Fitness And Fun after 50 (Partha63): September 2021

Monday, September 20, 2021

SIMPLE WAY TO TRAIN FOR YOUR UPCOMING TREKS - "Fit To Trek@50 Series".

SIMPLE WAY TO TRAIN FOR YOUR UPCOMING TREKS - "Fit To Trek@50 Series".

This blog is for those who go for treks once or at the most twice a year, or are not regular trekkers. If you are one of those who are not regular trekkers, then this blog is for you.

Considering you not a regular trekker, who do not train throughout the year. Now, you have planned with your friends to go for a Himalayan trek or a mountain trek having a mix of easy & moderately difficult terrain. For this, you need to prepare yourself physically & mentally for you to enjoy the trail and motivate you for planning your other future treks.

In my today's blog you will learn a very simple way to train for your upcoming trek within a short period of time.

We all mostly know how we should prepare for our upcoming hikes / treks - going to the gym 3-4 times a week, doing cardio, jogging, walking between those sessions. But let's be realistic, most of you may not be hard core trekkers or fitness freaks and are mostly busy in your daily professional life and social obligations, with less time to spare for trek preparation.

But when you have planned for any trek, then you should be at least be prepared, for you to enjoy the upcoming trek, with a backpack on, see more of nature. So, that's why you need to do some preparation before the trek.

This preparation routine will not only help you to be trek-fit , but also improve your general fitness level.

THE PREPARATION :

Myself would suggest a very simple routine that you should start at least 2-3 months before your trek, depending upon the level of difficulty of your trekking destination. If it is an easy trail, then 2 months of training is good, or else 3 months of preparation is enough for you for a moderately difficult trek.

1. Twice a week do full body strength training, during your training months. No separate upper body & lower body training days. The goal is to strengthen the overall body muscle groups, not any specific group. Each of these workout sessions should not be more than 45 minutes, that is just 90 minutes per week. Most of these exercises should be compound exercises involving multiple muscle groups per exercise, like - squats, push-ups, basic dead lifts, etc. This routine you can do at your home, only need a pair of dumbbells.

Exercises - Resistance / weight training :

For the mentioned exercises details, refer to my blogs titled :

1) "Upper Body Strength Training Exercises For Trekkers" - Dated : 11th. June,2021.

2) "How To Build Lower Body Strength For Trekking" - Dated : 31st. May, 2021.

Or, watch on my YOUTUBE channel : " fitnessfun50 " .

A) Shoulders -

a) Lateral & Front raise : 2 sets of 10 reps per set, with light weight dumbbells.

b) Arnold Press - 1 sets of 10 reps per set, with light weight dumbbells.

c) Pike Push-ups - 1 set of 10 reps. In case you find Pike push-ups difficult, you can also do shoulder shrugs with medium weight dumbbells - 2 sets of 15 reps per set.

B) Back -

a) Spider Man - 1 set of 30-40 seconds.

b) Bend Over Twin Arm Row - 2 sets of 8 reps per set, with light weight dumbbells.

C) Arms -

a) Tricep Dips - 2 sets of 6-7 reps per set.

b) Bicep Curls - 3 sets of 10 reps per set, with light to medium weight dumbbells.

c) Wrist Curls - 1 set of 30 reps with very light weight dumbbells.

D) Chest -

a) Inclined or Floor Push-ups - 3 sets of 8-10 reps per set.

E) Core Area -

a) Regular Plank - 1 set of 30-60 seconds.

b) Bicycle Cross Crunches - 1 set of 10 reps.

c) Mountain Climbers - 2 sets of 10 reps per set.

D) Legs -

a) Normal Squat - 2 sets of 10-15 reps per set.

b) Goblet Squat - 1 set of 8-10 reps with one medium weight dumbbell.

c) Step-Ups - 2 sets of 15-20 reps per set with medium weight dumbbells.

d) Bulgarian Split Squat - 2 sets of 6-8 reps per set.

e) Basic Dead Lift - 1 set of 8-10 reps per set, with medium weight dumbbells.

f) Calf Raise - 3 sets of 15-20 reps per set, with or without dumbbells.

g) Glute Bridge - 1 sets of 8-10 reps per set.

