Stairs

I'm not immune to a little "ego boosting" once in awhile.  Let me explain.


I took a long motorcycle ride in Western Canada early in the summer on an old Japanese spec Suzuki LS 650, commonly called a "Savage."  A misnomer if I'd ever heard one.

The purpose of the ride apart from it being 'cracking good fun' was to reconnect with my daughters and of course old friends, some I haven't seen for 5 years or more.  Savage and I covered some 3500 kilometers and side rides on friends bikes including my Baja veteran XT 225 Serow (a type of Tibetan mountain goat) that now resides in Penticton at Cindy's home, and Ron's newly acquired V Strom 650 and his Burgman 650 added another 1000 km or so.

Since then I've returned to my southern home in Glendale AZ, and have spent time visiting with my local friends.

One of the things I have heard this year is how 'fit' I am looking! 

I've been asked if I'm spending more time at the gym, what exercise program I'm following and what I'm doing. 

My answer... stairs. 

That brings curious blank looks or some off handed comment or two.

Rocky mountains south west of Calgary

Sure, being somewhat careful with what and in what quantities I eat, I rarely drink soft drinks (although I still have a routine craving for Coke) anymore and I eat in small proportions but more often.  Can't forget that riding helps, especially if you do any type of off road riding that requires standing or using multiple muscle groups, but in reality it's the stairs.



I have two floors in my Phx home and back on the Island we have to use stairs to get from top to bottom.  I've never done an official count but I am probably up and down the stairs a hundred times a day. 

Exercising the TTR

Given the various rages and the never ending promotions for fitness crazes, I admit, it's pretty low tech, after all stairs have been around for gazillions of years in one form or another.  It doesn't involve spending money on gym memberships which btw, most people purchase and then never use, it needn't be compact enough to 'fit under a bed', it doesn't take up room like that outdoor trampoline and you don't have to re mortgage the house to buy it in installments.  Most people have stairs in their homes or near by in some form or other.

Not only is it a good, safe and non intrusive work out, but it's built in.  Sometimes I'm pretty leisurely using the stairs but others, like when I forgot my wallet or phone and the cars running, I take them two at a time.  Sometimes just for the heck of it I take them two at a time.  My heart pumps quicker and my lungs deeper and I get a simple and reliable work out.  Like I say, no high tech equipment required just lots of reps, and for us... we have to get from garage to kitchen so there's plenty of opportunity.

So... what can I say... I ride, I ride off road, I drink less sugar, eat smarter and make use of stairs.

The Savage!