I do my whole workout with a chair and free weight dumbbells.
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looking to get healthier and more fit?
- Thread starter SoundSoSavage
- Start date
I’m surprised at how expensive weights are to purchase. Although they seem to be traded pretty cheap on CL and FB Marketplace.
But also they don’t really motivate me. I know guys who love lifting weights and swear by them, just not my idea of fun. Also with the arthritis having eaten away the cartilage in my wrists, pain can be an issue too. Some have recommended I look at resistance band or cable systems.
Tried on, and bought SLIM FIT Wrangler jeans today in waist size 34. And I didn’t have to suck on my gut to get them on! Still have a little more weight to lose but I can’t imagine needing pants smaller than size 34.
Arthritis does put a damper on things, I like the free weights because they build balance along with the strength. For you a machine or bands may be better like you said. And with light resistance and high reps to failure. Congratulations on the new pants size, its a motivator for sure.
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
Indulge a case f COVID. You'll get there.
Gary O'
Well-known member
Oh I wish I could swing a maul.
Just turned 62. 181/182 pounds. But one clogged artery in my heart. Diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 24. Autoimmune disease and immunosuppressed, with high blood pressure as a bonus. Even at 200# I 'looked' fairly fit. Five days a week I coach Olympic style Saber fencing at a private club, a high school and a university. So people assume I'm healthy. Apparently under my skin I'm a total mess.
Diet and exercise won't unclog that artery in my heart. But it will make my heart stronger, losing weight might reduce my blood pressure and low impact exercises don't injure my joints but increase my overall health and endurance. I can chase a 16 year old down a fencing strip with a 3' saber in my hand and whack him at will, but I get winded carrying our 2.5 year old foster son up the stairs.
Really been screwed up at my home lately.
Our part time 2.5 year old foster son has been with us for 3 straight weeks, and sick. In and out of the doctor's office. We love him but it also messes up my routine, my eating healthy and the stress around the house.
Because he is & has been sick, the lovely Mrs_Bob is sleeping in another room with him so I get sleep, but she is over-tired. We switch off caring for him. My morning workout routine is in shambles. Sometimes I close my rings by running up the stairs with medicine, supplement, or a sippy cup of juice, but rarely have I gotten in my full serious workouts. Been bouncing between 180/183# while he has been back with us, which is up from the 178/179# range I worked my way down to.
Changed that this morning. Closed my exercise ring before 7am. With real exercise. Screwed up and did a video cardio workout before getting on the rowing machine, I was so winded that I cut the rowing short by a few minutes, took a little recovery time and then finished on the treadmill with a fast-walk pace of 3.5mph.
Determined to make progress.
Not making excuses but it is really easy to understand how we all slack off, lose track, and get sidelined by 'life' while trying to get into shape so that we can actually get healthy enough to live longer.
I had a 177# goal set to hit by Christmas. That is still doable, but I don't think it is good enough. Thinking I need to drop lower. Maybe closer to 170#.
BMI is right about 24.8 now, which puts me at the very top edge of healthy weight but a BMI of 25 is "over weight" so there is a razor thin line between where I am and what is over weight.
Using a new goal of 170#, it puts me over weight on the Robinson and Miller charts, but within the healthy weight range on the Hamwi and Devine scales and closer to the mid-range of the BMI scale. 12# loss from now to Christmas might be too aggressive, given the holiday seasons, so I'm going to say 170# Jan 24 (just happens to be the lovely Mrs_Bob's birthday so an easy date to remember).
Our part time 2.5 year old foster son has been with us for 3 straight weeks, and sick. In and out of the doctor's office. We love him but it also messes up my routine, my eating healthy and the stress around the house.
Because he is & has been sick, the lovely Mrs_Bob is sleeping in another room with him so I get sleep, but she is over-tired. We switch off caring for him. My morning workout routine is in shambles. Sometimes I close my rings by running up the stairs with medicine, supplement, or a sippy cup of juice, but rarely have I gotten in my full serious workouts. Been bouncing between 180/183# while he has been back with us, which is up from the 178/179# range I worked my way down to.
