Other/Mixed How would you start over with a focus on principles, bodyweight, and mobility for over 40/50?

[guardian7]

Due to too many responsibilities and other stress factors, I don't seem to be able to keep up my usual workouts this winter.

However, this may be an opportunity to rebuild strength and mobility from the ground up.

What StrongFirst principles or other StrongFirst compatible authors's ideas would inspire you to start over and take a different approach to general health and fitness knowing what you do now?

For example, would you start with standard pushups to understand the concept of tension or do hindu pushups or one arm pushup progressions Strong First style as a focus?

Influenced by knees over toes guy, I see less reason to separate stretching from strength. The key seems to be combining nervous system (OS), movement, with strength that stretches you in a range of motion. split squat, light dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, Jefferson curl, hindu squats and pushups. reverse step ups etc.
What would you focus on?

What gateway bodyweight exercise skills would you work on as a gateway to other skills and improved mobility? My pick so far is the L-SIT. What calisthetics skills do you think beginners should focus on? I have found crab walks great for shoulder extension.

Ligament and tendon health and mobility: Would you do higher volume exercises like bodyweight squats, hindu pushups rather than just heavy weights or kettlebells if you were to start over. I am leaning in this direction. It is kind of like building an aerobic base for sprinting. It builds a foundation and some hypertrophy to build more strength on. Rebuilding Milo and built from broken were good books on this for me. Pavel Macek is a proponent of high rep bodyweight exercises. GGP: The Great Gama Protocol [ONLINE COURSE] | Pavel Macek

Aleks Salkin has interesting ideas on combining bodyweight, Original Strength movements with KB or other resistance training. Cal-O-Ween - Aleks Salkin - The Hebrew Hammer Combining movement and strength/endurance seems to be increasingly the way to go. I have enjoyed rucking and have tried sprinting recently and enjoy both.

How important do you think meditation and breathing practices are for everyone? I have realized how poorly most people breathe due to recent reading and a good explanation from a Geoff Neupert product Sore Joint Solution. The Sore Joint Solution-7-Day Free Trial - Chasing Strength
Box breathing used in the military really helps with stress, for example. I find it simple and effective before going to sleep. Strongfirst promotes breathing practices but usually in the context of the actual lifts rather than a separate practice.

More of a thought experiment here, than a clear idea. The main point is at this age of over 50, I see mobility, strength-mobility, tendon and ligament strength, nervous system work, and power etc. as increasingly important once a foundation of basic strength is built but often neglected or separated out. It also seems less useful to separate stretching from strength and mobility as I thought.

The three point bridge is a good example promoted by GMB that is neither, strength, nor stretch, nor flexibility alone. The traditional bridge as well of course.

Do you include isometrics like L-sits and pushup holds/planks in your routine?

Do you alternative your focus on strength with periods of hypertrophy focus. According to many sources, this is increasingly important as we age and a big cause of health problems.

What movements have you regressed and rebuilt successfully. For example, I think I need to just do goblet squats and improve my squat pattern rather than double KB front squats. Inverted rows instead of pullups for a while. I have been doing dips which has been great.

The main motivation for my post is difficulty doing my regular routine due to life events and the realization that I would probably do things very differently if I were to start over now considering what I know and the aging process. And having less ego involved in exercise decisions. It is clear that my posture and mobility need work that has been neglected as I sit down too much for work. I need to return to the basics and patch up weak links rather than keep on going with the same types of routines like double KB press and squat etc.

I recognize that we have some very fit over 40 and 50 year olds here and that more is possible if life and will permits, but I am just looking for basic ideas.

Would be interested in what others over 40 with general health goals and time constraints think. I am coming off a cold that has been hard to shake and have not been working out for a couple of weeks, so it is time for a fresh start.

In short, how would you rebuild your body if you did not focus on PR intensity or amount of weight used, only rebuilding a foundation to make everything better for lifelong health?

 

[3letterslong]

I've been training my elderly mother with phenomenal results. She's turning into a real meathead and I have to forbid her from doing extra workouts on her own.

I started with Original Strength (breathing + resets), loaded carries and movements that were basically OS resets morphed to resemble traditional calisthenics. The idea was to just get her building connective tissue and reflexive strength. Once she had corrected a bunch of postural issues, got her joints/muscles working properly and built a base of strength, it was very easy to just give her a few tips during our work that resulted in her packing her shoulders, bracing and squeezing her glutes for tension. I still use OS / loaded carries / hybrid resets for strength and finish each workout with her just zipping up her body and doing the easiest calisthenics possible, so she can learn to hold tension under movement.

