Back to the gym

“6.5 yrs. minus all the time spent for trips in the Smokies, Iowa, Minnesota and other places. So I might estimate the time at about 3.5 yrs.

The amount of time was unimportant. Each class just represents an opportunity to learn something new and/or improve on previously studied techniques. Involvement can be for the rest of my life, even though I no longer can risk taking all the throws, etc. by others.
last edited: 9/20/07 5:09:46 AM”

“so, you made it back home huh? been bangin on anyones rear gate lately?... :)”

“the only accurate way to measure body fat is in water...those cheap scales are inaccurate..even the caliper can be way off. Don't diet, learn moderation and exercise daily, if it's only for 20 minutes.

tip for the day: to isolate a muscle group, work the assisting (secondary muscle groups) first. this will exhaust the secondary muscle group and force the most out of your work out. example: exhaust your trapezius and deltoids by standing in a doorway and pushing with fists closed against the door frame for 30 seconds. then immediately drop and do as many push-ups as possible (in good form, back straight). you have exhausted your shoulder area and forced your body to isolate pecs and triceps...try it, it works!

(i'm a certified personal trainer)
last edited: 9/20/07 5:29:50 AM”

“Slowly swam 1,000 yards this evening.”

“Slowly swam 1,100 yards early yesterday morning(started at 5:45).

Also, still doing a little bicycling each day and attending two hours of Aikijutsu classes each Monday and Wednesday evenings. However, I have not fully recovered from three hospital stays this summer. It's going to take a lot of work to regain my strength. However, backpacking in October should help me considerably. In 9 or 10 days I should be on my way to the GSMNP.

With all the activity it is becomming more and more difficult to convince my daughter that I am too weak, still, to take the garbage out!”

“Thank goodness my kids are now old enough to take out the garbage. Ahhh...the good life.

I'm jealous...have a good time in the park.

I meet with my personal trainer at Noon on Thursdays and just got back. Each visit is an unpleasant experience but I know it's good for me.”

“NS, where do you expect to be? My wife and I will be in the area 10/12 - 10/14. We're staying in Gatlinurg(bleh), but we will be spending some time in the park.”

“Chappy, you got a heck of an out of context quote up above on this page and it's not very flattering to NS either, lol.”

“Nimblefoot - I did bang on Chappy's rear(or side) gate. The gate and fence were 6' or higher. However, though a crack I saw him exit his back door to a porch. I tried to get his attention, so I would not have to take the long walk around the church to his house. The gate was locked!

I just had to meet the guy who sent me the tin cup. I still don't understand why he sent it to you first. I have yet to collect any money with it. I stand in front of the local supermarket holding the cup with my crutches resting under my arms. I may have to shift to a richer neighborhood.”

“Try passing it around in church. That's what I did with it:)”

“ductape - My schedule is indefinite as a nephew may come with me. He is in Panama for medical attention and will not return until Oct. 4th. What we do will depend upon his condition. When we leave will depend upon the actual date of his return.

My plan was to hit Cataloochee first, Hazel Creek second, and then do the tourist thing. We may have to limit things to the tourist stuff, if his condition is not too good.

If you make a reservation, please post your details. Perhaps we will be able to get together.”

“Slowly swam 1,250 yards yesterday evening.”

“Last week, I surpassed 5 million "pounds" lifted since I started going to the gym a few years ago.

I modified my usual routine a little recently. I had been doing relatively light weights with "lots" of reps - usually whatever weight worked for 10-12 reps per set, 3 sets per machine. I read an article about something, and they discussed weight training. They said what I already knew, which was, in general, if you want bigger muscles, do heavier weights with fewer reps; or do lighter ones if you want improved strength without the big muscles. But they also said you can do a combination, which, duh, I had never considered. So I've been trying it out a bit, not that I want big muscles, but more because it seems like a good idea to mix things up now and then. So I do my relatively lighter weights on sets 1 and 3, then switch to about 1.5 times the lighter weight for however many reps I can handle for set #2. I'm still trying to do the machines as a circuit, switching from one to the other without really resting between sets. So far, so good.”

