vaneramos | A writer's workout

Roof the the Sunfire, 10:30 am

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I left at 10:30 and there was only a dusting of snow on the roof and windshield of the car. By the time I got to Business Depot, Stone Road was covered with white. I bought envelopes and fountain pen cartridges. When I came out of the store 10 minutes later, the car needed to be brushed off. Then I drove to Good Life Fitness. By the time I came out there would be another centimetre covering the body.

But at the gym I had another shock. I've only gone once since New Years, and that time I couldn't get into the room where the the scales are. This time the room was free, so I took off my boots and coat and stepped on. It said 198 lbs. I knew my weight was up, but I wasn't expecting that high. It's eight pounds heavier than I've ever been, and I've put on 20 pounds since I started taking mirtaxapine in June.

I have work to do. I would like to lose at least 15 pounds. I can feel the loss of flexibility and strain on my hips. It's time to start working out aerobically. I don't want to spend a lot more time at the gym, so rather than using the cardio machines, I'm adapting my weight routine according to a book by Joyce Vedral I've used for years. It works this way, using chest exercises for example:

Do a set of 12 repetitions using my lowest weight for each of three exercises in quick succession without taking a break: flat dumbbell press (12 reps), flat dumbbell flye (12 reps), and incline dumbbell press (12 reps).

Take a 15 second break.
Sets of 10 reps using the next highest weight for all three exercises in quick succession.
Take a 15 second break.
Sets of 8 reps using the highest weight for all three exercises in quick succession.
Take a 15 second break.
Continue the same way with the biceps exercises and so on.

I worked up a sweat pretty quickly. It took me 30 minutes to do chest, biceps, triceps, abs, back and shoulders. In another 10 minutes I could have done thighs and calves, too, but decided to take it easy first time back. I actually liked the rhythm better than in my former routine, when I took 15-second breaks between every set and finished the three sets for each exercise before moving onto a different one.

Back in the car CBC Radio 2 was talking health and fitness. Creeping along snowy streets I listened to Studio Sparks. Eric Friesen was airing a show on the physical challenges of a musician's life. He interviewed a violist named Leanne who said performers have traditionally neglected their bodies. Injury or illness can end a career all too easily.

"Artists in general are really athletes, because they use their whole bodies for what they do," she said.

Natalie Goldberg wrote that when she holds writing classes or workshops, the people who are most engaged in their writing throw their whole bodies into it. She compares the writing process to the exercise of running.

A writer spends many hours sitting at a keyboard or desk. It's a hard life for the heart. I would rather keep my body healthy and limber. I've reached the age where careful maintenance is required. My new morning routine allows 90 minutes for a trip to the gym three times a week. Good thing.