Couch to 5k
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I'm not a couch potato. I'm an office chair eggplant.
I've done the "Couch to 5k" program before with great results.
But this time, oof! Day One wasn't too bad cardio-wise, but my
calves and feet *hurt*.
I didn't remember the plan starting off so hard. Oh dear, have I
become a wimp? No, I'm just really, really sedentary. This
office chair eggplant's feet and legs haven't done *anything* like
this in a long time.
Surprised by the amount of jogging in the first workout, I decided
to add up the numbers (the workouts are broken up into a jog/walk
formula). Well, no wonder: the first workout is eight minutes of
jogging! That's nearly a third of the goal in the very first day.
I guess that's fine if you're not that out of shape...but I'm
apparently *that* out of shape.
I decided to graph the totals and found that the traditional plan
has a series of "stair steps" (but "watch that first step, it's a
doozy!"). [1]
There are 3 workouts per week for 9 weeks, so 27 workouts total.
You can see the stair-steps, starting with 8 minutes and working
up to the goal of 30 minutes of jogging (or running). Here is my
graph, lovingly reproduced in ASCII:
Traditional Couch to 5k
28 *********
m 25 ******
i 22
n 19 ****
u 16 ********
t 13
e 10 *********
s 7 ****
4
1
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27
workout #
(I'll put the raw data at the bottom of this post.)
I got to thinking and decided that a concave curve (exponential
function) would make more sense for someone truly out of shape
like myself. So I came up with this:
Ratfactor's Office Chair to 5k
28 *
m 25 **
i 22 **
n 19 **
u 16 ***
t 13 ***
e 10 ****
s 7 *****
4 ********
1 ********
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27
workout #
My plan not only makes a prettier graph, it also has these
(perceived) benefits:
- Lets the muscles and joints of the legs and feet acclimate
- Avoids blisters and sores from starting off too hard on tender
eggplant appendages
- Puts the greater difficulty later, after the exercise habit is
already well established
I've had lots of experience with committing to exercise plans,
pushing way too hard at first requiring long recovery time,
ruining the schedule, and failing the plan (not adjusting the
schedule to fit the reality).
Not this time! This eggplant is going to get fit!
Now for the raw data as promised.
Raw Data - Traditional Couch to 5k (minutes per workout)
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[1] The phrase "Watch out for that first step. It's a doozy!" has
now been permanently linked in my mind with the character Ned
Ryerson from the brilliant 1993 film, Groundhog Day. Also, I'd
read once that the phrase "it's a doozy" comes from the Duesenberg
cars, which were beautiful, expensive cards in the 1920-30s - but
apparently it's perhaps not 100% clear-cut as there are other
claims: prior phrase, "it's a daisy"; turn-of-the-century Italian
actress Eleonora Duse; and a 1916-ish Ohio slang term "dozy".
