Over to the dark side…?

It was with no small sense of trepidation that I met Tarkwin at his archery club on Saturday for my first attempt at shooting my bow since the ill-fated attempt at resuming archery last year.

That attempt led to months of pain, physiotherapy, and the unhappy expectation that I’d never be able to do archery again (never mind the other aspects of my life it’s affected). It’s over a year since that night and my left shoulder, arm and hand are still not 100%. While there is no longer any pain involved, there is a definite weakness and reduction in motor control. My natural ambidexterity is quite high, but I still find that fine or unusual motion with my left hand (turning a lock or key, crushing a can, etc) requires more attention than before.

Tarkwin had lent me his compound bow — jovially known throughout the archery world as the dark side and its practitioners as darksiders — as, although it requires a stronger initial pull than a recurve, once you pull it to full draw, the total weight on your fingertips is often a quarter of the draw weight (e.g. a 60lb compound only requires 15lb force to hold it at full draw), dependent upon the cams used.

The “dark side” moniker is based upon a number of factors, some real and some perceived:

• Reduced full-draw weight.
• Tilt level bubble to make sure the bow is vertical.
• Magnification lens in the eyepiece.
• Trigger release, rather than finger tab.
• The sense that compound is easier than other styles.
• The weirdness of the bow and attitude of the darksider behind it.
• Compounds seem to be the main preserve of sports hunters in other countries and indeed their target archery, giving it a kind of stigma here in the UK.

It’s probably partly to do with it “being different” (we are just tribal monkeys in shoes, after all) and lack of understanding of the skill required to do it properly. I saw some of the Archery World Cup on TV last year and the compound finals competition was exceptional to watch, even though I was watching it for the recurve events.

Anyway, after 8-10 ends on Saturday I discovered a few things:

• I had no pain at all, anywhere.
• My left arm was incredibly weak, which is unsurprising after over 18 months of favouring it and doing no archery or strength exercises.
• I was able to use the compound quite well, considering it was my first ever attempt.
• Now, two full days later, there has been no aching or other DOMS symptoms.

It’s going to take some practice — a lot of practice — but it might be a viable way to get back into archery, assuming that I actually am unable to resume recurve.

I hope I can resume recurve. Not just because I have 2 recurve bows and an English longbow, but because I do enjoy it. Having said that, if recurve is out of the picture and I have compound as a viable alternative, then I’m not complaining. It just means I’ll have two bows to sell shortly!

So that’s what sedentary means!

Finally got a new battery for my pedometer last weekend and wore it each working day this week, as I was interested to see roughly how much walking I did throughout my normal work week. The magic number of steps widely circulated as ideal to keep fit are 10,000 per day — about 5 miles (8km), or 2,000 steps per mile — so that was what I considered my daily target.

My normal weekday at the moment consisting of: wake, get ready, drive to work, drive a desk for 7½ hours plus one hour for lunch (nearly always at my desk), drive home, do one or more of my usual evening activities (reading, studying, watching TV, playing computer games, writing, blogging, stargazing in the back garden, etc), and go to bed. The most notable thing there is that there is no gym, running, or even much going out and doing interesting things. In all, things are in a bit of a fug at the moment.

With “10,000 a day” in mind I noted my daily and overall number of steps. Imagine my surprise to discover I didn’t even make the recommended daily amount over an entire working week. That is, I didn’t manage 10,000 steps in 5 days, let alone one day. Needless to say, it’s opened my eyes a little with regards to how I make use of my weekday free time — particularly my lunch breaks — and I’m going to look into ways of improving my physical activity before work and after work, regardless of the fact that Summer 2009 isn’t. The idea is to create something active that I do every day as naturally as waking up, not something that depends upon whether it’s a weekday or weekend, hot or raining, or subject to other planning or circumstances.

After the shock of the sub-2,000 steps per day result, I did some additional research into recommended and average steps to keep healthy. It seems that the 10,000 steps a day value is just a Big Round Number promoted by pedometer manufacturers, rather than having any basis in science. Presumably the idea was that by providing a sufficiently large target value, people would buy a pedometer to make sure they do it.

Having said that, a Harvard University study shows that as little as 6,000 steps per day are sufficient to lower the death rate:

A landmark study of 17,000 Harvard alumni suggests that men who burn an extra 700 or so calories a week by walking, playing sports, or doing some other form of dynamic exercise live longer than those who aren’t active. The health benefits continue to increase up to about 2,000 or so calories a week, then seem to level off from there. Information from a long-term study of female nurses shows similar trends for women.