“pics!”

“Not sure who snapped this pic of me, but here ya go....




last edited: 10/03/07 8:57:44 AM”

“nice tat”

“A few days ago I suddenly started feeling much better. The blood clots, that I experienced, really had knocked me for a loop!

So I'm back to full activities. I even used my bicycle, when I visited the Golden Cue yesterday. I'm back to all-out in aikijutsu and using the Crawl Stroke, when swimming. It feels good, like being alive again!”

“If it feels good, do it.”

“Yesterday evening I enjoyed working out with the other members of our Aikijutsu Class. This evening I swam 600 yards. It felt good using my arms more fully as I used the crawl stroke for about half of the distance. And I bicycled to the Golden Cue again for some one-pocket pool games.”

“Friday evening I swam 650 yards, a little faster.

Today I rested, except for some bicycling. (My car would not start!)”

“Today I swam 800 yards.”

“This afternoon I rode my bicycle to the hospital, about 1 mile each way. Did two hours of cardi-rehab. It was fun. Then this evening I rode about 1 block past the hospital to the gym. Did two hours of aikijutsu with more fun. Life can be great during times when your knees do not hurt too much.”

“Keep it up nowslimmer!”

“Swam 22 laps (1,100 yards) this evening.”

“They let me work a little harder in rehab today. One exercise was helping my arms. I still need to do a lot of work.

Wed. night some people thought it was my strength helping me to throw some of them in aikijutsu class. It was not. I am still very weak after three hospital visits this summer. I was simply using leverage plus planning ahead of time on what my attack would be.
last edited: 11/16/07 12:34:35 PM”

“Yesterday evening I swam just over a mile (1,800 yards). It took more than 1 hour 20 minutes. Now I need to work on getting the time down close to one hour. Then I can start moving up toward 2.5 miles.

During rehab yesterday afternoon they let me work out a little harder.

What ever happened to all the weight lifters who used to post on this thread?
last edited: 11/17/07 5:50:45 PM”

“Hey NS...I have a personal trainer that I exercise with every week. We do lots of weights, cardio, and "core" bullcrap. Since last June I've lost one size around the waist and gained 5 pounds.

Now that someone has taught me the proper way to train, I'm really enjoying my visits to the fitness center. I've even rubbed off on several people I work with and they've started working out and a few of them have gotten trainers too.”

“What ever happened to all the weight lifters who used to post on this thread?

When finishing a workout last year, I tore the cartilage in my wrist. It required surgery, which was completed about 6 weeks ago. Can't life more than 5 lbs until January.

Just started back at the gym this week though. My treadmill time is almost twice what it was. (recently also had ACL replacement from a boxing injury)

I can't wait to get back into the routine.
last edited: 11/18/07 9:53:05 AM”

“After a couple of weeks I got back to swimming yesterday and swam 500 yards. The more I swam, the easier it became. I forced myself to quit for my own protection. Rehab and martial arts are keeping me quite busy.

Stew - Personal Trainers can be a great thing. But most of them come at a high cost. That's why I'm using my opportunity to work-out in rehab. I'm getting a lot of personal attention and some guidance.”

“Good to hear you're keeping that body moving!”

“Okay need some advice for some KICK TAIL music to down load to the Ipod.”

“For the gym:

All you need is ...

"Gonna Fly Now"

enjoy!”

“Well I have Led Zep, Skynard, Steppenwolf, ZZ Top...and some others....”

“download some Chemical Brothers, Underworld, Paul Van Dyk, BT and Fatboy Slim to name a few”

“I have some Chem. Bros and Fatboy Slim on my ipod. I also have some Prodigy.

I also like live bluegrass music with not much singing.”

“Marilyn Manson
Rage Against the Machine
Ministry
White Zombie”

“You need to get to the basics ...



So you can look like this ...







