Moving along like a tumbleweed

Strength training this week was 15% of my work out minutes this week. This is an upward trend as I work in different strategies.
In Dr. Ken Cooper's Start Strong, Stay Strong he presents a case for the benefits of exercise to square off the curve of aging where we spend more time in health then we do in disease and decline. There will always be things we can't control, but he suggest we can control about 66% of the things that effect our health.

7th week

Dr. Cooper suggests that 50% of our exercise should be aerobic no matter what age we are. All of his life he was into aerobics but research led him to make changes in his exercise routines. His guide line is 60% aerobic and 40% strength training. There is a blend of strength in aerobic training. There is no question weight bearing exercise is part of the strength program. So when I change the resistance in my recumbent bike I am increasing the strength my abs to lower body. When I am climbing stairs, walking I am strengthening my muscles to move. So while I know I am increasing my strength program the aerobic training has been helping.

I hope I am encouraging you to not give up. The government study I cited below is a review of many studies on strength training and seniors. They cited only 10-15% of seniors are actually doing any kind of work out. It may be true active seniors use their muscles in work and hobbies. We need to include those activities with their health benefits. I like to use step conversions or calorie estimates of the things we do. They count.
If we do not work at it, we may not be adding enough muscle to our body to maintain an independent life. A thin person who is inactive may be close to the weight they had when they were younger but as we age more of the weight is fat and less of it is muscle. Their health could be in danger. I know as the fat man I have to work on it.
When you develop your fitness program there are so many ways to do it. It always starts with the reality of your health and your doctor's recommendation. The older you are the more you need to check out how seniors exercise.
For me the process is slow. This week I took breaks in my circuit training just to keep my heart rate in a healthy zone for me. During the breaks my heart was still working. In my strength movements I had to slow down because I was maxing out. Each exercise has its own limit. This was my 7th week, but I still and maybe always have to be in touch with what my body is doing. Progress is measured in months and not weeks like it did when I was younger.
An indoor recumbent bike is quite a tool for senior fitness. Different levels of fitness bands are also

Different colors different resistence

good tools. Body weight exercises that can be adopted for your fitness levels are helpful. Training with senior fitness people going at your own pace helps with the proper approaches. If you are in your 80's short brief walks can be very helpful. I am coming to believe the best thing I can pass on is not do what I do, but know there are many things you can do that is good for you.
I have a long way to go for better fitness. I am not there yet it is cool that I am working on it. Keep walking
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3117172/pdf/Dtsch_Arztebl_Int-108-0359.pdf
https://www.collegesportsscholarships.com/strength-resistance-training-seniors.htm

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

Traveling include a bench or picnic table to get the blood moving

http://lauralovesfitness.com
Laura from Central Park NY

Barb and I took a long bus trip to Branson Missouri and twice we stopped at rest stops. Other times we stopped the truck stops and restaurants. At each stop Barbara and I went for small walks. At the rest stops I used to picnic tables to include body exercises. I was able to use the bench for modified push-ups, dips, squats, lunges, heel raises. 

It is a good thing to think about when you're taking along trip where you're sitting to take breaks not only do use the bathroom but to walk and Include some exercise. Fitness bands can also be used easily. I use the tabletop to touch to give me balance to do my lunges. Anyone of us can form a blood clot with too much sitting. I had a friend who did that and he died. He did have health conditions but as we age sitting can become a problem. Walking and doing body exercises will make you feel better and get the blood circulating. Travel doesn't have to hinder our functional fitness. 

modified pushup

When you're traveling the interstate consider using the rest stops to boost your fitness. If you bring a picnic basket you can turn the whole experience into a holiday. Google Park bench fitness and look at a few videos for ideas. This is just old people stuff but the fitness buff can really get into it. We were getting older may have to modify some of the moves to do it safely. Step ups can be done right off a curb. All of this can be a constitutional walk and make you feel better for the next part of your drive. 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