Another Challenge

[kodi]

I just finished day 3 week 3 with a struggle. I know my form didn't hold up for the max but I did squeek them out for a total of 120. Didn't think I'd ever be able to do it. Half way thru.

 

[SumoRunner]

I'm trying a different tack, alternating hard day & easy day. I learned a long time ago with running that I need to do at least a couple miles 5-6 days a week to stay "loose" and be able to handle the tougher days. Three days a week has never been enough for me. So I threw in one set of 25 pushups on Sat and Sun to see if helps me keep up with the program. Mon and Wed coming up don't look too hard but next Friday will be the real test.

 

[SumoRunner]

Completed week #4 with little problem, 160 PUs this morning. I did better by including a short set on the "off" days. I also took more than the recommended time between sets on Firday. Instead of 2 minutes, I took rests of 5 or more and got through it in good form. There are a couple achy muscles as I sit here later but that's the price of admission.

Mon to Fri : 113 - 30 - 120 - 30 - 160

453 total for this week so far, but I've got a 4 mile race to run tomorrow so I'll pass on the PUs. Not sure about Sunday.

 

[SumoRunner]

The 4 mile race went well - for a fat old crip that is - I was still 17th of 18 in my age group. This was a local championship race so all the top guns were out. To score in the men's 60+ group you'd have to be running faster than 7 minutes per mile pace. I finished in 40:23 which was about 2 minutes faster than last year at this time. The first half went down in just under 20 minutes but I couldn't hold that in the second half. The legs just tired out. Most of my running the past 3 months has been on a treadmill indoors and that isn't the same as out on the roads.

 

[kodi]

Congratulation on both the pushups and the race. I'm going to have to repeat week four. On Wed I did it all but couldn't do the max for set five or even come close. I was out of town for the weekend and that just messed up everything else.
I have a 10K coming up next week and anxious to see how I do. Since the fracture in my left heel, I've only been running three weeks and quite slowly and cautiously. I managed 8.6 miles this morning so I know I can finish.

 

[SumoRunner]

Whoa! I started week #5 this morning and hardly made it through half of the workout. We had a family gathering this weekend with our 3 grandchildren in the house and I am beat. Shoot, running 4 miles or doing 160 pushups was a piece of cake, but two days with kids underfoot can wear you right out.

 

[SumoRunner]

I got through week 5 of the pushups plan, but just barely. (Mon - 126, Wed - 133, Fri - 133). I wasn't feeling so good Monday so I only did about 75% of it and the next two days were actually lighter workouts. So Wed and Fri I made the planned numbers. Now it's on to the final week #6 after which one should be able to do 100 continuous. I highly doubt it but I know now I can do over 50.

 

[SumoRunner]

I said last week I'd move on to #6, the final week of this program, but I took a look at what was coming in the plan and decided it would be more prudent to repeat week #5. I was able to exceed the week #5 numbers by a bit, including 50 in a row in the last set this morning, whereas the first time through I was a bit shy of the prescribed amounts.

I racked up 569 pushups in just the last 5 days and well over 3,000 since the beginning of the year. So now I'm really ready to move on to week #6 which will actually be my 10th week of doing this, having had to repeat so many. After age 60, it takes longer to do everything.

 

[Peggyanne]

Weight restriction

Weight restriction

How long after surgery (valve replacement and aneurysm repair) do they lift the weight lifting restrictions (approx. time)?

 

[SumoRunner]

I can't remember. I'm almost 18 years out now.

 

[SumoRunner]

There it is, I finished week #6, which is actually 12 weeks from week #1. I've had to repeat every week of the plan. Mon 205, Wed 150, Fri 176. I again had a problem doing the final maximum sets. But it's not quite over yet. The plan is now to rest for a couple days and try to do 100 in a row.

The best I've managed so far was 55. That's nothing to spit at but it's way low for what was in the plan. I may end up having to do week 6 all over again, maybe a couple times before I can pass the final test. But that's not such a bad thought anyway. I've gotten in tremendous shape doing this. I'm just guessing it's probably the strongest I've ever been in my 61 years.

 

[kodi]

You are making me feel like a real wimp. For some reason I did well thru week 3 then got too busy with other 'life' things. I managed part of week 4 but then stopped. I am going to get back with the program and maybe start mid-week 3. Congratulations on your dedication and consistency.

 

[SumoRunner]

OK, 12 weeks of the 100 pushups plan and I still can't get beyond 50 in a row. That probably sounds like crocodile tears, but I'm not unhappy about it, just more determined. I decided instead this week to shoot for a big total, so I've been doing between 150-200 each day (5 sets of 40 this morning) in an attempt to top 1,000 for the week. I have never in my life come anywhere remotely close to this. I'm at 835 now with two days to go. Piece of cake.

 

[twobike]

Notice any muscle in the arms? I would think so. Need to try this as I see the flab coming on. Sit ups would be good too.
Sharon

 

[SumoRunner]

I did 175 this morning to make it 1010 for the week (on 6 days). I'll rest tomorrow because I've got a 5 mile race on tap. I think I'll rest up for a few days, 1000 PUs takes a toll.

Yeah, I can feel the extra bulk. It's as though I can't put my arms straight down at my sides any more. The good part: I have not gained any weight at all, so in with the good, out with the bad. Looking in the mirror I can see better definition in the arms and shoulders but I don't see it much elsewhere. There's still too much overlying flab, plus a long time self-image that gets in the way. When I look in the mirror I still see Ed Asner.

 

[runninn]

Be sure you are ready first (Dr's OK)

Be sure you are ready first (Dr's OK)

Don't ask how I know....impatience has its price!
I tried pushups WAY too soon....

 

[SumoRunner]

Yes, of course. All you folks with less than a year post-AVR ought to be careful. I think I did mention somewhere along the line that I was 17 years out and Kodi goes back to 2006. We're just trying to let you know how far you can go once you're ready. Knowing when you're ready, that's the tricky part.