Guitar Gear Forum

We’re all getting old and staying active as we do is important for a healthy life.

Curious what everyone is doing these days to stay active.
Hobbies, sports, exercise, time in nature, gardening, whatever it is that is getting you off the couch and moving your body.

Since moving to Austin I’ve been spending a lot more time outside doing things. Hiking, paddle boarding, and disc golfing have become regular parts of my nights and weekends and it’s a been great change of pace.

Still doing BJJ and lifting of course but Texas has definitely taken those to the next level because Texans go hard af.

Doing this trucker thing has definitely put crimp in my fitness routine; doing what I can as far as that goes.

Grabbed an app that gives me a workout every morning, supplementing that with 100 pushups in the truck and 50 pull-ups on the ladder before I get going for the day.

I seriously HATED doing FedEx at the end but at least it kept my cardio up; never going back tho. Wasn’t worth the mental shit. This is a lot more lax, and I’m gonna need to keep at the physical shit or else I’m gonna end up a trucker blob…

I kayak fish tidal areas in the cooler months and repair/replace AC systems in the hotter months. These activities threaten my girth so I have a basic beer and great food defense in place. It all seems to work out pretty nice.

I’ve been working my ass off, literally, since April of last year. I got to be a huge fat ass again, probably close to 235 pounds, and I’m only 5’7”. We bought a rowing machine, and I started hitting that 6 days per week, half an hour at a time. Also made sure I walked ~15k steps per day. 15 months later, I’m down to the 168-170ish range, and am now just a regular sized dude. I wear medium shirts now (used to always be at least an XL) and I’m in decent cardio shape for a 46 year old with a resting heart rate in the low to mid 60s. I honestly feel the best, physically, than I have since I was a teenager.

I still hit the rower 6 days per week in winter. In summer it’s 5 because I push mow our lawn, and that takes an hour and a half. Haven’t lost any weight since January, but I’m good with that. Still walk a lot every day, too. I’m honestly kind of proud of myself because I’m a lazy fuck at heart, and I’d rather just sit around and play my PS5. But I made myself, every day, even if I didn’t really feel like it or was tired, and it’s paid off. I’m living proof that it can be done.

I lift 4 days a week at the local gym. And ride my bike 5-10 miles on the other 3 days.
That's pretty much it for exercise. I'm also really careful with my diet these days. Only real food, nothing processed and no grains since I'm allergic to wheat, corn, soy etc..
I got my shit together a few years ago and went from 270lbs to 175lbs. I gained a bit since the pandemic and I'm 192 now, which is not awful since I'm 6'0 but I want to lose at least 5-7lbs.
My wife struggles with her weight so I've been trying to help her too. She's much younger so she will lose easily. She started last week and already dropped 6lbs. So that's good.

The pandemic shut my gym down for a while and it completely destroyed my routine. I have managed to stay fit and trim(5'10", 155lbs.). But I have definitely lost some definition. Ironically, a couple hours before seeing this thread, I made the decision to call my trainer and get back into the program. I am 48 and my 50th is in almost 18 months. I want to be ripped when I mark five full decades here.

Not to mention, weight training after 50 is essential to aging well.

I lifted weights religiously for about a year and a half from late 2018 to early 2020 when Covid hit and I stopped going to the gym because I didn’t want to risk getting sick. Ironically, I got to be a lardass whilst lifting weights because I was loading up on protein to build muscle in my 40s. I’m in much better shape now; and while I’ve lost a lot of that extra muscle, I didn’t lose all of it. Probably why I feel good at 170 at my height.

BJJ 4 times a week and weight lifting twice a week. I'm 5'11 190 and hope to be 180 by august. These 2 activities combined, with eating well, have really helped tone my body up. Wife is very excited

Masturbation thrice daily.

Occasional bouts of strenuous cribbage.

Definitely still masturbation.! Not too early cause it can make me tired lol. I guess that’s the age. But I’m 43, I don’t weigh myself for health but I know I’m still around 165-170. Have been for the last 20 years.

