Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Are you Fit

Picked up a book in the airport.
Men's Health Training Guide.
The definition of fitness: A few examples:
1. Bench Press 1.5 times body weight
2. 100 push-ups
3. more than 40 chin-ups
4. etc, etc, etc.
These ranges were suggested for men aged 20 to 29.
Look up exercise and fitness for the "older adult"; aerobic exercise in 10 minute intervals, moderate weight training 2 times a week; it was condescending to say the least.
So I began grading myself as I will soon be 64.
I can't bench press 1.5 times my weight but I can do 15 reps on the dumbbell bench press with 75 pound weights in each hand. Maybe with a trusted spot I might go for a bench press of 230 pounds when well rested or alternatively get my weight down to 100 pounds.
I need to run 1.5 miles in under 10 minutes to be as fit as a 25 year old. This will have to wait until spring.
I will never be able to touch the rim but hell I couldn't even dribble a ball and was banned from the basketball court for being so bad.
I can do 50-18 inch box jumps and maybe that would get me close to the rim.
I can leg press 2.5 times my body weight and in fact can leg press almost 4.0 times my body weight, does burn the "glutes".
The push ups are not easy but I can do the whole 100 on a good day.
Swimming 700 yards in 12 minutes will have to wait until late summer. I hate cold water.
Can I run 300 yards in less than a minute? We will see this spring.
Yes I can touch my toes. It does hurt in the hamstrings but so what.
I can not do 40 chin ups and was hoping to get to 25.
How much weight can you hoist in under 5 seconds?
I know I hoist 178 pounds every morning I get out of bed and in under 5 seconds but with a lot of groaning.
I am working on hoisting a 35 pound kettle bell over my head 50 times in less than 4 minutes.
There was no mention of the core so I want to add, hold a plank for 4 minutes; I am at 3:30 minutes and still working on it.
I would like to see a revision to the exercise recommendations for the older adult as the older adult in this day and age is still frequently working to take care of his 20 something year old kids and needs encouragement to keep going "hard and strong" to the end.

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