It has completely changed my own workouts, which now resemble hers: heavy 9-Minute-Challenge for reflexive strength, some sandbag work and swings for grinding strength and conditioning, and super light calisthenics with high tension techniques to master feed-forward tension.

I wish I had always trained this way, but I always felt like I needed to load the tension techniques as part of the strength building process. Chasing reflexive strength has me building all the strength I need and lightly-weighted max-tension techniques have me mastering tension in ways I never understood before.

 

[guardian7]

I've been training my elderly mother with phenomenal results. She's turning into a real meathead and I have to forbid her from doing extra workouts on her own.

I started with Original Strength (breathing + resets), loaded carries and movements that were basically OS resets morphed to resemble traditional calisthenics. The idea was to just get her building connective tissue and reflexive strength. Once she had corrected a bunch of postural issues, got her joints/muscles working properly and built a base of strength, it was very easy to just give her a few tips during our work that resulted in her packing her shoulders, bracing and squeezing her glutes for tension. I still use OS / loaded carries / hybrid resets for strength and finish each workout with her just zipping up her body and doing the easiest calisthenics possible, so she can learn to hold tension under movement.

It has completely changed my own workouts, which now resemble hers: heavy 9-Minute-Challenge for reflexive strength, some sandbag work and swings for grinding strength and conditioning, and super light calisthenics with high tension techniques to master feed-forward tension.

I wish I had always trained this way, but I always felt like I needed to load the tension techniques as part of the strength building process. Chasing reflexive strength has me building all the strength I need and lightly-weighted max-tension techniques have me mastering tension in ways I never understood before.

Wow! That is exactly the kind of change of mindset I am going through and wondering about and response I was looking for. What do we really need to do if we have goals of aging actively. As Grey Cook says, we shouldn't load disfunction. But I know I have been doing that as most people are.

Thanks for the reminder about loaded carries. I do them as workout finishers but maybe that should be a focus. Rucking does wonders for me.

 

[guardian7]

I've been training my elderly mother with phenomenal results. She's turning into a real meathead and I have to forbid her from doing extra workouts on her own.

I started with Original Strength (breathing + resets), loaded carries and movements that were basically OS resets morphed to resemble traditional calisthenics. The idea was to just get her building connective tissue and reflexive strength. Once she had corrected a bunch of postural issues, got her joints/muscles working properly and built a base of strength, it was very easy to just give her a few tips during our work that resulted in her packing her shoulders, bracing and squeezing her glutes for tension. I still use OS / loaded carries / hybrid resets for strength and finish each workout with her just zipping up her body and doing the easiest calisthenics possible, so she can learn to hold tension under movement.

It has completely changed my own workouts, which now resemble hers: heavy 9-Minute-Challenge for reflexive strength, some sandbag work and swings for grinding strength and conditioning, and super light calisthenics with high tension techniques to master feed-forward tension.

I wish I had always trained this way, but I always felt like I needed to load the tension techniques as part of the strength building process. Chasing reflexive strength has me building all the strength I need and lightly-weighted max-tension techniques have me mastering tension in ways I never understood before.

What do you mean by fixing postural issues? Like hinge pattern with little or no load? Forward head posture? That is hard to do. Or do you just mean initiating movement correctly through bracing etc.

 

[3letterslong]

As Grey Cook says, we shouldn't load disfunction. But I know I have been doing that as most people are.

It's so true, but I just never had a way to train strength while I struggled to fix my dysfunction. The discovery of reflexive strength has been a godsend.

As for the feed-forward tension training, Tim Anderson has a quote that's something like, "The correct load will make your form better." I never took that to heart until I started dividing my workouts into reflexive strength training and feed-forward tension training. It is absolutely what I needed to do.

Here's an article I return to frequently:

Reflexive Tension or Cognitive Tension? | Original Strength

originalstrength.net

Thanks for the reminder about loaded carries. I do them as workout finishers but maybe that should be a focus. Rucking does wonders for me.

I made them and hanging a staple of my training (plus, loaded marching). They deliver for me.

What do you mean by fixing postural issues? Like hinge pattern with little or no load? Forward head posture? That is hard to do. Or do you just mean initiating movement correctly through bracing etc.

