Old guys maxing out...

[zen cohen]

I just turned 49 and have been back into fitness for the last year after a long layoff. In my 30's I had little worry pushing my limits as long and hard as I could stand it. But nowadays, even though I had a treadmill stress test couple yrs ago that showed normal, I feel more mortal, and when I push I feel a little more hesitant to squeeze every last bit of effort.

I'm very impressed with some of the times I've seen for guys 50 and up. To reach those times (eg, a sub- or low-7-min 2k) must have most of you pushing it to the max.

How do you middle-age and older guys (and women) feel about pushing your efforts to the max?

[DUThomas]

How do you middle-age and older guys (and women) feel about pushing your efforts to the max?

It hurts!

More seriously, I'm only 42 (a mere whippersnapper!), but, like you, I hadn't engaged in regular, vigorous exercise for a while before going on an exercise kick for the past year. So I started and progressed slowly, took comfort in a normal resting EKG, and was satisfied after some research on the ever-reliable Internet that the odds of dying during vigorous exercise are actually extremely low, especially if you're in good shape.

Cheers!

[jamesg]

I tried to get Max to do the work for me, but he wasn't having it. So I just get on and do what I've decided to do.

[Snail Space]

Until 12 months ago I hadn't exercised beyond a short, gentle stroll for over 15 years. I used to get tired and breathless just kicking a football around with my 12 year old son. In fact, if the ball went past me I used to make him run for it!

Andrew started row when he went to his current school. I used to take him down to the river every Saturday and Sunday, and gradually got tempted to have a go myself. I couldn't row OTW because the club times were not compatible with work and family commitments, so I joined a local gym.

My first ergo session (ever) ended as an ignominious, wheezing debacle after a mere 3 minutes! After that I built up gradually, starting at 10 minute sessions x4 per week, and building up by 5 minutes per session every 1-2 weeks. I bought a heart rate belt with interface and tried to avoid my HR rising above 140ish, because I didn't want to die on an ergo!. However, I used to find that it was my breathing that was a better guide to a comfortable pace; which at that time was about 2:10-2:15 @ 20spm.

I became so addicted to exercise that I bought my own C2D/PM3. I now erg x4-5 per week and do 40 or 60 minutes per session. I don't limit my HR, but find that it sits at about 155 when I go at my fastest comfortable, long-distance cruising pace (2:02 @ 20-22spm). I max out for the last few minutes of each long piece, and try to hit a new high HR in the last 30 seconds (currently 179 highest achieved; against theoretical 170 derived from 220-Age).

My 2K time was about 08:30 last October, and was 7:13 2-3 months ago. My ambition is to get to 7:00, hopefully sometime this calendar year (if at all).

I have no doubt that you will soon sail past that landmark, but build up to it gradually, to avoid injury, or worse!

Cheers
Dave

[mikvan52]

My one piece of advice to the "older crowd" is that, if you want to max-out, one should work up to it more graduallly than you might have done at a younger age.
The erg has a way of encouraging people to try to got too fast, too soon:
Get a good aeorbic base and then start working on speed.. remember to take the rest days and easy days.
-Mike vB

55 yr old lwt male, 6'0", 161 lbs., 1:47.5 for 2k this year; currently working on getting under 18 min for 5k again

[chgoss]

I just turned 49 and have been back into fitness for the last year after a long layoff. In my 30's I had little worry pushing my limits as long and hard as I could stand it. But nowadays, even though I had a treadmill stress test couple yrs ago that showed normal, I feel more mortal, and when I push I feel a little more hesitant to squeeze every last bit of effort.

One thing definately true, it's easier to hurt oneself, and longer to get better, so build up slow. I used to be able to recover from a cycling race in 1 day, now it takes 2 or 3 to recover from a hard erg session.

I'm very impressed with some of the times I've seen for guys 50 and up. To reach those times (eg, a sub- or low-7-min 2k) must have most of you pushing it to the max.

Yeah, no kidding... I row with one guy in his mid 50's that can row a 1:48 12k. I would have to keep my current fitness level into my 80's, to set a world record.

[Nosmo]

For me it just a matter of being in shape. Its harder and takes longer to get into shape, hence is more difficult to push it to the max, but if I'm training regularly I can push it all out, I'm just slower when I do.

[Lincoln Brigham]

I'm 48 and have been exercising hard for the last dozen years, got my erg two years ago. As the others said, it takes longer to get into shape. Expect the ramp-up to be slower. I tend to have shorter workouts than most, with a lot of sprint intervals so my heart rate really gets up there.

[Robt.Lee]

I'm 63, I have rowed a sub 7:00 in the last year.
I have some qualms about pushing myself to the limit, whatever that is. I do all my exercising with heart rate monitoring. I feel much more comfortable rowing at a constant split and letting my heart rate climb slowly while rowing. I then sprint for the last minute, not all out but about 5 seconds slower than my best 500M trial. That usually gets my HR up close to my personal maximum (190) , but in a range where I still feel strong and can keep my form.

[pz1800]

At 63, your personal maximum should be 220 - age, ie, 157. But it's just a guide, anyhoo.

[George Dunning]

At 63, your personal maximum should be 220 - age, ie, 157. But it's just a guide, anyhoo.

Pretty much proved to be almost useless as a guide to either max HR or training thresholds .... best test for max HR is to so a step/incremental test in your chose sport as it will vary.

george

[TomR]

Now 61, I've been erging for about 6 years. For the last 5, I've regularly pushed my HR to 90%+ of max. I don't have any qualms about my body. It seems to be holding up. It is, however, increasingly difficult to motivate myself, especially because my times are slower.

[Tyn]

Me, just the young demi-god,

It hurts, but then again it always did!

But I think I'm getting stronger, but getting there takes longer!

[dg1951]

It's all about getting a base of time/meters under you. So, Tyn's right.

Dan 56H