Best products from r/fitness30plus
We found 49 comments on r/fitness30plus discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 154 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.
1. The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40
- GROWS FRESH SPROUTS IN 3-5 DAYS: Enjoy healthy sprouts for salads, sandwiches and soups
- INCLUDES: Four 6 Inch Diameter Clear Growing Trays
- Hydrophobic water flow method eliminates the need to pre-soak seeds, leading to higher germination rate and yields
- GROW MULTIPLE SEED VARITIES at the same time
- Instruction Manual, Organic Alfalfa Seeds, Moisture Control Lid, and Drain Basin included
Features:
2. Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training, 3rd edition
- Used Book in Good Condition
Features:
3. Rodney Yee's Yoga for Beginners (Packaging May Vary)
- *Two full-length yoga workouts for beginners
- *On-screen pose training for perfect form
- *Secrets to overcoming the most common yoga mistakes
- *Audio Selection for each program full or pose only instruction
Features:
4. EliteSRS Heavy Beaded Fitness Jump Rope - Outdoor Rated - Comfort Foam Grip (Black/White)
- BEADED ROPE FOR ADULTS: Most beaded jump ropes are made for kids with light beads & handles. This rope features unique "heavy" beads that create more resistance for a better jump rope workout.
- ADULT SIZED: Long unbreakable plastic 8" handles on this fitness jump rope are "adult sized" with a comfortable grip tape, making it easy to hold when you sweat and fatigue.
- EXERCISE JUMP ROPE: This bead jump rope can be used by beginners and advanced jumpers as a skipping rope for exercise. Popular as a boxing jump rope because the long handles enable freestyle training.
- SIZING : Adult size workout jump rope comes at a 10ft length. Easily be shortened to any desired length to fit all athletes. To make shorter unthread from handle end and remove beads as necessary.
- DURABLE: The thick walled beads are extra durable for jumping outdoors or on hard surfaces. The handles are made from a special unbreakable plastic. We guarantee all our products for 1 year.
Features:
5. Sony Lightweight Behind-the-Neck Active Sports Stereo Headphones
- Lightweight, behind-the-neck design - Ultra-small, ultra-light headphones weigh less than 2 ounces comfortable for hour after hour of wear
- Large drivers for powerful sound - 30 mm diameter drive units are larger than many portable headphones for deeper bass, lower distortion and wider dynamic range
- Comfortable foam ear cushions - The unique Ear Loop is easy to use while affording a comfortable and secure fit. Simply siide over the ear and slide into position
- Single-sided cord for eliminating tangles - Behind-the-neck headband won't interfere with your hairstyle; lets you wear a hat; establishes a new look on the street
- Standard 3.5mm mini plug for wide compatibility - The 3.5mm stereo mini plug is compatible with CD players, MP3 players, and most other consumer audio devices
Features:
6. Perfect Fitness Pullup Assist Exercise Equipment, Red
- Get Stronger and maximize your pull-up workout
- Improve your Form with adjustable assistance allowing you to focus on technique
- Versatile System attaches to any pull-up bar
Features:
7. Kettlebell Simple & Sinister
- Top lifts up and forward to create versatile work surface
- Hidden storage compartment and shelf
- Open shelves for storage and display
- Finished on all sides for versatile placement
- Craftsman Oak finish
- Engineered wood construction
- Assembled dimensions: L: 43. 15" x W: 19. 45" x H: 19. 02"
- 5 year limited
- Assembly required
Features:
9. NOW Sports Nutrition, ZMA (Zinc, Magnesium and Vitamin B-6), Enhanced Absorption, Sports Recovery*, 90 Capsules
Same trusted quality with a brand new look! Packaging may varySPORTS RECOVERY*/MUSCLE STRENGTH*/ENHANCED ABSORPTION: NOW Sports ZMA is a combination of zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B-6, designed to maximize absorption and to promote recovery from exercise.* (Quality GMP Assured, Kosher contains Gela...
11. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
- Random House Trade
Features:
12. Strong: Nine Workout Programs for Women to Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism, and Build Strength for Life
- Standard Diameter: 3/8" / .375 Inches
- Metric Diameter: 9.525
- Grade: 5
- Material: ZrO2 Zirconium Oxide
- Ball Weight (each): .05185 Ounces / 1.47 Grams
Features:
13. The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess
- Factory sealed DVD
Features:
15. Stanley Classic Vacuum Food Jar 17oz Hammertone Green
- Vacuum insulation keeps food hot or cold 12 hours
- 18/8 stainless steel won't rust; naturally BPA-free
- Wide mouth perfect for soup or chili
- Insulated lid doubles as 12oz/354mL bowl
- Leak proof and fully packable
- Lifetime Warranty
Features:
16. The Anatomy of Stretching, Second Edition: Your Illustrated Guide to Flexibility and Injury Rehabilitation
- North Atlantic Books
Features:
17. Ez2care Comfy Lightweight Handle Classic Folding Walker, Adjustable Height 32-39 Inch, Silver
Portable, compact folding walker, ideal for travel and carryAnodized aluminum structure ensures maximum safety and strength while remaining lightweightTwo button push release is easy to extend/fold. Easy operated by fingers, palm or side of hand.4 Slip resistant rubber tips allow easy movement throu...
18. Body-Solid Tools Olympic Straight Bar (OB86), 7 Feet, Chrome
- Solid steel bar and sleeves with triple chrome finish. Medium diamond knurling. Has center knurl.
- Total length: 7' (86"). Grip area length (between sleeve collars): 51". Weight: 44 lbs.
- Grip diameter: 30mm (1.18"). Rotating sleeves with bushings.
- Designed for use with Olympic plates with 2" center hole only. Maximum weight rating: 600 lbs.
- 30 day limited warranty against manufacturer defects (does not cover dropping or abuse).
Features:
19. Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker | WiFi + Bluetooth | 900W (Discontinued)
- Anova precision cooker Wi-Fi - perfect to cook from anywhere with Wi-Fi. Serves up to 12. Fits on any pot. Adjustable clamp
- Cook like a Pro - the Enova precision cooker allows anyone to cook a restaurant-quality meal at home. Our sous vide Circulator is the perfect kitchen appliance for hands-off cooking of vegetables, meat and much more with consistent control and precision. We're so confident in our product Enova backs it with a 2-year
- Perfect results, every time - Precision cooking enables you to produce results that are impossible to achieve through any other cooking method. No dry edges and no rare centers. Juices and flavors don’t escape. Food comes out perfectly moist and tender. Continuous temperature control provides reliable and consistent results, every time. Perfect for vegetables, meat, fruit, cheese and much more
- Smart device control & cooking notifications - the precision cooker can be controlled remotely with smart devices, allowing you to escape from the kitchen while you cook. Simply download the Enova app to easily monitor, adjust or control the device from your iPhone android or other smart devices. The precision cooker also provides you cooking notifications while you're out of the kitchen so you'll know when your food is ready. The precision cooker's Wi-Fi connection allows you to control the device from anywhere
- Easy to use - simply attach the precision cooker to any pot, add water, drop in desired food in a sealed bag or glass jar. Start cooking with the touch of a button. The sous vide cooker's timer and precise temperature control allow you to step away and relax while your food cooks perfectly. No additional equipment needed
- Get creative with 1, 000+ recipes - choose from sous vide guides and recipes created for home cooks of every skill level by award-winning chefs, With simple directions to walk through each recipe with ease. All available free of charge. Great for beginner and veteran chefs!
- Simple to clean - the precision cooker's detachable stainless steel skirt and disks are dishwasher safe making this kitchen appliance easy to clean and maintain. Temperature range - 0 to 92 degree celsius
Features:
In my opinion: Nutrition is for losing (or gaining) weight and making sure you recover properly.
