More training, less eating , more weight for M55

[Freefall]

It's OK on the BMI after all - I read the small print "A BMI measurement is not as accurate if you're an athlete or very muscular (muscle weighs more than fat) as this can push you into a higher BMI category even if you have a healthy level of body fat."

That must be OK then as I would class being an orienteer as being an athlete of sorts. That changes the handicapping system so we can now compete on an equal basis Mrs H.

[Julz B]

At the end of August into September I had to take a month of training, so I couldn't do anything except walking. When I went back to college friends and teachers said I had lost a lot of weight and looked scrawny and too thin.

However when I started exercising again I put all the weight back on, and I am still putting on weight which is not a good thing. My training has increased though so I'm having to eat more and I tend to eat too much cereal, bread and malt loaf!

[DavidJ]

My wife thinks I would run faster, get injured less and be more human after an orienteering event if I did some strength training - but I find weights totally boring.

I have a similar problem - a wife who considers that I need to improve the muslces in my body above the waist. I have managed to keep her quiet recently by doing a bit of weight lifting morning and evening. She has assured me it will help my orienteering - I think she just wants me to look a more muscular man Perhaps it is a bit late for an M55 to be trying to look more muscular above the waist. Anything for q quiet life though

[geomorph]

My wife thinks I would run faster, get injured less and be more human after an orienteering event if I did some strength training - but I find weights totally boring.

I have a similar problem - a wife who considers that I need to improve the muslces in my body above the waist. I have managed to keep her quiet recently by doing a bit of weight lifting morning and evening. She has assured me it will help my orienteering - I think she just wants me to look a more muscular man Perhaps it is a bit late for an M55 to be trying to look more muscular above the waist. Anything for q quiet life though

Weights are not always the way, but kept to moderation/strict guidelines are the safest way for this sort of strength build-up.

However, if you are into organic gardening and generate 10-12 cubic metres of compost/yr, can also do the trick by setting up a regular cylce of mixing (but it is not as safe from injury especially back). Get a push mower and double dig your vegetable patches....

High step runs are a good way to build up extra strength in the stomach area (and they are great for orienteering) You can construct them out of brashings (with landowners permission of course) and therefore make them safe (low injury risk) cos you can see where your foot is landing - make the height and interval irregular and if possible include uphill sections. If there is space make each run about 100m with at least that many barriers. Beware of mountain bikers using them as jumps. Do them as repetitions and mix with good old fashioned sits, pushes and pulls interleaved and then do all your washing by hand having drawn up the water from the well

[deebee]

I can recommend twelve hour shifts in a bakery to kill two birds with one stone. The lifting builds up the upper body and the 'spoiled' cakes build up the BMI