Leg press?

[rtimgray]

I will be 55 this year and have been working out with weights since I was 20 years old. I currently have all my equipment in my basement but it has taken a few years to assemble what I needed.

This is the type of leg press I have:

PowerLine Vertical Leg Press | FitnessZone


It works well and is about the cheapest you can buy. I am right at 6' and I think it would work for someone 6'3" One thing you could do as Forgeblast stated is work legs without a machine. One of the best exercises for legs is the lunge, standing one leg at a time or walking lunge. It will also get you heart to pumping.

This is one thing I am fairly knowledgeable on; fitness with weights. Don't forget to do cardio as the heart is the most important muscle you need to work.

Many times people think because they live in the rural countryside and work outside in the yard or garden that they are getting enough cardio and exercise. It is good exercise but you need at least 20 minutes of no stop cardio to get the best benefit.

Combining cardio and resistance training is the best way to get in shape, diet is also very important. Diet is a word that should not be used, I always say eating healthy; 40% protein, 30% good cards, 20 % fat at each meal. I usually eat 6 times a day spaced out from 7:00am to 9:00pm. Sometimes a meal or snack is an apple and a couple of peanut butter and whole wheat crackers (home made not pre packaged).

People at work always ask me what exercise they can do to lose weight or tone their arms, etc. They are always going on some crazy diet or something. I have got tired of telling them what to do and now just say unless you are ready to commit to a healthy lifestyle nothing I say is going to make a difference. They usually say they don't have time, but I always ask them how much time did you spend watching TV last night. The answer is usually 3-4 hours. You can set aside 30 minutes for exercise. It may extend your life or at least if you live to 85+ you may still be able to walk around and do everyday task.

I will get off the soap box now. I can offer more advise but I learned a long time ago don't offer unless asked.

In my opinion, this is some of the best fitness advice that I've read in a long time. As near as I can tell, there is no one perfect workout or "diet" for everybody, because you have to discover what works for you. I think you've hit the nail on the head with the comments regarding eating right and cardio. I am far from an expert, but I think moderation in eating and exercise would go a long way in curing a lot of ills.

Today, I work with many different people, and many of them have different philosophies on exercise. There is a young man that is built like the incredible hulk, but we discovered when we were working out together that while he can bench press 400 lbs, he can't run across a gym floor without stopping to catch his breath. Likewise, there's a slender young lady that runs half-marathons but can't pick up a box of copier paper (no upper body strength). These folks are both "in shape" in accordance to their own fitness goals (one likes to pick up heavy things and one likes to run a long time), so that is good. But in my opinion, and my opinion only, I think they should both do a little more cross training to be a little more "well rounded".

We do a fitness class here at my work a few times a week (pretty simple stuff - we rotate DVDs like some of the Jillian Michaels ones, some Beachbody ones, etc). and it's really amazing (to me) how just doing 30 minutes of exercise 2 or 3 times per week can improve your overall well-being. I think exercise, combined with eating right, can be some of the best time you invest in yourself.

I'll pass the soap box to someone else.

Good luck and take care.

 

[Brant]

My advice is to skip the leg press and get a barbell, some weight, and a squat rack. Far more versatile and will build real, functional strength. Throw in some light cardio and good diet (low sugar) and you will likely be in the best of shape of your life within a year.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

Green Power

The only difference in this type of leg press would be the amount of weight you could put on it, space needed, and cost. The sled type legs press could handle a lot more weight; it is more ridged/safer with excess weight, cost more and takes up more space.

If you want to really work your legs nothing beats the old fashion squat for an excellent leg workout combined with two other leg exercises being leg curls, extensions, lunge, or stiff leg dead lift.

Using weights like barbell/dumbbells is in most cases superior to any machine. This is not saying machine are no good just that machines limit your range of motion. Machines set the path and you follow with the movement. Free weights force the body to balance the weight during the movement thereby forcing other muscles to become involved giving you a much better workout. However machines are safer to use.

