Wellness

[qbetzforreal]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

@qbetzforreal.  I listened to the presentation.  Did you?

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@Kachina624No, I didn't.  I'll take your reply to my original questions as a no.  Thanks.

[hckynut]

Hi @Pook 

Here is how I look at fitness. What you do for Cardiac/Pulmonary Fitness doesn't matter. The key is ones heart rate be it from walking/running/swimming/skating etc. 

How physically fit one chooses to be is up to each individual. Walking on my newer Treadmill was part of my 18 month program to regain my top physical fitness after 14 years of on and of trying to regain it.

Heart attacks/PE/Bleeding Colon kept interfering one after the other after the other. It started walking on my new Sole Treadmill, not the older Trotter that I trained on for distance races, that had over 20,000 miles on it.

Started at 2mph for 2 minutes at 0° elevation, all the while wearing my Polar Chest Heart Rate Monitor. Over months I increased the speed/time and elevation. No running/no ankle weights, my only criteria was registering my advances via my heart rate. I measured it up to what I know to be a safe Maximum.

Many do not know that True Cardio/Pulmonary Fitness is not measured by how high you can get your heart rate. It IS MEASURED by how fast your heart rate drops down to what is your normal exercising heart rate. Then ones ability to repeat what they did to reach their chosen Maximum Heart Rate and its subsequent return again to your normal exercising heart rate. What Cardio method you choose to do this makes no difference.

If you want to strengthen any specific muscle group, you can do that with time spent isolating them and using any form of resistance. Machines/weights/resistance bands, to name just a few.

Took me 18 months of 5-7 days of increasingly harder and longer exercising sessions. My joy was not being interrupted by major health issues. That unfortunately  wasn't happening from 2002-2016. 

Eventually got back to my ice skating only to find out I couldn't even stand up on them, much less skate. Much of my life from 8 years old involved ice skating, now I couldn't even stand up. I've told my balance battle here many times here so I will skip that part.

People, if you are wanting to improve your Cardio/Pulmonary Fitness, walking is fine. The main criteria for improving that type of fitness is elevating your heart rate. Either by walking up Hills/walking faster or walking longer.

You decide what level of this type of fitness suits you. For the older ladies be aware that any kind of weight added to you feet or ankles can cause joint and or connective tissue injuries, more specifically, the knees.

Now balance is similar to flexibility. It has to be done with specificity for what goals you wish to reach. Myself ice skating is why I work to maintain balance. From my 12 weeks of specific PT, I have figured out which balance exercises work for me to meet and maintain my skating balance goals, the same for Quad/Groin/Hip Flexors flexibilty, to help avoid injury.

To the one here who said they ordered this machine! Would you mind coming back here and reviewing it for those that may be interested? Or maybe just start a new thread.

hckynut 

[tsavorite]

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@morganjen wrote:

I don't own the Fitnation one, but I do have one similar. Not with the seat part, though. They use them at the physical therapy place I went for my knees. I actually like using it. I don't have a dedicated spot for it, and it's 30+ lbs. to lug around. When I use it, it makes my knees and legs feel better.

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@morganjen could you share which brand you are using?  I am reading and looking into trying out one of these.  Looking at Amazon presently...lot's of different brands.  One does offer lifetime warranty and has good reviews.  I have read that this type of equipment helps with bones...plus muscles and many other things.

[tsavorite]

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@Pook wrote:

Another thing is that if you are balancing yourself that is great for core strength, circulation and a workout that cannot be achieved by merely walking.  If nothing else walking  is just getting someone  a little movement and not really great overall exercise (unless a slow run pace or walking with wrist ankle weights for 5 miles or more daily).  Most who say they walk only do it a few times a week and only for a mile or so at a very slow pace.    You also need resistance and real cardio that most do not get from walking.  I have another brand like this one and I feel the effects of using it in conjunction with my other workouts.

Some may not know much about fitness and may not care to get an overall great workout then just walking a bit and doing nothing else but that alone will not bring fitness.  Making false statements about something your are never going to try makes no sense whatsoever!!

