›› Exercise
I love to exercise.
Anything that gets the heart pumping is fine by me. I enjoy riding my
bike, swimming, skating, skipping, snorkeling, and all around
gallivanting. Even dancing is a good source of exercise. The reason I
enjoy exercising so much isn't because of the health benefits, but
because of the high it gives me, the endorphin rush. When I jog ten
miles with a backpack on my back, at first I feel low and achy. Usually
it is the first thing in the morning, and I have just gotten up. I am
sore and grouchy. If it is rainy, my old “war
wound” is acting up. Really, if I didn't remember how good it
would make me feel, I'd never get out of bed at five in the morning!
The first mile or
two are tough, but by the time I get into the stride of it, I begin to
feel better. The exercise has its own rhythm. I Stride, I step, I
breath. Listen to the early morning sounds. I turn at the same places
each day, and say hello to the same fellow joggers passing me. The
routine of it is comforting. And the “runners high”
is amazing. Soon, my whole body feels like It's floating, and any
discomfort or pain I was feeling before disappears. I feel like I'm in
the prime of my life, like I'm twenty-two and in love all over again.
Not bad for a fifty-five year old!
Besides jogging, my other favorite exercise is dancing. I like them all
– from tango to the funky chicken, but I suppose that square
dancing is the best. Oh, I know it sounds silly, but there's a
community there, a real sense of belonging. You change partners several
times in each song, and get to say hello to old faces and meet new
ones. The steps are complicated, and build coordination, and you have
to work as a team to get things done. Really a great time.
The most challenging
exercise I've ever done was mountain climbing. Not only is it difficult
work – the human body wasn't really designed for scaling a
vertical rock face – but the thin air makes it even harder.
For the first few days up in the mountains, you feel like you can't get
enough oxygen. You are dizzy and light headed.
But even rock-climbing on climbing walls can be difficult. Each move
has to be timed perfectly, or else you'll fall. And it's not just a
matter of pulling yourself up – the arms aren't strong enough
to carry that much weight over and over again. Mostly, you have to
lunge out from your legs in a strange, vertical ballet, grasping at the
narrow handhold before you. By the time you reach the top of the
climbing wall, you'll be gasping for breath. Another great workout! I
wouldn't recommend it for beginners and coach potatoes, though. If you
are out of shape when you start, your muscles will be screaming in pain
by the time you reach the top. Better to start with a mile or two of
jogging.
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A Healthy Dose of Good Advice
