Fun Fitness After 50

Old enough to know how to have fun!

Are You Afraid to Ride a Bicycle at Your Age ?

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Who needs Disneyland?

I was recently surprised to survive a mountain bike ride. I found myself vacillating between

You only live once!

and

If I crash, will I die?

This in spite of cycling being recommended as one of the least stressful exercises for the body.

Actually, I wasn’t being foolhardy. I would say it was a combination of trying to trust what skills I do have and working the course. Oh, and encouragement and insight from dear husband. Is this a reasonable approach at my age of 57 years?

What is your biggest concern about cycling?

The biggest concern is that the older our bodies are, the less resilient they are about healing. Just how much less resilient may be up for discussion, because there are so many more variables than age. Nutrition, overall body strength, and good circulation will all impact healing significantly.

There are a number of strategies for bicycle riding, too. If you haven’t been bicycling for a while, you shouldn’t start with a mountain bike challenge. You want to gradually develop the necessary muscle strength and experience that will help you respond to more challenging terrain.

Ways to keep bicycling fun and challenging

Here is my list of advice for getting back to cycling or continuing on your cycling journey.

  • Start with a comparatively stable bicycle. For instance, what is known as a road bike is supposed to be lighter and make cycling more efficient, but it is also quite a bit less stable. Make sure you have a well developed sense of balance and are fairly experienced reacting to the terrain before trying a less stable bike.
  • Avoid traffic. Find greenbelt paths or simple trails to ride on. Drivers are too often unpredictable and unknowledgeable about bicycles on roadways. Bicyclists can be hard to see on the road even when drivers are paying attention. Trying to manage that can make riding much less enjoyable, as well as distract you from learning how to ride your best.
  • Ride at a comfortable speed, but not too slowly. Enough forward motion actually helps you stay upright, especially when you hit uneven spots or debris.
  • Keep your joints relaxed. This includes elbows, knees, back. This will help you react to the terrain with a more fluid motion. It will also mean less stiffness after the ride. If you do have the misfortune to crash or fall, you will be more likely to respond with adjusted movements or roll with the punches, so to speak.
  • Make sure your bicycle seat is angled correctly. Even the best bicycle seat will cause you great soreness if positioned poorly. Of course, if your sitter is not used to sitting on a bicycle, you risk soreness if you increase your time too drastically, but at least start with a well-positioned seat.
  • Find a good seat height to pedal ratio. Typically, you want your leg to still be slightly bent when the pedal is fully extended. If you want to get off to a really good start with this, you might consider having the proportions of your bicycle professionally adjusted. I know avid cyclists who swear by this. All I have ever done is make sure that the bicycle seat is basically at the height of my hip bone.
  • Invest in some cushioned bicycle gloves.  This is not a lot of cushion, but it can make your hands much more comfortable.
  • Wear the right kind of sunglasses. You want to both protect your eyes from drying in the motion enhanced wind, as well as avoid being blinded by changes in sunlight. I have a pair of cycling sunglasses that do just that.
  • Make it a habit to alternate pressure points while riding. For instance, when you are not actively pedaling, take a moment to slightly rise off the seat for a second or two. Or make sure that you are not constantly leaning hard on your wrists.
  • Experiment with your brakes before you seriously need them. This includes knowing which are front and which are back brakes. You never want to hit only your front brakes while going downhill! Also, you will want to lean a certain way while braking, depending on hills or turns.
  • Use one of those quaint bicycle bells. Not only is it polite to let walkers know you are passing, but you are less likely to crash if everyone around has an idea you are there.
  • Consider supplementing your outdoor cycling with a stationary bicycle. While there are important differences, this will still help condition your legs and get used to time on a bicycle seat.
  • Let your feet and ankles function with good range of motion. Your knees and hips are designed to be in motion in symphony with proper foot and ankle movement. If you confine your feet you risk stress in the wrong places. Wearing looser footwear (usually sandals) also makes my toes less likely to go numb!

Don’t forget basics like a helmet and good inner tubes. And take someone with you who knows how to fix a flat… or have a phone. I have not yet been able to master changing a flat tire. Mechanical repairs are definitely not my forte.

So is bicycling all that age dependent?

I think we can conclude that most levels of bicycling are not so much a matter of being too old as possibly being unprepared. Get a bicycle that is in good repair, find some friends who can both encourage and advise, and get out there and bicycle!

