Des Moines, IA: Today is the first show in a long time that I'm back on a bus. Over the past few months, the few shows we've had have been just far enough away that we've had to fly. As much as I love accruing frequent flier points, it's really nice to get on the bus in the late evening, snuggle under the covers of my freezing bunk and wake up in the show city -- without having to deal with security lines.
This fall, I'll be on more of a weekend warrior schedule (not like THAT, but rather, leaving home on the bus on Wednesday nights, shows Thursday/Friday/Saturday, home on Sunday mornings). As always, I take the time right before the start of a new tour (or the start of a block of time at home, for that matter) to rethink my health and fitness rituals. Which, in most cases, starts on a good foot (literally) but ends with receiving a "we miss you" emails from the latest gym I've joined.
It's a bit of a catch 22 -- when I'm at home, I can get a gym membership. But I soon lack the motivation to get up and drive to said gym when I've got a lot of other in-town responsibilities pulling at me. On the road, I'm really limited to just the hotel and venue, but being out there drains me, so I'd much rather pick 30 minutes of extra sleep over getting up and doing anything proactive for myself.
I'm starting to realize what I'm doing wrong (with this topic, specifically. The "things I'm doing wrong" list in general is wayyyy to long for this blog). I set my sights on one time period -- on the road or off the road -- then I tell myself I'm going to make huge life changes when that allotted time frame comes up. Mainly, because I've failed at doing anything during the time period I'm currently in. I don't, however, take into consideration the fact that I'm physically busier / in more places (while driving myself around) during my time at home AND that I really do need as much sleep as I can possibly get when I'm on the road, to keep up my strength for three shows back-to-back.
So, instead of having an all-or-nothing mentality this time around, I'm going to see what it looks like if I JUST run when I am at home (hello again, Centennial. It's been a while.). No new gym memberships (just yet), no trying to cram in cardio AND strength training in one day. Just an early evening run that I can still get my things done during the day and go out for the evenings to keep up some sort of social life. And, in fact, I might just enjoy being outdoors again (especially when it cools down a bit).
Then, when I'm on the road, I'm going to see what it looks like if I JUST do strength training. Weights, machines, sit-ups, push-ups (well... TBD on the push-ups, since I really really dislike them). If all goes well, I can sleep in until 8:30am or so, roll out of the bus and into my 3-hour room, work out for approximately 30-45 mins, then have enough time to shower, re-pack and get picked up to go my office de jour.
Which brings me to my next - very long winded - 100 Little Pleasure of Touring Life:
#7: Hotel Gyms
- almost ALL hotels have them available
- most have machines and free weights
- they're hardly ever really that busy
- you only run into one or two of your band members, not all 9 of them
- they're only a few floors below your room
- 99% of them are FREE with NO MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED!
Now the challenge becomes whether or not I can stick to THIS newly revised plan instead of just writing about it. If there was only some way to get in shape by just talking about the great ways to get in shape.....
Then, when I'm on the road, I'm going to see what it looks like if I JUST do strength training. Weights, machines, sit-ups, push-ups (well... TBD on the push-ups, since I really really dislike them). If all goes well, I can sleep in until 8:30am or so, roll out of the bus and into my 3-hour room, work out for approximately 30-45 mins, then have enough time to shower, re-pack and get picked up to go my office de jour.