The steps-to-calorie conversion is based upon the person’s weight, with a 120lb (54kg) person burning 85 calories per mile and increasing 10 calories per 20lbs (9kg) of bodyweight; a 119kg person burns about 155 calories per mile. So according to the study’s minimum, for a 119kg person (that would be me) to burn 700 extra calories per week they need to walk just 4½ miles per week, or 0.6 miles (1km) per day.

Excluding physical disability or illness, anyone can achieve that. The average walking pace is at least 3mph (5kmh), so walking just over half a mile should take no more than 12 minutes. That’s walking away from wherever you are for 6 minutes, turning around and walking back again (called an out-and-back), or a loop around the block (providing it’s a 0.6 mile-sized block). Nobody is so busy that they can’t actually set aside 10 minutes every day — after all, we all find the time to take a shower, make multiple cups of tea or coffee, chat by the watercooler, or hit the snooze button once or twice in the morning. It doesn’t have to be at the same time every day — it can be squeezed in before you head to work, before you start the working day, after you’ve scoffed your lunch, before you head home, once you get home, or any time in the evening. But probably best not done within an hour of going to bed, unless insomnia is something you want to try on for size.

So why don’t people do it? We’re lazy. We don’t realise how much such a little change will make. And for most of us, the “dying” part of our life seems so far away as to be something we can deal with later. Much later. But it seems that by spending 10-15 minutes a day in just walking, that day will be even further away.

, and that 8000 to 10000 step per day promotes weight loss

Motivation, where art thou?

I wish I understood motivation. I wish I understood where it went. I wish I understood how to generate it.

While chatting with a friend this morning about how long it’s been since I did any archery, I worked out that it was just over 9 months ago, in late September 2008. The same evening that I screwed up my arm.

Truth be told, the main reason I’ve not shot since then is fear of repeating that excruciating pain, and the long, slow physiotherapy process required to simply have a normal arm again. As mentioned in my New Year post, I think compound might be an option, and I’m planning on trying one out tomorrow. More to follow on this.

I then looked at the time I blogged about archery prior to that date and it was October 2007 — back when I was going to the gym 3 times a week, running 3 times a week, and doing archery 2 times a week. I was a calorie-burning and weight-loss machine, burning 3,000-4,000 calories a week on exercise alone, who was spending most of his spare time being active. I’d dropped from 118kg to 106kg and felt fantastic, culminating in the 5km Santa’s fun run.

Now 21 months on I’m worse off and heavier than I was back then, simply because I’ve lost the motivation to just get out there and do it. My running shoes are constantly calling out to me, my pushbike eyes me malevolently whenever I’m in the garage, and my bank statement proudly displays my wasted monthly gym payment, so I know I need to get back into the groove.

I know it’ll happen eventually — it’s how I’m wired. I just wish I knew why motivation ebbs and flows like this.

Another Tuesday gym

Slept in on Saturday — a much needed sleep in I must admit — so missed gym on the weekend. Not beating myself up too much about it; I’m just happy to be resembling a pattern of gym attendance again.

Met Tarkwin in the carpark at 7:30pm, as agreed, and I knew straight away that he wasn’t going in. He looked like death warmed up and it wasn’t entirely surprising: he’d recently stopped smoking, was using nicotine patches (which have been making him jittery and nervous), and he hadn’t slept or eaten well for a few days as a result of it. I tried to coax him into coming in just for the treadmill, cycle or some weights so his trip hadn’t been for nothing, but he wasn’t having it.

Still, I applaud him for even coming to the leisure centre. He did so just to see if he’d feel half human after the drive and some fresh air. Guess not. We chatted for a while, then I went into the gym and he went home. Probably the best thing for him.

Tonight I thought I’d increase the times and/or levels on all my cardio equipment, and was actually able to do them all in order this time. There’s no doubt that my cardio fitness is already improving, in a remarkably short time. I was able to do the cross-trainer for the full duration, albeit at the lower end of the range I had recommended to me. I wasn’t quite able to manage the full 15 minutes of run/walk on the treadmill, but came in at an acceptable 12 minutes. The exercise bike was the hardest of all, probably because I’d drained my energy on the previous two machines; though I did 9 of the stipulated 10 minutes at the lowest end of the recommended range.

I certainly knew I’d worked out once I’d completed the cardio machines. Next was the weight machines, and for them I dropped down a weight to allow 2×15; previously I’d been doing 2×10 at the full weight, but it didn’t feel as though I was progresssing. I even managed the full set of planks: 2×20s each of front, left and right.

