I’m well back into my exercise routine now. I stopped for a couple of months because I injured my back in March, when I was taking a few tax checks to the post office. Every morning I’d wake up with my back complaining, so I didn’t want to push it.
But, I guess a month ago I got back into the routine. Every day I do an hour on the elliptical a high resistance level at a decent, but not fast, pace. It’s about a good jogging rate, which brought me back to about the level of activity I was at when I was running a few miles every day, back before my knee made me quit (Yes, if it’s not one body part it’s another, I’m so old…).
It’s a nice routine. The hour lets me play games on my DS. Played a lot of Civilization: Revolution, a lot of Populous, and now I’m back to Etrian Odyssey. I’d tried playing that one back in my old elliptical routine, when I was going for 30 minutes at about a 50% faster pace, but the faster pace jostled the stylus too much and I couldn’t play. So it was bad at 45rpm but fortunately doable at 30, so I get to play it again! Maybe I’ll actually get it won finally, to move on to Etrian Odyssey 2!
But, I want more activity. So I asked some people I know who know these things, what I might do that’s back-safe to make my pants fit better. Their nearly unanimous suggestion? Squats.
I started Sunday, and I started light. I only put 10 pounds on the bar, and did ten of them three times. That was enough for some good, solid soreness that lasted to today. Turns out I only use these muscles when I’m in the process of standing or sitting, so it hasn’t been exactly debilitating.
Did some heavy stretching today when I did some more today. Same weight, same amount. I feel like this is sustainable and probably a good start.