[the Kook]

When the original rick kane was home a couple of weeks ago he said:

"you don't need a gym to get in shape.  Do push ups, sit ups and run and you will get in shape.  Or if you really want to get in shape, you can get in a pool and just swim."

[HydroGlide]

My nephew who it should be disclosed played D1 hoops is a workout
animal. He is a strong proponent of powerlifting as a base for
enhancing athletic ability. The theory being thAt developing maximum
strength allows an athlete to recruit strength when performing
athletic moves. In addition he does plyos a d stretching and the
results are phenomenal. He went from not dunking off two feet to
slamming without a running start. He is now able to run a 40 in under
4.8 and throw a baseball 75 yards on the fly. Not sure how it
would translate to surfing but I want to dunk again and throw
fastball like I did when I was 22. At the very least the deadlifts/squat benches
will keep me ready for big waves pzychologically by being jacked up
a bit more.

lift weights and stretch my man - no substitute for slowing the aging process in my book but if you really want motivation, join a league with your nephew (or a league with young guys like him).  i joined a mens lacrosse league in the spring after some guys I coached with kept inviting me in and although the idea was over 35 (I'm pushing 50 and have been away from the game a long long time) it was opened up to over 25 to fill out the roster, so there are some guys who just played college a few years ago and still actively play club - but then some guys who were doing some local clinics/camps would come through who had just played in the NCAA (all american types brought in to teach) that year.  The young guys amazing speed and skill forces you to either bring your game up or leave and playing with 50 yr old guys that still run like horses leaves no excuses for me.  I popped a hamstring trying to get around one of the D-poles early but somehow i was able to heal and return and keep picking up a little of that speed i used to have (at this point I haven't lost a step - I lost the whole damn staircase) and I'm scoring goals and racking up the assists now. I think the lifting and stretching I have done (even if it is one or two days a week) over the years has given me enough of a base to still be able to consider playing a game at this point in my life but its the motivation of trying not to get embarrassed that really works wonders - kind of like when we get one of those swells around here that rejects you on the paddle out - that rejection can push you to a whole new level of surfing determination. Good luck.

[ez_ed]

HG--Impressed that you're still running with the youths. Lacrosse is a tough, physical game so even more impressive.
I actually was recruited to play in an over 18 Summer baseball league this year but traveled to the east coast instead. A local
college guy here saw me long tossing and throwing off the mound and came up to me. I think he was surprised at how old I was(a compliment but also strange to think that I'm "old" since I feel like I should be able to do the same stuff I did 20 years ago-which I can't, of course).
Agreed on the stretching. It has to be major part of any program so as to avoid any pulls/strains/etc.

[macilious]

Some good stuff here...  GR is right "EAT LESS.  EAT BETTER.  MOVE MORE." is the key. 
 
I know people that have had results with P90X, but it is hard to keep it on track for 3 months - 6 days a week at that level of intensity.  So a tip of the cap to Austin and others that have stuck with it.
 
The trainer I have been working with is great b/c he varies the order, tiempo and volume - amoung a couple of different exercises and I have seen some decent strength gains.
 
I am a firm believer in "powerlifting" and I think the deadlift is an amazing exercise.  A good starting point is is "Starting Strength" by Rippetoe.  Pretty simple easy to follow guide of where to start.

[ez_ed]

Squats followed by a mile run with the local HS football team will kick your ass. At least I was able to squat more than the receivers and run faster than the linemen. I can barely walk down the stairs today. Need to stretch.

[rockyveiga]

love the soft hate...

here's my take on p90x and the other one (insanity) since i've completed both:


i'm the kind of guy that can't afford a personal trainer. i dont have the patience to make my own workout routine. so having this program with me helps me a lot, because it has a lot of variety and it actually does work (the same way any kind of well built workout program does)


i still do that at the gym though. put the videos on my iphone and use the gear there. it's so much better to get out of the house.


what i say is this. if your current workout isn;t cutting it for you, try something new, otherwise why spend more money?!?


lastly, i would say that if you really follow their eating plans and give your all to the workouts, you will get amazing results. BUT, i think that it gets too much. i found myself obsessing about it at some point and decided to keep eating the way i do (since it's pretty healthy as it is)


all in all, despite Tony Horton's annoying voice/personality, it's a pretty good program.

[HydroGlide]

HG--Impressed that you're still running with the youths. Lacrosse is a tough, physical game so even more impressive.
I actually was recruited to play in an over 18 Summer baseball league this year but traveled to the east coast instead. A local
college guy here saw me long tossing and throwing off the mound and came up to me. I think he was surprised at how old I was(a compliment but also strange to think that I'm "old" since I feel like I should be able to do the same stuff I did 20 years ago-which I can't, of course).
Agreed on the stretching. It has to be major part of any program so as to avoid any pulls/strains/etc.

thanks I'm actually shocked myself that I'm pulling it off (thought I'd die before i get old - quadrophenia style) but, i guess, you can talk alot of sheet about LI guys and most of it would be true but not knowing lacrosse wouldn't be one of those truisms.


Last I checked its still summer so tie up those cleats and hit up the second half of that summer baseball league

[HydroGlide]

love the soft hate...

here's my take on p90x and the other one (insanity) since i've completed both:


i'm the kind of guy that can't afford a personal trainer. i dont have the patience to make my own workout routine. so having this program with me helps me a lot, because it has a lot of variety and it actually does work (the same way any kind of well built workout program does)


i still do that at the gym though. put the videos on my iphone and use the gear there. it's so much better to get out of the house.


what i say is this. if your current workout isn;t cutting it for you, try something new, otherwise why spend more money?!?


lastly, i would say that if you really follow their eating plans and give your all to the workouts, you will get amazing results. BUT, i think that it gets too much. i found myself obsessing about it at some point and decided to keep eating the way i do (since it's pretty healthy as it is)


all in all, despite Tony Horton's annoying voice/personality, it's a pretty good program.

i don't know this program but what may be a problem is once you have finished shocking your formerly inactive muscles - you have no consistent workout program to mark progress against your base over the long run

[HydroGlide]

Squats followed by a mile run with the local HS football team will kick your ass. At least I was able to squat more than the receivers and run faster than the linemen. I can barely walk down the stairs today. Need to stretch.

ha that will do it - if you join into summer football 2-a-days though, you better tell your family to have the ambulance on call.

[ez_ed]

Squats followed by a mile run with the local HS football team will kick your ass. At least I was able to squat more than the receivers and run faster than the linemen. I can barely walk down the stairs today. Need to stretch.

ha that will do it - if you join into summer football 2-a-days though, you better tell your family to have the ambulance on call.

Too late on the summer baseball. They started in May and end next weekend/playoffs start after, I vowed to myself to never do 2 a days(other than surfing and sex) ever again....
Today did power cleans/deadlifts and opted for a baseball catch with my 5 yr old rather than the plyometric box
jumps with the backs and receivers. Well, I actually DID do one set of 10 jumps on the high box with fried deadlifted-out
legs but it wasn't pretty....
PS-You know I'm coming around to HG's thinking about the P90X. I'm sure it works great but then after you're done, then what?
I like the idea of a program where you shave time/jump higher/lift a heavier weight/etc. to stay motivated.