The coming week will see my wife turn another year older, but it is a busy week so we went out bowling and to lunch together today instead of later. It was fun, since we haven't bowled together for several years, and we aren't competitive at all. Bowling is a bit of a funny sport in that respect, because so many people seem to take it competitively serious, even though they themselves rarely bowl. The lane next to us was taking it seriously - and they weren't very good. Still, I guess for many, unless keeping score for a winner, a game isn't fun.
I am not competitive in many sports.
Though today I started box-jumps again at the gym. It is scary now. I used to be able to get up pretty high from a standing jump and then much higher with a lead-in jump, but today I just got used to jumping. It feels so weird to jump now, like my body is no longer coordinated enough to do it, and my brain knows it is incapable. There is fear before taking off, but I worked through it and I am not starting very high (75cm ~30in), so it isn't too bad. Instead of going higher today, I moved my jump distance out and was able to get on to the box pretty easily (although fear-filled) from about 1.5 metres out. I should film it to see how awkward it looks.
Getting older sucks, because the brain still remembers what it felt like to do things much younger, but doesn't necessarily predict how it will feel to try today. For example, close your eyes and remember back to when you were say ten years old, and doing a somersault. Now, move the coffee table and make some space, and try to do one now.
I will wait.
(with the ambulance on stand-by)
For about six months now, I have changed my workout quite a lot from what I was doing, and instead of putting effort into muscle strength, I have been putting it into tendon strength and now adding in more balance, flexibility and general mobility. I think I am strong enough to do most of what I will need to do in my life in terms of lifting and carrying, but I am more concerned about my day to day movement and ability to stay upright. I am in constant pain and have been for many years, so that isn't likely to change much, but I want to be able to run a little, jump a little, and generally move relatively freely as I get older.
I was doing some flexibility exercises the other day and a guy I occasionally talk to comes up and says, you look like a ballerina. Of course, this was meant as a light insult, but he looked surprised when I said "I wish!" And then went on to say that I had a chance to do ballet as a kid (joining with my sister) and turned it down. But hey, if I had I would not only be in far better physical condition, I would have grown up as one of the few straight guys in a class full of beautiful women.
Quite a different youth experience for sure.
Movement is something we really take for granted, and we don't do a good job of predicting what it will be like to have even minor changes to our abilities. The other day I was talking to a therapist and tried to give an analogy of what it has been like to have a "minor" stroke, as it has been classified. It is minor because I can speak and am not in a wheelchair. So I said, imagine what that your body is as it is now, everything working relatively well, but you lose all of your fingers. From the function of your body perspective, it is still working, but life fundamentally changes, doesn't it?
Even when we have seen other people age ahead of us, we don't fully grasp what it is going to mean for us, which is why most of us don't do a very good job of preparing for it, or mitigating the decline speed. There are plenty of things we can do to improve the quality of our lives as we age and many of them are pretty easy and don't require equipment or a gym, but are we doing them? Are we stretching our muscles out, working on our balance, or ensuring we are able to even put our shoes on without struggle?
If we are struggling in our forties, what happens in our sixties, and what do our seventies and eighties look like?
Most of my friends can't touch their toes.
That seems like something someone in their mid-forties should be able to do. It isn't that they are overweight, nor that they are inactive. It is just that their movement priorities have been aligned in a way that ignored flexibility, favouring activity that has restricted movement, or just strength training straight up. Even when I was strength training more, I made sure to maintain a modicum of flexibility, because I think it is important for our future wellbeing, whether it be doing tasks around the house, or just getting out of bed.
Wellbeing is something that doesn't just happen, it has to be worked for. Maybe it shouldn't be the case, but unfortunately in the world we have created where we are largely still, barely moving in any dynamic action unless forced, and constantly sitting, eating and remaining passive, staying healthy is getting increasingly difficult. In the past people didn't have hygiene and healthcare to keep them healthy longer, but their bodies didn't fail them in the same way ours do now.
I am not competitive, but perhaps society should have some competition around getting healthier, if that is what is needed for many people to take part in the game. Compete against friends and family, neighbours and strangers, to push each other to be a better physical version of ourselves. And perhaps, a better mental, emotional and social version of ourselves too.
Taraz
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Please clarify if actual somesault (in the air and sometimes called "flips" though if you say flip to me I will assume you mean handspring/bounce off your hands) or forward roll (on the ground and sometimes called roly poly). One of those should be slightly less fear inducing than the other XD
I can still forward and backward roll (though my backward rolls are pretty rubbish and I'm not strong enough to do it over straight arms into a handstand) but I've been too scared to sault for ages and I think I might be too scared to do the Assassin's Creed "leap of faith" off the trampoline now too (haven't tried for a while).
Vaguely related Eldest has been simultaneously laughing at and exasperated with himself as he is fully capable of doing a standing back sault but has been too scared to do it by himself for a while and he doesn't know why. He can do one out of a roundoff without a care in the world and he will do one with very mild trepidation with his coach standing there basically holding his shirt (she is ostensibly spotting him but said she isn't "doing anything").
It's terribly amusing how much people completely misunderstand just how ridiculously strong dancers and gymnasts are.
