Today, I used the recumbent bike.
When I started going to the gym back in May, I was pretty much stuck on the one machine, the recumbent stepper. I was familiar with it and I could do it for a half hour, unlike any machine where I had to stand or walk, because at the time, I couldn’t do either one for long periods of time.
I always kind of looked at the recumbent bike as another option for “some time down the road,” but that machine had its own issues. For me, getting on it was an issue. Fat, unexercised legs don’t always like to raise high enough, and mine really didn’t. Besides the mobility, I had alot of pain right there in the area where the leg meets the hip. Then, even if I did get my leg over the middle of the bike, there was no way I could get my feet into the pedals.
I’ve been wanting to try it again just based on the increased flexibility and less pain I’ve had from working out regularly. Today, Felbington and I went to the gym, and there were only two other people there, so I decided to try it. I’ve put it off and put it off, mostly because I didn’t want a lot of people to watch me try to wallow my way onto that stupid machine. With only two people, one of whom was back by the weights and wouldn’t even notice, I figured it was worth a try.
In the past, when I’ve actually tried to lose weight, I’ve been very conscious of every new thing my body could do. But now that I’m not focusing on that, I’m still stuck in the mentality of what I can’t do…or couldn’t do. Even as I went to lift my leg over, I said out loud, “I’m not going to even be able to lift my leg that high.” And then of course my leg goes over easily.
Then, I sit down and say, “Okay, these pedals are still going to be difficult.” And like that, my feet are in the stirrups and I’m ready to roll. That was unexpected.
Being on it was half the battle. Actually working out on it was the other half, and one I only won for like 2 minutes. The seat adjusts, but I couldn’t find a comfortable adjustment for my height, so I was either too far down and eating my knees or too far back and stretching to make the biking motion. For the two minutes, I had to scoot my butt down and basically sprawl out on the bike to make it work, which wasn’t comfortable. I decided to give it up for the time being.
However, knowing that I can get on that thing means I’m going to try it again very soon. And one of these days, I’m actually going to put some serious time in on that recumbent bike.
M.
The Romance Factor 