Meeting the Challenge

I like stories about people with gumption. People who despite adversity get up and do something about it. Dennis Ewert of Florida is that kind of guy.

He is 67, was overweight, and with several physical obstacles to overcome. Among them were worn out knees and two herniated discs in his back. Knee repair surgeries were successful but left his leg muscles atrophied. Back surgery helped, but one disc (L5) was calcified and not repairable.

So standing is tough at times because he tends to lean forward to take pressure off pinched nerves to his legs. Walking any significant distance causes his lower back to cramp up, so he could not "walk off" his excess weight. As an alternative, he decided he would ride a bike.

He tried two wheel bikes but they felt unstable and unsafe. Instead of giving up, he looked into buying a three wheel trike. It turned out good trikes -- ones that would hold his more than 250 pounds -- were two to three thousand dollars. So he gathered some thrown away bikes and got some one inch steel square tubing and welded together a bike of his design. He sawed off the legs to a lawn chair and built a frame to accept it. His cost: a few hundred dollars.

"The recumbent position is very comfortable," he says. "And all the effort is applied to the calves, thighs, and butt muscles. When the weather is bad, I use my wife's indoor recumbent exercise machine, but I much prefer to be outside in the fresh air. People of all ages and genders give me a thumbs-up or yell out 'cool bike' as I ride by."

In addition to bike riding, Dennis works out on a Weider Crossbow exerciser. He has lost 43 pounds, now weighs 243, and is on his way to his goal of 186. "The bike rides have been a great help, "he says.

P.S. Dennis Ewert is retired from the United States Air Force. He flew 164 combat missions as a radar navigator in B-52s during the Vietnam War. And as a navigator in the free world’s fastest four engine bomber – the B58 Hustler – he flew twice the speed of sound on a couple of occasions. Today, he is a software test engineer (civilian contractor) for the U.S. Air Force.

Senior Workout Wisdom

Gray Iron Newsletter subscriber Denis Ledoux writes the following:

“One young man at my gym wanted to know why I wanted to add lean body mass. It was not going to be good for my heart to be too bulky at my age.

“To which I answered, ‘I come three times a week. I am a 60 (at the time) year old ectomorph. I will of course add lean body mass but my goal is to be the most fit man of my age. I'm not going for mass. The potential for lean body mass is limited by my testosterone level and my ambition — and both levels are fine with me at this time in my life.’

“It was interesting to me to have the opportunity to articulate my goals, which he had assumed would be the same as for a 22 year old! (His age!)

"I enjoy being fit and have the most comfortable relationship with my body that I have ever had. And yes, I am usually the most fit man my age in the room. I love it when people say, ‘You look fit. What have you been doing?’

“Friday marks the beginning of my fifth year of faithful 3 times a week attendance at the gym. I have loved the experience and find going to be a pleasure and not a duty or chore. (I had never pursued exercise like this before and was frankly surprised that I enjoyed it so much.)”

Denis Ledoux

Bodybuilding Great-Grandmother is Gone

A visitor sent information that Morjorie Newlin passed away. Maybe you remember the August post about this amazing great-grandmother (86 years old!) still competing in bodybuilding.

"I was deeply saddened to hear about the death of Philadelphia's first lady of fitness, Morjorie A. Newlin. I first read about the remarkable, then-70-year-old in the early '90s and was inspired by her pursuit of fitness and bodybuilding. She has been a shining example to me that in life there are no limits.

"When, in 2004, I was given the opportunity to write for the Daily News, I vowed that she would be my first column. From the moment we met, we hit it off. She was a pure delight, and it was an honor to know her. She will remain an inspiration to me and to many others."

The visitor who sent the information did not include a name.

Read Morjorie's obituary in the Philadephia Daily News here.

Morjorie Newlin is "Unreal"

At first I thought Morjorie was literally unreal. But she is very real. And, get this: She is an 86 year old great-grandmother -- and a competitive bodybuilder!

Amazing. I had to look twice and still thought her story might be one of those bogus urban legends traveling around the internet. So I ran it through Snopes and checked out the story as best I could. Morjorie Newlin is a retired nurse who began bodybuilding at age 72.

But enough from me. You've got to see her and read the story. Now stand by to be as amazed as I was. Go here.

"I don't have time to exercise."

There's a young, disabled man at our gym. He is barely able to walk, even with crutches, and his forward motion is painfully slow. Still, he manages to use the elliptical trainers, always works up a good sweat, and somehow gets around the room to use the weight machines.

He lives just a couple of blocks from the gym and it may take him half-an-hour to go the short distance on crutches. If it is raining, or very hot, sometimes we drive him home. He is always grateful for a ride. The circumstances surrounding his disability never come up, but sometimes he talks about having more surgery.

Last week, Patty and I were turning into the gym parking lot as he was crossing the street on his way home. As we passed him we both had the same thought: How many times have we heard someone say, "I know I should get in shape, but I just don't have the time right now"? And here is this young man who really struggles just to walk, but, by golly, he gets there.

You can bet he would gladly exchange the hindrances he endures daily with someone who is just "too busy" or "too tired" to make the effort.

If you are honest with yourself, you know that there are really no excuses for a lack of effort or commitment. Not legitimate ones, anyway.

Like the Nike slogan says, "Just do it!"

A Real Doer

In my last newsletter and in yesterday's blog post, I commented on being a “doer,” rather than someone who merely thinks, reads or talks about living a healthful lifestyle.

Here is one real doer who responded:

“Thanks for your news letter: I have been a doer for a long time. But since last Sept to Jan 06 I had throat Cancer that really laid me up for the whole time, though I was able to walk a little and that helped me mentally more that physically. That Cancer is now in remission but it has been found to have spread to the brain. We have kept up the walking and today added rowing, in fact, I am working on 9 million meters and today I started a light weight lifting program. Weak but determined. Thank you again for your newsletter, I should have kept my subscription but I let it lapse. Doug”

Thank you, Doug. Your strength and perseverance set an example for all of us.

Doug kind of puts things in perspective, don't you think?

Get up from your chair. Rise from the sofa. Take that first step to fitness. Take small steps to begin but never stop stepping forward. You can do it.

The Fat Man Walking

Steve Vaught isn't the first person to walk across America, but his reasons and story may be unique. Read a few (or many) of his journal entries and don't miss the photographs.

Am I the last one to know about him? Maybe. But in case you didn't either, take a good look at this web site: The Fat Man Walking.