floydy, , I know exactly what is wrong with you - you are in menopause! 
Or is that manopause? 
Just kidding, but some of those symptoms sound strangely familiar…
Seriously though, if you are getting enough sleep and eating well enough (we already know you are exercising ;-)) then you really should mention these symptoms to your doctor. If you suspect diabetes, mention it when you make your appointment, make it early so they can do a fasting blood sugar test along with some bloodwork. You are also over 50 so it could be a blood pressure issue. Off to the doctor with you - and take OGF with you, while you’re at it!
What’s going on with your caffeine intake? Is it up and down? Caffeine can get one’s head into 5th gear causing agitation in high quantities, but conversely can cause migraines if you consome a lot of it and then cut back drastically.
OGF, I have been on pins and needles wondering how you felt after your canal walk/run. I’m SO thrilled to hear that it didn’t knock you back! Now lets’ just hope that all that gardening leaves you with blossoms rather than backache ;-).
My run is a wash for now, and with this being Saturday, it throws my day somewhat off kilter. I have tickets for a weekend jazz festival, so any run later will have to be very abbreviated. Instead of doing a 5k that always leaves me feeling like I have cheated myself, I might give a go at some speedwork which is good for my long distance pace, but temps the fate of my knees that are critical for surfing so easy does it there.
And on that note…
On the northern gulf, the water is rarely as turquoise as the Caribbean, but yesterday it was spectacular and while the surf was teeny tiny, it was up enough to paddle out for a couple of hours. Strangely enough, surfing in small surf is more difficult than larger surf because I have to do all of the work. To give the board enough velocity to be able to get more than a few seconds ride, I have to watch for the biggest wave I can - which can mean a few minutes of sitting on the board of staring at the horizon - before picking one out and whipping the board around to paddle like mad. More often than not on days like this, there isn’t enough even with the wave and me working together so I have to back off.
All in all, I caught a good two dozen waves and enjoyed the dolphin pods going by a mere twenty feet away looking for breakfast. When I was done, I paddled horizontally along the shore for a half of a mile and back to strengthen my shoulders and triceps for the upcoming surf season.
Interestingly, a neighbor who is in her early 70s paddles on her surfboard daily even though she never stands up on it. She too discovered the arm benefits and it gives her an option for exercise even though she cannot to open water swimming any more.
Every time I stand up on the board it is essentially a pushup (pressup) to a squat before standing, so the speed paddling was good for putting some exercise on the muscle mush :roll: that comes with most of the winter out of the water.
The best thing of all was that between the surfing, this morning’s thunderstorms and the sacrifice of drinking a glass of wine for the sake of that lost earring back, I slept like the dead last night, plenty of rest for a musical outing later.
Happy weekend, everyone. I hope it finds you as limber as Ruthio and out there moving!
Excellent write up Surfermom, you almost make me want to take up surfing or paddle boarding, but it’s not easily done in a South Yorkshire Pit village, pigeon racing is the norm, or playing an instrument in a ‘Brass Band’ but I live in hopes.
Meanwhile, running will have to suffice, or at least walking for now.
I’m looking forward to getting out on a five miler in the morning, I’ll try a bit more running and see what happens.
Sounds like you had a better workout down the gym today Floydy, it’s the same with running, sometimes a good run, sometimes a crap one, you never know until you get out there. Fortunately, there are more good days than bad ones.
Going to catch up with the Masters Golf now, Mrs Foxes Dad used to say Golf! a good walk spoilt…I enjoy watching it with a slice of toast and a mug of Yorkshire Tea, non of this galavanting out to music festivals for me, I know how to enjoy life…
PS:- Ruthio’s done one!..Cleaned out her drawers…
I love reading about your exploits in the surf, Suzie. And raining in Florida?! That can’t be possible, it must be just the wash of the waves circling up and around I’m sure!
Hope you enjoyed the jazz festival too. Was it a local event or were there some more famous acts performing?
Hope you’re a little more mobile today Bob and you’re up and about a bit. I’m sure you had a good sleep after watching the gold, I certainly would have had 
I popped out last night at the last minute to see a band playing at my local just up the street but they were awful and I was back home after an hour. Ho hum.
