Weight Training

I have exercised off and on over these past decades. I was always very active while growing up in my school age years participating in basketball, baseball, track and field, softball, bowling, skiing, roller blading, scuba diving, etc.  Unfortunately, I have not been consistent with any of them since graduating from college, at least not the way I think I should have been consistent. I've had fits and starts and enjoy most of these activities. I believe I am like most people who after their school age years and college tend to let life get in the way of the things that make them truly happy and healthy.  The one semi-regular activity I have done is weight training.  But again, I will train regularly for a few years and then for various reasons will stop for a few years.  It’s the restarting that is the hard part because I remember how strong I was when I last worked out and see how much strength I lost.  It can be frustrating trying to regain the former strength.  

There were a few years in the late 2000’s where I took up running.  I really tried but I could just never get more than 3 miles before I felt beat up and exhausted.  I never experienced that “runner’s high” that so many of my running friends would talk about.  My wife said I always looked angry when I finished a run.  Of course, I was not angry but frustrated is probably a better description.  Was I in better shape while running, yes, of course.  I lost over 20 lbs and was more mobile.  My knee issues went away completely during that period of running.  But my feet were sore.  It took 2 or 3 years before I finally realized that not everyone was built for running.  You need to have good slow twitch muscles which I soon realized I do not.  A 5K run would take me over 30 minutes which is very slow and I was extremely winded.  In the end, I realized that I was in love with the idea of running but hating the actual run itself. 

 Now, racquetball is another sport that I really enjoy.  This sport, as opposed to running, activated the fast twitch muscles. These are the muscles used to make the quick directional changes and fast hand-eye coordination to connect with the ball.  There were a few years in the 2000 teens where I played cutthroat several times per month with 2 of my work colleagues.  Cutthroat is where there are 3 people on the court and it is always 2 on 1 while one person serves and then rotates when a point is lost.  You put 3 big guys, each over 225 pounds, in a small racquetball court and things can get very physical and fast moving.  It’s interesting that while straight running, I would get very winded and tired after only 30 minutes.  But on a racquetball court I could play a solid 2 hours of very intense playing and feel great afterwords.  Tired, yes, but I would feel good.  I would have kept playing but again life got in, not just for me but for my work associates also. 

One of my favorite activities is hiking.  I’m not talking about walking through town or the closest city park.  I’m talking about going to the closest forest, or mountainous area and do a day hike.  You know, get there early in the morning, put on the hiking boots, fill the backpack with water, food and snacks and head out on a trail.  For me, this is the ultimate meditation and best way to unplug from the world.  Getting lost in natures beauty, the ultimate quiet where there are no sounds of modern life.  It’s just me and nature.  The sound of the wind blowing through the trees.  The smells of the forest or the fresh mountain air, there is nothing better.  I can remember my last big hike.  It was in the Colorado Rockies on a mountain Alderfer 3 Sisters.  It has 3 peaks ranging from 7,000 feet to 8,000 feet.  There are marked trails, but I tend to stray off the trails and try to find a different path up the mountain.  Sometimes I can find a new view or more strenuous path that is more exciting than following the traditional trail.  Although this is my favorite activity, it is difficult to hike regularly as most good hiking areas are a long way from home.  And in Florida, there are a lot of hiking trails around the state, they tend to be flat and of course, very hot and humid.  So, for me this is not enjoyable. 

So, back to the one activity that I have been most consistent with is weight training.  When we moved to Florida almost 5 years ago, I found a great gym that is on my way home from work.  This is not one of those fu-fu gyms like Anytime Fitness or Crunch Fitness, no, this is a locally owned, lifter’s gym.  Most of the people here are regulars, that are serious about weight training.  You know, power lifters, body builders, fitness nuts, etc.  This gym just looks like a serious gym.  So, I started hitting the weights again more than 4 years ago and I have stuck to it.  I average about 3 days per week.  Sure, it was frustrating and a little intimidating at first.  My weights were light and everyone around me had big defined muscles and lifting some serous weight.  But I kept at it and now, at my older age, I get some respect from other gym goers as I am now one of them.  I may not look like a body builder or power lifter, but I can put up some serious weight myself.  This is the longest stretch of continuous lifting without down periods that I’ve had.  And I intend to keep lifting for as long as possible. 

I think I will begin hiking more in a few years, maybe after retirement, as we do not plan to retire in Florida.  Our intended retirement destination is farther north in the central part of the Atlantic coast where there are a lot of forests, national and state parks and the blue ridge mountains.  There I can hike more often in some of the most beautiful areas in the country.  Of course, I will continue my weight training as that helps keep me young and vital. 

What is your favorite form of exercise?  Do you practice it often or does life get in the way?  My goal is to do what makes me happy and hit life head on.  No more letting life get in the way.

Cheers everyone