When you have built up your skills and strength, don’t be afraid to try some more varied terrain. You can walk hills if you need to. Most of the youngsters walked the same hills I did on that mountain bike ride, and they are all in great shape! My husband powered up more than anyone. He is a few months older than me.

PS – This ride was out in the Owyhee desert, south of Nampa, Idaho, beginning at Hemmingway Butte trailhead.

I am the only one over 30 in this photo. Dear husband is the photographer.
Post ride, almost 10 miles and only one flat tire later, which wasn’t even mine.

 

Create Definite Workout Spaces in Your Home

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[Week 10 of 12 Weeks to a Healthy New Year]

What are Definite Workout Spaces?

Creating definite spaces for working out at home has many advantages. Even if you like the gym or spend a fair amount of time outside, having quick options at home can give you flexibility no matter the weather or schedule issues. Such spaces don’t need to be complicated, they just need to be reliably quick and easy to use.

I say definite spaces to try to describe spaces that are ready to easily use, but not separate from the typical rooms found in a home. There are 3 types of definite workout spaces you can create in your home:

  • Dedicated – equipment that stays put and uses floor space
  • Integrated – equipment that is always there, but doesn’t take up much, if any, floor space, nor does it interfere with other furniture being used there or non-workout activity in the area
  • Transitional – an area kept basically available and easy to use with minimal change

I have all 3 types at my house and I will describe them to you as I talk about each of them.

Dedicated workout spaces

This is what most people think of when they think of creating a place to workout at home. While a gym may be the ultimate example of a dedicated workout space, you do not need a whole room. You just need enough space for a specific piece of equipment. One thing we make space for is spin bikes.

We are able to fit 2 spin bikes side by side in our bedroom. They do not need to be as spaced as you usually see them in spin classes. For one thing, they are not always used at the same time. For another thing, two people are using them at the same time at home usually want to talk to each other. There just needs to be enough room for pedals to turn.

One key to this arrangement is positioning them so that it is not inconvenient to walk places in the room. Another thing that helps some people is having a TV in view. I personally prefer to have a TV tray beside me with things for reading, listening, or writing while I bike. If you want to know how my husband put the odometers on the spin bikes, click here. (click on any photo to enlarge)

Spin bikes don't need a lot of room.
Spin bikes don’t need a lot of room.

Even though my swimming pool is outside, I will mention it because it IS the kind of pool you can fit in an average room or garage. It is also an example of having multiple uses, even though exercise is the main reason we built it. The swimming pool is used for playing with grandkids, lounging with friends, and even the occasional evening dance party! Having something take up space for exercise can be done in creative ways.

Integrated workout spaces

Having equipment handy will make it more likely that you will use it and exercise, but it doesn’t always have to dominate the space. Most of our equipment in this category has to do with isotonic exercises, or exercises thought of as ‘muscle building’. I don’t just say “weight-lifting,” because although we are doing similar exercises, most of this equipment is taking advantage of our own body weight.

The TRX strap is very popular around our house. Almost everyone has their own, which is easy since a TRX strap basically takes up as much room as a big belt. Although we have owned and used them for several years, I only recently became an affiliate advertiser for the company. This means that if you buy a TRX through one of my links, I receive a small commission as no extra cost to you.

A TRX strap can hang over a door anywhere that you have enough room to work with it. How much room you need will depend on which exercises you want to do. The space we usually use is a little more than a door wide and about a body length long. There are a LOT of videos online with exercise ideas. The TRX also comes with a basic guide.

When not in use, the TRX basically has no 3-D imprint. We leave ours hanging on a bedroom door. Once in a while it swings enough to get in the way of closing the door, but not very often so it is worth that small inconvenience to have the important convenience of having it up and ready.

Rock rings in our kitchen have provided some of the most fun, most social, and most spontaneous exercise at our home. You may want to read how my husband mounted our rock rings to avoid destroying your ceiling. These rings are great for a set of impromptu pull-ups while cooking dinner, although I will admit that I am the one person in the family that doesn’t do anything other than hang on them…

I asked for some small free weights for Christmas. I just like the feel of them. I plan to have them mounted ‘decoratively’ on the bedroom wall, so they will also not take up much room, but will be easy to pull down and use.

Transitional workout spaces

To be truly everyday transitional, it must not take very much time or effort to get the space ready to use. Pulling out a yoga mat or moving the coffee table count as transitional in our house.

