Yesterday morning as I settled down on my mat to do my home version of my exercise routine, I was pleased to notice that my muscles seemed to know what I was asking of them. My trainer has me using routines that I was already familiar with from our time together at the gym. While they have been adapted for me to use resistance bands instead of the cable and weight system I use there, the sensation in my muscles is familiar. I can even hear Colin’s (my trainer) voice in my head. “Throw your shoulders back. Keep your back on the ground. Add resistance if that is too easy.” It makes me incredibly grateful that I had begun this practice in person at the gym. Before that I would have had little idea of what I was supposed to do. In fact, in years past, when I tried working out alone from a book I nearly always pulled or tweaked some body part, discouraging me from any further attempts.
But in addition, as I blasted my music and did my core routine on the floor I started remembering many other times and places I had exercised. I used to rush over to the YWCA after I taught and before I picked up children from school and swim laps. I even tried out a gymnastics class for adults. I did a season of Pilates at the local athletic club. Thinking about high school brought back the awful requirement of running up and down the bleacher stairs. Worse yet were the 10 minutes allotted us to shower(en masse), get dressed and get to our next class one or two flights of stairs away. That was aerobic itself!
And in the end I thought about how I took my body being fit for granted when I was a kid. I ran, biked, swam, climbed, slid, jumped and hula hooped for the pure joy of it. I can’t say that my routine these days gives me as much joy. But it does give me a large measure of satisfaction. That will have to do.
Saved By Words 
You have my admiration for contiuning to push yourself, Elizabeth. Well done indeed.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks. We have to keep moving, whether walking Ollie or working out or we will go bonkers.
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Wow, you are focussed!
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I have to be to be able to continue to get off the couch.
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Fair enough
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You are making a great many people feel very guilty indeed!
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Oops. Not trying. Just keeping myself honest.
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I love the picture of you swinging! If only that counted! 🙂 I haven’t used an exercise routine since the days of my dancing to Kathie Smith videos! I still prefer walking to any other activity. But someday, maybe when the gyms are open again I’ll pursue something more.
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How about Jane Fonda’s routines? They were crazy too.
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You have a big plus check-mark on your list, Elizabeth. I am impressed. I’m looking forward to at least walking. Ten hour work days are keeping me away from that. Soon!
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Wow. How are you working that much? Are you doing school on line?
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Yes, I am. YouTube videos, emailing, Zoom, staff and team meetings on line, paper work. Way too much.
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For the first time in my life, I finally found the exercise groove. It only took sixty-one years, and I’ve been dedicated to it for two and a half years now. This period is the biggest test so far as I’m trying to replace my physical exercise at the gym with long, brisk walks. It’s something, but it’s not the same. Too bad I don’t have a personal trainer. Well, I should go—I’ve got a muscle to pull.😎
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Good one. I know we will all be glad to get back to the gym.
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Trump gets his exercise from patting himself on the back, and I’m tired of it. 😉
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No kidding.
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satisfaction is good; glad your getting into the spirit of things now. If I don’t get ill I may get fit with all this time to do online exercise classes and spring clean the house.
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Cleaning counts as exercise in my book.
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Oh absolutely.
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It’s good you had your routine before this pandemic Elizabeth…as it’s from your “normal” routine which is comforting in this strangest of times 😉
Bless you,
Jennifer
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Absolutely.
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The sequester is making couch potatoes of us all. Friends I hike with are telling me that our hikes are the only exercising they are getting. Closing the gyms has had the added set back of destroying my primary source of social interaction. Old guys at the gym is an active club that includes luncheons and nights out with wives.
Another thing that has come on the almost social scene is that my yoga instructor has started on line yoga. So, with time, the void will fill.
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At least the instructor can’t correct us!
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Modern children are not nearly as fit as we were, Elizabeth. They spend far to much time indoors.
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Sad but seemingly true. I see very few kids outdoors around here except my own grandchildren.
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