Looking at progress through a month.

I am already in week 10 of getting 150 min. of fitness exercise  a week. I keep trying new ideas or ways to challenge myself to improve. I cannot stress enough that progress is much slower than when I was younger. Yet there is progress. My short walks have increased to 320 steps - 420 steps. My back pain has improved in these short walks, but by the end of them I am still challenged in breathing.
On a real bad day biking at level one is a God send. I call it walking
the dog. Improves range of motion and circulation and readies me the next day to get back into it. Most of my biking is interval training.
There are a lot ideas I am working with from biking, in home walking, short walks, circuit training for aerobics. In strength training I am anywhere from 30-45 minutes a week. Here I use body weight exercises, resistant bands, dumbbells, TRX training.

Keeping track of my progress - At a glance you can week week to week

I will try other activities, like shadow boxing, weight training with free weights, total gym and swimming.
Stretching is always not to far way, with CP it is a must.
Doing house hold chores are also part of it. I have shared my calendars in this now 10 weeks workout. Using stickies on my computer helps to to record my progress. Doing this stuff around my work day keeps me moving and not falling.

This military circuit kicked my butt. But I did it, Hurrah!

I just finished a military circuit training for 20 minutes. I used the bike to slow down heart rate. At thee strength movements particularly squats and lunges my heart rate went over 110+. Biking at level 1 brought my heart rate back at the 80's, 70', and 60's.
The workout

Band Bench press* or pushups - in 1:00 - here I tied two bands to my cane, cane side on chest and pulled out. A broom would work.

Squats - 1:00 backside against the walk

TRX Pull-ups or pulldowns - 1:00 again works the muscles similar to a chin up- With TRX upper body it is where you place your feet to adjust the resistance. 

Bike or jog - 3:00 I think walking in place would work as well. Consider Sansone's four basic steps. Any of her workouts will demonstrate this. They are on line.

Band Military press* - 1:00

Lunges - 1:00 each leg

Band Bicep curls - 1:00

Bike or jog - 3:00

Tricep extensions.- 1:00 (Leslie Sansone kickbacks w pulldowns)

TRX 1:00 side squats - As I step out emphasis was on stating more on the step out leg. Gave me a chance to work my weaker leg. TRX on this was excellent. 

1:00 Kickbacks

Bike or jog 3:00

Situps - 1:00 - I stack four pillows on bed and lean back two sets of 20 to 21 for the two minute ab work. When I recovered from an illness this exercise gave me confidence to rise out of bed. Along with squats a real confidence builder if you ever have to recover from stuff that knocks you out. 

Crunches - 1:00

Stretch cool down-1:00-30 minutes small steps slower rate, stretch moves

You could bike two to three minutes between each exercise. Change the exercises to your needs. If I did two minute biking the workout would be 33 minutes, 3 minutes between each one would be 44 minutes, 4 minute biking 55 minutes. 

On another day you could do 11 different exercises, use different tools. There are different exercises to work the same muscle groups. A TRX band can be simply made from a solid rope that can bear your weight. This can be done with cans and bottles, light resistant bands, just the movements or any way your doctor recommends. 

Always start out slow, be safe, (I don't want to fall) listen to your body and put in movements like I did with the bike to control my heart rate. 

I know Reeves, I'm bored with your stuff. I get it, but gee Wally I did it! Keep walking😎

More strength training this week - Variety can be the spice of life

He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. Ps. 18

Continued success through week six. 110 minutes this week were aerobic with a circuit training that included strength moves. Strength training I did 48 minutes. Short walks were less, but more fitness was done instead. On one day I did a mile walk at 4 and 3 minute segments. 
Biking remains my #1 aorobic activity. I did a few minutes each biking at a higher intensity level than before. Level 1 warm up and cool down, level 2 my control level, level 3 my intensity push and this week I did a few minutes at level 4 in two bike workouts.
Circuit training is real easy to design. You can choose weights, resistant bands, TRX, body exercises, cans and bottles and mix in 1-3 minutes of walking, biking, running. You can do this on your walks by bringing a resistant band with you. With a park bench or picnic table you have a gym. Below is a military circuit training I did using bands, TRX, and body exercises for a 20 minute workout. 
After my 4 set workout using blue and black tubes (heavy) I needed a day off. Using strength, aerobic, walking activities I was able to reach 172 minutes and still counting. 
Three things I want to leave you with is I am still at it👍 and there are a lot ways to get there which includes things like gardening, bird watching, going for walks, swimming, games, you get the idea. This week I improved my strength training and I used a few new ideas. 💬 Keep walking