Kyphotic neck, scapular amnesia, gluteal amnesia (all things I've had to fix in myself). My mom frequently makes shocked faces at me as she deadlifts dumbells she never thought she could and the only difference is proper lifting mechanics.

 

[guardian7]

It's so true, but I just never had a way to train strength while I struggled to fix my dysfunction. The discovery of reflexive strength has been a godsend.

As for the feed-forward tension training, Tim Anderson has a quote that's something like, "The correct load will make your form better." I never took that to heart until I started dividing my workouts into reflexive strength training and feed-forward tension training. It is absolutely what I needed to do.

Here's an article I return to frequently:

Reflexive Tension or Cognitive Tension? | Original Strength

originalstrength.net

I made them and hanging a staple of my training (plus, loaded marching). They deliver for me.



Kyphotic neck, scapular amnesia, gluteal amnesia (all things I've had to fix in myself). My mom frequently makes shocked faces at me as she deadlifts dumbells she never thought she could and the only difference is proper lifting mechanics.

yes, the scapular straight arm strength info from Aleks Salkin was one of the best tips I got. Just packing the shoulders or flexibility is not enough. They should move properly. This did wonders for my pullup groove.

 

[guardian7]

It's so true, but I just never had a way to train strength while I struggled to fix my dysfunction. The discovery of reflexive strength has been a godsend.

As for the feed-forward tension training, Tim Anderson has a quote that's something like, "The correct load will make your form better." I never took that to heart until I started dividing my workouts into reflexive strength training and feed-forward tension training. It is absolutely what I needed to do.

Here's an article I return to frequently:

Reflexive Tension or Cognitive Tension? | Original Strength

originalstrength.net

That is a great article. Thank you. Matches well with other recent books I have read. We should be breathing less. I can see the power breathing for maximal efforts (along with controlled relaxation to tension transition) for strikes etc. but questionable for long duration ballistics. I am going to try nasal breathing swing sessions.

 

[Alan Mackey]

In short, how would you rebuild your body if you did not focus on PR intensity or amount of weight used, only rebuilding a foundation to make everything better for lifelong health?

If I had to start all over again, I would do a combination of what I ended up calling training like an old man (which, I suppose, now I am).

• Easy Strength / PttP / 5x5x5.
  
  
• Original Strength / Ground Force Method / Ginastica Natural.
  
  
• Gold Medal Bodies.
  

That's what I've been doing for more than a decade. So far, soooooooooo good.

 

[Ege]

Due to too many responsibilities and other stress factors, I don't seem to be able to keep up my usual workouts this winter.

However, this may be an opportunity to rebuild strength and mobility from the ground up.

What StrongFirst principles or other StrongFirst compatible authors's ideas would inspire you to start over and take a different approach to general health and fitness knowing what you do now?

For example, would you start with standard pushups to understand the concept of tension or do hindu pushups or one arm pushup progressions Strong First style as a focus?

Influenced by knees over toes guy, I see less reason to separate stretching from strength. The key seems to be combining nervous system (OS), movement, with strength that stretches you in a range of motion. split squat, light dumbbell Romanian deadlifts, Jefferson curl, hindu squats and pushups. reverse step ups etc.
What would you focus on?

What gateway bodyweight exercise skills would you work on as a gateway to other skills and improved mobility? My pick so far is the L-SIT. What calisthetics skills do you think beginners should focus on? I have found crab walks great for shoulder extension.

Ligament and tendon health and mobility: Would you do higher volume exercises like bodyweight squats, hindu pushups rather than just heavy weights or kettlebells if you were to start over. I am leaning in this direction. It is kind of like building an aerobic base for sprinting. It builds a foundation and some hypertrophy to build more strength on. Rebuilding Milo and built from broken were good books on this for me. Pavel Macek is a proponent of high rep bodyweight exercises. GGP: The Great Gama Protocol [ONLINE COURSE] | Pavel Macek

Aleks Salkin has interesting ideas on combining bodyweight, Original Strength movements with KB or other resistance training. Cal-O-Ween - Aleks Salkin - The Hebrew Hammer Combining movement and strength/endurance seems to be increasingly the way to go. I have enjoyed rucking and have tried sprinting recently and enjoy both.

How important do you think meditation and breathing practices are for everyone? I have realized how poorly most people breathe due to recent reading and a good explanation from a Geoff Neupert product Sore Joint Solution. The Sore Joint Solution-7-Day Free Trial - Chasing Strength
Box breathing used in the military really helps with stress, for example. I find it simple and effective before going to sleep. Strongfirst promotes breathing practices but usually in the context of the actual lifts rather than a separate practice.

