Gyroscopic Investing

Tortoise wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:36 pm

vnatale wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 2:17 pm I am the proverbial "hard gainer"and the classic ectomorph. I plateaued years and years ago on the exercises that I do. Adding 5 pounds to any of them is a MAJOR accomplishment. However, since I'm in the age group of more rapid phase of losing muscle mass potential just staying at a plateau should probably be viewed as victory.

Absolutely. My dad has always been an avid cyclist, and after retirement he started cycling a lot more and is now very skinny. I'm sure his heart is in great health, but it seems like he's probably missing out on the benefits of having a good base of muscle mass and bone density with which to defend against sarcopenia and osteopenia. Avoiding heart attacks is great, but it's also good to be able to get up from the toilet and not shatter your hip if you fall down!

Regarding your being a "hard gainer," that topic comes up frequently in the strength training community -- and especially in Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength community, which I know you're familiar with. The prevailing view there seems to be that "hard gainers" usually just aren't eating enough surplus calories to shift their bodies into anabolism.

In the extreme case of really skinny 18-year-old guys who complain of not being able to gain much strength, Rippetoe tells them to drink a gallon of milk a day (GOMAD) on top of what they're already eating. For less extreme cases, and for older people, he acknowledges that GOMAD is probably a bad idea. But the general concept of shifting to a caloric surplus seems like pretty universal advice for "hard gainers."

vnatale wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 9:37 pm The Body Science (as does Rippetoe's book) makes the case that strength training is far more beneficial for the heart than is cardio.

My anecdotal evidence seems to support that.

l82start wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2020 6:47 am

vnatale wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 9:15 pm

i am not familiar with his claims but from what i have read, strength training done properly to momentary muscle failure across the major muscle groups will produce equal or better cardiovascular results with far less strain/wear and tear and injury risk than any cardio exercise. For a good read on the science of strength training, try DR Doug Mcguff 's book "body by science"..

Many thanks for letting me know about this book!

As I initially responded I did quickly buy the book and it came shortly after. But I put as a first priority to finish ALL the library books I'd taken out of two libraries around mid-winter. If I kept reading any of my books I'd never finish them.

Earlier tonight I finally finished the final one and the Body by Science book was the first book of my own that I chose to read.

It was one of those books that only a few pages into it I knew that it was going to be a book of substance.

When I read that they preferred Nautilus machines for the exercises I was disappointed as my reaction was, "I'm not going anywhere to exercise....but I'll still read the rest of the book to see if I can get anything of value out of it."

However, I was thrilled beyond measure when it stated if it isn't possible to go to a commercial gym..."....consider purchasing a power rack and an Olympic barbell set and training at home."

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just what I already have at home. NOTHING to purchase.

Then I was again totally thrilled to see that "The Big Five" exercises to do using barbells were my basic four that I already do plus one that I do not! Only one new exercise to learn to do (Bent-Over Barbell Row) and it seemed fairly easy to learn.

I was so devouring this book that I quickly read over half of it.

You may have a convert!

To do all the necessary exercise in 12 minutes a week compared to the 8 to 9 hours I spent over three mornings would mean I'd have a lot more time to do other things.

Thanks again for the recommendation!

Vinny

l82start wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2020 6:48 am

l82start wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2020 6:54 pm that looks good ... added to wish list..

WiseOne wrote: ↑Sat May 23, 2020 10:15 am Huh, my biggest bodyweight-related problem has been going down 2 pant sizes in the past several months.
...
The diet is not really a diet anymore, it's all on autopilot. No tracking or charting of any kind.

WiseOne wrote: ↑Sat May 23, 2020 10:15 am Huh, my biggest bodyweight-related problem has been going down 2 pant sizes in the past several months. This weekend I will re-acquaint myself with my grandmother's Singer sewing machine from the late 1950s.

The diet is not really a diet anymore, it's all on autopilot. No tracking or charting of any kind. All I have to do is avoid sugar and grains, and keep a lid on starchy foods like potatoes and squash.

