Exercisey!

So I still haven’t gotten on any Martial Art-based exercise program, but don’t think that means I’m idle. I’ve been doing some outdoor running and some indoor aerobics to get my heart rate up a few times a week. Running is *so much easier* now that I weigh less. I’ve noticed a few other changes, too. It’s easier for me to move around, and yesterday I went from laying on my stomach to standing up by walking my hands back toward my feet. And this time I got all the way up. I haven’t been able to do that before. Also, my wedding ring is dangerously close to falling off. I’m thinking about getting another one a half-size smaller. Maybe tungsten or titanium this time. Current low weight: 206 pounds. Leveling off, but still room to grow. Or shrink, I guess.

My latest exercise escapade has been ‘barefoot running’. Which I’m actually not doing barefoot. I have some old waders which offer excellent ‘pebble and asphalt’ protection, without offering a lot of foot support, which is the idea. It forces you to run on your toes, which is a serious calf workout, let me tell you. But the idea is that running shoes ‘allow’ you to run on your heels, stomping down with enough protection that it doesn’t hurt to run that way. But unfortunately, that means that all the impact is either absorbed by your shoes or by your *knees*. A little rough, in the long term. Barefoot running means you land on the balls of your feet. Any other running method will feel really weird. That means you have a much longer impact time and much more impact is absorbed by your feet and calves. It’s definitely a different mode of running. We’ll see how it works out.

I eventually want to get back into some form of ‘exercise inspiration’, whether martial arts-based or otherwise. I never exercised until I had some reason to, and that used to be Tae Kwon Do or some other martial art. I do it now for the health, and because I get really tired if I don’t, but it’s nice to have something else to work for. I’m actually considering taking drum lessons. I know that every time I sit down at my (electronic) drums for more than a few minutes, I work up a serious sweat. Could be something else neat to try.

Speaking of music, I’ve started doing that, as well, though in a decidedly roundabout way. I’ve actually gone back to my old music theory textbooks, which are great because they offer *tons* of examples and exercises to work through, and I’m re-learning everything again, from simple part-writing and chord selection all the way through writing simple Piano music. I’m hoping to start with some simple melodies and chords, written properly, and then get into the strange synthesizers and filters of the rest of my ‘studio’. We’ll see how it goes. If I make anything that sounds good, I’ll put it up here.

And on a final note, I’m sitting on the couch, and Tigger is laying next to me. Nagano is laying on the back of the couch above my head. They’re both asleep. Very cute.

-N