Cardiovascular training (literally heart and blood-vessel training) is for heart, vascular and lung health so you can run after a bus or take a flight of stairs without feeling like you are going to die. It helps you think more clearly, resist depression, and reduces risks of some of the most deadly diseases (heart attack, stroke, etc.)
Resistance training is for gaining or maintaining lean body mass and strength. This helps you look better naked, keeps your bone mass up, and as you get older, helps you recover more easily from slips and falls. It also is good for your metabolism: it helps with insulin sensitivity and each pound of lean mass burns 2-3x as much energy as a pound of fat, and it takes up less space.
Finally, stretching/mobility training will help you keep your youthful ranges of motion, reduce stiffness and pain, and reduce injury potential.
You need a balance of these four elements to be truly fit.
To answer your specific questions:
Sorry, I started in on this post and it got away from me. Hopefully you find some useful nuggets in here.
TL;DR: You need to have a balance of nutrition, cardio, resistance, and mobility training. You have to have a calorie deficit to lose weight, so focus on foods that fill you up without a ton of calories. There are tons of cardio options that aren't running that will be easier on your joints. Lifestyle change is about changing your habits. Doing food prep really helps make losing weight easier.
I assume the personal trainer has you do weights? You're very active but I see no dedicated weight training sessions.
"Toning" is simply stripping fat from your body to reveal the muscle beneath the surface; if there's no muscle to show off, there's no toning. Strength training will not also help you tone, it'll increase your metabolism, help your body burn more fat compared to not weight training, protect you against osteoporosis, give you more energy and tons more.
If I was you, I'd do at least 3 weight focused sessions a week and cut back on the HIIT and intervals. IE
There's all sorts of routines to follow. For females I typically recommend
Strong Curves
or
The New Rules of Lifting Series specifically The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess
or
Strong: Nine Workout Programs for Women to Burn Fat, Boost Metabolism, and Build Strength for Life
The other side is diet. Just like weight training should be the meat and potatoes of your training regimen, well, meat should be the main focus of your diet. Or at least protein - you need a lot more protein in your diet.
Protein supports lean muscle growth, which, as I mentioned, is needed to tone. Increased protein intake will also help your body preferentially burn fat, it will speed up your metabolism, protein "costs" a lot of energy to break down protein (if you eat 100 calories of sugar, 99 calories of that sugar will be turned into fuel for the body; if you eat 100 calories of chicken, only 70 calories will actually be converted and the other 30 calories will be "burned" while the body processes and breaks down the chicken into a usable fuel source), it gives you more energy, helps boost your immune system and more
https://www.precisionnutrition.com/will-a-high-protein-diet-harm-your-health
In short, lift weights, eat more protein
>I weigh 72 kg for 1m80 (that's something like 5'11 for 130 lbs ?) but I have no muscle tone and a little layer of fat on my belly and back.
Skinny-fat. You want to do a clean bulk. Bulking too fast will add substantially more fat, which is a bad idea for someone who isn't experienced in cutting, or you could end up going from skinny-fat to just fat.
>The absolute best would be a diet that doesn't require cooking (off the shelve meals, I eat my weekdays meals in my car, from the supermarket near my job). Any hints on that part would be appreciated.
No, no, no. What you want is to prepare your meals for the week in advance. Do a search for 'meal prepping' to get some ideas. I recommend a using a slow cooker or just a big pot to make soup or stew in. Then get an insulated food container so you can take a hot meal to work every day. Freeze everything after making it on the weekend and then heat one portion in the morning as you're getting ready, throw it into the canister and go. Or take a healthy smoothie for lunch and just have hot meals for dinner. Whatever. But prepping is the secret to doing this healthily and easily.
>Also as far as exercising is concerned, I will mostly stick to running and body weight exercise, I imagine this would be a good start.
Bodyweight exercise is a great place to start, especially when you're not particularly fit. Personally, I think bodyweight exercise is worth continuing as part of a well-rounded routine, even for experienced lifters.
