Plain Jane Plain Talk

The long awaited first snow of the season has finally arrived.  While the calendar still registers December 8 as the FALL season – the white stuff trumps calendar dates.  It is officially winter, in Maryland.

In preparation for the winter season – this means:

• there is not a lot of daylight
• the sun – when it appears – is not very warm
• winds are from the north
• the “north” – means Canada
• everything is colder – from Canada
• freezing rain…snow…ice cause you to fall
• it’s cold and flu season
• everyone who has a cold or flu – shows up at indoor gyms

To avoid the germ sharing at indoor gyms, we created an outdoor weather-protected aerobic circuit – that includes everything a fitness enthusiast could want.   Except for heat.   Details, details.

Situated next to a pile of wood (awaiting burn on the indoor wood stove) are 3 exercise stations.  Stations 1 and 2 include an Elliptigo and Recumbent bicycle — on trainers.  Station 3 is the slide-board.

The quickest way to ramp up your cardio – is to use the slide-board.   While the recumbent bike works the high sections of your quads, and the Elliptigo gets your heart rate pumping – within 30 seconds the Slide board takes your workout to a whole new level.

The slide-board strengthens the adductors (inner thigh) and abductors (hips) by sliding with powerful, and graceful movements – from one length of the board to the next.   For speed (inline or ice) skaters, this is an ideal sport specific workout – as the movement simulates the strength needed in the legs, and movement of the arms.  For runners – the slide-board is not only a diversion from everyday pounding of pavement, but it strengthens the hip muscles using side to side motion.

So, as we exercise, in the cold, during the first snowfall of a Maryland winter, we discover:

• you can get warm if you exercise long enough
• it’s not snowing in the carport
• a cup of Joe is waiting when the workout is over
• being outdoors – despite the weather – is the best place to exercise