Doing things to challenge yourself

[georgegeorgia]

Now I'm getting old and ready to retire one day I have been doing things to challenge myself 

 

Bored with Pattaya I decided a few days in Manila Philippines 

I heard it was supposed to be dangerous 

So the other night I decided to "patrol" ,walk up and down on the Manila City  LRT which is there SkyTrain from the first station of the line to the end station of the line this was near midnight to closing time 

 

I wanted to challenge myself and place myself in any challenging situations, unfortunately or fortunately 2 nights in a row of "patrolling "Manila's subway at night I only had people either say hello or look away into their phones but it challenged me made me a stronger person 

 

Are you a stagnant old man or achieving challenges?

Place yourself into challenges as you get older instead of doing nothing !

 

Please I would love to hear from you guys who climb mountains ,do very long bike rides ,cycle races long distance, etc 

 

[Hummin]

  On 5/22/2024 at 11:12 AM, georgegeorgia said:

Now I'm getting old and ready to retire one day I have been doing things to challenge myself 

 

Bored with Pattaya I decided a few days in Manila Philippines 

I heard it was supposed to be dangerous 

So the other night I decided to "patrol" ,walk up and down on the Manila City  LRT which is there SkyTrain from the first station of the line to the end station of the line this was near midnight to closing time 

 

I wanted to challenge myself and place myself in any challenging situations, unfortunately or fortunately 2 nights in a row of "patrolling "Manila's subway at night I only had people either say hello or look away into their phones but it challenged me made me a stronger person 

 

Are you a stagnant old man or achieving challenges?

Place yourself into challenges as you get older instead of doing nothing !

 

Please I would love to hear from you guys who climb mountains ,do very long bike rides ,cycle races long distance, etc 

 

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I did all that before I semi retired, now I do what I can to be the best I can against my close ones, and for myself. 

 

Also more dedicated reading international politics, religion and history, as well balanced diet, less alchohol and better technique lifting weights, and not ego lifting. 

 

Work less do more

[stoner]

  On 5/22/2024 at 11:12 AM, georgegeorgia said:

Now I'm getting old and ready to retire one day I have been doing things to challenge myself 

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finally learned to tie your shoes eh. congratulations. 

[JGon]

  On 5/22/2024 at 11:12 AM, georgegeorgia said:

I wanted to challenge myself and place myself in any challenging situations, unfortunately or fortunately 2 nights in a row of "patrolling "Manila's subway at night I only had people either say hello or look away into their phones but it challenged me made me a stronger person 

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What king of challenge are you looking for? There's one rule for fight club and well you know it... we never talk about fight club. Just swing at the first guy you think is going to be a challenge! 

[georgegeorgia]

Look as I walked up & down the Manila's Subway  8 or train  carriages at late night , I was a little in fear ,as many of the late night workers would glance up at their phones as I walked back and forth but the challenge was completed and I did it 

And I felt a sense of achievement, 2 nights in a row all the way from the toughest toughest subway stations to the nicer ones ,I felt great as I swung my keys back and forth as I walked through many looking up at me weirdly 

 

My question still remains please are you challenging yourself whether that be physically, intellectuallly or spiritually?

 

 

[Ralf001]

Min wage moping floors pays a decent chunk !

[georgegeorgia]

  On 5/22/2024 at 12:10 PM, Ralf001 said:

Min wage moping floors pays a decent chunk !

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It does  Ralfy....but is it  challenging,that's the question

❓ and my job is not .I have a boring job mopping floors in a old big hospital 

 

.so as I get older I need to challenge ,take risks ,are you challenging yourself?

Are you taking a different direction sometimes to get out of your comfort zone?

[simon43]

Let me understand this.  You spent the evening strutting up and down the subway train.  The locals must think you're nuts! 🙂

[georgegeorgia]

Yes both Monday & Tuesday nights 

From Taft Avenue station to Roosevelt, although alighted at Abdo Santos considered a rough station only to be greeted by two rough looking tattooed guys who turned out to be plainclothes railway police ,very nice to me

 

Please guys I'm in interested in challenges , comfort zones as you get older 

 

[KhunLA]

For me, this was the ultimate challenge, as I'm petrified of heights, sort of;

... I can't look straight down from a balcony over about 5 stories high,

I actually get dizzy and have to back up.  Looking out, no problem.