Running is a great exercise, too. Humans are excellent runners and our bodies respond well to it, if we don't overdo it. Keep in mind that the more of this that you do the more you'll have to eat to make sure you are gaining muscle.
>Although I know it will make me feel healthier, I worry that I won't be able to actually change my looks, which is why I never had the will to keep it up.
You can, but it's not an overnight thing. You need to put in long-term discipline. However, if you can find ways to make it enjoyable for yourself you're far more likely to stick with it.
I'm going to sound like an infomercial now, but bare with me :)
Tim Ferriss wrote a book called the 4-Hour Body and it is essentially a tome of knowledge with chapters on weight loss, weight gain, building muscle, having better sex and so on. There is a lot of great knowledge in there and it's not at all a bad investment.
Other than that you can get a lot of stuff done with dumbbells and youtube access. I recently linked to this video in this forum and it's a good place to start when it comes to lifting and building muscle at home. The guy is goofy, but he is essentially right and big on safety and all of that, which would make a difference to someone with bulging discs. Check out his channel for more videos.
Other than that I would suggest that you find a great book on stretching as muscle cramps and fatigue might be painful for someone who is getting old, has bulging discs and might be losing a little range of mobility. I haven't tried it yet, but I am getting this book myself.
Now all of that is for home training of course, but only because if your father chooses to go to the gym, I am sure they will have plenty of people educated in the field to give him good advice and ways to get started.
Good luck and let me just add how refreshing it is that a 68 year old man with bulging discs wants to get into lifting. I really love that. But remember to be careful, go slow and focus on form especially in the beginning.
I'm 55 years old and I started the beginner routine on /r/bodyweightfitness 15 months ago and I've had slow but noticeable results. I've been biking and running for the last 12 years so I'm in good shape aerobically, but I had no upper body strength.
I started with the beginner routine on BWF, but I went with the easiest possible options - like inclined push-ups on steps, and vertical rows where I was pretty close to standing upright.
For the inclined push-ups I started with my feet on the floor and my hands on the 5th stair step. I slowly worked up to 12 reps per set, and when I could do 3 sets of 12 reps I moved my hands down to the 4th step and did 8 reps per set, gradually increasing my reps to 12. I kept repeating that and now I'm up to 10 reps of regular floor push-ups.
I hung a bar in the basement for pull-ups but I've had less success with those. At the start I could do only 1 rep per set, and after two months I couldn't do more than 3 reps per set so I decided to try Grease the Groove, doing a lot of sets of 3 reps throughout the day. After a couple of weeks of GtG I developed a case of golfer's elbow tendonitis. It took 3 months of rest, therapy and self-massage to recover.
After I recovered I bought a Perfect Pullup Assist and adjusted the height so that I could do 8 pull-ups in a set. When I can do 12 pull-ups in a set I'm going to adjust the height to make it harder, lower my reps, work up to 12 reps and keep repeating the process until I can do 10 unassisted pull-ups and chin-ups in a set.
When I started BWF I was unaware that tendons and ligaments don't grow/adapt/strengthen as fast as muscle, especially at my age. I've found that doing exercises that allow me to do 8-16 reps per set before failure help me avoid tendon problems. I don't know if it's just me, or if it's because of my age, but my tendons seem to be my rate-determining factor.
/u/Antranik wrote a very helpful post on How to Implement a Steady State Training Cycle, it's got great info about exercise and stress on connective tissue.
The only equipment I bought was a pull-up bar, a bar for rows, a used walker for dips from Goodwill for $10 and the Perfect Pullup Assist.
I've got mixed feelings about the last 12 months. I'm frustrated by my slow progress, I wish I was farther along. On the other hand, my upper body is in better shape than it's ever been, and I know that this is a life long journey. After getting tendonitis doing the one exercise I pushed hard, I realize it's better to go slow, focus on the long term, and avoid injury and the resulting time off. I'm trying to see my progress in yearly improvements rather than in weekly or monthly gains.
