Keep fit & leisure time for the over 70 s

[superal]

OK , too easy to lay back and enjoy your retirement in laid back Thailand and become attached to a bar stool or become a people watcher .  Now in my 70 s I was thinking about some physical work outs and maybe look at going to the gym . Are there any members of TV who belong to and regularly use a gym and if so what do you concentrate on ? is it cardiovascular or resistance weight lifting ? For sure age is just a number and some guys get lucky and retain a reasonable level of fitness and some just give up without taking any care of themselves . A bar / restaurant near me has Europeans drinking from 09 00 am through to 17 00 pm  when the place closes ( Thai restaurant open air ) and has the same faces there every time I go past . Gotta be more to life than that but do not get me wrong , I like a drink as well but not to that extent . I like my tipple after 5 or 6 00 pm  and involves interesting conversations with whoever I may meet . How do you conduct your leisure time ?

Edited July 27, 2017 by superal
wrong forum

[blorg]

Not over 70 myself but I ride a bike and know other over 70s that do the same, 1 septuagenarian in my building thinks nothing of going out and doing a 160km ride. It's low impact exercise... usually, although I have had a couple of high impacts in my time here one from a pickup and another from a scooter so that might be a concern at your age. Swimming is also great and also low impact, with less risk from traffic.

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[BritTim]

Aerobic classes, suitable for most fitness levels, are easy to find in big towns in Thailand. They are a good way of retaining basic fitness, and a great way to meet new people. For those who find a competitive element helps to get them off the couch, golf in Thailand is good exercise (no golf buggy) and excellent fun for many.

[Chou Anou]

I like to walk.  Do you live in Bangkok?  If so, I recommend going to one of the parks pretty close to when they open (5 am), assuming of course you're a morning person.  That way, you're guaranteed the coolest weather that particular day has to offer.  And if you've never gone to one that early, you'll be amazed at how many people go to exercise at that hour, Thai (mostly) and farang alike.  My favorite is Benjasiri, on Sukhumvit near Emporium Mall, but there are many others.  The length around Benjasiri is 800m; I find that 5 laps walking at a brisk pace is a nice start to the day.  There's also a (VERY basic) weight lifting area, and a few machines, if that's more your thing, and there are often Tai Chi or Aerobics classes you can join  Everyone's very friendly and helpful too, especially if you become a regular.  Here are the distances around some of the other parks:

https://faranginbangkok.com/2014/12/04/the-size-of-bangkok-parks/

 

Santhiphap (on Soi Rangnam), not on the above list, is also nice, if you're in that area (Victory Monument).

[tonray]

Parks are great. Lumpinee is good during the  week as it is very quiet and has equipment outside but also a gym inside AC I think 40 baht per year but must register and must wear long pants.

 

Also after 5 until dark...masses of people doing areobics, running, walking you name it...I love going there to walk and people watch then.

[gk10002000]

Light to moderate resistance or weight training has been shown to be of great benefit.  It keeps the muscles in tone, the weight and stress helps the body try to respond by building or at least maintaining bone calcium.  And then some good long walks or aerobics are great for the body and mind.  Taking long strolls and just looking around.

[Ruffian Dick]

That's right, your muscles sort of "go away" as you get older unless you're encouraging them to stick around. And you still need them. A light routine on the machines is all you need for that, and of course a mile walk every day.

 

(And this thread is in the wrong place...)

Edited July 27, 2017 by Ruffian Dick

[gk10002000]

My mummy is 88 and going strong.  We got good genes in our family apparently.  Great aunts and uncles and yaiya all lived into their late 80s.  I have watched my mom age she still has not yet reached what I would call being frail.  Still walks up and down the stairs, walks with no issues, no knee or hop replacements.  Goes to the "weight" machines once a week on the doctor's orders.  I think she likes just getting out more than the machines.  She doesn't work up a sweat or anything much like that, but it is good for her mobility.

[Maestro]

This is off-topic in the Visa forum. Moving it to General topics.

[jeab1980]

I either go for a bike ride nothing special not fast just a ride out. Or i go out into garden and do a couple of hrs weeding digging ect.

Also have a cheap but very good home gym type afair works with bungie type cords for my legs and arms.

Swimming i love but its to much hassle driving there.

Jogging big no no for me. 

With a mixture of the above i stay as fit and active as i want to be at my time of life

 

[Pilotman]

I am 70 in 3 months  time.  My fitness regime is quite simple,  5 X 40 mins of cardio exercise on cross trainer, a week,   maintaining at least 80% of Max heart rate.  It's been my regime since I left the Military 26 years ago and it works for me.  I take the view that 40 mins is a small amount of time in the day to ensure I stay fit and hopefully healthy.  

[dotpoom]

"become attached to a bar stool or become a people watcher"

     I don't drink now but would consider myself a people watcher (or should I say a people judger)?

[jeab1980]

6 minutes ago, dotpoom said:

"become attached to a bar stool or become a people watcher"

     I don't drink now but would consider myself a people watcher (or should I say a people judger)?

