As I stand in my living room looking at all the health tech and equipment I've purchased for myself over the years, one would think I would be so svelte and so well-formed! You'd think that by osmosis I would be the stellar fit woman I am in my dreams! Why does reality have to suck so badly? I'm serious. Why can't I be the person I think I am or the person I think I should be by now? It's just a question. I think we all ask ourselves that one from time to time.
The thing is, I didn't buy all of this stuff at the same time. There were reasons for buying each piece, and over the years I've been collecting or gathering weight training equipment as well as yoga mats, yoga blocks, and the such. Today, I purchased the second of two resistance bands. It always happens that way. I buy one thinking it's going to be the one I need and without fail, almost without fail anyway, I end up either sending it back to the seller through Amazon's prime (wonderful) service, or I just keep it and say I'll use it. I buy the next level up from what I thought was going to be the end all, but there you go, it wasn't. Sometimes I do end up with three levels, but that's really rare. That did happen with the weight balls, and it happened with the hand dumbbells. I have several of those.
The bands are really loops. You stand on them, spread your feet shoulder width, and you pull up (underhanded), and bring the loop to your chest. With the right resistance and pressure, this shouldn't be that easy. The first loop I bought and received today was in fact, is in fact, that easy. It's not hard at all, but it is enough so that I think I'll keep it, and just add to it. There's nothing wrong with having a lighter workout now and again. Something is better than nothing. I tell myself that. You'd think I would be super thin and/or bulging with muscles, but neither fact is true. I'm still average and need to be so much stronger.
Let's do the rundown. I have a vibration plate that is in the middle range. It works well, and I use it 10-15 minutes a day while I do squats. I usually hold a 10, 15, or 20-pound weighted straight bar when I do that. Yes, I have a 20-pound weight bar, and no, I don't do it for 15 minutes. I wish I could. I have a heavy bag on a stand with sand for weight, and I punch it. I love to box. I really do. I may suck at it as far as the world is concerned, but it is the best way to just get that energy out and/or take a face or nose out in my mind while I'm dancing and thinking of ways I can lose another pound or two. I have weights balls, 8, 10, and 12 pounds. I have no idea why I have the 10 if I have the 8 and 12, but there you go. I have the aforementioned hand dumbbells, 2, 5, 8, and 12 in sets, and a 15-pound one-off. I have a 10-pound kettle ball which may have to be paired with a 15 or 20-pounder soon, it looks lonely there in the little corner.
Working out is a choice that I made a few years back, and though I don't do it at the gym (used to) and though I don't do it every day (should) I do it enough to feel pretty good about myself and I do like to read up on the ways and means to do things at my home to become a healthier me. I have ropes too. I was a rope fool for a minute, thinking I could just buy a common jump rope and be done with it. Nope. I don't know what it is, but I am not a jumper. I tried. I don't do well. It could be the big, fat, off-centered gut and breast...maybe? I am not sure. I know that the battle ropes I have are heavy enough that I can only do them if I have friends or family to help me carry them downstairs and back up again. You can't really do that sort of thing inside the apartment. I need another house - - I really do.
Dancing seems to be the best exercise for me really. I would rather dance than box, and I love boxing. I would rather dance than lift, and I do like lifting. I would rather dance than I would walk and God knows I love to walk. The problem with dancing is my damn knee. I'm fine...the knee should realize that. I have to brace it, I have to baby it, I have to pay attention, and really, who wants to do all that when they're dancing? No one! Still, I would rather dance. I don't like walking on a treadmill, you don't go anywhere. I don't jog, and I don't run - - same knee. I would walk 5 miles a day if I could, and with me being home for the next few weeks I may actually get that chance. Maybe it's a good thing. The neighbors probably like me walking rather than dancing. If I had to guess.
What will the neighbors say when I get the shape and form I'm looking for and I decide to do my aerial hammock exercises outside in front of God and everyone? Yeah! Think about that....or don't, if you don't want to. The bands of resistance are here for that purpose; to get me to the point that I can stretch when the time(s) come for me to be able to do what I want to do. I think it may be helping with the stretching of the muscles around the knee too...at least that's what the brochure says! We'll see. For now, I'm just learning the old-fashioned steps and working my way up to the more crazy moves I see online and dream about. I do have my bottle of Aleve close by....nothing says prepared like a bottle of over-the-counter pain meds!
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