
We each follow a different program but basically it takes us about an hour and a half and we seem to finish at the same time although we do not cross paths on our journey around the equipment. I start with two miles on the treadmill while I read a book and the rest of my program, on the Keiser machines, with free weights and stretching, I think I could do in my sleep. It's rather a zen-like experience as I complete it while listening to music on my iPod.
But it was assessment time and I was contacted by my "new trainer" to arrange a time for this. For the first three years my trainer was the young woman who runs the program, but this year I met up with Tania, a graduate of the Human Kinetics program and intending to go into physiotherapy in the Fall.
Now I'm five foot six and more substantial than I should be. Tania turned out to be five feet, slender but wiry, with tiny hands and feet. But she seemed to know her stuff and was not the least bit intimidated by me looming above her. Off to the lab we went to go through the usual set of tests which allows them to design a personalized exercise program for you.
Of course there's the usual weighing and measuring and checking of resting heart rate and blood pressure. After all we are old and they don't want us conking out while following our program, although you do require a doctor's clearance before starting and regularly thereafter.
To assess your aerobic fitness you ride a stationary bike while wearing a heart monitor which is connected to a computer and the program shuts down if you exceed the recommended heart rate for your age. I have never been able to complete this test since my heart rate always shuts the machine down. However it does not stop me doing aerobic exercise and I have never had any problem, touch wood.
The other tests assess strength and flexibility and I am glad to say I am in the excellent range for those, for my age, and I have improved considerably in these areas since my first assessment, just over three years ago.
One of the tests is quite strange to my mind. You are required to stand on one foot for a minimum of 30 seconds. Apparently I can stand on my left leg indefinitely but the right one is a bit more difficult. Then you have to do it with your eyes closed and that turns out to be almost impossible for me. I seem to manage about 8 seconds only. You try it and see how good you are at it. Well you can't time yourself with you eyes closed, so you will need help with that. It's quite an interesting test. We went over the tests results together, I gave her my program card to look over and we arranged to meet in the gym in a few days where she would tweak my routine.
One of the first things she did in the gym was get me onto the elliptical machine, a relatively recent addition to the gym, but which I have been avoiding like the plague. Five minutes and I thought I was going to die. My heart was racing, I was sweating and muscles
I did not know existed were screaming, Stop! Now this was planned to replace some of my treadmill time. Good luck! Well would you believe that a few weeks later I can do twenty minutes on this machine, which thankfully is the time limit? Unfortunately it's quite boring and you can't read a book so I listen to my iPod and grind away at it. Then I escape to the treadmill with my book for a bit of a rest. Well it seems like a rest after the elliptical.
Just as my mother always told me, Tania said my posture was not good so some tips on improving this were bandied about, but the thing that really got me was I was told that I did not walk up and down stairs correctly. What? Apparently I walk on the stairs with my feet turned out. Well yes, I have big feet and stairs seem to have very narrow treads. So can you believe I have to practice planting my foot straight and walking up and down on some wooden stairs in the gym? She added a few other exercises to my program and corrected some bad form I had on some of the machines, but basically that was it with my personal trainer until we meet again in six months.
Well she might be a tiny little thing but Tania was very professional and I was impressed by her knowledge and she dealt well with the tough old lady who is now good to go after her tune-up. Changing Aging. Well I'm doing my best to stem the tide.
But it was assessment time and I was contacted by my "new trainer" to arrange a time for this. For the first three years my trainer was the young woman who runs the program, but this year I met up with Tania, a graduate of the Human Kinetics program and intending to go into physiotherapy in the Fall.
Now I'm five foot six and more substantial than I should be. Tania turned out to be five feet, slender but wiry, with tiny hands and feet. But she seemed to know her stuff and was not the least bit intimidated by me looming above her. Off to the lab we went to go through the usual set of tests which allows them to design a personalized exercise program for you.
Of course there's the usual weighing and measuring and checking of resting heart rate and blood pressure. After all we are old and they don't want us conking out while following our program, although you do require a doctor's clearance before starting and regularly thereafter.
To assess your aerobic fitness you ride a stationary bike while wearing a heart monitor which is connected to a computer and the program shuts down if you exceed the recommended heart rate for your age. I have never been able to complete this test since my heart rate always shuts the machine down. However it does not stop me doing aerobic exercise and I have never had any problem, touch wood.
The other tests assess strength and flexibility and I am glad to say I am in the excellent range for those, for my age, and I have improved considerably in these areas since my first assessment, just over three years ago.
One of the tests is quite strange to my mind. You are required to stand on one foot for a minimum of 30 seconds. Apparently I can stand on my left leg indefinitely but the right one is a bit more difficult. Then you have to do it with your eyes closed and that turns out to be almost impossible for me. I seem to manage about 8 seconds only. You try it and see how good you are at it. Well you can't time yourself with you eyes closed, so you will need help with that. It's quite an interesting test. We went over the tests results together, I gave her my program card to look over and we arranged to meet in the gym in a few days where she would tweak my routine.
One of the first things she did in the gym was get me onto the elliptical machine, a relatively recent addition to the gym, but which I have been avoiding like the plague. Five minutes and I thought I was going to die. My heart was racing, I was sweating and muscles

Just as my mother always told me, Tania said my posture was not good so some tips on improving this were bandied about, but the thing that really got me was I was told that I did not walk up and down stairs correctly. What? Apparently I walk on the stairs with my feet turned out. Well yes, I have big feet and stairs seem to have very narrow treads. So can you believe I have to practice planting my foot straight and walking up and down on some wooden stairs in the gym? She added a few other exercises to my program and corrected some bad form I had on some of the machines, but basically that was it with my personal trainer until we meet again in six months.
Well she might be a tiny little thing but Tania was very professional and I was impressed by her knowledge and she dealt well with the tough old lady who is now good to go after her tune-up. Changing Aging. Well I'm doing my best to stem the tide.