Let’s begin by saying what gardening is not. Generally speaking, it is not a rainy day activity. Sure you can have a home or office full of indoor plants, but you’d have to have a lot of them to get much exercise and activity. And very few of us are lucky enough to have a green house large enough to provide 30 minutes or more of strenuous exercise each day. It would take a green house of that magnitude to supply us with all the groceries we need, especially year around. So we can pretty much say that gardening is not going to make us independent of the grocery store unless you have a large garden and want to can things way your grandmother or great-grandmother once did.

That’s the down side. For ninety-nine percent of us, we won’t be able to garden every day, nor will we be able to provide all our own groceries. But we can, “make hay while the sun shines,” and, “enjoy the fruits of our labor,” as the old sayings go and help describe the benefits that gardening provids. I much prefer the Vitamin D my body makes from being outdoors on a sunny day and to me, nothing tastes better than the fruits and vegetables that are consumed just minutes after being harvested from my garden.

However you might ask, is gardening strenuous enough to be considered exercise, or is it more of a keep busy sort of activity – merely an outdoor exercise on the level of playing solitaire on the computer? In my opinion it certainly can be.

In fact, if you’re new to gardening, or haven’t done it in awhile, I should caution you to take the same precautions with gardening that you would before beginning any other strenuous exercise. Just about everyone with an ounce of brains knows you don’t go to the gym for the first time and begin with heavy weights. You start with the light ones and make it increasingly more difficult as the muscles rebuild stronger. That’s not always possible with gardening. Quite often you have to begin by digging out or moving heavy rocks or other obstacles; to say nothing of toting those big cumbersome bags of composted manure and other soil amendments.

Then too is the digging and turning of the dirt and all the other preparations that it takes to make a bed ready, and using containers won’t get you out of that entirely. Actually, I find turning a bed, even a large bed with a spading fork to be easier than filling and moving around a bunch of five gallon containers of moist potting soil. Even a completely dry container is too much for someone not used to manipulating something like that. In the gym you can get a knowledgeable trainer to show you the correct lifting techniques to prevent injury. Unfortunately there isn’t that kind of help available for the home gardener. As a result, each year there are thousands that require medical attention due to doing the right thing the wrong way while working in their garden. Think before you do! Lift with care, caution, and balance.

Now a word or two or three about the mental or emotional aspect of gardening – another of the benefits of gardening. Stress really is a killer. If you’ve been listening to the “Wellness Wednesday” series of the “Older & Active” show on Blog Talk Radio, you’ve enjoyed Dr. Pickering’s programs on “Attitude” and more recently on “Nutrition.” Coming up soon is the series on Stress and he’ll be telling us what causes it and how to avoid it. Physical activity is one of the best preventive measures that I know of, and I’ll also rank gardening right up there too. There is something incredibly peaceful about gardening that I can’t explain, I only accept and enjoy.

Finally, a few words about another significant perspective to work in the garden – good nutrition.

In this day and age of Monsanto’s GMO produce and pesticide polluted groceries, there are only two choices left to the wise consumer: buy produce that you know is grown organically, preferably at a local farmer’s market from a vendor that you’ve learned to trust, or grow your own. I do both because as I stated in the beginning, I’m not lucky enough to have a large garden and a big greenhouse. And what doesn’t grow locally I get from a grocery store that specializes in having organic produce. I wish I had the facilities to grow as much Kale, Spinach, and Swiss Chard as I consume year around, but I don’t and have to rely on others.

Now maybe it’s just my imagination, but I happen to think what I grow tastes much better. So give gardening a try – your body, as well as your mind, will be glad you did.

www.mapmyride.com  “Map my Ride” is one of a series of “Map my (xxxx)” that have appeared recently for all manner of activity. I try to put 100 miles a week on my bike and since over half of those miles are over the same routes for the same purposes (gym, grocery store, baseball field, etc), it’s a great time saver to map out those routes and save them. Then I can add them to my total for the week with a click of the computer mouse. I ride an old beater around town which I purposely leave looking shabby. It doesn’t get stolen but it’s hard to keep acceessories on my bike, like speedometer/odometer, etc. Map my Ride is the next best thing.

If you runners and walkers would like to check the accuracy of your Pedometers, www.mapmyrun.com is one way to do it. Like “Map my Ride,” this sister site, “Map my Run,” is based on Google maps and allows you to trace out your route and save it. All of the “Map my Fitness” programs are compatible with an iPhone or Android applications.

And since I’ve mentioned running and walking, this would be a good place to segue into www.meetup.com and all the activities you can find there. In this area (I’m in San Antonio) there are several meet up groups for running and walking, plus many others for biking, body building, dancing, dining, exercise – even dog walking, both large and small. If there’s not a meet up for your particular interest in your area, there’s a provision to post your interest and be notified when someone else with a similar interest has signed up. One of the things I’ve stressed many times on my radio show is having an exercise partner to keep each other motivated. www.meetup.com is an excellent way to locate one or more.

