Fit for comparison

Wednesday, July 4, 2012 Permalink

Someone commented on my fitness on Monday, and NOT in the way I expected.

I wrote in my other blog about my rush to get to Zumba as well as my need to confess to all there the exact reason I had a scratched and swollen eye.

But as I was leaving the class with another (less-regular) participant we were comparing notes about our workouts. She confessed that she struggled to make it to the gym once a week and was impressed by my daily workday workouts. “That’s why you’re so fit,” she said.

What. The. Fuck?

Now, I’m not sharing this story in some coy way to have you think that I am (in fact) fit. Cos I’m not. I’m seriously overweight and not-very fit (ie. not someone who’s 5kg overweight and all woe-is-me cos they can’t run 10km!). At the moment I feel like I’m struggling through Zumba and Hip Hop, which made her comment even more surprising. It did, however, get me pondering more on different types of fitness.

Now I’m not a fitness expert. (Obviously.) And I think some of my readers visit this blog for that very reason. But I do recall reading about aerobic fitness and anaerobic fitness many moons ago and it’s stayed with me. Of course, if I was more enthusiastic I’d do some research (via Dr Google) and set out the differences between the two and suggest ways to improve on each; but this isn’t that sort of blog. Heaps of others offer that sort of advice;  just not this little black duck who prefers to write about me… and how I see the world. (Yes, it’s all about me, me, me!)

For example, one of my girlfriends used to be a mad gym-goer. From all accounts she worked-out twice a day, doing stacks of weights and spin classes and the like. But, when she and another friend attended a bootcamp (back in the early 2000s when they were a novelty) she was really shocked at her lack of fitness when it came time to do shuttle runs and other similar exercises. She’d seen herself as super-fit and was so discouraged she didn’t return after her first session.

I’ve nearly always been the opposite. Although I’ve got crap reflexes (in terms of getting a quick start) I’m better at short shuttle runs and the like. I’m (well, I was) agile. I can stop and change directions quickly. My recovery rate is also okay. But I’ve never really been a long distance runner. Even when I was anorexic and exercising for hours a day, jogging did not come easily to me.

And as for now…  I’ve talked about the fact before that – generally – I’m okay in my dance classes. I might get stuffed, but a few seconds to grab some water and get my breath between songs and I’m okay. Similarly in circuit type classes, I’ll complain incessantly about an exercise (step-ups, rowing, squats, skipping or mountain climbers), but I’ll be ready to move onto the next exercise more quickly than many there.

It’s one of the reasons I HATE working out on the gym room floor. I’m not good at pausing in between sets of exercises. When I used to do free weights or use machines at the gym I alternated exercises if equipment was free, rather than take a break. Although, I suspect this has as much to do with impatience as anything. But I’m often stunned by those who go to the gym to workout and will stand in front of a TV screen for minutes-on-end watching something before getting back to the exercise at hand.

HELLO, YOU’RE THERE TO WORK OUT, NOT WATCH TV FFS! I’d prefer to work on another muscle if one becomes fatigued, while waiting for the first to recover.

My brief foray into personal training years ago was problematic because my desire to just bloody well keep going, meant that my trainers possibly thought I was fitter than I was (which became obvious when they wanted me to run or climb stairs!).

Jogging etc for any period of time KILLS me and I have written about my hatred of running in this blog on many (many) occasions. I feel the same about hills and stairs. But shorts bursts of exercise, I find to be, doable!

I know of people who could run 5km but would struggle (fitness-wise) through a high impact aerobic class. Similarly I chuckle at those guys who irregularly attend my gym’s pump class (group weights held to music) and load their bars up as if they were still on the gym floor doing sets of short repetitions, and struggle to keep up during a 5 or 6 minute routine.

I’m sure you’re wondering if I have a point. And… as it happens I don’t. Not really.

But it occurred to me later that, rather than accept  a compliment from my fellow gym-goer, I had to debunk her perception of me by explaining that I really wasn’t ‘fit’ at all. I was gasping for air as much as the next person, I explained.

However, in retrospect, it’s back to that age-old dilemma of not comparing ourselves to others or judging those around us. I look at those who tweet about their 5km or 8km runs and feel inadequate. But perhaps they compare themselves to those training for a half-marathon or marathon. So… perhaps she wasn’t mistaken, and in the mind of my workout colleague I AM fit. (I’m just not as fit as I’d like!)

Do you find some types of exercise easier than others?

20 Comments
  • Liz@LastChanceTraining
    July 4, 2012

    Hi Deb,
    I’m pretty sure I have alluded to this, but fitness is very specific. I’m fit for cycling but a Zumba class would probably slay me 🙂 Have you improved against all the activities you’ve been doing this year – know this is a big “yes”, so indeed you are fit 🙂
    xx

    • Debbish
      July 4, 2012

      That’s true Liz!

      Deb

  • Miz
    July 4, 2012

    I KNOW I say it all the time but I can not stand cardio.
    I do it.
    frequently.
    I loathe it each time 🙂

    • Debbish
      July 4, 2012

      I also love that your workouts are efficient Miz… it gives me hope I can (one day) sustain a fit and healthy body without spending hours in a gym!

