At my yearly physical last week a funny thing happened. The doctors staff informed me that swimming is not an aerobic exercise and that I would be better off walking briskly for 20 to 30 minutes a couple days each week.
I explained I try to swim 2 to 3 times each week for 60 to 90 minutes,and my workout is prepared by MO, ya'll might recognise that name. They asked me the distance I cover in that time and I responded with 2800 to 3500 yards or 1.5 to 2 miles depending on time.
Not good enough according to the staff. I should be walking. I will let the facts stand for themselves.
Age 48
Wt 149
BP 120/80
Pulse 60
Body Fat 18%
Total Cholesterol 194 (need to eat better)
Well it is off to the pool for another MO workout. Maybe I will walk briskly from my car to the pool and see if that counts. Thanks for those workouts MO I enjoy them.
Have a great day
Paul
Former Member
Originally posted by mattson
Connie, please say that you meant "3-4 miles at 7 minute/mile pace". Otherwise, you should be getting a gold medal at the Olympics for racewalking. :) (I thought that running sub-4 minute miles were great, and you are walking it in 3!!)
Sorry, I meant to say at 3-4.5 Miles par hour pace. It's kind of like a 15 minute mile. I can't say that I ever measured it very exactly.
When I was really into it it would take me about an hour and a half to do a 7 mile stretrch, this is with stopping couple opf times to stretch, and stopping couple of times to buy a bottle of water. I'd drink about 2 liters of water while doing that walk.
As some of my teammates had a chance to see as we were walking to Indy natatoriun from the hotel while it was raining, I can walk very fast. Even our coach who walks fast and is accustomed to walking up and down the deck all day long ended up huffing and puffing to keep up.
It's that 34+ inch inseam. Now if I could only learn how to use this to my kicking advantage!
Emmett:
Thank you kindly for calling us ignorant or uneducated. As the sole owner of wisdom, I'm glad you feel entitled to look down on the rest of us.
Here's a newsflash - walking is not exercise, it's placing one foot in front of other like the cavemen did to get from point a to point b. Racewalking is exercise and those that do walk vigorously do obtain substantial benefit from it. I saw my wife lose 20 pounds through diet improvement and a very vigorous walking/running routine. I couldn't keep up with her.
However, I was referring to the legion of fat, blobby Americans (call them dry land noodlers) who think a leisurly stroll is exercise. It isn't. While it may have minimal benefit if the alternative is eating cheese dongs in from of Jerry Springer, it won't do much in the long run.
Originally posted by Tom Ellison
It depends on who you take the nap with....
Mrrrowl!
Did someone say a NAP?
Us cats have the art of napping purr-fected!
But before those free samples, the drug companies proactively provide some basic education to the doctor about their product and its use. They send reps to visit doctors.
I think that most Masters clubs do give away free samples in the form of tryout visits. Our insurance arrangement allows for 30 days grace period for signing up and most clubs take advantage of some or all of that time to allow newbies to try out their programs free of charge.
But, for the most part, our education is passive - the doctor must seek it out to get it. There are relatively few Masters groups that seek out and establish business relationships with individual medical practitioners. Those that do have a leg up on the competition. And the benefits of such relationships will only increase over time.
Primanti Brothers. Pittsburgh Tradition. Hoagie (grinder, hero, sub) with slaw AND fries on it (not with it---ON it).
Available in Pittsburgh (and I think also now Cleveland). Available at PNC Park (baseball) and perhaps Heinz Field (football).
Main location--Strip District of Pittsburgh. 412-263-2142
Good eating. Open weird hours as originally served the produce drivers coming in around 11pm at night.
As someone born in the 'Burgh and raised in western PA, this discussion is making me hungry. Nothing is better than a Primanti Brothers sandwich!:cool:
They have been there for years - my Dad used to work nearby and went there for lunch a whole lot. Would have been early 60's. As I understand it, at the time they were open from very early morning (3am ish) until about 2pm in the afternoon - yes to serve the drivers coming to the strip.
I go there any time I am in the area. I now live in the Philly area and love the cheesesteaks (Pats, Jims, Ginos, Tony Lukes), but they don't compare to a Primanti Brothers sandwich.
Originally posted by Conniekat8
When I walk for exercise I do some 7 miles of 3-4 minute miles.
Connie, please say that you meant "3-4 miles at 7 minute/mile pace". Otherwise, you should be getting a gold medal at the Olympics for racewalking. :) (I thought that running sub-4 minute miles were great, and you are walking it in 3!!)
It's not that more exercise is bad for you, the point is that moderate exercise is sufficient to lower the risk of cardiovascular death. I believe the current recommendation is 30 minutes of brisk walking daily. Unfortunately the majority of the population can't (or won't) even accomplish this. I suspect that training 12-15K/week (which seems to be the average for Masters swimmers) is more than adequate but I'm not aware of any studies looking at this. Lap swimming (HR less than 120 and nonweight bearing) may not be enough.
I think looking at older athletes who train proves that more vigorous exercise is the way to go. Most of the Masters on my team do not compete, they train to stay fit. Some only train this way twice a week, but they look so much younger than many, many people their age. Also, Nationals certainly proved this.
The 3 * 30 minutes was to encourage sedantary folks to get up and do something. Telling someone who has been doing nothing for years to take up something more is asking for failure. I think the feeling is that this is the minimum which is doable and better than nothing.
There is a woman around here who race walks faster than many runners run a 5K. She usually finishes around 30-31 minutes which is an amazing pace for a walk. I have tried it, and can only sustain 12 minute miles for about 2 miles before my legs scream in pain and I have to back off to about 13 minute miles. Pretty amazing to go that fast! I am sure she must train for it.
Also, the people who walk in my town in the early AM are also moving at a good clip. There is never a shortage of folks out at 5:30-6 am walking and running for their exercise. And some brave soles on a bike in this cold weather!