Some of the nuts and bolts of senior resistance training

Most senior fitness guides recommend two to three days of strength training a week. There are so many ways to do this and are worth trying.
Benefits - I am not listing all the benefits - be independent, be ablate get out of bed or chair, set off floor, slow or add muscle, (muscle means able) improve bone health, flexibility, look better, improve pain control, sleep better, live

None of these benefits happen over night and progress is slower than when you were younger. Research I have looked at suggest improvement is possible into our 90's. Actual improvement if you are working at it may be 10% or 20%. Overall with most there is improvement.

Using stars for push-ups
the lower you go on the
stair adds resistance

There are many who suggest we are slowing down the decline. Regardless how you approach this you are giving yourself months, years of active living, that would be lost if you don't do anything. Make strength training another hobby in senior living. 

Not only is she doing a push-up here
but she is working her triceps
Note the feet placement, be safe and
 or two in

Consider the various tools we can use: household stuff - cans, bottles, make excellent weights.; workouts can be done with chair, countertop, wall, bedside, bench in a park. Body weight exercises like pushups, dips, crunches, squats, lounges, heel raises, - all of which can be adapted to your abilities. My favorite example is a push up can be done standing upright doing the push up against the wall, counter, off the stairs, bench, dress of drawers, dips from a counter with your legs doing squats for support. Using a counter for balance support will help you do these things safely. A countertop with a corner is excellent for dips with your legs assisting. Try it you feel the burn in your arms. Tubes, bands are great and can be done any where. Dumbbells, TRX, going to the gym are all good ideas.

You will actually look better
My feet should an inch or two
out for a better angle. 

Where you place your feet changes the resistance. Feet closer to counter or wall is easier.
If you go to the gym to assist chin-up, dips with machines is easy. If you

my hands push up as I
do the squat 15 to 20 reps

weigh 130 and you can't lift your weight you balance the weight assistance by adding 50, 70, 100, 110 weight where you do 80, 60, 30, 20 lbs. to do the exercise. If you add 120 lbs you will be working with 10 lbs. As you get stronger you add less weight. The same is true when you use your legs to support your dips. You control what your upper body is lifting. Your legs are getting a good squat and your triceps and upper body gets a full range of motion with resistance where you will feel it.
Include discussions with your doctor who with physical rehab or trainers will work your approach. As we age it isn't one size fits all. A good plan may be completely different for you. For most of us there is a plan.

Today for me is in home walking and TRX work outs. I hope to do 3 or 4 sets. In home walking I will do three to 4 minutes at a time. Later watching a Cub game I will bike 30 minutes on my recumbent stationary bike. At my work station I will take many short walks. Add washing dishes and clean room all good for me to keep walking.

5th week, short and to point. Keep walking

5th week at 150 or better. Having a week to reach goals helps being flexible. This week strengths were biking and short walks.
One of the benefits of retirement is you have time to work on these things. Keep walking.
Did you know this kind of stuff is good for the brain? Restricted in moving, consider a recumbent indoor bike.

OK I am 65, how do I make spin classes work for me?

I have moved one more notch down the BIM scale and into another level to be reached. One bowling ball lighter, I can get my mind around 6 to 7 lbs. at a time. 

Spin cycling using an indoor recumbent bike.

Similar to using Leslie Sansone indoor walking one uses the cadence of this music to keep pace. The same is true in indoor biking. Try to follow the beat of the music. 

