...is, I am afraid, just about all I have been doing about exercise the past two weeks. While I am getting up many days for a four-mile morning walk, I have been missing the time spent iron pumping and and heart pumping at the YMCA. You can fill in all the normal excuses, with the night class being my major fall back but the truth is I just have not been doing it.
There is more than a little guilt in the above admission, because I know maintaining and improving strength as well as endurance is a key to not getting as old as the calendar might proclaim. So, maybe a little public confession here will help me regain the focus I had. The books talk about a lot of strategies for maintaining health, fitness and sharpness and the primary strategy is totally encompassed in the Nike slogan -- "Just do it." When you stop doing, whatever it is you are doing, the regression is much more rapid than the progression and makes those efx hills that much steeper the next time around.
While walking under the moon and stars this morning, just as the birds began to sing, I admonished myself to find a way to jump start and I hope this is the first step.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Race today kicked my butt...
The Sonoco Credit Union sponsored 5K run/walk hosted by the Cross Country Team at Coker and the Cobra Club was a lot of fun. The organizers are tying to increase the interest in running and they had teams from several of the area's elementary schools in competition. It was a blast to see them competing and I am sure North Hartsville Elementary is happy that they ran away with the trophy. The Coker connection with the community is strengthened significantly with an event like today's race.
I am a walker. Turns out I am becoming a pretty slow walker. I finished first today in the overall walk but my time was about 37:23. That is my slowest competitive time. I DESERVED that time because my miles have been down of late, my lifting has been sporadic of late and I was far from my best condition. The sort of scary thing is how much this slow time is still causing a lack of energy about six hours after the race. I am used to soreness and being tired for an hour or so but the lack of a quicker recovery is shouting to me that I need to get back to more regular exercise and quit turing over in the mornings for an extra hour of sleep.
Clyde Weaver was running again today. I have told him he is my running hero. Clyde is moving into his eighties, he has fought off a couple of heart attacks and he is still pounding the pavement. He is a true example of a life-long exerciser. And, for any of you who are thinking running is for the young, the race today was run by a guy who is 42. Okay, to me that is YOUNG but his time was 17 something-- that is moving at any age.
Finally, these races can't be run without a lot of volunteers. So, thank you, to all of those who were volunteering. The Strictly Running race team did a great job with the set up and it was pretty much a perfect moring for a race and from children in strollers to eighty-year + runners, it was a great morning; but it is still kicking my butt.
I am a walker. Turns out I am becoming a pretty slow walker. I finished first today in the overall walk but my time was about 37:23. That is my slowest competitive time. I DESERVED that time because my miles have been down of late, my lifting has been sporadic of late and I was far from my best condition. The sort of scary thing is how much this slow time is still causing a lack of energy about six hours after the race. I am used to soreness and being tired for an hour or so but the lack of a quicker recovery is shouting to me that I need to get back to more regular exercise and quit turing over in the mornings for an extra hour of sleep.
Clyde Weaver was running again today. I have told him he is my running hero. Clyde is moving into his eighties, he has fought off a couple of heart attacks and he is still pounding the pavement. He is a true example of a life-long exerciser. And, for any of you who are thinking running is for the young, the race today was run by a guy who is 42. Okay, to me that is YOUNG but his time was 17 something-- that is moving at any age.
Finally, these races can't be run without a lot of volunteers. So, thank you, to all of those who were volunteering. The Strictly Running race team did a great job with the set up and it was pretty much a perfect moring for a race and from children in strollers to eighty-year + runners, it was a great morning; but it is still kicking my butt.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Magnificient Morning in Hartsville, South Carolina
Wish I could say I was up with the crack of dawn but I have learned a new skill, rolling over and nodding back to sleep. But, today, as those eyes kept closed a bird began a refrain -- puffer get your out of bed.
I did. Thanks bird!
As I walked down the road Tom was just getting his paper, already enjoying a cup of coffee and the antics of two of his dogs as they greeted the new day. Both of us were being treated to the songs of Spring coming from a few of the trees around the neighborhood.
As I started down PowerLine Road the light show that was the morning sun breaking the horizon through the textured cloud cover was like being welcome to one of the world's most majestic catherdrals. (you guys would have recognized the clouds from Jana's sunset photos the other day.)
As the sun's power rays lit up specific paths and trees, squirrels and birds there was a choir of flocking birds reminding the world of the gift we are given every day. Less than a mile later a single feathered create was chanting Come (caw)Come (caw) Come (caw) as if in a call to prayer. Nearly at the same time cars were driving into parking lots at chruches around the town as some special Saturday morning activity seemed about to start.
The sun rose, the clouds thinned and as the four miles were nearly over a giant tree next to Coker's new LIT Center seemed to come alive with song as hundreds of robins and sparrows were scattered among the branches singing about this Magnificient Morning in Hartsville and calling more people to join in the celebration of this new day.