WiseOne wrote: ↑Sat May 23, 2020 10:15 am This weekend I will re-acquaint myself with my grandmother's Singer sewing machine from the late 1950s.

vnatale wrote: ↑Fri May 22, 2020 7:56 pm How much do you do of what the book proscribes?
Vinny

Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat May 23, 2020 2:55 pm

WiseOne wrote: ↑Sat May 23, 2020 10:15 am This weekend I will re-acquaint myself with my grandmother's Singer sewing machine from the late 1950s.

Is it a treadle? I sewed my first shirt on a treadle that I helped my mom restore when I was about 10. I still prefer them for the fine tuned control and torque. The motorized sewing machines feel like driving a car with an automatic transmission.

WiseOne wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 9:30 am It's electric with a foot pedal. Not quite as old as I thought (it's a 1964 600E) but it is still a beauty. It weighs about 3x as much as a modern machine, so you know it's made with quality parts. I cleaned and oiled it, and it's working perfectly except for one stuck lever. I found youtube videos for it so I might be able to fix it myself.

Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 10:44 pm I do miss my uncle, my mom's brother. Otherwise known as the greatest man that ever lived.

When I was a kid, my mom sent me to live with him for a few summers because she said that my step-dad would never be able to teach me to be a man.

Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 7:30 am

Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Mon May 25, 2020 10:44 pm I do miss my uncle, my mom's brother. Otherwise known as the greatest man that ever lived.

When I was a kid, my mom sent me to live with him for a few summers because she said that my step-dad would never be able to teach me to be a man.

Brutal.

Xan wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 12:30 pm Mark, can you be more specific about the road he was warning you against going down? Too much medical intervention at end-of-life? Living so long that you need to be catheterized? A career in nursing?

Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 3:33 pm

Xan wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 12:30 pm Mark, can you be more specific about the road he was warning you against going down? Too much medical intervention at end-of-life? Living so long that you need to be catheterized? A career in nursing?

Prostate Cancer
I don't know what he expected me to do about it, other than to get checked while still young. He died not long after finding out about it. I don't imagine he went to the doc much during his life.

MangoMan wrote: ↑Wed May 27, 2020 7:04 am

vnatale wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 8:23 pm

Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 3:33 pm

Xan wrote: ↑Tue May 26, 2020 12:30 pm Mark, can you be more specific about the road he was warning you against going down? Too much medical intervention at end-of-life? Living so long that you need to be catheterized? A career in nursing?

Prostate Cancer
I don't know what he expected me to do about it, other than to get checked while still young. He died not long after finding out about it. I don't imagine he went to the doc much during his life.

My doctor convinced me to not get tested on the basis that there is too many false positives with the net result of the tests causing more overall needless problems than what they save in terms of prevention.

Vinny

What specifically do you mean by 'tested'? PSA bloodwork? Digital rectal exam?

My MD told me at my last physical they were now only doing digital exams 'upon request' due to their lack of efficacy. I said, "So you've been doing that to me for the last 25 years for nothing?" All he could do was smile and shrug.

vnatale wrote: ↑Thu May 21, 2020 9:34 pm

vnatale wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:58 pm

MangoMan wrote: ↑Mon Apr 20, 2020 12:33 pm With all this weight lifting talk, just curious: Who here has lost or gained more than 3 pounds? I consider 2 lbs to be insignificant due to salt intake variation and whether or not a recent poop has taken place,

March 17th was the last day I've been off my property. Do my daily weights and fluctuations support what you believe?

I've kept up my three times a week exercises but unless I'm working outside on my property little movement otherwise besides these fingers.
Normally I'd be doing some walking around during the day and playing basketball two nights a week and, at this time of year, engaging in softball practices.

Vinny

UPDATE:

Looks like in the last 10 weeks I could have lost 9 pounds depending upon how you view my start...

Capture.JPG

Vinny