Workout/Exercise

I thought this might be a good idea for a thread.  It could be a simple a saying you went a walk or in depth details of what you did that day.  I figure even if you don't participate maybe you check in and get inspired to start something or pick up some new ideas.  Marko I don't where you are in your rehab but I figured you would have some interest.  You could even tie in food/supplements that maybe you like to have before or after.

OK, I'll start.

for the past 3 1/2 years I've been going to cardiac rehab for my heart, but specifically to reroute the blood flow to my calves and around claudication's. I'm doing a lot better today than when I began. It's been 3 1/2 years of pain. But the alternative is slicing my femoral arteries open and having them scraped out and 2 months of bed rest only getting up for 15 minutes at a time to take a dump. The bedrest decided me on the pain therapy.

Just this past week I decided I was doing so good that I decided to join a gym (Planet Fitness) to take advantage of exercise equipment that they have that cardiac doesn't have. I told the nurse and she told me that I was moving on to Phase 4, I was in phase 3 at cardiac. For a first visit I did my treadmill therapy, then the rowing machine. That's enough for the 1st time. I figured I'd be all sore from rowing, but that didn't happen so next time I'll extend my rowing.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do with my wallet at the gym. I don't like putting it in a locker under lock, or leave it out in the car. I'm thinking of getting a fanny pack for it, my phone that plays my music, and a water bottle. I'm open to suggestions.

Hi WeeScott , I just saw this. Great idea for a thread. I’m fourteen months out from my hip replacement and three months out from double hernia repair surgery. Yup, I may be falling apart but I’m doing my best to keep it together.  I’ll get into more detail in future posts that I’ll do on my computer. I’m on my phone here and it’s not great for extended posts. I do mostly walking for cardio with some elliptical machine for variety. I cardio 6 days a week. I also do weights 4-5 days a week. I’m 63 and with the surgeries I had to not do weights for a period of time so I’m still working at getting back to par. The key at any age but especially as we get older and/or are rehabbing is to not hurt yourself. That sets you back. Another thing to remember is to check your ego at the door.  More to come.

I have never cared for formal exercise and the thought of going to a gym is absolutely anathema to me.  However, I thoroughly enjoy walking and try to average 1-2 miles of brisk walking a day, sometimes more.  I'm physically small (about 5'6" tall and approximately 130 lbs.)  At 77 I seem to be in reasonably good health and I definitely think the walking helps.  Along with not overeating (something I can easily do) the walking certainly helps me maintain my weight.

I have never cared for formal exercise and the thought of going to a gym is absolutely anathema to me.  However, I thoroughly enjoy walking and try to average 1-2 miles of brisk walking a day, sometimes more.  I'm physically small (about 5'6" tall and approximately 130 lbs.)  At 77 I seem to be in reasonably good health and I definitely think the walking helps.  Along with not overeating (soemthing I can easily do) the walking certainly helps me maintain my weight.

Freddy…..I’m in the same boat as you. When Covid hit i started doing online workouts using light weights & bands.
Walking is great for both body & mind, however I’m having a knee problem( probably arthritis) & getting an MRI next week. So….keep on moving!

I have never cared for formal exercise and the thought of going to a gym is absolutely anathema to me.  However, I thoroughly enjoy walking and try to average 1-2 miles of brisk walking a day, sometimes more.  I'm physically small (about 5'6" tall and approximately 130 lbs.)  At 77 I seem to be in reasonably good health and I definitely think the walking helps.  Along with not overeating (something I can easily do) the walking certainly helps me maintain my weight.

Freddy…..I’m in the same boat as you. When Covid hit i started doing online workouts using light weights & bands.
Walking is great for both body & mind, however I’m having a knee problem( probably arthritis) & getting an MRI next week. So….keep on moving!

Hey, Bob, all the best with that MRI.

