Writers are not known for our physical prowess. When one
imagines a writer, the typical depiction is of a man or woman hunched over
their desk and typing away at a fevered pace between sips of coffee. Maybe even
puffing on a cigarette before smashing it into the overfilled ashtray beside
our trusty java mug. And as much as this may be true for some writers, it
doesn’t always have to be.
Exercise
increases brain neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, improves learning and
memory, and stops the age-related loss of brain tissue during aging while at
the same time improving our ability to focus and process information quickly.
This is not fabrication, it is proven fact.
In short,
exercise makes us smarter–or at least makes our brain run better, even if
exercise exposes our brain cells to a temporary lack of oxygen. That’s because
exercise-induced hypoxia causes an adaptive response by the brain to combat the
free radicals generated by hypoxia. And the same proves true for the rest of
our body.
So let me
introduce you to Dat-da-da-DAH . . . Running the Deck! So named because of the
deck of cards you implement, and all it requires is space, time, and a little
bit of effort on your part. Oh, and one measly $1 from that tight buttcheek you
call a wallet spent at your local dollar store.
Take that $1 and
go buy an ordinary deck of playing cards. Or maybe you already have a deck
lying about somewhere round the house, even better ’cause now you’ve just saved
yourself some precious moola better spent elsewhere. Remove the cards and
shuffle them, then set them face-down on a nearby stand. Get ready. Get set.
And turn over the top card.
Black cards =
push-ups
Red cards =
squats
No weights
required!
Whatever the
number is on the card you just turned over, you now do that many push-ups or
squats. Face cards = 10, and Aces = 11. You perform the exercise, take a short
breather as depending on your level of fitness (shoot for around 5 to 15
seconds of rest between card flips, though one can take as long as one needs,
just try not to exceed 30 seconds), then turn over the next top card and get
back to work.
If you’re
already in athletic shape then you can complete the entire deck in 15 minutes.
Not so athletic then shoot for half an hour, all of which depends on how little
rest you take between card flips. Start out Running the Deck twice per week
with “off” days of rest between exercise sessions though eventually building to
an every-other-day habit and soon you’ll be banging out squats and push-ups
like a rock-hard piston of lean muscle.
You’ll get tired
less often climbing stairs or carrying heavy loads because of the cardio
benefit, and you’ll watch that paunch melt away after only a couple of weeks if
you stick to it. Dedicate yourself and reap the rewards. The compliment of
habitual exercise is it makes your body not just hungry but hungry for vital
minerals and essential nutrients, so if you ate chips and pop like a slob
before Running the Deck then you’ll soon be eating salads and steak like a
champ afterwards because of natural cravings.
The beauty of
Running the Deck is that you can take it with you anywhere you go, no excuses
but for laziness. Have a pocket or purse? Then you’re all set! And the genius
of Running the Deck is that you will never, ever do the same workout twice.
Sometimes you’ll have a streak of Reds, while others you’ll have a streak of
Blacks.
And have no
worries if you cannot finish the entire deck doing standard push-ups (knees off
the floor). Once your muscles begin tiring out simply start doing your push-ups
“girly style” ala with your knees on the floor. And the squats? Best way to do
unweighted squats is “football style” ala back straight with your fingers
interlaced behind your head and elbows flared with your eyes forward because
this helps ensure good squatting posture when muscle fatigue begins to rear its
ugly head . . . and it will.
But you’re not
limited to push-ups and squats alone, oh no sir-ee. You can substitute or add
any free-weight exercises you wish to your heart’s content. Make the face cards
10 repetitions of sit-ups, or the Aces chin-ups. Keep in the Jokers for Burpees
or Jumping Jacks. Whatever! The point is that you’re getting off your flabby
bottom and doing something about feeling better while working toward life’s
true end goal of living longer through better health.
Because we use
our brains a lot, writers often get what I call “brain fatigue.” Sometimes I’ll
sit and write for 8 hours straight then hit a wall where everything I write
thereafter is deletable crap even my dog wouldn’t chew on like tasty 7th grade
algebra. My exhausted brain needs a recharge, and most often exercise does the
trick because it gets those juices flowing. And it allows your brain to relax
while your body takes over and does some work.
Some of your
best story ideas will strike you when you’re not writing, odd yet true, which
is why most writers carry with them a little notebook to jot down their great
epiphanies lest they forget them. I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count
how many times I was in the middle of something else and not even thinking of
the current story I was writing when out from nowhere the perfect putty to that
gaping plot hole I couldn’t quite figure out how to fill suddenly comes to mind
clear as buffed crystal. And exercise, because it requires focus of a different
sort, allows your writerly mind to “rest” while your body is performing.
So do
yourself a favor and start Running the Deck. Your mind will thank you, and so
too your body.