What's your fitness history?

[karengodsgirlk2]

We seem to be a collection of people with vastly different levels and backgrounds. It might be interesting to share our history and experience here.

I'll start. I'm M/65. I've never been athletic, only occasionally engaged in physical activities in my younger years. In my late 40s I got involved with social dancing (swing/lindy hop/salsa/waltz etc) and was in my best shape ever. Had to stop that after 3-4 years due to injuries (dance injuries are real) and work. I've been doing home dumbbell routine on and off for the last 10 years (currently on) and I'm in better shape than I was at age 45.

OK, your turn

 

[kimmyk401]

@karengodsgirlk2 I was a really bad skinny little football player in high school, but I was a good tennis player. Number one seed on the varsity team.

Joined the Marines at 17 and served 6 years. Later served 2 years in the US Army National Guard Special Forces. I was about 165# and pretty fit at that point.

I fell in love with the Martial Arts in the USMC and trained in Kyokushin Karate, TaeKwonDo and Traditional Jujitsu. During that time I also competed in various knock down, semi-full-contact and points style tournaments.

I have always strength trained all along, with various layoffs during my life. Sometimes being very consistent and other times not working out at all.

I have also always been very active: Rucking, biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, splitting firewood, etc...

In the last few years I have begun to feel my age and have been much more consistent about weight training, despite some recent health issues that have kept me out of the gym including hernia and cancer (skin) operations. I have been very consistent lately though and it is making a big difference in my physique and my lifts.

I'm 62 this year. Currently 5'-11", 210# and about 17% bodyfat.

Currently following a power-building, hypertrophy, high frequency, full body, 5 times per week workout. (That was a mouthful.) My goal is to look like Steve Reeves. (No kidding!) At 62 it will be a challenge, but you have to have goals. I squatted 250# 3x6 this morning and it felt great. Had quite a few reps in reserve, but I'm on a schedule.

 

[jvb]

@karengodsgirlk2 Been training martial arts for 45 years.

Ain't gonna stop till the wheels fall off.

So some point middle of next week probably.

 

[anthony1013]

@karengodsgirlk2 M53. Have been active all my life (running, gym, football,...). Now I have to fight the decline...

 

[ivoryebonykeys]

@karengodsgirlk2 I'm a 55 year old mother of four who was diagnosed with MS at 42. In addition to turning to meds, I completely changed my lifestyle and became a "health nut" to get it under control. All these years later I'm not on any meds anymore and appear to be successfully managing the disease via lifestyle interventions (I don't want to jinx it! Those bad years were horrible) I do a ton of things to attain this but one of them is exercise. 3x/week strength training, 2x week zone 2 cardio (on the low side of moderate), 1x/week HIIT cardio, balance/mobility/flexibility training 6x/week, rest on Sundays. Considering who I am and what I'm dealing with, I look and feel great!

 

[roberto1820]

@karengodsgirlk2 I was pretty active as a kid up through my early 20s. Then around age 23 or so, I injured myself doing karate, got depressed over that and other life events, and stopped exercising completely in order to dedicate myself full-time to professional drinking. I began packing on pounds almost immediately and for the next many years I ranged between 50 to 75 lbs over my ideal weight. Around age 40, I finally realized I was headed down a bad road, so I gave up alcohol completely and slowly started working towards better health, but I was still quite overweight until a couple of years ago. Then I got serious about dropping pounds, because I realized every day it was only going to get harder, and I wanted to be my best self. I dropped about 75 pounds in one year, which in retrospect was a bit too fast, but I've kept most of it off. I have gained back about 15 pounds in the last several months due to work keeping me off my bike. I'm also fighting stage four cancer at the moment, but the prognosis is that I'm going to win that fight. Most of the rest of this year will be taken up with recovering from surgery next week, and chemo after that. In five years it will all be just a blip on the radar. I am not letting it slow me down.

 

[dawn16]

@roberto1820 Wow! I’m so sorry to hear the news, but I wish you luck and a speedy recovery !

You sound like a fighter, and you’re in great shape with an even better attitude, so I’m sure you will overcome! Sending hugs to you and your family!

 

[atlantadad]

@roberto1820 Thinking of you and your strength and endurance in that fight!

 

[roberto1820]

@atlantadad Thank you! Surgery went well and I am already over pretty much all the pain.