Have you J’ARMed today? If not, you’re missing out on some serious health benefits.
–Dale L. Anderson
What exactly is J’ARMing? It’s jogging with your arms. It’s finding some music that makes you want to move your body and pretending you’re the conductor.
In Conduct Yourself Well Dr. Dale L. Anderson points out that conductors are mentally and physically healthier than other people their age and they live longer. He invented J’ARMing so we ordinary mortals can enjoy some of the health benefits from those sweeping movements of the arms.
Among those benefits are improved balance and posture, a lighter attitude towards life, an increased readiness to laugh and improved circulation and flexibility. Not a bad payoff for taking time out to have some fun. If you’d like more information just read his article.
I J’ARM from time to time and am trying to remember to do it more often. At the moment I get most of my exercise watching the news or DVDs while bouncing on my jogging trampoline or using my NordicTrack treadmill. Working in a bit more J’ARMing shouldn’t be that hard to do.
What About You?
Do you have any form of physical exercise that’s fun to do?
I wouldn’t say that my exercise is fun, but I actually do a lot of thinking and contemplating while I’m walking, on the stair-stepper, or on the elliptical machine. With that and my ipod music, it is somewhat enjoyable, especially on a good workout with the endorphins kicking in.
Mike Goads last blog post..Mini-Depression?
I’ve been J’ARMING in the car traveling for 15? years. Not like a conductor, like a dancer, in time to the music.
I love exercise. Bike, hike, kayaking, skiing, ice-skating, hoola hoop, housework, exercise equipment.
The more I do, the better I feel. My endorphins used to put me in HEAVEN:)–I’ve gotta get away from this computer & get out there.
Mike and bikehikebabe,
IMHO learning to love exercise is one of the best gifts we can give to ourselves. I’m glad you both enjoy it too. 😉
A walk most mornings or afternoons with my partner.
Oddly enough, I enjoy watching the news while riding the exercise bike at the exercise center I go to.
I used to love walking the dog long distances. But, the dog died and my hip went bad at about the same time. So, the news is doing me well.
It keeps me on my wheels well enough that I can still practice for Dancing With the Stars with my granddaughter. 🙂
Conrads last blog post..Sometimes…Beauty is Enough
Some years ago when I lived in Atlanta there was a guy who jogged all over the north side, waving his arms in the air as he went. He was a familiar sight, and locals just thought he was crazy, but sometimes traffic would be slowed by drivers unfamiliar with his antics who thought he was trying to flag for help. I think arm waving is best done in the back yard. My husband try to take a walk with our poodles every day. We have a route which includes a steep hill, and I measure my well being according to how well I negotiate the hill.
Evan,
I used to walk at least three miles a day and loved it. Now I mostly exercise inside but find it’s crucial for my mental health. I agree with bikehikebabe, I’m hooked on those endorphins. I’m glad your partner likes to walk too.
Conrad,
“Oddly enough, I enjoy watching the news while riding the exercise bike….” I only watch the news while exercising, so I must be odd too. Who would have guessed? 🙂
I usually tape the news in the living room and watch it in my study, where I have my exercise equipment. And when a new movie comes out I make note of it so I can watch it when it comes out on DVD. I have no desire to sit and watch it.
Sorry about your dog and your hip. I’ve had to make adjustments too. One of my mottoes is “Doing the best I can with what I have left.”
It warms my heart to think of you dancing with your granddaughter.
Anne,
Thanks for sharing the story of the arm-waving jogger. Apparently the fellow who made jogging popular severely embarrassed his children because his neighbors thought he was crazy. I tend to do my crazier movements in the privacy of my own home, but I admire people who don’t worry about how other people react.
I love walking up stairs or hills. And there’s nothing like a dog to get us out for W A L Ks. I’ve been trained not to say that word out loud around my granddogs. Fortunately they don’t know how to spell. 🙂
I have had a bit of a checkered life in recent years on ‘conducting myself’ – I used to belong to a gym/pool complex. At that time it was the very best way for me.
When I went to University I gave it away and decided that the new schedule of walking to catch the bus (with books), getting off the bus at Uni and walking around the sprawling campus was enuff and then repeating the trip home (often with groceries added to the mix)
This worked fine until there was some changes in my home life and then my weight started creeping up again (noticed about Sept last year by my dear doctor!)
I cut back to proper portions and less junk and some of the weight has gone. I joined the uni gym in Sept as well for 6mths trial but now I have stopped going as that is not ‘where I need to be right now’ (I had thought I had missed it all but seems not!)
I plan next week to start ‘walking about’ again…..why next week? Because this is week 1 of new year/semester and have to get my head around a different schedule than the lazy summer I had had!
Conducting sounds like cool idea….I do something similar in time to music in the privacy of my own home and get a lot of pleasure from it sooooooo I’ll get that started again as well
Cathy,
It sounds as if it won’t be that hard for you to slip back into the groove. Good for your doctor. Around here a lot of doctors are afraid to tell patients they’re gaining too much weight. It’s a sensitive subject, but it’s so much easier to deal with when it’s caught early.
