Free Weightlifting routine, Free Swimming Instructions, and Another warning on Smoking

Free Weightlifting routine:

I've been very successful recently with my new weightlifting routine, so I decided that since I already have a blog (a political blog) set up, I might as well incorporate a separate blog article on weightlifting within my overall blog.

Anyway, I am 58 years old. I've been weightlifting since I went away to college at age 18. Have used free weights, universal gyms, natutilus equiment, and for the last 12 years, a bowflex.

Have always lifted in cycles, would see improving lifting performances for a while, then would inevitably cycle into declining lifting performances. Typically the overall range (high/low lifts) would remain the same - year after year - up until this last year.

About a year ago I started doing a new weightlifting routine that has worked wonders - particularly considering the fact that I've had my bowflex for 12 yrs, and had stayed within my high/low range for that entire time. As soon as I started the new routine, I started gradually improving - and I don't have high/low ranges anymore either. In fact, I'm always near my peak levels these days. I'm between 15 and 25 percent stonger in every single exercise - again, particularly impressive considering the fact that I'm comparing the performances of my 58 year old self with the performances of my 46 year old self.

My routine involves incorporating a cardiovascular workout with my weightlifting routine. I try to do all the exercises with only 30 seconds rest between sets - that's where the cardio part of this workout comes from. NOTE: This 30 second thing is much easier to accomplish with a bowflex, nautilus or universal gym. With free weights, it's a bit harder to change the weights within the 30 second window.

Here's what I do: I do four sets for each exercise. The first set is a warm up (8 reps) - typically about 1/2 of the weight that I will eventually use for my heaviest set. The second set (8 reps) is typically about 75% of the weight I'll use on the heaviest set. The third set is my heaviest set. I try to get 8 reps. If I succeed, the next workout, I'll move the weight up 5 or 10 lbs. If I don't get at least 6 reps, I'll move the weight down 5 or 10 lbs the next workout. The fourth set, I look at it as my overload set - I pick a weight that I feel I can do 6 to 8 reps, and lift to failure.

My upper body exercises include (and in this precise order):

Bench Press, Rowing, Shrugs, Military Press, Flyes, Rear Lateral Raises, Lateral Raises, Dips, Chins, Triceps Extension, Curls.

I seldom do my upper body routine and my lower body routine on the same day.

My style for my lower body workout is the same as my upper body workout.

My lower body exercises include (and in this precise order): Leg Press, Leg Curls, Leg Extensions, Knee Lifts (I put the bowflex strap on my foot and raise my knee - one leg at a time of course), Toe Raises, Back Exercise (whatever back exercise you desire). I complete my workout by standing on each leg for one minute (am told this is really good for balance). NOTE: This routine is shorter than my upper body workout, and I typically hit the elliptical at the end of the workout for some extra workout time.

I'll put in a little disclaimer - if you haven't been exercising in the recent past, are over 30, or are in poor health, you should see a doctor before starting any exercise program.

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Free Swimming Instructions:

When I was young, I was afraid of the water. My mother sent me to swimming classes, but they proved unsuccesful in teaching me to overcome my fear/learn how to swim. Finally, when I was 8 years old, when we were at the beach - I taught myself. Here's how I did it:

I went 20 or 30 yards down the beach - so I could practice out of the view of family members. NOTE: Didn't want to put my swimming incompetence on display.

I got in water that was approximately waste high - deep enough so that I could do what needed to be done, but not so deep that my fear of the water would come into a significant degree of play.

The next thing I did was I dunked myself - over and over again. I gradually started holding my breath and instead of coming up immediately, held my breath for 10, 15 or 20 seconds. Eventually started opening my eyes too.

Once I started feeling comfortable (safe) with the above, I started laying down (on my stomach) in the water, and holding my breath - over and over, keeping my eyes open - 10 to 20 seconds each time.

Once I started feeling comfortable (safe) with the above, I started laying in the water, and with my eyes open, kicking my feet - 10 to 20 seconds each time.

For my next step, I started moving my arms (still kicking my feet) - continuing to keep my head under water (eyes open) - 10 to 20 seconds each time.

For my next step - I started doing the above with my head slightly out of the water - 10 to 20 seconds each time. Of course, since I wasn't holding my breath at this point, I could have gone a lot longer than 10 to 20 seconds - I was just getting used to swimming with my head out of the water.

By the end of the day, I could swim, and wasn't afraid of the water anymore. NOTE: Over time, I became more proficient at swimming (i.e., I considerably improved my swimming style).

When I was in college, I did a freestyle swim of two miles in the school pool. These days, every summer we take a vacation at Myrtle Beach. Each day, I do a one mile swim in the ocean (a might more difficult feat than a one mile swim in a pool). NOTE: Frankly, if I had calm, warm water, and no tides, think I could swim a really long way if I had to.

Final comment: Am a firm believer that a with just a decent degree of physical fitness, that anyone can learn to swim. The important thing is that a person needs to be confident/able to relax (no fear) in the water. If you or a family member haven't learned to swim yet, I recommend the above approach.

Hey - learning to swim might just save your - or a family member's life.

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Another Warning on Smoking:

Including my parents - my parents generation totaled six children. The two of the six that were smokers, have already passed on. The other four are all still doing fine, with two of them now being in their nineties.

Just about every time I leave the house, I see someone sitting or standing outside smoking. When I see them it always occurs to me that I really ought to go over and say something....... not that they would likely listen, it's just that, since I consider myself to be a decent human being, I really ought to at least give it a shot.

I'd tell them that - you really don't want to do that - my father was a smoker and he died of lung cancer, and it really wasn't pretty. He was barely able to talk, he had trouble breathing, walking around became very difficult - and at the end impossible without assistance, and he was unable to take care of himself in pretty much every way possible. Each week got worse - both in his suffering and in the decline of his physical capabilities. It really wasn't pretty.

I also had an uncle - a smoker who got cancer. He ended up wasting away to nothing. When I say "wasting away to nothing" - I mean that literally - I didn't even recognize him at the funeral, even though I'd seen him just 2 or 3 months earlier.

It's not just that they died earlier than they should have (as evidenced by the longevity of their siblings), they died in a terrible way - they suffered tremendously. They certainly didn't go the way most of us would like to - old, and fairly healthy to the end.

I urge you, please reconsider what you are doing to yourselves, and if that isn't enough of a reason for you to stop, consider what you will end up putting your families through as they are forced to watch their loved one fall apart in front of their very eyes.




Free Weighlifting Routine
Free Swimming Lessons
Another Warning on Smoking