Rest Period : Between each set take about 15 seconds of rest , and between each exercise take 20-25 seconds rest. Always do warm-up exercises before starting the routine , and do cool-down stretching exercises after completing your day's routine.

2. On the first month, twice a week walk for 25 to 35 minutes at variable speeds to keep your heart rate fluctuating (can also walk on a Treadmill) , in addition do 10-15 minutes of stair climbing. In this routine - out these 2 days, once you can do walking and stair climbing with some weight (dumbbells or filled water bottles) in your backpack, it is better to start with 25% of the weight that you intend to actually carry in your backpack during your main trek, then as you progress train with 75% or even 100% of the weight in your backpack.

On the 2nd. & 3rd. months, instead of walking go for running or jogging, target to cover 5 kilometres in 40-45 minutes, this you can attain gradually.

3. Once a week do 3 minutes of full body cardio workout - on 1st month only.

For cardio workout details refer to my blog titled - "Best Cardio Exercises For Mountain Trekkers" - Dated : 18th. June, 2021.

Or watch on my YOUTUBE channel - " fitnessfun50 ".

4. Once a week go for 5 minutes muscle strength workout routine for endurance - only on 2nd & 3rd months.

For endurance routine, refer to my blog titled - "Trekkers Strength Workout For Endurance" - Dated : 4th. August, 2021.

Or , watch on my YOUTUBE channel - " fitnessfun50 " .

5. I would personally suggest that, on the last week of 1st. and the 2nd month of your training you should go for a 2-3 days of short mountain trek (of altitude 500-800 meters) with ascending and descending trail for your legs to get used to, not much far from the place where you live. This is just to check your physical condition that you are in. This is how I prepare myself before my upcoming treks.

6. Daily do Deep Breathing Exercises at least once in a day (preferably in the morning), just remember that your stomach should be some what empty. This you should do during all the 2/3 months of preparation.

For deep breathing exercises, refer to my blog titled - "How To Improve Your Lung Capacity For High Altitude Treks" - Dated : 4th. July, 2021.

Or , watch on my YOUTUBE channel - " fitnessfun50 " .

a) Belly Breathing (Vasistha Pranayam) - for 5 to 10 minutes.

b) The Pressure Breath - for 5 to 10 minutes.

c) Breath Holding Technique - for 5 to 10 minutes.

7. One important recommendation is to stop any kind of training at least one week prior to departure (except deep breathing exercises) for the upcoming trek, as during this period you are most likely to get stressed out with planning the last minute things, so you do not want to stretch your body too much.

SUGGESTIVE TRAINING CHART -

1. Resistance / Weight Training : Mondays & Thursdays.

2. Walking / Jogging : Tuesdays & Fridays.

3. Cardio / Endurance Training : Saturdays.

4. Deep Breathing Exercises : Daily, even on the rest days.

5. Full Rest Days for recovery : Wednesdays & Sundays.

IMPORTANT :

💪 It is always advisable to consult your doctor / a qualified instructor before starting any new exercise routine.

💪Take minimum 20 seconds of rest between each exercise. Can sip water in between exercises.

Your valued comments, questions & suggestions in the comment section below, about this blog will be highly appreciated.

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Sunday, September 5, 2021

SHOULD MEN OVER 50 DO WEIGHT TRAINING ?

SHOULD MEN OVER 50 DO WEIGHT TRAINING ?

The answer is emphatically YES.

Many have the wrong impression that, if with age you lift weights then there are chances of getting hurt. This actually occurs rarely only when you do some stupid things. Most people who get hurt during weight training are actually younger guys, not the older ones, because an older person is smart enough and not in the race to impress others. Older people do not lift heavy weights in olympic style for a show off, with rapid movements or explosive movements.

What lifting weights does to is actually prevents injury. When we get older and are not lifting weights, then your body naturally gets stiff , tight and less flexible. Lifting weights makes your joints more stronger and flexible.

When you lift weights correctly, you do a wide range of motion, while doing bench-press, shoulder-press, back exercises or squats , you are not only working on your muscles, but also on your tendons, ligaments and the joints. So, what it does is not only strengthen but also increases your flexibility.

