More Buff News

[cadfael]

I had an exceptional workout today! I've been using a machine that kinda simulates steps and gets your arms involved. Good cardiovascular exercise.

I set the timer for 30 minutes, 10 minutes longer than usual and began the workout. Well, early on I thought of my experience riding horses. My goal then was to minimize any negative effect on the horse that I might cause, and maximize any benefit that I might have. While I want to practice this, the effect was amazing.

Obviously, I had to substitute the machine for the horse, but my goal was the same: to make it and I act as one. I was able to go into a very light trance state and get a workout that did not over-stress my poor, old, overweight body. In fact, I was able to exceed my target heart rate of 130 bpm and achieve a 145+bpm rate and feel as if I could have worked much harder.

Then I did some light weights to work on abs and lower back, then back to a treadmill for a 10 minute walk to cool down slowly.

I am pumped. I am buff.

Comments

You had a cute butt

[elphaba-of-oz.livejournal.com]

even when you were squishy.

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

Go, Bill! Yes, you are pumped, you are buff--go, go go! I loved reading this entry and have read it three times so far since you posted it. You express that feeling, that joy and aliveness that good cardio and good exericise brings.

I love that you are doing this. Do you want to exercise together at the Family gather? I can be flexible as to time of day and designated activity/ies.

Encouragement

[wild-place-king.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the great encouragement! Yes, I would like very much to exercise with you at the FG. Although, I should tell you "my story".

Several years ago, I had to walk up a slight incline for several city blocks. When I reached to top of the slight hill, I was not winded, but I felt a slight discomfort in my chest and it radiated down my left arm. I thought that perhaps that was a wake-up-call. I made an appointment to see my general practitioner right away.

He put me on a treadmill for the usual stress test. I again felt the discomfort, but all of the readings were within normal parameters; there was nothing unusual in the printed results. The discomfort continued whenever I stressed my body. Further, it was growing slowly more uncomfortable and even painful at times. I made another appointment with my GP and told him that I am not satisfied with his pronouncement that my heart is okay. He said okay, lets do the stress routine at the cardiac facility at the Minneapolis Heart Institute. A full battery of tests, with a bevy or a gaggle, or more appropriately, a bother of cardiac specialists to review the results. No need for the crowd, same result, my heart is fine.

I complained again, so he ordered a soft tissue scan, which my insurance did not cover, I did. Same result. By this time, I still felt pain and it radiated down the left arm. My heart was again pronounced to be very healthy.

I complained once again. My GP said the next step would be an angiogram. I agreed to the procedure. Again, my heart is just fine. This time I told my GP, a very traditional practitioner, that I was going to consult an acupuncturist. He threw up his hands in surrender and said, go ahead!

I have been taking acupuncture treatments for a while and taking some herbs and the pain seems to be subsiding. With the recent athletic activity, I should be in more pain that I am currently feeling, so I think that something is working. The TCM practitioner feels that there is blockage in my heart chi.

Now, to exercise with you. I would love to. However, I do not want to slow you down. By then I will have been exercising for about two months and ready to increase the intensity of my routine. Since there will be not machines there, I will have to jog in order to stress my heart and body. More importantly, (because of my tender male ego), I am embarrassed by my obviously overweight body. I still have this mental image of the (former) jockey within me and I am aghast when I see my reflection in a mirror.

I know and respect you enough to know that you will not say nice things such as, "that's okay, I don't mind." And meanwhile I am wasting your quality exercise time. So what I would like to propose is that you get your routine in whenever you are accustomed to doing it. If you still want to jog around for a few miles at a slower pace, I would really like to share that time with you. Currently, I am traveling the equivalent of about 2 to 3 miles on the machine. If I were to jog it would probably translate to about 3-4 miles of jogging and I should be able to accomplish that by the FG.

What do you say?

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I am very impressed with your ability to advocate for yourself in our health care system. It's designed to make sure that chronic, not-easily-explained conditions like yours remain undiagnosed, and those who persist in trying to resolve the problem usually burn out fast. Hurray for your acupuncturist! I haven't had direct acupuncture more than twice, but Chinese Traditional Medicine has a very good track record for chronic problems like the one that you are grappling with right now.

My central concern is how to support your efforts without endangering you. It would be rotten as hell to exercise with you, only to push you into a seizure or some other ugly event that could have been avoided by adopting a moderate approach to exercise to allow you to build strength over time.

I agree that we should adopt an approach that has two parts. I usually get up ridiculously early and do some racewalking, jogging, or walking alternated with jogging firts thing. Then, if I have time, I'll do weights, or walking, or something else. I like the idea of continuing to get up and do a short jog/run/racewalk first, and then joining you for a slower paced workout later. I love to walk with friends! Evening walks with Ken or a friend are too few in my life. I would be happy to join you for your workout at whatever level you feel comfortable. Since I will have already met my own workout requirements, anything we do will be a bonus for me. : )

I also have some technology that I'd like to offer you to try out if you are interested. I have a heart rate moniter that could be easily adjusted to fit your specifications so that you could see exactly what level of effort is required to put you in an aerobic workout zone. I can teach you to use it easily, and then you'll know something about what kind of effect you can get at what pace.

