Get Fit, Stay Fit, Feel Good - 2026

[Sharxfan]

So gym last night. It had been a week since semi-pulling groin so I figured it hasn't hurt in like 7 days so lets give it a try. Once again the devil inside lead me astray and 3 sets in it boinged again. Sigh I hate this shit. So went back into the normal side of the gym and hit some weights/machines for a shoulder/arms day routine. I think I will stay away from the crossfit stuff for about a month and do weights/treadmill to let the groin heal then will attempt to do some more squats and the like then.

So in other health news I read an article yesterday on the possible link between getting a shingles vaccine and a related drop in dementia possibly due to the vaccine helping to kill off the chicken pox virus and the low level inflammation it causes internally that leads to dementia in the brain. I have been putting off the vaccine but if it even helps a little to ward off a disease like dementia it may be worthwhile. results seem legit and what could it hurt.

Could a vaccine prevent dementia? Shingles shot data only getting stronger.

Latest data hints that benefits seen so far could be underestimates.

arstechnica.com

 

[SVsick50]

I got my Certification for Long Term Care some years ago, and LTC Insurance is something I discuss with clients a lot, and I keep an ear toward this kind of thing.

The big talk right now is the connection between diet, exercise and cognitive impairment. There is also a lot of talk referring to Alzheimer’s as “Type III Diabetes”.

This is also why I like to incorporate hand/eye coordination drills into my workouts.

22 years of field underwriting life insurance applications, the general health of Americans is very poor, especially in ethnic communities. Diabetes runs rampant. Baby Boomers are in horrible health, on every medication imaginable.

I’ve had one client in my career actually reverse Diabetes. But that’s just one out of thousands.

 

[stangmx13]

So gym last night. It had been a week since semi-pulling groin so I figured it hasn't hurt in like 7 days so lets give it a try. Once again the devil inside lead me astray and 3 sets in it boinged again. Sigh I hate this shit. So went back into the normal side of the gym and hit some weights/machines for a shoulder/arms day routine. I think I will stay away from the crossfit stuff for about a month and do weights/treadmill to let the groin heal then will attempt to do some more squats and the like then.

Cmon, you can muster up more self-control than that. Lift lighter, reduce set and rep count, be nice to that groin. Even if you lay off entirely for a month, you still need to baby it for a few weeks when you come back. You can do it (easier)!

 

[Sharxfan]

Cmon, you can muster up more self-control than that. Lift lighter, reduce set and rep count, be nice to that groin. Even if you lay off entirely for a month, you still need to baby it for a few weeks when you come back. You can do it (easier)!

I was babying it and even increased my stretch time to try and account for it but dammit it happened and not even right away. I made it through the squats and side lunges then all of a sudden on front/back lunges it decided it had had enough. I do just body weight on the lunges because my legs hate them. I might give it a few weeks then do some machine work to ease back into it then hit the free weight stuff with it.

 

[Climber]

When I was training sprinters back from hamstring injuries, we waited until they felt nothing, added 2 weeks then started at 60%, then moved up 5% each practice. If they felt anything afterwards, we backed off and started back. Each case was different, depending on what they felt.

 

[Melissa]

Yeah when I was 60 I tore a piece of my rotator cuff.
It still hurts!

 

[Holeshot]

I was babying it and even increased my stretch time to try and account for it but dammit it happened and not even right away. I made it through the squats and side lunges then all of a sudden on front/back lunges it decided it had had enough. I do just body weight on the lunges because my legs hate them. I might give it a few weeks then do some machine work to ease back into it then hit the free weight stuff with it.

I don't want to slow down too much, but I don't see a benefit to HITT programs when I was in my 30's to especially now, hitting 50. I feel there's too much imprecision in favor of speed (called "athleticism"). The problem is when weight is loaded up and we're trying to do too much in one movement (weight + speed). What I'm personally using my fitness for doesn't require that, so F-it. Not going to practice something that has no function for me. Instead, I've found that simply slowing or speeding the lift movement(s) up, depending on what I'm looking for on a particular day, has had plenty of benefit. I'm still building neural pathways and mass. When I want to work on some athletic moves, I'll shift to lighter weight kettlebell stuff.

Groin stuff is easy to do when lacking limberness. The stretches help, but I'm still convinced that speed isn't a great idea for us, at our age(s). Instead, I'll use heavier weight to help get deep stretches and a benefit of pushing a heavier weight. I've found that the unproductive nature of "30-90 seconds rest" in between sets is the antithesis of what I'm aiming for, which is muscles always working for the 1-1.5 hour workout. Slotting in filler exercises in between sets keeps the HR up and works my body as I'd find my sports work it. But overall, I don't have a lot of violent movements in my sports unless I do something wrong...so in the gym, I keep away from that shit too. Too many injuries I see from friends with little benefit.

