Fitness

[InfoPri]

After a lifetime of managing to avoid almost all exercise (other than walking to my car), I started taking twice-weekly classes a few years ago as a way of encouraging my (somewhat older) spouse to go to the classes.  (Then in his early 70s, he was so out of shape that he was unable to get up off the floor without assistance.  One flight of stairs left him huffing.)  We both found ourselves feeling better, so we continued on and even started two other classes.  (The gym is only a few blocks from our house, due to the fact that we live on a small island.)

Fast forward two years.  I suffered a spinal-cord injury requiring three emergency surgeries (each six to nine hours long) within two weeks and a very long rehabilitation period, with intense physical therapy (and some occupational therapy).  I recovered extraordinarily quickly and well, and my neurosurgeon and physical therapists are certain (as am I) that one reason is that I was reasonably fit (if overweight) at the time of the injury, I worked hard during rehabilitation (doing my PT exercises at the gym the three or four days a week on the days I didn't have formal PT), and I continue to work out.  For the months following my discharge from PT, I went to the gym for one to three hours four or five times a week.  At this point (a year after the end of PT), I do much less--sometimes just the four classes a week, or now--while I'm in MyState instead of the island in Somewhere Warm)--maybe two or three times a week for one to three hours, depending on my schedule.

My PT told me upon discharge that the five-year outcome is much, much better for people who continue to move and get exercise, versus those (which used to include me) who live as couch/chair potatoes.  Moreover, like downer, I watched my grandparents and then my parents decline and lose the ability to do ordinary activities (get out of a chair unassisted) even in their fifties and sixties, let alone later in life.  I don't want to be them.  And, having faced the prospect of spending the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I find motivation and even joy in the fact that I CAN do the exercises.  I'm grateful. 

And, perhaps most motivating of all, I get immediate gratification--no matter how awful I feel when I get to the gym, I always start feeling better after just 15 minutes or so, as my body begins to loosen up.  I do rely on medication, but the movements help to mitigate the pain and definitely increases the range of motion that I seem to lose overnight in my sleep.  By the time I've finished even an hour-long workout, I'm good to go and feel like I can conquer the world.

[pgher]

Well, six weeks from today, I'll be in a truck headed for the mountains. I'm more ready than I've ever been, although I'm still probably not ready enough. I just finished 30 minutes going up and down stairs with a 55 lb. backpack. I don't exactly feel like I'm going to die, but I sure feel drained!

My dad was visiting recently. Once upon a time, he was a marathon runner. He said that in both his personal experience and the advice he's read, the training effect kicks in around 30 minutes. Running for 15-20 minutes can maintain fitness, sorta, but you won't really see improvements unless you're regularly doing 30 minutes. So I tried, and so far he's right. (He's so much smarter now than when I was 17.) After just a couple weeks, I'm able to maintain a much faster pace.

My dad is currently 85 years old and still plays golf daily. He walks the course instead of driving a cart. Like you say, InfoPri, aging goes much better if you keep active.

[Morris Zapp]

I recently made the decision to stop doing fitness activities which I hate but which I do because I feel I should -- For me, this includes the elliptical and running on the treadmill.  Instead, I've started swimming laps, doing zumba and doing aqua zumba -- all of which still feel incredibly self indulgent to me.  I used to not let myself do these activities because they were less rigorous than the old treadmill.  Swimming instead felt like cheating.  Strangely enough, I've found that you actually voluntarily exercise a lot more if you don't do things that you hate.  I never understood people who said that going for a run was a 'treat', but for me swimming laps in a pool for an hour does feel like a treat, particularly if it's an outdoor pool on a lovely evening.  Hoping I can keep this up!  I am now finding myself doing things like working out on weekends as well as during the week, working out on vacation, etc.

