Me vs. Stairmaster, Round One
Well.
I've been out of my exercise habit for the last couple months, but I'm back on track. I'm learning to work out at the gym as well as walk outside (my preference), because the reality is that 6 months out of the year here in the great Hoosier Heartland it's just too miserable to exercise for any length of time outside. At least for someone who is extreme-temperature-intolerant like I am. (I can do rain or snow if properly attired, but too hot or too cold are just not to be borne.)
So. Me and the gym. I am blessed to have free access to a fantastic university gym with all manner of equipment for both cardiovascular and weight-building needs. There are time limits on all the cardio machines, though, and I need to walk about an hour a day to reach my own fitness goals. There's a third-floor walking deck which overlooks the basketball and soccer courts, and has windows lining almost all of it. This is fantastic for walking, and very comfortable, but I would often get bored after 15 minutes and want to quit.
Enter technology. I got a new cell phone recently and it came with little headphones--there's an FM radio receiver inside! And it uses very little battery, so I can listen to an hour of NPR while I walk the indoor deck. Brilliant!
So I did the hour. Round about 40 minutes I decided to get brave and use one of the Stairmasters in a corner of the deck (they have strategically placed cardio machines at the four "corners" of the oblong track).
Oh. My. Lord. Thought I was going to die! I've always hated climbing stairs, but the Stairmaster is Evil.
(I learned recently that walking actually strengthens the side muscles in your thighs, but does very little for the quads and the back thigh muscles, whatever they're called. That's why I decided to have a go at the Stairmaster.)
First I was like, Okay, 10 minutes. Then after about 5 I was like, ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? I was pouring with sweat. Yeah. Guess I was burning calories after all. I thought I was going to have to quit after seven, but decided that come hell or high water (or fainting from exhaustion) I was DARN well going to do 10 minutes. And I did.
And then I walked for ten more minutes around the track. Take that, Stairmaster.
I've been out of my exercise habit for the last couple months, but I'm back on track. I'm learning to work out at the gym as well as walk outside (my preference), because the reality is that 6 months out of the year here in the great Hoosier Heartland it's just too miserable to exercise for any length of time outside. At least for someone who is extreme-temperature-intolerant like I am. (I can do rain or snow if properly attired, but too hot or too cold are just not to be borne.)
So. Me and the gym. I am blessed to have free access to a fantastic university gym with all manner of equipment for both cardiovascular and weight-building needs. There are time limits on all the cardio machines, though, and I need to walk about an hour a day to reach my own fitness goals. There's a third-floor walking deck which overlooks the basketball and soccer courts, and has windows lining almost all of it. This is fantastic for walking, and very comfortable, but I would often get bored after 15 minutes and want to quit.
Enter technology. I got a new cell phone recently and it came with little headphones--there's an FM radio receiver inside! And it uses very little battery, so I can listen to an hour of NPR while I walk the indoor deck. Brilliant!
So I did the hour. Round about 40 minutes I decided to get brave and use one of the Stairmasters in a corner of the deck (they have strategically placed cardio machines at the four "corners" of the oblong track).
Oh. My. Lord. Thought I was going to die! I've always hated climbing stairs, but the Stairmaster is Evil.
(I learned recently that walking actually strengthens the side muscles in your thighs, but does very little for the quads and the back thigh muscles, whatever they're called. That's why I decided to have a go at the Stairmaster.)
First I was like, Okay, 10 minutes. Then after about 5 I was like, ARE YOU SERIOUS?!? I was pouring with sweat. Yeah. Guess I was burning calories after all. I thought I was going to have to quit after seven, but decided that come hell or high water (or fainting from exhaustion) I was DARN well going to do 10 minutes. And I did.
And then I walked for ten more minutes around the track. Take that, Stairmaster.
posted by Violet at 4:10 PM
2 Comments:
Nice! At Taylor I always did the Stairmaster, preferring it to looking like an idiot running on the Treadmill. (And FORGET about the NordicTrack!) You can do it! Just do it on a slower speed and more steady level until you get used to it, then make the level "mountainous" or whatever...and pick up the pace. :) Love you! At least one of us is doing SOMETHING!
Round One goes to the rookie....
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