Not my workout.
There are as many good reasons for not working out as there are for committing to an exercise regimen. Among them:
- It’s fun to laze around in the mornings, read the news, play Words With Friends. You understand—stop and smell the roses. Enjoy the moment.
- Exercising can be painful—during and afterwards.
- Regular exercise requires not only effort but discipline.
On the other hand, the benefits are many:
- It feels good to be physically fit.
- Exercise is good for the brain as well as the body.
- It’s useful to maintain muscle strength.
The problem? It’s easy to rationalize avoiding exercise. Who can argue with keeping up with old friends by talking on the phone instead? Or vacuuming? Surely vacuuming is good for the triceps.
Last week I once again began the “Seven-Minute Workout.” I was attracted to it a few years ago because it’s so short. However, “short” doesn’t mean “easy.” According to the New York Times, the workout “combines a long run and a visit to the weight room into about seven minutes of steady discomfort — all of it based on science.” It alternates between exercises for the large muscles of the upper and lower body (30 seconds per exercise) with a ten-second rest between each. They are the longest 30 seconds and shortest 10 seconds I have ever experienced. And the 30 minutes of panting afterwards doesn’t feel that great, either.
NOTE: To keep it honest, after completing the above I went downstairs and did today’s 7-Minute Workout. And now if you’ll excuse me, I am going to take a wee bit of Acetaminophen.
Have a good week!
Photo by Clem Onojeghuo via Unsplash.
