Actually, I didn’t really have a good name for the thread because I’d like to start covering some things that might help out with some of the physical aspects of growing older and not just about walking and what we can do to keep walking rather than the opposite. That said, I’ll start out with explaining why I did title the thread, “Squeeze those cheeks”. Before the shutdown of our gym, I had a lot of people asking me questions about building muscle and how I do this and that especially by seniors. I guess, because I’m a senior it is fitting that I might know something they might not know. One such senior walked around the gym going from station to station using a walker. One day, he was in the back where the free weights and mats are trying to do a plank. (kind of like a pushup position without doing a pushup) I was passing by and he asked me if his position was straight and I simply told him that if he could squeeze his glutes together, he would know if he’s straight without asking. He told me that he didn’t know what I meant and even when I got a little more descriptive he was still lost so I asked him to stand up and with a little help from me, he did. His walker was close so he parked himself between the bars to steady himself then when he looked comfortable I asked him to stand as straight as he could and squeeze the cheeks of his buttocks together as though he had a bad case of the “green apple quick steps”. The old gent finally caught on by straightening his spine and hips and as sure as Aunt Jemima used to make pancake syrup, he smiled because he was finally squeezing those cheeks together as hard as he could. “There”, said I, “when you can do that, you know your body is totally aligned the way it should be”. That’s when I gave him a little training advice. I told him that if he would stand and squeeze his cheeks for 5-10 second intervals with a small rest in between sets of 3 or 4, at least once a day, (preferably 3 or 4) it would help strengthen the TENSOR muscles which keep the hips, glutes and upper legs aligned so we can walk. Along with the tensor muscles, he would also strengthen his lower abs and if done properly, also help out his upper thighs and hams. To make a long story a bit shorter, the gym had to close due to CV and I hadn’t seen him for about 2 months but after reopening and when I did see him the other day, he was walking without his walker, and quite well I might add. He told me that he continued the “cheek squeeze” exercise then progressed on to doing in- place partial knee bends also and now has a goal of getting on the treadmill. All in all, not bad for being nearly 90. The bottom line here is that most people, even those who exercise, overlook the smaller, seemingly almost insignificant muscles in favor of the larger muscles and groups when in fact, it’s the smaller skeletal muscles like the flexors and the tensor fasciae latae muscle that keep everything aligned and useable. In the case of improving the tensor muscles, just stand up straight, “squeeze “em tight til there ain’t no light”, feel the tension in glutes, hips and lower abs for at least 5 seconds then take a break for a few seconds and then repeat. Just one week at a couple times a day and you should feel a big difference in the way you walk and stand. Yeah, there might be a bit of an ache as there always is after your muscles start to re-learn what they’re supposed to do (kinda like the next day after going to a chiropractor) but you’ll get over it and be a more limber and stronger walking person.
"tensor fasciae latae muscle" I don't think I have any Latin muscles, Bobby. Mine are all Murican. Seriously.though, good work with the old fellow. You like to help people and that makes you okay in my book.
The thing I like most about bodybuilding, especially at my age, is people absolutely do ask how, what, and why I do such and such. It’s not an ego trip but rather, I’m in a steady mode of repair from just 5 or so years ago when I was supposed to be dead, so I’m delighted to hand out whatever information I can. Just two days ago I had a short info “class” with 5 high schoolers who had recently joined the gym. I was training and they piled up and asked me why I used crossed cables with lighter weight and more reps for my deltoids. Again, I was happy to answer. What I’m getting at is that it isn’t just seniors who want to know how they can fix this or that but it’s a given that the older folks, particularly men are the most important to me because we’re led to believe that after a certain age, to put it simply, we can’t. e.g. we can’t build muscle mass, we can’t increase testosterone levels naturally, we can’t lose belly fat, our ability to have sex will diminish to near nothing and so on and so on. In short, NONE of that is true and we don’t have to be all shot up with some synthetics to do it and truthfully, men nor women have to work as hard as I do to be able to be more than they expected old age to be. The opening post was just a hint of what older (and younger) people can do to better themselves. Just standing straight for 1 minute and squeezing one’s glutes together a few times about 3 or so times a day is enough to strengthen the abdominal muscles, the glutes, upper hams and quads and yes, most importantly, the tensor muscles. Goodness, folks can even do this whilst using a walker! Anyway, thanks @Dwight Ward for the compliment. Truthfully, I didn’t think I would get any play on the thread but even so, it might have gotten someone, if only one person, off their rear end to give it a try. If so, in the time since I posted the thread, I’m sure that one person is walking better and is now willing to go a little further in order to enjoy a little better quality of life.
