Physical Fitness: My Regimen

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Table of Contents

• My Regimen
  • Workout Day
    • Aerobic
    • Flexibility
    • Strength
    • More aerobics
  • Recovery Day
  • Slow Day

My Regimen

Workout Day

After that Conversation Cafe session, I went to the club and did my normal workout. It hasn't changed much in 20 years or so.

I used to do these 3 days a week, but I was getting injured. Now about 2 days a week.

Aerobic

Concept 2 ergometer (rower). Start with 5 minutes at "6". Typically start at 3:00/500m and end at 2:00/500m, for c. 1,000m. Then reset at "10" and do wind sprints at 0:45/250m, 1:55/500m, plus 2:30 recoveries. Total 3,000m. Every month or so, try a 2,000m. Personal best in last year is 8:10.

Treadmill. 13-15% incline, walking. Start at 3.4mph, increase to 4.0 mph. Go 10-20 min, then cool down.

Flexibility

All this is slow, controlled, and comfortable. No flinging, bouncing, or excess pressure. Positions are held for a few seconds. Mostly these are from yoga learned from a book long ago. Some are from theater, dance and martial arts classes.

Standing. Rotate fingers, then wrists, then elbows, then shoulders 5 times each direction (kind of looks like a pom-pom drill). Bend head forward and then backward, 5 times each. Swivel head side to side, 5 times each. Arms outstretched, swivel torso side to side, 5 times each.

Front lunge split (like sun salute). Front knee flexed, back leg straight, body facing toward front knee. After stabilizing, swivel to face to side, still one knee flexed and one straight. Reverse for other side.

Straddle splits (which for me are not all the way to the floor), palms on floor. Gradually bring feet together, making the palm contact harder. Switch to fists when necessary, and continue bringing feet together.

Standing, straight leg on support. (The railing at the club is a few inches above my navel, so the angle is up from hip). Hold toes, put elbow on knee. Count 20, then press chest to thigh. Repeat with other leg.

Plough. On back, legs together and feet touching floor behind (beyond) head. Arms straight along floor behind (beyond) head. Slide feet (on ground behind head) forward and back, to stretch different parts of spine and hips.

Shoulder stand. On back, then raise legs and torso so body is upright, balanced on back of neck, with arms along your sides (i.e., pointing upwards with legs).

Crab. On back, hands on floor at shoulders, and knees bent. Push up off floor (belly arching upwards).

Head to toes. Sitting, knees bent and splayed out, bottoms of feet together. Lean forward to try to put forehead on feet. (I've never been able to do this, but I try.)

Wrist stretching. On hands and knees. There are three positions:

1. Palms up, fingers pointing backward.
2. Palms down, fingers pointing backwards
3. Plans down, fingers pointing to sides.

Meditation. On knees, sitting back on feet. Hands comfortably resting on thighs. Eyes closed. Become aware of the visual scene of closed eyelids. (I don't mean that to be mystical. I just mean find a visual target and relax while watching it, so that the sounds of the gym are ignored.) Personally, I do this until I get the calming effect and then stop. I don't try to keep at it for any length of time.

Open eyes and get up, ready for the rest of the workout.

Strength

Crunches. On incline bench, feet up on support platform. Do 10 with knees together, then alternate 10 each with one leg crossed over the other. Total of 50.

Rowing and bench press. 3 sets, 10 reps each, interspersed. Currently doing 140, 150, 160 rowing and 240, 260, 270 press.

At the moment, I'm not doing curls or lats pulldown due to hurt elbow. Normally, 40-45 lbs on left arm curls, and 20-30 on right arm. (I'm left handed and I also had a childhood injury to right shoulder and biceps.)

I used to do the various leg machines, but haven't recently. Mostly I max them out. The calf machine (weight on shoulders) left bad welts on shoulders when doing 400 lbs. The leg press only goes to 400 lbs. There is a new glut machine that actually works, so I need to put it in the lineup.

More aerobics

Squash. I've never moved beyond perpetual beginner. Seldom have time to play with others, so I play alone for 10-20 minutes.

Recovery Day

Day after workout day. Nothing strenuous.

Slow Day

The other days of the week, done at home. Also good for getting back in the groove after a period without any workouts.

Nordic Track. Set as tension as high as possible without slipping. Warm up, then maintain c. 5:00/1km pace for 30 minutes, then cool down. Usually do 6-7 km total.

Total Gym 1000. Sometimes intersperse 10 min segments on Nordic track with rowing, lats, pecs, and presses.