Changed that this morning. Closed my exercise ring before 7am. With real exercise. Screwed up and did a video cardio workout before getting on the rowing machine, I was so winded that I cut the rowing short by a few minutes, took a little recovery time and then finished on the treadmill with a fast-walk pace of 3.5mph.
Determined to make progress.
Not making excuses but it is really easy to understand how we all slack off, lose track, and get sidelined by 'life' while trying to get into shape so that we can actually get healthy enough to live longer.
I had a 177# goal set to hit by Christmas. That is still doable, but I don't think it is good enough. Thinking I need to drop lower. Maybe closer to 170#.
BMI is right about 24.8 now, which puts me at the very top edge of healthy weight but a BMI of 25 is "over weight" so there is a razor thin line between where I am and what is over weight.
Using a new goal of 170#, it puts me over weight on the Robinson and Miller charts, but within the healthy weight range on the Hamwi and Devine scales and closer to the mid-range of the BMI scale. 12# loss from now to Christmas might be too aggressive, given the holiday seasons, so I'm going to say 170# Jan 24 (just happens to be the lovely Mrs_Bob's birthday so an easy date to remember).
JUST CURIOUS … anyone use resistance bands in addition to weights? Instead of weights?
My wife has some. So there is no cost to use them, they are just hanging there doing nothing since she doesn't use them.
I just keep seeing resistance band training videos, advertisements, wonder if they work for muscle building and toning. I know that physical therapists use them for rehabilitation/
My wife has some. So there is no cost to use them, they are just hanging there doing nothing since she doesn't use them.
I just keep seeing resistance band training videos, advertisements, wonder if they work for muscle building and toning. I know that physical therapists use them for rehabilitation/
they will work, low impact. Bands or cable weight systems can actually build a longer muscle, which is stronger, think monkey strength
I think I'll be giving them a try. She has 3 of them. The pink one is very light weight, obviously not much more resistance than a rubber band. The sky blue one is maybe double that, but still not offering much. But the grey one, I like that one. It offers a good bit of pull when I stretched it.
Played a bit with the grey one earlier today, not sure I was actually doing much, but I got some muscle soreness after about 15 minutes so I think I accidentally worked out with it. I'll be exploring some workouts for bands and see what happens.
Just in case someone wants to send me a birthday gift, follow the link to artificial intelligence enhanced computerized rubber bands.
hygearfit.com
The logic is sound. It’s actually innovative. For people like me, who are motivated by watching progress across data tables and graphs, it’s a nifty idea.
I’m aware of subscription based ‘smart’ dumbbells that allow the dumbbells to connect to your smartphone/tablet and interface with a trainer.
So many devices, especially higher end exercise equipment, are becoming subscription based. A Peloton exer-bike is basically a bike with an iPad glued on. The magic is not the bike, the magic is that it makes you pay a monthly fee to get motivation. There are plenty of others, rowing machines are doing this, as are treadmills. But dumbbells? I refuse to buy equipment that requires a monthly subscription fee to actually work.
At least the computer enhanced rubber bands in the link above work with a stand alone ‘app’ so there is no monthly fee.
HYGEAR - The future of smart fitness is here
GEAR 1 uses smart sensors to detect biometrics like resistance, reps, calories burned and more to give you real-time feedback and customized workout routines.
hygearfit.com
The logic is sound. It’s actually innovative. For people like me, who are motivated by watching progress across data tables and graphs, it’s a nifty idea.
I’m aware of subscription based ‘smart’ dumbbells that allow the dumbbells to connect to your smartphone/tablet and interface with a trainer.
So many devices, especially higher end exercise equipment, are becoming subscription based. A Peloton exer-bike is basically a bike with an iPad glued on. The magic is not the bike, the magic is that it makes you pay a monthly fee to get motivation. There are plenty of others, rowing machines are doing this, as are treadmills. But dumbbells? I refuse to buy equipment that requires a monthly subscription fee to actually work.
At least the computer enhanced rubber bands in the link above work with a stand alone ‘app’ so there is no monthly fee.
Amazon delivered the resistance band wall clips yesterday evening. Got them installed. Today I started on the treadmill and then started messing with the resistance bands. My arms feel like jello now.
