I had a GREAT workout today that I thoroughly enjoyed! I'm excited about it for a few reasons, but mostly because I am trying VERY hard to start a good, frequently occurring work out routine to kick start my dive into living a better life. If I want to make a go of it, I need to look more like an after picture and less like a before picture, don't you think? I'm in the process of lots of decisions and one of them has led me to the realization that I have to be more serious and dedicated to living the best life I can live. Being more active is one of the important steps in the process.
So back to the gym today: I saw a machine I'd spotted a few times but never hopped on to try. I thought it was a new elliptical and knew the other ones in that area had issues. The TVs weren't always working well or they wouldn't let you program them or whatever. When I climbed on this thing, however, I realized it was not what at all I thought it was.
I cannot tell you how happy I was to be wrong! This machine, called an Adaptive Motion Trainer (called AMT, made by Precor), was exactly the shot in the arm my work out needed. I have been dragging lately, and bored at the gym, but not wanting to start jogging again or doing Zumba because of the knee issues that have plagued me over the past year. I feel so awful when my knees aren't happy and it keeps me out of the gym for stretches. Once you get used to that, it is hard to get back into things. I'm NOW in the process of reintegrating work outs into my routine and this machine has me excited to get back there tomorrow!
During the past two weeks, I have done a few work outs from home, experimenting with other dance work outs (without jumping in them) and with yoga. I am finding that these two are making me quite sore, so something must be working (or broken?)! I was not able to do either for long stretches though, and haven't felt I'm getting the kind of cardio work out I should be getting for good weight loss. I have found that I enjoy yoga more than I expected, however, so I look forward to doing more of it (even though it makes me SOOOO sore)!
The AMT machine, however, is one stop shopping. You start with a stair climbing motion, less fluid than an elliptical, and move into a more fluid "stride" motion that works more muscles and moves a bit slower. You speed this up and are almost in a running motion, depending on how fast you go. The great thing about this, however, is that it feels VERY low impact. I felt better on this machine than I have felt on any elliptical. And because it is less rough on your body, you are able to go for longer periods of time. If I were actually running (or jogging) I couldn't have gone for 40 minutes. Because I was not stressing my knees, it was less taxing but not less strenuous. I was soaked when I got off of that machine and my heart rate was way up high during most of it.
This seems to be made for people, like me, who cannot enjoy the benefits of running and for those of us who may not have access to several machines. It seems to not be as limited as an elliptical or bike or treadmill can be. The AMT keeps you from getting bored because it has a variety of levels at which you can choose to work while on the machine. You can do more stair-climbing motions at various speeds, or longer lunging strides. You can mix it up or just "jog" at a set pace.
I happened to go there after the morning rush, and I am a bit worried about the next few days will bring. Since there are only a few of those machines, I am going to hope that I am lucky every time I go and get to hop right on one without waiting. I WILL be there tomorrow, for certain, to see how it feels the second time around and play with the settings a bit.
And to think: I had seriously considered wandering into Zumba today to see if I could tolerate the work out! Not that I don't LOVE Zumba, but I was *that* desperate for some zing in my routine! I was willing to chance the knee pain that would very likely have resulted from it. THANK GOODNESS I missed the class and decided to take a chance on something new. For some that is no big deal, but being a creature of habit, I rarely tend to venture out into uncharted territory.
Yeah for being brave! And DOUBLE yeah for having it pay off--in spades!
2 comments:
Nice! Got the shot in the arm your workout needed. And don't get too caught up in needing to do cardio for weight loss, I think we've been oversold on the benefits of cardio. I only do 25 minutes most days, with a longer run on the weekends. Strength training, muscle - that's where it's at.
I don't do enough of that FOR SURE, but I do feel stronger/better when I do cardio and hadn't been doing more than walking with a little elliptical for a LONG time. I was so scared of the knee! Before the knee stuff started and I was doing Zumba and some jogging/running, it was the most I had done in my lifetime and it energized me. I was RUNNING (for tiny increments of time, but still)!!!! I felt "normal" for the first time in ages. I felt somewhat fit. For some reason that mattered to me so much. I will be using yoga regularly too, I think, but haven't found a fun way to do strength training yet. I don't like doing it alone. :( When my husband goes with me once a week or so we do that together, but aside from that, I haven't done REGULAR strength training in years. Because of the summer being here, I will be able to spend more time at the gym and I will work on remedying that issue! ;) Thanks for your help!!! I appreciate it!
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