The cooldown stretching wasn’t as relaxing as I’d have liked, as I was still reeling from the workout. I hadn’t overdone it, but I’d come pretty close. I’d pushed both my cardio and muscles to the limit, and I felt marvellous — but knackered — for it.

The next couple of days are going to be interesting. My arms resemble jelly at the moment — I wonder what they’ll be like with both jelly control and stiffness? Still, it’s all worth it.

Hey… I’m running!

I’ve recently bought myself a copy of The Official British Army Fitness Guide (UK|US) written, as its title says, by the British Army. Well, the Army Physical Training Corps.

I read it on the weekend, and I’m rather impressed. Unlike the majority of fitness books and resources I’ve seen, this one is notable by its conspicuous absence of gadgets and special dietary shenanigans.

I’d written almost a whole review of this book before I remember that the Amazon (UK) website already has a number of perfectly acceptable reviews. Get your review fix there, or trust me when I say this book is excellent in its simplicity, range of coverage (aerobic fitness, strength, stretching and flexibility, warmups and cooldowns, safety, cross-training, nutrition, hydration, injury prevention, equipment), and wide-ranging fitness programmes that cover everyone from those who can jog for 1 minute in 4 right up those who can run at 60-70% effort for 40 mins. I use running as an example because it factors heavily in the aerobics component (though they show how walking or cycling can be used instead).

The running part…

It’s hard to believe that it was April 2008 — and while visiting another country — when I last went for a run outside the gym. How depressing!

This morning I awoke newly-enthused, got dressed, strapped on the Forerunner, waited an age for the GPS signal to lock, and began Week 1 Day 1 of the book’s basic aerobic programme. After 4 reps of 1 minute run and 3 minutes walk I was winded, mildly sweaty and happy. Hey… I ran!

I wasn’t paying attention to my pace, though SportTracks tells me that I ran under 10:00/mile each rep (and ~20:00/mile for the walk), averaging 15:23/mile. The average pace was nothing special, but I’m pleased that I managed sub-10:00 on each run part, as it’s so much faster than my previous regular running pace. Obviously I won’t be able to keep that pace up on a continuous run, but it would be nice to improve on my previous 14:30/mile average.

So after a year or so of being part of the wider Internet running community without actually running, I’m no longer a fraud! Well, you know what I mean.

Tuesday gym, for a change

Due to some classes at Tarkwin’s archery club, we’ve switched to Tuesday evening gym for the duration. Swapping is no big deal for me at the moment, and means we can still use each other for moral support. Such that it is.

Tonight was pretty much the same as Saturday, as I kept the same weights, times and levels, preferring to allow myself to acclimatise to the new levels rather than continually adding difficulty. Seems to be working well.

Saturday gym

There was no gym during the week or last weekend, as I was at a friend’s wedding for most of said weekend and felt a little worse for wear for the next couple of days. Rather than potentially ruin the nice new equipment, I thought my time would be better spent… doing nothing.

Met Tarkwin at the gym for 9:30pm and, despite having to queue up with all the families with their little kiddies, we were in before 10am. The workout was straightforward as I’m still keeping my limits below what is recommended on the card, preferring to build myself up slowly. It makes sense, and I’m managing to do it okay.

It’s life, gym…

Sunday and Monday were the days of DOMS. I felt it in a big way on Sunday, even having to adjust the way I got out of an armchair to appease my wailing muscles. No damage done, just simply a reaction to concentrated exercise again. It’ll be a thing of the past soon enough, so it’s all good.

Had an appallingly stressful day at work and to add insult to injury, a few miles from home a Volvo S40 though it would be a good idea to shunt me as I sat at a T-junction’s give-way sign waiting for a car to pass. It’s my 8th or 9th car accident in 20 years of driving and I’m still fortunate than none have been my fault (nor have I caused them!). Fortunately the damage seems to be minimal and we were both able to drive away without a problem.

Anyway, when I got home this evening I gave very serious thought to not going to the gym. I had excuses available: arranging the insurance claim, still mildly shaking (mild shock or adrenaline?), unsure whether the ache in my neck was there before or after the accident, and generally having had a crap day. I chose to go partly because I promised Tarkwin I’d be there, partly because I wanted to keep building up the attendance routine and partly because I figured a workout would melt the stress away.