YMMV, but I find HITT programs an unnecessary routine.

 

[SVsick50]

Friday’s are always rough, but got in anyway:

5, 2min rounds of jump rope (today was trick day)
5, 30sec rounds Ab work
5, 30sec rounds Neck work
Curls for the Girls
Tri’s for the Bi’s
15min Sauna
5min Cold

I’m always pretty wiped out by Friday. I also gotta teach karate today, but thankfully, no demo as my students are doing belt assessments.

 

[two wheel tramp]

I pedaled almost 25 miles yesterday and rode over the GGB on my motorcycle and my bicycle yesterday. @Mario rode 60 miles from San Jose to join me then we rode then he added another 15-20 miles on his own to ride a century yesterday.

@stangmx13 kicked some ass this last weekend and I’m on pins and needles waiting for his race report.

 

[SVsick50]

One more week of bodybuilding and strength, then next week is de-load, speed and power.

JumpRope 5 - 2min rounds

Incline Dumbells:
50lbs @ 20reps
75lbs @ 15reps
90lbs @ 10reps
100lbs @ 10reps

Flat bench Dumbell Pec Flys
4sets; 60lbs @ 12reps

Bicep Preacher Curls
50lbs @ 20reps
3 sets 70lbs @ 12reps; 10 regular, 2 forced negatives

Reverse Preacher Bicep Skull Crushers
4sets; 120lbs @ 10reps

Cable Cross-Overs
4 sets; 75lbs @ 15reps

15min Sauna; 5min cold

 

[stangmx13]

Holy crap that’s A LOT of reps

 

[SVsick50]

Holy crap that’s A LOT of reps

So! Mah lady is a Tier 3 personal Trainer at Gold's and she got me on the higher rep thing, and I agree with her on this. I'm old, but I'm strong. I have the body comp and the strength of a much younger man, but my ligaments and tendons are that of a 51 year old man. I know I can dumbell incline the 120's for 6 reps, but that's just gonna injure me. So I go much less with higher reps.

My ego wants me to slap on 315 on bench - and I know I can do it for a single. But I'm not gonna do it. I'm gonna tear something for sure if I do.

Perfect example are my leg workouts. My knees are shot, so I don't squat or do anything heavy anymore. So I do 200-250 body weight squats, wall sits, etc. and actually get the same gains I would get from squatting heavy, without the injury.

I've been lifting since I was 18 and never stopped. I remember the old heads talking about "muscle maturity" so I think I'm there now. I just gotta keep myself healthy and not injured - so higher reps is it for me.

 

[stangmx13]

The idea that significantly more reps at less weight is less stress on tissue seems dubious to me. Nothing about stress and fatigue is linear so it very well could be. And of course the nuance of the actual counts matter a lot. I’ll add that to my list of things to research

It does kinda seem like you are trying to maximize fatigue

 

[stangmx13]

I’m 40, have been lifting seriously for ~1yr, will never reach your weights/intensity, and am lifting to maximize a diff sport. It’d be hard for us to be further apart on the bell curve of athletes for this situation

 

[SVsick50]

I’m 40, have been lifting seriously for ~1yr, will never reach your weights/intensity, and am lifting to maximize a diff sport. It’d be hard for us to be further apart on the bell curve of athletes for this situation

It's just wear and tear at my age. As we say, Father Time is the undisputed world champion. Nobody has beaten him.

I am definitely much more physically broken now than I was at 40, and way more than when I was 30. I have literally been lifting and competing in all kinds of shit for the past 33 years - and my body feels it. I am happy with the level of fitness I have - I see a lot of guys my age who are fat, weak and depressed. But I understand it - it's not fun to wake up at 4:30am and get after for two hours before the work day. Most of my injuries are not lifting related, but I don't want lifting to injure me. The one thing I have noticed is that the injury level becomes exponential as I get older.

Like I said, I am on TRT, so I have an advantage over other old heads. People say it's cheating, but it would only be if I was competing. And, in most competitive sports for old guys like me - everybody's on it. 50 year old dudes weren't jacked when I was growing up, and now we have a bunch of ripped, jacked, old men. All this being said, it doesn't help with ligament and tendon health on an old beat up car with 600,000 miles on it, like me.

I gotta say, though - it's been a life change for the better. I am so happy in all ways because of it. My quality of life is much better.

 

[Holeshot]

So! Mah lady is a Tier 3 personal Trainer at Gold's and she got me on the higher rep thing, and I agree with her on this. I'm old, but I'm strong. I have the body comp and the strength of a much younger man, but my ligaments and tendons are that of a 51 year old man. I know I can dumbell incline the 120's for 6 reps, but that's just gonna injure me. So I go much less with higher reps.