Once again, for those of you 65 and over, I want to mention the “Siver Sneakers” fitness program: www.silversneakers.com. Many of the Medicare providers are affiliated with “Silver Sneakers” and provide FREE membership at local fitness centers. I’m sure you can figure out why. When an insurance company is willing to fork over $$$ for preventive medicine, instead of begrudgingly paying it out later, there has to be something to it. What they’ve come to know and understand is that people that exercise regularly don’t get sick as often, recover quicker, and when hospitalized, are in and out faster. All that adds up to dollars saved by encouraging you to exercise and the Silver Sneaker program is designed for that purpose with certain standards that must be met for a fitness center to participate. Pull up the Silver Sneaker site, see what’s available in your area, and if your insurance provider doesn’t participate, get one that does!

Rather than try to list all the exercise logs and online training programs available, I’ll just say that there are a slew of them and I’ll list a few in the Links area. The one I use, www. is provided free by the “Y” where I work out. www.activtrax.com not only suggests a workout program for me, based on my preferences (free weights vs. machine, etc.),  each peice of equipment at the gym is numbered so there’s no terminology issues. I don’t have to know ‘abductor’ from ‘adductor’. All I have to do is go to station #xx and do what the printout tells me. I love it when something on the internet makes life simpler and not more complicated!

From: Andy Soos, ENN
Published September 29, 2010 11:34 AM

High Blood Pressure and Dementia

Those of you that have been following the “Wellness Wednesday” series I do with Dr. Wayne Pickering, aka. “The Mango Man,” on Blog Talk Radio, have heard him speak on the importance of the ratio of carbohydrates to protein and his list of “must have” items in your diet. We’re just now finishing up the series on nutrition and will be getting into exercise next month. In the meantime, I came across this interview by Dr. Joe Mercola with Ori Hofmekler speaking about not only the balance of carbohydrates and protein, but also the importance of amino acids like Leucine to building and perserving muscles. Please watch this 10 minute video.

Dr. Joseph Mercola with Ori Hofmekler

As you might expect, this is where I get my Whey Protein:

This is an article published in “My Best Health Portal“

Written by Lynn Glenn and edited by Jeff Behar, it is one of the best I’ve come across aimed at the mature audience. Our thanks to Lynn and Jeff for the use of this article.

Leg Workouts for Older People

Learn how to work your legs as you age.

When, we get older our joints, hips and lower back start to show signs of wear. They become more fragile and susceptible to injuries. Joints, hips and lower back all have taken their toll over the years, especially if you were involved in sports or a job that required manual labor. Training the QuadsAt 60 I still wanted to be able to train my legs using heavier weights. I started to think about what if something would happen and I injure myself!I am a very active person with various types of activities requiring me mobile. What would I do, if I were to lose that mobility? Suddenly, I found that free weights and squatting with 400 plus pounds did not make sense anymore! One wrong move or losing my balance could result in a serious injury. To avoid hip replacement, bad knees or having lower back problems, I had to find a safer method for building legs.

This article I will explain how to make training legs safer with less of a chance of injuries. The workout that I will be explaining will have your back supported and with a more controlled range of motion. I have completed this workout routine, with variations, for over a year now. My legs are growing and stronger than ever, but without the fear of injury.

If you still want to do squats with using free weights, then it would be better to use the Smith Machine. The Smith Machine is defiantly a safer piece of equipment than loading weights on a barbell. If you are unfamiliar with this equipment, it mimics squats using the barbell with plates, but with cables and safety devises on both sides. The main difference with this equipment, you do not have to worry about balancing the weight.

Leg Muscles

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Calves

The Leg Equipment

Gyms have various types of equipment and brand names that will be similar to the ones that I will be mentioning. Hammer Strength, Universal, Pro Fitness, Maximus, Flex, LifeFitness, Nautilus, Power Strength, Body Solid, FreemMotion, Smith Machine, are some good examples of plate loading and cable gym equipment.

Leg Building Strategy

Your legs have very strong muscles. You’ll find that you can lift heavier weights during your leg workouts than with other routines, and for that reason proper form is important so not to injure your back and/or your other joints.

With that being said, you’ll often find that you can make bigger and quicker gains with your leg workouts. For example, over the course of a few months, you might find that you’re increasing your weights on a weekly basis. When this happens, you really notice your legs taking shape!

The key to staying injury free and making gains is to use good form, and not to over train your muscles. You need to let your muscles rest in between workouts. Give them 3 or 4 days to rest before training them again. Follow up each workout with a protein shake and your legs will never be the same.

My Leg Building Workout

I train legs once a week in the middle of the week. This way it gives my upper body a day to rest before resuming. You can perform the leg work twice a week if you can or able to. I have found that it takes me a minimum of 3 days to recover from the workout I am about to discuss.

