Machka 

I do eat protein.
I don't really need to lose anymore weight ... I'm quite close to being underweight now. I am transitioning into maintenance now.
My body fat percentage is reasonably low.
My overall muscle development is coming along nicely ... I've actually been quite impressed!

I guess, in the past, I've been able to develop a nice set of abs really quickly. 6 weeks of doing ab workouts, and there they were. Although, I have always struggled with the lower abs, and I suspect a major surgery I had about 25 years ago might be to blame for that. This time, however, it seems to be taking longer. Maybe it's an age thing.

I will have a look over the exercises and see about adding a few into my usual routine.


Now this looks like fun!!

GovernorSilver

Gyrotron looks like a fun to to play inside. Gotta stop have fun sometimes - being serious all the time just adds stress and is bad for your health.

Good luck with the six pack abs quest. I quickly lost interest in it for myself when I learned what it would take to get them. I love to eat and not be tied to some kind of strict eating schedule and regimen. Unless you're born with the right DNA, diet is what it takes to eliminate that last, stubborn bit of belly fat to achieve that look, unless of course one cheats with drugs - the bodybuilding world is notorious for this. This is especially true for those who are 40 or older. People find that hard to accept and keep trying to exercise their way to it anyway.

I'm sure you know that losing bodyweight and losing fat doesn't have to be the same thing. There are people that put on muscle and lose bodyfat, for a net loss of 0 or even a net gain in bodyweight.

This guy just came out with a book on how he got his six-pack abs. He has his own take on what to eat and not eat:
Diamond-Cut Abs by Danny Kavadlo | Dragon Door

Machka 

Yeah ... I don't do cleanses and things like that. I simply eat fewer calories than I burn, and try to keep a decent variety of good food in my diet.

GovernorSilver

I'll probably pick up Diamond Cut Abs at some point, even though I don't really care if I get 6-pack abs. The author is endorsed by the likes of Dan John and Paul Wade and he's got some training ideas in there that are of interest to me (how to get L-Sit, how to get One Arm Hang, how to master Dragon Flag, etc.).

TexMac

Once/twice a week i hit the gym and do high rep workout (chin-ups,pullups,plank,ball crunches,deadlifts,dumbellPress,shoulder,pushups,triceps,biceps). although i love cycling, i also want to have a balanced body. I'm obsessed with having a strong back

wvridgerider

Beer and it shows

koffee brown

Pilates. I know I can't say it enough- it does miracles for you. I just fractured my tailbone in a fall, and I'm blessed enough to still be able to stand and get around because I use core strength from pilates to keep myself upright. My mother fractured her tailbone and was in therapy for three months and bedridden for at least one of those months. She had no core strength whatsoever.

koffee

dim

I might join a local gym to use the rowing machine ...



quote:

core Strength Conditioning
Rowing machine workouts Home Gyms provide a high intensity aerobic workout that focuses on your core - from your shoulders and back around to your chest and straight into your abdominals. This conditioning of your core takes place with the rowing action, as many different sets of muscles stretch and bunch in unison. The effect is an enormous impact on your body building efforts, as core strengthening lays the foundation for more strength building in other parts of your body.
Why do you want your core to be strong? Without a solid core strength, you can injure yourself trying to exercise other parts of the body – you need muscle strength in your back, for instance, to effectively lift weights to sculpt your biceps. Your abs are part of your core, and one of the hardest spots to target, so anything that focuses on your core brings you one step closer to that six pack you desire.


Full Body Muscle Building
Rowing is a high resistance type of training, putting your upper body muscles through a serious workout. This provides a stable and highly functional core strength that can't be matched by even the most strenuous weightlifting regimen. Multiple muscles get a full workout and will begin to look defined, particularly in the arms, chest and abs.
In addition, your lower body benefits as the rowing machine force you to push off with your lower extremities during the rowing motion. This increases lower body strength and develops your leg muscles, although the results will be slower to appear than the upper body strength.

Machka 

We are talking about getting a Concept2 rowing machine.

wolfchild

Pull ups, chin ups, renegade rows done with heavy dumbbells, heavy kettlebell swings, deadlifts and squats are far more effective at building strong solid core and full body strength then any rowing machine.
The rowing machine is not a strength training tool, it's more for endurance, cardio and conditioning...Doing cardio on top of cardio on top of cardio and more cardio on top of more cardio isn't going to build a strong core. If you want a strong core then you need to do all the hard and difficult exercises which most people avoid doing.

dim

Hmmm .... I used to go to gym and the first few weeks that I used the rowing machine (20 minutes per session), I was really sore and stiff in most of my body

but suppose it's not as good as 'body building'?

Machka 

If you use a rowing machine correctly it should engage your core and build certain upper body muscles.

treebound 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ82RYIFLN8

I had an inexpensive rower a few years ago and enjoyed using it when I had it. Concept2's are nice, and one model sits a little higher making it friendlier to get on and off of.

Machka 

We're looking at the "D", I think.

https://www.concept2.com.au/indoor-rowers/model-d

bobwysiwyg

Interesting thread. Several years ago, maybe four, went to my PCP complaining of increasing pain in my right shoulder with virtually any movement. He's been my doctor for 30 years, trust him implicitly. He referred me to surgeon for evaluation. MRI revealed a very serious cuff tear, almost complete. The surgeon said most people associate this injury with sports. He told me 80% are age related. I had the surgery and after six weeks in the infamous sling, the worst part of it all, I started PT and lucked out, got a good therapist. The PT folks shared equipment with a gym. I mentioned to him I had gotten to recognize certain folks, they were there every day, literally, doing the same routines.

He said they will one day regret it. His advice was never work the same muscle groups on consecutive days. You muscles need a recovery day. A lot of what I did toward the end was resistance bands and hand weights. Everything is back to normal and I have continued with all the workouts and added others. I can't stop the aging but I'm a firm believer in the less you do, the less you'll be able to do. That's what motivated me to take up cycling as well.

treebound 

Yep, the Model E is the taller one. If you want to check used prices there is a classified section on the Row2K rowing website which usually has several rowers/Ergs posted on there. I believe "erg" is short for ergomometer or ergometer or some other spelling of whatever "erg" is short for.

If I get rid of our treadmill then I'd like to get a rower. Plus I'd use it more than the treadmill most likely.

Congrats on the progress and conditioning.

StanSeven

One easy thing I do is lie on a bench with a dumbbell. I hold my legs straight out and my arms parallel to the ground holding the weight over the other end of the bench past my head. Then I simultaneously pull my knees in to my chest while pulling the dumbbell overhead to touch my knees. It's kind of like crunches but much more effective and quicker.

Machka 

We're in Tasmania, so we're keeping an eye on Gumtree.


And thanks!