Regular moderate exercise log

[ianpspurs]

16,400 today

Love your fighting spirit go girl

 

[Alexandra100]

@DJC3 I count carrying the shopping home as weight training so a Great Dane definitely does!

In fact, I was pondering this as I was pootling back along my little road with both a rucksack and Bag For Life, orange with elephant picture on it, full of groceries. Walk to and around supermarkets 7000 steps, bus home (sp I could sit down to check bloods and re-pack so all the heavy stuff was in the rucksack and fridge freezer stuff all packed together to keep cool) 400 steps with heavy bags- this is definitely Good Exercise.

Indeed! I recently read an article by someone seriously into weight training and fitness, who experimented with wearing a heavy rucsac while doing household chores eg washing-up. He calculated that this used 3 times as much energy as doing them without. I figure I have no need to do this as, like you, I have to carry home everything I eat, and up a steepish hill too. I did feel encouraged as I do sometimes resent the fact that my Fitbit gives me no extra reward for steps done while carrying a heavy load.

 

[kev-w]

Not exercise directly but a request for information. I know there are some very knowledgeable people on this thread e.g. @johnpol and @kev-w . My question is what weights/body weight exercises can I do to strengthen my core without risking damage to lower back. I say this as I am waiting for results of MRI scan on back but I know all my exercise is usually cardio based. Thanks in anticipation.

It's a hard one with your mention of your lower back, I'd autoKev that and suggest swimming

What kind of movement have you got? Can you stand straight legged, feet shoulder width apart and touch the floor without pain? Can you stand with your arms stretched upwards? Can you bend your knees to the squat position and recover with no load? Could you lay on your back and lift both your feet and head up? Also, standing upright, could you hold your arms horizontal and make small circles with your wrists and work your arms to windmill?

Let's get the 'what not to do' down first!

,

 

[ianpspurs]

It's a hard one with your mention of your lower back, I'd autoKev that and suggest swimming

What kind of movement have you got? Can you stand straight legged, feet shoulder width apart and touch the floor without pain? Can you stand with your arms stretched upwards? Can you bend your knees to the squat position and recover with no load? Could you lay on your back and lift both your feet and head up? Also, standing upright, could you hold your arms horizontal and make small circles with your wrists and work your arms to windmill?

Let's get the 'what not to do' down first!

Thanks for replying kev-w. I mange all the movements/actions you mention and pain is not the issue. The back scan was because testing revealed conductivity issues in calf but no obvious cause. One big result of calf issues is balance/stability issues which I think could be improved by strengthening core. I am in 2nd term of swimming lessons for inadequate wrinklies can manage 1 length

 

[ianpspurs]

Very humid here today so much so that I have had an email warning of blight conditions for potatoes. Anyhow, as this is an exercise thread not gardening here is what I managed today:
30 mins static cycle (av 70% max hr) 30 mins hoeing Raspberries and hilling up + hoeing Potatoes with ye Olde Worlde Onion Hoe; (fitbit reckons 75% max HR I was sweating nicely) Dog walk 45 mins Total 13000 steps

 

[DJC3]

A better couple of days, still no ‘proper’ exercise possible while visiting family, but yesterday took 7yo grandaughter to Eden project so managed a better step count than recently, also lots of going up hills and steps ( while carrying rucksack @Alexandra100 , I might try washing up while wearing it now!). Also spent 20mins before bed doing 5 lots of 30sec squats and some leg raises.

Today I went to Falmouth with no. 3 daughter, again walking and hills were the sum total of exercise but feeling better for it after enforced non- activity of previous few days.

 

[johnpol]

@ianpspurs here are a few of the exercises that I performed after my injury to my back, taken off a website as I can't describe them very well
Bridge
Bridges activate several different core muscles including your gluteus maximus and your transversus abdominus.

How To:Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Contract your abdominal muscles and avoid holding your breath. Lift your buttocks off the ground and hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds before slowly lowering your body back down again.

Dead Bug
This exercise challenges your abdominal muscles to maintain core stability while you move your arms and legs away from your body.

How To:While lying on your back, lift both legs in the air and bend your hips and knees to 90 degree angles. Squeeze your stomach muscles and keep your back flat against the ground. As you maintain this position, straighten one leg in the air as you raise the alternate arm overhead. Do not allow your back to arch as you do this. Return to the starting position and then repeat with the opposite arm and leg

Plank with Leg Lifts
This modified version of the standard plank activates the gluteus maximus muscle as you challenge your abdominal muscles.

How To:Assume a push-up position with your elbows extended and your hands resting on the ground under each shoulder. Keep your buttocks in line with your body and engage your stomach muscles so your spine is straight. Then, lift one leg in the air and slowly lower it back down without allowing your pelvis to drop. Repeat this with the other leg and continue to alternate between the two.

