Fish-fighting fit?

[DaubsNU1]

I was 215 pound offensive lineman in high school. In college, dropped down under 200 for a while, playing intramural sports, riding bike, working out, hunting a lot. Married and kiddos, got up around 225. 

 

Heaviest was about a year ago...235...then I stopped eating vegetable oils, processed foods, really watched my nutrition...got down to 208. Back up around 220 this winter...

 

Desk job. 

 

@A-Jay is my motivation...I need to get on a solid workout schedule! 

[Swamp Girl]

9 minutes ago, Functional said:

I know this thread is about exercise but two of the biggest things that contribute to staying fit and feeling good I havent seen mentioned is diet and hydration. Once I cleaned up my diet and stayed consistently well hydrated with water its pretty incredible the difference I've felt. In my opinion its as important as staying active.

 

Thanks for ^this.^ It's a great reminder. I count my water and try to reach a daily minimum. 

[N Florida Mike]

The loading/unloading is no problem for me at 63.

My lower back hurts after 2-3 hours in a boat with bench seats and no backrest. Doesn’t mean I quit then though…With a backrest I can go indefinitely .

One issue that seems to be getting worse is my wrists. They hurt a lot now, and don’t seem to be as  strong as before. I especially notice it when setting the hook on a bigger fish…

My left rotater cuff bothers me also, but since I cast righty it doesn’t affect my fishing much…

Exercises? I’ve tried them but they don’t seem to help 🤷🏼‍♂️

[Swamp Girl]

1 minute ago, N Florida Mike said:

I especially notice it when setting the hook on a bigger fish…

 

Me too. Mine feel like they might buckle one day. Not yet, but one day.

[Gera]

With the help of active little kids. 

[Swamp Girl]

5 hours ago, Susky River Rat said:

@ol'crickety with all the big bass you constantly pull in that should be enough work out for you. 

 

Ha! The paddling and dragging the canoe across fields and through the woods is actually much more demanding. I wrote "drag" because I bought a pair of wheels last year, so I only carry it the short distances nowadays.

[928JLH]

Lift weights. 

5 miles every other day on stationary bike. 

Kettlebell works outs.

Calisthenics. 

Band and slamball workouts. 

Lots of core workouts for degenerative disc and L4 herniation. 

 

Always been super active but arthritis is creeping in pretty early at 40. Going to work on mobility and muscle imbalances for 2024 and hopefully move into a pdl kayak. 

[Bigassbass]

I hate exercising, I've always played and worked enough to stay fit.  Worn out my knee, had it replaced last year, that is a horrible surgery!  I'm still going fishing but not as long and as much, we do what we must to stay healthy and happy!

[A-Jay]

IME, most folks wait too long to think about 'getting fit'.

Results come and are far easier to keep, the 'younger' we are.

Once you start, never stop.

 

The below info is from The Mayo Clinic and is far from all inclusive.

But it a decent place to begin. 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670

 

Strength training: Get stronger, leaner, healthier

Strength training is an important part of an overall fitness program. Here's what strength training can do for you — and how to get started.

 

Want to reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass and burn calories more efficiently? Strength training to the rescue! Strength training is a key component of overall health and fitness for everyone.

Use it or lose it

Lean muscle mass naturally diminishes with age.

Your body fat percentage will increase over time if you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose over time. Strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass at any age.

Strength training may also help you:

Develop strong bones. By stressing your bones, strength training can increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Manage your weight. Strength training can help you manage or lose weight, and it can increase your metabolism to help you burn more calories.

Enhance your quality of life. Strength training may enhance your quality of life and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Strength training can also protect your joints from injury. Building muscle also can contribute to better balance and may reduce your risk of falls. This can help you maintain independence as you age.

Manage chronic conditions. Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression and diabetes.

Sharpen your thinking skills. Some research suggests that regular strength training and aerobic exercise may help improve thinking and learning skills for older adults.

Consider the options

Strength training can be done at home or in the gym. Common choices may include:

Body weight. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try pushups, pullups, planks, lunges and squats.

Resistance tubing. Resistance tubing is inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store or online.

Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools. If you don't have weights at home, you can use soup cans. Other options can include using medicine balls or kettle bells.

Weight machines. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can invest in weight machines for use at home, too.

Cable suspension training. Cable suspension training is another option to try. In cable suspension training, you suspend part of your body — such as your legs — while doing body weight training such as pushups or planks.

Getting started

If you have a chronic condition, or if you're older than age 40 and you haven't been active recently, check with your doctor before beginning a strength training or aerobic fitness program.

Before beginning strength training, consider warming up with brisk walking or another aerobic activity for five or 10 minutes. Cold muscles are more prone to injury than are warm muscles.

Choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions. When you can easily do more repetitions of a certain exercise, gradually increase the weight or resistance.

Research shows that a single set of 12 to 15 repetitions with the proper weight can build muscle efficiently in most people and can be as effective as three sets of the same exercise. As long as you take the muscle you are working to fatigue — meaning you can't lift another repetition — you are doing the work necessary to make the muscle stronger. And fatiguing at a higher number of repetitions means you likely are using a lighter weight, which will make it easier for you to control and maintain correct form.

To give your muscles time to recover, rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group.

Also be careful to listen to your body. If a strength training exercise causes pain, stop the exercise. Consider trying a lower weight or trying it again in a few days.

It's important to use proper technique in strength training to avoid injuries. If you're new to strength training, work with a trainer or other fitness specialist to learn correct form and technique. Remember to breathe as you strength train.