I’m feeling good today and even though I had large coffee last night (because I love the stuff), I’ll be taking it easy at work next week and limit myself to just one vending machine cup per night rather than the two or three mugs of black I normally consume, plus the one at home in the afternoon!:shock:
Otherwise I feel good. I suspect it may be the pressures of work causing my stress so I must simply get on with it and try to keep myself busy in the environment I have. The company isn’t what it used to be and I can’t wait to get out. But sorting out my financial state again yesterday it won’t be possible until the middle of 2020 and that time cannot come soon enough. After I sort out that small mattter of a huge loan paid off (due to long-term self-inflicted spending and subsequent consolidation issues), I will be in a good, if not great position. It’s not so far away as I think and I’ll just have to wait for that dim light shining in the distance becoming brighter instead of thinking that it’s fading away into blackness. Soon be there!
A gym session coming up now on the legs, so I’ll be back later on with the obligatory write-up.
Take care all and have a good day
I do a legs session roughly once a week now I’m not strength building anymore which suits me fine. It lasts about half an hour and in that time I can fit in 5-6 exercises which is more than enough of a workout to keep my legs strong, fit and agile. My knees are feeling fine now apart from the occasional twinge in my left knee – oddly it was my right knee that was to blame for last year’s suspected arthritis issues – so I’ve decoded once and for all that the leg extension exercise is out for good. It puts too much pressure on the knees even at a low weight. It has its advantages with strengthening the inner quad muscles and front of the thighs, but so does the leg press, so it’s not essential tbh.
Today went very well indeed. The sled press which was postponed from last week was back in and I did it straight after the leg press, which was extremely heavy going but felt rewarding afterwards, despite my lack of breath!
When you add up an accumulative total of weight lifted multiplying the sets x reps x weight on both pressing exercises combined, it’s a total of 33,400kgs!! 
Here’s the session:
Sunday, 8 Apr 18: Legs:
Incline press:
150kg: 50+5, 30+5
200kg: 21
Sled press:
130kg: 50+5, 30+5
160kg: 25
*I’m upping the weight to 140kg on the first two sets next week but decreasing the reps slightly. The third set will remain the same.
Adductor:
60kg: 35+2, 25+2, 16
Abductor:
25+2, 20+2, 23
*Today the gym was relatively empty, so I was able to alternate the above two exercises between sets. That eased the stress from having to do a quick turnaround to carry on.
Seated ham curls:
45kg: 30+2, 20+2
55kg: 12
*Weight was upped 5kg from last time, no problems.
Ab crunch:
40kg: 30, 30, 30
*Underneath the slight excess of belly flab (age-related lol) I have very developed stomach muscles which have stayed intact since my bodybuilding days, so I’m finding it unnecessary to go as heavy with the ab crunches as I need to. To keep the weight down but still retain some of the hardness, from next time I’ll be lowering the weight on this exercise to 30kg but doing two sets of 50 reps. See how it goes before I flake out in a heap on the floor!
30 mins.
All well and good. Take care all
It not only rains here, but we’re now on day two of a gloomy cold front which has me, as OGF will be shaking his head, back in long running tights and sleeves. Whatever works though, right?
The jazz fest was one of a regional sort with names mostly known in the area, and though I’m not necessarily an enthusiast, it made for a thoroughly enjoyable evening in a beautiful renovated theater and a second venue in a band stand under a square of ancient oaks lit with string of cafe lights. Not the spring chicken I used to be, Cinderella was home and tucked in well before the hands overlapped on the kitchen clock or the carriage turning back into a pumpkin.
Nice leg workout, Floydy. I am ever trying to strengthen my legs which I believe is central to most of the mobility problems that plague us in advanced age. Building muscle around the knees caan help with arthritis, I’m sure of it.
So on that vein, I laced up and braced for a hard east wind this morning, opting for a beach run thanks to a lowish tide that leaves in its wake a hard, flat running surface. While I know that dry loose sand is more difficult and a much better workout, I am still in the midst of overcoming the effects of too much sitting this winter and will have to ease back into that.