Also . . .
Also . . .
Oh crap who thought resistance bands were a good idea? 
My upper body feels like I got run over by a stampeding herd of cattle. What the actual **** did I do to myself? It was only a 10 minute session. Clearly a 10 minute session is about 8 minutes too long. I have pain in muscles I didn’t know existed.
Did they use these to torture prisoners and peasants in dungeons in the Middle Ages?
My upper body feels like I got run over by a stampeding herd of cattle. What the actual **** did I do to myself? It was only a 10 minute session. Clearly a 10 minute session is about 8 minutes too long. I have pain in muscles I didn’t know existed.
Did they use these to torture prisoners and peasants in dungeons in the Middle Ages?
I have been using “resistance bands” for workouts yesterday and today. Sometimes I use the lovely Mrs_Bob’s flat therapy style resistance bands. Sometimes I use tubular bands from Amazon.
Both were designed by the devil himself. These things are evil. 10 minutes at a time is all I can do. And then I am in pain in places that I didn’t know existed on my body.
Absolutely brutal.
I have a wall chart that tells me the muscles that I am working. Right now my right butt cheek is in pain. So I can officially say theses bands are a pain in the ass.
I used to think that weight training was how you build muscles. Honestly I think the freakin' rubber bands are seriously good, resistance increases throughout the pull range and requires control during the release range.
Both were designed by the devil himself. These things are evil. 10 minutes at a time is all I can do. And then I am in pain in places that I didn’t know existed on my body.
Absolutely brutal.
I have a wall chart that tells me the muscles that I am working. Right now my right butt cheek is in pain. So I can officially say theses bands are a pain in the ass.
I used to think that weight training was how you build muscles. Honestly I think the freakin' rubber bands are seriously good, resistance increases throughout the pull range and requires control during the release range.
chowderman
Well-known member
stretching bands involve every single muscle used to move the body in the stretching direction....
much different that dead weight exercises on a bench/floor/ etc.
much different that dead weight exercises on a bench/floor/ etc.
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
Reid had no trouble abusing the levers of power, but a rubber band took him out?
Hilarious.
Hilarious.
YES!!!
I was using dumbbells.
Tried using the flat style for my arms while speed walking on the treadmill and thought they were too easy.
Round tube bands connected to the wall hooks let me put real force into the workouts. Much harder than using dumbbells for workouts. Also seems like the progressive resistance is easier on my arthritic joints.
But it is like a 10 minute rubber band sessions ends with 30 minutes of bitching & complaining followed by 12 hours of muscle pain.
I'm supposed to drive 90 minutes south to Purdue University to coach their fencing practice tonight and I'm too sore to get off the couch. I did a 10 minute session this morning. Then another 10 minute session about an hour ago.
I've also been doing interval run/walk training for a 5K run and that is much easier on my body than these damn rubber bands. But I have to think this pain will eventually pay off. As I've lost weight my arms and upper chest now look skinny. I doubt I lost strength, but I have lost mass. I want to build the upper body/shoulders and arms a little bit, not muscle bound, but better toned with a bit more strength.
YUP
Pain is weakness leaving your body
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
My right upper arm and shoulder have been in constant pain since Crumpy pushed me off the flat-bed trailer.
That was four or five months ago.
How long does it take for the "weakness" to leave???
apparently more than 5 months, notice Crumpy's shoulder doesn't hurt.My right upper arm and shoulder have been in constant pain since Crumpy pushed me off the flat-bed trailer.
That was four or five months ago.
How long does it take for the "weakness" to leave???
I have weights, yoga bands, and resistance bands. I use them all. They are all good and seem to hit different muscles. I'm still recovering from some resistance band leg exercises I did the other day. At the end of the day, do whatever you can and keep moving while watching what you eat.
I think the key for all of this is find what works and do that.
Balance of DIET and EXERCISE. Eat LESS and move MORE.
Diet has been dramatically altered and I'm eating much healthier, but also eating foods that I have no issues to continue eating. I don't really miss SPAM or Corned Beef Hash, but I would eat them if I went out for a breakfast.