More of a thought experiment here, than a clear idea. The main point is at this age of over 50, I see mobility, strength-mobility, tendon and ligament strength, nervous system work, and power etc. as increasingly important once a foundation of basic strength is built but often neglected or separated out. It also seems less useful to separate stretching from strength and mobility as I thought.

The three point bridge is a good example promoted by GMB that is neither, strength, nor stretch, nor flexibility alone. The traditional bridge as well of course.

Do you include isometrics like L-sits and pushup holds/planks in your routine?

Do you alternative your focus on strength with periods of hypertrophy focus. According to many sources, this is increasingly important as we age and a big cause of health problems.

What movements have you regressed and rebuilt successfully. For example, I think I need to just do goblet squats and improve my squat pattern rather than double KB front squats. Inverted rows instead of pullups for a while. I have been doing dips which has been great.

The main motivation for my post is difficulty doing my regular routine due to life events and the realization that I would probably do things very differently if I were to start over now considering what I know and the aging process. And having less ego involved in exercise decisions. It is clear that my posture and mobility need work that has been neglected as I sit down too much for work. I need to return to the basics and patch up weak links rather than keep on going with the same types of routines like double KB press and squat etc.

I recognize that we have some very fit over 40 and 50 year olds here and that more is possible if life and will permits, but I am just looking for basic ideas.

Would be interested in what others over 40 with general health goals and time constraints think. I am coming off a cold that has been hard to shake and have not been working out for a couple of weeks, so it is time for a fresh start.

In short, how would you rebuild your body if you did not focus on PR intensity or amount of weight used, only rebuilding a foundation to make everything better for lifelong health?

SF BW course and SF Bodyweight articles covers all the fundamental BW strength skills. Honestly even w free resources (progressions, programming, tips, mobility drills etc in SF articles on BW including conditioning) one can find almost everything to be really strong w BW exercises only. You can also refer to SFB certification requirements page.

 

[guardian7]

If I had to start all over again, I would do a combination of what I ended up calling training like an old man (which, I suppose, now I am).

• Easy Strength / PttP / 5x5x5.
  
  
• Original Strength / Ground Force Method / Ginastica Natural.
  
  
• Gold Medal Bodies.

That's what I've been doing for more than a decade. So far, soooooooooo good.

Yeah, I wish I had also learned about gymnastics earlier. Just concepts like straight arm strength and moves like L-sit. OS as well.
Great Old Man choices in combination. PTTP got me to my deadlift 2.0 bodyweight a few years ago.

 

[Post]

Going to be visiting this thread often. I’m another older guy (54) who managed to get away with more than he should have without addressing movement dysfunction and have spent a lot of time reflecting on what I could have done differently. Pushed things too hard to prepare for the SFG 1 last June and got pretty beat up. Fortunately, Brett Jones replied to me on another thread with the advice to get an FMS screen and, as Frost wrote, “That has made all the difference.” Had to cut way back on weight-bearing exercises but now that I’ve figured out the main problem (slight but significant anterior pelvic tilt), I feel so much more stable and am excited to see how much farther I can go in my strength training now.

So, long story short: get an FMS and go to work

 

[s f]

build up to at least your bodyweight with a sand bag for get ups, shouldering,squats,rows and carries.throw in pull-ups and dips.walking.

 

[bluejeff]

What calisthetics skills do you think beginners should focus on? I have found crab walks great for shoulder extension.

If by calisthenics you mean "general bodyweight fitness," then pushups, hindu squats, some kind of pull up or chinup, and some core work. Keep it simple and just progress when things start to feel easy. If you mean calisthenics like "front lever, planche work, etc" then basic straight arm strength is a must. Actually, basic straight arm strength would help a lot of people. So that is planche leans, L-sits, front lever work, dragon flags, crab walks (leading to AG walks: put your feet on something that slides and push yourself across the floor in a reverse plank. Say hello to tricep cramps)....

Ligament and tendon health and mobility: Would you do higher volume exercises like bodyweight squats, hindu pushups rather than just heavy weights or kettlebells if you were to start over. I am leaning in this direction. It is kind of like building an aerobic base for sprinting.

Agreed. Also agreed that @Pavel Macek 's GGP is a good program or outline to use. It's also similar to OS work; Tim Anderson is big fan of Hindu Squats and pushups.