If I can do this your dad can!
How much do you want to spend? I'm not the best with kg, but in lbs its generally:
2x 1.25lb (optional depending on linear program)
2x 2.5lb
2x 5lb
2x 10lb
2x 15lb
2x 25lb
2x 35lb
2x 45lb
2x 55lb (optional depending on strength level)
You can get a cheap set of iron weights.
Or you could get a relatively inexpensive set of bumper plates. (Plus some change plates).
I'm a fan of Titan Fitness' equipment. Its great for home gym use and the price is right. I have their T-2 series power rack and their 2" Olympic Weight Plate Rack Tree. I also got lucky and bought a bunch of stuff from MDUSA before they closed. I have 415lbs of bumpers, change plates, and a couple nice Pendlay olympic bars. That being said I started off with an inexpensive bar off of Amazon.
Hope this helps, I'm happy to answer any other questions.
>Yoga is the real question for me, I've never done it before, but I'd really love to try it. Do you guys have any tips?
My first tip would be to decide what you want out of your yoga sessions because there are many varieties with correspondingly many goals. Personally, I use yoga for recovery/mobility/flexibility, not as a "workout" or "training". Given that, I do a yoga session as part of the general mobility / recovery work I typically do on Tues/Thurs.
If you're just getting started with yoga, perhaps you could just pick up a good beginner's DVD and do it in front of the TV a couple days a week. This is still what I do as I believe most gym-based yoga classes are generally more focused on people who believe that yoga is their workout.
For a good beginner DVD, I recommend Rodney Yee's Yoga for Beginners because it comes with two 20ish-minute yoga sessions as well as a pose guide to help you work on your form.
>should I consider it a cardio day? or is it more of a bodyweight workout?
You'll only know the answer to these questions depending on how you answer the first question -- what do you want it to be?
Business Costco is Costco geared towards businesses. Their bulk meat comes in 50lbs or more. A LOT of stuff is individually packaged items which makes it easier to take on the go. I have one about 20 mins from my house but they may not be everywhere.
As for the sous vide. I have one made by Anova.
Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker | WI-FI + Bluetooth | 900W | Anova App Included https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HHWSV1S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wEh1Cb9SQZQMV
There are other ones that work fine but I really like the WiFi, as I can turn it on while at work, come home and it's ready. I love this thing.
I got the food Saver vacuum sealer from Costco and it's paid for itself in the amount of food it's saved me.
But for the sous vide you can use a zip lock bag or they even have reusable bags that you can wash out the inside. You put that in a stock pot or heat safe water container you have laying around.
I hope this helps!
While nothing will give you all the answers you seek, this book is really interesting.
Explains all about testosterone levels at different ages and why males behave the way they do. I'm not 100% subscribed to it of course but it was a fascinating read. I do agree with your body doing what it's supposed to do provided you have a reasonably healthy lifestyle. i.e. you're supposed to have testosterone decline as you age and testosterone injections aren't necessarily a good idea to fix that.
Unless you have dreams of being Mr. Olympia in your middle age, I think you'll be ok.
Also, the hormonal changes can come with obesity and other health issues that affect more and more men these days - studies like to focus on one thing and ignore so many other factors, the news likes to scare people. In short, you know what to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle, keep that up and it's the best preventive medicine ever!
My parents are both over 60. My mom (with no fitness background) started lifting after age 60 using Starting Strength model as described in The Barbell Prescription
also on Amazon
If you do end up getting the book, read it from cover to cover and you will get a good understanding on how to modify the program to meet your mom's needs. There are chapters for specific age groups, but the author states even that's an arbitrary cut off as everyone's different, so don't just read that specific chapter and skip the rest.
My dad (being more fit) on the other hand is able to do push ups and pull ups, but never squatted. He became interested in barbell training from my mom and just started Greyskull LP and making nice gains.
The previous comments have great pointers as well.
I can imagine what you look like, given most office workers. Your posture is terrible and your weakness is posterior chain (just like most everyone else). Given that starting point....