This is my favorite month of the year on the Gulf Coast. With schools back in session after the break, and the snowbirds (retirees) having gone north, the beaches are desolate and serenely beautiful. While the snowy plovers are swooping around my head to drive me away from their wide-open nests, and the sandpipers and gulls are napping in groups at the water’s edge, I tried to run around them so as not to make them burn unneccessary calories thinking I am trying to catch them. These wide berths around them gave me just enough challenge to increase my heartrate and push my lazy legs a little bit causing me to burn the calories I hoped the birds conserved.
Now anticipating another long drive to North Carolina tomorrow for a celebratory but essential set of appointments with my daughter, I am going to do a full round of yoga and stretching tonight and a round of step aerobics today so I can avoid getting in and out of the car like the rusty Tin Man.
I hope OGF got that five miler in, that Floydy considers some decaff. coffee to replace a couple of those cups. Perhaps? 2020 is not so far away and I hope that you will find that being in “good” financial condition will be plenty enough. The longer we live, the simpler we seem to want to live our lives, and with that usually means fewer demands on our finances. I think you are going to find that the quality of your life is going to increase tenfold.
With that, I am off get the car packed, fueled, and clean for the long trip tomorrow. Happy walking, golf-watching (ahem), lifting, bending, stretching…
See, I was here all the time, you can’t get rid of me that easily Foxy 
Drawers nice and tidy now 
Been walkies a few times, about 3 miles each time.
Haven’t started swimming again yet, it’s always raining and I don’t like getting wet.
Even to me that makes no sense!
Thank Goodness for that Ruthio, I had a bad dream the other night and woke up in a cold sweat…
I dreamed that I tried to visit your profile to see where you were and I couldn’t find any trace of it…
I thought I would never hear from you again…
What a relief to wake up and find that you are still here…
Well done on the walking by the way…
Jazz…A load of blokes all playing different tunes, each in their own little world…It usually sounds like they are all just tuning up but never get around to playing oat…
So how did my five mile Ah hem’ walk go I hear you ask…
The weather was milder than of late and the sun was hidden behind a thick grey layer of unbroken cloud. All the off road bits were firm and dry. Hardly a twinge as I left the comfort of my bed, and stepped out into the world.
I walked briskly for the first mile, and just as I left the hard tarmac of the road and stepped through the kissing gate into the silent and mysterious world of the forest, I began to jog. It felt good to be on my toes again, and after walking in substantial walking shoes for the last couple of months, I now felt fleet of foot in my lightweight running shoes.
Through the forest I ran, across the road that cut the forest into two halves and on into woods where I eventually came out onto a tarmac cycle track and a proliferation of newish houses. I eventually reached the busy main road and dropped into a walk. A good mile jogged I guessed, even at a slow jog my lungs panted for air and my legs were thankful of the rest - There is plenty of work to do I thought…
After a short walk I again started to jog, and so it was, for the rest of the way home. In fact the only reason I walked occasionally was to cool down, although I was wearing shorts the jumper and thin fleece top I wore were far too substantial for running, and I was growing uncomfortable.
Only the slightest of murmers from the Piriformis Muscle, and the small (200mg) ibuprofen taken with a mug of Yorkshire Tea and a couple of chocolate biscuits prevented any inflammation from getting worse. I remain relatively pain free this morning as I prepare to visit the dentist for a quick repair…It’s looking good though, so perhaps a full blown jog tomorrow…
Bob, that’s fantastic mate, I’m really pleased for you. This was entirely unexpected - so soon at least. Something is definitely working well for you. Whether it’s the tablets or your sheer willpower, whatever it is it’s brilliant.
Don’t go mad though, take things steady. But I think we can judge by this revelationary performance that you’re back in the land of the living and joining us all again. Well done 
Suzie - Firstly, hope you had a safe journey, you must be racking up some miles on that car of yours lately. Hope all went well with your daughter’s appointment
Running on sand is great the leg strengthening, especially the calves. All that resistance pressure works wonders.