Great quote people judger.

Sit and judge people you have never met lol. 

Nothing more needs to be said falang summed up in one quote classic 

 

Edited July 28, 2017 by jeab1980

[holymoly]

Well, I am over 80 and do a 2.5 km walk very early to Foodland for Breakie. In the afternoon I go to the SAT gym for light to middle workout on about 20 different machines, depends how I feel. I figure lots of exers are good. Main point YOU got to own your exers, do it the way you feel that day, responsible to your self. Then it is fun. I am in great shape and I'll stay that way for many years

BTW I don't talk about age - too many negatives connected with the idea of aging........rather talk about exers.......

 

So friend, I hope you find something you begin to like and lead a healthy life, because life is what you make it.

[Pinot]

I walk 4km a day and swim a mile in the pool at 67. I've been doing it since I got here at 59. It's got to be part of your routine. 

 

"Exercise in the morning, before your brain figures out what you're doing"

[superal]

10 hours ago, Chou Anou said:

I like to walk.  Do you live in Bangkok?  If so, I recommend going to one of the parks pretty close to when they open (5 am), assuming of course you're a morning person.  That way, you're guaranteed the coolest weather that particular day has to offer.  And if you've never gone to one that early, you'll be amazed at how many people go to exercise at that hour, Thai (mostly) and farang alike.  My favorite is Benjasiri, on Sukhumvit near Emporium Mall, but there are many others.  The length around Benjasiri is 800m; I find that 5 laps walking at a brisk pace is a nice start to the day.  There's also a (VERY basic) weight lifting area, and a few machines, if that's more your thing, and there are often Tai Chi or Aerobics classes you can join  Everyone's very friendly and helpful too, especially if you become a regular.  Here are the distances around some of the other parks:

https://faranginbangkok.com/2014/12/04/the-size-of-bangkok-parks/

 

Santhiphap (on Soi Rangnam), not on the above list, is also nice, if you're in that area (Victory Monument).

Sounds really good , unfortunately I am not in Bangkok but up in Issan near Surin with limited facilities but I do get out for 18 holes of golf a couple of times a week which is a start I guess .We have a well equipped gym near me but I am a bit apprehensive as I have never used one to any real extent and there is no instructor there . I might hang around there to see if any falangs turn up to give me advice . I used to enjoy brisk walking to an hotel with a pool , swim an hour then walk back but the soi dogs gave me too many problems .  

[Pilotman]

2 minutes ago, superal said:

Sounds really good , unfortunately I am not in Bangkok but up in Issan near Surin with limited facilities but I do get out for 18 holes of golf a couple of times a week which is a start I guess .We have a well equipped gym near me but I am a bit apprehensive as I have never used one to any real extent and there is no instructor there . I might hang around there to see if any falangs turn up to give me advice . I used to enjoy brisk walking to an hotel with a pool , swim an hour then walk back but the soi dogs gave me too many problems .  

Golf is great but please don't  be afraid or concerned about the gym. The great thing about gym machines is that they are controlled by you, so as long as you don't try to outdo yourself. a very gentle start to using them is not only possible, its how the machines are designed to work  I find all gym people are very welcoming so give it a go. 

[superal]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

I am 70 in 3 months  time.  My fitness regime is quite simple,  5 X 40 mins of cardio exercise on cross trainer, a week,   maintaining at least 80% of Max heart rate.  It's been my regime since I left the Military 26 years ago and it works for me.  I take the view that 40 mins is a small amount of time in the day to ensure I stay fit and hopefully healthy.  

I  am impressed and jealous at your level of fitness . Are you self taught with your exercise routine or did you follow instructors plan ? 

[superal]

6 hours ago, Maestro said:

This is off-topic in the Visa forum. Moving it to General topics.

My apologies , tried to edit & move but unsuccessful I guess .

[superal]

1 hour ago, jeab1980 said:

I either go for a bike ride nothing special not fast just a ride out. Or i go out into garden and do a couple of hrs weeding digging ect.

Also have a cheap but very good home gym type afair works with bungie type cords for my legs and arms.

Swimming i love but its to much hassle driving there.

Jogging big no no for me. 

With a mixture of the above i stay as fit and active as i want to be at my time of life

 

I hear that jogging can also be bad for your joints especially when you get older 

[Chou Anou]

10 minutes ago, superal said:

Sounds really good , unfortunately I am not in Bangkok but up in Issan near Surin with limited facilities but I do get out for 18 holes of golf a couple of times a week which is a start I guess .We have a well equipped gym near me but I am a bit apprehensive as I have never used one to any real extent and there is no instructor there . I might hang around there to see if any falangs turn up to give me advice . I used to enjoy brisk walking to an hotel with a pool , swim an hour then walk back but the soi dogs gave me too many problems .  

Ah yes, I lived in rural Ayuthaya for six months a while back, the dogs were a real impediment to walking...too bad, I loved those long, straight roads through the rice fields, with not too much traffic...

