LATEST MOAN FROM YOU AND ME - 2022

I think we will all get more exercise in Spring or when the Sun shines.

 

I really need exercise but my knees and hip preclude it. My wife and I used to walk miles a few years back and when I first retired I used to go out cycling. Now the only exercise is typing, but I press the keys really hard.

 

I just started back into exercising a little. I'm fairly active anyway but I've got the January guilties from feasting for a month. I'm not up to many repeats for the two I started back to but I added a 5 pound weight in each hand. And no, they are not leftover Christmas cakes.

I don't have high cholesterol according to my tests/doctor so I told him that's not my fault! But I don't eat anything fried now. Sweets and carbs are my big falldown.

I am the longest living of my generation and my mother died at 70 so I'm trying to be somewhat motivated to try to stay in motion.

 

I also follow my doctor's advise after I had a mystery back problem some years ago. The good doctor told me that in case it was kidney related, I should drink a lot. Yes, doctor!

I work mostly from home and bang on 4pm I slam the laptop shut and grab The Teenager for a walk, hail, rain or shine. We are lucky to have good paths nearby so choose between lovely countryside, posh suburb (great for garden watching) or a little woodland with deer and parakeets. Yes, parakeets. There's also at least one woodpecker and visiting treecreepers plus the usual lot of chirpers which is very nice especially now in early spring.

Half an hour- hour every day keeps my mind and body in a dazzling shape . Sort of. And it's quality time with the child. Win-win-win.

I'm also a proud owner of yoga leggins and a book "Yoga for inflexible people". Theoretically I like the idea of yoga, no sweat but amazing benefits. One day I will give it a try. Hula-hoop was great until I learnt the trick and it became boring. But the hoop looks most sporty in the living room.

 

I bought a set of resistance bands about a year ago when I realised I could hardly push myself up out of a low chair, anymore.
I've definitely noticed an improvement in my arm strength but not much else as I only do about 10min a day.

 

On the subject of exercise, I hate that every January, every gym and lots of charities start their advertising campaign telling us how the new year is the best time to start really pushing ourselves.

It's rubbish. It's the worst time.

I saw something from Cycling UK telling us that we should immediately get our bikes out and cycle to work instead of taking the car. They want people who clearly don't like cycling already, to dust down their push bikes and do two long rides per day in the cold dark miserable weather. The gyms want people to go in and use Knack equipment in a packed environment. When I've frequented gyms in the past, I've noticed they don't bother spending on equipment maintenance much in January, probably because they know that most people will have quit by the end of January, and then they can look after their regulars from February.

In my opinion, mid to late spring is the best time to start a new fitness effort. The weather tends to be nicer, the countryside is waking up, and you get more daylight. Plus the over indulgence of the Christmas period is a distant memory by then and folks tend to be back in their normal routine.

 

Pete, you can use the bands on your knees to strengthen glutes. Also, if your knees can take it 'sit to stands' first putting your hands on your knees then with arms out in front of you and then arms crossed. I do 5-10 every morning as I get off the bed or just sitting watching TV. I also put my hands behind my head and touch my elbows together in front. These are things I had to do after I had muscle atrophy.

 

I do do some knee work with the bands, but it's painful on the knee that hasn't been replaced, the new one is reasonably strong but stiff at times.

 

There's a guy on YouTube that has good exercises and advice for knee pain among other muscle and joint issues. Unlike most of the YouTube fitness channels, this guy is not a massive body builder that thinks we should at least lift a whole elephant or there's no point bothering. His advice is simple and practical and aimed at joint rehabilitation rather than being a top athlete.

 

He's tending to suggest we all have sat around all our lives.
Not true, standing for more than 10 hrs a day along with lifting has caused my knee problems.

I'm almost totally opposite to all he is saying.