Do you struggle when exercising?

[Old Hiker]

Gonna bump this, asking a question.

I've been walking 2.5 - 3.5 miles, 4-5 times per week, for over 30 days now. Started with 15 pounds in my backpack, now up to 25-35, depending on if I buy milk and dog food on the way out. I've also incorporated a steepish, 45 step retention pond down and back up 3 times per walk. I've quit using my sticks going up and down, simply to get more exercise into my legs.

I start walking about 8:00 PM, just before the sun goes down. Weather is ALWAYS over 80*, 45-65% humidity. I drink 32 ounces of water or so while walking.

Avg speed is 3.5 mph per GPSr. Remember, this is flat FL !!

It seems to be getting easier, BUT: my legs are always aching. They don't seem to be adjusting for some reason. I'm using the same boots and same type of boots to walk, rotating through 3 pairs to keep the wear down. They are all well-broken in.

Not taking any meds for the aches. Don't see the need right now. Drs tell me no problems with the legs, circulatory system, etc. Of course, everything ELSE is going downhill.

Ideas? Continue to ignore? Push it out more?

[rocketsocks]

Gonna bump this, asking a question.

I've been walking 2.5 - 3.5 miles, 4-5 times per week, for over 30 days now. Started with 15 pounds in my backpack, now up to 25-35, depending on if I buy milk and dog food on the way out. I've also incorporated a steepish, 45 step retention pond down and back up 3 times per walk. I've quit using my sticks going up and down, simply to get more exercise into my legs.

I start walking about 8:00 PM, just before the sun goes down. Weather is ALWAYS over 80*, 45-65% humidity. I drink 32 ounces of water or so while walking.

Avg speed is 3.5 mph per GPSr. Remember, this is flat FL !!

It seems to be getting easier, BUT: my legs are always aching. They don't seem to be adjusting for some reason. I'm using the same boots and same type of boots to walk, rotating through 3 pairs to keep the wear down. They are all well-broken in.

Not taking any meds for the aches. Don't see the need right now. Drs tell me no problems with the legs, circulatory system, etc. Of course, everything ELSE is going downhill.

Ideas? Continue to ignore? Push it out more?

Hmm, maybe a longer period between walks, some proteins after a walk to aid in repair, and plenty of rest for the repair to take place, very important rest is i'm learning...just guessin' here Old Hiker, hell gettin' old. I'm trying to remember back when I first started my regime of walking about 8 years ago, as I recall it was hard at first and my progress slow. One of the things I notice now is that walking allows me transition easier to a hike, with a little extre push/workout before hand like your doing, if I wasn't walking regularly I don't think this transition would be as smooth for me, jm2c hang in there, perhaps it will come. all the best.

[Pedaling Fool]

I never heard of the Tomato Effect, so I opened the link http://health.usnews.com/health-news...-tomato-effect


Exceprts:

"Does physical activity show signs of a tomato effect? You might rightly ask: “What’s a tomato effect?” The tomato effect is a term used to describe a phenomenon whereby highly efficacious therapies are either ignored or rejected. Generally, the reason for this is that the therapies don't seem to make sense in light of popular beliefs or common understandings. A tomato effect, however, can also occur if people simply ignore the evidence available. .... >>>>>>


So the answer to the question “does participation in physical activity show signs of a tomato effect?” seems to be a qualified yes, because we have answered yes the following three issues:

1. Yes, physical activity is an efficacious therapy.

1. Yes, people either ignore or reject physical activity.
2. Yes, people know the benefits of physical activity.
   

The next important question is: How do we overcome the tomato effect toward physical activity? This is a much tougher question and one with no simple answer. One useful approach is through science – science that focuses on the psychology of physical activity and sedentary behavior. This emerging science reveals the complexities of changing people’s attitudes and behaviors toward exercising too little and sitting too much."

[kayak karl]

just today i left my hammer on the roof. sent my helper up to get it. years ago i would of just run up the 40'er, but then years ago i wouldn't of forgot it

[July]

Gonna bump this, asking a question.