I did get the inexpensive "fanny" pack that never touches my fanny. I keep the valuables in it and my phone that plays my Bluetooth music. I never tank up on water when I exercise, but my throat can get dry, so I picked up a tiny 9 oz SS vacuum bottle for water and the pack has a place for that also. I can sling it cross body but most often just grab the webbing and carry it that way. The machines that I use I can hang it from them or put it on the floor in plain sight and under my control. I did consider keeping my valuables in the car but that thought was never entertained for very long.

I'm really not one for a gym either, but heart disease changed that attitude of mine as did peripheral artery disease aka PAD. I started with cardiac rehab but they were heavy on legs and arm exercises and missed the rest of the body, hence the gym, and I'm loving it. Lots of folks go there and really work out. I can't think of anything more boring. I do my therapy, the same therapy I did at cardiac rehab, then I move to a rowing machine to do low impact whole body exercise. I have my music and my rowing and I'm in my own little cocoon as I monitor my heart.

At cardiac they monitored my heart and such in phase2, during phase 3 they were just there for an emergency. Now I monitor myself. If I collapse maybe someone will shout an alarm, maybe not. But it was time for me to move on from phase 3 to what the nurses called Phase 4 when I told them what I was going to do. I thank cardiac for what they did for me even though it was my pain and perseverance that actually did the magic. I was forced to walk 1/4 mile 2 weeks ago to collect a dog and I surprised myself that I could actually do it. Before therapy there was absolutely no way I could. I had a painful time walking even 60 yards before therapy. It's been a long and painful road getting here.

When I joined the gym the girl behind the desk told me that she had me pegged for 60 (I'm 70). I replied, "I don't feel a day over 90.". The problem is that I can remember what I could do 1/2 a century ago. It sux to grow old. OK, enough of that. I partake of shooting competition to stay sharp in a sport I love. One discipline requires movement and my old body holds me back from being really good at it (USPSA Action pistol where I shoot a PCC; youtube it) but the shooting part is NOT the weak link, moving is. One gent was overheard to say a year ago, "Here's Brian walking through the stage.", no disagreement with that. Everyone else runs, it's a timed event so my times suffer. The other is Steel Challenge and movement is pretty much not required and I give our Master rated shooter a run for his money on my good days. I can shoot, I just can't move, but even the movement is getting better. My classification is coming up.

2 years ago I would never even think of working up my own firewood. This year I think I can and am making moves to do that. Also going to build a pole shed. All due to rehab and exercise machines. But what they can't do is rebuild things that are worn out that can't be rebuilt.

Brian ShadowsDad that's great what you've done and a great example of perseverance. Well done, my friend!

Thanks. The nurses at rehab told me months in to the therapy that they were going to use me as the poster child for PAD rehab. Not many will tolerate the pain. But it was either pain to get back some of what I'd lost or 2 months in bed after they sliced open my femoral arteries to scrape them out. There were no other options for me. I decided I liked my femoral arteries just the way they are and 2 months in bed wasn't going to happen. It would drive me nuts. I want to go on record as hating pain, but I saw no other realistic way to get function back. So it was push to the pain and a bit further, then stop, and the pain would hit bigtime then recede, then repeat it over and over. All at 1.8mph but the grade would change. When I could reliably do 8 minutes before the pain hit I would increase the grade and so on and so on. It would be months at times before I saw any progress after a grade increase.

Right now I'm just waiting for a vascular study to be scheduled for me so that we can quantify just what I've done. Before therapy I had 33% flow in my right leg and a hair more (36%?) in the left. My Dr and I both thought the study was worth doing. Before I could request it, and I was going to, he suggested it.

FWIW, it's genetic. My dad died of a massive heart attack, and I didn't know it but so did my grandfather. I had my very mild heart attack in May, another brother had his in June, and another had his 2nd HA in July, all in the same year. We all had bypass surgery. If we had only known maybe we could have gotten a group rate :-) . One of my brothers and I both have PAD.

Best of luck to you, Brian and keep up the great work with your diet and excercise regiment.