Also, would be better to know your goal. What is your goal, your point B?
Options:
PS. Everyone starts being able to barely move a bar. Nobody starts out lifting 300lbs, doesn't work that way. About time and effort. There's always someone stronger than you and there is always someone weaker than you.
HTH
I'd suggest skimming Barbell Prescription (I honestly suggest this to anyone over 30 that doesn't know what they want to do yet workout wise). Then revisit how you feel about including things like squats (spoiler, they're really good at making you live long and well; I run half marathons and still squat 3 times a week and do deadlifts at least once, b/c it's good for me).
I'd also suggest investing in something that will let you do dips and pullups, they're incredibly efficient at working out a whole bunch of upper body muscles quickly, and equipment to do them is pretty cheap and small.
Depending on the plan you go with and the exercises you choose you could end up doing anywhere from 1 to 5 sets of 3 to 15 reps.
I really like the Strong Lifts routine. And I LOVE their app.
If you don't have access to a full gym, I've had some good success with kettlebells. I have been using the Iron Core Kettlebell DVD.
If you do have access to a full gym, and want a year long workout routine, I recommend looking into the New Rules of Lifting books.
It's definitely on the higher side especially if you are not in the U.S. BUT they last for a LONG time and are super high quality. I've had their lightest rope that I use the most last over a year. Then it's just $11-$18 for rope replacement. I hear you though.
Here are a couple good affordable options:
EliteSRS Heavy Beaded Fitness Jump Rope - Outdoor Rated - Comfort Foam Grip (Black/White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QMZ9C55/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TkSvDbBCGYFNA
https://www.amazon.com/EliteSRS-Beginner-Jump-Rope-Adults/dp/B07HMB95VZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?adgrpid=55435725589&gclid=CjwKCAjwqNnqBRATEiwAkHm2BDinL9COW3Z_FJyHr4zIH77wCWxCYYXcYsIr5e2XbN-lyO3Iu5WyhBoCTuMQAvD_BwE&hvadid=274714636724&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1027691&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=18272867535278196379&hvtargid=kwd-378598560675&hydadcr=17338_9499980&keywords=elitesrs+jump+rope&qid=1565967062&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE5UkhJTTlOVjUwV0MmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzMzMzNzFLNTlRUTdRNTFXMkkmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDg1MDE1NUEwRkhHODQ5OTJaRyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
I'm the same age. Was a casual gym goer, then I discovered Starting Strength and fell in love!
Starting Strength is simple, quick, and the advancement feels and is noticeable. It's a really good program!
https://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738
This will help with the weights-
http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738
Counting calories is also a great step. I use Myfitnesspal.com.
The most important thing is to incorporate this stuff into your lifestyle, and feel good about it. You'll never keep it up if you think of it as a punishment.
Good luck!
>Is it necessary to get a personal trainer and pay the crazy fees?
Please please please don't do this. I'm assuming you're asking about trainers at your local gym whose "services" have been pushed on you. More often than not, these trainers are poorly trained, don't really cater to their client's needs and have no motivation to teach you how to train (because they'd lose a client).
Get a good book, watch form videos, and take it slow. I recommend reading Starting Strength (https://smile.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-Basic-Barbell-Training/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1UCWOB64BOC54&keywords=starting+strength+basic+barbell+training+3rd+edition&qid=1569727215&sprefix=starting+strength%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-1). It's not without its flaws as a long term training program, and the author's tone (Mark Rippetoe, a man who is half-meme and half-legend) is brash, but it's a solid introduction to strength and fitness.
Best I can do is to refer you to the work of Jonathan Sullivan and Andy Baker who wrote "The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life After 40". Their primary focus on the benefits of practice of strength training for old(er) athletes and I think they have a lot of data to back up their findings.
https://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Prescription-Strength-Training-After/dp/0982522770
3 PRs this week!
145lb floor press - hit a bench/chest press PR couple weeks ago at 160
135lb push press - been stuck at 125 for months, think it was a mental block. I really struggle with overhead lifts. (bodyweight)
45lb pull up - used 10/10/25 plates. First time trying this.