The first day of Spring may officially be in March but the arrival of all the new winged visitors this morning, the brisk morning breeze and brilliant blue-cloud shrouded sky says February 16 was the first day of Hartsville's Spring.
I am still sweating a bit though this morning walk as not all that strenuous. It was a tremendous way to begin this day and while I may wish I were still a runner, the walking pace allowed me to enjoy the cathedral of a mafnificient Hartsville morning that probably would not have been the case had I been going for a seven or eight minute a mile pace. See, there are some benefits to the experience that comes with the years.
I did. Thanks bird!
As I walked down the road Tom was just getting his paper, already enjoying a cup of coffee and the antics of two of his dogs as they greeted the new day. Both of us were being treated to the songs of Spring coming from a few of the trees around the neighborhood.
As I started down PowerLine Road the light show that was the morning sun breaking the horizon through the textured cloud cover was like being welcome to one of the world's most majestic catherdrals. (you guys would have recognized the clouds from Jana's sunset photos the other day.)
As the sun's power rays lit up specific paths and trees, squirrels and birds there was a choir of flocking birds reminding the world of the gift we are given every day. Less than a mile later a single feathered create was chanting Come (caw)Come (caw) Come (caw) as if in a call to prayer. Nearly at the same time cars were driving into parking lots at chruches around the town as some special Saturday morning activity seemed about to start.
The sun rose, the clouds thinned and as the four miles were nearly over a giant tree next to Coker's new LIT Center seemed to come alive with song as hundreds of robins and sparrows were scattered among the branches singing about this Magnificient Morning in Hartsville and calling more people to join in the celebration of this new day.
The first day of Spring may officially be in March but the arrival of all the new winged visitors this morning, the brisk morning breeze and brilliant blue-cloud shrouded sky says February 16 was the first day of Hartsville's Spring.
I am still sweating a bit though this morning walk as not all that strenuous. It was a tremendous way to begin this day and while I may wish I were still a runner, the walking pace allowed me to enjoy the cathedral of a mafnificient Hartsville morning that probably would not have been the case had I been going for a seven or eight minute a mile pace. See, there are some benefits to the experience that comes with the years.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Habit vs Decision
Teaching nights - from 5:30 to 8:00 makes a mess of my normal workout schedule. Being lazy has been wreaking havoc with my normal morning walks. Instead of popping out of bed when my lids lift at 4:55 a.m. I consciously slam the lids, roll back under the covers and try hard to fall back to sleep.
Those are not good things because it is not my imagination that the pants are fitting more snugly than a month ago and those times when I do darken the Y's doors are proving harder and harder to lift what was routine only a few weeks back. Take last night, for example. I was dumb bell benching and the first set of 12 at 55 per almost stopped me from doing a second set. While I did fluctuate the weight from 45 to 55, and I did get one set of eight at 60 lbs, it was a struggle.
So, yesterday I did get in the second workout in a row this week. Worked some chest, some abs, back and triceps. The aerobic workout was on one of the machines at 30 minutes -- a little over 300 calories, a lot of sweat but probably could have worked harder.
Today's blog is a way of trying to move my mind to the frame that I stop at the Y instead of passing by after class this evening. That is not a decision that is easy because when I leave that night speech class I am pretty worn out. We'll see what happens.
I am hoping the fact that I have given up sweets for lent may help me get back to regular exercise.
Those are not good things because it is not my imagination that the pants are fitting more snugly than a month ago and those times when I do darken the Y's doors are proving harder and harder to lift what was routine only a few weeks back. Take last night, for example. I was dumb bell benching and the first set of 12 at 55 per almost stopped me from doing a second set. While I did fluctuate the weight from 45 to 55, and I did get one set of eight at 60 lbs, it was a struggle.
So, yesterday I did get in the second workout in a row this week. Worked some chest, some abs, back and triceps. The aerobic workout was on one of the machines at 30 minutes -- a little over 300 calories, a lot of sweat but probably could have worked harder.
Today's blog is a way of trying to move my mind to the frame that I stop at the Y instead of passing by after class this evening. That is not a decision that is easy because when I leave that night speech class I am pretty worn out. We'll see what happens.
I am hoping the fact that I have given up sweets for lent may help me get back to regular exercise.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Stagnant on the plateau
Fitness is something that I do -- like going to work every day. Like going to work every day, fitness can get stale, boring and ineffective.
