Having been raised by a locally known athlete, I have enjoyed a lifelong commitment to exercise.
My mom, a high school tennis coach, taught us all to get up and move. At 87-years old, she still enjoys herself on the tennis court, walks at least once a day and swims whenever she can.
My dad played professional football for nine years, and he enjoyed knocking the tennis ball around too. But, it was my mom who encouraged (some might say demanded) that we all get outside and sweat.
I blame her for a commitment to working out that runs so strong I recently sent a couple pairs of weights to my son’s house so I could workout while I visited there. When I visited my daughter and her family, I found a spot in the courtyard to get my daily workouts in and only realized about five days into my visit that I had been setting up directly in front of someone’s security camera.
Imagine reviewing your footage and seeing a sweaty 62-year old stranger doing burpees right outside your door!
I used to be a runner until my left knee got cranky and refused to participate. I moved on to bootcamp style workouts that I did with a group in the wee hours of the morning. I loved those workouts, but they ended during the pandemic.
Since then, I have been doing circuit workouts with an online trainer named Sydney Cummings Houdyshell. I (and several thousand others) have supported her through marriage, two pregnancies, and the launch of her new business. She has supported me through all kinds of challenges and triumphs as well.
These days my routine rarely varies. I get up, Wordle, workout and then start my day. Neither houseguest, nor late nights, nor especially challenging Wordle can keep me from my appointed workout.
I lay out my workout clothes the night before, and I keep my Murphy Bed Gym all ready to go in my dining room, so I have no excuses for not getting it done. I don’t have a riser, but I do have the step between my dining room and family room and I use that pretty often.
I don’t have a bench for step-ups, but I do have an end table that’s about the right height, so I just use that. Because I’m working out inside and I don’t want to wreck my floors, I use sweat towels for a jump rope when the workout calls for that, and I use kitchen rags for sliders when I need to use those.
I have worked out with heckling little guys, an enthusiastic toddler, some strategically placed stuffies and Benny the Wonder Dog.
I mention all of this to say that if I can do it, so can you.
Take it from Coach Peggy, who aims to workout at least two and sometimes three times a day, sweatin’ as an oldie will keep you young.
