Resistance exercise is powerful - Advanced Prostate...
Resistance exercise is powerful
Everyone seems to know this, the trick is getting them to do it. Statistically about 15% of those with a cancer diagnosis 65 and older exercise. Better I’m sure for those a bit younger but not much. In the US 77% of the population does not exercise.
The only good news in this is that the weakest and least fit improve their health the most dramatically- just by getting to the first level beyond sedentary.
You have read studies with such conclusions...the less fit, the more benefit. SO, say you are currrently walking 2.5 miles per day, on average. Any idea where that would put a person as far as benefit of adding even more exercise????
Walking is simple, tremendous, underrated, essential . It’s also not enough for those older and/or on ADT drugs. Weight bearing exercise, stability, balance work and some form of stretching are needed also.
For best results that is. Certainly 2.5 miles of daily walking is profoundly better than nothing.
Well, I certainly didn’t know. I’m 80 and a regular gym-goer. All I have heard so far is that I’ll get all the menopause symptoms, tough. Especially mentioned was fatigue and muscle loss.
Now I’m more intent on resistance exercise (and cardio) to build or maintain muscle/bone.
So far I have no menopausal symptoms after 5 weeks but the females in the family are awaiting my doom anytime now.
Let them all talk. The folklore around ADT presupposes every man will experience the side effects, or that it’s ‘luck of the draw’. Don’t believe it. Keep up all that exercise and you will likely be just fine. Beware the slowed metabolism (eat perhaps a bit less) and exercise when you want to nap.
Thanks for this. I'm on the UK STAMINA trial, and I can personally vouch for the stuff this guy is talking about. Improved mood, posture, generally feeling good, but most incredibly piling on muscle mass in a way that I didn't think possible at age 67 and on ADT. It's an essential part of my life now, and I'm enjoying it so much that I'll be carrying on at the same gym when the trial ends.
I've always been sceptical and slightly sneery about gyms, but this programme has changed my view completely, and along with the medications (Degarelix/Firmagon and Enzalutamide/Xtandi), is literally saving my life.
If you're not already doing resistance training (and of course aerobic) please clear it with your doctors and get cracking!
John could you please share you weight/machine routine to include type, number of sets and reps. Do you do free weights or machines?
Thanks!
Hello John
I only use machines and dumbbells because I don’t trust myself with barbells!
I have 4 bone metastases in the pelvis and spine and a rib. Therefore, I asked Georgios (from the YouTube video) to design me a program that would not stress these bones. So it would be a little meaningless to anyone else. I’ve also engaged a PT in my gym for a couple of months to ensure my form is perfect.
I hope that helps.
Hello Mgtd and Bridgefeast. The trial parameters are quite well defined. Two one hour sessions a week (sometimes goes a bit over that). Basically 50/50 split between cardio and weights. We have some choice which machines to use, but I mostly do the following: on the cardio I do 10 minutes each on the rowing machine, bike (Wattbike Pro) and treadmill). We're supposed to go to RPE level 5/6 on the Borg? scale. For the resistance, only machines (for safety and form reasons), no free weights (although my trainers want me to progress to these after the trial ends). We can vary the resistance machines, but we're supposed to use four per session. The idea is to do between 3 sets of 8 reps (minimum) and 4 sets of 12 reps (maximum), only increasing the weight after achieving the 4x12 reasonably comfortably. I generally use inclined leg press, chest press, shoulder press and lat pulldown. I'm favouring my upper body, as I've always had strong legs (I'm slightly built but can push 240kg on the leg press). I'm losing abdominal fat, but can't get my weight down - this I attribute to gaining substantial amounts of muscle all over. I've got mets in my thoracic spine, ribs and sacrum, but no bone pain, and I don't avoid any particular machines, although one of the friends I've made at the gym had serious issues with his spine mets, and he avoids the leg press (does extensions and curls instead) and the rowing machine.
Quite a lot of information - hope it helps! Please let me know if any questions!
You seem to have it sorted. Well done.
Thanks!
John that is truly outstanding information and will help a great deal. Resistance training wise I do almost the identical routine. I do it for 20-30 minutes, 6 days a week. Like you I have noticed a huge improvement. Even with the Lupron and radiation, I have lost 12 pounds but I now have the beginning of a six pack that has emerged from losing the weight doing abdominal exercises. I try to do three sets of 20 abdominal exercises each time alone with some stretching.
I do this at our community recreation center. Really and an amazing facility - indoor track, three different pools for all ages, free weights, pickelball, basket ball and weight machines.
I do not have a trainer but when I started I asked the staff and one of the “gym rats” for some guidance. They got me started and now I help new people who are in my age bracket- 70 & 80s. I find having someone around our age and physical ability helps older new people feel comfortable and not self conscience and they have a tendency to stay with it.
For aerobics I hike about 5 times a week with my dogs for around a hour. Their muscle tone has really improved also and so has my endurance and stamina. They get to free run in the forest for the whole time. I really think it is a social experience for them with all the smells.
Hopefully next week I am going to learn how to use the rowing machine so I can do my aerobics during the winter when the snow hits coupled with that indoor track.
One suggestion that may help you after the formal program is done is to keep a daily log in a notebook of the stuff you do - what exercises, weights, reps, etc. I find this does two things - keeps me on track and helps if I feel like skipping a day or two because I visibly can see I slacked off.
Last but not least I find it to be a very social activity which is important also as I get older. I seem to attend more funerals then weddings now a days. LOL!
Keep up the good effort!
Ha ha, thanks Mgtd, you've really got it down! You're doing a lot! I do some walking and cycling in addition. I'd like to do more in the gym, but a). I'm fundamentally lazy, and b). they don't like us straying outside the trial parameters, which is understandable. I'm 33 weeks into the one year trial, and I do intend to step things up afterwards.
I should have said in my previous reply that we have around five personal trainers who are specifically trained for the programme. All are absolutely excellent. We get the first 12 weeks with a mixture of one to one and small (maximum 6 people) groups. From then we're independent but have to check in every 4 weeks to make sure things like form are OK, and we do several sub-maximal tests to check progress. I've been issued with a Garmin watch, primarily to check gym heart rates, but I use it to record all my activity, including sleep tracking. As it's a trial, we of course get free membership of the gym for one year and access to all the facilities, including pool and sauna. If we continue after the trial, we pay a membership fee that's less than half the regular one. We also have a monthly coffee morning where we can all compare tales of woe, and regular walks in the countryside. I also have an informal buddy up and we train together. Thanks for the heads up about record keeping - we're already required to do that, and it will continue after the trial.
I feel very fortunate to be doing all this, and I'd encourage others to be proactive like you and Bridgefeast - there's nothing to lose and lots to gain!
Still waiting for a six-pack to appear, but I'm working on it!
Cheers
John
You guys are doing great. Love the details! I will not bore anyone with what I do, let's just say it's a lot and I'm happy to be capable of it. I've lost plenty due to age, pca treatments, arthritis etc but fortunately I have some left. My only real boast at 67 my vo2max is good. 1 minute heart rate recovery is around 60, and I can still do a set of 28 pull ups, which is better than the young men at my gym. They are busy with bench press and bicep curls of course. Too soon old and too late smart my mother used to say. Onward!
Ha ha! Love your mum's saying!
Thank you for this video. The guy inspires me if nothing else.
Hello Bridgefeast........... how about an arm wrestling match with an 86 year old?
Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.
j-o-h-n Sunday 07/02/2023 9:42 PM DST
I’m certain you’d beat me easily. At the moment the competition is with myself. It’s so wonderful to hear such positive things from all of you. Great inspiration and motivation.
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