I also have a pedometer that i can put on you; it's an extra, of very good quality, and if you like you could use it during the family gather to check your steps. Or you could just use it to log your steps, calories burned, etc. while you jog or walk.

I also have two small 1-pound weights designed to be tied into the laces of your shoes. IF you have good joints, wearing these while WALKING or RACEWALKING can kick your heart rate up enough to give you aerobic benefits without forcing you to stress your joints by jogging or running. I can bring these with me and we can try them on your body and see if they give you any benefit.

Of course, all this may simply be too much trouble, and I would understand that as well. Lots of people do not like to deal with too much technology when they work out, and i respect that position. The truth is that I am a fitness geek, and I know most normal people are bored solid by the work-out relatedstuff that excites me.

Someday soon, I will get certified as a personal trainer. Until then, I'm afraid my friends will just have to put up with me.

Think about what you want---what you really want to do---and tell me honestly as soon as you know. I will be happy to work with you at the level that you are most comfortable, and frankly, I like the extra incentive that planning to exercise with a friend gives me.

Take care,

Sabrina

More Information

[wild-place-king.livejournal.com]

It was late last night when I posted my message. There is information that I failed to mention.

At its worst, the pain began in my chest, burned for a while, radiated down my arm, and cause me to simply stop what I was doing, usually concerned that I am about to have a problem.

Well, one fine day, while out for a walk, I did not stop when the pain arrived - I defiantly kept going, I even picked up the pace. A strange thing happened - the pain dissipated, completely, after about ten minutes. I was amazed.

Remember, I've been told that its not my heart. Nor my lungs. The TCM practitioner told me that it is blocked heart chi for which I am taking herbs and acupuncture treatments.

Currently, the pain has not been so bad. Uncomfortable for a few minutes and then passes. So, I feel that perhaps I am taking care of it.

Yes, I'd like to try the technology you mentioned, but, no, I am not worried about a seizure or a heart attack. I am trying to exercise moderately by staying with low weight and high reps. So far I am succeeding, but, I can feel the urge to hurry the process a bit. I am trying to supress that desire. It is a struggle. The good news is that co-workers have noticed an improvement and so I feel energized by that.

Let's just get to the FG and work out the details. :-)

As an aside, I have a Chinese friend, who is extremely intelligent and well informed. I asked him once, which medical professional he prefers to use, Western or TCM. He said that Western medicine is the best for acute medical problems, but, TCM surpasses Western medicine for long term, chronic problems.

Thanks for listening.

Re: More Information

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

The pain dissipated? That's great news. Allthough your initial description sounded scary, this new information is much more encouraging.

I'll bring my stuff to FG and we can go from there. I'm just pleased to have a partner-in-exercise to work with. It is rare that I do.

Yes, I've heard many people draw this comparison between biomedicine and CTM; they seem to excell at different kinds of problems.

Good luck with today's workout!

Re: More Information

[wild-place-king.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the pain goes away completely. I have another insight gained during Saturday's workout. I will post it to the greater list as I know that there are medical professionals in my friends list.

It is rare too, that I have a workout partner, I am looking forward to it. That is interesting. I forst started jogging in 1977, while I was working full time and attending Pace University working toward my bachelor's degree. My schedule was packed.

I needed exercise and friend had suggested jogging, and he said, it will improve my squash game. Reluctantly I tried it, hated it, but forced myself to give it 30 days. Turned out, I loved it! I realized benefits very quickly, made physical and emotional progress and the best part was - I was alone! I needed that time to myself and it was an extremely pleasant respite in the constant turmoil my life had been at the time. After a year, I started running 10K races, half marathons and even the NYC Marathon in 1982, and yes, I did finish it in under four hours.

Having progressed well past that turbulent period, I now crave the exercise and also the company of someone pleasant to be with.

Re: More Information

[sabrinamari.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you filled me in on your long history of active lifestyle choices---now that you remind me, I remember hearing about your triumph at the NYC marathon. I was very impressed. I have never even imagined running a marathon or a half marathon; theoretically, I might be able to train up to it, but I've never even come close to trying. I am clear about how intensely demanding an undertaking it is; I'm just not sure if I could do it.

I simply didn't remember your fitness history until you reminded me, but having been reminded, I can see that you know exactly what it feels like to move your body so intensely and glory in what it can do. No one can run a marathon without experienced exercise-induced trance. : )

Knowing this, I'm even happier that we are going to work together on boosting what we can ask of our bodies and ourselves at the FG, and I will be reading all of your activity-related posts with interest and pleasure! : )