The workouts that I have experience from YouTube I have to make adjustments from my recumbent bike which differs from the upright bikes for spin classes. My next recumbent bike will I have an RPM measurement. Cycle routines measure effort by RPMs and resistance. 

Ah adjustments

One thing is clear the bikers in the spin classes and young and fit. So what ever they are doing it was clear to me that I would not keep up. The fact is I shouldn’t. Their bikes have ten levels and my has 8 levels. 

They are able to bike 8, 9, 10 and I am able to bike up to 5 levels. I really haven’t tried level 6, 7 and 8 yet. So when they are at level 8-10 I counter with levels 4 and 5 on my bike. When they are at 4-7 I am at level 2, 3. When they are at levels 1-3 I am at levels 1, 2. 

These bikers are fit and are trying
to push their heart rates faster than
we should. So we adapt.

Two things change my biking to gear down is breathing and heart rate. If my heart rate goes close to the high end of my targeted heart rate I gear down and my heart rate moves to an aerobic safe zone for me. I want to take deep breathes but I don’t want to be out of breathe. My goals at 65 are different then their goals as younger adults.

In senior fitness we have to push within our limits and not the limits of a twenty something. I want to improve my aerobic capacity by 12%, not to enter the olympics. As I improve I can adjust my goal. Maybe I can be as fit as a fit person in their fifties. Right now I am trying to be fit for my age in the 60’s, I got a way to go. 

Cycling fitnesses using interval training where you have a base line that is aerobic in pace with brief periods of higher intensity of resistance (higher levels of adjustments on the bike). 

How do you make it work for you? 

It always starts with a visit to your doctor. You want to start at where you are now. For your age and weight what heart rate can you have at your highest level of intensity. You do not want to bike into a heart attack or stroke. 

Your number will be different from mine. If you are starting out from sedimentary or low activity your bike should be at low levels until you improve your fitness. Your doctor and physical therapist would be most helpful here. 

Your stationary bike should have a heart monitor on it. 

Where to start

There is nothing wrong with a ride at level 1. I have done it many times. (Even now when I am recovering from an illness or had a day of to much sitting easy biking at low levels really gives me a boost.) Breathing and heart rate in mind. My goal here is the mindset of a stroll on a bike. Biking at low resistance and slow steady cycling where you keep the pedals moving but taking it easy. In 10, 15, 20 minute ride you have gently moved your muscles, improved blood circulation, and taken in relaxing deep breathing. Peddling you are steady but you adjust as your heart monitor tells you your heart is pumping in a safe zone for you. Sometimes I visualize walking a beach hearing the sounds of the waves and gulls. A sound app may have relaxing sounds to achieve the ambiance. Listening to a book I have also done this biking. Great for the end of the day to unwind the tight muscles and prepare them for sleep. With my CP I have eased tightness and pain this way many times.

As your fitness improves

Beginning work out

Warm up level one 2 to 5 minutes

Core level 2 where you return to for most of your ride 1-3 minutes

Short intervals of 1-3 minutes at level 3. 

You can start with a 4-5 minute ride or increase to a 10, 20, 30 minutes ride by repeating the routine as fitness improves.

Where I am now This workout is now possible for me in my heart rate limits. My cadence is a little slower than my young friends in the videos. Different bike and age.

3-5 minutes at level one for warm up

3-5 minutes at level 2 part of my base level

All movement is good

3 minutes at level 3 part of my base level

1-2 minutes at level 4 or 5 for intensity. Based on my heart rate level 3 can also be part of my intensity movement

2-5 minutes cool down at level 1

My minute count is from 20 to 60 minutes in my work out.

Throughout the work I am monitoring breathing and heart rate and I go to lower levels as needed.

Following a routine from a class

If they follow a 1-10 level program you adapt your program to a 1-3, 1-4, 1-5 levels on your bike. 

