No-Pain Fitness?

I'm not a fitness fanatic, to put it mildly. I like to walk, but have never been drawn to high intensity aerobics or competitive sports. In my forties and early fifties, with the threat of osteoporosis looming, I did get semi-serious about weight training, though. I joined a gym and worked out regularly for a number of years. My biceps had definition for the first time in my life. And I actually felt strong, at least when I wasn't nursing one minor injury or another. But did I like working out? Sad to say, no.

What I did enjoy was meeting my friends at the gym. Knowing that at the end of my weight circuit, I would join a friend or two and walk around the gym's indoor track made the whole exercise process bearable. In good weather, we headed outdoors and walked the pleasant path around the business park where the gym was located. Then one friend moved away and the other opted for Jazzercise at a different location. My interest in weight training immediately began to wane. Eventually, I convinced myself that keeping up my cardiovascular health through walking was sufficient — what did I need big muscles for, anyway?

Turns out my spine needed the upper body workout more than I realized. My recent bone scan showed that while my hip bone density has increased (without the use of any medication), probably due to my regular walking, my spinal bone density has declined. It's still in the positive range for my age, but it won't stay that way for long without some kind of intervention, according to my primary care doctor. His prescription — start a weight training regimen.

Since that verdict, I've been looking for a good fitness solution, one that won't be too onerous or expensive. Yesterday, I heard about a new concept, called Koko FitClub. It uses a high-tech machine, called the Koko Smartraining System, to set up a 30-minute exercise program. According to the FitClub's website, the "technology makes sure you're always doing precisely the right exercise, the right way, at the right pace, for the best possible results." Sounds too good to be true, right? But I figure it's worth a try, especially since a free demo session is offered.

I've made an appointment to have my free session this afternoon. If you don't hear from me tomorrow, it means I was swallowed or otherwise abused by the machine. Otherwise, I'll let you know how it goes.