One thing to eat them 3-5 days a week, quite another to eat them once or twice a month. I get cravings for White Castle hamburgers, pretty much figured out that I can eat them on Thursday evening. I leave the house about 2:45 to head to one of the high schools for practice. Leave that practice at 5:45pm to get to another practice by 6:30. There is a White Castle in my path. I hit the drive thru, get 2 or 3 burgers (140 calories each) and proceed to the club for the beginner class lesson. Not home until 9pm.
So I may not be eating "healthy" 100% of the time, but I satisfy my craving, don't over-do it. MOST meals are plant based. MOST protein I eat is fish. Lots of cauliflower, I use that as a noodle substitute. Low calorie and semi-flavorless, so I can make something like Hamburger Helper, but remove the noodles and substitute in cauliflower to give some bulk. Cuts the calories by roughly 1/2. Change out the hamburger for ground turkey and cuts the calories even more. Spices often adjusted up a bit.
I alternate between the treadmill, exercise bike & rowing machine. Just over the past few days added in the devil's rubber bands. I also have dumbbells too, 4# up through 15#. So light weights. I use them sometimes while speed walking on the treadmill. But not while jogging. I use some lighter dumbbells (4#, 5#, 6# & 8#) while on the exercise bike during some of the workouts too.
MOSTLY what works for me is my AppleWatch and my AppleHealth App. I know it seems dumb. But I love checking all the metrics.
For whatever it is worth, stepped on the scale and I was 179.2# this morning. Goal is 177# by Christmas. I'm stuck at a plateau of 179/180. But feeling very good about my metrics. I'm 1 good poop away from breaking into the 178 range.
I want a double cheeseburger. Not just any double cheeseburger. A local chain, called Schoops. They make an amazing double cheeseburger. Always fresh made. Crispy smash burger edges. With ketchup, mustard, relish and 2x onions. Please.
do it, just not everyday
I didn't do it. I opted for a bourbon instead.
Bourbon has the same calories as a banana.
Choose wisely. But perhaps our Friday night dinner will be Schoops Hamburgers?
BTW, here is my workout space in the basement.
Dumbbells are various brands. Pairs of 15, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4 pound weights.
On the opposite wall, at the entry to the basement family room, are 3 "Bob & Brad" brand wall anchors for resistance bands. 1 mounted high, 2nd at chest level, 3rd about 6" above the floor. $32 for plastic bits + 6 wood screws. Over priced. But designed very nicely, works will all types of bands. Bands can be locked into the wall anchors, or allowed to slide, etc. Rated for 800# of pull strength.
Resistance bands are a cheap set of "Pilates bands" from Amazon, that included a Bar, a door anchor (not in the photo) and a set of hand grips/foot holds. Pilates bands look to be identical to power lifting resistance bands, but cost less, I dunno why. 20#, 30# and 40# bands were included in the set.
The poster set on the wall was $5.95.
Bourbon has the same calories as a banana.
Choose wisely. But perhaps our Friday night dinner will be Schoops Hamburgers?
BTW, here is my workout space in the basement.
- Nautilus U616 exercise bike
- Horizon 7.0 treadmill
- Fitness Reality 4000MR rowing machine
Dumbbells are various brands. Pairs of 15, 10, 8, 6, 5, 4 pound weights.
On the opposite wall, at the entry to the basement family room, are 3 "Bob & Brad" brand wall anchors for resistance bands. 1 mounted high, 2nd at chest level, 3rd about 6" above the floor. $32 for plastic bits + 6 wood screws. Over priced. But designed very nicely, works will all types of bands. Bands can be locked into the wall anchors, or allowed to slide, etc. Rated for 800# of pull strength.
Resistance bands are a cheap set of "Pilates bands" from Amazon, that included a Bar, a door anchor (not in the photo) and a set of hand grips/foot holds. Pilates bands look to be identical to power lifting resistance bands, but cost less, I dunno why. 20#, 30# and 40# bands were included in the set.
The poster set on the wall was $5.95.
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My eating habits are different than most. I eat no breakfast, 10-11 am my main meal is anything I want. Around 6 pm, granola with blueberries. Been working for me many years.