Sensing a need to go to something different than the "Body for Life" workout of Bill Phillips - designed for Puffer, I invested some money with a personal trainer from studio 212 in Hartsville. Brianna, owner of the business, and I got together three mornings a week for about a month as you introduced me to the chapter of fitness (also in Phillips) called change. She showed me some new exercises but probably the more important revelation was mixing the cardio with the lifting in the same time frame. I left every session drained and drowning in sweat. An hour at Studio 212 was different from the four mile walk, which also lasts about an hour in the morning. There was more happening metabolically from that workout than I had been letting myself experience for a year or two.
The current challenge -- how to keep up that intensity? I thought maybe the faddish 'boot camp' would be the little nudge but Brianna thinks maybe it needs to be something different from that and this morning I spent another hour with a trainer who works in Studio 212 who is fondly known as Russell. For some time the refrain around the fitness area in our small part of the world was the question, "Have you met Russell yet?" I have met Russell. I knew as I was trying to eek out those last eight push ups this morning (to reach 100) that this must be my introduction to Russell. I thought that because his words were, "Let's start with a hundred push ups." Start? The immediate thought was that 100 push ups are an entire workout -- not a start.
So, what have learned so far with this foray with some personal training advice? Two main lessons are jumping out. The first is that you need to vary the routine and you need to vary it daily. The variety keeps you mentally interested and physically challenged, which is the major combination you want to find in the gym. The second lesson, and one the guys at the Y have been hammering me with often, is that form is far more important than weight. We (I) started on the second exercise this morning -- a back thing on a machine. The 35 pound plates on each side were not all that hard to handle, even at the increased reps from my normal count. It was after two sets that Russell said, "Now, let's add some weight, it looks like you have figured out the right way to do it." I am not sure the form was quite as good, especially after the fourth set, with the extra 50 pounds we added.
Working out is something I do. Generally I have committed some kind of exercise six days a week. The question, "Is it something I do right?" Well, I am guessing there is still some learning to do. As a result, I will probably invest a little more money in some personal training with Russell. He is a smooth multi-tasker and this morning he was keeping six people moving in different directions while taking personal interest in a couple of Coker basketball players -- and the sweat was pouring, the sounds of exertion were loud and nearly every--- body -- was understanding they would not be doing this much good for themselves, if they were exercising alone.
I have been on the plateau for awhile, maybe as I meet a little more Russell on these early Tuesday and Thursday mornings I can start moving up the path to a new level of being in shape.
Back and shoulder exercises primarily this morning with some light military lifts, some back machine and some not-too-heavy dumbell extensions and front lifts of the dumbells followed by light curls, which got harder and harder and harder.
Sensing a need to go to something different than the "Body for Life" workout of Bill Phillips - designed for Puffer, I invested some money with a personal trainer from studio 212 in Hartsville. Brianna, owner of the business, and I got together three mornings a week for about a month as you introduced me to the chapter of fitness (also in Phillips) called change. She showed me some new exercises but probably the more important revelation was mixing the cardio with the lifting in the same time frame. I left every session drained and drowning in sweat. An hour at Studio 212 was different from the four mile walk, which also lasts about an hour in the morning. There was more happening metabolically from that workout than I had been letting myself experience for a year or two.
The current challenge -- how to keep up that intensity? I thought maybe the faddish 'boot camp' would be the little nudge but Brianna thinks maybe it needs to be something different from that and this morning I spent another hour with a trainer who works in Studio 212 who is fondly known as Russell. For some time the refrain around the fitness area in our small part of the world was the question, "Have you met Russell yet?" I have met Russell. I knew as I was trying to eek out those last eight push ups this morning (to reach 100) that this must be my introduction to Russell. I thought that because his words were, "Let's start with a hundred push ups." Start? The immediate thought was that 100 push ups are an entire workout -- not a start.
So, what have learned so far with this foray with some personal training advice? Two main lessons are jumping out. The first is that you need to vary the routine and you need to vary it daily. The variety keeps you mentally interested and physically challenged, which is the major combination you want to find in the gym. The second lesson, and one the guys at the Y have been hammering me with often, is that form is far more important than weight. We (I) started on the second exercise this morning -- a back thing on a machine. The 35 pound plates on each side were not all that hard to handle, even at the increased reps from my normal count. It was after two sets that Russell said, "Now, let's add some weight, it looks like you have figured out the right way to do it." I am not sure the form was quite as good, especially after the fourth set, with the extra 50 pounds we added.
Working out is something I do. Generally I have committed some kind of exercise six days a week. The question, "Is it something I do right?" Well, I am guessing there is still some learning to do. As a result, I will probably invest a little more money in some personal training with Russell. He is a smooth multi-tasker and this morning he was keeping six people moving in different directions while taking personal interest in a couple of Coker basketball players -- and the sweat was pouring, the sounds of exertion were loud and nearly every--- body -- was understanding they would not be doing this much good for themselves, if they were exercising alone.
