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My first choice is always to exercise outside. But on rainy days I stay indoors and suffer through close quarters with Thumper (who runs so heavy his knees surely won't make it to old age), The Reader (who surely doesn't even get his heart rate up on that bicycle), Sir Farts a Lot (self explanatory I believe), a few more yet-to-be nicknamed warriors, and One Very Fine Guy I call George Clooney. From a squat, George can turn and vertical jump onto a platform higher than his waist. Do you have any idea what kind of abs and strength that takes?! Now, you might think he's one of the gym toys I'm referring to in this blog title. But just as in the gym, he's a distraction.
This morning I trudged through my cardio on the elliptical and bike before amusing myself with the real gym toys. Gym toys can be intimidating, but you can either google them or watch someone else use them from out of the corner of your eye. The Bosu ball -- shown on the right -- is an interesting thing. But as nobody else goes near it, I've googled it a few times and often practice my balance, looking just like that woman in the picture. Very zen. Very graceful. Well, for seconds at a time if you don't glance away. It's designed for balance exercises and building strength. Knowing that good balance is essential to live to a ripe old age, a periodic check that I can in fact still balance on one leg is reassuring.
But I got thinking about aging and balance. There is a system in the brain that controls balance. As we age, cells die, including the ones that help us remain upright. Add to that other balance factors like diminishing vision, loss of core strength and slower reflexes and you'd think old people would be toppling over everywhere. Which led me to wonder why America's Funniest Videos hasn't done a collection of falling senior citizens. Is seeing them fall somehow less funny than skateboarding teens? That's so discriminatory.
This morning I trudged through my cardio on the elliptical and bike before amusing myself with the real gym toys. Gym toys can be intimidating, but you can either google them or watch someone else use them from out of the corner of your eye. The Bosu ball -- shown on the right -- is an interesting thing. But as nobody else goes near it, I've googled it a few times and often practice my balance, looking just like that woman in the picture. Very zen. Very graceful. Well, for seconds at a time if you don't glance away. It's designed for balance exercises and building strength. Knowing that good balance is essential to live to a ripe old age, a periodic check that I can in fact still balance on one leg is reassuring.
But I got thinking about aging and balance. There is a system in the brain that controls balance. As we age, cells die, including the ones that help us remain upright. Add to that other balance factors like diminishing vision, loss of core strength and slower reflexes and you'd think old people would be toppling over everywhere. Which led me to wonder why America's Funniest Videos hasn't done a collection of falling senior citizens. Is seeing them fall somehow less funny than skateboarding teens? That's so discriminatory.
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There's another cool looking toy in the gym, TRX Exercise Straps. I'm not sure I'm coordinated enough for them, but I have to watch George Clooney use them some more...you know, strictly for research purposes because I don't know how to spell TRX to be able google TRX exercises.