Strength Training and Photography?
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I’ve started strength training and….I might just be loving it.
Kayaking at sunrise.
I have always been active, however I wouldn’t describe myself as particularly fit. There hasn’t been a consistency or variety to the type of physical activity I do on a regular basis - I like walking, hiking, skiing, snow shoeing, bicycling, kayaking, and yoga, but I tend to be a casual or intermittent exerciser at best.
I like challenging myself and my body and I like when it does what I need it to do and putting in some effort to keep myself in good condition feels important now more than ever. The challenge with my approach is that I tend to go hard and then spend too much time recovering (come on - raise your hand if you can relate!).
I have long felt that I needed to step things up a notch and make sure that I’m still able to do the things that I enjoy well into retirement. When I say step things up a notch that means being more consistent and building up more gradually to avoid the all or nothing activity levels that are typical for me.
I have a friend in her 90’s who is a great inspiration to me. We regularly go grocery shopping together and she often passes along her food tips and words of wisdom (though I still can’t stomach brewer’s yeast - just don’t tell her that!).
Workout gear.
She has been focused on eating healthy and exercising her whole life and as a result she is still very active and mobile. Her motto is no extremes - nothing extreme or restrictive in her diet or exercise, but healthy and moderation are key aspects that she focuses on. She is the opposite of my all or nothing approach - (note to self: steady and consistent wins the race - be more like the tortoise).
There is something about retirement and having the time to focus on self care as well as the feedback from my body that says - if not now - when?
Getting ready for the next 20+ years
I have been reading Outlive by Peter Attia and while I’m still not finished I have found the premise of the book very interesting. He talks a lot about how our current approach to medicine is reactive (Medicine 2.0 where we wait until we have symptoms before we start diagnosing and treating) whereas we have the tools to move to a more proactive approach (Medicine 3.0 where we are screening for key health indicators with tighter flags than are currently used to trigger closer monitoring or actions) and acting in a more preventive manner in the way we live our lives.
“but I now consider exercise to be the most potent longevity “drug” in our arsenal, in terms of lifespan and healthspan. The data are unambiguous: exercise not only delays actual death but also prevents both cognitive and physical decline, better than any other intervention.” - Peter Attia (Outlive)
My big lenses help me to capture amazing wildlife images.
One of my key takeaways from the book is that if I want to continue to enjoy my wildlife photography then I need to focus some attention now on ensuring that I have the strength and fitness level to keep accessing areas where I find my subjects as well as carrying and using my gear.
Wildlife photography is important to me and being able to continue to pursue this hobby is directly tied to my mindfulness and wellbeing. With this in mind I made a goal to improve and/or retain my overall strength level - especially my upper body strength in order to hold those long lenses steady.
I must admit that I’m not a very self motivated exerciser and running on a treadmill or doing exercise routines at home don’t hold my attention for long.
Working out at the gym.
At the recommendation of a friend (thank you Shelley!) I started working with a personal trainer in a group class (there are 6 of us max) with the focus on building strength, mobility and joint health. I am so glad that I did this as working out with other women my age is both motivational and just plain fun. I find that they help me to push myself harder than I would if I was working out on my own (ok so I admit to being competitive).
I like the social aspect of the class and I like to share the pain - and that first class - man was there pain! I soaked in Epsom Salts afterwards and then went for a massage the next day - you gotta love when your massage therapist says you won’t hit peak pain for another 24 - 36 hrs. Thanks Justin!
One of the best things about this class is that Erin (Holmes Strength) is very focused on good form to ensure we don’t injure ourselves and that we do progressive overload to get the maximum benefit out of the exercises.
I have had a lower back issue for a number of years with a weak SI joint and I noticed that my range of motion and strength on my left hip side was not as good as the right side. I booked a one on one class to specifically focus on that area and I now have a set of exercises that I do at home in between the weekly group workouts. I am finding that because of the accountability of the weekly class that I am doing the at home routine - hip stability is improving as is glute and hamstring strength.
For me it has been important to set myself up for success and doing a class that is both challenging, engaging and fun feels like the right approach. This is also helping me not to do the overboard all or nothing approach that I am notorious for doing.
Undertaking a Misogi Challenge
When I read the Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter, I was intrigued by his use of the term misogi which he uses to describe a difficult goal with rule number 1 - you only have a 50% chance of achieving and rule number 2 - you can’t die (I like this rule - it’s important!). The term misogi originates from an ancient Japanese Shinto tradition referring to “cold water purification”. The concept has been modified somewhat to a Western version with the premise that you push yourself out of your comfort zone and you either expand your limits or you learn valuable lessons - well likely both. Easter suggests that you plan a significant misogi once a year.
One of the things that I really like about this idea is that a misogi can be anything and it is up to the individual to determine what is a challenge for them.
My misogi for this year is to increase my fitness and strength level enough to be able to do 10 pushups from a plank position with straight legs and to be able to hang from a bar for one minute and then do one pull up. My current starting point is 8 push ups from an inclined plank position (about 30 degrees incline), hanging from a bar for 30 seconds and no pull up.
This may not seem significant to some, but I’ve never been able to do a full push up or pull up, so this feels very challenging to accomplish. I’ll check back in later in the year and let you know how i’ve progressed with this misogi.
Nikon 100-400mm lens on the right and Olympus 14 - 150mm lens (28 - 300mm equivalent) on the right.
Part of my reasoning for doing this misogi is to be able to continue to use my wildlife photography gear. Currently my 600mm lens and camera body weigh a combined 13 lbs and being able to hike any distance with that weight and the additional gear I take (total weight of 20 - 25lbs) is challenging and tiring, but the ability to continue to enjoy my wildlife photography is worth this challenge.
There are alternatives in gear and one is the Olympus or OM system which is a micro 4/3 sensor system and much lighter gear. Kory used this when we went to Kenya and enjoyed the light weight of the camera and 14-150mm lens (which is an equivalent of 28 - 300mm focal length with the 4/3 sensor) is much more compact and light than the Nikon 100 - 400mm lens. At this point in time I really enjoy my Nikon gear and it works better for me in the conditions that I like to shoot (i.e., early morning and late evening light as well as some very harsh winter conditions).
Backpack ready for a full day trip.
In Michael Easter’s book (The Comfort Crisis) he also talks about rucking which is the act of carrying heavy loads while walking long distances.
It occurred to me when reading this that when I go for a photography walk I am in fact rucking. I will walk up to 5 miles and carry 20 -25 lbs in my backpack - all of which qualifies as rucking, so there is additional health benefits to me continuing my wildlife photography.
Having good supportive backpacks is crucial when hiking with any significant weight. A good waist strap and chest strap as well as adjustable shoulder straps are pretty important.
I think I am going to build in a misogi around a significant hike with my camera gear - something for me to noodle over.
“Early humans walked and ran long distances across untamed earth. Studies show it was not uncommon for these hunters to run and walk more than 25 miles a day. We call it a marathon. they called it ‘picking up dinner’.” - Michael Easter (The Comfort Crisis)
Where is this heading?
If I want to be able to keep doing the things that bring me joy in 20 or 30 years time then I need to make sure that my physical capability aligns with those requirements in future years. Investing time and effort in staying healthy, strong, flexible and mobile now seems to make good sense.
As I read and do other things to stay attuned mentally, it seems obvious that physical activity and strength training are the food for a functional body well into the future.
Do you have a fitness routine? What activities do you enjoy doing? Are you a solo or group exerciser?
Hiking with my camera and backpack.
I hope you’ll come back soon, share a cuppa, relax and enjoy more of my musings.