But my “health” regimen has changed since the pandemic and gyms closed for that period and I haven’t been back since. Honestly, I gained some muscle mass and had a 6 packs for awhile when I was lifting regularly, but what functional advantage does weight training muscle mass genuinely give?? I found not much at all. In fact I was having more issues with muscle strains and pulled neck and back muscles, etc etc. . So besides I’m simply on my feet the days I work and walk and lift, pull and push thru out the entire day, that has a pretty good impact on my health simply cause I’m moving all thru the day. But instead of my secondary exercise being gym and weights, my only “weight” training These days is resistance bands and kettlebell. But what I Do EVERYDAY is a 30-40 minute stretching routine. And man, what a differnce. Mobility, flexibility and functional exercises are Really what I concentrate on. I do a lot of Swiss ball exercises, which is essentially mostly working core. And prolly the one thing I never truly focused on was my core and that was always the weak spot. I wouldn’t even say weak, I was just average I’m core strength. And basically you are only as strong as your weakest link. So my core is much better and functionally I found that to be a big difference In everyday life and how I feel. I also practice proper breathing from Wim Hof and cold exposure(I do take ice baths and cold showers) to finding breathing techniques of indigenous people of the Amazon. Some are truly powerful. So yeah, foam rollers, swisss ball, stretching and kettlebell and bands for some strength, coupled with breathing and cold exposure and honestly I feel pretty damn good..... Also still play competitive ice hockey 2-3 times a week

Barely but getting back to it. I’ve been doing a circuit training program here and there at a gym where it’s open air and I don’t have to mask (CA blows) and occasionally waking up early and jogging a mile and doing some push-ups and crunches.

Aside from that, my beer arm put it more reps in the last year than ever. I had to go up in weight and start hitting 24oz tallies.

I absolutely MUST jog twice a week minimum...
Depending on traffic, I have a 45 to 90 minute drive to work then, I sit at a desk for 8 hours . After work, I have a 45-90 minute drive home. Sometimes, that's 12 hours a day sitting!!! If i don't jog, my lower back muscles atrophy and it feels like someone is sticking an ice pick in my spine. The pain can be absolutely incapacitating. Jogging strengthens my lower back, releases endorphins and makes me a happy camper.
Jogging is the only way I know how to keep my lower back muscles in shape. If any of you guys know of any other way... PLEASE LET ME IN ON IT!!!

I jog around my neighborhood and pass by a small park, a block from my house. I like to do pushups on one of the benches because it's easier than doing them on the floor of my house. I only do pushups in the park at night, when no one is around because, it would be creepy when Moms are in the park with their kids.... I don't want to be that weird guy!
I also like to go on the swings at night... I'm fucking 61 and swings are fucking awesome!!! Why are adults afraid of going on swings???

Fucking rum and cokes!!! Lemmy liked rum and cokes!!! Lemmy was a fucking genius!!!
We had a tropical storm hit my area and my basement flooded with about an inch of water. I just finished shop vacuuming about 50 gallons of water out of the fucking basement and I'm on my second extra strong, diet, caffeine free, coke and dark Bacardi.

I have 4 surf boards... 6', 7', 8' and 10'. I'd sell them all for a 9'. 9' is perfect for a 6' tall guy who weighs 190 lbs. Micky Dora was a staunch proponent of the 9' board.
I have an O'Neill 2mm wet suit and a 4mm/5mm Xcell winter wet suit with a hood. The winter wet suit is so tight, no water gets in. You have to get into it through the neck.... no back zipper. It's a fucking workout getting in but, it's an even bigger workout getting out of it. It's like a straight jacket... you have to work one arm out of the sleeve, get it out the neck and push yourself out the neck hole. Is it worth it???? FUCK NO!!! Going winter surfing is like eating nuclear hot chicken wings. Yeah, it impresses your friends and it's fun once in your lifetime but seriously, fuck that shit!!!

To keep in shape for surfing, I have a Total Gym... as advertised by Christy Brinkley and Chuck Norris.
The secret to using it is... NEVER FOLD IT UP AND PUT IT UNDER YOUR BED!!! If you fold it up and put it under your bed, you will never use it!!!! Doing swimming motion on the Total Gym is the best way to keep in shape for surfing. You will NEVER be able to surf (especially, at 61) if you don't have a Total Gym set up in your garage... and you have to use it every time you take the garbage and recycling out.... that's three times a week for me. Do I use my Total Gym? NO!!!! It's in my garage but, it's folded up behind my Bosch table saw!!!!

I also like to do squat thrusts but man, they are killer. Fuck squat thrusts.
I also have 10, 15 and 20 lb dumbbells. I like to do curls when watching TV... but you can't lie on the couch or you'll never do curls. DO CURLS, DON'T LIE ON THE COUCH!!!!

I’m eating lucky charms and doing Friday night drugs

fretless wrote:I’m eating lucky charms and doing Friday night drugs

Sounds like heaven on Earth!!!

