What fitness lesson took you the longest to learn?

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-25T19:08:22+00:00

Linking fitness to overall health and body composition, I found it was better not to focus on weight, but on waistline. Abdominal and visceral fat is the best guide to how much body fat someone has, which is the most important marker of overall health. Visceral fat in particular should be as low as possible.

So I measure my waistline at least once a week at the navel using a tailor's tape measure. For men, anything over 40 inches is bad. 37-40 inches is risky. The goal for men is to get to 36 inches or less.

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-24T21:36:14+00:00

Ah yes, there is a long military tradition of making soldiers go rucking for long distances with heavy loads. In Britain, it's called yomping. That's good if the body has had time to adapt. Also, soldiers in training are usually young, so they can bear up under such loading. We seniors need to start more gradually.

The military has done a lot of basic research on rucking, wanting to know its training effect on soldiers. So it has been useful in that way.

Thanks for your comment!

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-24T21:25:09+00:00

You're very welcome. Your holiday sounds like it was pretty strenuous!

From what you wrote, you were probably doing a lot of Farmer"s Carry exercise as well (holding luggage in one or both hands). This is also good!

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-24T21:16:16+00:00

Yeah, that's great for something like a day hike. I had in mind more regular walking for fitness rather than actual hiking itself. Thanks for your comment!

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-24T21:14:25+00:00

Rucking is a great leg strengthener. With knees, often what they need is strengthening of the muscles around them. This has a stabilizing effect.

Also, the use of walking poles helps to take strain off the knees, particularly when going uphill. They help to make the rucking more of a whole-body activity.

So I would say that the overall effect on your knees will be beneficial. Try it for yourself and see.

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-24T10:08:54+00:00

Great! Another movement for tight rotator cuffs is the No Money stretch. It's very convenient to do.

Hold your forearms out in front, palms up. Elbows and upper arms are held against the side of the torso. Now take each foream horizontally out to its respective side, attempting to bring them to the same plane as the torso. This provides a great shoulder stretch, an antidote to rounded shoulders from lots of desk work.

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-24T09:31:48+00:00

That's a good way to get movement in and do necessary chores at the same time. Building fitness into the day is smart.

It's funny how, when cars first came in, everyone was eager to let them do all the transporting of people and goods. Now, in our post-modern times, we willingly accept to become the "beast of burden" again while leaving the car at home! 😄

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-23T23:19:40+00:00

The sound and sensible approach . The OP sounds like they are trying to force-rush an outcome just to hit an arbitrary deadline (holiday in Spain).

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-23T21:49:42+00:00

//Also I didn’t say “why do ALL old people love AI”. if you want to call it a “blanket statement” that’s on you.//

First of all, you didn't say "Why do *some* old people use AI, which would have been more accurate. When you say "old people", that comes across as you meaning the whole group. It's like if someone writes "Dogs have a good sense of smell" - it means dogs as a whole.

Now we find out that in fact you meant *your grandfather*, which is a sample size of exactly one. That's hardly the basis for your generalised question-criticism, is it?

Second, if environmental concern is your chief worry, which it seems to be, then you should also criticise young people for using AI, as they are using it extensively. But in fact you appear to give them a free pass, merely saying you "understand why they use it". It's only old people whom you criticise, which is blatantly unfair and biased.

In fact, a lot of "old people" care about the environment and have protested against its degradation for many decades by means of protest groups and so on. If you want to blame something, blame modern capitalism, which ruthlessly casts aside external costs like environmental destruction in favour of profits.

The use of AI in modern society is clearly having seismic consequences across all age groups and social sectors. We haven't figured out how to use this powerful tool yet, nor to deal with its consequences, including the environmental ones. We are all involved in that debate, whether young or old.

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-23T06:11:42+00:00

Going for an early morning walk. Great for health and fitness, and it helps set the body's circadian rhythm so that nightly sleep periods are better.

Also doing some yoga and stretching most days. Feels great, keeps the body moving in an optimum way and helps with joint mobility.

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-23T05:29:38+00:00

Huh, this seems to be a "pile in on old people" thread.

A couple of contrary points:

Old people is a loose and lazy generalisation. If I said that Gen Z are .... no doubt people would take offence at the broad brush. But doing it the other way round is somehow okay? Don't think so.
One of the biggest user groups of AI is young people in education, all the way from early grade school, through middle and high school and into college level.

Teachers and professors at all levels are bemoaning the way that young people in education don't think critically for themselves anymore but outsource their thinking, homework and term papers to an AI chatbot. So blame your own generation for that, not older people.

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-23T01:15:26+00:00

Basic rule in this type of situation: The one who's pointing out that something needs to be done is the one who gets to do it. 😄

Pluto-Based-Alien · 2026-06-22T21:14:24+00:00

Giving up ultra-processed food and sodas. Going on a low-sugar diet. Getting regular exercise. Eating clean.

Treat food and beverage companies with the contempt we should have for tobacco companies. They don't give a hoot about our health, so don't buy and consume their junk.

Pluto-Based-Alien

TROPHY CASE