Actually I believe it is OK to adapt using a 1-2 program. Level one being your warm up and controlled biking and level 2 being your resistance. If heart rate jumps to high for you, lower to level one and feel free to slow biking down to lower your heat rate. Stop at any time if you need to. Recumbent indoor bikes are great for rehab and instead of this type of work out you may need to follow your doctor's program which is better for you. You and your doctor know your body. Keep walking

Make progress with chronic problems - waking up and they are still there

This actually what I trying to get back to

How can we be healthier when we experience the same problems over and over? As we age we are likely to run into a problem or problems that are chronic. Unlike a movie, a book, or TV show which has a resolution; in real life, life moves on with to be continued.
If we struggle with heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, strokes, obesity more than likely we will continue to have these problems, we hope for remission or some progress. Just observation on my part but since I am the fat-man walking, how many people obese or overweight actually return to a healthy BMI. I think very few. Easy to move from one strategy to another, but harder to actually be successful. Progress might be more encouraging. For example moving from obese to over weight.
Now me, I am working on that first step after all these years. I notice as we get older we do tend to put on weight. Add to this the weight put on is more fat while muscle is being lost.
I don't want to be negative because if you are like me you want to live as we get older and do positive stuff, like enjoy God's gifts in creation, friends, family in shelter that keeps us warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Living and celebrating our days meets enough challenges with accidents or temporary illnesses. As we age we may also have to bugger on when we deal with problems that are chronic.

Not a fitness model
Ha!

I have a list of chronic problems but I won't list them here. I will bring up one problem I have but, I know I am not alone. Due to aging, falling with CP, injuries pursuing the sports and activities I have loved the joints, bones, tendons are either wearing out or hurting. The reality I have discovered is that these aches and pains do change your life. In my late teens I loved boxing, handball, basketball at the Y, softball and an occasional football game. I picked up tennis and loved to play when it was the hottest. I was a hacker but I did play on two college teams. If I played at the Y today, I hear the games are still brutal; I would take 2years-to the grave to recover.
My theme here is to live, so I bike and move around, shadowbox. To still push back a little and exercise for stamina, strength and flexibility, In so doing I include movement to help my balance which has worsened in the last few years. These activities keep the door open to move about in nature, camping, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, be out with Barb in gardening, enjoy grandkids.
How can I stay independent and do things around the home, care for self if I don't? I really believe I would go down hill pretty fast. I want to live and not be so impaired health breaks down. Life on earth is brief enough, I don't want to speed it along.
Look into the science of strength training for seniors, it is worth doing. Spending part of day exercising, doing physical activities has great benefits as we get older. Progress not perfection Keep walking

The fat man did two workouts today

The fat man did two workouts today
Desk workout involving stretches and body resistance exercise (About 5 minutes) You can split this up as well to give a movement break every half hour of 2 to 2 1/2 minutes.
Desk top workout at http://greatist.com/move/desk-exercises-best-moves-you-can-do-at-work
You can do quite a lot around your computer to move and work out.

The second workout I did was a boxing workout with each round going through a series of punches and steps. I did four rounds. My rounds right now are about a minute and a half of shadow boxing. Each round had either push ups (adopted off my piano) or abdominal bicycles on the bead. Easier for me to get off the bed than floor. Before the simulated rounds I did a three minute jog and ended the workout after stretches with a 5 minute walk-run. Each round had a minute rest and I also rested between the boxing moves and body exercises. In time I will be able to put them together.
Rule # 1 always keep breathing under control. Workout was about 20 minutes maybe a little longer with rest times.

My body was in rebellion. If you don't have CP you don't know how much your body fights you when you move. As you age you get an idea. I can't get ahead of my self. Working through this I have to slow done when I need to. Tomorrow I will feel better because of this work out but the rounds and walk-runs will take a while to develop. This stuff is great for me to work on balance.
When I learn to the routine and improve I can change with other similar workouts. My blood pressure has returned to normal and I feel OK.