Prone Flutters

This exercise challenges the multifidi muscles in your low back. These muscles play an important role in stabilizing the spine.

How To:Lie on your stomach with your arms extended over your head. Lift your right arm and left leg in the air at the same time and then slowly lower them back down. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg and continue to alternate.

Bird Dog
Bird Dogs are an excellent way to strengthen multiple muscles in the core. They not only target the abdominals but also challenge your erector spinae along the spine, your glutes and shoulder blade muscles.

How To:Get onto your hands and knees and activate your stomach muscles so your low back flattens like a table top. Without allowing your pelvis to tilt, lift one arm and the opposite leg in the air until each is fully extended. Keep the arm and leg outstretched for 5 to 10 seconds before returning them to the floor and repeating with the opposite limbs.

I still do these to this day and do two sets of twelve reps and on a good day four sets! build slowly though as the scan results may show some degeneration to the disks, but should be able to still train. Hope this helps you

 

[johnpol]

My last two training sessions have been the following: Chest Bench press 115kg for 5x5 starting to get somewhere with it at last, followed by decline press 140kg 4x5. Then Friday was legs, now this definitely didn't go to plan as I went and hurt my knee (need some surgery on them both but putting it off) and wasn't able to squat so did thigh extensions 10x35 then single leg leg press 10x 30 only had 20kg a side on, then tried some body weight squats, so not too happy today.

Take care everyone.

 

[Alexandra100]

A better couple of days, still no ‘proper’ exercise possible while visiting family, but yesterday took 7yo grandaughter to Eden project so managed a better step count than recently, also lots of going up hills and steps ( while carrying rucksack @Alexandra100 , I might try washing up while wearing it now!). Also spent 20mins before bed doing 5 lots of 30sec squats and some leg raises.

Today I went to Falmouth with no. 3 daughter, again walking and hills were the sum total of exercise but feeling better for it after enforced non- activity of previous few days.

All sounds very impressive to me. If hills and steps are not "proper" exercise, I don't know what is!

 

[ianpspurs]

@ianpspurs here are a few of the exercises that I performed after my injury to my back, taken off a website as I can't describe them very well
Bridge
Bridges activate several different core muscles including your gluteus maximus and your transversus abdominus.

How To:Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Contract your abdominal muscles and avoid holding your breath. Lift your buttocks off the ground and hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds before slowly lowering your body back down again.

Dead Bug
This exercise challenges your abdominal muscles to maintain core stability while you move your arms and legs away from your body.

How To:While lying on your back, lift both legs in the air and bend your hips and knees to 90 degree angles. Squeeze your stomach muscles and keep your back flat against the ground. As you maintain this position, straighten one leg in the air as you raise the alternate arm overhead. Do not allow your back to arch as you do this. Return to the starting position and then repeat with the opposite arm and leg

Plank with Leg Lifts
This modified version of the standard plank activates the gluteus maximus muscle as you challenge your abdominal muscles.

How To:Assume a push-up position with your elbows extended and your hands resting on the ground under each shoulder. Keep your buttocks in line with your body and engage your stomach muscles so your spine is straight. Then, lift one leg in the air and slowly lower it back down without allowing your pelvis to drop. Repeat this with the other leg and continue to alternate between the two.

Prone Flutters

This exercise challenges the multifidi muscles in your low back. These muscles play an important role in stabilizing the spine.

How To:Lie on your stomach with your arms extended over your head. Lift your right arm and left leg in the air at the same time and then slowly lower them back down. Repeat with the opposite arm and leg and continue to alternate.

Bird Dog
Bird Dogs are an excellent way to strengthen multiple muscles in the core. They not only target the abdominals but also challenge your erector spinae along the spine, your glutes and shoulder blade muscles.

How To:Get onto your hands and knees and activate your stomach muscles so your low back flattens like a table top. Without allowing your pelvis to tilt, lift one arm and the opposite leg in the air until each is fully extended. Keep the arm and leg outstretched for 5 to 10 seconds before returning them to the floor and repeating with the opposite limbs.

I still do these to this day and do two sets of twelve reps and on a good day four sets! build slowly though as the scan results may show some degeneration to the disks, but should be able to still train. Hope this helps you

@johnpol That is really helpful and confirms what I found on the internet but having it confirmed by someone with your experience is very helpful. You are a star.

 

[johnpol]

@johnpol That is really helpful and confirms what I found on the internet but having it conformed by someone with your experience is very helpful. You are a star.