If you want to use free weights look at some type of power rack or smith machine with a separate bench. They have these racks with different attachments so you could get a full body workout with a combination of free weights and the safety of a machine.

Cardio, bike, walk, hike, just move.

 

[hunterridgefarm]

There are fad diets everywhere. I have had several people at work start these to lose a few pounds and just think they are the greatest thing. I had one guy who was on the no-carb diet. One day I saw him eat a block of Swiss cheese for lunch. He really lost the weight but he made the mistake of asking my opinion. I simply ask him if he was going to eat this way the rest of his life. The same with others at work and their money racket diets, I always ask, are you going to eat this way the rest of your life?

I tell them would it not be easier to eat a balanced healthy meal? Put down the chips, stop with the super-sized value meals, microwave burritos, a stop with the sugar.

Sugar is like a drug; the more you eat the more your body craves the same with junk food, value meals etc. Eating healthy does not mean you have to give up the double cheese burger, the bacon, the cakes, chips, cookies, pizza, etc. It means you limit the intake of these.

I challenge them with: eat healthy for two weeks then once a week eat your junk meal, whatever you want as much as you want. Then the next meal start back eating healthy and once a week you can have your junk meal. After a month it is ok to have a handful of chips or a desert with a meal, but NOT every meal.

I explain it to them like this. When you go on the diet your body responds for the first 2-3 weeks. Then you don't lose the weight as fast. That's because your body goes into survival mode. It starts slowing the metabolism because it is not getting all the excess calories it was accustom to. It is trying to conserve what it has left. That's when you shock it by eating that one bad meal a week. The body suddenly thinks it is getting its excess calories/fat to store so it starts speeding back up its metabolism.

Take your plate and divide it into four sections. Two sections should be veggies, one section meat, and one section bread/grain if you need bread, if not fruit or small desert.

If I want chips with a sandwich I open the bag get a small handful then close the bag and put it up. I don't eat half a bag

I have more but will stop here.

 

[Green Power]

Thanks for all the advice fellows.

rtimgray- I agree that what works for someone doesnt always work for someone else. I also agree on being well rounded. I can pick up a 80 pound sack of concrete with ease, and can bike 3 miles to school over a big hill, but i struggle with running a half mile without slowing down and walking. I need to work on that.

Brant- I agree on minimal if not no sugar, its just so hard.

hunterridgefarm- I bike fairly often 6 miles a day to and from school if i bike to school. and usually 2-3 miles when i take my dog on runs. I Hike and snowshoe occasionally but should do more. I agree on Fad Diets its just not right. I need to work on eating better meals though, I'm sure i eat too much bread. I like your idea of shocking the body.

 

[adirondackmtnman]

Thanks for all the advice fellows.

rtimgray- I agree that what works for someone doesnt always work for someone else. I also agree on being well rounded. I can pick up a 80 pound sack of concrete with ease, and can bike 3 miles to school over a big hill, but i struggle with running a half mile without slowing down and walking. I need to work on that.

Brant- I agree on minimal if not no sugar, its just so hard.

hunterridgefarm- I bike fairly often 6 miles a day to and from school if i bike to school. and usually 2-3 miles when i take my dog on runs. I Hike and snowshoe occasionally but should do more. I agree on Fad Diets its just not right. I need to work on eating better meals though, I'm sure i eat too much bread. I like your idea of shocking the body.

Simply put, dieters diet and exercise, athletes eat and train. The best the rest of us can do is fall somewhere in the middle and find a good status quo...

Sent from my LGL35G using TractorByNet

 

[Green Power]

Well in my effort to be well rounded i built a forearm machine to work my forearms. I used a piece of 1" round lumber that i drilled a 3/8" hole in the center of. some 5/16" or 3/8" rope (it was laying in the garage) and then tied it to a gallon milk jug with water. It works great and all the materials were laying around, and you can easily adjust the weight in it.

 

[coffeeman]

I will be 55 this year and have been working out with weights since I was 20 years old. I currently have all my equipment in my basement but it has taken a few years to assemble what I needed.