You do not want to be 70 or 80 years old and with a fall over of quarter inch tall crack and break your hip bone, as your bones are weak, as a result a small trip can do a serious long term damage.

So, why does lifting weights makes your bones stronger ?

There is a direct correlation between putting stress on your muscles and that put stress on your bones, and your body responds by making your bones denser and stronger, literally you are far less likely to break a bone if you are routinely doing resistance training.

As you age, just change your lifestyle and incorporate resistance training in your daily routine. Remember, there are two things - FREE HAND EXERCISE & RESISTANCE TRAINING. I am talking about resistance training or weight lifting, that does not have to be only using dumbbells or barbells , it could be with resistance bands , or your own body weight like doing push-ups or squats is also a resistance training. Weight lifting is way better for you as you get older, than doing just cardio itself. Doing a weight training correctly will actually also give you a good cardio workout.

BENEFITS OF WEIGHT TRAINING :

1. Resistance training boosts testosterone. You would just love the benefits that you get with increased level of testosterone. Lifting weights and straining your body sends signals to your pituitary glands and other organs of your body and tells your body to ramp-up it's natural production of testosterone. The harder you push your body, the more you tear down your muscle fibres, the more lactic acid you build up, as a result more production of testosterone. As a result your muscles looks great and you look good when you look yourself on the mirror.

2. With weight training you get muscles in shape and lose fat. This gives you a different level of confidence.

With a well shaped body, you will always look great at your age when you walk in a restaurant, or a swimming pool, or among your friends of your age.

3. Weight training also gets you lots of energy and will be more productive. One more small side benefit of doing weight training as you get older is - your sex life improves.

4. Your metabolism goes up when you are into resistance training. Muscles requires more calories to function and stay alive every day. So, more muscle you add to your body, the higher will be your metabolic rate. That is, with added muscles on your body you will burn more calories by just sitting on a chair, than those who do not have muscles, which means you will be burning more fats by adding muscles, body fat automatically drops. Then you do not have to worry or be that strict on your diet. You can have more cheat days.

5. Weight training also improves your body balance & mind-muscle coordination. This is very vital as you age. Most important is, you can take care of yourself with improved mental and physical ability as you age.

HOW MUCH WEIGHT SHOULD YOU LIFT AS YOU AGE :

The single most commonly asked questions by those who want to or are into resistance training , that is - "How much weight should I lift ?"

This is a really hard question. I could only give you some parameters and ideas how you can figure it out. Actually, there is no perfect answer, it depends on what type of exercise you are doing , what kind of condition you are in, there are lots of variables. You can only answer this by yourself.

First is, what does your workout called for, that is - how many sets & how many reps. The number of reps per set will determine how much weight you are going to lift. But lots of guys in the gym do it wrong, because when you are in the gym , you are with lot of people and you want to look impressive, you want to lift ton of weight and make every one think you are a "Badass" and really strong, this is not the good way to build muscles and really a good way to get hurt. This is the biggest mistake I have seen people doing.

Workout program tells you to do normally 10 reps per set . That does not mean you take too heavy dumbbells and try 10 reps with your whole body swinging with a terrible form. Chances of getting hurt and pulling muscles are going to happen.

The correct method is to pick a weight that will make it difficult to complete the 10 reps. When you are in the 10th rep you should be really fatigue, maximum you may be able to do with great difficulty one or two more reps, but not more. So, you should pick a weight with which you can do 12 reps maximum, but stop at 10th rep.

While programming your workout routine , in PHASE-1 pick up a weight that is only moderately difficult to do for the prescribed number of reps. In PHASE-2 pick up a weight that is really difficult to do the prescribed number of reps. Once you reach PHASE-3, then pick a weight that really kicks you hard and you could barely make it to the number of reps in each set that you want to hit, and you get nearly exhausted . So, that is how you need to pick your weights.

Hopefully, you have learnt from this blog with how much weight you should do weight training as you age. If you have any doubts or questions, please write on the comment section below, I will surely try to reply to your satisfaction.