I've been walking 2.5 - 3.5 miles, 4-5 times per week, for over 30 days now. Started with 15 pounds in my backpack, now up to 25-35, depending on if I buy milk and dog food on the way out. I've also incorporated a steepish, 45 step retention pond down and back up 3 times per walk. I've quit using my sticks going up and down, simply to get more exercise into my legs.

I start walking about 8:00 PM, just before the sun goes down. Weather is ALWAYS over 80*, 45-65% humidity. I drink 32 ounces of water or so while walking.

Avg speed is 3.5 mph per GPSr. Remember, this is flat FL !!

It seems to be getting easier, BUT: my legs are always aching. They don't seem to be adjusting for some reason. I'm using the same boots and same type of boots to walk, rotating through 3 pairs to keep the wear down. They are all well-broken in.

Not taking any meds for the aches. Don't see the need right now. Drs tell me no problems with the legs, circulatory system, etc. Of course, everything ELSE is going downhill.

Ideas? Continue to ignore? Push it out more?

Old Hiker, what surface are you walking on, trail or road? Hard surfaces ie asphalt/concrete can be very hard on feet/joints. Just asking.

[Pedaling Fool]

This article pretty much says what I believe, that strength training is a foundational exercise and improves everything else one does. I don't think I could have come out of my last bike accident so well without the robust frame developed during my strength training.

Cardio gets a lot of attention when it comes to fitness, but no matter how much you do cardio, the rest of you body will start deteriorating without strength training and you'll start walking around with that typical hump on your back...Not to mention you'll start feeling pains resulting from joints/bones deteriorating.

http://oakbrook.suntimes.com/2014/09...s-performance/


Excerpt:

"It is imperative to understand that physical strength above all else is the single greatest fitness parameter that affects all other fitness markers: power, speed, quickness, conditioning, agility, balance, etc. For example, if I can help a woman who is 60 years old triple her deadlift strength in one year (which I did: this woman can deadlift over her bodyweight for 10 repetitions) while keeping her bodyweight the exact same, do you realize how much more potential she has to be faster, run longer distances, have more balance, have less joint pain (more muscle means less impact on joints during cardiovascular work), have improved posture, and have a more dense skeleton? Improving all of these fitness markers will help her to drastically improve her quality of life.


There is no other fitness parameter that compares to good old-fashioned strength training on basic exercises to improve quality of life. I don’t care if you’re 13 years old, and growing physically, or 75 years old, and retired, – everyone should strength train. And it takes less total time than you may think – the most important factor in strength training progress is not total time spent, but rather intensity. Or, said another way, hard work."

[Kerosene]

Constant pain or general soreness is no fun, at any age. However, overuse can lead to pain even if everything else seems to be in order. Also, as you age, your body needs more time between exertion to recover -- the muscle fibers of a 50-something take about 4 times longer to heal than those for an 18-year old! I've tested this on myself in various ways and believe it to be true, for me at least. When I was 30-something I would work out the same muscle group every other day; now I wait 4 days between weightlifting workouts on a muscle group (including legs, even though my legs are abnormally strong relative to others).

I suggest that you take a few days off from your walks, or perhaps simply drop the weight for a few days. The pounding by itself can put a strain on connective tissue and joints. With your break, start taking 200mg of naproxen sodium (aka, Aleve) twice a day and see if that helps when you return to walking with your backpack in 3-4 days. You don't want to be on the Aleve for more than a few weeks, but see if that helps and it will at least give you a sense for what is going on. You might also start icing your sore muscles/joints after workouts (although if you do you are more disciplined than I am).

On the Trail, you may need to walk fewer miles in a day than those young-uns and take more zero days at the start if you want to finish at some point. Easier said than done, but you do want to finish, don't you?

I will be doing the Rangeley-Katahdin section later this month, bad knees and all. Believe me, I will not be trying to keep up with the NOBOs who have been out on the trail for months, even though I'm a fit 57-year old and just a wee bit competitive!