[Volhiker78]

I go to our university gym because i like to include weight training and there is a shower.  We get a discounted rate, so it is cheaper than any local fitness place and has pretty good facilities.  In the past I used to work out a lot, but with work, kids, etc, I completely fell of the wagon and am just getting back to it after years of innactivity.  I should go more frequently, but anything is better than nothing so I do what I can and don't sweat it.

I have also not had a parking pass for years and park off campus and walk instead (about 15 minutes).  This gives me a little more physical activity (not much I know) and parking passes here are expensive, so it more than offsets the cost of the gym membership.

Same here regarding university gym.  The only downside is that I get frustrated with all of the students - too many of them use it as a place to socialize and I hate waiting for a machine because someone decides they needed to text for 10 minutes between sets.   

[pink_]

I'm a runner, and I've been thinking of starting run-commuting on days that I don't have to look fancy. I find that with a ShowerPill body wipe (like a mega-sized baby wipe that smells pretty good, I think), new deodorant, and a change of clothes, I'm pretty much presentable. My hair can get a bit wacky, but whatever. We'll see if it happens. It's way to hot where I live to consider for a couple more months.

As for the sock question, which opened the thread, I found that my toes were a lot happier and blisters my less if I wore the injinji toe socks. So I wear them for all running that I do and wear my older running socks for walking the dog and casual activity.

[ergative]

I go to our university gym because i like to include weight training and there is a shower.  We get a discounted rate, so it is cheaper than any local fitness place and has pretty good facilities.  In the past I used to work out a lot, but with work, kids, etc, I completely fell of the wagon and am just getting back to it after years of innactivity.  I should go more frequently, but anything is better than nothing so I do what I can and don't sweat it.

I have also not had a parking pass for years and park off campus and walk instead (about 15 minutes).  This gives me a little more physical activity (not much I know) and parking passes here are expensive, so it more than offsets the cost of the gym membership.

Same here regarding university gym.  The only downside is that I get frustrated with all of the students - too many of them use it as a place to socialize and I hate waiting for a machine because someone decides they needed to text for 10 minutes between sets.

I've just started gymming this summer. My university's gym has a really good selection of classes that I've been sampling, which I can do now that I have a semester of sabbatical and don't have to fit things in between classes. My plan is that I'll get really good at knowing what they offer and what I like, so that come spring I'll be a pro at slipping in and out in a flash.

I've never belonged to a gym before, and so far it's still new and fun, and making me hurt in good ways.  But I suspect that after a few weeks I'll start getting bored, so I want to learn how to do things on my own well enough that I can start pairing a workout with audio books or podcasts or something to entertain myself.

[Grinch]

I like to swim before classes. At the pool at 6. Swim, shower, and at work before 8. I love to get the exercise out of the way and do feel like I am in a better mood when I do. But the pool is closing after Labor Day. I am now looking for a different exercise plan, and that is making me quite frustrated as swimming was working so well.

[wellfleet]

I do morning yoga classes on the days I don't teach at 8am (class at 6:30 or 7:00, at work by 9ish). These days, I'm also walking to the office, which takes about 20 minutes each way. Both do wonders for my state of mind, especially back to back.

[Grinch]

I do morning yoga classes on the days I don't teach at 8am (class at 6:30 or 7:00, at work by 9ish). These days, I'm also walking to the office, which takes about 20 minutes each way. Both do wonders for my state of mind, especially back to back.

Yes. I love what it does for my state of mind. It is essential for my sanity and that of my family!

[ergative]

It's been three weeks now. When will I stop being perpetually sore?

[archaeo42]

It's been three weeks now. When will I stop being perpetually sore?

Yes but also remember to stretch.

<Wanders off to go do some stretching now>

[ciao_yall]

It's been three weeks now. When will I stop being perpetually sore?

When you start incorporating stretching, such as yoga, into your fitness routine.

Also there is "good sore" which is a general stiffness that you feel over a whole muscle. Stretching will help that.

Then "injury sore" which is sharp pain and very localized. Avoid any activity that exacerbates this and maybe see a doctor/PT if it doesn't get better.