After decades of neglect I began My Physical Fitness Odyssey to lose weight and restore my physical fitness.
Weight loss is achieved largely by calorie reduction, requiring personal commitment. Coupling this with exercise helped me maintain commitment while improving fitness. The key was finding enjoyable, yet strenuous, physical activities.
Six years ago I bicycled 2048 miles, beginning in May and ending in November. The last 25 miles were on a cold windy November day. I nearly froze. Those last 25 miles were critical, bringing the total to 2048, which you may recognize as 2 multiplied by itself 11 times. 2 to the 11th is more memorable than 2023.
In subsequent years I took a renewed interest in tennis, playing 1, then 2, now often 3 evenings/week. Tennis negatively impacted my biking time, but the variety was more satisfying.
In August 2015 I unpacked my old inline skates, the ones I skated the North Shore Marathon (26.2 miles from Two Harbors to Duluth MN) in 2001, 2002 and 2003. I replaced those skates with K2 Men’s V02 100 X Pro Inline Skates. I love these fast large wheel skates, blading on the Greenwood Trail, a 0.90 mile newly paved loop. Starting late in 2015 I managed to log 125 miles before snow brought the season to an end.
I resumed skating in May 2016 while continuing my tennis schedule. The inline skating year ended in late November due to ice and snow. On the final day, with 878 miles logged for the season, I obviously needed to reach 900 miles. To do so I had to hand shovel snow from several areas on the trail. I began the 2017 season on May 1st completing 1024 miles (which incidentally is 2 to the 10th) on September 30th, 2017, putting me well ahead of the previous year. I will get many more miles before it snows. I keep accurate track of my distance, speed and heart rate using a TomTom Runner Cardio watch. Having achieved my goal, next year I may cut back on inline skating by resuming biking. There is only so much time! To those who say inline skating day after day must be boring I reply I love the fresh air and crank up my Bluetooth headphones listening to ‘Rock’ music (actually Sergei Rachmaninoff piano works).
In July 2016 I bumped into Tim Bergland at the Pennington Country Fair. Tim, a physical fitness buff and former Washington Capitals NHL hockey star, is currently the coach for the winning Thief River Falls Prowlers High School Hockey Team. I mentioned my summer physical activities, noting that when winter arrived I would be lost. Tim said “I can take care of that!” Meeting Tim at the Ralph Engelstad Arena weight room, I committed to a twice a week strength training plan. Surprisingly I enjoyed it, quickly raising it to 3, then 4 and often 6 days week. It is challenging, addicting and enjoyable.
My fitness program, which follows, consists of Day 1 and Day 2, which I alternate. As I have become stronger I have increased the weights, with the prior weights crossed out.
The results have been better than I could have imagined.
Ron Stordahl Oct 9, 2017 Thief River Falls MN PDF version DOCX version RonStordahl.com
Day 1 Strength Training Plan
Warm-up: Run around arena followed by 5 stretching exercises ea. 20 steps: Knee to Chest Lunge, Heel to Butt, Russian March, Backward Lunge w/Twist, Hockey Lunge
Group 1: Repeat 3 times
1: Dumbbell
Chest Press (on back): 10 times: DB #: 15 20 25 30
2: Cable Row: 10 times:
#: 90 100 110 120 140 150
3: Medicine Ball
Walking Lunge 20 steps: Ball #: 8 10
Group 2: Repeat 3 times
4: 3-Way Shoulder – 10
times: Front, Lateral, Bend. DB #: 5 10
5: 16 times Incline Push-UP
6: Step-Up 8 times each leg 2nd box
Group 3: Repeat 3 times
7: Lateral Pull Down –
10 times: #: 90 105 120
8: Seated Dumbbell
Curls 10 times: DB #: 10 15 20 25
9: Tricep Bench Dips: 10 times
Group 4: Repeat 3 times
1: Plank (elbows on mat) 1 minute
2: Bird-Dog (alternate hand and leg) 5 seconds each side repeat 3 times
Final: Elliptical Trainer
30 minutes with resistance set to maintain a heart rate of up to 130 with a calorie burn of 350 for the period.
Day 2 Strength Training Plan
Warm-up: Run around arena followed by 5 stretching exercises ea. 20 steps: Knee to Chest Lunge, Heel to Butt, Russian March, Backward Lunge w/Twist, Hockey Lunge
Group 1: Repeat 3 times
1: Hammer Strength
Chest Press: 10 times: # ea. side:8# + 10 15 20 25
30 35
2: Hammer Strength Pull
Down (palms in): 10 times: # ea. side:1# + 30 40 50 60
70 80
3: Plyo
Press: 10 times: # 120 135 150 180 195 210
Group 2: Repeat 3 times
4: TYI Shoulders (Lay on chest on mat): 10 ‘T’, 10 ‘Y’ and 10 ‘I’
5: Dumbbell Chest Fly’s
(slight bent in elbows) 10 times: #: 10 15 20
6: Weighted Front Squat
(one weight) 10 times: #: 10 15 30 35 45
Group 3: Repeat 3 times
7: Dumbbell Upright Row
(standing) 10 times: #: 10 15 20 25
8: Dumbbell Pull Over
(on back over head one weight) 10 times: #: 10 20 30 35
9: 2 Leg Calf Raises
(toes) on Box 20 30 times
Ending exercises: Repeat 3 times
1: Plank (elbows on mat) 1 minute
2: Bird-Dog (alternate hand and leg) 5 seconds each side repeat 3 times
Final: Elliptical Trainer
30 minutes with resistance set to maintain a heart rate of up to 130 with a calorie burn of 350 for the period.