I find I have to workout at my pace and adaptions. When you do a indoor walk with a video maybe your pace is a little less intense or smaller movements. You will hear if you are following Leslie Sansone, that is OK. It is good to get walks that fit where you are at in your fitness. You have your doctor's OK to start a walking program ease into it and start with a pace 30 minute mile that is OK for you. You should always be able to talk without being out of breathe. Your walk may be 30 one minute walks to start with. You and your doctor know your body. I just hope to encourage you not to give up and everything can be adjusted and adapted.  Quote that on tweeter Keep walking 

Out for a jog.

Biking continues but now I am added a summer goal. In a few weeks I will be swimming and I'm looking forward to that. My summer goal is the be able to indoor jog for 20 minutes. I started out doing for minute jogs 3 to 4 times a day. Now I am doing seven minutes at least twice a day. I started with the minute warm-up walking in place then I start to jog. Every minute I do a squat, push up, or stretch. Then I continue doing the jogging. The biking has helped. 
When I write now I dictate a page standing up. Along with strategies like this I do therapeutic exercises to strengthen my back core. 
If the running is too much for me I will make the goal indoor walking. But I really want to fight back. Keep walking

Outdoors vs. indoors making exercise work

Outdoor workouts versus indoor workouts

If you can do these activities nothing beats running, walking, biking outdoors. It seems a lot easier to do these activities for longer periods of time outside. If you are doing them with a friend or mate it hands a social element to it. If these activities are vigorous you can get a runners high with them. Everyday there is something new about it. Outdoor programs help us to get our daily vitamin D from the sun that help our bones. There is support that we get a lot more out of outdoor exercising.

L

Strength training outside I find workout bands and TRX exercises really adaptable. I haven't found too many exercise stations for the outdoors, I believe that they would be great. Using a bench is great for push-ups, and squats. Nice area of grass works well as a mat for various body resistance training.

After a walk working on flexibility is easy to do.

Having cerebral palsy I haven't gotten much out of a treadmill. But with the very programs and virtual trips that you can do with it treadmills work for a lot of people. I have had a lot of experience indoor walking with trainers like Leslie Sansone. I've had better success with the walk programs then the running programs. There are couple of advantages to this. First of all I've never fallen with indoor walking. As my knees have continued to heal this is a big plus. In-home walking has the same ability to make adjustments as you do with your outdoor programs. You can slow the pace or ease the movement to fit where you are at. When I am getting back at it I don't do as large of the movements and even go a little slower when I need to. There are different programs for older walkers as well. 

I have also found success with my incumbent bike. I have done spin classes with it as well as virtual biking on trails where are they change the resista

nce throughout the bike ride. Sometimes listening to an audio book I close my eyes and pretend I am jogging. With the incumbent bike it is easy to do 30 minutes to an hour of biking.

I have different programs downstairs and equipment that I could use. But for strength training I use the stairs, my countertop, my bed, different pieces of furniture for adaptive body resistance. I use different resistance bands and my TRX exercises. Besides strength I have also helped with my arthritis and I've been able to rehabilitate from different injuries. 

Indoor workouts have help me not to fall. They are also very good for safety and bad weather. 

So what's right for you? Probably both. One thing that we need to do in retirement is find ways to increase our strength and flexibility as well as keep our heart healthy with aerobic exercise. Probably nobody is telling you is how often you have to rehab your body after health issues. We all have different health problems that set us back. As we age there will be times when we have to start over. The overall goal's to improve our health so that daily we live a little better and we keep our independence. 

Exercises one of those things that we do and is part of our new job. For many we can actually improve our strength, flexibility, and aerobic ability. People talk about in decline as we age but there is also a sense making things better.

I think everything I mentioned in this article is inexpensive. I have not bought a treadmill. But my incumbent bike was under $200. 

I haven't talked about swimming, In my experience swimming indoors seems to have an advantage. Whatever you do, do it as you get older, keep walking.

