05 May 2006

the wave

My gym got a new cardio machine (well, they got two of them actually) called the Cardio Wave. I tried it out this morning (after 20 minutes on my second-favorite elliptical). First impression? It's hard!

The motion your legs make is side-to-side, like in-line skating. The trick is to keep the "pedals" from hitting the end of their range or you get a clunky ride.

I kind of liked that I didn't bounce up and down (as on the elliptical, even though it's a low/no-impact kind of bounce) - when I looked up to see myself in the mirrors, I could barely tell I was moving.

The thing about this machine is that the higher the effort setting, the less resistance the pedals offer, so your legs move faster. I tried the "Weight Loss" program (not recommended for your first time out on The Wave) and it started at level 3 and by minute 3, I was up to level 9 or 10, dripping sweat and panting (remember, I'm still trying to kick this bronchitis thing). I had to start over with the manual controls for fear that I'd be up to level 25 by minute 6! I did another 6 or so minutes before I started hearing the muscles around my knees and upper thighs complaining. The motion is so different from walking, jogging, elliptical, and cycling, I think it's something I need to work up to.

Anyway, it was a nice change of pace from the elliptical and the morning gym-goers seem scared of these new machines, so they're all mine.

01 May 2006

back on the (wheel) hoss

Sorry to disappear. I was sick for nearly three weeks. I'm not sure I'm quite back yet, so I'm pushing that envelope. I rode my bike in this morning and did a light workout with weights. Felt OK, not great. I'm not looking forward to the ride home, but at least it's looking sunny and warmish out there.

I was a complete basketcase last week. Tired, depressed, ugly, sick, and flabby. Mostly depressed. I couldn't really get enthused enough to do anything. I blame the lack of endorphins that I'm used to getting with my regular exercise program. But, I went out yesterday for an hour-long walk, and actually accomplished stuff this weekend (mostly that winter-to-spring clothes-closet transition). And two movies ("Inside Man" (a Spike Lee joint) and "Friends with Money" (a depressing story of a bunch of dysfunctionals, much like the director's other movie "Lovely and Amazing" which I like to call "Crazy and Delicious")). (See, you can tell I'm feeling better by the proliferation of parenthetical remarks.)