Rickety, another "old fogey" here, suggested I do a journal to let folks see that even out-of-shape old farts like us can make improvements and do some cool stuff. I doubt I'll post here every day, but maybe once a week or so with updates on my performance and such.
At 35, I don't really think of my self as old, but being around all these kids who can, literally, run circles around me sure makes me feel like a geezer.
Vital stats:
Weight: 244 lbs (down from 258)
Body Fat: 33% (lean weight 163 lbs.)
BP: 137/80 (down from 154/90)
Resting heart rate: 62 (down from 84)
Benchmark performance:
max broad jump: 6' 2"
max high jump 1' 10"
1 mile run: 8:52
max situps, 1 min: 35
max pushups, 1 min: 42
pullups: 0
Weaknesses / Problems:
I am overweight, obviously, and my goal is to get down to about 212 lbs with 20% body fat. I can't do a single pull up. They have always been the bane of my existance. So, pullups are now what I try to work on a lot using the "greasing the groove" method I read about somewhere here. I have a torn ACL held in place with screws, and I'm asthmatic. I never thought I could run worth a damn, but, though this site, I've discovered the Pose method and it gives me hope.
Workout
I have about 45 minutes a day for exercise in the morning. I do some other odds and ends in the afternoon and night. My routine starts with kung fu stances, followed by handstands and pull-up-type work. I do a bit more warmup with jumping rope for about 5 minutes, then I do about 30 minutes of a mix of things: walking, pose method drills (I'm not up to running with it yet), parkour practice (some balance, easy vaults, and rolls at this point), kung fu forms, and other exercise. Depends on what I feel like doing. Then I finish with ab and back exercises, and lastly, walking the Pa Kua circle (a kung fu thing.)
Also, from learning about pose method and where studying it took me on the 'net, I do almost everything barefoot.
There is a shopping center behind my house where I do something of a "parkour circuit." There is a receiving bay where I can do various vaults and drops at variable heights, grassy areas to practice rolls, rails to balance on, posts to balance and do dips from, and a set of stairs to do various things with.
Yesterday, I performed my first completely unsuported handstand (albeit for about 2 seconds). I also began seriously practicing breakfall rolls, and worked up to doing them smoothly from a running jump on grass.