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0I5-Xs2fM0g
last edited: 12/28/07 9:27:00 AM”

“What a terrible week of eating. Visiting family in rural Georgia is terrible on the fitness routine. We get back to Nashville tonight. Tomorrow and Tuesday are all vegetarian and lots of cardio. Also I'm staying away from beer for a month to shed a couple of lbs. Arrg.
last edited: 1/06/08 6:41:47 AM”

“Good luck with it.”

“June 2007: 210 pounds, 28% body fat

January 2008: 216 pounds, 19% body fat

The personal trainer has been worth every penny!!

:)”

“After recovering from 2 surgeries and a heart issue, this last month has been pretty productive. My treadmill speed has tripled in one month, moving cautiously. I still have a long way to go, but it's good to know the body still works.”

“did you have ACL surgery? or was that someone else?”

“That was me - you and I talked about it I believe at one time, although there have been others on here who have had that surgery as well.

The latest surgery was a TFCC surgery.”

“maybe we did talk about it...but mine was in June. I thought yours was farther back..I was curious to know how yours felt currently and at 6 months. Although you may not be as far along as I thought?”

“It was last year ('06).

At 6 months, I was worried. The PT said I progressed as quickly as an athlete - but it just didn't seem that way to me. At 6 months it was pretty much ok, but there were some "clicks" in there that just didn't seem right. Almost like a small pebble stuck in the knee. A year later it was still there. Now, at about 1.5 years, so far on the treadmill it's been great. No problems at all.

At 6mo to 1 year it feels sorta strange to kneel down on it due to the numbness of the cut nerves, but it's not bad at all now.

How are you doing with it?”

“yea I think we did talk about it when you had the surgery..little did I know I'd be in the same shape a year later.

Its 6 months for me. Finished PT in 5 weeks. Continued the exercises and weights at the gym on my own and began walking on incline on the treadmill. Last month my surgeon said I could start running on the treadmill and on outdoor tracks but no trails or uneven ground. when I run though, its like I have a limp....walking I don't have that limp. I'm not sure if its me being fearful or the knee...it does feel weaker than the other when running.

and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with the kneeling discomfort/numbness. I think that bothers me the most because I forget until I go to do something then I can't get up off it fast enough.

I go back this week to my surgeon and hope I'll be released ....but I want to know from him should I be having such a strange stride while running and will it eventually go away.”

“when I run though, its like I have a limp....walking I don't have that limp. I'm not sure if its me being fearful or the knee...it does feel weaker than the other when running. ... I go back this week to my surgeon and hope I'll be released ....but I want to know from him should I be having such a strange stride while running and will it eventually go away.

Yup. That's it in a nutshell. Same here. My surgeon is the Flyer's surgeon and he acted like it was no big deal. Basically ignored me when I told him. (frustrating) Anyways, mine got worse as I continued to run. Down hill hikes were horrible too (that put an end to hiking for a while) - The doctor did not suggest this, but I took a several month rest from running, at least half a year. When I went back to it recently, I haven't experienced any problems yet. I think running made it worse and it needed a rest. Never know for sure though.

and I'm glad to know I'm not the only one with the kneeling discomfort/numbness. I think that bothers me the most because I forget until I go to do something then I can't get up off it fast enough.

That's definitely normal - and expected. It's part of the surgery - the surgeon injures the nerves in the process. I think the feeling is worse than reality - you're not doing any damage to yourself by kneeling on it as far as I know. It's just a sensation. After all this time, that sensation is pretty much gone. (if you're like me, you notice it when you put on your shoes)

Good luck GNM. From what you've said here, I think you can rest easy that you're progressing normally and will be hiking as much as you'd like in 6 months or so.”

“Thanks for the comparison to go with. You can talk to your doctor all day but comparing with others almost is more helpful to a degree.

and I did stop running. Common sense goes a long way sometimes...I'll try again maybe in 6 months.”

“btw - I just tested it, and that numb sensation when kneeling is about 99% gone. I have a friend who had the surgery 10 years ago and his is worse off than mine, so YMMV. - again, it's nothing to concern yourself about.

Keep us updated.”

“Can you tell which way is north now?”