What is your exercise regimen?

Discussion in 'Driver Health' started by xlsdraw, Jan 16, 2011.

  1. xlsdraw

    xlsdraw Road Train Member

    4,228
    7,556
    Nov 17, 2010
    Lake Alfred, Florida
    0
    I'm middle-aged, so no activities that jar the bones for me any more. Just steady motion. Here is what I've been doing for the past 3 months with good results in strength and stamina.
    Every other day, I walk at a good driven pace, 5 laps up and down my street. It calculates out to 3.1 miles and takes almost exactly 1 hour.
    This is very good for the heart, lungs, legs, back, and overall stamina.
    Every other day that I don't walk, I workout with dumbbells.:biggrin_25523:
    Which is very good for the heart, wrists, grip, forearms, bicepts, tricepts, shoulders, back, and abdominals.
    I bought the solid one piece 20lb dumbbells at Wal-mart.
    I like to do a variation of curls. Rather than curling with my palms up(traditional curl), I curl with my palms facing my side. The same way you would hold a suit case. I chose this method as it more similates the hand position when lifting boxes. From a standing position, as one arm is raising a weight the other arm is lowering a weight which keeps your posture well balanced. I lower one arm all the way down to fully extended along my side while the other arm is simultaineously bumping the top of my shoulder and continue this rhythm until each arm has completed 12 repetitions. This completes one set. I normally do 10 sets, which means each arm does 120 curls. I start a new set every 2 minutes and it usually takes about 25-30 seconds to do a set leaving a minute and a half to rest between sets.
    The other exercise I do is the overhead press. Starting with both arms at my side, again holding the dumbbells the same way you would hold a suitcase. I raise both dumbbells simultaineously and position both just above my shoulders. Then in unison, I press both weights overhead/straight-up until my arms are fully extended over my head. Then I lower the weights back down to just above my shoulders and repeat. I normally do 15 repetitions per set. And I do 5 sets. Using the same 2 minute cycle to start each set which allows for plenty of rest between sets.
    To further keep my arms as fresh as possible, I do two sets of curls and then one set of overhead press. Until all sets have been completed. To protect my lower back, I set up a folding chair in front of me so that I don't have to put much bend in my lower back picking up and setting down the weights.
    All in all, I'm doing a combined 15 arm sets on a two minute cycle, so it only takes 30 minutes to complete.
    Once I get on the road as a solo driver, I'll try to maintain this regimen as closely as time, weather, and energy will permit. I can use the first step of the truck to position the weights. And I'll modify the walking to a half hour a day if needed.
    This is a fairly simple regimen that requires only: a decent pair of walking shoes,a set of dumbbells, and a little determination.

    So, what do you guys do?
     
    Bumpy Thanks this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Lilbit

    Lilbit Road Train Member

    16,583
    12,232
    Aug 4, 2008
    Let me check my logbook
    0
    Exercise is against my religion. :biggrin_25522::biggrin_2559:
     
    PurpleKW Thanks this.
  4. walstib

    walstib Darkstar

    Mine's been reduced to steering, shifting and walking to and from the bathroom at a truck stop :biggrin_25513:
     
  5. xlsdraw

    xlsdraw Road Train Member

    4,228
    7,556
    Nov 17, 2010
    Lake Alfred, Florida
    0
    Being all steady motions, it really doesn't feel like exertion. Try it, you might like it. My wife recently joined me. She uses 15lb weights and looks forward to it. She works in a school kitchen and she says it is making her duties seem much easier.
     
  6. xlsdraw

    xlsdraw Road Train Member

    4,228
    7,556
    Nov 17, 2010
    Lake Alfred, Florida
    0
    I'm sure this winter weather severely reduces opportunity.
     
  7. walstib

    walstib Darkstar

    Actually, I just walked about a mile to get some chinese food!!!
     
  8. rocknroll nik

    rocknroll nik High Risk Load Member

    4,490
    5,770
    Oct 18, 2008
    can't read the sign
    0
    excercise........:biggrin_2556: yeah i should but I don't
     
  9. JustSonny

    JustSonny Big Dummy

    6,038
    5,785
    Oct 22, 2009
    Troutman NC
    0
    I run about 500 miles per day...but I have help!:biggrin_25525:
     
    Lilbit and rocknroll nik Thank this.
  10. TheHealthyDriver

    TheHealthyDriver Heavy Load Member

    837
    274
    Jul 11, 2010
    Stony Mountain, MB
    0
    xlsdraw, I hope you don't mind my chiming in, and if you don't like my suggestions, then feel free to completely disregard them.

    Your biceps consist of one third of your arm, and are a small muscle at best, when compared to your chest, back, and legs. The number of sets you do for them is, well, staggering. If you're looking for some exercises that will help your whole body as far as strength is concerned, I would suggest the following.

    Squats - These are fantastic for your legs, lower back, and overall health. Simply get into a stance(feet positioning) that you would use if you were going to take a crap in the woods. Then, squat down as if you were going to do that crap. Keep your hands out in front for counter-balance. Squat as low as you can, and then come back up. That's one rep. Try to work up doing 50 reps, but starting at 20 is fine for most people. Take 2 or 3 sets to hit that 20 if need be.

    Push ups - I'm sure everyone has seen a pushup, so I won't bother explaining it. However, if need be, start with knees on the ground, and then work up straight body. This is excellent for your chest, shoulders, and triceps.

    Bent over row - Take those weights of yours in your hands, have a slight bend in your knees, and at your hips. Keep your back straight(not straight up and down, as you're bent at the hips), and row the weight up to your belly. This is great for your back, as well as your arms. You can also change it up by varying the bend at the waist, and also by turning your hands facing back, facing forward, or a neutral position. I suggest palms facing forward, as it makes you pull your shoulders back more, which helps to correct the forward rounding that most people have in the shoulder region. I would have suggested pull ups instead, but I realize most people cannot perform pull ups, and this is an excellent alternative for working the mid back.

    Doing these 3 exercises, twice a week, will help to see major improvements in overall body strength gains. Also, the increased muscle mass will cause you to burn more calories while at rest.

    Hope this helps some.
     
    Bumpy and xlsdraw Thank this.
  11. xlsdraw

    xlsdraw Road Train Member

    4,228
    7,556
    Nov 17, 2010
    Lake Alfred, Florida
    0
    Thanks for your suggestions THD. I, like so many others, have had lower back problems for most of my adult life. So I have to be very careful with an exercise that involves much bending or twisting. The squats shouldn't be a problem but I do feel alot of strain on my lower back attempting standard pushups. The reason I do so many sets with the dumbbells is that it is a weight that I can fairly easily handle without using any body sway or excessive strain in the exercises. To get the results I seek in less sets, I'd have to increase weight which would also increase the possibility of injury. I choose not to take that risk.
     
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.