Fitness

[The Basket]

I am in a quandary.
What is fitness?
How fit shouId i be?
I don't run marathons or do a physical job so how fit should I be for my age and health? What guide should I use?
I would like a target to aim for which is both challenge and realistic but obviously doesn't include running myself into the ground.

 

[michaelmaltby]

... 90 minutes a week of something that involves your full participation ... i.e. brisk walk, not strolling chatting with a friend.
(Best results achieved by doing this in daily 15 minute segments)

 

[tyrodtom]

I am in a quandary.
What is fitness?
How fit shouId i be?
I don't run marathons or do a physical job so how fit should I be for my age and health? What guide should I use?
I would like a target to aim for which is both challenge and realistic but obviously doesn't include running myself into the ground.

What do you want to be able to do without too much strain ?

I'm 71, retired about 8 years ago but re entered the workforce about a year ago working on a doctors car collection.
Plus I still circle track race in the summer. Driving or working on a race car is more of a athletic feat than most people realize. I started leaving the driving to others a few years ago, but i'm still working on the cars at the track, and at home in the evening.
I still hunt, cut wood, but I've found daily exercise let me do these occasional hard task easier without shocking my system.

I walk 45 mins. to a hour every other day, not on level ground, and work out with light weights on the other days. And found keeping up that habit helps me do the daily task a little easier. It can be hard at first setting aside the time to do this every day, but after the initial getting in shape period past, I now look forward to it. I seems like I do my best thinking when I'm walking.

 

[mikewint]

I can attempt to quantify. Assuming no on going degenerative disease processes causing an infirmity. Then IMHO there are 5 quantifiers:
1. Muscular Strength
This is the "power" that helps you to lift and carry heavy objects. Without muscular strength, your body would be weak and unable to keep up with the demands placed upon it.
To increase strength train with heavy weights, working in the 4 - 6 or 12 - 15 rep ranges. The heavier the weight, the fewer reps you should perform!
2. Muscular Endurance
Endurance is the ability of your muscles to perform contractions for extended periods of time. Rather than just lifting or carrying something for a few seconds, the muscles are used for minutes.
To increase endurance train with light weights, working in the 20 - 25 rep range. Working with lighter weight will train the muscle fibers needed for muscular endurance, and the higher rep range leads to a longer period of exercise.
3. Cardiovascular Endurance
Cardiovascular endurance is your body's ability to keep up with exercise like running, jogging, swimming, cycling, and anything that forces your cardiovascular system (lungs, heart, blood vessels) to work for extended periods of time. The heart and lungs fuel your body with the oxygen needed by your muscles, ensuring that they have the oxygen needed for the work they are doing.
The Cooper Run which is running as far as possible in 12 minutes) is commonly used to assess cardiovascular endurance. Either on a track or treadmill, an average 50+ male should be able to cover 1.0 to 1.25 miles.
4. Flexibility
Flexibility is one of the most important components of physical fitness. Without flexibility, the muscles and joints would grow stiff and movement would be limited. Flexibility training ensures that your body can move through its entire range of motion without pain or stiffness.
To test your flexibility, lean forward and try to touch your toes. Those with good flexibility be able to touch their toes, while those with limited flexibility will not. The sit and reach test (sitting on the floor and reaching toward your toes) is another good way to assess your flexibility. The more flexible you are, the closer you will come to touching your toes and beyond.
5. Body Fat Composition
Body fat composition refers to the amount of fat on your body.
To qualify as fit:
Men must have a body fat composition lower than 17 percent
Women must have a body fat composition lower than 24 percent
The average man tends to have about 18 to 24 percent body fat, while the average woman has 25 to 31 percent body fat.

The simple fact of aging affects all of these and a fit 70yo is not comparable to a fit 20yo. There are physiological changes like diminishing testerone and STH to mention just two that quite simply do not allow your body to respond as it once did.

 

[Gnomey]

Points covered well already. Depends what you want as to what you need to do but a PT would be better st doing that than me.

From a medical point of view it's a total of around 2.5 hours a week of moderate intensity exercise and everyone should be active daily.

NICE Guidelines: Physical activity: brief advice for adults in primary care | Guidance and guidelines | NICE

 

[The Basket]

My view on fitness is the exercise is good for the soul and gets me out the house.
Unless i am working towards a goal, i go gym and enjoy the moment and bimble about.
I did think of entering my sorry carcass in 5km fun run which would give me a target and motivation.

 

[tyrodtom]

You don't say what age you are, but in my case I've found my joints can't take the impact of running. I've had to keep my outdoor exercise to a fairly fast walk, a mile in 15-16 minutes, Or bicycling.

I think I was in my best shape in my early 40s, I was bicycling over a hundred miles most weeks. While at age 20, like a lot of my peers, I drank too much, chased the girls till the early morning hours, and didn't eat well, it took it's toll.

My 40 year old self could have run my 20 year old self into the ground.

 

[mikewint]

5km fun run

Running 5km is NEVER fun, just take a close look at all the faces running at about the 4.5km mark...see anyone laughing?...smiling? or do you see a corpse-like rictus of growing pain? Personally I learned to shoot so I didn't have to run.
Never Run when you can walk...Never Walk when you can stand....Never Stand when you can sit....Never Sit when you can lay down!

 

[tyrodtom]

I tried a 5 Km "fun" run when I was in my best condition in my early 40s.
Most of my daily bicycle rides were 15-20 miles on mountain roads.
A 3 mile run shouldn't be any problem, should it ? So I didn't even practice.

My lungs were up to it, but my legs were not. different range of motion, different muscle use, I guess.

I finished, but I think I got passed by some 10 year old's.

 

[Lucky13]

Bacon!!

 

[Elvis]

I am in a quandary.
What is fitness?
How fit shouId i be?
I don't run marathons or do a physical job so how fit should I be for my age and health? What guide should I use?
I would like a target to aim for which is both challenge and realistic but obviously doesn't include running myself into the ground.

Have your doctor order a blood test and do a physical. If everything checks out and your BP/heart rate is in a good range, you're good to go.


Elvis
P.S. - if you're feeling "old" and want to do something about it, try stretching out every day.
Don't read this as starting some funky routine like yoga or tai chi, just stretch.
Kick your foot up on a chair and see how far you can bend over. Stuff like that.
Don't overdo anything, just go as far as you can. If that's not far, that's ok. Flexibility comes back with time. Slow, easy movements and no "bouncing". That's the key.
Shouldn't demand more than 15-20 minutes of your day. I used to do it in the morning right after I woke up.
If you keep at it, you should feel like a teenager again in a few months.
...really, give it a shot. I bet you'll feel a LOT better.

 

[The Basket]

Sounds a plan.
Unless your doing SAS training I fail to see the point of flogging me guts out.
I have recently developed a sharp pain in my neck making turning my head right quite a thing.
It's not what I would like to have!

 

[Elvis]

When you work on that, just turn your head slowly in each direction, as far as you can, and hold it for a few seconds.
...one way, then the other.
If its just a stiff neck, you should be good in a few minutes.


Elvis