by Rick Byers on August 24, 2009
At the same time that I was enjoying cycling around Kits Beach, English Bay and Stanley Park, I began attending the local gym at 12th and Arbutus on cold, rainy days in the fall and winter.
When I am no longer doing yard work due to the change in the weather, I try to manage two trips to the gym per week.
I found that the local gyms associated with the community centers such as arenas and/or pools are perfectly fine for the purpose that I require. While they might not have the number and/or quality of machines compared to higher end facilities, they have the fundamental equipment to get started and maintain a program. I have also found that they are often less expensive on a drop-in or membership basis.
As per my previous blog of August 10th, I noted that repetition and duration of the activity works best for me. I already have a program that I was set up on by an instructor from years ago as I need to focus on the same areas for improvement.
To note, I would recommend that you have an assessment by a professional first in order to be set up on a program that will be appropriate. Be sure to explain to them exactly what you wish to achieve. It may cost a few dollars but the benefits can be life long, providing you with more energy, stamina and an improved quality of life. Some extended health plans may allow or provide for some offset to your cost. Employers recognize the value of having healthy employees.
The length of my visit to the gym is usually about 70 minutes. I start off with a 10 to 15 minute stretch. Most important. Thirty minutes is spent on the stationary bike: moderate pace for about 10 minutes, followed by stronger pace for 5 minutes, followed by moderate pace for 5 minutes, followed by stronger pace for 5 minutes, followed by easy or cool down pace for 5 minutes.
I then rotate 20 reps each at a medium lift (for me – 50 lbs) on the three areas of the Universal involving forearm, shoulders and upper body. This takes about 10 minutes. I move slowly. I then walk the gym for 5 minutes, then repeat the regimen at 70 lbs.
Next week: exercising while on vacation.
Have a week of good health,
Rick
by Grace on August 23, 2009
Had technical problems with this site so my blog entry is late.
So I stopped going to the gym for about a month now. Do feel guilty about it but once I stopped going to the gym, it’s been difficult to get back into it. However, now that the Canada Line is open I’ve been using it to get around instead of driving and this means I do a lot more walking around town. I’m loving the Canada Line. It’s finally gotten me out of my car and taking public transportation and walking. I’ve also been walking instead of driving shorter distances, for example, to buy groceries.
About my back and shoulder pain, it’s improved a lot since I started blogging but not completely eliminated. I still get a bit sore by the end of the day at the office but it’s not nearly as bad as before. Hoping yoga will do the trick in September.
by Juliana on August 21, 2009
That's me in the front. Purple headband and all.
So I ended last week with a note that said I was planning on going to the gym 4 times this week. Well I can tell you that my week didn’t start off so good.
I lazed about on Sunday (as I think all Sundays should be spent) and then Monday I had a friend visit whom I haven’t seen in a while, so I didn’t go again.
Well by this point it wasn’t looking good… but I’m super proud to say that I have been 3 times… Tues-Thurs! So now I just have to do something active tomorrow and I’ve met my goal!!
Last night was the hardest. I’m a little stiff (not surprising considering how lazy I’ve been in the last couple of months) and I was sitting watching How I Met You Mother when I told myself I had to go.
So 8:30pm I headed off to the gym. I can honestly say that it took all my will power to get up and get going but it was worth it! I felt great afterwards. Now all I have to add on this subject is: Pierre I think you are going to owe me lunch!
Now I want to quickly talk about my upcoming dodgeball season. Basically, I think that it’s really important that you find activities that you enjoy playing or doing so that you don’t feel like you are doing a chore.
That’s why I’m sooooo excited about the upcoming dodgeball season. Yes… it is just like the movie and the game you played in elementary school gym. There are only 6 of you out on a small court and there are nerf balls coming for you from all angles. It is a great game for working on your peripheral vision! Check out the pics from when we played last year.
My big message for this week is be proud of your accomplishments and get out there and try something new! I’m super motivated to keep up my activities because I have more confidence in my ability to meet my goals, even if they are small ones.
Get out there and get active and I’ll chat with you the next time I guest blog!
by Ted Sedgwick on August 20, 2009
Welcome back blog readers!I’ve been trying to catch up on reading the blogs that I have missed. I love the food content but my reference to ribs here is on a quite different track!
I have been on ‘vacation’ for the past two weeks. This was a scheduled break but as I noted in my last blog, I managed an unscheduled break – of a rib- two days before my leave. I believe it was one of the floating ribs (#11 or 12 in your Anatomy Textbook, see below) but lets just call him Adam. Things did not bode well for maintaining any type of physical activity that I had planned for my holiday.
This episode did give me the opportunity to get reacquainted with our medical system and how it does and does not work well. The prognosis was for full recovery in 6 weeks. The medical advice was simple: breath deeply and ‘stay ahead of the pain’ with drugs. Adam enjoyed the drugs and they allowed me to get to sleep very easily. Unfortunately their effects didn’t last as long as I wanted to sleep, so the first few days were uncomfortable, euphemistically speaking. I had been forewarned about the effects of sneezing but it couldn’t be avoided and I remain undecided as to whether trying to stifle a sneeze is any less painful. Adam persuaded me that going for long bike rides or making use of the Kitsilano pool was out of the question. Yoga stretching wasn’t even a consideration!
I can report that things have improved dramatically and I have been able to resume cycling to work . Adam is still not convinced that swimming is a good idea.
I guess the ‘take home’ message is found in the adage : you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till its gone. We take our bodies – and all its parts – for granted until something goes wrong. We can’t always avoid the accidents but we can be prepared and perhaps offset the severity of them by keeping in reasonable condition. I expect this would apply to mental as well as physical conditioning, to combat physical trauma as well as disease states. Get to know what you can do by listening to your body, tune it up, and appreciate those ribs!
