Life just keeps happening, the year started out pretty good! In January I was finally feeling fully recovered from my double hernia operation last year, took a lot longer than I expected though.

I started going to Planet Fitness after work four or five days a week and did some light work. At 58 I know better than to jump right back in where I left off. By the end of the month I had my conditioning mostly done, muscle tone was back and my treadmill work progressed from a slow jog to a steady almost run, about ten minutes a mile.

I came down sick in February, thought I had the flu, now I’m not so sure. Took two days off from work and struggled through the next three weeks on OTC cold and flu medications.

I was still feeling kind of weak the first two weeks of March so I didn’t hit the gym right away. Just when I was ready to go back the Covid-19 pandemic started and Planet Fitness shut down all it’s locations.

Great, my Crossbow resistance machine is still in storage, too far back to get without emptying most of the unit. I think the flex bars may be worn out, anyway, I did a lot less at Planet Fitness than on my machine.

Then Michigan got a Stay at Home Order from Governor Whitmer, so I can’t join another gym.

Back to basics, I guess. I still have a barbell, two dumbbells and about a hundred pounds of free weights. No weight bench though.

I’m in lousy shape, I pretty much lost the gains I made, so it’s plenty to get started with, it’s starting to warm up so I can run outside, I don’t like treadmills anyway.

I like to get my workout done in as little time as possible, without rushing and using and economy of movement.

This is what I’m doing to get my conditioning back, again.

I’m going straight from one move to another, no rest in between.

Ten Pushups
Ten Body Weight Squats, pick up two ten lb. dumbbells do
Ten Curls
Ten Shoulder Presses
Ten French Curls
Ten Back Flies

I rested about two minutes and did another set. Someone came to the door so it was about five minutes before the last set.

Not a lot, I know, but you have to start somewhere. I actually started last week with one set, then two and doing some of my Stretching and Calisthenics Routine.

Standing Bicycle Crunch Three sets of eight.
Horse Stance Cross Punch Three sets of eight.
Oblique Knee Raise Three sets of eight.
Front Kick Three sets of eight.
Leaning Knee Raise Three sets of eight.
Round House Kick Three sets of eight.
Front Kick Three sets of eight.
Back Kick Three sets of eight.

Didn’t have time to run today, should be able to tomorrow.

Michael Cole