My husband recently added a balance board to the mix based on a physical therapist’s recommendation for strengthening his hip. It actually ended up being huge advantage when he tried out the paddle board in Maui. He was able to stay up much better than two years ago. He even did a 1.5 mile out into the ocean on one trip out, so, yeah, 3 miles round trip on the paddle board standing up the whole time except for a short rest on his knees at the turn around point. He was with a friend, too.

I also tried a little paddle boarding, but I had the flu most of the time we were in Maui, so I am satisfied with the 50 meters off shore that I managed.

First time ever standing on a paddle board. Off the coast of Kihei, Maui, January 2018, while still recovering from the flu.
First time ever standing on a paddle board. Off the coast of Kihei, Maui, January 2018, while still recovering from the flu.

There are ways to transition spaces that you wouldn’t do every day, but still might want to keep in mind. For instance, you probably don’t have to move a lot of furniture to have as good of a dance floor as most pubs do. Clearing a path to chase the grandkids can be pretty fun, too.

Making your house useful

I don’t feel like I live in a gym. I like to decorate and have colors be coordinated. However, I am also big on practicality. Make the spaces you have work for you and your life. People don’t live in magazine presentations.

Don’t forget that you can also decorate around and in ways that incorporate your exercise equipment. Maybe some fun stenciling will be in order around my free weights? Or a nice looking basket to keep ready-to-use yoga mats in? This might also keep the dust off of them!

How can you optimize the space in your home for your workout goals?

 


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9 Ways to Refresh Your Workout Routine

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[Week 9 of 12 Weeks to a Healthy New Year]

We all need a balance of habit and spontaneity in our lives and workouts. Habits tend to keep us going, but having some change helps keep things fresh. Here are 9 ways to refresh your workout:

1. Take a rest period. If you have been working out regularly for a few months your body would probably benefit a lot from time of more complete recovery. If you are feeling particularly worn out, this may be the reason. Exactly how long you need to rest will depend on things like how quickly you have been ramping up your goals, if you have been in a major physical competition or race, or if there are other stressors such as sickness.

It doesn’t even have to be a complete rest to be helpful. Try to take a break from the most intense exercises. Another way to rest is to cut back significantly on how much or how often. This will still keep the blood flowing, but give the body a lot more rest.

2. Find new locations. New scenery, less well known twists and turns, less predictable challenges. All of these things, if not too overwhelming, can help keep you pleasantly more alert. It will also likely result in different muscle use patterns that just feel fresher.

Don’t forget to take advantage of travel to find new places to run. Whether you are visiting family, traveling for business, or on vacation, there are so many places that are best discovered by foot or bike. We have discovered unique places to hike in as unlikely spots as Palm Springs, where there are trails through some oases. Make it a habit to pack basic gear, but also check out equipment rentals where you go.

And there is always the option of traveling for the main purpose of enjoying an activity in new location. It doesn’t have to be for an event. I have met one person who traveled to a location just to say he swam a significant distance in a certain lake.

3. Add variety to your goals. For instance, if you have been running long and slow a lot, mix in more speed workouts.  Possibly finally sign up for an event or race that you have been dreaming. Maybe you want to try an off-the-wall goal like running one mile every day for a year or traveling famous routes around the world barefoot.

I just joined Pokemon-Go as a way to have fun with one of my grandsons. I know I’m supposed to be careful of walking off cliffs, but I could try covering a certain distance every weekend looking for Pokemon. It has been explained to me that the Pokemon app does not keep good track of distance, so I would have to use another app, like Strava at the same time. A lot of people now have Fitbits that would do that for them.

4. Try new activities. This could include totally new activities or a new version of what you have been doing. If you have attending a certain aerobics class, try a new one. If you have been taking swing dance classes, add ballroom to your repertoire. Or belly dancing?

Think of activities that sound exhilarating. Maybe they are a bit out of your comfort zone because you are afraid you might feel inept, but don’t let that stop you. Everyone has to start someplace. Don’t let unnecessary pride keep you from trying something that you may end up really liking. You don’t have to begin with extremes to try it. For example, if you have an interest in rock climbing, just find a gym with a beginners wall.

5. Join a virtual group. Virtual groups allow you to connect with people world wide, but also usually have ways to find people in your local community with similar interests. Local connections can lead to new friendships or just be a way to find new routes. Someone from another part of the world might inspire travel or just be a fun source of mutual likes.