Body Building & Body Building exercises are great if you can do them before getting some kind of disease or diseases but become impossible after . Walking is really the only real option for exercise for many seniors due to their particular physical problems.
True and the reason for the first post. The technique I offered has little to do with bodybuilding because at best, it’s isometric and allows certain muscles to tone up and get back in the shape they need to be in so they can do their job. It’s a given that walking is one of the best exercises a person can do but the small standing up OR laying down technique I described, coupled with walking, will take a lot less time to get the muscles back in shape than Just walking. Just a note: I’m not in any way asking people to go the lengths that I have for the past few years to get healthy. Due to the fact that it seems to be built into my DNA to go a distance much further than I need to is My choice. When doctors said I was a dead man, I proved them wrong then later when they said my condition was such that I would be physically limited, I proved them wrong and when science said I can’t build muscle mass, I proved them wrong. Now, I’m just putting into print some of the techniques I used way back at the beginning of my journey so someone else can improve the journey they are on.
I have always had some routine of daily exercises but have changed them over the years. A few months ago I started adding tai chi everyday for about 20-30 minutes-nothing elaborate. I just follow u-tube routines and I do think it has helped me...nothing dramatic and I still question if the slow moves are really beneficial. The literature says it is good for me so I keep on keeping on...I alternate chair tai chi and standing...I add some yoga stretching too...all following u-tube tapes Does anyone else like and/or value tai chi?? yoga? fast dancing to 50s and 60s music
Many moons ago whilst studying Kenpo, I took a few Tai Chi classes just to help me learn to focus and balance myself better. At first glance, I thought it was going to be easy but since the movements incorporate nearly every muscle in the human body, it ain’t for sissies. Like Kenpo and a few other things, Tai Chi is one of those activities that I can look back on and tell myself that I should have stayed with it a lot longer than I did.
Stretching is very beneficial, I'm a bit late realising that I loved dancing but unable to now, so stretching it is
Well you are way ahead of me in Tai Chi Bobby..Mine is very beginning senior routines...but I think it has helped me... I even sit on a chair for some routines and stand for others...all from u-tube. I had to look up what Kenpo was..now that is impressive
Patsy I agree ..stretching is the best! I put on 50's and 60's music to end my exercising sessions and dance to the oldies..I really like Louie Louie, Cotton Fields, Brown Eyed Girl. Proud Mary to name a few. I can only dance to a couple then have to 'cool down'..always puts me in a good mood to start the day...
Years ago whille taking a polminary rehallibation course at Methodest Hospital in Lubbock, TX, I enrolled in a tai chi course I enjoyed it but i droppped out when my lungs rehalibation was over. While in the course I met an old Chinese gentleman, also in the course. We compared canes. He was so agile and could do movements I could only think of doing. I don't know how old he was but but he looked ancient. I'm going too look up your YouTube courses of tai chi. When I do noral exercises my blood oxygen levels drop so low my health care people say not to do them.
Bill...I keep hearing tai chi is excellent for you and I do feel they may be helping me but I still wonder how such slow moves can be as beneficial as they claim I just do a search for senior tai chi or beginning tai chi or chair tai chi...I vary the routines I do daily. I started with 5 minutes a day and added other routines ....good luck..let me know how you like it..
Roger, will do if I get into it enough to tell. Regarding the slow movement I wonder too how it can help except over the long haul.