Which sports for overall conditioning and strength building.
Discussion
I guess gymnastics would be ideal but never having done any, I guess I'm a bit old for that sort of thing.
Martial arts of some kind would do the same but is it suitable for someone of my age to start? I'm in my early 40's. Only 'combat' training I've done was in the Army but that was more 'fight to the death' brutal, go for it stuff.
Rugby training? Works both lower and upper body - not sure I'd want to do contact stuff now - again, played a bit in the Army but my body could recover a lot better back then.
Only reason I ask - for the first time in 20 odd years, I did some water skiing and I've got a lovely all over ache setting in and while I do enjoy training with weights, for the most part, I find I work just as hard, if not harder, when I'm doing 'something' as I almost forget about the 'work' side of things and throw myself into it.
Martial arts of some kind would do the same but is it suitable for someone of my age to start? I'm in my early 40's. Only 'combat' training I've done was in the Army but that was more 'fight to the death' brutal, go for it stuff.
Rugby training? Works both lower and upper body - not sure I'd want to do contact stuff now - again, played a bit in the Army but my body could recover a lot better back then.
Only reason I ask - for the first time in 20 odd years, I did some water skiing and I've got a lovely all over ache setting in and while I do enjoy training with weights, for the most part, I find I work just as hard, if not harder, when I'm doing 'something' as I almost forget about the 'work' side of things and throw myself into it.
marksx said:
Swimming?
It would be 'work' for me - I'm a pretty strong swimmer but I don't enjoy it.I know you have to work at anything but, for instance, when I'm playing footy, I work until I'm having to suck air through my arse but don't think about it as I'm enjoying myself - however, football only works the legs (and obviously cardio).
I was told by a CQC teacher that to build real strength, take up gymnastics or rock climbing. Not being one who enjoys standing in a line of 10 year old girls while wearing a leotard, I opted for rock climbing despite hating heights. 
Certainly, I can do strength-based feats that I never thought I'd be able to.
Certainly, I can do strength-based feats that I never thought I'd be able to.
I tried climbing (more specifically bouldering) with a mate a while back and that had me nicely aching all over. Pretty tough stuff and a great workout.
I also enjoy kickboxing which is an all round killer for me. I'm 38 and don't have too many problems with it although the class I go to is possibly less hardcore than most (it's run at my local David Lloyds so the sparring is slightly watered down to suit soft s
tes like me). I like the circuit type training and skipping though, which is great for my fitness.
I also enjoy kickboxing which is an all round killer for me. I'm 38 and don't have too many problems with it although the class I go to is possibly less hardcore than most (it's run at my local David Lloyds so the sparring is slightly watered down to suit soft s
tes like me). I like the circuit type training and skipping though, which is great for my fitness.Does Triathlon count as one sport? I've found it absolutely fantastic for all round health, strength, and avoidance of injuries and aches and pains when doing other sports and activities.
I used to just cycle, but I ended up having enormous legs and a tiny weak upper body (at my peak of cycling ability I couldn't do a single press-up...). Over one winter due to the dark evenings I then just ran (in training for Reading half marathon), but I quickly became a 5'10" 60kg stick and eventually had a knee injury, probably caused by lack of muscular support for me knee. In both running and cycling phases of my life I really struggled with the strength required for motor racing, and many other sports too. Finally, if I became just a swimmer I'd almost certainly end up as an 85kg triangular shaped hulk, which equally isn't great for general fitness because you're lugging round a load of extra weight you don't need, and you're doing most of the lugging on tiny weedy legs. I now do Triathlon, which combines all of these disparate sports so gives you a body well suited to almost anything.
I used to just cycle, but I ended up having enormous legs and a tiny weak upper body (at my peak of cycling ability I couldn't do a single press-up...). Over one winter due to the dark evenings I then just ran (in training for Reading half marathon), but I quickly became a 5'10" 60kg stick and eventually had a knee injury, probably caused by lack of muscular support for me knee. In both running and cycling phases of my life I really struggled with the strength required for motor racing, and many other sports too. Finally, if I became just a swimmer I'd almost certainly end up as an 85kg triangular shaped hulk, which equally isn't great for general fitness because you're lugging round a load of extra weight you don't need, and you're doing most of the lugging on tiny weedy legs. I now do Triathlon, which combines all of these disparate sports so gives you a body well suited to almost anything.
Asterix said:
I guess gymnastics would be ideal but never having done any, I guess I'm a bit old for that sort of thing.
Martial arts of some kind would do the same but is it suitable for someone of my age to start? I'm in my early 40's. Only 'combat' training I've done was in the Army but that was more 'fight to the death' brutal, go for it stuff.
Rugby training? Works both lower and upper body - not sure I'd want to do contact stuff now - again, played a bit in the Army but my body could recover a lot better back then.
Only reason I ask - for the first time in 20 odd years, I did some water skiing and I've got a lovely all over ache setting in and while I do enjoy training with weights, for the most part, I find I work just as hard, if not harder, when I'm doing 'something' as I almost forget about the 'work' side of things and throw myself into it.
Fully agree with this - this summer I joined a basketball club and now train twice a week with them....love being alone in the gym but nothing gets the heart rate up like trying to keep up with 20 other people half your age in a team environment.Martial arts of some kind would do the same but is it suitable for someone of my age to start? I'm in my early 40's. Only 'combat' training I've done was in the Army but that was more 'fight to the death' brutal, go for it stuff.
Rugby training? Works both lower and upper body - not sure I'd want to do contact stuff now - again, played a bit in the Army but my body could recover a lot better back then.
Only reason I ask - for the first time in 20 odd years, I did some water skiing and I've got a lovely all over ache setting in and while I do enjoy training with weights, for the most part, I find I work just as hard, if not harder, when I'm doing 'something' as I almost forget about the 'work' side of things and throw myself into it.
Asterix said:
marksx said:
Swimming?
It would be 'work' for me - I'm a pretty strong swimmer but I don't enjoy it.I know you have to work at anything but, for instance, when I'm playing footy, I work until I'm having to suck air through my arse but don't think about it as I'm enjoying myself - however, football only works the legs (and obviously cardio).
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