Learning to shop for our health and the battle of the sexes

to the painful end

Billy Crystal in his book ‘Still Foolin Em’, makes an observation that I saw over and over again last week. When the wife goes shopping the most disinterested person is her husband. There're two behaviors that I saw over and over. And I must admit I do the same thing. The way Billy described one behavior “as having no XXXXX and no shoulders men waddle in a slow death march behind their wives.”… As he went on to describe this kind of behavior his audience was laughing out-of-control, why because we've all seen it and have done it ourselves. Just about every man that I know does something similar by finding a seat while their wives shop. This behavior is been captured on film a lot of times, but not so much the waddling. I plan to capture it on film.

We know that men like to hunt when they shop they are most purposeful in their shopping adventures. Their behavior is different when shopping for work related things or hobbies. Here they show great energy an interest. Women on the other hand are gatherers as they collect things for themselves or their family. Their shopping interests have a far greater range of interest than most guys.

I have a theory that the way women shop is very good for health and may be one of the reasons why women live longer. If you were to put up a pedometer on the husband and wife I am pretty sure that the wife would out walk him. Steps we take when we shop are different than aerobic walking, but steps are steps. The gals zigzag back and forth from object to object, guys drudge long in the straightest lines possible. Soon just about every guy figures the shopping to go on and on, they’re looking for the nearest seat. Subjected to this painful experience many of the fellas take a nap. The heavier the fellow is or the older the more sitting they do.

Starts young

Real understanding of this behavior seems to go the way of the dodo. In the battle of the sexes each goes their own way. The guys to an early grave and the gals gather alone. We can take the attitude of my way or the highway, but it won’t help to make shopping more pleasant for the two of you.

My observations are not anyway scientific or absolute study but I think they ring true. Shopping can be one way to get up and move. Overall I'm afraid guys do to much sitting both at home and out and about. Here are some suggestions:

• Gentlemen, we need to walk. It is a given that we do not have the same interests so before you go find that seat walk a block or two. If you ever pedometer walk 250 to 500 steps. Every half hour or 20 minutes get up and take a small walk for a few minutes or use your pedometer to mark off a number of steps. 
• Nobody expects perfection, so find out what you're Mrs. Is really interested in getting that day and help her find that special whatever. That if she has other goals she knows that you're interested but she can go off on her journey while you find the opportunity to do the first suggestion.
• Use the cell phone to stay in touch. Here's an idea but do not over do it. Ladies if you find something that your husband would be interested in give him a call where you can meet together to see it. And then you can release him as you continue to gather. 
• Meet for lunch, a snack, coffee - set time in the shopping spree to have a date.
• Include each other in your shopping styles. The way we shop it is what it is but we can find ways to include each other. Being mindful of one another two either set limits to the time or needs of one another. If we're to sedimentary shopping can be a way to get activity we need. For example we shop every day for 20 minutes we are putting I healthy activity in our life that is doable. In the store send the guy out on missions to find special items. Not everything has to be done in one-day. Each time you shop have a little fun together. Watch people as they shop and look for their funny behaviors. We can laugh together. Keep walking

Add strength training to get back into the swing of things

Many of you know by now everywhere you look there are articles and information about health. Sometimes I find new information and other times I find more support for good ideas that I have already looked at. 

The Wall Street Journal an article by Heidi Mitchell Does Stress Make  us forgetful? Heidi interview Dr. Sinja of Yale who informs us if we have stress that is controllable it helps us to perform to our ability. Our memory functions very well we are in a situation when we can plan and work towards a goal. The problem with stress is if we are presented with the situation where wehave too many tasks to perform or too short of time to do what we need to do, we get a overloaded and we panic. Instead of reacting with reason we react emotionally. Normally these things that we would remember we now forget. If we are multitasking 10 things at once, each thing that we are trying to do only gets about 10% of our efficiency. Another problem with stress if we have too many major stresses our brain functions less. 

The good news is Dr. Sinya it Informs us that if we get enough sleep, eat small healthy meals and exercise our brain heels stress and our memory can be restored.

In another article from the Wall Street Journal Laura Johannes reports The Benefit of Pumping Iron Late in Life. Research shows intense strength training helps fend off age-related disabilities. When I first started studying health in my middle 50s Dr. Cooper of Cooper aerobics centers presented studies about the benefit of strength training for aging adults. Strength training has been shown beneficial in rehabbing injuries and recovering quality-of-life for greater independence. Research is cited here where are the benefits of muscle gain from strength training and the same is true of the benefits of aerobic training appear to be about half the gain as younger people.