Warming up

Over a year ago I found out that it takes more time for my legs to warm up. To start with squats, like I use to, did not work for me anymore. Now I start with my calves, a little unorthodox I know but it works for me. My theory behind this is that your calve muscles are one the most used muscles in your body.

From the time you crawl out of bed in the morning until you are back in bed that night your calves are being use. With this theory in mind, when I get to the gym I work my calves first. My calves have already warmed up from using them throughout the day. I work them hard and burn them out before I attack the larger muscle groups. By now my heart is pumping, body has warmed up and blood is circulating. Now I am ready for my larger leg muscles.

The Leg Workout

Your calves along with your quads have three muscle groups each inner, outer and medial. Make sure your workout hits all muscle groups. The workout that I use and will explain below, will do that either individually or as a group.

• The leg and calve workout along with most of my other workouts is done once per week.
• All reps mentioned here after are to failure, which means you cannot lift anymore weight after completing the last rep.
• Quads, complete 4 sets each exercise, between 8 to 10 reps.
• Hamstrings, 3 sets each exercise, between 8 to 10 reps.
• Calves, 4 sets each exercise, between 10 to 12 reps.

Quadricep (thigh) Workout

There are lot theories in the order for which to complete your quad exercises. Find out which one works for you and follow it or change them up. Below I will be explaining one order of performing these exercises.

• Seated leg extensions: All gyms have seated leg extension equipment. With weight added, adjust the pad height on your shins to where it sits just above your ankle. In a seated position with back supported lift your lower legs up to just before full extension and then back down. Repeat.

• Squats: There are many pieces of equipment at the gym that are made for squats, with hand grips and where your back is supported. With weight added, back against the pad and hands on the grips, squat down to where your legs are at a 90 degree angle and then back up. Do not go below a 90 degree angle, this will put strain on your knees and may cause knee damage. When you are standing do not lock your knees keep your legs slightly bent and weight on your quads.

• Leg Press: I like the Hammer Strength plate loading equipment for this. In a sitting position with your back against the pad, push your legs forward, stop before locking your knees with keeping the weight on your quads. Now lower the weight until your legs are at a 90 degree angle then push back up. Repeat.

Hamstring Workout

I use two pieces of equipment for my hamstrings.

• Seated reverse leg curl: Sit down with the pad adjusted behind your legs just above your ankles. With your back supported against the pad bring your legs to a 90 degree angle then slowly back to the starting position with legs slightly bent. Repeat.
• Lying reverse leg curl: Lay down with pad adjusted to where it rest on the back of your legs just above your ankles. Grab the hand grips by your head now curl your legs up to where the pad just about reaches your hamstrings. Now slowly straighten your legs and lower the pad back down. Repeat.

How to Build Leg Muscle in your Fifties and Sixties

Calve Workout

With all calve exercises, it is not the weight being use that is as important as using proper form. You want your heels to go down as far as they can for the stretch.  Next, rise up on ball and toes of your feet as high as you can. Too much weight can prevent you from accomplishing this movement.

• Seated calve raise: Now, we will finish our calves off will seated calve raises. I use the Hammer Strength plate loading equipment for this. I like completing this exercise last. It hits the medial calve muscle, a smaller muscle, the most. With the pads on top of your legs near your knees and your heels down from the bar as far as they will go. Now, left up until you are on ball and toes of your feet. Repeat.

• How to Build Leg Muscle in your Fifties and Sixties

  Seated calve press: Start by using a calve press machine. I like using the LifeFitness Machine for this. You are in a seated position with the ball of you feet resting on the bar with legs slightly bent. With the ball of your feet you push forward until your toes end up on bar and then back down. Repeat. If your gym does not have similar equipment, you can use a leg press machine. Put just the ball of your feet on the leg press machine with your heels hanging off. Follow the same motion of movement as you would with the calve press machine.

• Standing calve raise: I use the LifeFitness Calve Raise Machine for this. There are other machines that are the same. This machine has pads for your shoulders press up against and bars for your hands to hold on to. Adjust the shoulder pad height then start with your legs slightly bent and heels hanging off the platform. Drop your heels down as far as they will go for the stretch, then up on ball and toes of your feet as high as you are able. Repeat.

Bottom Line on Leg Workouts for Older People

Most of these exercises your back is supported, hands are on grips for balance and performed with a controlled range of motion. Be sure not to hyperextend your legs or bend your legs more than a 90 degree angle. You can complete these leg exercises indefinitely with only some weight modifications.

Thanks again to Lynn & Jeff.

And as always, I want to stress the need for good nutrition as part of any exercise program. “Sports Nutrition” is a subject near and dear to my heart. And if joint problems are keeping you from being as active as you should be, I highly recommend, “Shaklee Joint Health Complex.” It does wonders for me.