Thanks for posting your workout. I like the rep count/ pyramiding downward part. I've been looking for something new...gonna steal some of your set/ rep counts and see how it works.

The idea that significantly more reps at less weight is less stress on tissue seems dubious to me. Nothing about stress and fatigue is linear so it very well could be. And of course the nuance of the actual counts matter a lot. I’ll add that to my list of things to research

It does kinda seem like you are trying to maximize fatigue

Different stress, so to say. Higher reps tends to be more endurance (capillarization)/ slow twitch fiber recruitment, greater pump, etc. Lower rep tends to be more "1 rep max" strength, fast twitch fiber action. Both build muscle, just differently. 10-14 is a pretty good balance IME, but reading Dion's workout makes me want to push some higher rep counts back into play, like I used to do.

Like I said, I am on TRT, so I have an advantage over other old heads. People say it's cheating, but it would only be if I was competing. And, in most competitive sports for old guys like me - everybody's on it. 50 year old dudes weren't jacked when I was growing up, and now we have a bunch of ripped, jacked, old men. All this being said, it doesn't help with ligament and tendon health on an old beat up car with 600,000 miles on it, like me.

I gotta say, though - it's been a life change for the better. I am so happy in all ways because of it. My quality of life is much better.

Got lots of friends on TRT too. I've not had my T levels checked, but if lifestyle (in gym and out of gym) needs are an indicator, I don't see I need it yet...and my whole goal is to stay off T as long as possible. I've been focused on increasing NAD levels (fitness/ NMN, etc.) and hoping that'll help give some increase to T levels, along with sugar reduction. So far, something's working...it'd just be nice to know exaclty what.

 

[SVsick50]

I got on it when I was 48, but I also did steroids when I was competing in bodybuilding in my 20's, so that may have caused issues. When I did my first test, I was in the mid/high 300's and the doctor told me "this is normal for a man your age". I went to an "alternative" doctor and he told me to lose weight and do these other things with diet (like detoxification stuff) and I got my levels up to 585. I also had a serious BMX head injury in 2014, and this really messes with your hormone levels.

At this point I was training with much younger athletes 6 days a week and decided it was time. If I was an avid cyclist or something of this sort, I may have pushed it off or maybe not - but any combat sport - especially grappling - requires massive amounts of strength, power and endurance (literally picking up other men and slamming them). Also, training with young men is daunting and I was getting my ass whooped (I still get me ass whooped).

But, like I said, the biggest effect it had on me is the feeling of well-being. All the "mid-life crisis" BS and "grumpy old man" stuff is entirely ZERO. And it's because I got my hormones in check. Once I got my hormones in check, I was able to get my spiritual and mental self in check.

"Manopause" is real. Of course, a lot of people downplay it and make fun.

 

[SVsick50]

Oh! And the higher rep thing... I have this kinda bro science of 70% of your standard 6, double reps. So, if you max at 6 at 200lbs bench, then put on 140, and go 12. Something ridiculous like that.

I do max load, but I go no lower than 10 reps. I rarely do 6-8 reps anymore.

 

[stangmx13]

Different stress, so to say. Higher reps tends to be more endurance (capillarization)/ slow twitch fiber recruitment, greater pump, etc. Lower rep tends to be more "1 rep max" strength, fast twitch fiber action. Both build muscle, just differently. 10-14 is a pretty good balance IME, but reading Dion's workout makes me want to push some higher rep counts back into play, like I used to do.

That’s not the topic though. He said “tendons and ligaments”, which is why I said “tissue”. I’ve never seen any info on stress to those tissues and its relation to rep count. There’s prob plenty of info because those injuries aren’t uncommon.

Most articles I’ve seen split rep counts into more specific categories, and not based on fiber type. It’s <=6 reps is prioritizing strength, 6-14 reps is prioritizing muscle mass & volume, and >14 is prioritizing endurance. You can prob straddle one of the lines if you want a “balance”. But there’s no getting endurance and strength with similar prioritization.

 

[stangmx13]

Re: the prev topic of HIIT workouts. IME they are all endurance rep counts and completely lack any attention of progressive overload. Because of that, me and the SO never got any stronger from it. Sure, we made the minor newb gains. But no big gains and minimal visual or structural differences. The SO did HIIT at Orange Theory for years and only maintained. I went a little and saw far more progress with a comparable number of targeting lifting.

IMO, they are great for time crunched people that need to do something with structure. But they are a waste of time for an athlete with specific goals.

Time for the gym!