In the event you're not already do actually point your foot a little bit (doesn't have to be nearly as hardcore as dancers as gymnasts do) when you're stretching or foot is otherwise off the ground, I never realised this til I started coaching but it does actually stretch/tense/help the muscles a bit more.
Same I think. One of them keeps making noises about getting back into yoga (she used to be REALLY good at it back in the day) but I don't know if she's managed yet.
I think most of the wearables have got competitive/gamification stuff in their apps but that requires getting the wearable. And you know there would be people screaming about the unfairness and bias towards whatever :)
ps happy birthday to the wife for whenever it is :D
Just a roll on the ground. A really basic one - no flipping :D
Age brings wisdom!
I point and flex. The worst for me though is lifting my leg to the side, as it feels like there is a physical block stopping it from going higher. Can't get it quite to waist height.
And then there are the pre-emptive pain noises before getting up from the couch - old man noises.
Governments should pay for them.
Oh those are easy. Though I will understand a bit of fear if one has hard floors XD
The problem is getting dizzy immediately after! x_x
Hip flexor or thigh muscle flexibility? Are you doing the leg swing things or the lifting things?
yeh I'm amazing at terminology
LoL! We do those jokingly already XD Hope the time when we're doing them seriously is still a way off x_x
My knee jerk reaction is to think that sadly it wouldn't make a difference but who knows, maybe? And it's an infinitely better investment than "defence".
I am very competitive and so is my wife so no matter what we are playing it turns into a competition.
I just checked and I can easily touch my toes without prior warm up or stretching and I am less than two months away from my 50th birthday...
I have also changed my workouts this year and I try to have a balance of calisthenics for full body muscle hit and cardio, weights for strength, and a stretching session, and balance work on Bosu Ball.
Do you ever end up in fights over it?
I think all should be able. My dad could do it at 75. But he was active.
I haven't been on a bosu ball for ages, because it would hurt my feet and legs. But I haven't tried after the surgery so thanks for the reminder! HIIT will be the next thing I bring back in. I have been slow to expand after the surgery last year, but now that I can box jump, I feel more confident I will survive sone higher intensity.
Do you exercise with your wife?
I try to excercise with my wife and daughter but that is where I fail miserably. It is to a point where she asked me this morning if it would be weird for her to reach out to her female personal trainer this morning and I said it would not be and that she should.
The most I can manage is to drag her out for a walk as I did today. It is all very challenging with her chronic migraines...
I did box jumps yesterday and let me tell you, if you are doing that, then you should be able to do HIIT.
I don't think we really fight much as she is great at handling my temper and I am trying to control that as well... at most these competitions lead to verbal exchange that we keep tame 😀
My wife doesn't like to workout with me, even though I go very easy with her and a very low bar. She hates the gym, but likes the results. Not enough to go consistently though.
Migraines can be terrible, but they say exercise is good for them. As is sex.
I will up my intensity starting tomorrow :)
Competitive banter is fun, but I don't think my wife would take it well. I like to chirp with friends though, just for the practice.
I was just out of town celebrating my sister in laws birthday. It was a big one for her. Mine is in a month or so now. It's not a fun thing to think about, but inevitable, so there isn't much I can do.
Flexibility is so important. It's kind of a big deal when you are older if you can't even reach around and wipe your ass. I need to work more on mine as well as my core. I have neglected my core for a long time now.
Happy B'day to your sis!
100% - Yet, most don't think about it.
She had a really nice special day. It was great! Thanks!
Happy birthday to your wife when it happens next week. Glad you had fun bowling. For me, playing that only forces my arms.
Well, getting old is garbage.
Well, many elderly people end up climbing on the roof to do repairs and end up falling and with serious fractures because their brain tells them they're young and tricks them, and that's why it happens.
Be very careful with our damn brain.
Yeah, it wasn't too easy for them to play - they are like little birds.
Too late for mine. But brains definitely tend to trick us into believing we are better than we are - not just physically.
Sad news for our body, our brain is not good give to us advives.
Funny story. I bowl left-handed but actually bowl better with my right hand. I'm still lucky if I break 100-120, but it's more about the fun and hanging out with people.
I definitely needcto start a muscle building regiment. I'm tempted to take some resistance bands to work so I can't get in a small amount muscle building while I'm at my desk. Doctor's orders. 😆
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This is my range! :D Why do you persist with left hand?
Resistance bands are great and so versatile. Can always do something with them.
I only use the left because it feels more natural. The problem is I subconsciously twist my hand, so the ball spins and sometimes ends up in the gutter. 😬
Ok, I'm convinced. I'll take some to work and try to turn this into a habit and routine. 🙂
Agree that the competitive spirit can sometimes overshadow the joy of just playing for fun. Parents tend to raise their children in this way.
I wish Smallsteps was a bit more competitive at times and give up less.
Either being competitive or not, the society would provide a system that's automatically puts everyone else on it's regulatory requirements @tarazkp if the healthcare is topnotch automatically every individual will step up.
The thing is, even when healthcare is okay, people don't step up
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The minor stroke example was powerful too. It really puts into perspective how we measure health. Just because someone looks fine on the outside doesn’t mean their daily experience hasn’t completely changed It’s easy to overlook that until something shifts in your own body.
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