Bodily renovations: the next step
So... It's now been somewhere around five years since I started trying to eat better, be more physically active, etc. There have been various incremental changes along the way, such as getting a bike last summer, but one thing I've been sort of meaning to do for pretty much that entire time (and some while before, really), and yet not gotten around
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What I did yesterday was had an orientation on the weight machines used for the "Fit-Fix" routine, which is basically going through nine machines and doing one set of 8-12 reps on each and moving right on to the next one without a break, so that you get your heart rate up and get some kind of cardiovascular benefit as well as the strength training. So basically I had someone showing me how to use the various machines and helping me find the right seat settings, starting weight, etc.
Once that was done, I went back to the beginning and went through the whole cycle, doing at least one full set on each (since in the orientation I'd just done a couple of reps of each to check the settings and allow the instructor to make sure my form was OK). I didn't do the quickly-from-one-to-the-next thing because I was still sorting out how to adjust them and that sort of thing. And I did more than one set on some because if I could get up to 12 reps without it being too hard, I put the weight up by 5 and tried again. On the ab machine I think I ended up raising the weight 5 times or something - I'm not sure why the very low starting weight seemed right to me during the orientation.
Anyway, after that I tried a few of the other machines of the same type that weren't included in the Fit-Fix routine - there was a cluster of 15 machines of the same general type, of which only 9 were in the Fit-Fix cycle. I tried out some of the others mainly just out of curiosity, and because I wanted to do a bit more.
Next week I have an orientation booked for the various cardio machines. I would particularly like to use the stationary bikes to get some of my cycling muscles back before I start riding again for this summer, because I don't know how much muscle tone I've lost over the winter, and if I'm going to discover I can't do what I could last fall, I'd rather discover it on a stationary bike than halfway down Davenport Road in the middle of rush hour or something. :-) Next winter I can use them to keep in shape during the off season so that I don't have to worry about this in the spring.
There are also some classes I'd like to check out. There's one called BodyFlow which is apparently some sort of blend of yoga, pilates and tai chi, and another called BodyCombat which is martial arts-based (not a martial arts class as such, but an exercise class using moves from various katas and what not). Also, a new-ish one called Zumba (in violation of their usual naming convention) which is based on Latin dance, which might be fun.
Also, really need to find a way to attach my iPod to my body - it's a nano, not the teeny-tiny kind with the clip, so it has no built-in means of attaching it anywhere, and exercise clothes do not always have pockets. And must make a special mix for exercising!
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Best of luck with it all; I still think it sounds cool and exciting. [grin]
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On the music question, what do you find is the most practical/useful way to carry an iPod when exercising? I've been looking around at different options -- there seem to be a variety of them, armbands and clippy things and what not, and mixed reviews of many of them on the sites I've looked at. Anything you've found to be particularly good/bad?
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