Tag Archives: Gym

September; A good month to join a gym

Today I did my first early morning, pre-work swim of 2014.

I haven’t been too hard on myself up to this point. The dark, cold mornings are difficult enough to deal at the best of times. Having thoroughly enjoyed the long relaxing Christmas break, getting up for work has been enough of a shock to the system without trying to get to the pool. I therefore gave myself a little time to ease back into the routine. Given most of December was spent trying to fight off colds and sniffles, it’s been a while since an early morning swim was part of the routine.

The pool was very busy. Some say it’s a myth that January is the busiest month at gyms, but I put the new faces down to New Year Resolutions that are yet to fall by the wayside.

If you are planning a “get fit” campaign, I would strongly recommend you do not start in January. No wonder people find it difficult to stick with their Resolutions… everywhere is crowded, it’s really not pleasant!

Now, if you could just find yourself a space…

Apparently Gyms rely on over-subscription and a significant drop off in attendance as the month / year goes on, If people only experience a gym or swimming pool in January, I can completely understand why they don’t enjoy it.

Wouldn’t it be great if, rather than doing New Year Membership Promotions, your gym focused on its existing members. They could re-open admissions in February. I know New Memberships are 50% higher in January, but it would send a good message.

To existing members it would say: “We care about you. We want you to have access to the facilities you have paid for,”

To Prospective members it would say: “We want you to take your membership seriously. We know that if you join in January, chances are that we won’t see you again. Wait a bit. Think about it. If you’re serious then we’ll welcome you with open arms… Oh, and when you are a Member, we will look after you too!” *

Of course, (in the Northern Hemisphere, and particularly in Scotland) the issue is exacerbated by the winter weather… heading outside isn’t exactly the most appealing of propositions. The weather is made for a onesie, a roaring fire, a box-set and a glass / mug of something to warm the insides.

Instead of January, I’d suggest you start your fitness campaign in September. Get the Summer holiday out the way and then get yourself fit. The gyms will be quiet, the weather temperate, the days long. You’ll have a natural head start, you’ll feel great and you should be in the swing of things by the time January and the winter blues come around.

Anyway, I managed to fight my way through the crowds for a reasonable swim. With a Turbo Trainer session this evening I’m feeling tired but satisfied. Time to kick back in my onesie!

How can a man look so cool and so cosy at the same time?!

***

* I recognise this is selfish and elitist. It is also largely irrelevant for me and the many thousands people that use Public Facilities. We just have to suck it up and make the most of it.

Make time to play

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I think most of us spend much of the day being pushed for time. As a result, exercise tends to get “fitted in” around the other commitments… a class in the lunch hour, or a run between dropping off / picking up the kids, a pre-work swim. It’s admirable that so many people keep it up, but I’m sure it didn’t used to be that way.

The pressure’s generally on!

Personally, when I’m under time pressure I will tend to only do what I know. I repeat exercise routines that have been tried and tested, that I know will get the job done and won’t take too much time. I’m keen to get the work under my belt and move on. The problem is, this approach doesn’t allow me to try new things, to practice new techniques, or to have “fun”.

When I was at university we occasionally used to get a day pass to a leisure centre. The pass allowed us to do everything for the day. We’d spend hours “playing”… squash, badminton, in the gym and in the pool (actually, not so much in the pool!). We had mini-leagues and long running grudge matches to keep the interest levels up. We didn’t ever have an exercise programme, when we were there we just played and the exercise came for free,

It was certainly a different way of approaching exercise than today. I understand why; We have different levels of responsibility; Time is precious; It’s not all about us; Exercise is a means to an end. Personally, I think it’s a shame.

The pool I usually swim at is closed for the week for maintenance. As a result, I will spend a little more time at a gym where we’re family members. Usually I would only visit once every couple of weeks to fit in a weights session around the more focused cycling and swimming routine.

Today I spent an hour in the gym and then hit the pool. The pool is shorter than my usual one… not idea for swimming distances, but good for practicing turns. It was also busy… again, not great for swimming long distances, so I also took the opportunity to practice some of the drills and strokes that I’ve been shown at my lessons. For once I didn’t worry about the effort I was putting in or how my body was reacting – my heart rate wasn’t a concern.

Make time to play in the water!