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@Pook  Hello, would you mind sharing which brand you are using?  I am seriously considering trying this type of equipment out.  Presently looking over at Amazon....I agree the science on this is good from what I have read.  I am looking to improve bone health and muscle strength.  I do presently workout at home and use a elliptical for cardio.

Thanks!

[Pook]

@tsavorite  

Vita Trainer Vibration Machine with Resistance Bands

I got it here last spring but it is no longer available.  It does not have a bench and was cheaper. 

[ellaphant]

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@Etoile308 wrote:

I'm not advocating for the item on sale since I know nothing about it. But I do think many people would rather exercise in private, than out in public.

I just want to say not everyone can so easily just take a two mile walk. Some have no safe area to step out of the house and walk. Not everyone can drive somewhere, and can't comfortably take public transportation to find a place to safely walk. Gyms are still closed. Parks close at dusk. Some malls are closed or too deserted to feel comfortable walking around. We don't all live in communities with sidewalks or street lamps. 

But I have to say, I repeatedly read negative comments from posters about products that they have never purchased or used. And they are so often phrased with an air of superiority as if these posters are too cool, too savvy, too wise to waste money on something they just know is junk and of zero benefit to anyone.

And each time that's done it's impinging and insulting the judgement of anyone that's interested in one of those products. People are free to spend, or even waste their money anyway they want. 

Now I'll step down from my soapbox.

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I think I'd be correct in saying MOST Americans are able to take a mile- 2 mile walk around their neighborhood. But America having the most overweight and obese people in the world, there are a million excuses to not excersise.

Walking is easy, safe and has benifts galore. You don't need a $300 contraption to exercise. 

[Pook]

@ellaphant Yes, I have seen many out of shape people sauntering through the neighborhood often and none seem very physically fit nor have lost any weight in the past few years.   Benefits galore?? - no but that is better than sitting on your butt but not going to result in real fitness and weight loss.  Most walk in the middle of the street with someone else gabbing away, with pulling out of control dogs and some even with earplugs and music or talking on phones not paying attention to traffic - that is real safe!  The chance of falling is much greater than most think due to balance issues.    I am physically fit from various well balanced workouts, have a well trained dog who stops when I do, doesn't pull, walk on the opposite side of the street when traffic or others walk/run past I stop until they pass, am alert to my surroundings  and still had a bad fall when a squirrel jumped out in front of me from nowhere resulting in several broken bones so how can walking be that safe?!!!

[hckynut]

Happy 2021 @Pook 

I won't repeat what I said in my other post, which is based on how one choose to exercise. Pretty much gave my knowledge when it comes to physical fitness.

The last part of your post addresses balance and safety, that's how I have read what it said. Balance as one ages, as i see it, is very seldom mentioned in any articles or presentations on exercise and/or equipment. Why? My belief is because promoters try to reach the younger age groups, the groups more likely to purchase their products.

To me, even removing my ice skating, balance with age should be considered a major component in all exercise classes and/or Physical Therapy sessions.

At a certain age, with no known physical impairments, getting out of bed or going from sitting to standing, requires balance. Most never give that a thought until they stumble, not fall, while getting up.

I have found over each decade of my life my balance changes, and with that, more time is needed to specifically address it. This, I believe, is more than beneficial, for woman even moreso, because of having more bone density issues. 

Most at a certain age can remember when standing and pulling on 1 leg of a pair of long pants was nothing. At a certain age, as balance declines, standing and pulling on the 1 leg of long pants, doesn't seem quite as easy, or just a natural thing everyone does easily.

My personal experiences of ice skating show me that with balance every timei skate. Even when I skate 3 times a week, my balance in an ice skate changes, from 1 session to the next. I spend the first 5-10 minutes skating making sure where the foot movement of my skate, and foot inside, is best for maintaining my balance on 1 foot.

