Simple Suggestion #236... Climb a little

Okay, so this isn't just a little climb -- it's 132 steps from the river valley up to the plateau near our house. It's quite a workout if it's done a couple of times. Once is enough to feel my thigh muscles complain a little. Or maybe a lot, depending on how much climbing I've been doing lately.

Thing is, if we don't use muscles on a regular basis, they have a tendency to atrophy a little, making for stiffness when they are used in non-regular ways. This was hit home for me when one of my aunties, who has no stairs in her home, came to visit my mom and dad, who live in a split level. Auntie had an interesting time getting up the eight stairs to the guest room -- those climbing muscles were out of practice. I think she was a little shocked by how her fitness had changed just because she's been living in a ground level duplex.

So I'm making it my practice to try to do these 132 stairs at least once a week. Maybe twice. Just to keep in shape. Failing that, there's a set of stairs to the basement I can always use.

What do you do to maintain your muscles?

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