What are you doing?

[Ducke]

It was a long and restful winter but now were back on the lawns.
With each year that passes I seem to get a little bit slower to recover each day.
40 lawns on Monday is fine but Tuesday its 30-35 Wednesday its 25-30 and so on.
What are you doing or taking to help with muscle recovery ?
I drink lots of water and eat right lot of fresh fruit and Veggies etc..
Ok I do like my beer and the occasional Rum:drinkup: but not any great amount.
I don't smoke and try to avoid Junk food at all costs.
Oh did I mention I am 47 year old this year ? :o
Oh to be 18 again and doing 40-50 lawns and then heading out to party half the night.:D now all I want to do after 2:00pm is find a nice cool shade tree and snooze.

[Dave_005]

It was a long and restful winter but now were back on the lawns.
With each year that passes I seem to get a little bit slower to recover each day.
40 lawns on Monday is fine but Tuesday its 30-35 Wednesday its 25-30 and so on.
What are you doing or taking to help with muscle recovery ?
I drink lots of water and eat right lot of fresh fruit and Veggies etc..
Ok I do like my beer and the occasional Rum:drinkup: but not any great amount.
I don't smoke and try to avoid Junk food at all costs.
Oh did I mention I am 47 year old this year ? :o
Oh to be 18 again and doing 40-50 lawns and then heading out to party half the night.:D now all I want to do after 2:00pm is find a nice cool shade tree and snooze.

my only suggestion is to stay in shape during the off season, i'm 50 working solo with 38 accounts now and getting calls almost every day lately. i stay in shape year round, working out twice as much during the off season so once the mowing starts up i dont have any problems going all day. and feel more like i'm in my early 20's.

[topsites]

Just one little step, one lawn, and one day at a time.
Nice and easy does it.

[Rcgm]

I eat a Aleve sandwich when I get home.
LOL
RCGM
Brad

[garydale]

Work smarter not harder. At 60 I know the boby can not keep up.
Hire someone younger, use more efficient equipment and above all, know when to say no.
What we do for a living is not going to be remembered or appreciated after were gone.

[larryinalabama]

At 43 I have become an equiptment buff. Makes the wife but its the only way I can keep up.

I do miss those party nites

[LawnTamer]

I'm turning 36 next week, I know that sounds young, but I have beat my body for 18 yrs doing this. I also remember putting in 12-13 hr days, then going out dancing, not anymore.

I had some nasty hip problems 2 yrs back, after running the gammet of drug therapies prescribed by my Dr. I was so messed up I could hardly work at all. My neighbor is a Chiropractor and thought he could fix me right up... willing to try anything, I went to him. He was right. He taught me a bunch of stretches to keep my muscles more relaxed and allow my hips to not be torqued out of alignment, I have found stretching to be the best thing for sore tired muscles. I try to stretch my legs, hips, and back everyday, and it makes a huge difference.
I found several books and videos at the library showing many effective stretches, I'm not into newage mumbo jumbo, but yoga is really good, very relaxing and your muscles feel great after a 20 minute session.

I also exercise in the winter, sometimes in the summer/fall too after the spring rush. 4 days/week on the elliptical trainer, 2-3 days/wk on the bowflex, this helps too.

[Sardean]

can't say enough about the yoga...yeah it seems corny, but the stretching you get really does help. i've been beating my body up for years...surfing, ice hockey, etc...now i'm 37 and on one hand i know i feel older than i used to and it takes a few minutes to get things going in the morning, but on the other hand, so many of the people i grew up with are fat and lazy it's insane. i feel like i'm at the age where if i take care of myself now it will make a world of difference in 10, 20 30 years. the guys i know that are 50 pounds overweight and going downhill?? i can't imagine what aging will be like for them....

[larryinalabama]

Seems to me adding more on you such as excersize would just wear you down more. Of coarsse I stay busy year round.

[whoopassonthebluegrass]

I eat a Aleve sandwich when I get home.

Haha. That's funny.

I'm only 29 but feel a long way from my 20 year old days when I was running a W/B for LawnTamer all day long with no sulky...