So I met Tarkwin in the carpark, having had to dodge another lemming (two for two visits) who thought it’d be great to stand in the middle of the roadway and not move when I approached, and made our way into the still new and shiny gym. I chose my proper treadmill exercise this time, which meant I ran for the first time in ages — and it felt marvellous. The profile was walk/run, but it made me grin. I really do like to run, despite being overweight and with what my great-aunt calls a horseman’s physique: long torso and short legs. Personally, I think it’s a kind way of saying average height fat git with short legs, but that could just be me…

Next was the cross-trainer and bike, both of which were fine. I’m still taking it easy by dialling the time down to make it manageable. After that was the weights, which I did as stipulated with the exception of those on the dip/pullup machine.

Overall it was an enjoyably tiring workout, and it completely did the trick with my stress levels. Walking into the gym I was stressed, tense and grumpy, but walking out I was calm, relaxed and peaceful. It’s an alternative to a martial art, I suppose…

Back to the gym… again!

Today was my first visit to the gym in… some time. In fact, I’ve not been at all this year — and we’re 1/3 of the way through it! My weight has started to climb back up, stairs and hills are interesting again, I’m becoming noticeably lethargic, and yet I’m finding it difficult to sleep properly and to get up in the mornings. There are no valid excuses, merely a list of reasons that begin with me first not being able to go due to injury, enjoying the spare time a little too much, then falling out of the exercise habit and even forgetting to go, and then trying to regain the motivation to get past the embarrassment and gain the willpower to actually get back into the routine.

It’s awful to be back at square one again, knowing that all — or most — of the progress I’ve made in the past has gone again. Still, the irritating optimist I try to hide behind a mask of faux-pessimism knows that I’ve done it once before, so I can do it again.

So today I met Tarkwin at the leisure centre, where we both discovered that the planned gym extension has now been completed, and found ourselves standing in what felt like a proper commercial gym. A strange feeling for a council facility, which my experiences have shown are usually grubby, run-down and provide well-loved wobbly machines. It was unexpectedly encouraging.

Surprisingly, my exercise card was still in the rack, yet Tarkwin’s wasn’t. The staff put a sticker on the card every 2-3 months to ask you to book a Re-Focus (a reassessment to you and me) and if, after a month, you haven’t booked it they remove your card to free up space in the card rack for members who attend — or so the theory goes. I ripped my sticker off late last year as I hadn’t been going often at that point, and the “torn sticker” look seems to get the hint across.

I did most of the scheduled workout, with the exception of the dip/pullup machine and rower, and kept all the intensities at the lowest of the sliding scale and found that, although it was hard work, I managed it without killing myself or feeling bad afterwards. Very pleased indeed — and lifted some of the despair I had at having let myself go (yet) again. Again. Again.

Looking forward to Wednesday’s visit, and plan to get out either for a walk, jog or cycle tomorrow if they weather’s nice. The shoes and Forerunner need a dust-off, and the bike just needs a once-over and the tyres to be pumped up. Providing there’s sunshine, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to get out at start on the road to increased fitness again.

Then I’ll come back and watch the London Marathon and dream of entering it someday. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t be able to do it, but I expect I’ll have done the Reading Half Marathon before then as part of the lead up to it, and a lot of 5K (such as the Santa’s Fun Run) before that.

One step at a time…

Weight to Go – 1 month later

Well, it’s been exactly one month since I started Weight To Go, and I have to admit that the results have been positive. This time last month I weighed 122kg and now I’m a fraction over 117kg. A 5kg (11lb) loss in 31 days is a success by anyone’s reckoning.

I should clarify that I’ve done next to no exercise in the last month, for a variety of reasons ranging from injury to weather to bone idle laziness. I’m planning on rectifying that very soon, so we’ll see how that goes.

The little weight-tracking iPhone app I use, called Weightbot, conservatively forecasts that at my current rate I’ll drop below 100kg in November. Simple maths suggests it might happen much sooner–sometime in May or June–but I suppose the app is allowing for the few speedbumps I’ve had this last month and the historical data I entered as far back as August last year, which was nowhere near as encouraging as this last month has been.

The meals are still not a problem, though I do stray a little bit here and there–but I’ve always read that sticking religiously to something will drive you nuts–so I’m not afraid of the occasional pub lunch with my colleagues or dinner out, trying to limit it to no more than once a week if possible. I sometimes won’t have fruit with each morning or evening blended shake–it depends on whether I’ve remembered to buy some–though I try for at least a banana or handful of berries (strawberries, blueberries and/or blackberries), and each afternoon shake is simply mixed with water using a spoon (a little chunky like badly prepared Quik, but palatable–ideally you’d blend it at home and bring it to work). I still have a slice of bread (or two) and margarine with some of my meals, but other than that I’m sticking to the plan.

So that’s it for this update. I’ll continue with Weight To Go and let you know how things are going in a month or so.