The three point bridge is a good example promoted by GMB that is neither, strength, nor stretch, nor flexibility alone. The traditional bridge as well of course.

I love that move, and need to re-incorporate it. I used to crawl back and forth across my floor, doing it at each end before turning around.

Do you include isometrics like L-sits and pushup holds/planks in your routine?

I would like to again in the future after hitting current goals. A very basic and very effective routine is doing a planche variation, lever variation, and L-sit variation in a session. Alternate static sessions with dynamic ones, so a straight arm day (planche, lever, etc), rest day, then bent arm day (pushups and pullups).

Do you alternative your focus on strength with periods of hypertrophy focus. According to many sources, this is increasingly important as we age and a big cause of health problems.

I don't. I have been getting hypertrophy from just being consistent and eating well. Doing the higher rep work you asked about in conjunction with some higher tension work might be just as good. It will likely be case-dependent.

What movements have you regressed and rebuilt successfully.

Pushups and handstand work. I had a shoulder that refused to coordinate properly, and while I could do the moves, it left me with a tight and knotted neck (thankfully no injuries). I focused on keeping my neck and face relaxed, and pushing my plam flat to the floor. I cued myself pretty much only to pushing "through the floor" and dropped all the shoulder packing, feed forward tension, etc. Now my shoulder works much much better. That's just me and maybe others will benefit from all the cues, but I personally think a lot of people are "over-cued."

In short, how would you rebuild your body if you did not focus on PR intensity or amount of weight used, only rebuilding a foundation to make everything better for lifelong health?

See the above line In short, I try to train in a way that feels good. If the move doesn't hurt, and the weight moves or I successfully complete it, I only really like it if it "feels good." Like, there's a difference between a move being hard and not feeling good. It can feel good in that it felt smooth, but hard in that I had to push a lot or something.

Chasing reflexive strength has me building all the strength I need and lightly-weighted max-tension techniques have me mastering tension in ways I never understood before.

I kind of typed it all out above, but .... me too. I somehow got stronger when I threw out the myriad of cues I had been trying to use, and just focused on what the goal was. For example: handstand pushups. I used to think, "squeeze glutes, pull the elbows back towards the hips to get the forward lean, keep forearms vertical, externally rotate the shoudlers...." That felt like @$$. Now that I just think "relax your face, keep your palms flat, bend your arms, then push into the floor," the move feels good, and I've finally made good gains with it.

 

[Steve Freides]

What StrongFirst principles or other StrongFirst compatible authors's ideas would inspire you to start over and take a different approach to general health and fitness knowing what you do now?

I would do nothing different. Swing and press a kettlebell, deadlift a barbell, learn splits from Relax Into Stretch, learn Buteyko breathing.

-S-

 

[guardian7]

I would do nothing different. Swing and press a kettlebell, deadlift a barbell, learn splits from Relax Into Stretch, learn Buteyko breathing.

-S-

I definitely wish I learned more about the importance of nasal breathing earlier. I am working on that these days.

 

[guardian7]

Going to be visiting this thread often. I’m another older guy (54) who managed to get away with more than he should have without addressing movement dysfunction and have spent a lot of time reflecting on what I could have done differently. Pushed things too hard to prepare for the SFG 1 last June and got pretty beat up. Fortunately, Brett Jones replied to me on another thread with the advice to get an FMS screen and, as Frost wrote, “That has made all the difference.” Had to cut way back on weight-bearing exercises but now that I’ve figured out the main problem (slight but significant anterior pelvic tilt), I feel so much more stable and am excited to see how much farther I can go in my strength training now.

So, long story short: get an FMS and go to work

I feel the same. I did get an FMS a while ago and it revealed a left shoulder issue I addressed at that time. I agree it was valuable. My concern is that many of us should be figuring this stuff out and addressing the underlying problems to rebuild and then come back stronger later but faster.

 

[guardian7]

If by calisthenics you mean "general bodyweight fitness," then pushups, hindu squats, some kind of pull up or chinup, and some core work. Keep it simple and just progress when things start to feel easy. If you mean calisthenics like "front lever, planche work, etc" then basic straight arm strength is a must. Actually, basic straight arm strength would help a lot of people. So that is planche leans, L-sits, front lever work, dragon flags, crab walks (leading to AG walks: put your feet on something that slides and push yourself across the floor in a reverse plank. Say hello to tricep cramps)....


