Mitzi and I went to our intake evaluations with our new personal fitness trainer. It wasn't really an evaluation so much as just kind of an introduction to the equipment. All light weights, ten reps, two sets. He includes some cardio on the recumbent bike. He set the level at 2, which I wanted to increase and he objected.
Level 2 is too "easy" for me, so my cadence went up to 100, and then my heart went up to over 160bpm. (The bike reported 200, but that was wrong, so I used my watch.) We could still chat, but it was about at the limit for me.
The second time on the bike, I bumped the level up to 4 and that brought my cadence down to 85, and my heart rate in the 140s, reaching 150-something after three minutes.
The third time, I did level 5 and kept the cadence at 80 and kept my heart rate down in the 140s.
Anyway, it's hard for me to pedal at a lower cadence with no load, and it's the cadence that seems to drive my heart rate, more so than the load. When I'm biking on my bike, and kind of "making an effort," my heart rate is usually in the 140s. It's not exhausting and I can do it for an extended period of time, certainly for the 30 to 45 minutes I ride my bike.
Going by the usual rule of thumb that your maximum heart rate is 220 minus your age, mine should be about 153, and 80% of that is only 122. I think my max these days is probably above 170, not that I think that makes me any "younger." (140/.8 = 175)
They have "stretch" machines, which were unfamiliar to me. The good news is that I seem to be fairly flexible. On the hamstring stretch I was able to reach 95° (max is 110°) and on the quad stretch I basically max'ed it out, though I started to feel some cramping in my calf. I changed my foot flexion to be more perpendicular, stretching my calf, and that went away.
For having done almost no resistance training in years (I occasionally do some push-ups, just to make sure I still can.), it felt like a good workout. I'm a bit stiff and sore this morning.
I'm looking forward to doing this. I want to get in better shape so I can do more physical work, whether that's hiking in the Finger Lakes or doing chores, or dragging my shit to the curb if we get flooded out before we manage to escape.
It's pretty clear that life is going to be more challenging for everyone in the coming years, and being in better shape should help to endure those vicissitudes with a little less suffering.
And I also know that I'm far more successful in these kinds of sustained efforts when I have a partner or a group to do them with. Accountability seems to be an important motivator for me. We have good facilities, access to a personal trainer, the means to afford one, and so I want to try and take the most advantage of those things as part of our preparation for leaving.
Mitzi is still somewhat unsettled, but she's been talking about a number of different scenarios and approaches, so I know it's being actively considered as a live proposition. Hasn't transitioned to planning yet, but I think we'll get there.
For me, the primary impetus is climate vulnerability, and secondary is this is a hostile political climate. It seems to be the reverse for her. Whatever the case, both of us getting in better shape should help that effort.
Originally posted at Nice Marmot 10:24 Friday, 8 November 2024