This is the type of leg press I have:

PowerLine Vertical Leg Press | FitnessZone



Combining cardio and resistance training is the best way to get in shape, diet is also very important. Diet is a word that should not be used, I always say eating healthy; 40% protein, 30% good cards, 20 % fat at each meal. I usually eat 6 times a day spaced out from 7:00am to 9:00pm. Sometimes a meal or snack is an apple and a couple of peanut butter and whole wheat crackers (home made not pre packaged).

People at work always ask me what exercise they can do to lose weight or tone their arms, etc. They are always going on some crazy diet or something. I have got tired of telling them what to do and now just say unless you are ready to commit to a healthy lifestyle nothing I say is going to make a difference. They usually say they don't have time, but I always ask them how much time did you spend watching TV last night. The answer is usually 3-4 hours. You can set aside 30 minutes for exercise. It may extend your life or at least if you live to 85+ you may still be able to walk around and do everyday task.

I will get off the soap box now. I can offer more advise but I learned a long time ago don't offer unless asked.

Feb 2013 I got out of hospital on oxygen, in wheelchair. and on kidney dialysis . Weighed 140 lbs. In 2012 I spent i yr in hospital, less 3 weeks, I had transplant, 2 lung operations and forced on dialysis. During hospital stay i was down to 127 lbs on a feeding tube, at my worst. As far as I was concerned, I was toast. Never had much use for gym or exercise , as I was very active. Im 69 yrs old. I was so under conditioned that I needed help to get to bathroom and I had seat in shower in order shave and shower. Now today I cut grass. I can hoist a 5 gal can fuel onto tractor and dump it in. So.. how did I come back healthy and why am I posting? I believe every hr spent in gym returns time spent by saving time in every day life. It's a net gain. I want to tell a little of my story hoping it might spark others. Extending life is benefit. In addition, I believe being fit you can limit pain when struck by an illness. Your better equipped to deal with it. It's like pain insurance.

You are on the money, exercise will extend life. 30 minutes a day is good start, I like 3 days week. What happens during sickness priorities change. Extended life is bonus. Real benefit is being able to turn around easily and look for traffic while driving or hoist that diesel can. I can name a 100 things like that.

Out of hospital I was really under conditioned. I made my trip 3 days a week to be on dialysis machine. If you don't know anything about this dialysis, consider yourself lucky. You probably have no friends or family that needs such machine. I stayed as active as I could. I had good family support.

Somehow I was blessed and , after 11 months, I was able to get off kidney machine. I spent 6 months home and doing my best to gain strength. It was not easy. I got away from home as much as I could tolerate. In October of 2013 I was strong enough to join gym join gym.

I started on 4 machines and treadmill. I had to strain to lift 20 lbs. on machine weight adjustment. That's the minimum. I persisted at least 3 days a week. I bought my grandson, for Christmas, a membership at my gym . He was reluctant, at first, to go. I told him I needed company, "join me" i'd say. He likes weights instead of machines. That didn't matter to me, he was going to gym. He's graduating high school this year. Now he's really into fitness and he lost 25 pounds, making him look a lot better. He was a little heavy . The fact that he is really into this is a big benefit to me. I kinda tricked him into it. He doesn't even look at his iPhone while working out. He does listen to his music. He is now "hanging" with a couple of friends that are into fitness. A benefit , in my opinion.

Today, after 8 months, I am working out on 10 different machines. It takes me about 2 hours to do my routine. My kidneys are working at 36% as per last blood test. My lungs are still compromised. But, I feel much better breathing. I use oxygen very little. Sometime I need at 4 or 5 AM in morning. According to blood tests my liver in in good shape. My transplant was liver. As long as nothing stupid happens, you can find me at the gym.

I realize exercise is not a cure all. Some folks just aren't able to do. Family feels bad when patient will refuse to eat, move or listen to what makes sense. I've been there. I wouldn't eat. It just wasn't able to. I didn't want to even try and get out of bed. Sometime I didn't want hospital rehab. I wanted to get better, but iI couldn't that day. But, with family and good nurses, I was mended enough to go home. I took a year of persistence from good nurses. Nurses were as important as my transplant doctor.was. I was lucky to come around. We have to understand sick person. They will get on track if they can.

