Pentagenarians & Beyond W/B: 11/6

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Cathlete
Good morning,

Nothing new here to report, still have the cold, the extra hour of sleep was nice, would have been better if someone would have told the dogs that they get an extra hour so no need to wake up at 3:30!!!!:mad:.

Anyway, HouseMax, and YardMax today. It is supposed to get up into the 60's and this would be the perfect time to put away pots, chair pads etc.

Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did Turbo Barre (74 min.). This is simply the best barre workout I have. Cathe gives you lots of little rests and there are only a couple moves that are repeated to the point of being (almost) intolerable. I also think it would be easy to stop before doing the floor work (pushups, triceps dips, and abs) at about 53 min., and then shift to the final stretch.

Deb, it's really beautiful here today. After a very cold night, it's warmed up to about 60 and sunny. Took Maxie for a walk after I did the grocery shopping. Enjoy this while it lasts. Loved the extra hour of sleep. We're going out to dinner tonight. Should be excellent.

Happy weekend everyone!
 
Please no heart attacks- I did Pyramid upper body on Friday and Turbo Barre on Saturday. I can't remember the last time I had a wo two days in a row except for walking.

Upper body is very sore. I had expected more doms from barre exercises but only my ankles and knees hurt. I skipped upper body and floor because of wo the day before. I agree it is the best barre dvd I have seen. I will need to watch next time to see what excess repetitions on knee I can eliminate. I didn't do the last of the barre exercises where you dip with the standing leg.

Weather is in the 60's but it looks like rain Mon.-Thurs.

Eyes started to feel a little better midday Saturday. I hope it lasts.

Joan
 
Yesterday was a lovely day here too, but we were signed up for Housemax and Yardmax. lots of "work", not a lot of real exercise. so late afternoon I did a little. I did coremax 2, 25min on the treadmill, and two sets of 30 (knee) pushups, total 60. I haven't been doing many pushups and I need to get back to them. my shoulder is still bothersome but the knee ones don't bother it while the toe ones do a little. I'm going to do that for a while to get back into the habit without a big time commitment. I was sort of struggling with GS back biceps on friday so I need to do upper body more often. today it was again sunny so we did a hike, almost the same area we did on Wed but there was a bunch of fresh snow. 2 hours up with snow from an inch to 2.5 feet. sat in the sun and had lunch, then 1.5 hours back down. we should have brought snowshoes but had not heard that the last storm wed night dumped that much.

Congrats Joan... get back to regular workouts! walking is still good and not hard on joints, and it does count.

I'm feeling dumb for not ordering the barre workout. seems to be universally loved.
 
Good morning all,

the cold is still lingering on, took more OTC meds to keep the sypmtoms at bay. It will just have to work it's way out I guess.

A beautiful day here yesterday, it's our official Indian summer I believe. In the sixties, and clear, sunny skies. Just wonderful. It's supposed to last a couple of days, then watch out.

Garance, I'm glad you really like the barre workout, and we know you have others to compare it to so that is good news. I will do it eventually.

Joan, good job getting those workouts in. I agree with Valerie, walking counts, and in your case, so does babysitting! Glad your eyes are feeling better.

Valerie, how did the floors turn out? I could not do 30 push ups at once, even the knee ones! Wow. How many can you do on your toes before you have to switch to knees? It sounds like we all had Indian summer around the country. So nice.

Hi to Cathy,& Josie,

Take care,
 
when I do the drop sets of push ups I can do 16, 14, and then to knees, and also the last few, the 4's and 2's on my toes. but when I do I'm aggravating the ongoing rt shoulder issue. the knee ones don't bother it so I'm thinking have some "form" issue where my position is a little different. I can do knee ones fast and deeper so I will overdose on those to build back up. I did the 60 in maybe 2 minutes, just wham bam. no soreness and I could have easily done more. with all the push ups, difficult ones, in the new workouts I need to get re-acclimated. I'm also adding more ab workouts ... I think that is key for doing good regular push ups and I hadn't done a lot of core work in the last couple months. I'm inspired by how cathe and crew rip through those like machines.

Deb, you should be on the downslope now for cold symptoms. I hate colds and just hug the kleenex box until I get better. I finally got the promised extra hour of sleep last night. tired, went to bed early, and slept until 6 am.

floor turned out beautifully. it was only the "new" section of wood in the dining room. only about 25% of area done before. this guy is great to work with though. no attempts to make us pay a cent for the re-do. he didb't know why it cupped and even questioned how we remember the process to figure out why it didn't turn out right.
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did Afterburn (54 min.). These are my modifications: for the first burpee interval, I just do a plank, and for the second, I do 32 pushups, half on toes, half on knees. For the walking planks with staggered pushups, I actually did the first interval on my knees on the disks, and for the second, I just did staggered pushups. Otherwise, I can keep up with the exercises except that I don't go as low on lunges. This is a real calorie burner. I am thinking of using my 15 lb kettlebell for those plie swings, instead of a 15 lb. dumbbell.

