Gardening on the Moon ( GOTM )

Written by Jeff

Non-GOTM pictures credited by hover notes – move cursor over image

For those who may have followed my broken foot ordeal on this blog, I am happy to report that I have returned to near-perfect form. One of the most serious challenges I faced following my recovery and physical therapy was reestablishing my exercise routine. After six weeks of relative inactivity, I was amazed at how much mobility I had lost.

Of course my foot healed just in time for the heat of summer which is a big deal in the Phoenix, AZ locale. I visited several health clubs, but the idea of having to leave the house to exercise and travel back and forth 20 minutes each way just wasn’t appealing.

Calisthenics have always been a part of my exercise routine. They can be done almost anywhere, generally don’t need any equipment and they are easy to learn. During the more reasonable weather, I would often walk a couple of miles a day including several minutes of power-walking (That’s how I broke the bone in my foot!) in addition to the calisthenics. This is impractical during the heat of the summer unless I wanted to awake very early to attend to the walk and gardens. I needed a new plan especially since I was eager to get back into shape. Whatever I did had to be “low impact” since I was recovering from a broken bone in my foot and I do have some knee problems.

I decided to study aerobics routines to see if this would suit my needs. I soon realized that I would have to modify them for my age and skill level. Aerobics, simply stated, is any exercise that causes the participant to breathe faster and increases blood circulation. The exercises increase lung capacity and help to keep the heart strong. I might also add to that definition “and creates perspiration.” Perspiration is my indicator that I am working and my body is making progress. If I am not sweating, then I don’t feel that I am exercising enough. This is not scientific, but my personal bias.

In any event, I went to my local library and checked out several DVDs with aerobics exercises. Unfortunately, there were no books or DVDs directed at people who are currently described as “boomers.” After watching several of the available videos, I focused mainly on using the Internet and the Fat Burning Workout for Dummies (DVD), ASIN: B000BCE9CC for further investigation. In the video, Gay Gasper (instructor) explains the basic aerobics steps. At times, she seemed to move very quickly and I needed to replay certain sections multiple times until I understood the move. Keep in mind that I am rhythmically challenged. It was two full weeks before I felt comfortable with all of the basic steps and felt I was doing them accurately.

The video was important because it grounded me in the language of aerobics and thus I was able to search the Internet for videos and other written instructions. Later in this article (Parts II & III), I will list the sites I used as well as notes about what I found important to understand or modify for boomers who want to use aerobics to stay fit.

I knew at the beginning of this journey that I would not be able to keep pace with someone much younger or in much better condition than I am in currently, but I wanted to establish a personal routine that would help me maintain my health and provide appropriate exercise. Aerobic training involves established routines where the person doing the exercises moves quickly from one aerobic exercise to another stringing five, six or more of these moves together to compose a routine. As I have noted elsewhere, I am rhythmically challenged and I didn’t want to spend time learning the more sophisticated transitions from one exercise to another. I concentrated on doing individual Low Impact aerobics exercises as separate units. While probably not as much fun or entertaining as involving many moves in an established routine, I find this to be a good method for me. I am also not ruling out putting together some routines in the future.

I consulted with my doctor to make sure that I was physically fit to begin doing the exercises I was developing. Anyone who is beginning a new or modified exercise program should consult with their health professional. What I knew from many prior experiences was that just starting an exercise regimen was important. It doesn’t make that much difference how strenuous the exercise routines are; just get started and stay motivated. If the entry point selected is too difficult, scale back quickly to keep discouragement at bay. If the entry point is too easy, increase the difficulty slowly until an appropriate exercise level is reached.

It is important to remember that if any exercise is causing pain, it should be stopped. This type of exercise program is not designed to cause pain. During any exercise routine ample water supplies should be at hand to make certain that hydration is maintained (Desert dwellers are experts in this practice!). Needless to say, dress appropriately with any support garments that are needed. Oh, one other thing before I forget. Any time you feel out-of-breath or tired, take a rest for a minute or two. Divide the exercise session in half and take a four or five minute break between halves until you are able to work through the entire routine

I exercise at least five days a week. I like to get this done in the morning while my energy level is still high. During the Sonoran summer this is important as the heat can take its toll as the day wears on. I begin with 15-25 minutes of stretching and calisthenics. I make sure that I start with arm and leg stretches and then I do the following:

• Two sets of push ups
• 1 set of sit ups with knees bent, soles of feet resting on the floor
• 1 set of left knee bends not to exceed a bent knee of more than 45-60 degrees
• 1 set of sit ups with knees bent, soles of feet resting on the floor
• 1 set of right knee bends not to exceed a bent knee of more than 45-60 degrees
• 1 set of sit ups with knees bent, soles of feet resting on the floor. Move right elbow toward left knee
• 1 set of full knee bends not to exceed a bent knee of more than 45-60 degrees
• 1 set of sit ups with knees bent, soles of feet resting on the floor. Move left elbow toward right knee
• 1 set of full knee bends not to exceed a bent knee of more than 45-60 degrees

Once this is completed, I rest for a minute or two and begin the aerobics routine focused on the following exercises:

Straight March
Out-out, In-in *
Lunges *
Heel Dig
Knee Lift*
Step-touch
Grape Vine*
Mambo-Right
Ham Curl*
V-Step*
March-tap
Leg Kick

For lack of better terms, those moves followed by asterisks will be referred to as Extended and those without the asterisk will be called Moderate. The goal is to perform the Extended exercises for twice the time as the Moderate exercises. Thus if I did the straight March for 30 seconds, I would do Out-out, In-in for 60 seconds. If the Straight March was done for a minute, I would do the Out-out, In-in for two minutes. Adjust the times to those that are comfortable for you and your level of fitness. There is nothing wrong with doing Moderate exercises for 15 seconds and Extended exercises for 30 seconds. The key is to get started. The amount of time spent on each exercise can always be increased. When increasing the times, increase them for all Moderate moves at one time and all Extended moves at one time otherwise keeping track of times for individual exercises will become a burden and that doesn’t encourage exercising.

I searched the Internet to find a list of songs that would be appropriate for aerobic exercises and there was surprisingly little information. I found references to the pace of the songs such as 120-160 beats per minute. I disregarded this and rounded up songs from my collection that would be appropriate for the pace I wanted to maintain. This was done through trial and error. These are a few of the songs I use for my aerobics routine. I use many more than those listed, but this will provide an idea of how I am working my routine. I find rotating the music gives some variation so I avoid using the same songs day after day to keep the exercise routine fresh and interesting.

Jambalaya – John Fogerty
Mockingbird – Carly Simon and James Taylor
The Old Man Down the Road – John Fogerty
Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater
She Works Hard for the Money – Donna Summer
So What – Pink
Tell Me About It – Delbert McClinton and Tanya Tucker
(You Never Can Tell) C’est La Vie – Emmylou Harris

Extend Life with Boom-Aerobics – Parts II & III will discuss each Aerobic Exercise and the appropriate techniques.

Read Extend Life with Boom-Aerobics – Part II

Read Extend Life with Boom-Aerobics – Part III

Gardening on the Moon, www.gardeningonthemoon.com, originally published this post