When I was in Belize I would go out to the cayes and run around the island in shallow water, sometimes going deeper up to my knees and pushing against the water. I acquired some serious development doing that kind of stuff - but we’re talking over 25 years ago now, but I’m sure I’d do it again if I had the chance / could be bothered!
Thanks for your kind words about my future plans too. I’m resigned to the fact that I must stick this thing out and time will pass as quickly as possible to that magical time. Work-wise that is, I’m not wishing my life away just yet!:shock:
I’m doing okay with the coffee abstaining. I still have my mug in the afternoon but just the one small cup at work now, and taking it easy on the black too. Feeling much better this week.
No gym today because I’ll be doing the school run again but I’ll put in a short mid-week session Wednesday.
Edited to add another note
I’m thinking about reintroducing some cardio into my gym routine. It’s been a long time since I did any treadmill/rowing/bike/cross trainer work and with my hols coming up in early June some cardio training would shed those few extra pounds, so it’s just a matter of juggling things around and I’ll make a start.
As usual though it’s fitting it into my routine. My initial plan is to do the cardio on a Friday when I won’t be shattered for my night shift. This shouldn’t affect my other training if I make sure I do my legs session on a Sunday, a big Saturday upper body workout and a shorter one during the week.
Watch this space.
Take care all
Thanks Floydy, you’ve cheered me up no end…:-D:-D:-D
I had intended to leap out of bed this morning and dance my way around a three mile (5km) running course dressed in clean pressed running attire that has been languishing in my wardrobe (undisturbed) for the last two months…
Unfortunately, my visit to the dentist yesterday resulted in the loss of a very important part of my masticating equipment…:shock: The tooth in question was hastily removed.
So after waking this morning and feeling like I had gone three rounds with Mike Tyson, added to this, the torrential rain beating on my window and testing my resolve…I have postponed my comeback until better weather and healed gums…I’m going soft…
Oi Bob, you can’t be soft bud - you’re a Northerner and Northerners are not soft.
But on this occasion I’ll let you off. We’ll call it “a rest”.
There’s always tomorrow. Hope the tooth’s okay 
Because of my recent “health scare”, which was probably nothing more than drinking too much coffee and working too hard without enough rest (i.e. training straight after the weekend’s night shift), I’ve been looking at my programme again and devising ways which may suit my lifestyle (lol, what is that?
) better.
As I write it’s Wednesday late afternoon and I’ve been feeling positively invigorated this week. Despite being very busy at work doing a variety of tasks and keeping me on my feet constantly all night long, I’m feeling much better in myself. I’ve eased up on the coffee, got on with my work and had the rare distinction of (almost) being happy at work for a change.
To my new plans regarding my training routine then, and it’s about time I set something into stone now I’m more settled – it’s only taken me 12 years to adjust. Here is what I have come up with, it may need some fine tuning as I go along:
Monday, Tuesday:
No training at all.
Wednesday or Thursday:
A quick “top-up” session (like the one below).
Friday or Saturday:
Cardio or Full upper body workout*
These will alternate depending on what time I have on the relevant days.
Sunday:
Legs session.
Again, if my wife wants to go out on Sunday, the legs workout will be done on Monday. It’s only half an hour, so it won’t tax my energy levels too much for work.
The reason the “or” is present is because it will depend on events such as the school run, if my wife wants to go out, my own Saturday afternoon social time and if I’m too tired. Whatever happens, one of those “either or” days will see some training involved.
I have started this today with a programme which is also revised. This “top up” session is basically a dozen exercises of one set taken to ‘failure’.
My other, big upper body session will focus on two sets from now one featuring the similar set and reps structure as before, without a third set. This will involve going slightly heavier to compensate for it. My legs session will remain as it is.
Here’s today’s quick workout:
Wednesday, 11 Apr 18: Upper body ‘top up’.
DB press:
11x26kg
Smith flat bench press:
18x50kg
Chest press:
23x50kg
Shoulder press:
9x40kg
Pec dec:
27x40kg
Triceps pulldown:
22x59kg
Single DB press:
30x46kg
Tricep extensions:
15x55kg
Lat pulldown, hammer bar:
26x40kg
Lat pulldown, underarm grip:
22x45kg
Machine curls:
16x35kg
E-Z preacher curl, close grip:
14x38kg
E-Z preacher curl, wide grip:
18x23kg
Many exercises featured added weight from last time as only the one set as done.
