Getting back to fitness - where to start to ensure success?

[perpetual dan]

I’m feeling the OPs pain too lately.
I enjoy a run or a ride when I find time and enthusiasm, but that’s not even every week.

A couple of thoughts:
I like trail running for the gentleness on my body (compared to pavements), but even when I’m fit I feel like an hour or two gives time to get dressed, do the run, stretch and shower - and feel I’ve done something. When I’m back on the bike it’s different, but I still feel stronger for having done the running.

Would the 100 push-ups challenge fit in an evening when the sofa beckons? Then it’s easier to swap to something longer, on the basis that it’s easier to do some exercise when you’re already doing some.

Does having a goal, an event to aim at or a number, work for you?

[TPMB12]

I'm not a big one for planning and goals. I think something needs to be easy to do and that I can get into a habit over. I'm not into events such as parkrun or other organised events to train up for.

Back when I was single I used a local gym. It became routine but the exercise was also too routine. Even getting what they called a re-program didn't improve my fitness beyond the initial improvement. Then a new instructor got taken on.  She was young and keen,  but above all listened.  I had this idea of doing some training specifically aimed at my then two main hobbies.  They were whitewater kayaking and walking. The routine she suggested was to leave the bike alone for CV and switch to walking on the treadmill with random slopes. She tried me in c2 rower but with kayaking it twinges nerve so the next best execute machine was stepper. I did 250 floors. First had as fast as I can then secure half to beat first. That often left me dead and close to vomiting with effort.

She also got me doing dynamic weights based exercises such as weighted lunges. Also the freedom trainee. That was designed for a wheelchair user but because the pulley Arms could be moved around to allow for different pull directions you could simulate a kayak stroke.

It was a more cardio with resistance than before and my fitness shot up.  I loved doing it too because I could spot real improvements quickly. Within 2 weeks and a total of 6 gym sessions I think I could see improvement .

One more thing She got me doing was balance work. Bosu ball, balance board,  etc. This was a decade or more ago. Now there's more and more reports saying balance is very bid thing to improve on as lack of it is linked with several serious health issues such as dementia. She was way ahead of the time in concentrating on balance too.

My issue now is that I live nowhere near a good gym only a couple of small ones. I'm not sure I'd get into it now. I'm thinking turbo might be a good option, especially when the v weather is bad.  If the weather is good something outside might be better. I just need ideas on what to do outside that's local and easy to develop a habit to.

[Peter]

Where to start?  Being Slovenian seems to be a good place just at the moment, probably for the usual reasons.