Exercise works

Exercise really is a funny thing. I’ve tried various forms over the years, some of them more fun and longer lasting than others. For a while I was very taken with the Canadian Air Force’s 5BX plan. It seemed to have just the right amount of fiddliness to appeal to my inner nerd. That fell away, and then, just over a year ago I started doing the 7-minute stuff, high-intensity interval training. Slowly, slowly, even at my advanced age, it became easier to get through one cycle. Then two. Then the full workout, three cycles in total.

Occasionally I would look at some of the less easy cycles and shudder at what I would be expected to make my body do. Then today, I suddenly decided to try what my app calls “intermediate 16 minute”. And it was OK! On some exercises, I still need to learn to make the movements effectively, and I was gripped by a hamstring cramp on the second cycle of one-leg bridge, but I was amazed that I could do bicycle crunches without too much difficulty.

Not only can I do the exercises, I want to do them, and they leave me feeling good. Maybe I’ll even start running again.