Joan, that's great that you have been doing some workouts in addition to your walking. I think the barre workout is Cathe at her best. I like her a lot better than Tanya in P-57, who does a lot of pep talking but doesn't do all the exercises.

Deb, sorry you are still struggling with that cold. Must be nasty. We are having a string of 60 degree days, too. Lovely.

Valerie, I bet you would have loved our dinner last night: shredded chicken spring rolls with a spicy dipping sauce and a lettuce salad followed by sticky chicken, which I believe had hoisin in it and 5-spice powder. For dessert, fried bananas in a pastry crust with a spicy chocolate dipping sauce. The chef is Korean, so every now and then he comes out with a comfort meal that is distinctly Asian. It was all our free range chicken in the meal. Hmmm--maybe you wouldn't like the meat (sorry-forgot!). But you would have loved the spice. All for 25 dollars, and if you get only the first two courses, it's 20 dollars. Lovin' those Sunday comfort meals!

Hi to Josie and Cathy!
 
Good morning,

Feeling a little better this morning, but not 100% yet. Up at 3:30 with dogs did not help. They don't realize that we had a time change this past weekend, they think it's 4:30, which is the time they used to get up before the timechange. Then again up at 5:00 for good. We went to vote when the polls opened at 6:00. John does not like voting in the evening. I complain about the morning voting, but after work is done, I'm glad he talked me into going in the morning. There is no one there when we go so we are out in 5 minutes or less.

Valerie, I have the same issue with a shoulder when doing some exercises like lying tricep ones. Something about how my shoulder doesn't lie flat on the bench. I think it's different than the other one for some reason. One is actually higher than the other when I stand up straight and look in a mirror. I agree, core work is probably the secret in being able to do more of them on your toes.

Garance, that meal sounds great. It's 52 here now but it rained over night, so wet out there and drippy.

Hi to Josie, Joan & Cathy,

Take care,
 
Oh gosh that dinner sounds good. I've never had a dessert like that but Id give it a try if I could. (I eat chicken and a little fish it's just a pretty minor part of my diet) DH wouldn't like to eat spicy so I'd have to eat both servings! we never order the same thing. he's more of a chicken soup kind of guy.

Strong work on Afterburn. I haven't repeated it we've been doing plenty of cardio. I've never had luck with staggered pushups except on my knees... can't keep my balance. any effort at doing something similar will get you stronger. DH is pushing me to do STS again and it's clear to me that GS is not as effective for me.

Deb, which side do you carry a purse/ briefcase? maybe that's why one side is higher....just a thought. when we hike I use hiking poles. same when we xc ski. both up and downhill. It did wonders for my arms and shoulders. not intense, but many many repeats over long hours.

voting.. this state has gone to all mail voting. I used to travel a lot so long long ago I switched to mail voting and loved it. Previously there was always some person or issue on the ballot that surprised me so I'd leave it blank or guess. we got our ballots about 2 weeks ago. read all we needed on the issues in the comfort of the kitchen, voted, dropped them in the mail 10 days ago. I highly recommend it. no rush, no lines, no standing there realizing you hadn't read up on Initiative XYZ.

gotto go to yoga, more later.
 
Hi Ladies,

My Sunday ride got cancelled because of rain; I was totally prepared for it ;( Today I will be going to the bar method class. I'm so glad that this is a short week.

Valerie, here is a web site for spinning bikes if you are still looking. They seem to be reasonably priced. Spinner Bikes : Exercise Bicycles : Spinning Stationery Bikes : Stationary Exercise Bikes : Spinning.com

Deb, I'm like your dogs, I keep waking up an hour earlier.

Garance, I received the DVD yesterday. I just mailed the check today; it was in my purse since last week. The menu sounded delicious!

Hi to Joan and Cathy!

Josie
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did Cardio Supersets (41 min.). I would characterize this as Afterburn-Lite. It's shorter and you only use one 8 lb. weight, but it really resembles the twice-repeated intervals in Afterburn. You can add on the step segment, but I felt pretty worked out after 41 min. and knew that the 21 min. step blast which I have done twice on LIC would utterly waste me.

DH's calves start bawling for hay, but everyone else (including me!) has no problems with the daylight savings change. I have problems in the spring when we lose an hour.

Deb, our town is small enough that it doesn't matter when you vote--you just zip on through. One of the perks of living in a town instead of a city, I guess. Hope you feel better soon.

Valerie, I guess you could order the spicy comfort meal and let your DH order something....boring and more expensive. The dessert reminded me a little of Bananas Foster, except that the chocolate dipping sauce had a little bite to it. Loved it!

Josie, you will have to let us know how you like the spinner dvd. Glad it arrived so quickly.
 
