Posted by alexandra_k on April 28, 2011, at 4:44:56
In reply to Re: walking poles/hiking poles, posted by alexandra_k on April 28, 2011, at 4:14:05
The trouble is that there aren't many gyms anymore. Instead we have the dreaded 'health club' or something like that. Often full of girls doing endless cardio in their efforts to look like a holocaust survivors and boys doing bench and curls in their efforts to look athletic. Can be a meat market. Can be patronizing with respect to the level of athleticism or strength or fitness exhibited and encouraged by the personal trainers.
Can be hard to find a decent bunch of people or a decent trainer.
Of course you don't really need one...
Milo was an ancient greek dude who carried a baby calf around on his back every day. Eventually the calf grew into a massive bull and Milo got his self pretty damned strong that way. Principle of progressive overload. Pick up something manageable a few times. Next time pick up something slightly heavier... Slightly heavier... Eventually... You should be able to pick up something that weighs as much as yourself in a year. Something that weighs one and a half times as much as yourself in a couple years... Some people pick stuff up that is more like twice or even three times their bodyweight.
People.
If you factor in muscle mass... Girls have less than guys because our skeletal frames are smaller and because we have less testosterone etc to fuel its growth. But if you have a guy and a girl with the same amount of muscle mass their potential for strength is the same. Girls are capable of being much much stronger than we tend to think. Guys are too, come to think of it. A lot of the regular bicep and bench guys can't even bench their own bodyweight.
I started because I thought I should. Kept a record of what I could do... Got totally hooked once I saw that I was getting stronger. Noticed side benefits like my muscles grew (made me look more curvy / shapely), my fat diminished, I felt stronger more powerful and capable. Athletic. Self confident. Self possessed. Never gonna look back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS8Tqmf67rI
She's 64.
Lifting heavy weights is the fountain of youth, I swear. You wouldn't believe the guys at my gym who are in their 50's (look like their early 30's) and late 60's (look in their early / mid 40's).
Retaining muscle mass and functional movement (squat, deadlift, lunge, overhead press).
It is never too late to start. The strength community is actually very accepting and encouraging of new members. You do need some inner motivation - but it is easy to come by if you keep a record and see your progress for yourself.
Just don't whatever you do start lifting 1 or 2 or even 5 or 10kg dumbbells for a bajillion reps and think you will get 'toned' that way. It is a waste of time. Ditto for shake weights that tone through vibration or... Walking poles for sculpting the arms. Sorry. Principle of progressive overload. You won't look like a woman who takes steroids if you don't take steroids. Your body will look however it is supposed to look when you are fit and healthy. Most people find fit and healthy attractive. The thing to do is to get strong. Strong bones. Strong muscles. Fountain of youth.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:983787
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20110407/msgs/983933.html