Getting fit

heatherausten · Post by **heatherausten** » February 20th, 2006, 11:18 am

I'm game! Though I think I'd better start up with the 2 week build-up. I'm sadly out of shape.

pberinstein · Post by **pberinstein** » February 20th, 2006, 11:48 am

Stephan wrote:damn, jogging has been to cold for me yesterday. i am down. aching throat, dizzy, need bed.
to be honest it was just a matter of time, i wondered how i got through whole winter without flu. probably because i never was outside and with people. now flu demands late tribute.

You should get a flu shot every year, Stephan. They work!

Sorry you're ill. Feel better!

Izze · Post by **Izze** » February 20th, 2006, 12:00 pm

Oh wow, I wish I could participate, but my doctor told me to stick to surviving and avoiding be outside too much until it warms up. Stupid lungs wanting to get all sick in this stupid winter weather. :x

I've found that the local college gym (I get to use it for free because I'm a full time student, but it also offers good membership prices for non-students. Not sure if all colleges do that, though.) has a really nice heated pool to swim in, though. It's great for muscle strength, and really rather nice and relaxing.

All of the treadmills smell of neanderthal though. :x

fox · Post by **fox** » February 20th, 2006, 12:13 pm

Izze wrote:All of the treadmills smell of neanderthal though. :x

What do you mean?

Neandertal (Neander Valley)

marlodianne · Post by **marlodianne** » February 20th, 2006, 12:36 pm

kri wrote: Man I know how that is to be standing facing a gust of wind, and just not being able to beathe 'cause the wind makes it impossible. Not sure how that works but it does.

I spend a lot of time at home while my fiance works...perhaps that's my way to get back into shape. Man I so miss how fit I was when our car was broken, and we had to walk everywhere. The winter's over, so I don't have that excuse to not be in shape anymore. Plus, I miss dancing!!

Kri, I kid that my lungs have more sense than the rest of me. So *of course* they scream at me to get out of the cold, stay well away from smoke, don't inhale bleach, avoid people who swim in perfume, etc.

Seriously though, they just hate me and want me dead.

Dancing is great because it's fun and it's flexible. I can completely control the environment, and adjust my activity to how I'm feeling (both super key for me, since I have health problems creating special needs), and there's endless variety so it won't get boring. I can add other elements if and when I want to--Tai Chi, kickboxing, running, weights--but it'll work as well out. It's more fun free anyway.

Actually, dancing is like swimming, considered one of the best ways to exercise, because you work so many muscle groups. And hey, it's one of the few types of exercise you'll do accidentally when you're happy

As you pointed out, I miss it when I don't do it.

Plus, today, James Marsters cheered me on (album: Civilized Man). That just makes it that much more awesome!

kri · Post by **kri** » February 20th, 2006, 12:46 pm

marlodianne wrote:Kri, I kid that my lungs have more sense than the rest of me. So *of course* they scream at me to get out of the cold, stay well away from smoke, don't inhale bleach, avoid people who swim in perfume, etc.

Oy, that's one of my pet peeves. Perfume. I just can't stand it when people wear perfume, because it is very rare that someone who wears perfume is sensible about it. I shouldn't be able to smell it at all. It makes my throat burn.

kri · Post by **kri** » February 20th, 2006, 1:09 pm

I may not be participating in the jogging program, but this thread has given me more thoughts about getting more active. When I go drop my class, I think I'm going to walk into town instead of driving. It's only a 15 minute walk!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » February 20th, 2006, 1:49 pm

kri wrote:[

Oy, that's one of my pet peeves. Perfume. I just can't stand it when people wear perfume, because it is very rare that someone who wears perfume is sensible about it. I shouldn't be able to smell it at all. It makes my throat burn.

Oh, me too. It makes me sneeze something awful.

pberinstein · Post by **pberinstein** » February 20th, 2006, 1:50 pm

Anonymous wrote:
kri wrote:[

Oy, that's one of my pet peeves. Perfume. I just can't stand it when people wear perfume, because it is very rare that someone who wears perfume is sensible about it. I shouldn't be able to smell it at all. It makes my throat burn.
Oh, me too. It makes me sneeze something awful.

Blankety-blank forum software. That message from "Guest" was from me, not signed in.

