75 years old........

"Bob116" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
.....out of shape......5'10'.....210lbs........40-45lbs overweight.
HTN...angio rotor router 2 years ago.....triple bypass 8 years
ago........mild rheumatism, arthritis (sic), whatever. Have had sciatica
thrice in last 7 years, diagnosed lumbar stenosis. Excruciating (sic) pain
lasting about a month each time. Taking really high potent painkillers, they
helped very little. Except for the first bout about 7 years ago wherein I
had a epidural(?) and that did the trick immediately the other two times
just toughed it out and the pain finally surrendered and left town. I do not
want any more sciatic nerve problems, and take my word for it you don't
either.

Walk 6-7 times week, 1-2 miles at 3mph pace. Just started ridiculously low
weights 15-30lbs per exercise at the present. I have no intention of going
much over say 50-60lbs for any exercise. Below I list the exercises I do. I
only do one set @ TWENTYFIVE reps. I am familiar with the info that high
reps are no good, etc.

My question, keeping in mind my age and physical condition and that I am not
interested in muscles/great strength and working to failure and just want to
feel better. Am I wasting my time with only one set at high reps. Thanks for
any.
pushup
DB pullover
upright row
mil press
bent over row
dead lift
squat
ab crunch
reverse crunch (leg lift)

----
Bob116
I'd try low reps, with heavier weight(for you) and just do more sets. I
think you'd like the change and it'd be more useful in your everyday life.
What do you lift 25 times in a row? But really a lot of pt's reccomend that
now too

"Bob116" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

-snip back pain story-

Quoted message said:

Walk 6-7 times week, 1-2 miles at 3mph pace. Just started
ridiculously
low weights 15-30lbs per exercise at the present. I have no intention
of
going much over say 50-60lbs for any exercise. Below I list the
exercises
I do. I only do one set @ TWENTYFIVE reps. I am familiar with the
info that high reps are no good, etc.

My question, keeping in mind my age and physical condition and that
I am not interested in muscles/great strength and working to failure
and
just want to feel better. Am I wasting my time with only one set at
high
reps.

-snip exercise list-

If you want to feel better, as someone with a history of back problems,
I suggest you abandon the idea that you'll change how well your back
works without using heavy weights and/or without getting stronger.
Certainly you should work into things gradually and pay attention to
what you can and cannot do, but avoiding strengthening a bad back and
doing twenty-five rep sets instead is, to quote Pavel, like changing the
oil on the Titanic - it might help a little but so what? It doesn't
solve the larger problem.

Clear the following with your doctor first, of course, but if you can,
try hanging from a chinup bar with the goal of decompressing your spine
a bit - hang, hold your breath for a few seconds, then relax while still
hanging and try to feel your spine open up. If you can learn to do this
a few times every day, you might find it helps your back.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
|
| "Bob116" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
| news:[email hidden]...
|
| -snip back pain story-
| > My question, keeping in mind my age and physical condition and that
| > I am not interested in muscles/great strength and working to failure
| > and
| > just want to feel better. Am I wasting my time with only one set at
| > high
| > reps.
|
| -snip exercise list-
|
| If you want to feel better, as someone with a history of back problems,
| I suggest you abandon the idea that you'll change how well your back
| works without using heavy weights and/or without getting stronger.
| Certainly you should work into things gradually and pay attention to
| what you can and cannot do, but avoiding strengthening a bad back and
| doing twenty-five rep sets instead is, to quote Pavel, like changing the
| oil on the Titanic - it might help a little but so what? It doesn't
| solve the larger problem.
| -S-

Thanks to you and any others who may reply. Sorry I guess I didn't make myself clear......I do not have back problems presently.....I just want to make very sure they don't come back.

----------------------
Bob116

Bob116 said:

....out of shape......5'10'.....210lbs........40-45lbs overweight. HTN...angio rotor router 2 years ago.....triple bypass 8 years ago........mild rheumatism, arthritis (sic), whatever. Have had sciatica thrice in last 7 years, diagnosed lumbar stenosis. Excruciating (sic) pain lasting about a month each time. Taking really high potent painkillers, they helped very little. Except for the first bout about 7 years ago wherein I had a epidural(?) and that did the trick immediately the other two times just toughed it out and the pain finally surrendered and left town. I do not want any more sciatic nerve problems, and take my word for it you don't either.

Walk 6-7 times week, 1-2 miles at 3mph pace. Just started ridiculously low weights 15-30lbs per exercise at the present. I have no intention of going much over say 50-60lbs for any exercise. Below I list the exercises I do. I only do one set @ TWENTYFIVE reps. I am familiar with the info that high reps are no good, etc.

My question, keeping in mind my age and physical condition and that I am not interested in muscles/great strength and working to failure and just want to feel better. Am I wasting my time with only one set at high reps. Thanks for any.
pushup
DB pullover
upright row
mil press
bent over row
dead lift
squat
ab crunch
reverse crunch (leg lift)

----
Bob116

I think you'll get better results using sets of 10-12 reps. There's been
some interesting research aimed at people in your age group and weight
training, and the benefits are certainly there. 25 reps isn't useless,
it's resistance training and it'se better than nothing! Given your back
problems, though, have you run this routine past your specialist? I
question the use of the bent over row and deadlift most strongly, and
the military press and squat concern me, too, given your history. They
may in fact make things better, but it's important to make sure you're
not going to do something that exacerbates the pain. I think dropping
the deadlift would be a good idea, and replacing the bent over row with
a one arm row or a chest supported row would be better (assuming the
surgery incisiion doesn't give you grief using a chest supported row).