I would not get discouraged about that because we usually start from a weaker point in our health. The benefits we get from our muscle gain greatly improves our quality of life. I have good reason to share with you strength training should be part of your weekly routine. Strength training can have a tremendous relief over pain of arthritis and have been proven to return people back to a normal life. The article gave an example of people in their 70s. Dr. Cooper reported people in their 90s who were able to put on muscle. The strength training form and modification are key ideas.

Leslie Sansone and others have reported in their research how walking improves brain health. Walking is more healthy for you then crossword puzzles. Strength training helps with cardio health and apparently helps us boost our higher level brain tasks. Strength training is really new to you then consult a trainer. Checking with your doctor and take a look at programs for seniors to use strength training to improve muscle and joint health. Check out the articles and keep walking.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-benefits-of-pumping-iron-in-later-life-1426475062 

http://www.wsj.com/articles/does-stress-make-us-forgetful-is-that-why-we-cant-find-the-car-keys-1426527607 

Have you ever been crazy with home projects? Making work enjoyable

Spencer Tracy

Put to gather my indoor recumbent exercise bike today. Took me about three hours to put it together. Bike in Texas for about a half an hour and later watched the Illini for another 30 minute drive. True to form the ride was comfortable. My trail ride I changed intensity and the game  I kept an easy pace. The ride was easy on the back. The cycle gives a good range of motion. Reminds me of my outdoor recumbent bike. The biking put me well over 10,000 steps for the day.
I know I am known for being patient with kids. When it comes to putting things together or projects at home I am actually the opposite. A few years ago I decided to change the craziness. Here are some of the ideas that have helped me.

1. Assume because it is true, that I am no expert. (Where did I get the idea I worked for Bob Villa? in fact at times I could be a novice, unskilled, and if it is really important, hire someone to do it. If I do attempt to do it expect problems.
2. Allow yourself time to do it. Why am I in a hurry? There is no rational reason for me being in a hurry. Relax, What can I do to make it easier?
3. Laugh and when in doubt, laugh again.
4. When a problem comes up if possible take a step back. Do I understand the step or procedure? Do I lack the skill needed for particular step? Can I with practice get better at it or is it something that would be better served by someone who does it for a living. If I am working with Barb, really take a step back. She can often get an angle I can't. My idea may not be working. Which I think is funny because I am doing something I never did before. The main thing is what ever my frustrations, they are not hers. Take responsilbily for my moods.
5. Today's project I was able to do just about all of it. There was one step that took more than two hands. When Barb got home, I showed her what we needed to do and I tried to help her do what she could to help me. She looked it over and gave me a very helpful suggestion that made it kind easy. So today we score one for the good guys. 

It beats the insanity. Keep walking

Cool stuff from the Net

Sarah Haley adapts a burpee 

Today's the day that I look at health news around the net and, I was reading the LA Times. They have besides an article, a video demonstration of an adapted burpee. Sarah Haley who is pregnant demonstrates how to adapt a burpee when pregnant. She uses a chair on a carpet floor and shows for different adaptions you can do. There are harder adaptions if you're one that has been doing burpees and easier movements if the exercises newto you.

I am unable to do a Burpee from the floor due to being older and I having CP. So being the old fat man that I am, I thought to myself, I can adapt this for me. So I went to the counter and tried the movement that Sarah showed on the video. I now have one more exercise I can do for the fat man exercises. You can check out her video and see how you can adapt the movement. Sarah was able to do a burpee from the ground. You always have to know your fitness level and find a safe way to do what you can do.

http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-trythis-haley-burpee-20150110-story.html