Gesine · Post by **Gesine** » February 20th, 2006, 3:02 pm

True, dancing is great. There are a couple of songs to which I always dance: Video Killed the Radio Star (love that song, don't ask me why, but it's catchy) and More by Sisters of Mercy. The latter is very long, starts quietly, ramps up and ends quietly - a natural warm-up and cool-down built in! :)

Interesting how many sports are supposed to be 'the best' for overall fitness because they work all muscle groups. Swimming (done properly) is great because it leaves the joints alone - for that reason, running should really be substituted for power-walking, but I like running... Martial arts are also great for all muscle groups, and build up strength as well as endurance. And rowing. A while ago we invested in the finest rowing machine around - a WaterRower. When I've managed my 30 minutes (in 6 weeks, hopefully), I'll alternate running with rowing and only have one or two rest days per week.

pberinstein · Post by **pberinstein** » February 20th, 2006, 3:10 pm

Gesine wrote: Interesting how many sports are supposed to be 'the best' for overall fitness because they work all muscle groups. Swimming (done properly) is great because it leaves the joints alone - for that reason, running should really be substituted for power-walking, but I like running... Martial arts are also great for all muscle groups, and build up strength as well as endurance. And rowing. A while ago we invested in the finest rowing machine around - a WaterRower. When I've managed my 30 minutes (in 6 weeks, hopefully), I'll alternate running with rowing and only have one or two rest days per week.

You're right, Gesine. I've always thought that if you're going to force kids to take PE, at least give them some tolerable exercise to do. What a great variety you've got here. Had I been able to do stuff like that in school, I might even have liked PE. (Add yoga too!)

Stephan · Post by **Stephan** » February 20th, 2006, 3:43 pm

thank you all for your nice wishes.

hey fox, i scrolled, saw your picture, and instantly without much thinking thought:
"Hey, that looks like home!" And then i read Neandertal and thought "Hehe, damn right. Ha!, i?d miss this germany badly if i?d end up on another part of the world."

This is exactly how it looks here, when you drive out of the city into the green. Neandertal too is just a 30 minute drive from here until you have parked the car and start walking.

Oh and we have a gazillion of these small rivulets in the woods and as kids we tend to congest them to get large puddles and to spite the forest warden.

RobertG · Post by **RobertG** » February 20th, 2006, 4:17 pm

Gesine wrote:Interesting how many sports are supposed to be 'the best' for overall fitness because they work all muscle groups...

I think that over time, any one particular type of exercise begins to deliver diminishing returns in terms of physical improvement. Variety is the spice of life, after all. But I remain partial to load-bearing up hills as a good enabler of physical fitness.

My mother never learned to drive. She bore five children (I'm the eldest) and most of them pale in fear when she offers to take them on a walk. She is turing 76 in a few months and walks an average of probably 40 miles per week, including carrying her groceries in a pack up a hill on the way home.

Here's some pictures from a 10-mile hike I did with here last year along Dungeness Spit: Jean the Hill Walker

Stefan wrote:Ha!, i?d miss this germany badly if i?d end up on another part of the world.

You'd like Washington State, Stefan. I've met many people visiting from Germany, Switzerland and Austria while out in the mountains. The North Cascade Mountains are often referred to as The American Alps.

If you are ever here for a visit, I will take you out into them if you make the time.

Gesine · Post by **Gesine** » February 20th, 2006, 5:00 pm

Wow, you have some really nice pics there, Robert!

I liked fox's pic, too. I've never been there, but it looks nice. When I lived in the UK, I missed the German forests - most towns have one or two within cycling distance, and usually a smaller one within the town, too. Malta has its own charms, but it's not very green - but the neighbouring island, Gozo, is.

Cycling (desperately trying to find a way to bring this back on topic ;)) - haven't cycled for years now...

RobertG · Post by **RobertG** » February 20th, 2006, 8:29 pm

Gesine wrote:...desperately trying to find a way to bring this back on topic ...

I thought this was the Off Topic forum!

Did another round on the bluffs this afernoon. Took me longer to warm up as I was a bit stiff from yesterday. My pace was also a bit slower.

Distance: 3.5 miles
Energy Expended: 980 kcal
HR Avg. 144 bpm

4 loops on the steep bluff trail (basically wooden steps in the bank). Each loop is ~125 feet of elevation gain. In peak shape, I normally do 12-16 loops, so I've got a ways to go!

Mixing in some cycling, Gesine? You go girl!