40 mins.
Unfortunately Surfermom, and all who dare to enter this place of blood, sweat, and tears, my extracted tooth is causing me more pain out than it ever did in…Does that make sense?..So acting on advice from the NHS (a print off thrust in my hand when leaving the dentists surgery) I have avoided any athletic activity…Until now…To avoid bouncing off the walls I must take myself out, despite the foggy, drizzly and depressing weather…
Aaaawwww Foxy, toothache is vile :hug:
Didn’t your dentist advise which painkillers were suitable?
It used to be Codis for tooth pain…
Just back from my 3 mile walk, found it hard going today, had to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other!
Next week we’re walking to a different place and it’ll be more like 5 -6 miles , worried I’m not up to it.
Don’t worry Ruthio, you’ll be fine…
I find that a 200mg Ibuprofen will keep me pain free for up to six hours, but I was feeling a lot better this morning and have managed without. Hence my forage out into the rain.
I must have jogged about 90% of the three mile route down the side of the canal and ‘touch Wood’ no after effects…
…But I felt like a novice, and it had me gasping…
Had to take Maddie the cat to the vets today, she’s been under the weather just lately and not eating her food…:-(… Turns out she has got a gum infection and had to have a painkiller and antibiotics. While I was there I asked the vet if she could prescribe something for ‘Runny Eyes’ …That was for me after getting the bill…:shock:… They certainly know how to charge…
Hi, everyone! How satisfying it is to sit back and catch up on all things social, physical, and dental with you all We are nothing, if not sophisticated and exciting, are we not?
Ruthio, there have been times that I walked three miles that I felt like the end would bury me and times I ran fifteen and felt like I could run all day. I expect that you just had an off day and your next five mile outing will be altogether different and better. Will you be going with your friends?
Floydy, it sounds like caffeine wasn’t doing you any favors, so good on you for backing off a little. One of the things I so like about the people who participate on this thread is that when they decide to do something - and they do it. Whether fitness-oriented people are more inclined to stick to their goals, goal-oriented people are more inclined to commit to fitness activities, having self-disicpline at any age is an attribute I admire very much. It’s the chicken or the egg in running shoes!
Chickens, however, do not have teeth - and neither do OGF or I.
While I was on one of my recent drives around the world (ok, so it just felt like it) I suddenly noticed that I had a hole in my tooth not dissimilar in size to a crater in the moon. And because of some unfortunate cosmic connection with the suffering OGF, I too found myself in the dentist’s chair with a professional shaking of the head and the announcement that, “This molar has to go.” The only difference is that the extraction has to be delayed to work out and implant, and for me to sell off a kidney, a dog, and half of my real estate to pay for the blasted thing. OGF, I am really sorry you are so sore, and it is your shoulder I will cry on when I get on to losing my favorite chewing molar…
Ugh, how horrible to read, you all are thinking, and how far off topic can one get? With a hard tug on the steering wheel, we are back on course…
Sometimes I wonder why I tolerate all the complications of living where I do, and being so far from my family - until I go outside. The location of today’s run was a barrier island comprising a part of our nearby national park for a short but blissful 4.5 miles. The road points east, straight and paved, bordered by dunes that look like mounds of sugar flecked with sea oats and and anchoring vines. Although this island is moderately long, it is very narrow - in places less than a hundred yards across. To my left was the sound where shrimp and sailboats took to the protected, deep cobalt water, and to my left was the gulf where men fished along the shore and happy tourists, slathered in sunscreen, stretched out like languid lizards broiling in the sun, until their skin turned lobster pink.
The first two miles were rough, but on cue, my heart recognized the routine and settled in for miles three and four. I settled into a quick but easy pace uphill, anticipating the downhill return and the wind and sun at my back. While I started out feeling like a stiff, middle-aged woman, by the time I finished, I felt like an agile… middle-aged woman :roll:. Well, that’s something, right! :-D.
I keep keep humming, “I’m back in the saddle again…”