Agreed. Also agreed that @Pavel Macek 's GGP is a good program or outline to use. It's also similar to OS work; Tim Anderson is big fan of Hindu Squats and pushups.


I love that move, and need to re-incorporate it. I used to crawl back and forth across my floor, doing it at each end before turning around.


I would like to again in the future after hitting current goals. A very basic and very effective routine is doing a planche variation, lever variation, and L-sit variation in a session. Alternate static sessions with dynamic ones, so a straight arm day (planche, lever, etc), rest day, then bent arm day (pushups and pullups).


I don't. I have been getting hypertrophy from just being consistent and eating well. Doing the higher rep work you asked about in conjunction with some higher tension work might be just as good. It will likely be case-dependent.


Pushups and handstand work. I had a shoulder that refused to coordinate properly, and while I could do the moves, it left me with a tight and knotted neck (thankfully no injuries). I focused on keeping my neck and face relaxed, and pushing my plam flat to the floor. I cued myself pretty much only to pushing "through the floor" and dropped all the shoulder packing, feed forward tension, etc. Now my shoulder works much much better. That's just me and maybe others will benefit from all the cues, but I personally think a lot of people are "over-cued."


See the above line In short, I try to train in a way that feels good. If the move doesn't hurt, and the weight moves or I successfully complete it, I only really like it if it "feels good." Like, there's a difference between a move being hard and not feeling good. It can feel good in that it felt smooth, but hard in that I had to push a lot or something.


I kind of typed it all out above, but .... me too. I somehow got stronger when I threw out the myriad of cues I had been trying to use, and just focused on what the goal was. For example: handstand pushups. I used to think, "squeeze glutes, pull the elbows back towards the hips to get the forward lean, keep forearms vertical, externally rotate the shoudlers...." That felt like @$$. Now that I just think "relax your face, keep your palms flat, bend your arms, then push into the floor," the move feels good, and I've finally made good gains with it.

So many good points here. Yes, I really mean general bodyweight fitness but with basic calisthetics like L-sit, reasonable gateway goals for beginners. Three point crawl turnaround sounds great. There must be other transitions to crawl front and then back. AG walks sounds great. There are some AG walk progression videos I found. Crab walks are challenging enough for me unfortunately.

I don't shoot guns but I have heard that in pistol shooting just concentrating on the target rather than many cues and the same stance is a school of thought in shooting. Our head can get in the way of what should be simple. I found this out doing traditional Korean Archery.

 

[North Coast Miller]

More of a thought experiment here, than a clear idea. The main point is at this age of over 50, I see mobility, strength-mobility, tendon and ligament strength, nervous system work, and power etc. as increasingly important once a foundation of basic strength is built...

These things should be part of the program from day one, in fact basic strength is largely useless without.

My thoughts in general:

- be unsentimental in pursuit of carryover to your day-to-day, discard that which does not contribute

- learn some form of breath meditation or structured breathing

- autoregulate progression

If I had to start over I would change nothing. Higher volume is a no-starter for the adaptive response I'm looking for. In fact as I get older I not only don't have the patience for it, I regard it no differently than repetitive occupational movement to be avoided.

No regerts, I would not revert to a previous approach or seek out some new (to me) strategy. Am fortunate to be right where I am.

 

[Luis T. Gonzalez]

Starting fresh cycle today. Basically doing forced relaxation for mobility, McGill big 3 for core stability, deadlifting, zercher squats, military presses, and get ups. Going to throw in some sandbag work, and loaded carries. Just doing one working set of 5 reps each exercise 5 days/week. And doing two hand swings a couple days per week. Not over 40 yet but I will be in a couple years.

 

[guardian7]

These things should be part of the program from day one, in fact basic strength is largely useless without.

My thoughts in general:

- be unsentimental in pursuit of carryover to your day-to-day, discard that which does not contribute

- learn some form of breath meditation or structured breathing

- autoregulate progression

If I had to start over I would change nothing. Higher volume is a no-starter for the adaptive response I'm looking for. In fact as I get older I not only don't have the patience for it, I regard it no differently than repetitive occupational movement to be avoided.

No regerts, I would not revert to a previous approach or seek out some new (to me) strategy. Am fortunate to be right where I am.

That is great to hear and fortunate. Yeah, I wish I had paid more attention to mobility earlier.
Breath meditation and nasal breathing is a new focus for me. Definitely a must I think now.

I like the term "unsentimental." Definitely things I would rather do but trying to focus on what I should do/can manage now.