Climbing El Capitan

Kevin Jorgensen 30, and Tommy Cardwell 36, succeeded in climbing El Capitan in Yosemite national Park in 19 days. There were nights where they climbed using flashlights connected to their heads and they slept in tents that they staked to the walls. They took two years to train for this. They did this using only their hands and feet and safety rope. And tweeted “this is not an effort to conquer. It is about realizing a dream.” The climb is 200 stories and one of the hardest climbs and world. Jorgensen fell 11 times so it goes without saying how wonderful to have a safety rope.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/01/14/yosemite-free-climbers/21737187/

Challenging yourself is a good part of living. Doing it as safe as you can, that's wise. Carelessness if you live, you will pay for later. Doing these body exercises helps keep my body pain free from arthritis. Particularly squats and push-ups have help my joints. I know that I'm stronger, not as strong as I was in my 20s but I am stronger then I was at 55. Not moving can be very dangerous for us. I was reading how FDR inability to move brought on his premature death. It is too bad he could not have been more open about it and brought in therapy that could've realistically helped him.

I think we all have health or life concerns that it would be better to be honest about it and deal with it as best we could. People like politicians and actors have to be aware of public image. It is one of the reasons why I write, I know I am flawed but I just as well be open about it and move forward. Be encouraged and keep walking.

Circuit training the old man way

This is something I've been working on for a while and these are exercises I do. You can do one part or any other part added to it. As you learn about these different ways to exercise remember you can adapt them to fit you. These exercises can be done by those who have excellent fitness or they're like me, just an old man trying to survive. Keep walking this post I will make into a page.

 Circuit training

Part one - old man workout in kitchen using countertop 10-20 reps 8 minutes

• Adapted push-ups
• 30 sec. bike
• Adopted dips
• 30 sec. bike
• Squats
• 30 sec. bike
• Heel raises
• 30 sec. bike
• Lunges
• 30 sec. bike
• Side lunges
• 30 sec. bike
• Ten jumps
• 30 sec. bike
• Squats feet wide
• 30 sec. bike

(Walk a flight of stairs)

Part 2 old man in bedroom 10-20 reps 3 minutes

• 20 sit ups adopted

• 30 sec. bike
• 20 squats off bed
• 30 sec. bike
• 20 push ups adopted off dresser
• 30 sec. bike

(Walk a flight of stairs)

Part 3 Resistant bands 10-20 reps 8 minutes

• 15 curls
• 30 sec. bike
• 15 triceps
• 30 sec. bike
• 15 bent over rows
• 30 sec. bike
• 15 shoulder presses
• 30 sec. bike
• 15 squats with back against wall
• 30 sec. bike
• 15 heal raises
• 30 sec. bike
• 10 rotator cuff pulls
• 30 sec. bike
• Other side rotator cuff pulls
• 30 sec. bike

(Walk a flight of stairs)

Part 4 Suspension training

Where are you position your feet give you the resistance that you want. This is totally adapted to you. My suspension band can we put in my door. 10-20 reps 10 minutes

• chess press
• 30 sec. bike
• low row
• 30 sec. bike
• Tricep press
• 30 sec. bike
• Bicep curls
• 30 sec. bike
• Chest Fly adapted
• 30 sec. bike
• Y fly
• 30 sec. bike
• Squat
• 30 sec. bike
• lateral lounge
• 30 sec. bike
• squat and row
• 30 sec. bike
• sidestep and squat
• 30 sec. bike

(Walk a flight of stairs)

http://greatist.com/fitness/effective-TRX-exercises

 Walking between stations will easily give you 30+ minutes of aerobic exercise. 

I use a portable Nordic track bike that you can easily use with a kitchen chair to make a recumbent bike. This being portable you can move from room to room to do your exercise.

You can bump this up by doing a flight of stairs between parts. There are a lot of exercises you can do with these tools. It would be worth your time to look at the possibilities and design your own program. There are exercises I don't do because a balance. You may not have that limitation. But this workout can be completely adapted to your physical conditions.

Make sure you see a doctor before you begin any exercise program. And always remember you are in control of the exercises or activities that you do.
Tonight I did a 21 minute program. worked up a sweat