Sometimes virtual groups have races or goals that can be fun to join in. I recently joined a barefoot running group through Strava. It is inspiring to see people log barefoot runs all over the world.

6. Join a local group. It is fairly easy to search online for local groups that meet up. It might be once in a while, or for a race, or for coaching. Just attending a few local races and talking to people can be useful.

Specialty shops can be a good place to ask about local groups, especially if you want a more personal evaluation. It might also get you an introduction that helps break the ice.

7. Upgrade your gear. This includes everything from clothes to water bottles to technology. There is a reason for the advice of “dress for the job you want.” How you dress affects you both physically and mentally. Good quality gear lets your body do the job you are trying to do. Fun gear makes you happy. Nice looking gear builds confidence. Gear can’t take the place of good habits, and you can certainly find the best bang for your buck, but don’t feel guilty for investing in gear that motivates you.

8. Read inspiring and encouraging books. There are books about people who have beat the odds, people who just love what they do, and people who have adventures associated with their sports. Read them without comparing yourself, but with seeing what might be possible in your life right now.

Also find coaching type books whose authors have a good mix of wisdom, experience, and humility. Here is a list of some of my favorite books:

80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster by Training Slower, Matt Fitzgerald

Running with the Kenyans, Adharanand Finn

What Makes Olga Run: The Mystery of the 90 Something Track Star, Bruce Grierson

Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion’s Long Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream, Meb Keflezighi

Once a Runner, John L. Parker, Jr.

and, of course, my book: Why Does Grandma Run Barefoot?, Laura Blodgett

9. Evaluate your form and technique. This will be a somewhat natural result of reading books. We all need reminders of things that help us avoid injury and make the best use of our physical attributes. Again, this doesn’t mean comparing yourself to someone who is paid to workout several hours a day or who is many years younger. However, there are basics that help us all.

If you have had some other ideas for refreshing your workout, please feel free to share them in the comments!

 

How to Shop Smarter for Winter Workout Clothes

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[Week 2 of 12 Weeks to a Healthy New Year]

Having the right things to wear can make or break an outdoor winter workout.

Here are some exercise factors that need to be considered when deciding on winter workout clothes:

  • a continuum of weather variations
  • the type of exercise
  • the intensity of exercise
  • the length of time exercising

Having a plan for buying gear for winter workouts will make it easier to spend your money wisely and efficiently. Yes, it costs some money to invest in the right winter workout gear, but if you have the right things, they will get used. You can consider it an investment in your health, both long and short term. Getting outside and expanding your lungs with fresh air can be as important for warding off illness as washing your hands. Having the right things to wear will greatly increase the likelihood of going outside to exercise.

Evaluate these things about clothing and gear:

  • flexibility
  • moisture wicking
  • moisture repelling
  • wind blocking
  • layering possibilities
  • temperatures suited for
  • visibility
  • laundering convenience

Keeping your movements flexible

One of the biggest mistakes made during winter exercise is overdressing. This creates problems like being stiff and bulky or retaining too much moisture. Ironically, if moisture cannot get away from the body, you will probably get colder no matter how many layers. Being stiff and bulky frequently means you can’t use safe or comfortable body mechanics. This includes body parts that move in auxiliary ways and body parts that you aren’t used to thinking of needing to be flexible. Sometimes not enjoying your workout is because you have worn bulky shoes or can’t bend your elbows properly!

Along the same lines, the flexibility of the fabric of clothing is important. You want your body parts to be able to go through the right motions. Another benefit of flexible fabric is that it can be more form fitting, which means less rubbing and sores. Form fitting also means more protection from wind, as there are not spaces for it to blow into.

Layers, moisture, and body temperature

It may take some experience to figure out just how much covering you need for certain weather conditions. The trick is that you want to stay warm enough, but not induce unnecessary perspiration. Unfortunately, evaporative cooling works just as well when it is cold outside. This is why it is best to attempt to have just enough on to avoid getting very warm.

It helps to have a few options for different conditions. For instance, a pair of capri running pants can be just the thing on a warmer winter day. Since the leg muscles are being used, they will warm up quite a bit, even if you still want ear warmers or gloves.

