If there is one thing I’ve learned from being in my mid-30s, it’s that everything is different, from career goals and friendships to nutrition needs and exercise. So, yes, that means my whole workout routine needed an upgrade.
It seems that as I continue in this decade, long gone are the days when I can go from couch vibes to crunch mode without the risk of serious injury (or, at the very least, days of soreness). Even my horseback riding has suffered from this little thing called aging. I remember when I used to ride multiple horses a day, wake up the next day, and repeat. There was no downtime, and no need to take a copious amount of Advil or soak in Epsom salt afterward.
However, at the ripe old age of 36, my body has told me (no, wait, demanded) that I consult with it first before any strenuous exercise ensues. That means things like, stretching, walking, and more stretching have all been added to my workout routine if I would like my body to cooperate. This fact was driven home for me last week when I decided to take not one but two workout classes. Aside from the occasional sanity stroll and at-home workout, my cardio routine has been pretty sporadic these last couple of years, thanks to the pandemic. But last week, I decided to change that. I signed up for a Pilates reformer class and then, a day after that, a cardio bounce class with The Ness. While I thought I was doing something good for my body, my body had other thoughts on the matter. By the time I took the second workout class, my body had decided to rebel. Everything hurt during the class, and my cardio level was so dismally low, that I needed to excuse myself and take a break halfway through to avoid passing out.
This scenario has made me rethink resuming my workouts in a manner that I thought I was accustomed to. Moving forward, my new workout strategy will involve a slower integration of classes until my cardiovascular levels improve, combined with a more intentional workout schedule at home. This is also to say that if you looked at my Instagram and thought those jumps on the trampoline looked effortless, know that there were not and that my body let me know how displeased it was with me for many days afterward. And, if you are finding yourself in a similar situation and wondering why you cannot do things and recover like you once did in your earlier years, please know that you are not alone.
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