A cardio class when you are over 26 yo
ukaryote
Posts: 874 Member
Today I tried a cardio class for the first time.
Most of the participants were female and under 30 yo. I felt very out of place as an older male, especially when they all started doing the exercises much faster and more skillfully than I. I almost fell over a few times doing unfamiliar moves. And I had to stop entirely twice when the heart threatened to exceed design parameters, and twice more when the muscles were not strong enough and failed.
The habits learned in other exercises were very helpful, namely,
1. Any exercise is much more difficult until you develop muscle memory
2. Concentrate on form at the expense of speed and strength. Good form causes faster progress.
3. Move slowly through each exercise to learn form and develop muscle memory
4. Start with weights that are light, too light.
5. Don't give a hoot how others see you.
While the experience people hopped around, I slowly stepped up and down from the plastic steps. Soon I learned to do it faster.
While they kept blowing thorough exercises, I stopped a few times. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is supposed to raise the heart rate to max, and you are doing it right if you are ready to puke. Really truly. The stomach and ticker told me when to back off.
And the class did have women of an age closer to ours, and they too backed off occasionally. Sensible.
The instructor was very encouraging. He said do whatever you can, it does not matter as long as you keep moving and trying.
I'm returning to the class next week to beat myself up and nearly puke.
Most of the participants were female and under 30 yo. I felt very out of place as an older male, especially when they all started doing the exercises much faster and more skillfully than I. I almost fell over a few times doing unfamiliar moves. And I had to stop entirely twice when the heart threatened to exceed design parameters, and twice more when the muscles were not strong enough and failed.
The habits learned in other exercises were very helpful, namely,
1. Any exercise is much more difficult until you develop muscle memory
2. Concentrate on form at the expense of speed and strength. Good form causes faster progress.
3. Move slowly through each exercise to learn form and develop muscle memory
4. Start with weights that are light, too light.
5. Don't give a hoot how others see you.
While the experience people hopped around, I slowly stepped up and down from the plastic steps. Soon I learned to do it faster.
While they kept blowing thorough exercises, I stopped a few times. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is supposed to raise the heart rate to max, and you are doing it right if you are ready to puke. Really truly. The stomach and ticker told me when to back off.
And the class did have women of an age closer to ours, and they too backed off occasionally. Sensible.
The instructor was very encouraging. He said do whatever you can, it does not matter as long as you keep moving and trying.
I'm returning to the class next week to beat myself up and nearly puke.
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Replies
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Good for you. Wonderful tips to keep in mind with all exercise.
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I agree - you just have to do what you can, and forget about trying to keep up. I do a HIIT class once a week and the others there are half my age so there is no way I am going to compete with them. Recovery is slower as well.
It is a difficult thing to accept; the fact that you can't do what you did when you were younger, but it is an important learnng curve.
Having said that I can lift more weights than most of the youngsters at my gym, but that's because I push myself really hard, and most of the youngsters just seem to go through the motions. Even so I can't lift what I could when I was in my thirties, and doubt if I'll get anywhere near those figures again. I hate the ageing process, and am fighting against it as much as I can!!0 -
Sounds like alot of fun!
I go to a Zumba class with some young and very gorgeous looking girls.....One wall is mirrored and having watched myself in the mirror I have come to realise that I do not do what everyone else is doing nor do I look as lovely as I think I look when I can't see myself....am I bothered? Not a jot! I dance around for an hour...shimmy....in my own way.....shake my bum....in my own way....and come out feeling great ..... and now I try to position myself so I am behind the teacher and so cannot see myself in the mirror.......and he shakes his bum in a very tasty way!:blushing: :huh: :blushing: :noway:
Jean0 -
What a great attitude. When weather gets to bad for lunchtime walks, i plan on doing some classes asset lunchtime. You lessened my fear. Jean, can I get your instructor?0