Cheers,

Ari

--
spammage trappage: replace fishies_ with yahoo

I'm going to die rather sooner than I'd like. I tried to protect my
neighbours from crime, and became the victim of it. Complications in
hospital following this resulted in a serious illness. I now need a bone
marrow transplant. Many people around the world are waiting for a marrow
transplant, too. Please volunteer to be a marrow donor:
http://www.abmdr.org.au/
http://www.marrow.org/

71 yrs old. do 4 sets of ea each exercise. reps in order 16, 14, 12, 10,
increasing weight ea time. twice a week i do 2 push/pull workouts (sunday,
those vertical to the body; wednesday, those perpendicular to the body).
like a bench press followed by a seated row exercise, alternating. or, a
shoulder press followed by a pull down, alternating. mon is waistline
exercise day; tues partly legs; thurs rest of legs; fri arms. sun tues and
thurs a.m. jogging. my other push/pulls are flies(forward and reverse),
upright rows/dips, stiff arm pullovers/stiff arm shoulder raise. otherwise,
some lateral raises, and some rhomboid work. does a good job for me. hope
you get the results you want.

"Bob116" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
.....out of shape......5'10'.....210lbs........40-45lbs overweight.
HTN...angio rotor router 2 years ago.....triple bypass 8 years
ago........mild rheumatism, arthritis (sic), whatever. Have had sciatica
thrice in last 7 years, diagnosed lumbar stenosis. Excruciating (sic) pain
lasting about a month each time. Taking really high potent painkillers, they
helped very little. Except for the first bout about 7 years ago wherein I
had a epidural(?) and that did the trick immediately the other two times
just toughed it out and the pain finally surrendered and left town. I do not
want any more sciatic nerve problems, and take my word for it you don't
either.

Walk 6-7 times week, 1-2 miles at 3mph pace. Just started ridiculously low
weights 15-30lbs per exercise at the present. I have no intention of going
much over say 50-60lbs for any exercise. Below I list the exercises I do. I
only do one set @ TWENTYFIVE reps. I am familiar with the info that high
reps are no good, etc.

My question, keeping in mind my age and physical condition and that I am not
interested in muscles/great strength and working to failure and just want to
feel better. Am I wasting my time with only one set at high reps. Thanks for
any.
pushup
DB pullover
upright row
mil press
bent over row
dead lift
squat
ab crunch
reverse crunch (leg lift)

----
Bob116

"Bob116" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
|
| "Bob116" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
| news:[email hidden]...
|
| -snip back pain story-
| > My question, keeping in mind my age and physical condition and that
| > I am not interested in muscles/great strength and working to failure
| > and
| > just want to feel better. Am I wasting my time with only one set at
| > high
| > reps.
|
| -snip exercise list-
|
| If you want to feel better, as someone with a history of back
problems,
| I suggest you abandon the idea that you'll change how well your back
| works without using heavy weights and/or without getting stronger.
| Certainly you should work into things gradually and pay attention to
| what you can and cannot do, but avoiding strengthening a bad back and
| doing twenty-five rep sets instead is, to quote Pavel, like changing
the
| oil on the Titanic - it might help a little but so what? It doesn't
| solve the larger problem.
| -S-

Quoted message said:

Thanks to you and any others who may reply. Sorry I guess I didn't
make myself clear......I do not have back problems presently.....I
just want to make very sure they don't come back.

Then I recommend you don't shy away from becoming stronger and using
heavy weights when you're ready for them as a means to that end.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com

----------------------
Bob116

http://www.home-gym-exercise-equipment.com/product_details.asp?prod=P_Power_
Stand_II
I would suggest simple/basic exercises but very powerful and get a
dip/pullup machine. Dips pullups and leg lifts can get you in shape quick.
and you can control your progress by the number of reps, start with 1 rep if
its all you can do and work your way up. You will get strong fast.

"Bob116" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
.....out of shape......5'10'.....210lbs........40-45lbs overweight.
HTN...angio rotor router 2 years ago.....triple bypass 8 years
ago........mild rheumatism, arthritis (sic), whatever. Have had sciatica
thrice in last 7 years, diagnosed lumbar stenosis. Excruciating (sic) pain
lasting about a month each time. Taking really high potent painkillers, they
helped very little. Except for the first bout about 7 years ago wherein I
had a epidural(?) and that did the trick immediately the other two times
just toughed it out and the pain finally surrendered and left town. I do not
want any more sciatic nerve problems, and take my word for it you don't
either.

Walk 6-7 times week, 1-2 miles at 3mph pace. Just started ridiculously low
weights 15-30lbs per exercise at the present. I have no intention of going
much over say 50-60lbs for any exercise. Below I list the exercises I do. I
only do one set @ TWENTYFIVE reps. I am familiar with the info that high
reps are no good, etc.

My question, keeping in mind my age and physical condition and that I am not
interested in muscles/great strength and working to failure and just want to
feel better. Am I wasting my time with only one set at high reps. Thanks for
any.
pushup
DB pullover
upright row
mil press
bent over row
dead lift
squat
ab crunch
reverse crunch (leg lift)

----
Bob116