Sorry for long boring story...... Coffeeman

 

[Green Power]

Coffeeman That was a great story. Do you bike at all?

The Leg press idea got put off... but on Wednesday i bought a new mountain bike and have done 17 miles since i bought it! 6 of those miles were today.

 

[94BULLITT]

Feb 2013 I got out of hospital on oxygen, in wheelchair. and on kidney dialysis . Weighed 140 lbs. In 2012 I spent i yr in hospital, less 3 weeks, I had transplant, 2 lung operations and forced on dialysis. During hospital stay i was down to 127 lbs on a feeding tube, at my worst. As far as I was concerned, I was toast. Never had much use for gym or exercise , as I was very active. Im 69 yrs old. I was so under conditioned that I needed help to get to bathroom and I had seat in shower in order shave and shower. Now today I cut grass. I can hoist a 5 gal can fuel onto tractor and dump it in. So.. how did I come back healthy and why am I posting? I believe every hr spent in gym returns time spent by saving time in every day life. It's a net gain. I want to tell a little of my story hoping it might spark others. Extending life is benefit. In addition, I believe being fit you can limit pain when struck by an illness. Your better equipped to deal with it. It's like pain insurance.

You are on the money, exercise will extend life. 30 minutes a day is good start, I like 3 days week. What happens during sickness priorities change. Extended life is bonus. Real benefit is being able to turn around easily and look for traffic while driving or hoist that diesel can. I can name a 100 things like that.

Out of hospital I was really under conditioned. I made my trip 3 days a week to be on dialysis machine. If you don't know anything about this dialysis, consider yourself lucky. You probably have no friends or family that needs such machine. I stayed as active as I could. I had good family support.

Somehow I was blessed and , after 11 months, I was able to get off kidney machine. I spent 6 months home and doing my best to gain strength. It was not easy. I got away from home as much as I could tolerate. In October of 2013 I was strong enough to join gym join gym.

I started on 4 machines and treadmill. I had to strain to lift 20 lbs. on machine weight adjustment. That's the minimum. I persisted at least 3 days a week. I bought my grandson, for Christmas, a membership at my gym . He was reluctant, at first, to go. I told him I needed company, "join me" i'd say. He likes weights instead of machines. That didn't matter to me, he was going to gym. He's graduating high school this year. Now he's really into fitness and he lost 25 pounds, making him look a lot better. He was a little heavy . The fact that he is really into this is a big benefit to me. I kinda tricked him into it. He doesn't even look at his iPhone while working out. He does listen to his music. He is now "hanging" with a couple of friends that are into fitness. A benefit , in my opinion.

Today, after 8 months, I am working out on 10 different machines. It takes me about 2 hours to do my routine. My kidneys are working at 36% as per last blood test. My lungs are still compromised. But, I feel much better breathing. I use oxygen very little. Sometime I need at 4 or 5 AM in morning. According to blood tests my liver in in good shape. My transplant was liver. As long as nothing stupid happens, you can find me at the gym.

I realize exercise is not a cure all. Some folks just aren't able to do. Family feels bad when patient will refuse to eat, move or listen to what makes sense. I've been there. I wouldn't eat. It just wasn't able to. I didn't want to even try and get out of bed. Sometime I didn't want hospital rehab. I wanted to get better, but iI couldn't that day. But, with family and good nurses, I was mended enough to go home. I took a year of persistence from good nurses. Nurses were as important as my transplant doctor.was. I was lucky to come around. We have to understand sick person. They will get on track if they can.

Sorry for long boring story...... Coffeeman

I'm glad you are doing better. Most people would have gave up. You have a lot of will power.

Coffeeman That was a great story. Do you bike at all?

The Leg press idea got put off... but on Wednesday i bought a new mountain bike and have done 17 miles since i bought it! 6 of those miles were today.

Do you use a bike computer to track your mileage?