Good morning,
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Awful night, and it wasn't due to the dogs. It was one of those nights where your mind is just racing and cannot stop thinking about things that bother you. I didn't get to sleep until 1:30, then John got up with the dogs at 4:30, so that was that.

Valerie, I carry my purse on both sides, switch off frequently. But you are right, it is from carrying it on one side too much. I went to a chiropractor once and she showed me what it was doing to my shoulder, so now I constantly switch it between sides. The mail voting sounds good, however if I didn;t have a place to go to do it, I would probably just add it to the pile of paper stuff on the counter and forget about it. How is the search for a spin bike coming along?

Garance, I did a short pre-mix from Cardio Super Sets, forget which one now, but 41 minutes doesn't sound bad. Have you done any of the Yoga ones? Did you say you were going to do the rotation that Cathe posted, or are you just doing what you want to do on your own? This series is not easily done in a rotation since most seem like circuit workouts in a way.

Hi to Josie, Joan & Cathy,

take care,
 
Deb, I had a night like that 2 nights ago. Hate that. I talked to my brother right before bed and there are family problems that can't be resolved. I could not sleep after that. I can usually make it up the next night though. I adjusted to the time change after a rough first day. of course, no calves bawling for their hay anywhere close!

I always carried purses, briefcases on my right side (right handed) and used to notice my right side was stronger and more muscled. we do enough things with backpacks and poles now that weight each side equally so my sides don't look different anymore. also the strength workouts help "equal" them up.

Did S&G yesterday. that is not an easy workout. not as fast as Afterburn but plenty fast... those burpees and pushups are tough. no way did I get them all done. I tried to get in approximately the right position and kept my legs moving.... not necessarily correctly.... that will do for now. I am not getting the crossover leg things but I (more or less) did the whole thing. stopped the disk a couple times to try and 'get" the proper movements but this will take practice. I was surprised at how hard it is to support yourself on your arms and swoop your legs back and forth, rapidly. whew! I liked the band work and disk work with arms etc. I did some extra pushups at the end because I know I didn't do enough of the pushups with the burpees.

with all the election coverage it's hard to forget about the ballots. I put them on the kitchen table and if anything is complicated, I fill it out as I decide. even if there's no line I still had to drive 10 miles and back and for DH, at the end of a long day, it was hard. I changed us to mail voting and he protested, but after one election he was sold. it doesn't help much with voter turnout. still barely half vote in off yr elections. I thought it would push up the numbers but it didn't.

We've looked at spin bikes, and the choice, unless we mail order, is a Lemond Revmaster. we looked at a total of 3-4 spin bikes. no one carries many. I doubt anything that costs $300 would hold up so will spend a bit more and hope to get a solid one. It's middle ground, there are much more expensive bikes and also many under $500. but if we buy from a local retailer, if there are issues we have recourse. Josie, I'll go give that link a look but if the bikes aren't available locally we probably won't buy. I was surprised at how few shops actually carried any to look at.
 
Hi Deb, Josie, and Valerie--

This morning I did Athletic Training (56 min.). I would characterize this as half-n-half. The first half is intense cardio on the step, and I do mean INTENSE. The second half is upper and lower weights and resistance with the firewalker loop and resistance tube. Some very interesting moves with the loop and tubing. The cardio on the step is very, very simple--a lot of repeater moves.

Deb, I am planning on just doing these workouts for as long as it takes for me to feel like they are challenging me. Not doing Cathe's rotation because she likes to put premixes together, and I don't like a little of this and a little of that. I have done all of them now except for Yoga Relax and the Lower Body Split on Total Body Trisets. I may do Yoga Relax tomorrow, but I have a feeling I'm just not a Yoga person. I was bored with Yoga Max, and I don't like the constant transition to downward dog. Sorry you had such a rough night. I have one of those every now and then, but it's usually because of something about teaching.

Valerie, there were a couple moves on Slide and Glide that I found very hard to do. I hate burpees, so I probably did a modification on those--maybe a plank.

Beautiful day here--close to 70 degrees.

Hi to Joan and Cathy if you're out there!
 
Good morning,

Feeling a lot better this morning, actually slept right through a 2:30 dog pit stop that John handled, But then there was some type of wind storm, it woke up Keegan at 3:30, ( and all the rest of us of course) he just wanted to go outside to see what all the banging around was. Joy.

Valerie, is this the brother that is taking care of your mom? So you and DH will be sharing the spin bike and doing the workout? I think you are right to get a better made model. I never really understood the difference between an old fashioned exercise bike, and a spin bike. Still don't I guess.

Garance, if the step in Athletic step is boring for you, then maybe I will be able to do it! I never liked Cathe's rotations for the same reason you wrote. Plus, the workouts are always too long for me. it got up to 70 the other day here too, and in the low 60's yesterday. Unbelievable weather for November.