Not PRs, but had some really good cleans this week. After reading Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, my form/technique has gotten much better. Not finished reading it yet, really, really big book with lots of info.
I can't do anything without the earloop, and I refuse to wear giant headphones on a run (how?) or in the gym. These have been my go-to for the last few years, look very similar to the JVC ones: https://www.amazon.com/MEE-audio-Memory-Headphones-Version/dp/B0038W0K2K/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=earbuds+me&qid=1563229602&s=gateway&sr=8-3 Full disclosure, I just ordered two more pairs to keep me going but they were recently redesigned and I think fit quite as comfortably.
​
My wife prefers these as a bud alternative (although she is willing to use MEE Audio set above: https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Lightweight-Behind-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B00LU1RFLU/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=sony+behind+the+neck+headphones&qid=1563229780&s=gateway&sr=8-2 I just don't like how the foam ear covers get sweaty or how they fit under a hat when running outside int he winter.
​
But yeah, if your headphones are shocking you, you probably should replace them, even with another pair of the same...
To improve your technique I would recommend Starting Strength
If you are going in today, I'd recommend starting with light weight and be careful of injury. You have a long time to live, don't get hurt at the start.
ZMA helps a little bit also. But the best I found is light cardio, although it will be uncomfortable.
"Any recommendations for a guy in my life season? I need something structured, and I need something that will keep me disciplined..."
Try https://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Prescription-Strength-Training-After/dp/0982522770/ref=sr_1_1/145-2814763-7946832?ie=UTF8&qid=1504601937&sr=8-1&keywords=barbell+prescription
This book is excellent for those of us over 40.
This is the assistance band I used to get myself up to one pull-up: http://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitness-Pullup-Exercise-Equipment/dp/B00BFCWA1E/ Worked really well. Their instructions said that once you can do 15 with the assistance band, you're ready to do one full pull-up without it, and they were right.
Amazon is just spooky. I go from the comment in alien blue to my Amazon app to get links for them and they were all already on the front page.
fish oil Some brands can taste... well, fishy. But these don't.
vitamin d
zma
Multivitamin is just a gnc mega man that I buy at Sam's Club or Costco.
There's evidence that mixing strength training and cardio is sub-optimal. The gist is that each type of activity leads to different metabolic pathways and your body can't do both at the same time.
Sullivan and Baker do a good (but highly technical) treatment of this in their book (Chapter 4, the section titled Interference Effects). I found a less technical treatment on the ISSA website which largely comes to the same conclusion.
None of that directly addresses your question, but it's something to be aware of.
What I haven't yet figured out is how much time do you need to allow between the two types of training to avoid the interference effect. Is lift in the morning, cardio in the afternoon enough? Or should it be lift today, cardio tomorrow?
I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Core-Kettlebell-Sarah-Lurie/dp/B005FRWTSO
https://www.amazon.com/Barbell-Prescription-Strength-Training-After/dp/0982522770/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=strength+training+after+40&qid=1573145856&sr=8-1
40 y.o here.
I've noticed that while I'm able to squat large amounts (>300lbs), run, hike, go up and down stairs with no problems, I had the same issues as you.
I've remedied it by being conscious of what muscle groups I use to get up from a 100% squated position. If I consciously tell my glutes and quads to move, no pain in the joints or discomfort. If I'm just picking up toys or the laundry or whatever; I'll squat down and have a hard time getting up because I seem to just rely on the muscles around those joints to move. But if I consciously engage my glutes and quads to stand, it's not so bad.
I'm not sure if it even makes any sense, but it's worked for me.
Also, I've changed the way I do squats where I really go down deep. I spread my legs wider that I've used to and angled my feet out farther. Check out "Starting Strength", helped me with my form and changed how I thought about the muscles you use for most actions.