I've not been overly EMTB active this year due to deciding to down time to actually try and address several of my more stubborn injury restrictions.
I even sold my beloved Kenevo, though in fairness I rode it less and less as the Mythique is just a lot easier to ride and I never fall off it ... I might even start clearing out some of the rest of the collection.
EMTB was never kind to me .. Whilst I love it relentlessly and it gives me all the adrenalin buzz of anything I've ever done (I've done most things) .. I was always clearly inept - had way more determination than ability !
Despite being generally stupid/suicidal/a regular contender for the Darwin awards, I've not broken many bones in life before E M T B !
I've lost track of everything EMTB has given me .. nearly every rib (though the back ones were a horse, so I have to forgive EMTB for that) The Skull was a horse too .. I recently saw a video which said if you meet a lady with a horse "RUN, JUST RUN" ... if only I'd seen that one a few years sooner. Anyway, shoulders (rotator cuffs and other things), collar bones, Pelvis, Sternum .. bla bla .. you get the idea.
Nearly every one of those was on the Kenevo, and every credit to the Kenevo, it never broke.
For me as you get older, I really believe you have to stay active. EMTB if you're riding hard works so much of your body - lets face it, even moving the heavy pile of crap is a workout in itself.
I try to supplement that with other things. Previously I'd goto Gym's, but in rural France a few years ago those didn't exist - people worked hard, why goto a gym !
In my early days here I adapted and tried to mix in more body weight/calisthenics type work and on one bored day threw together a a bit of a gym thing in one of the lofts using oak sleepers and old water pipe ... (try and buy anything useful in rural France ..)
No, I didn't build the water rower - I think it would have looked like two parallel baths if I had ..
A Doris (lady) arrived on the scene and I was advised to make the facilities more accessible (the same Doris who's Horses tried to assassinate me).
Anyway, that all went to sh1t ..
Now to get back on track.
I'm a big believer of working things to get them fixed. I've tried multiple osteopath sessions to sort my shoulders and so on and whilst what they do is amazing, I think you still need to do most things yourself or it won't move forwards.
My shoulders have mainly been my sticking points. How much of that is from just having another accident before they're healed ? I don't know.
I've kind of move on to the theory that you can do most things with your own weight and a few bits - though many of those just augment certain body parts.
On the bright side, I'm now 100% mobile. My achilies tendon issues are gone, my knee issues are gone. I have full shoulder movement again - I don't FECKING HURT ALL THE TIME !
Present setup is very simple :
Life in the cabin :
Chin up/pull up bar .. stainless bar cut from the disused stainless bar at the old car farm down the road, supported with two well cleaned old Kenevo chains .. I used to newby through chains
I've always been a "weight" person, but decided to try resistance bands - very reluctantly.
Then added in a Dip Station, I've always liked dips ..
Basically, bands are great ! Weight wise they're not accurate and work completely differently because you have more resistance further in the movement, where as with weights you normally have less (effective) resistance further in the movement as your arms are generally straightening (depending what you're doing).
The dip station was a joke, with my issues I couldn't even start a dip ! It was scary.
I persevered and amazingly the pain effect fixed things.
It's also great as you can do deep press-ups and hold at the bottom (that makes a hell of a difference - I normally do 200 pushups, but going deep, holding for pause at the bottom and then super fast up and you're at 1/4 of that at the most)
Bands are great, you can just either click another one in or grab a second one (depending on the type) and away you go.
The Adjustable dumbells are a new addition this week. They're only 12kg's so comical when you use them compared to bands sent to 70kg. But they hit different zones and movements, so not an alternative - a compliment. I can't find the ones I want in France, but might get them order to the uk and pick them up next week - one type is way nicer than all the rest !
Mine you just turn the handle to select, some you have to turn knobs either end .. these ones you turn the handle and a steel bar extends though both sides - so the whole thing is either short or long depending on the weight .
I can't be the only boring person who still wants to stay fit, flexible, active ?? Got any tips, advice, ideas ?
Will add in some of my other boring crap on how I fixed myself, but feels too much like a snake oil post in one go !
.. ps .. I drink lots of beer and wine.. it's a lubricant .. machines need lubricating ... (I don't believe that, but I keep telling myself ....)