Ice skating is 95% done on 1 foot. Unless coasting or standing still, a skater always has only 1 foot on the ice. I stress to all beginners that learning to balance on 1 skate is key, if they choose to really want to ice skate. Striding/1 foot is off the ice/cross over leg turning, 1 foot is off the ice, hence the balance on 1 foot.

The last part of your post was primarily about safety. Whether it is from just plain safety from attack outside, or safety in relation to walking or running. To me there is no such thing as being 100% safe doing anything. 

Your example is exactly what I am saying. You are in great physical shape and practice safety during your outside walks/jogs/runs, but! Certain things beyond one's control do happen. I am really sorry about your fall that ended with you being badly injured. Knowing you, I doubt that will stop you from doing the same things after you heal/or are healed.

Not much in life is risk free, if it is, I must have been missing it for many decades. What and how many additional risks one chooses to take is up to them. Again, ice skating. I hear, "at your age isn't that risky". Sure, it's an added risk, but the benefits to me greatly outweigh the risks. 

So if anyone feels unsafe and doesn't want to add a risk? Pretty simple, don't. However, I believe each person might consider how I decide. Weigh the benefits versus the risks, and some might find it worth the added risk to achieve the benefits.

hckynut 

[ellaphant]

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@Pook wrote:

@ellaphant Yes, I have seen many out of shape people sauntering through the neighborhood often and none seem very physically fit nor have lost any weight in the past few years.   Benefits galore?? - no but that is better than sitting on your butt but not going to result in real fitness and weight loss.  Most walk in the middle of the street with someone else gabbing away, with pulling out of control dogs and some even with earplugs and music or talking on phones not paying attention to traffic - that is real safe!  The chance of falling is much greater than most think due to balance issues.    I am physically fit from various well balanced workouts, have a well trained dog who stops when I do, doesn't pull, walk on the opposite side of the street when traffic or others walk/run past I stop until they pass, am alert to my surroundings  and still had a bad fall when a squirrel jumped out in front of me from nowhere resulting in several broken bones so how can walking be that safe?!!!

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Silly response. Clearly if you are eating badly walking won't help nor will any exercise. I'm 20 lbs less than I was in college. I don't eat a fatty/high sugar diet. Try reading and researching- walking- along with a healthy diet has been proven to be an excellent exercise.

[SeaMaiden]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

QVC should be ashamed to sell such a useless contraption.  Its like one of those things charlatans used to sell.

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@Kachina624  it is not all hogwash. 

This is from the Mayo  Clinic newsletter April 08, 2020.

Is whole-body vibration a good way to lose weight and improve fitness?Answer From Edward R. Laskowski, M.D.

Whole-body vibration can offer some fitness and health benefits, but it's not clear if it's as good for you as regular exercise.

With whole-body vibration, you stand, sit or lie on a machine with a vibrating platform. As the machine vibrates, it transmits energy to your body, forcing your muscles to contract and relax dozens of times each second. The activity may cause you to feel as if you're exerting yourself.

You may find a whole-body vibration machine at a local gym, or you can buy one for home use.

Advocates say that as little as 15 minutes a day of whole-body vibration three times a week may aid weight loss, burn fat, improve flexibility, enhance blood flow, reduce muscle soreness after exercise, build strength and decrease the stress hormone cortisol.

But comprehensive research about whole-body vibration is lacking. It's not yet clear if whole-body vibration provides the same range of health benefits as exercise you actively engage in, such as walking, biking or swimming.

Some research does show that whole-body vibration may help improve muscle strength and that it may help with weight loss when you also cut back on calories.

Whole-body vibration may also have a role beyond sports and fitness. Some research shows that whole-body vibration, when performed correctly and under medical supervision when needed, can:

• Reduce back pain
• Improve strength and balance in older adults
• Reduce bone loss

Still, if you want to lose weight and improve fitness, enjoy a healthy diet and include physical activity in your daily routine. If you choose whole-body vibration, remember to do aerobic and strength training activities as well.

And because whole-body vibration can be harmful in some situations, check with your doctor before using it, especially if you're pregnant or have any health problems.