I also like to have a range of levels of insulation available. I have thinner capris and thicker capris, thinner full length pants and thicker full length pants. Of course, thicker is relative, because insulation options only add a fraction of an inch, while adding significant warmth. I really appreciate my thickest full length running pants when it gets below 30°F

The next consideration is how well some of those options can be layered. When it is below 30°F kind of cold, I start with a layer of a wool long-sleeve shirt, followed by a thicker, more wind resistant shirt. Over that I also have a thin, but insulated jacket. I have been surprised to learn that even in these conditions, I may end up shedding layers. A lot depends on the sun and the humidity.

It will also depend on your cold tolerance and how quickly you will heat up. I always start out on the slow side, so need more layers to begin with. My husband runs or works faster than me, so starts out with less on. Even when he is shoveling snow from the driveway, he is often in just one long sleeve shirt.

The inevitable cooling with distance

My gloves and ear warmers are generally the first things to come off, but I keep them in my jacket pockets. I know that the longer I run, the more likely it is that I will start to get chilled again. This is true with any outdoor exercise. The more tired the body is, the more it is susceptible to getting cold.

This is different than a chill I might feel at the beginning of a run, when the chill can be inspiring to get moving. This later chill is draining and nearly impossible to recover from. It is usually not an issue unless I run more than 10 miles, but it can depend on how cold the outdoor temperatures are.

Survival before fashion

I like to buy fun workout clothes. It energizes me. However, winter is a time of little light. The days are short and the daylight is often gray, with everything blending together. Any time on the road near cars is risky, even if you are on a sidewalk. I will always go with the brightest attire possible in this case.

Biking from home usually means at least some time on the road. Even using paths designed for pedestrians often involves crossing roads a few times. Making sure you are visible to drivers needs to take priority.

Don’t be a winter statue

It is my opinion that liquid wetness is the most challenging. It is hard to find any clothing that is water repellent enough to keep out a hard rain and not be very cumbersome. For this reason, I don’t usually exercise outside in pouring rain. I don’t want to turn into an ice sculpture!

Still, if I am not going very far and it is not raining in a drenching way and it is not too windy, I may venture out on a shorter run. I won’t usually bike outside in such conditions because the biking leads to both more wind and more water penetration of my clothing. I will however, swim outside in the rain…  my pool is heated.

Don’t ruin your investment with bad laundering techniques

To be honest, I do not wash my workout clothes every time I use them. I have hooks in my closet to hang them on. This allows me to get a solid week’s use out of them before laundering. Besides cutting down my workload, the clothes don’t get worn out as fast, because, yes, laundering wears fabrics down.

Many workout clothes are made of fabrics that don’t hold up to the dryer. I line dry elasticized or wool clothes for sure. I have a drying rack handy in an out of the way place to hang them on.

My polar fleece ear warmers or neck gators go through the dryer nicely, as do most of my running gloves. I never wash my leather bike gloves. I rarely want a hat, but when I do, it is also a polar fleece cap, and I usually take it off after a while.

What about working exercise?

Most of these clothing recommendations will work for any vigorous outside activity that simply involves motion. For work related exercise, you have to think about friction or snagging. Thus, for things like gardening, I still wear jeans and rather thick, leather insulated gloves.

When it is hard to go outside

Some days it seems harder to go outside, but if I give in and go to the indoor track or treadmill, I end up longing to go outside again. Then, I am glad I have clothing options that make this possible.

I also have learned it helps to do some moving chores or activities in the house before heading out. This gets my muscles generating heat and warms my body core. And I get some chores done. I put on my first layer of exercise clothes before the chores so that they will also get warm and I won’t lose heat while changing clothes.

Make a list

If you don’t want to turn in to a holiday marshmallow, good winter exercise clothes are important. They cost less than joining a gym and they make it possible to enjoy the fresh air. With just a little planning, you can be ready for almost any kind of weather. If nothing else, put some of these items on your Christmas list!

11 Strategies for Dealing with Stiffness in the Older Athlete

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What is ROM?

Ever since the teenage me took care of the twisted bodies of nursing home patients, I have been concerned about getting stiff as I age. I remember one dear woman who had been bedridden for many years. If I remember correctly, she was in her nineties. Although her chart detailed a normal life, at that point she non-communicative EXCEPT when we had to move her. Any movement seemed to be agonizing to her, because every joint seemed to be frozen.