I tend to have coffee in the early morning. 5:30-6am
Work out, watch the news, etc. Then around 10am I'll eat breakfast. Typically fairly low calorie.
1 to 2pm I will likely have protein based lunch, varies by day. Some days I have 2 fencing practices so I want to eat big. Other days I only go in the evening so I hold off and eat dinner, before 6pm. I try for a lower calorie dinner most days. So lunch is often my biggest meal.
177.2# on the scale today.
My goal was to get to 177# by Christmas of this year. So I hit my Christmas goal 6 weeks early.
Looking to be in the 160-165# weight range as my ultimate goal range, that goal is Jan 24. That is NOT really a set weight goal. It is more of a target range but may be modified because I want to add some muscle mass to my upper body, want to eliminate the little bit of belly fat I still have, and want to reduce my visceral fat to healthy levels (currently still measuring in the HIGH Visceral Fat range).
As muscle mass weighs more than fat mass, the ultimate goal weight is flexible, I'd probably be happy at 170# if the bulk was in the right places on my body. So we shall see what we shall see as I progress down from here and work harder at muscle building.
My goal was to get to 177# by Christmas of this year. So I hit my Christmas goal 6 weeks early.
Looking to be in the 160-165# weight range as my ultimate goal range, that goal is Jan 24. That is NOT really a set weight goal. It is more of a target range but may be modified because I want to add some muscle mass to my upper body, want to eliminate the little bit of belly fat I still have, and want to reduce my visceral fat to healthy levels (currently still measuring in the HIGH Visceral Fat range).
As muscle mass weighs more than fat mass, the ultimate goal weight is flexible, I'd probably be happy at 170# if the bulk was in the right places on my body. So we shall see what we shall see as I progress down from here and work harder at muscle building.
Still holding steady round 177#, fluctuating between 177-178 pounds. One seriously large poop would probably take me below 177 
But the pattern seems to be the same. I hit a new low weight, stick at that weight for 4 to 10 days, then drop down another couple of pounds. Not sure how that works, but it seems to be like going down a flight of steps. Rather than a long slow hillside, I go down in steps.
My wife says my chest/upper body/shoulders look thin. Too thin. As in weak and thin.
Been using dumbbells since I started this 3 months ago but lately I've switched mainly to latex resistance bands and am actually loving those workouts. It is amazing that 15 minutes of pulling on fancy rubber bands can beat up a body but damn it sure does. I am constantly amazed that using my arms and pulling on rubber bands attached to the wall can make my lower back and butt muscles strain... but it does! Posters on my wall give me suggested exercise to work various muscle groups. Most of my focus has been on my "core" to try to get rid of what is left of my belly fat. But lately I'm adding in upper back/upper body/shoulder exercises too.
So now, in addition to a bit more weight loss, I'm trying to build up muscles in my shoulders/chest area. Just because I don't want to look like a frail old man. No desire to be the next Jack Lalanne. Just don't want to look frail. And looking in the mirror, especially in loose fitting shirts, I've got to admit that my upper body is pretty weak looking.
But the pattern seems to be the same. I hit a new low weight, stick at that weight for 4 to 10 days, then drop down another couple of pounds. Not sure how that works, but it seems to be like going down a flight of steps. Rather than a long slow hillside, I go down in steps.
My wife says my chest/upper body/shoulders look thin. Too thin. As in weak and thin.
Been using dumbbells since I started this 3 months ago but lately I've switched mainly to latex resistance bands and am actually loving those workouts. It is amazing that 15 minutes of pulling on fancy rubber bands can beat up a body but damn it sure does. I am constantly amazed that using my arms and pulling on rubber bands attached to the wall can make my lower back and butt muscles strain... but it does! Posters on my wall give me suggested exercise to work various muscle groups. Most of my focus has been on my "core" to try to get rid of what is left of my belly fat. But lately I'm adding in upper back/upper body/shoulder exercises too.
So now, in addition to a bit more weight loss, I'm trying to build up muscles in my shoulders/chest area. Just because I don't want to look like a frail old man. No desire to be the next Jack Lalanne. Just don't want to look frail. And looking in the mirror, especially in loose fitting shirts, I've got to admit that my upper body is pretty weak looking.