Joan, are your eyes getting any better?

Hi to Josie, & Cathy,

take care,
 
Good morning,

It will be 60 degrees during the day for the next two days but get down to 32 at night. I'm not ready for that.

I got surprising news yesterday. My brother told me he gave a baby up for adoption 28 years ago tomorrow. She just got in touch with him.

Joan
 
Instead of hiking yesterday.. it was very cloudy with high chance of rain in the mts.... we did a bike ride on a newer section of the local trail we hadn't tried before. was 60 degrees and sunny late when we did it. 25 miles RT. a little more urban than the other sections but workable. nice ride. we will repeat it. we can ALMOST get to the trail without driving. would be nice but that short section of road is pretty nasty.

Deb you haven't said, but I'm assuming my check got there? Yes, have one brother. he also manages a lot of issues with my sister. he was injured in an accident a number of years ago and is retired on SS disability. my sister needs to be but is not taking the necessary efforts to take care of it and is asking our mother for money all the time. sister is broke, owes everyone, and is a dependent personality. not doing anything for herself and acting like mother will take care of her. mother is 92 and may need her money. still in her home thanks to my brother being there to do everything for her but can't predict when that could change. we can't let her spend all her money on the deadbeat sister. whoops gotta go to yoga will continue later.
 
Hi Deb, Josie, Joan, Cathy, and Valerie--

This morning I did Yoga Relax (52 min.). This is boring for me, although I do like it better than Yoga Max with some of the somes. I might try the shorter premixes when I feel a need for a break from so much intensity.

Deb, the step on Athletic Training is very easy in terms of choreo, but it will definitely test your aerobic capacity. I cannot believe Cathe and crew start out with 8 inches, and then later they add a couple risers to 10 inches. I just stay at 6 inches throughout and am tempted to do it on 4. If Max caused us as much of a problem with sleeping as Keegan and the vixen, I would go crazy.

Joan, that's quite a bombshell for your brother, I bet. Does he seem pleased to have her find him?

That reminds me, Valerie, how did the flea problem get resolved?
 
Back from yoga. I like it for stretching muscles/ joints that usually don't get stretched. some definite strength moves. I like it a lot but isn't cardio and not a substitute for "real" strength training. I would not like doing it on my own. It's a part of my plan to diversify my activities.

Joan, what a surprise. Hope it works out well for everyone involved. we've all read about how well or how badly these kind of reunions can go depending on endless variables. best of luck to him and his daughter.

the flea problem is semi controlled. there are at least 15 animals from several houses involved. I don't think he's taking his dogs to our mothers house lately. it's too expensive to use the more effective topical flea controls for so many animals. I don't think anyone is "allergic" to flea bites ( like I am) and the season is winding down. so it's not instant control, but is getting better. If there's one flea around it will find me and bite me, and I'll have welts for weeks so I want instant control.

I can't imagine doing anything on 10 inch risers. I find stepping that high up and down really hard on my knees which usually don't give me any problems. I'd stick with lower. I would worry about not stepping quite high enough as I got out of breath and doing a face plant of some sort.

Deb, a regular exercise bike you sit flat on your butt and pedal. spin bikes are more like a drop bar road bike where you can stand up, or lean forward onto the bars. your weight is more evenly spread out and the riding can be much more intense. at least that was my impression after spending about 15 min, total, on different spin bikes. ( no expert yet) Josie, can you add anything?? I have an old stationary bike and while I can get some cardio from it I can't stand and the sitting position doesn't allow much change in posture.

maybe your vet can prescribe some doggie version of Ambien. this would be getting old. I'm an ornery crank if I get short of sleep.
 
Happy Friday!!
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and Happy Veterans Day!

I am so over this week and want the weekend to be here. Nothing much planned, John will be in an all day seminar with Keegan on Sunday so it will be the "vixen" and me here all day. "she who will not be ignored"

Hoping to start getting back to exercising on a regular basis this weekend. I may do a short barre pre-mix, not sure. or maybe Athletic Training. I think this series has overwhelmed me for some reason, and I just don't even want to look at the workouts anymore. Too many to do, or decide on. At least with STS there was an order to it.

Joan, that certainly would be a shocker to me. How does he feel about it?

Valerie, sorry, yes receivd the check. Thaks for the explanation on the differences in the bikes. Still does not make me want to try spinning. LOL on doggy Ambien. I may need it myself, although except for Benadryl, I have not taken any sleeping meds.

Hi to Josie, & Cathy,

Take care,

Garance, I kind of put the yoga workouts aside in my mind as ones I may do some day in the future, but don't want to be pressured to try them. I guess part of me needs to know if a workout is "cardio" or weight work and except for Total body tri-sets, they all seem to be both. I would definitely start out with 6 inches, the step and one riser. Maybe even just the step alone.
 

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