When to expect results

You don't need to spend hours a day lifting weights to benefit from strength training. You can see significant improvement in your strength with just two or three 20- or 30-minute strength training sessions a week.

For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines:

Aerobic activity. Get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread out this exercise during the course of a week. Greater amounts of exercise will provide even greater health benefits. But even small amounts of physical activity are helpful. Being active for short periods of time throughout the day can add up to provide health benefits.

Strength training. Do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups at least two times a week. Aim to do a single set of each exercise, using a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 to 15 repetitions.

As you incorporate strength training exercises into your fitness routine, you may notice improvement in your strength over time. As your muscle mass increases, you'll likely be able to lift weight more easily and for longer periods of time. If you keep it up, you can continue to increase your strength, even if you're not in shape when you begin.

 

Beyond all of that, the latest research regarding how beneficial exercise is to the aging brain,

is staggering.

A-Jay

[JackstrawIII]

On 1/4/2024 at 5:24 PM, ol'crickety said:

Do you coast because you're young?

Yes ma’am. 

[Swamp Girl]

Sweet! Enjoy the ride. It's wonderful. 

[ironbjorn]

I had mozzarella sticks for lunch and pizza for dinner yesterday. You could say I'm into fitness..... Fitness cheesey deliciousness into my mouth.

[Dwight Hottle]

I do weight training twice a week to maintain strength to live better & to fish. I supplement that with daily push ups & walking enough to stay limber without burning too many calories. I have difficultly putting on weight because of my past cancer & surgery history so I don't exercise as much as I could. But on the bright side I'll never be fat. Consecutive 8 hour fishing days is tiring at my age so I try to stay in shape to enjoy my fishing time & trips.   

[Swamp Girl]

How old are you, Dwight? I too struggled with consecutive fishing days last year, but I had undiagnosed anemia. I'm hoping I'll fare better in 2024. 

[Dwight Hottle]

@ol'crickety Katie 76 in March.

[Swamp Girl]

@Dwight Hottle: Whoa! You da man!!!

[TnRiver46]

I just ate a massive breakfast at my moms house, I’m so full I couldn’t fight an earthworm 

[Glenn]

My very active, fit, and healthy 87-year-old father-in-law walks an average 5 miles a day (not all at once, but through the course of the day), exercises with light weights, and eats light, healthy meals throughout the day....and enjoys a beer or two every day.

 

The dude has more endurance and energy than me!  

[garroyo130]

Ive had pretty big weight swings the past 3 years. One came as a result of training for a half marathon and then full marathon. Felt great with the half marathon, not so great with full marathon training. Last year it was the result of weight training. Eating anything in sight and lifting HEAVY (for me at least). When I got up to actual heavy weights, fishing was difficult. Oddly, it wasn't the big muscles but the stabilizers. I think everything in moderation is key

[WaskaCrank12]

Thank you @A-Jay for the Mayo Clinic info - good stuff

 

Although I have clicked into my 6th decade, last summer was my first in fishing. As a long time University soccer coach I have kept myself reasonably fit/decent nutrition/hydration (to set a solid example for the student/athletes) - and I continue to focus on having positive fitness/health habits.

With that said I found my shoulders/elbows/wrists could get sore when thowing crankbaits or going out on the water multiple days in a row. I am sure part of this was gear (I was using old/mismatched yard sale rods/reels), part technique (now that I have taken time to watch videos on casting techniques I can see that I was creating some of my own problems) and part of it was I was performing movements my body was not used to/trained for. This winter I am focusing on building strength/mobility/endurance in my upper body to be more well prepared for fishing next spring/summer/fall. I will continue with core and lower body work as well. 

I love to hike/walk but the frozen tundra here in MN makes that challenging in the winter. A few years ago I purchased a Schwinn Airdyne exercise bike (works your lower and upper body) which I have a love/hate relationship with. They say "Do hard/challenging things" - and the Airdyne bike meets that criteria for me.

Good health and positive days ahead for everyone.

[throttleplate]

why are most nurses, at least at my hospitol overweight?

[garroyo130]

5 minutes ago, throttleplate said:

why are most nurses, at least at my hospitol overweight?

 

cant afford the Ozempic? 

[Alex from GA]

I don't exercise much except for some back stuff for 20 minutes a day.  I eat fairly well and walk up and down stairs several times a day.  I can't fish more than 4 or 5 hours at a time; I get tired.

[crypt]

Have lifted weights since I was 12. Got involved with powerlifting at 19. did that till I was 30 when I turned to bodybuilding. competed till I was 42. have never not lifted or been involved with some sort of fitness program as long as I can remember.at 60 now and still squat 315 for reps. ticks the younger guys off at the gym when an "old guy" eats there lunch. still lift 5-6 days a week.still work 10-12 hours a day. staying in shape is way easier to get in when you are younger for sure. a few years back I had prostate cancer and had my prostate removed. Dr. told me to take 6 weeks off but after 2 I  was going nuts and went back. he said the fact that I was in great shape that he gave his blessing. have been a mechanic for 45 years now and I still love what I do. so get moving and keep moving. you'll feel better,trust me. 

[SC53]

70 years old myself.
Walk 2 miles most days and workout with free weights 3-4 a week. 
I was a gym rat for years so lifting/ working out is in my blood. 
I’m not in Ajay shape but I think I’m pretty good at 6’2” and 183.

8 hours standing in a boat is tough for me to do anymore. 5-6 is about my limit these days. I still fish offshore in saltwater a handful of days a year but it usually takes me a day or two to recuperate 😂