I play basketball 4 mornings a week to keep me somewhat mobile. It gets me up early, works my muscles, and gives me something I do that is just for ME. Really good therapy... Though the injuries come with increasing frequency...

[mowzum]

Work smarter not harder. At 60 I know the boby can not keep up.
Hire someone younger, use more efficient equipment and above all, know when to say no.
What we do for a living is not going to be remembered or appreciated after were gone.Got that right at 52 I've come to realize after 23 years of doing this I not going to be rich probably drop and check out behind my 21" some day but till then I've trimmed down to the basic accounts I need to pay the bills & a younger helper when needed with a little left over to get away once in a while why push it? start 4:30-5:00 am home by 1:00 pm and in the pool with a cool one on the really warm days Motrin rules:clapping:

[topsites]

You know we have ourselves a combination of mind, body, and soul.

Work smarter, not harder

This is an example of using the mind to do some of the work, rather than letting the body take the full toll as I grew older I learned how the mind and the body can work together so the body doesn't have to take it all...

There is much truth to that saying, using the mind properly can just about cut the actual work in half...
Maybe not quite but it certainly helps to stop and think, always stop and think it out first, make a picture in the mind of how this is going to happen, then do it.

For example if say you were going to jump over a culvert...
Think it out in your mind first, picture yourself doing it.
Then follow through, allow your body to follow the pictures formed in your mind...
(btw if your mind can't picture it at first that might mean maybe you can't do it lmao so it can also serve as a warning).
Wow you want to talk about "done right the first time"

Then there's the soul, here things get awful tricky lol so I won't try and explain it because it is very easy to mess oneself or someone else up in ways I don't even want to begin to describe. So if using the soul is a bit much for you then just use mind + body for starters that alone helps a lot!

Once you become proficient with the mind, well, I think the rest could come to you, in time.
Take it nice and slow thou, easy does it.
Hence why I say, one small step, and one day at a time.

[larryinalabama]

Topsites, I never lift anything anymore if at all possible. I have jacks and dollies. Still these 14-16 hour days are killers, Im hoping to slow up when I reach 50, if I reach 50.

[topsites]

Topsites, I never lift anything anymore if at all possible. I have jacks and dollies. Still these 14-16 hour days are killers, Im hoping to slow up when I reach 50, if I reach 50.

Here's where one can allow oneself to let certain things just work themselves out... I'm not saying ignore your customers, but just take it easy, and in that time maybe rest up some. Rest allows our bodies and our minds to recover, and it allows us to become whole again as well, time helps us heal.

Last week I only worked 4 days, this week Monday's already gone and today's looking like a noon start...
I'd like to do more too, but I worry about reaching 50 some as well, but 60 and 70 really has me in a tiff...
So, might as well stop and smell the roses sometime :)

Can't take it with me anyhow lol
But I did gain a better understanding as to why I don't gross 40-50g a year...
I guess in ways I just don't care.

[larryinalabama]

Here's where one can allow oneself to let certain things just work themselves out... I'm not saying ignore your customers, but just take it easy, and in that time maybe rest up some. Rest allows our bodies and our minds to recover, and it allows us to become whole again as well, time helps us heal.

Last week I only worked 4 days, this week Monday's already gone and today's looking like a noon start...
I'd like to do more too, but I worry about reaching 50 some as well, but 60 and 70 really has me in a tiff...
So, might as well stop and smell the roses sometime :)

Can't take it with me anyhow lol
But I did gain a better understanding as to why I don't gross 40-50g a year...
I guess in ways I just don't care.

I like your style. I dont see even going to 6 day weeks for at least 2 years. 4 I dont think will wver be possible for me. I do hope when I reach I will be working my business only. I just want 6 to 8 accounts per day, and hope to get a round of golf in before I die.

[GSPHUNTER]

Some people on here sound like slackers. I guess it's all about what you want though. I'm 22 right now, going to school 2 days per week (15 hrs), and working 30+ hours/week in this biz. I'm up every morning between 5 and 6 a.m. I bust my a$$ and pick up every account I can, so when I graduate I have a sustainable income. After school it is grow, grow, grow for the business, so I don't have to bust my a$$ at 50.

