My experience with injuries and exercise

[Richard E. Wood]

To all:
I recently emailed Jeanpaul about my dealings with injury and exercise. He suggested that I post my message here. His response and my original message appear below.
Thanks for your indulgence. www.richardewood.com email@richardewood.com










Richard. So glad to have you on our forum. I am very happy for you that you have found something that you can do to keep your body fit despite those injuries. This year had been especially hard for me due primarily to a neck injury that would NOT go away, so it is encouraging to see that you have made such good progress.

I look forward to reading your posts in the forum. Actually, I think that you should do an introductory post and include your story about your neck injury. You might get some really good feedback in there.

jp
-----Original Message-----
From: RICHARD WOOD [mailto:rewood1@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2004 1:52 PM
To: jeanpaul@jpfitness.com
Subject: Fitness forever!


Jeanpaul,
I've just joined the fitness forum because it seems to have valid information. You must realize all the junk that exists out there on the net. Have spent the last several days scouring for a good site. I'm here!
I'd like to elaborate on my registration info. I've exercised for more than 40 years. In spurts of inspiration as I feel most people do. For the past year it has been a regular routine.
Over a year ago I was diagnosed with severe arthritis in my neck and right shoulder. This was basically due to a lifting inury about 20 years ago. I lost control of a bench press and tore shoulder ligaments, pulled my tricep out of place and affected my spine in the neck area.I was given every therapy option and pain pill in the book.None offered any relief so I was determined to build my neck and shoulder muscles to alleviate the pressure on my neck. As a result I've been pain free for about 10 months! I've always believed in the value of exercise but now I'm positive of it!
A few months ago I acquired a DP rowing machine which consists of about 6 exercises. I used it for several weeks until I felt that it wasn't demanding enough. I drilled another set of holes to increase the pressure and that lasted a couple more weeks. Finally I modified the machine to accept weights.I added a bar between the grips to hold the weights about a month ago and added about 30 lbs. and the results are fantastic! My theory was that the combination of steady pressure and weights would increase the demand without overdoing the weight value.
At any rate it works like a charm. I haven't seen this method applied anywhere else. Is it unique?
If you would, please visit my web site and click on ( workin' out ). www.richardewood.com

Thanks much,
Dick Wood

Ps. I haven't taken a pic of the modification yet.
Pps. I'll be 65 on 1\31\2004.

[Bill Hartman]

Congrats on your success!! If you feel half as good as you look, you must feel stupendous.

The only issue you face is to keep progressing.

Clarence Bass is guy you may be interested in...he's about your age and trains on a minimalist approach which he's been doing for years that has provided him with amazing benefits. The great thing is that he continues to set personal records for strength and body fat. He's actually been measured at 1.65% at one time. Scary.

Check out his website if you need some motivation or ideas. www.cbass.com. There's also a book by Pat O'Shea call Strength Fitness II (I think that's the title, it's been a while since I read it) that has a second for training for longevity you may find of interest as well.

Bill

[Richard E. Wood]

Bill,
Thanks for the response and advice. I'm already aware of Clarence Bass' site. And to answer your question of how I feel. Grrrreat!

[gardener]

Welcome! I just checked your post and other material and discovered that we're near contemporaries

This is one of the best sites on the entire Internet. I thought at the outset that I might check in weekly and post every other month. Wrong!

It's a fascinating place to be. I'm a retired professor and this can at times be as good as a really great class.

Like everyone else my age I have a medical history. Mine is one of stopping smoking the night before surgery for lung cancer (six years ago), and of a sedentary lifestyle abandoned three years ago when I discovered that a gym could be as great a place for healthy play as a playpen had been seven decades ago.

Welcome, once again.