It's Cold (Inside)

I spent the weekend having a cold.  It is getting to be that time of year.  I didn’t work out while I was sick, but I knew I was getting better when Cricket wanted to walk and I wanted to go, too.  Here are some thoughts to use when deciding when and how to work out after being sick:

• Go easy.  Do not make the first workout back just as hard as whatever you were doing before you got sick.  Recovery takes energy.

• Hydrate even more.  We all need more fluids when we are dying of colds.

• Stop when you are tired.  The Workout Police are not counting your reps.  They do not care if you were aiming for 45 minutes on the treadmill and you stopped at 20.  They do not hand out tickets to people who complete only one set of bench presses before hitting the showers.

• Focus on what makes you feel good.  For most people, this means light cardio, just enough to boost mood and improve sleep.

• If you work out in a gym, be careful about hygiene.  Wipe down the equipment.  Don’t forget your tissues.  No one wants your germs.

Monday Workout: Use Good Judgment

Kettle bells are fun and challenging!  I like how they work stability and strength at the same time.  They are also useful for folks who have knee issues because they get heart rate up without impact.

As a side note, these workouts are a template, not a mandate.  I substitute different exercises in when I have clients with injuries or sensitivities.  It is crucial to use good judgment when working out.  So, if kettle bell swings cause lower back pain, try woodchoppers or medicine ball slams instead.  If regular squats are too much for the knees, modify with ball squats or TRX squats or do punches instead.

Three rounds.

kb swings	30
kb twists	20
kb 8s	10
mountain climbers	30
deadlifts	20
lateral raises	10
plyojacks/jacks/mod jacks	30
squats	20
Russian twist	10

Friday Book Report: The Remembered Present

I have now read several of Gerald M. Edelman’s books.  The Remembered Present:  A Biological Theory of Consciousness continues his work toward a mind-body paradigm with a basis in science.  I do not know if his theories have been supported or supplanted by subsequent research, but conceptually at least they are persuasive and fascinating.

Because his subject is consciousness, he rejects the fiction of the outside observer in scientific methodology.  He takes pains to discuss the implications of this stance as well as the necessity of doing so.  At the same time, he scrupulously ties his arguments to anatomical, physiological, morphological evidence and outlines careful chains of argument to support his points.

I am curious (although not yet curious enough to go look) about the implications of his thought for artificial intelligence, in that he has some interesting observations about “Turing machines” and how they interact with the world.  He rejects the common metaphor of brain as computer with trenchant and often amusing language.

I like books that stretch me.  This is one.  Check it out.