[mowzum]

Some people on here sound like slackers. I guess it's all about what you want though. I'm 22 right now, going to school 2 days per week (15 hrs), and working 30+ hours/week in this biz. I'm up every morning between 5 and 6 a.m. I bust my a$$ and pick up every account I can, so when I graduate I have a sustainable income. After school it is grow, grow, grow for the business, so I don't have to bust my a$$ at 50.
Alot of this I suppose has to do with the region/state you live in. here in CA. competion is fierce not to mention the cost of workmans comp, It's virtually impossible to have 2-3 employees on the books legally not to mention the fact that illegals are rampant in the industry here either you have to be an extremely large outfit or an independant to survive. As for slacking If my SD chargers don't have a home game on sundays I'm at work instead of the game but otherwise I'm home by 8:30 AM some jobs are just easier when nobodys around cars etc..A friend of mine has 4 employees that run 8-9 hour full kick butt days, I work alone and at the end of the year we make pretty much the same net income and I don't have all the headaches.

[GSPHUNTER]

Alot of this I suppose has to do with the region/state you live in. here in CA. competion is fierce not to mention the cost of workmans comp, It's virtually impossible to have 2-3 employees on the books legally not to mention the fact that illegals are rampant in the industry here either you have to be an extremely large outfit or an independant to survive. As for slacking If my SD chargers don't have a home game on sundays I'm at work instead of the game but otherwise I'm home by 8:30 AM some jobs are just easier when nobodys around cars etc..A friend of mine has 4 employees that run 8-9 hour full kick butt days, I work alone and at the end of the year we make pretty much the same net income and I don't have all the headaches.

You may make about the same, but you had to be there every second of the day. You had to cut every blade of grass. You feel every ache and pain that comes with 10 - 12 hr work days. With your buddy, he can take off if need be, and better yet he could be out selling to potential new clients.

Just a thought.

[mowzum]

point taken but he rarely has time off also and at times he says he feels like a babysitter

[heather lawn sp]

Some people on here sound like slackers. I guess it's all about what you want though. I'm 22 right now, going to school 2 days per week (15 hrs), and working 30+ hours/week in this biz. I'm up every morning between 5 and 6 a.m. I bust my a$$ and pick up every account I can, so when I graduate I have a sustainable income. After school it is grow, grow, grow for the business, so I don't have to bust my a$$ at 50.

I AM 54 with 4 employee's that I can not keep up with anymore. I keep them supplied and serviced and paychecked and they mow 12 hours in the rain if they have to. We all end up making something out of it.

[Atlantic Lawn]

I try to make sure I get plenty of rest at night. I eat well and stay away from lifting really heavy stuff. I still get out there and work with our guys a few times a week. I've noticed working is not the hard part but getting out of the truck after working a few hours and then driving for a bit is getting tougher. Like they say, if I knew I was gonna live this long I'd have taken better care of myself !

[topsites]

There's this concept, you know, I heard it someplace, called "economy in motion."
It relates to getting more done with less actual work, very closely related to working smarter vs. harder.

Some people on here sound like slackers. I guess it's all about what you want though. I'm 22 right now, going to school 2 days per week (15 hrs), and working 30+ hours/week in this biz. I'm up every morning between 5 and 6 a.m. I bust my a$$ and pick up every account I can, so when I graduate I have a sustainable income. After school it is grow, grow, grow for the business, so I don't have to bust my a$$ at 50.

Ahhh Yes, but age tends to slow us older farts down a little heheh...
But all in all I like your plan and your attitude, I think you'll do well.

Your plan is good, to rake it in while you can so you don't have to later.
I like that, because I tell you one thing is when you get older you flat out CAN'T :laugh:

Aww dang past 8am already AGAIN, I best get and now.

[Buckskinner38]

Oh Man.... I wished I read this earlier...This year I have already tweaked my lower back, fought a bad case of the flu that lasted over a week and now I'm battling a case of the gout.