I Survived Silver Sneakers (please keep the laughing to a dull roar)!

Hello everyone. I may need your help. I'm experimenting with some layouts, so you may see a different blog a day for a few days. Please feel more than free to comment on the readability of what you see and know that things will be settled soon! I really love this multiple post layout, but it does mean that the blog roll and labels and such are all no drop down instead of the side bar. Since my goal is what works with the readers, feel free to share!

So. It's no secret to anyone who has read my blog for any period of time. My traditional exercise method has been the half an hour walk, along with the normal stretching of house cleaning and such.

Only.  I can't walk anymore, at least for exercise. My doctor feels that it's too unstable, especially since when I do walk I choose to do so alone. So, time to find some other kind of exercise. Because, as a friend (who is in a master's program in retirement) would say: When I pray daily, exercise daily and work on some meaningful project every day, I feel emotionally, mentally, and physically better. So, new exercises must be found.

Today, after talking about it for a year or so, I went to my first two (yes, two) Silver Sneakers classes. You may not always be able to tell it by reading this blog, but my kids would tell you that I am the master of both excuses and procrastination. Why on earth do something today that could just as well be done tomorrow, you know?

In this case, my excuses had a basis in real issues, for what it's worth. I had attended both Silvers Sneakers and Silver Sneakers Aqua in Dallas, and found both to be less aerobic activity than I needed (admittedly, that was then and this is now). As if that weren't excuse enough, all the exercise programs at my local recreation center started at ten am or earlier-a tough time for the gal who reads until two am.

All that changed when I drove by another recreation center (belonging to the same town) a little further afield, walked in and found out that they had both a Silver Sneakers class that started at 11:30, AND that they had a silver sneakers yoga stretch class to follow. What's more the first class guaranteed at least twenty minutes of aerobic activity either standing or from the chair. I was ready.

People!! Let me tell you. I was, without doubt one of the weakest out of shape people there.  Judging Silver Sneakers by my previous location?  What a mistake! I marched and moved and stepped from side to side for twenty minutes, only needing about eight in a chair. I exercised using stretchy bands, a ball, and (wait for it...) one pound weights (because I have a frozen shoulder).  All the while watching the little eighty year old lady in front of me run and hop instead of marching and work out with ten pound weights.  I obviously have a long way to go.

I know that many of my readers do Silver Sneakers, and that for some folks I am preaching to the choir here. But when you have chronic health and physical problems, trying to stay in shape, stay healthy and stay pain free-all at the same time-is a difficult  task.  So often I feel that I'm a) not getting enough aerobic exercise b) not getting enough strength work to support my injuries c) frustrated because everything hurts and people don't seem to care or d) it's like exercise is more worth than it's worth.

So I am thrilled that there were two instructors, one doing the sitting and standing moves. I am thrilled that no one looked askance when I stretched and moved with just one arm above my head. And finally, I am thrilled that I managed to work my way through what was basically two hours of organized exercise, keeping up and not falling.

Even though Silver Sneakers is not free for me (the first complaint I've had in years when it comes to federal retiree insurance).

And as for how hard I workd?  I'll let you know how I feel tomorrow, tomorrow!!