[Bear Cables]

For what it's worth as a former PE teacher for 35 years with a background kinesiology, I hold to the addage" use it or lose it". At 60 I have been an exerciser since childhood. I have changed what I do for work outs as high impact and over training didn't work for me after a certain age but there Is no reason one can't continue On with low impact and Pilates or yoga. I can hike as well as I could 15 years ago, if not better.it's about keeping one's weight at a healthy number a and being consistent in strength And aerobic training. My routine at 60 is an hour vigorous bike ride 4 days a week with reformer Pilates 2 days. On Sundays I watch football.

[Pedaling Fool]

A kind of interesting article on listening to one's body. In my experience, it takes practice, because in the beginning you're too quick to stop (because you're listening to the body -- much like a slave); however, after you get your groove on, then you don't listen to your body, partly because of the endorphins, but also you get a little too fixated on a particular goal.

I think I've got to the point where I'm pretty good at listening to my body, but I do still ignore it a little too much

P.S. It's true -- Pain is weakness leaving the body.

https://www.yahoo.com/health/what-it...541385058.html

Excerpt:

"Pain is weakness leaving the body.”


Ah, yes, this statement and similar motivational(ish) quotes are go-to stock phrases of drill sargents, tough guys, and, unfortunately, coaches and workout buddies everywhere.

We get it: When it comes to working out, pushing ourselves is a tried and true way to make progress toward fitness goals. But what about when we push too hard in the face of pain, putting ourselves in danger of injury? Hello, rehab! It’s about this time when the physical therapist asks us things like, “Did you feel this coming on?” “When did the problem start?” Their parting advice is often, you guessed it: “Next time, listen to your body.”

It’s all just a jumble of mixed messages. First, do we ignore the pain or push past it? And second, what the heck does “listen to your body” mean anyway? If we actually listened to our bodies, would we ever willingly participate in activities that make us tired, sweaty, and sore in the first place? OK let’s not get carried away.

RELATED: Should Your Workout Crush You?

One thing we know for sure: Exercise is good. Well, the right amount of exercise at the right intensity is good. The challenge is figuring out when enough is enough and when it’s just too much. The good news is that our bodies already know the answer. We just need to train our brains to recognize the signs for when to put the pedal to the metal and when to pump the brakes—and actually do it.

I Saw the Sign (But Did It Open Up My Eyes?)

It’s understandable to think that exercise- or sports-related injuries are just plain bad luck. But freak accidents notwithstanding, there’s a good chance that before that ACL tore or that hammie popped, your body tried to warn you that injury was a-comin’ for you.

It might come as a surprise, but our bodies are incredibly smart. If we take the time to listen to them,”some very serious injuries or conditions could often be avoided,” says Dr. Doug Andrews, PT, director of sports medicine for Optim Healthcare. “When we experience pain, our body is definitely telling us that something is not right. It is up to each person to figure out what the signal means,” Dr. Andrews says.

Think of pain like the “check engine” light in a car. Turning a blind eye to this blinking light will inevitably result in a breakdown, granted the body’s warning signs can be more subtle than a car’s. (If only our knees came with a “Check ACL” light.) But when it comes to preventing small problems from turning into lasting injuries, there are symptoms and signals that act as the first line of defense . Sure, soreness and fatigue accompany many exercise routines, but being able to identify more serious aches and pains is more important than many endorphin-seeking, active folks might think.

Tune In to Common Warning Signs

It’s easier to hear the alarms our bodies are sounding when we know what to listen for. Get familiar with the warning signs of three common conditions that could be compromising performance in the gym or in everyday life.


1. Overtraining

Caused by too many intense workouts and not enough time recovering from them, overtraining feels, well, terrible. If you’ve ever experienced some combo of prolonged periods of fatigue, soreness that won’t go away, insomnia, a cold you can’t seem to kick, and heart rate fluctuations, chances are you’ve been overtrained.


Read More: https://www.yahoo.com/health/what-it...541385058.html

[rocketsocks]

...when I listen to my body, all I hear is Crepitus

[rocketsocks]

but yes, it's that sound I don't hear...the silent killer, like narrowing of the arteries that'll kill ya...stuff like that.