Your welcome, there is some exercises with weights that you can do, but I will wait until you have the results from the scan first before I tell you them. Just to be on the safe side, so we don't hurt your lower back any more. Having had a bad back injury myself I know the value in not pushing things too quickly. Give the core strength exercises a few weeks and you should see a difference.

 

[ianpspurs]

Your welcome, there is some exercises with weights that you can do, but I will wait until you have the results from the scan first before I tell you them. Just to be on the safe side, so we don't hurt your lower back any more. Having had a bad back injury myself I know the value in not pushing things too quickly. Give the core strength exercises a few weeks and you should see a difference.

Again @johnpol thanks it is very useful to have someone with knowledge and experience. I had thought of looking for a gym or PT but they seem to be very hit and miss in advice.

 

[Alexandra100]

Again @johnpol thanks it is very useful to have someone with knowledge and experience. I had thought of looking for a gym or PT but they seem to be very hit and miss in advice.

IMO the trainers to be found in gyms are very young, very nice (most of them) very keen BUT desperately lacking in knowledge and experience. Better to try and find a good book, but of course evaluating it may be tricky. Nonetheless, with a book you can take your time to read and ponder before you embark on the exercises it suggests, whereas with a trainer it would be embarrassing to have suddenly to call a halt to the proceedings on ground that s/he doesn't know what they are talking about and is suggesting exercises that may be inappropriate and even risky. Not to mention that a book may be borrowed free from a library or bought for far less than even a half hour of a trainer's time.

I have a sensitive lower back that has been much helped by weight training exercises.I have frequently seen or had suggested to me in gyms exercises that would have upset my back for weeks. I have found the two following books very helpful. However, it is many years since I bought a weight training book, and these books will not be up to date on more recent equipment and exercises you might encounter in a gym:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Effective-Strength-Training-Douglas-Brooks/dp/0736041818

Douglas Brooks is extremely concerned with safe exercise and gives quite advanced explanations.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weight-Training-Dummies-Liz-Neporent/dp/0764550365

A more general book and available at a much cheaper price. More likely to be available in libraries.

 

[ianpspurs]

IMO the trainers to be found in gyms are very young, very nice (most of them) very keen BUT desperately lacking in knowledge and experience. Better to try and find a good book, but of course evaluating it may be tricky. Nonetheless, with a book you can take your time to read and ponder before you embark on the exercises it suggests, whereas with a trainer it would be embarrassing to have suddenly to call a halt to the proceedings on ground that s/he doesn't know what they are talking about and is suggesting exercises that may be inappropriate and even risky. Not to mention that a book may be borrowed free from a library or bought for far less than even a half hour of a trainer's time.

I have a sensitive lower back that has been much helped by weight training exercises.I have frequently seen or had suggested to me in gyms exercises that would have upset my back for weeks. I have found the two following books very helpful. However, it is many years since I bought a weight training book, and these books will not be up to date on more recent equipment and exercises you might encounter in a gym:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Effective-Strength-Training-Douglas-Brooks/dp/0736041818

Douglas Brooks is extremely concerned with safe exercise and gives quite advanced explanations.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weight-Training-Dummies-Liz-Neporent/dp/0764550365

A more general book and available at a much cheaper price. More likely to be available in libraries.

Thanks for that @Alexandra100 I will look at the books and I am sure @johnpol knows his stuff. I think I have a clear way forward so thanks to the kind and knowledgeable members here

 

[Japes]

Sighs deeply, my fingers continue to be the most exercised part of me.

However, I know myself well enough to know not to force myself when not right, and I'm clearly not right yet. Will take me off to the GP if this continues.

 

[ianpspurs]

Sighs deeply, my fingers continue to be the most exercised part of me.

However, I know myself well enough to know not to force myself when not right, and I'm clearly not right yet. Will take me off to the GP if this continues.

@Japes I feel sympathy for you. I would definitely take yourself to the GP sooner rather than later.

 

[Japes]

@Japes I feel sympathy for you. I would definitely take yourself to the GP sooner rather than later.

I'll be there Monday, if need be. I am hopeful a few days rest are doing the trick. Just frustrated as I had Plans for this end of the week.

 

[ianpspurs]

I'll be there Monday, if need be. I am hopeful a few days rest are doing the trick. Just frustrated as I had Plans for this end of the week.

@Japes I fully sympathise with the frustration. I am not unwell as such just not at optimum levels so I am taking it easy. You are unwell from what I have read so thoughts and prayers are with you.

 

[Goonergal]

Hi all. Bit more walking today. 23,234 steps, of which 21,349 were aerobic.

@Japes hope you soon feel better.

 

[flexi06]

Woo hoo @Goonergal stupendous stepping!