Daily writing prompt

What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

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Now that I am over 50 years old, my favorite exercise has changed from playing a sport, like basketball, to doing a workout called high intensity interval training (HIIT). What does age have to do with it? For me, it is basically pain and propensity for injury. When you are being competitive with others, it is hard not to turn down the volume on your workout so that you do not overdo it. This was happening over and over again for me a few years ago and my knee, my hip, and my foot would all take turns hurting. So, I changed things up. The workout I found most compelling, from the many I tried, is a HIIT routine. I basically have a simple set up in my basement with a few tools so that I can do a variety of activities any time of the year. HIIT is a series of intervals of high heart rate inducing activity followed by recovery and then repeat with a different activity. I do 90 seconds and then a 30 second recovery and continue the back and forth for 45 minutes a few times per week. When I started doing HIIT, I did 30 seconds on and off. Then I moved up to 60 seconds, with 30 seconds off. What type of activities are good? There are so many options! Change it up and do alI kinds of different things to work a variety of muscle groups. I do something with weights and then something without weights alternating. 

Here is how I structure it: 5-10 minutes of stretching and warm-up. Then start the timer on my Apple Watch tracking my HIIT Workout. I would start with 20 minutes a a first step goal, and do whatever level feels slightly challenging and work your way up slowly over time. Here is a list of some of the exercises I have used:

1. 6 minute light jog to loosen up and get warm
2. 5 hill runs up to my house, which is a nice, natural interval (exact timing doesn’t matter). Our street takes about 60 seconds to run up and then a bit more to jog down.
3. Step with bicep curls. I use a 6 inch step (any stairs can work), and 8 pound weights. Step up and do the curl, step down and do the curl. 60-90 seconds. All of the rest below have the same time intervals, with a 30 second recovery/rest afterwards. I tend to walk around in circles for recovery and have a quick drink of water if I am thirsty. 
4. Jump rope: I use a simple jump rope I found at a random sports store, but often in the winter, I just use a phantom rope and I do three different jumps to mix it up. Google jump rope exercises for lots of suggestions on how to do this great exercise.
5. Step with overhead press. Same weights, and I just lift them above my head. No magic, but I find these much harder.
6. Run in place lifting my knees higher than for an actual run. I will use 1 pound weights to pump my arms in whatever direction feels right with this.
7. Lateral step with lateral lifts and 2-6 pound weights
8. Run in place with a different weight move. I use very light weights just to pump my arms while running.
9. Posterior step with 8 pound weight. Start with your elbows at 90 degree angle and extend your arms holding weights following your legs posteriorly. 
10. Any situp you find comfortable. 
11. Plank dumbell drags. Google this one. Basically you are doing a plank and then reaching for a dumbell and dragging it or lifting it to the other side under your chest. Then send it back the other direction with your other arm!
12. Workout ball: I use a Pilates ball to do a rowing exercise, sitting on the ball and then pretending to row. It works quite nicely. 
13. Workout ball: I use a variety of stability exercises on the ball like those listed at this site: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a20702401/stability-ball-exercises/

This is just a simple list to peak your interest, and give you a routine to try. To do my routine, I use the following equipment I found mostly at garage sales:

• jump rope
• simple set of 1, 2, 8, and 12 pound weights, in sets of 2
• yoga mat
• exercise ball
• a step: I just use whatever is convenient, or you can buy one. 
• a clock with a second hand as I can never track on my watch

I like the HIIT exercise pattern because it has a wide variety of activities, with an interval pattern, and you can literally pick any level of skill, challenge, or flexibility that you want to maximize your benefit. Be creative and have fun!

For a fairly extensive list of activities to try, check out https://thesportsedu.com/hiit-workouts-and-exercises/