Its 5 am and the fiesta tent next door is going up very loudly. There will be sex drugs and loud music all day & all night. I may do a few stretches before getting started

oh man. i walk about 6-8 miles a day at work, and try to get 50-60 miles in on the bike over weekends- mostly road but on occasion mountain . plenty of yardwork and house maintenance. otherwise... hiking when the mood hits on the local ridges!

My wife and I lift 5x a week. I also try to get in as much time in our pool as I can. Will likely get back to some running too. Try to keep the diet as "on pint" as I can, which has been a hassle as of late, if I am honest.

I have a 3 year old

I spend 12+ hours a day sitting on my ass in front of a computer. Pre-COVID, I spent 10+ hours a day doing the same thing. Conversely, the amount of time I have to be active has lessened. I never subscribed to a regimented fitness routine, but I got a reasonable amount of exercise doing normal things - yard work, house work, working in the garage, etc. The only structured activity lately is trying to keep up with an energetic Bullmastiff on walks around the neighborhood...

Now I beat off standing up. Then I fall into the wall.

Schweezly wrote:I have a 3 year old

I have a saying that I tell people all the time. “Your kids will keep you young if you let them.” It’s so true. Even when you’re tired from work and whatnot, if you go throw/kick a ball or scooter around the neighborhood when you get home you will recapture some youth.

I do feel bad for dudes who waited until they were in their mid-late 30’s to 40’s to have kids though. The most miserable looking dudes I’ve ever seen are salt and pepper haired mid-life bros running down the sidewalk chasing after their runaway toddler.

It’s a young man’s job.

ajaxlepinski wrote:I absolutely MUST jog twice a week minimum...
Depending on traffic, I have a 45 to 90 minute drive to work then, I sit at a desk for 8 hours . After work, I have a 45-90 minute drive home. Sometimes, that's 12 hours a day sitting!!! If i don't jog, my lower back muscles atrophy and it feels like someone is sticking an ice pick in my spine. The pain can be absolutely incapacitating. Jogging strengthens my lower back, releases endorphins and makes me a happy camper.
Jogging is the only way I know how to keep my lower back muscles in shape. If any of you guys know of any other way... PLEASE LET ME IN ON IT!!!

For me it's crunches. Not even full sit-ups. Just lots and lots of crunches to sorta balance the muscles.
Granted, I also do as much walking as I can fit in a day. The dogs usually give us a couple miles a day and then when I'm able to carve out an hour or so I'll go for a brisk walk/almost jog for four to five miles.

If all I do is walk I still get the massive back pain. Have to do the crunches to stretch the back and get a little muscle going in the stomach/chest area. I also do these chest compression things where you engage your entire core while sitting at your desk and take a few breaths, then release take a few breaths, then repeat. I try to fit those in about six to seven times during the work day. It doesn't make anybody question your sanity for "exercising" while working, and it still does a little something for your body.

All that said, I'm still a fat fuck, but I've been working on it for a month and some change. Got myself in a routine where I'm eating a ton less, and much healthier food overall. It's starting to work, as I've dropped about fifteen pounds, but I got a long ways to go. The last time I did this, god, it's been over a decade ago, I dropped almost seventy pounds and then life got in the way of my routines. I'm not letting that happen this time. I'm not going to cross the fifty year line at this weight. Nope.

A big goal for me is to get back to where I can use our treadmill comfortably. Right now I'm just a little past its capacity and the belt locks up after a few minutes. If I can get there before the snow flies I can keep the routine going all winter.

ajaxlepinski wrote:I absolutely MUST jog twice a week minimum...
Depending on traffic, I have a 45 to 90 minute drive to work then, I sit at a desk for 8 hours . After work, I have a 45-90 minute drive home. Sometimes, that's 12 hours a day sitting!!! If i don't jog, my lower back muscles atrophy and it feels like someone is sticking an ice pick in my spine. The pain can be absolutely incapacitating. Jogging strengthens my lower back, releases endorphins and makes me a happy camper.
Jogging is the only way I know how to keep my lower back muscles in shape. If any of you guys know of any other way... PLEASE LET ME IN ON IT!!!

Proper kettle bells swings and reasonably weighted properly done deadlifts will make the lower back built out of steel my man.
Just use light weight and proper form to start.

Schweezly wrote:I have a 3 year old

Endtime that sounds like a pretty healthy way to do it man. You're still doing flooring I assume?
I can imagine that plus the hockey keeps you PLENTY active so that mobility work is certainly a good call.
Thats one thing I certainly need to add more of, stretching, mobility, and yoga would all benefit me but my time is so heavily focused on lifting heavy shit or rolling in BJJ that I haven't been making the time that I should for that kind of stuff.