I have been on the plateau for awhile, maybe as I meet a little more Russell on these early Tuesday and Thursday mornings I can start moving up the path to a new level of being in shape.
Back and shoulder exercises primarily this morning with some light military lifts, some back machine and some not-too-heavy dumbell extensions and front lifts of the dumbells followed by light curls, which got harder and harder and harder.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Shaping Up and Staying in Shape After 60
This is a topic in which I engage daily but, in which, I have no real expertise. I like candy, doughnuts, cookies, and love ice cream -- so this is tough. Exercise is a pretty much a daily part of my life. With luck, this blog will be both a journal and reflection that will be fairly personal in the collection of what activities were involved in the daily exercise (maybe eating).
Basic Exercise Philosophy -- Exercise is a daily decision; it is not a habit!
May 29 -- continuing to use, as I have for about two years, the Bill Phillips Body for Life workout template. Tuesday was an upper body day.
5:15 a.m. -- opportunity for a great walk. A bird I had not heard recently returned and that was a great way to be welcomed to the morning. The walk is about four miles and I finish in about 15 minutes a mile for a regular daily walk. (Truth is the opportunity for a walk is there just about every morning -- I just don't always avail myself of the opportunity.)
5:15 p.m. -- took the opportunity to go to the Y for an upper body workout.
Chest workout == dumbbell press set of 12reps at 70 pounds
== four sets with 55 pounds 12, 10, 8, 10
== one set of 12 reps of a chest fly with 35lb dumbells
Shoulder Workout
shoulder front raise with 12 reps at 20lb dumbbell
Shoulder shrugs at barbell with four plates of 45 -- 12 reps
Shoulder front raise with 12 reps at 20lb dumbell
Shrugs with barbell of four plates 45 but only 10 reps
Shoulder lift with 25lb dumbells and 12 reps
Shrugs with barbell two plates of 45 -- 12 reps
Back workout -- machine
three sets of 12 reps at 140
one set of 12 reps at 155
one set of 12 reps at 170
Row-puller 10 reps at 250
Tricept workout
pull down set of 10 reps at 150
pull down set of 10 reps at 140
pull down set of 12 reps at 130
pull down set of 12 reps at 120
one set of bench head bangers of 12 reps at 70 lbs
Two sets of bench head bangers of 12 reps at 55 lbs
Bicept
one set of 12 reps with 45 on each side
one set of 10 reps with 50 on each side
one set of 12 reps with 45 on each side
seated curl - one set of 12 reps at 30lb dumbbells
Attended Toastmaster Meeting following the lifting
May 30
6:10 a.m. bike riding and the distance was approximately eight miles maybe nine
Eating -- strawberries, peaches, banana nut muffin and some jelleybeans by 2 p.m.
Basic Exercise Philosophy -- Exercise is a daily decision; it is not a habit!
May 29 -- continuing to use, as I have for about two years, the Bill Phillips Body for Life workout template. Tuesday was an upper body day.
5:15 a.m. -- opportunity for a great walk. A bird I had not heard recently returned and that was a great way to be welcomed to the morning. The walk is about four miles and I finish in about 15 minutes a mile for a regular daily walk. (Truth is the opportunity for a walk is there just about every morning -- I just don't always avail myself of the opportunity.)
5:15 p.m. -- took the opportunity to go to the Y for an upper body workout.
Chest workout == dumbbell press set of 12reps at 70 pounds
== four sets with 55 pounds 12, 10, 8, 10
== one set of 12 reps of a chest fly with 35lb dumbells
Shoulder Workout
shoulder front raise with 12 reps at 20lb dumbbell
Shoulder shrugs at barbell with four plates of 45 -- 12 reps
Shoulder front raise with 12 reps at 20lb dumbell
Shrugs with barbell of four plates 45 but only 10 reps
Shoulder lift with 25lb dumbells and 12 reps
Shrugs with barbell two plates of 45 -- 12 reps
Back workout -- machine
three sets of 12 reps at 140
one set of 12 reps at 155
one set of 12 reps at 170
Row-puller 10 reps at 250
Tricept workout
pull down set of 10 reps at 150
pull down set of 10 reps at 140
pull down set of 12 reps at 130
pull down set of 12 reps at 120
one set of bench head bangers of 12 reps at 70 lbs
Two sets of bench head bangers of 12 reps at 55 lbs
Bicept
one set of 12 reps with 45 on each side
one set of 10 reps with 50 on each side
one set of 12 reps with 45 on each side
seated curl - one set of 12 reps at 30lb dumbbells
Attended Toastmaster Meeting following the lifting
May 30
6:10 a.m. bike riding and the distance was approximately eight miles maybe nine
Eating -- strawberries, peaches, banana nut muffin and some jelleybeans by 2 p.m.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
