Climbing the Walls Over Altering My Fitness Regime


I've been going to the same gym now for a decade - the Commonwealth Stadium Fitness Centre. It was a great facility with all state of the art equipment (they had to keep it good as it is also where the Edmonton Eskimos players workout). It was close to my house and the school where I teach, and the rates were awesome, especially because they had a discount for teachers with Edmonton Public Schools. It will be even better... but not until 2012. Sadly, my gym closed August 31st for renovations, hence my usage of past tense.

This has left me at a bit of a crossroads as far as maintaining my girlish figure and sanity goes. In the Summertime, I'm usually doing lots of mountain biking, kayaking and running, on top of my usual Yoga and whatnot, so I'd only get to the gym once a week - twice at best. But as the cooler weather is upon us and the ungodly frigid weather of the Canadian Winter will soon follow, I need to seek an indoor refuge in which to sweat, work off my frustrations and encourage my endorphins to release.

In a way, I am happy this change is occurring in my life as it allows me - forces me - to start off something fresh and new. I am contemplating taking what would have gone toward my fitness centre fees and putting them toward an annual membership at the rock climbing gym I go to each Friday. I would get my money's worth (over punch cards) if I could get myself to go there twice per week on a consistent basis. The only thing is, this will require discipline as the rock gym is a bit farther away from my home and work, and when the snow is flying, it's -35c and the roads are crap, compelling one's self to venture out is often a exacerbating undertaking! But I do love to climb. It provides me with a physical and intellectual challenge, and gives you the odd rush.

Then there's making more outings to various Yoga studios as opposed to sticking to my main home practice. In fact, I'm off to a Yin Yoga class later this afternoon in an attempt to break out of my recent funk. The only thing is cost (and motivating self to go out in the cold Canadian Winter nights, though there are a couple of studios very close to where I live), as drop in classes do add up and disposable income is tight.

I've also been looking at Kettle-bells. Perhaps I could invest in one or two of these and have a home workout routine. The only thing is that going out for exercise is free of the distractions from hope and a necessary change of scenery from home and work.

Lastly, there is one of those meat market type gyms close to my house, but that really isn't my scene.

So, these are my promulgations on the subject. I need to have something in place, not just because of the obvious benefits of maintaining health and releasing stress, but for me, I constantly live in the shadow of my youth where I was obese and I am petrified that if I'm not working out like a mad man, then I will revert back to being overweight. I am addicted to exercise. My body type is prone to being on the larger side (it's my German farmer and woodsman genes), and, obviously with age, the metabolism slows down. There is also the pride issue in that it tickles me that I am fitter pushing 41 than most men half my age are.

So, we shall see what plan evolves...