I even sold my beloved Kenevo, though in fairness I rode it less and less as the Mythique is just a lot easier to ride and I never fall off it ... I might even start clearing out some of the rest of the collection.
EMTB was never kind to me .. Whilst I love it relentlessly and it gives me all the adrenalin buzz of anything I've ever done (I've done most things) .. I was always clearly inept - had way more determination than ability !
Despite being generally stupid/suicidal/a regular contender for the Darwin awards, I've not broken many bones in life before E M T B !
I've lost track of everything EMTB has given me .. nearly every rib (though the back ones were a horse, so I have to forgive EMTB for that) The Skull was a horse too .. I recently saw a video which said if you meet a lady with a horse "RUN, JUST RUN" ... if only I'd seen that one a few years sooner. Anyway, shoulders (rotator cuffs and other things), collar bones, Pelvis, Sternum .. bla bla .. you get the idea.
Nearly every one of those was on the Kenevo, and every credit to the Kenevo, it never broke.
For me as you get older, I really believe you have to stay active. EMTB if you're riding hard works so much of your body - lets face it, even moving the heavy pile of crap is a workout in itself.
I try to supplement that with other things. Previously I'd goto Gym's, but in rural France a few years ago those didn't exist - people worked hard, why goto a gym !
In my early days here I adapted and tried to mix in more body weight/calisthenics type work and on one bored day threw together a a bit of a gym thing in one of the lofts using oak sleepers and old water pipe ... (try and buy anything useful in rural France ..)
No, I didn't build the water rower - I think it would have looked like two parallel baths if I had ..
A Doris (lady) arrived on the scene and I was advised to make the facilities more accessible (the same Doris who's Horses tried to assassinate me).
Anyway, that all went to sh1t ..
Now to get back on track.
I'm a big believer of working things to get them fixed. I've tried multiple osteopath sessions to sort my shoulders and so on and whilst what they do is amazing, I think you still need to do most things yourself or it won't move forwards.
My shoulders have mainly been my sticking points. How much of that is from just having another accident before they're healed ? I don't know.
I've kind of move on to the theory that you can do most things with your own weight and a few bits - though many of those just augment certain body parts.
On the bright side, I'm now 100% mobile. My achilies tendon issues are gone, my knee issues are gone. I have full shoulder movement again - I don't FECKING HURT ALL THE TIME !
Present setup is very simple :
Life in the cabin :
Chin up/pull up bar .. stainless bar cut from the disused stainless bar at the old car farm down the road, supported with two well cleaned old Kenevo chains .. I used to newby through chains
I've always been a "weight" person, but decided to try resistance bands - very reluctantly.
Then added in a Dip Station, I've always liked dips ..
Basically, bands are great ! Weight wise they're not accurate and work completely differently because you have more resistance further in the movement, where as with weights you normally have less (effective) resistance further in the movement as your arms are generally straightening (depending what you're doing).
The dip station was a joke, with my issues I couldn't even start a dip ! It was scary.
I persevered and amazingly the pain effect fixed things.
It's also great as you can do deep press-ups and hold at the bottom (that makes a hell of a difference - I normally do 200 pushups, but going deep, holding for pause at the bottom and then super fast up and you're at 1/4 of that at the most)
Bands are great, you can just either click another one in or grab a second one (depending on the type) and away you go.
The Adjustable dumbells are a new addition this week. They're only 12kg's so comical when you use them compared to bands sent to 70kg. But they hit different zones and movements, so not an alternative - a compliment. I can't find the ones I want in France, but might get them order to the uk and pick them up next week - one type is way nicer than all the rest !
Mine you just turn the handle to select, some you have to turn knobs either end .. these ones you turn the handle and a steel bar extends though both sides - so the whole thing is either short or long depending on the weight .
I can't be the only boring person who still wants to stay fit, flexible, active ?? Got any tips, advice, ideas ?
Will add in some of my other boring crap on how I fixed myself, but feels too much like a snake oil post in one go !
.. ps .. I drink lots of beer and wine.. it's a lubricant .. machines need lubricating ... (I don't believe that, but I keep telling myself ....)
More worried about dropping one on my foot - though not much heavier than some of the heavier EMTB's 
!
). Minimal meat, lots of fruit/veggies/grains …and chocolate of course.