... I can position myself out side a plane's door, and look down 1000's of meters, 

holding a rail, with 1 foot on the wheel, and thought that was the coolest 

thing, before jumping off a perfectly good plane

... white rapids, no prob

... swim with 100+ sharks, no cage, no prob

... jump of a ledge tied to a rubber band, and yea, made the mistake of 

looking down before I did it.  Had to force myself to keep eyes open all

the way down, then back up, then down, then up, then down again.  It is

a rubber band ... laughing my A$$ of the whole time.

... for reference, I was a chimney sweep, and going from ladder to roof was 

scary as hell.  Once on the rood, I  could walk to around, any part of it, no prob.

None of it makes sense.

[georgegeorgia]

Is anyone else planning to ride ...and patrol ..the Manila subway at night?

 

Have I perhaps gave you thoughts about this ?

[susanlea]

Learning to do pull ups. Most people can't do them.

[JimTripper]

That was fun when I was younger. As I approach retirement age and am less mobile and my eyesight not as good situations like that become less fun and much more risky.

[richard_smith237]

  On 5/22/2024 at 11:12 AM, georgegeorgia said:

doing things to challenge myself 

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Reading a whole GG opening post... 

 

...   Still not achieved it...     one day..  

[Galong]

I'm retracting my post. I should have known better than to make any comment on this forum. Oh well, live and learn.

[georgegeorgia]

  On 5/26/2024 at 11:57 AM, Galong said:

I'm 68. I started keeping track of my cycling mileage from 60 onward. I'm well over 100,000 km now. I don't do really long rides and I don't go fast. I rarely take a day off. Cycling is my retirement activity, period. 

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How dangerous is that ?

A very big challenge and high risk !

I wouldn't do it , you risk being hit by cars and trucks 

Very big challenge,who would do that ? Anyone ?

[georgegeorgia]

  On 5/26/2024 at 10:31 AM, susanlea said:

Learning to do pull ups. Most people can't do them.

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Push ups is another one 

Anyone here over 60 can do say 25 push ups without stopping ?

[KhunLA]

  On 5/26/2024 at 12:06 PM, georgegeorgia said:

Push ups is another one 

Anyone here over 60 can do say 25 push ups without stopping ?

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Yes, same with chin up/pull ups.  Everyone should at least be able to lift their own weight.

[still kicking]

  On 5/22/2024 at 12:57 PM, simon43 said:

Let me understand this.  You spent the evening strutting up and down the subway train.  The locals must think you're nuts! 🙂

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Think? He is.

[georgegeorgia]

  On 5/26/2024 at 5:01 PM, KhunLA said:

Yes, same with chin up/pull ups.  Everyone should at least be able to lift their own weight.

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I can't do even do 10 pushups ,but I lift weights everyday 

It's a good challenge to start though 

[ChumpChange]

  On 5/26/2024 at 12:06 PM, georgegeorgia said:

Push ups is another one 

Anyone here over 60 can do say 25 push ups without stopping ?

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How pedestrian. This can't be right. You mean as a first set warmup, right?

[GammaGlobulin]

  On 5/26/2024 at 11:31 AM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Reading a whole GG opening post... 

 

...   Still not achieved it...     one day..  

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You might achieve it, if you first challenged yourself to read.

 

I mean...

Speed-Read, of course.

 

Do you recall all those speed-reading scam courses, of yesteryear?

 

Those courses can really mess you up.

Hope you never enrolled in one.

 

(I once enrolled in one, at aged 17, and realized it was a scam from the first class. Fortunately, when they tested us at the end of the course, I intentionally read at half-speed, and thereby got my money back, due to the money-back guarantee that I would double my reading speed.  Not only a scam, but run by idiots, too.)

 

 

[susanlea]

  On 5/26/2024 at 5:01 PM, KhunLA said:

Yes, same with chin up/pull ups.  Everyone should at least be able to lift their own weight.

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Pull ups are hard for people over 50yo or untrained. 

[KhunLA]

  On 5/27/2024 at 1:33 AM, susanlea said:

Pull ups are hard for people over 50yo or untrained. 

