Fit about Fit...

Okay, not a full on fit, but I was thinking this morning when I was getting ready to workout that I have done literally thousands of workouts in my life.

I've done aerobics and weightlifting. I've done calisthenics and callanetics. I've done low reps with high weights, and low weights with high reps. I've done super slow motion lifting and high intensity speed lifting. I've done workouts by Kathy Smith, Karen Voight, Jillian Michaels, and Jane Fonda (to name a few). I've worked out to Tae Bo and Buns of Steel. I've had an ab roller, a thigh master, perfect pushups, and a pullup bar. I've tried Tai Chi and reformer free pilates. I've Sweated to the Oldies and done step aerobics. I've used treadmills, exercise bikes, elliptical machines, rowers, and stair climbers.

This week I danced, I did PVOLVE, I jogged, I walked, I rowed and I did Chris Hemsworth's speed workout.

And next week I'll do it all again.

I've already thought about what I'll do when this four week cycle is over, what I'll adjust, what I'll change, what I think I need more of and what I could pull back on. I already have Rivs Run Club booked into my calendar every Thursday through August. Coincidentally, it will finish on my birthday. Which made me smile.

Like I said, I've done all of this thousands of times. And I'll (hopefully) do it thousands of more times.

There is no end.

I've talked before how I would like there to have been some point where I had worked out "enough" like if you did it this many times you were granted physical fitness for the rest of your life. No more sweating necessary. But it, sadly, does not work that way. It's a constant thing.

One of the big mantras out there in the workout world is consistency over intensity. It's the opposite of the Weekend Warrior mindset, or the Crossfit philosophy that you should be puking your guts out by the end of the workout or why bother. I like consistency over intensity a lot better. Because intensity leads to injury and burnout. Throwing up is your body telling you that you've pushed it too far, that it's shutting down the digestive system because everything else is in crisis. Don't do it. Just don't. HIIT workouts should be done in moderation, which I know sounds like an oxymoron, but it's true.

And workouts shift through your life. I talked about how I did functional fitness in my 30s and it was too easy to continue and right now I'm doing functional fitness and half the time I can't maintain the hold for the full cycle. On the flip side there was a point in my life where I'd do a full weight workout never picking up anything heavier than the 8 pound weight. Now? That would be met with a "Do you even lift, bro?" and an eye roll. Yes, I eye roll myself too.

I will always wish that I reached a point of magical perpetual fitness but as that will never happen I will continue to live my life in pursuit of maintaining VBL* no matter how many thousands of workouts it takes.

*visible biceps line