I enjoyed trying some things out. I practiced floating… still not close to cracking it, but the drills are getting easier! I also went back to the breaststroke kick that I’ve been struggling with… I just couldn’t get any “oomph” into it without it twanging the tendons in my legs. After some playing around, I think I may have discovered the missing ingredient. It definitely felt like I was being propelled more effectively. This definitely wouldn’t have happened in my normal pool during a pre-work swim.

I also enjoyed my time in the water. I ended up being later than I had anticipated, but it was time well spent. It’s not something I can afford to do every day, but once in a while it’s something I’ll throw into the routine.

I think “making time to play” is something everyone should do from time to time. Try new exercises or a new class. Think of it as an investment… learning new things that may become part of your future routine. If you can, free yourself from your normal constraints and time pressures (even just for a few hours). You may even enjoy it!

Twice the satisfaction

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I’m a believer in the principle that exercise counts twice as much if you don’t want to do it than it does when you do. As a result, I almost look forward to days when I lack motivation because you get so much more satisfaction after your work out.

Today was one of those days. Work was busy. The weather was grim; cold, wet and windy. I arrived home from work a little late, feeling a jaded.

I’ve got into a good exercise routine over the past couple of weeks:

I swim first thing on Sunday, Tuesday and Friday
I cycle Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Wednesday alternates between swimming lessons and a visit to the gym
On Monday’s I rest.

So far, I’ve had no trouble getting up and out in the mornings. I don’t have much time to think about it, I just grab a quick bite to eat and head out the door. I’m finding a swim a good way to start the day. It makes me feel different… good different.

I’m not the only one to enjoy an early morning swim!

Depending on the day I’ve had, the evenings are more difficult. Fortunately, once I’ve started, it only takes a few minutes for the fatigue of the day to dissipate and for me to get into my exercise. I generally feel great afterwards too – clean, healthy and relaxed.

The overall routine is definitely doing me good. I’m getting stronger and fitter all the time. I have the continual challenge of staying within the safe working range of my Heart, but it’s satisfying to see my work rate slowly increasing over time… twice as satisfying after a hard day in the office!

Tired and Grumpy

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There are different sorts of tired: Exhausted, Fatigued, Weary, Drowsy, Pooped, Jaded, Sleepy, Run Down, Flagging, Broken…

As predicted by people that know better than me, I was tired this morning. Which sort of tired I don’t know exactly as it took me several hours before my brain had warmed up sufficiently to properly assess the situation. By which time the feelings had leaked away.

untitled (34) There are many days when I return from work feeling jaded. A sort of dull fog gathers around my head and upper body as the work day wears on. It’s not a positive tiredness, it’s one that grows despite you, rather than one you’ve actively gone out and earned. Since the Heart Attack, I’ve found myself slightly more aware of this sensation, perhaps because I’m more aware (“listen to your body”) or perhaps because I’m affected more.

In the old days I would have poured myself a drink and the woes of the world would have drifted away. Now, I choose exercise. An hour on the bike is sufficient to blow the cobwebs away. A post-exercise buzz, and everything is tickety-boo all over again.

I continue to sleep well, but occasionally wake up feeling sleepy. Again, in the old world I would resort to chemical stimulants to liven me up. A couple of strong coffees and I’d be “good to go”.

imagesCAFA5V8Z I’ve also eliminated caffeine from my diet, so I guess I’m a slower starter than I used to be. This is, however, offset slightly by the fact that I am not impacted in any way by the after effects of alcohol and unhealthy late night snack-attacks!

As it turns out, the early morning sleepy feeling can also be accompanied by grumpiness. Severe grumpiness on some occasions.

This morning was a case in point…

I had an introduction to the gym last night. The 20:15 start time seemed fine when it was arranged, but as it happened, I got home from work feeling jaded. I snuck in a very short period of shut-eye before getting ready, but not enough to make a real difference,

The introduction session was good. It turned out that there is a lot I can still do in the gym, providing I’m sensible, and keep my feet moving.

By the time I finished, however it was 21:00, and I hadn’t actually done any exercise. Having made the effort to get there, and inspired by the introduction, I figured there is no time like the present, and launched into a gym session.

Afterwards I felt great! My exercise buzz wiped out my fatigue. I was ready to take on the world. By the time I got home, I was not however ready to sleep.

So I sat up for a while before heading upstairs…