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It shouldn't be, and I'm 69 

 

I also only weigh a couple kilos more than when I was 21 yrs old.  Being active and healthy choices helps maintain a fairly healthy strong body.

 

Muscle atrophy ... use it or loose it.   It not rocket science.

[KhunLA]

  On 5/26/2024 at 5:50 PM, georgegeorgia said:

I can't do even do 10 pushups ,but I lift weights everyday 

It's a good challenge to start though 

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Really ... are you bench  pressing at least your body weight, or close to it.

 

Push ups are great, as work a range of muscles (arms chest, shoulders).  Do as many as you can, rest, then do another set after working your legs or whatever.  Keep increasing  the number per set, without tearing anything, and you'll eventually build up those muscles to be able to do 10-25 at a time.   Which will take time, 6 months to a year.   Nothing happens over night.  

[fredwiggy]

  On 5/26/2024 at 12:06 PM, georgegeorgia said:

Push ups is another one 

Anyone here over 60 can do say 25 push ups without stopping ?

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67 and can do over 40.

[fredwiggy]

  On 5/26/2024 at 5:57 PM, ChumpChange said:

How pedestrian. This can't be right. You mean as a first set warmup, right?

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He's actually not that off. If you can do 40 pushups, you're considered fit. This is a first set. Most people aren't workout types and if they haven't taken care of themselves over the years, any kind of training is hard, especially just starting so late.

[fredwiggy]

Putting yourself in harm's way by staying out late walking the streets in cities isn't challenging yourself but looking to end your life. Anyone with a weapon that's looking for money, jewelry or just to hurt someone can end your days here, and they don't need to be a strong, muscular person to do it, as a trigger pull takes only a few pounds and a knife or machete only a swing while you aren't looking. Challenging yourself is taking up new sports or exercises that will help you in the long run. Many do extreme sports because they like the thrill, but some of these are plain dangerous if you fail. Doing anything you have never done before is a challenge, and it doesn't have to endanger your life to improve your outlook.

[KhunLA]

  On 5/26/2024 at 5:57 PM, ChumpChange said:

How pedestrian. This can't be right. You mean as a first set warmup, right?

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I do my 'floor' exercises after my aerobic (stationary bike), as loosens and warms up all the muscles.  Not trying to build muscle, just maintain.  If building, then do weights and push ups/pull up before cardio exercises. 

 

Like warming things up first, so I don't pull / tear any of these older muscles, again, not trying to build any muscle mass.

[ChumpChange]

  On 5/27/2024 at 2:23 AM, fredwiggy said:

He's actually not that off. If you can do 40 pushups, you're considered fit. This is a first set. Most people aren't workout types and if they haven't taken care of themselves over the years, any kind of training is hard, especially just starting so late.

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If somebody can't do 20-30 pushups after the age of 50 or 60 then they are on a slippery slope. Yes, to achieve that, resistance exercise needs to be a regular thing and heart health also plays a role. I normally exercise regularly, and rarely do push ups, but when traveling, without access to equipment, I often do 100 per day in sets of 4. It takes me around 15-20 minutes total to complete, with 3-4 minutes in between sets. Hardly a challenge. 

The idea of this thread is to discuss ways for people to challenge themselves.
 

Walking up and down a subway train late at night in Manila hardly seems like a challenge to me either. Anyone can do that. It wouldn't bother me, but nor does it interest me. Some might be fearful, but anyone can still do it. So it's not really a way to see how strong you are. 
 

Then the push up thing. That shouldn't be viewed as a challenge either. That's an issue of health. If you can't do 20-30 pushups then you shouldn't be thinking about challenges. You should be thinking about what you can do now now to make yourself stronger and increase your chances of longevity. It's also not just a question of muscularity, but cardiovascular fitness. If you can't do those push up maybe you need to see a cardiologist and do an exercise stress test to see if you are at risk of a heart attack. 
 

Challenges to me are things like climbing a mountain, jumping into a cold plunge pool, trying to give up a bad habit, trying to be a better person, trying to do something you have always wanted to do, but have always put off. Who knows. It's up to you. But so far I've seen very few real challenges suggested here.