What is ROM?A joint is called frozen when it will no longer move, bend, rotate, or go through whatever motion it is supposed to enable (this is referred to as “range of motion” or ROM). The joint then might as well be completely bone. Once a joint has been frozen for a while, it is just about impossible to get it to move again without some drastic measures. Like when my husband’s shoulder joint got too stiff after surgery and the doctor had to perform surgery again just to cut away scar tissue.

The trouble with frozen joints

In nurse’s training, we are taught to help avoid such frozen joints by at least putting a patient’s joints through passive range of motion, if they are not able to do it themselves. Being young and inexperienced at the time I was working in the nursing home, I simply tried to follow that protocol on that poor, helpless woman. I had her best interests in mind, but I finally gave up because she was obviously in so much pain when I tried to do something as simple as move her ankle. Her moans have lodged themselves in my memory.

When I broke my cheek bone a few years ago (bicycle accident), my jaw became very stiff. I was not allowed to move it while it was healing for 8 weeks. After that, I had to do stretching exercises several times a day for several weeks to be able to open my mouth again. The progress was so slow as to make the exercises seem ineffective on any given day, but finally my mouth could open fully again. I have wondered what life would be like if I had waited too long to do that motion. (click on any image to enlarge)

11 Strategies for Stiffness

Common exercise induced stiffness versus aging

Over the years, I have had what I would call normal exercise stiffness. After an unusually intense or prolonged effort, I would be sore, but it always went away over time. Sometimes hot bathes and massaging could make it feel better sooner, but even without that, it would go away sooner or later.

Just a couple of years ago, that started to change. I began noticing that I woke up stiff on a regular basis. It certainly wasn’t because I was being inactive or limiting the scope of my movements during the day. I was still running, biking, swimming, gardening, and dancing the same as I had been before. Only now, the degree of exercise effort was sometimes hard to distinguish from this new perennial stiffness.

When I had my final hormone shift, the stiffness seemed to want to set in with a new tenaciousness. From that time on, I would tend to get stiff if I sat anywhere or didn’t move for very long. I decided that while I may have to learn to live with being older, that didn’t mean I couldn’t come up with strategies for staying as un-stiff as possible. I began experimenting.

Strategies for minimum stiffness

GoalsI have now come up with a basic approach to minimalizing and/or combatting stiffness. The idea is to

  • be comfortable
  • avoid injury
  • maintain mobility

Here is what I do:

  1. Consciously contract and flex major muscle groups in my body before getting out of bed, or after prolonged period of inactivity.
  2. Change positions regularly throughout the day.
  3. Plan movements to engage a full range of movements.
  4. Use body parts the way they were designed to be used.
  5. Avoid devices and clothing that are supposed to “support” body parts, but really hinder designed ROM. This could include anything from stiff footwear to figure shapers.
  6. Stay warm.
  7. Keep blood circulating well to my extremities, which involves both staying reasonably warm and moving body parts.
  8. At the beginning of an activity, start out more slowly and let the motions warm up my muscles.
  9. Be patient with my various fitness activities.
  10. Get a massage regularly.
  11. Make sure to eat enough salt.

What about stretching?

11 Strategies I am leery of stretching for the sake of stretching, as I think there is a risk of tearing musculature if it is not warmed up the way only activity can warm it up. I have also found that motion ends up increasing my flexibility better than plain stretching. For example, I have tried basic pre-activity stretching for many years when I was younger. The results were minimal. So imagine my surprise when after about 3 years of going out dancing  just once a month or so (after the age of 50!) that my overall flexibility increased dramatically!

Does exercise reduce overall stiffness due to aging?

I haven’t changed my exercise efforts or routine significantly in the past 7 years of so, so I can’t say that more exercise reduced overall stiffness for me. However, from watching and listening to other people around my age or older, I can reasonably conclude that it doesn’t make it worse. What I do know for certain is that I always feel looser after I have exercised and I don’t feel as much stiffness during the day if I am active throughout the day. Also, my 20something daughters tell me I have a spring in my step that they don’t see in other people my age.

By “active throughout the day” I mean “moving regularly”. Ideally this will include a range of intensities, from regular aerobic exercise to walking around the house to do chores. Some days are still more restful and sit-down than others, and then I try to do ROM intermittently.

I know there is some debate about whether or not exercise makes people healthy or that healthy people exercise; but it seems clear that how much a person moves still makes a difference in endurance and capabilities, no matter how basically healthy he or she is. It seems reasonable that this is also true with staying limber and my experience seems to verify this.

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