Are you in your PRIME?

[canadiantreeman]

Other than my cardio, I'm in the physical prime now. I'd like to start a regular routine to better the cardio and increase muscle endurance. Powerlifting ain't my style, I prefer high impact excercise with lower weights and more reps to pushing less reps more weight. That said, it's been a long while since I've picked up a dumbbell in a gym. I'd way rather go outside!!

I find that the tree work just keeps getting easier the longer I'm at it, more savvy and greater economy of movement. My back tells me when I need to mind my posture and I do my best to make every movement count. I'd love to try my hand at a handfalling gig at some point, but round here it ain't likely.

Oh, and given my high maintenance third boy, this is all done on a maximum of 4 hrs in a row sleep at night!! Damn kids, can't wait till that little peckerhead sleeps a solid eight in a row!

 

[CurSedVoyce]

You say that now ... but wait a few years when they are just doing their own thing and not needing you so much .............

 

[cory]

Why no handfalling around you?

 

[canadiantreeman]

Machines, big ones and smaller trees compared to the coast and interior rainforest! That, and it's a tough biz to get into unless you've already got contacts in the industry.

And I sure wouldn't mind being unneeded at 12am and then 4 am every night, Stephen!

 

[cory]

Understood

 

[HolmenTree]

Machines, big ones and smaller trees compared to the coast and interior rainforest! That, and it's a tough biz to get into unless you've already got contacts in the industry.

The best thing that ever happened to me was when I lost my IWA union paid hand falling job in the early '90s when I was replaced by mechanical harvestors. Now I'm my own boss as an arborist and not having to worry about the scaler ripping me off any more.

Other than my cardio, I'm in the physical prime now. I'd like to start a regular routine to better the cardio and increase muscle endurance. Powerlifting ain't my style, I prefer high impact excercise with lower weights and more reps to pushing less reps more weight. That said, it's been a long while since I've picked up a dumbbell in a gym. I'd way rather go outside!!

Like I said earlier the best strength and endurance routine I found is twice a week pumping out 3 sets of 20 reps of heavy deadlifts and 4 sets for max reps of pull ups. You want cardio and strength building try this routine.

Here's a pic of my homemade power rack with pullup bar with different grips for behind and front of neck pullups and my 315 lb weight set for my 20 rep deadlifts[2nd pic] 1st pic is warm up set at 285 . Mixed up plates in k.g and lbs.
It took me many years adding those little plates on to get up to 315. I don't plan on adding any more just try and add more reps.
At 55 my back, joints and core are seasoned strong and the power I'm enjoying makes my tree work a piece of cake.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Use it or lose it!!!

 

[canadiantreeman]

Nice set up, Willard. I'd like to rock something like that. Next house will definitely have a man cave.

 

[MasterBlaster]

My cave...

 

[HolmenTree]

Really nice setup Butch, would have been great for me back in my bachelor days.
But with all the kids and grandkids I have now I'd lose a couple of them from them getting hurt on the stuff.

 

[HolmenTree]

Nice set up, Willard. I'd like to rock something like that. Next house will definitely have a man cave.

Just a couple of 2x4s and some carriage bolts Dylan, the power rack can fit in any corner of the house. Or outside for all that goes.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I hate gyms/health clubs... I'd rather have my own gear.

 

[HolmenTree]

I hate gyms/health clubs... I'd rather have my own gear.

Too much politics and B.S. in gyms . Plus waiting in line, working out next to a guy who hasn't showered in weeks...........

 

[MasterBlaster]

And sweat on everything... I'll pass.

 

[stig]

Not to mention the bodybuilders who try to intimidate everyone with their muscles.
They really got on my nerves.

 

[Thor's Hammer]

I use the local authority gym. Its in a stunning location overlooking the snowdonia mountains and the straits. The guys in there are super friendly, non of the issues mentioned. I ljke the gym

 

[MasterBlaster]

People are a distraction for me, and usually on the machine I want at the moment. When I did go to a health club, it was when the least amount of people were there.

 

[gf beranek]

You've done some remodeling since I was there. Where's my lounge?

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's there, you can see the armrest in the third pic, lower left hand corner. I set all that up after you'd visited - had to do something to lose that 20lbs from laying up crippled.

 

[murphy4trees]

Murphy is still trolling here......

ya think? LOL

way out of shape.. can still put the wood on the ground though.. 75' bucket and skid loader on almost every job.. though I can get into climbing shape again with good diet and exercise.. my last year climbing big trees was 2010... it helps being able to make my own schedule.. conservation of energy is a constant concern, even with all the hardware..

 

[Mick!]

At nearly 50 I'm probably a better climber than 10 or 15 years ago, doing it for myself means I can plan a big day for a Friday or a put a day grinding or something afterwards so I can rest a bit the next day. I don't lift ANYTHING heavy these days. My life is dominated by my back (as was my fathers who was a farmer) I couldn't conceive doing any recreational training.

 

[SouthSoundTree]

At nearly 50 I'm probably a better climber than 10 or 15 years ago, doing it for myself means I can plan a big day for a Friday or a put a day grinding or something afterwards so I can rest a bit the next day. I don't lift ANYTHING heavy these days. My life is dominated by my back (as was my fathers who was a farmer) I couldn't conceive doing any recreational training.

How about preventative exercises? Climbing is enough work, but is is not a stand-alone activity, which you likely know.

I think that taking care of your body is part of staying close to/ in your prime. Being able to adjust the schedule helps me a lot, too.

 

[Mick!]

Without wishing to become a Back Bore the problems are worn lower discs causing inflammation especially in the morning and driving, and compressed vertebrae due to a quad bike accident. I believe in tree terms they would call it "managing the decline"
Not unusually (according to my osteopath)all day when working, climbing or saw work it feels ok.

 

[Cold Logging]

Managing the decline, that's a good way to put it.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Here's how I load logs.