[superal]

40 minutes ago, holymoly said:

Well, I am over 80 and do a 2.5 km walk very early to Foodland for Breakie. In the afternoon I go to the SAT gym for light to middle workout on about 20 different machines, depends how I feel. I figure lots of exers are good. Main point YOU got to own your exers, do it the way you feel that day, responsible to your self. Then it is fun. I am in great shape and I'll stay that way for many years

BTW I don't talk about age - too many negatives connected with the idea of aging........rather talk about exers.......

 

So friend, I hope you find something you begin to like and lead a healthy life, because life is what you make it.

Great story , you must be proud of yourself 

[superal]

29 minutes ago, Pinot said:

I walk 4km a day and swim a mile in the pool at 67. I've been doing it since I got here at 59. It's got to be part of your routine. 

 

"Exercise in the morning, before your brain figures out what you're doing"

Ha ha , good idea but do you exercise before you eat breakfast ?

[SpokaneAl]

I hear that jogging can also be bad for your joints especially when you get older 

 

Studies are showing that running and other high impact sports are actually good for one's joints. I've got 40+ years of distance running in these old bones with no problems yet. I just returned from my weekly speed workout on the track and will do the other three runs per week on blacktop surfaces. I also ride and swim four times each week. 66, almost 67 years old.

 

 

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[Pilotman]

Just now, superal said:

I  am impressed and jealous at your level of fitness . Are you self taught with your exercise routine or did you follow instructors plan ? 

I guess it came from the Military days.  It was always part of my professional life to exercise, so I just carried it on.. The 5 x 40 mins  came from the Army PT Instructors many years ago, as a bench mark for maintaining overall fitness.  I don't know how much science there was to the numbers, but it seems to work.  I tend to work on making 200 mins cardio per week, so its  5 x 40 mins, or if I feel a bit demotivated one day, I may just do 30 mins and pick up the 'lost '10 mins  later by exercising 6 days and not 5.  I know its largely semantics, as 10 mins lost in a week  is hardly a disaster,  but Its all about playing mind games with yourself I guess.   

[lelapin]

I am 76. After having had 7 stents inserted last year the doctor said I needed to exercise more in spite of golfing 3 times a week (with a cart).

 I set myself  target of 10 hours a month walking (I count a round of golf - only 2 a week now - as 30 minutes) and keep a record of each day on my computer. Sometimes if I have been a little lax I have to work harder towards the end of the month to make up my time.  At this age it is easy to find excuses  to miss some days and I find by keeping records and having a target I am more disciplined.

Edited July 28, 2017 by lelapin

[Juan B Tong]

Stretch. 50 crunches, 50 push-ups (modified partially to floor) every other day walk 60-80 min. depending on the route, other day swim breast stroke 30min.freestyle now 10 min and increasing. Soon 71.

 

[robblok]

Far younger, but turned into a fat slob here in Thailand.. at some point i realized that that was not who i wanted to be. Changed my diet (always exercised but you can't out train a bad diet). Lost 25kg in a year kept it off.

 

Currently (what I do varies through the year I always lift weights but the cardio sometimes gets neglected)  i start the day with 25 minutes on a cross trainer (aim for 7 days a week) and lift weight heavy compound exercises 4 times a week for an hour. Its a lot.. but at times I got new goals and to reach them one has to go a bit more extreme. I never get really bored with the lifting of weights / fitness but the cardio usually drives me nuts after a while. So far so good.

 

I bought all the equipment i needed years ago (still buy some new stuff once in a while) because there were no gyms here. I now got a fully stocked home gym with loads of weight and a few machines. 

[superal]

1 hour ago, SpokaneAl said:

 

Studies are showing that running and other high impact sports are actually good for one's joints. I've got 40+ years of distance running in these old bones with no problems yet. I just returned from my weekly speed workout on the track and will do the other three runs per week on blacktop surfaces. I also ride and swim four times each week. 66, almost 67 years old.

 

 

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Do you think that if you are slim there is less impact on your joints as opposed to a newbie who may be overweight ?

[superal]

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

I guess it came from the Military days.  It was always part of my professional life to exercise, so I just carried it on.. The 5 x 40 mins  came from the Army PT Instructors many years ago, as a bench mark for maintaining overall fitness.  I don't know how much science there was to the numbers, but it seems to work.  I tend to work on making 200 mins cardio per week, so its  5 x 40 mins, or if I feel a bit demotivated one day, I may just do 30 mins and pick up the 'lost '10 mins  later by exercising 6 days and not 5.  I know its largely semantics, as 10 mins lost in a week  is hardly a disaster,  but Its all about playing mind games with yourself I guess.   

Impressive but I think not attainable for a newbie aged 70 . BTW what distance do you cover in the 40 minutes and is it on the flat or hilly ?  I have read that a steady jog of 3 or 4 minutes  then open up to a sprint , or what ever you are capable of , to make you really puff & pant and back to a steady jog , over 20 minutes twice a week should suffice . The UK medics also spoke of " high intensive training " where 3 minutes 2 times a week of flat out running is enough for cardiovascular exercise . Have you heard of that ?