      Deb

  • Vikki
    July 4, 2012

    I hate jogging. I do however tolerate interval runs. I did an Xtend Barre class today and while I was dying through most of it I loved it. I tolerate Zumba – only because I get frustrated with the whole fitness/dance thing ( Xtend Barre is different btw ) and recover quite easily between songs.

    Give me short sets and I’m in Heaven. Make me do something long and drawn out – other than walking where my mind is free to wander – and I’ll want to bite off my own arm and use it as a weapon 😉

    • Debbish
      July 4, 2012

      Hi Vikki! I’m intrigued about Xtend Barre (will have to google it!)

      And I COMPLETELY agree!!!!

      Deb

  • KCLAnderson (Karen)
    July 5, 2012

    I have to agree with Liz…you’re probably fitter than you think, at least in terms of some activities. I think after reading my last post you’d agree that I am fit when it comes to kettlebells, but running? Not so much. Sure, I could probably do it (and used to do it quite often back in 2006-2008). I also kickboxed and was pretty good at it. But compared to other runners and kickboxers (and I say that in an honest, non-judgy way), I am not as fit. But I bet I can swing a 70-pound kettlebell more than they can 😉

    • Debbish
      July 5, 2012

      True Karen and you’d leave me for dead in the kettlebell realm! I liked one of the quotes (pictures) I found about only comparing yourself to your previous self (yesterday’s I think it says)… that makes a lot of sense. We should only be competing with ourselves! (But in a nice friendly way!)

      Deb

  • Karen@WaistingTime
    July 5, 2012

    Of course:) And before I injured myself I often did two workouts a day, with one being 90 minutes on the elliptical. I’d get comments about “wow” and in my mind I was only working LONG not HARD. If that makes sense.

    • Debbish
      July 5, 2012

      It does Karen. Like sitting on an exercise bike pedalling away with no effort for hours on end rather than pushing yourself to do interval training and the like. I’m sure it’s better than nothing (most definitely and I think that when I go for a walk), but you are so right, we know when we are pushing ourselves and when we aren’t….

      Deb

  • Julia
    July 5, 2012

    Fitness and body image often do not equate. One can be super strong and fit, but if she isn’t happy with the way she looks, she will continue to feel inadequate. Recognizing how strong you are, I bet, will help you to feel more confident about your size and shape. You are a warrior!

    • Debbish
      July 6, 2012

      Awww… thanks Julia. I think working on my strength will help. Pilates used to – even when bigger I knew my core was strong and that I was (albeit under a few layers of fat!).

      Deb

  • Satu
    July 6, 2012

    Well, I suspect you’re much fitter than I am.. I found this article about strength, speed and power http://www.teachpe.com/gcse_health/strength_speed_power.php

    I suck at strength, but I do much better on endurance type thing like walking. I’m naturally flexible and agile but am not very good at learning new coreographies (despite my ballet background). The only thing I would excel at a bootcamp would probably be crawling… 🙂

    Well, there’s no rhyme or reason in this comment..

    • Debbish
      July 6, 2012

      You’re so funny Satu! I’m flexible too and I forgot to mention that in my post – it’s something I try to be proud of (even though I was just born that way). Will go and check out the article you included. Thanks.
      xx

  • Rachel from Redcliffe Style
    July 6, 2012

    Yes, I can run (sort of) but struggled when I first started doing combat. I couldn’t believe that I couldn’t breathe. An breathing is kinda important. Rachel x

    • Debbish
      July 6, 2012

      Yes Rachel… a lack of breathing can kinda lead to collapse and death and stuff! 🙂 I noticed you are a runner and have mostly decided that there are runners and non-runners. I’me definitely in the latter category!

      Deb

  • Marion
    July 10, 2012

    Well, Deb. I just wrote that hanging leg lifts were very hard for me. It seems that there is always something a little lacking when priorities are placed elsewhere. I think some of it lies with genetics. I’m not built like a runner. I’m not overly flexible, which has hindered yoga in certain respects. However, it is always fun and interesting to work on things that don’t come easy.

    Regarding pausing between sets. I can personally tell you that if you were challenging yourself as hard as you can, you’d be forced to take a break. Honestly, when I bench press a set of 10 at 135 pounds, I honestly can’t do another one for a few minutes. People working far under their fitness level is why so many women are bored or uninterested with weightlifting.

    🙂 Marion

    • Debbish
      July 11, 2012

      That’s probably true Marion as I haven’t worked out on a gym floor for years, but I was always impatient. Was always alternating shoulders and legs etc to avoid having to stand about (and recover). That’s probably why I enjoy my Pump classes – someone else pushes you so you HAVE to be driven!

      Deb

  • Neen
    July 11, 2012

    It’s very true, you get sort of ‘fit for purpose’ don’t you? I think I’m probably gym fit but I don’t think I could very easily climb a mountain or run outside for very long.

    • Debbish
      July 12, 2012

      So true. I did a class today which made me realise how my fitness has changed – depending on the type of exercise I do. It made me think about the sort of ‘fit’ I want to be.

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