You clearly have a lot of other interests, which helps a lot too.
NZ is trying to curb a big ‘fatter problem’ with the advent of much fast food and other similar sort of easy to cook stuff. e.g. instant noodles are pretty popular.
Originally I asked to be linked in a Green Prescription (this has now changed slightly in focus) but the basis is getting off ‘pills/potions’ and find your way by exercise and other ideas.
http://www.sparc.org.nz/getting-active/green-prescription/overview
At the time, I did this I was in semi-recovery from a previous severely deliberating (?sp) chronic illness and I had got sluggish and over weight! I wanted to get fitter as well as I now had no car and running for the ‘bus’ was a health hazard all on it’s own!!!
What, I didn’t know at the time was that my own region wasn’t running a Green Prescription programme so I was linked to the next one ( a bus trip away from home) which was held once a week…..AND then later I discovered that my ‘new friend’ at the time was member of the complex!!
When I finally joined the complex instead of Green Prescription, my new friend was terribly supportive to a point where I could cadge a ride in car to the Gym and part way home….
Neither, my friend who is extremely fitter than me or myself now belong to this particular complex but it was just the ‘place to be for me at the time’
I now really wage a big war on ‘portion control’ for me which means that really I can munch on anything as long as I’m not ‘over-proportioning’ it 🙂
I agree, C. in NZ. (rhyme intended). I’m eating all the right food, but way too much of it.
I sometimes will do my karate punch workout while walking. I might look odd, but at least I’m also improving in that particular area….. 🙂
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Hi! Found your blog thru Lance. LOVE it – I knew I would 🙂 I’m big on walking, briskly. This winter was too hard on my knees (arthur – itis came to call) so we got a treadmill and elliptical for a home gym. What a treat! I have my little dog on the treadmill too for a walk. I have to admit I’ll be glad when the weather is warm – I’d much rather walk outside, but at least I’m getting the old engine pumped up daily and my dog’s personality calmed down too. Its all good!
suZen
Cathy,
Apparently fast food restaurants create a big problem. There was a recent article in the Economist saying one primatologist thinks the modern obesity epidemic is because people eat so much processed food…it’s too easy to digest and people don’t realize how much they’re taking in. That makes sense to me. I know once I switched to a lot of fruits, vegetables and whole grains I no longer had trouble with weight. I started by eating a lot of low-calorie vegetables. I could munch as much as I wanted without worrying. I eventually found eating to be boring. What a switch that was!
Good for you for taking care of your health.
bikehikebabe,
It sounds as if you’re doing a great job taking care of your health, too
Barbara,
Good for you! I figure you’re setting a good example for other people.
suZen,
Thank you!
I love my exercise equipment. It’s a lot safer in the winter around here. A friend of mine was out walking his dog and slipped on the ice. He’s fairly athletic and knows how to fall, but unfortunately he had his hand in his pocket and fell on his elbow. It rammed his upper arm into the shoulder and severed three of the four tendons. They patched it up and he should regain full mobility…but not full strength…in 12 to 18 months.
No, I don’t walk briskly outside when there’s ice. I adhere to some good advice I read…walk like a penguin, with your center of gravity low and your feet like a duck, pointed slightly sideways. It may look funny, but who cares?
While reading this, I found myself admiring how you stay so true and consistent with your voice. I can always count on your content to be positive and uplifting. What a gift. I like to run. My favorite is putting on my Ipod and going outside on a long run. Living it Utah makes it hard during the winter months, but I’ve slipped in a few outside runs here and there as the weather breaks. I might have to try and get the arm-thing in, but only out on the country roads or else everyone will think I’m waving them down for a ride!
B. Wildes last blog post..My Trip to the Philippines – And a Fun Time Was Had by All
Jean, the fun exercise for me is elbow exercise! Strictly non alcoholic and with plenty of solids.
Hi Jean,
I took a seminar once bu Don Campbell a speaker and musician. We did a exercise in conducting it was alot of fun and I have been doing it ever since. He also used this exercise for helping different blocks be it scientific, writing, etc. It definately frees you up and lightens you up!
B. Wilde,
🙂 Thank you for the kind words.
For some reason CommentLuv didn’t link to your latest post, The Ketchup Kid. I’ll never see another container of ketchup without thinking of you.
rummuser,
If it works for you, go for it! 😉
Diane,
Thanks for making that point. When I get stuck I often get out my boomwhackers and play around. You’re right, something like that does free us up.
I didn’t know that as conductors conduct their choirs they are also conducting their lives. Conducting must be an enjoyable exercise, having the ochestra to cheer you up while you exercise. This is a great discovery, I will join conductors.
Lizwis last blog post..Who should take the blame for the Global Economic Crisis?
Lizwi,
The main thing is to find some exercise we enjoy doing. My motto is, “If it’s not fun it doesn’t count.” I’m convinced that exercising in the right spirit is a big part of its health benefits.
I have a friend who took a course in conducting. 10 students stood in a line, waving their wands & copying the music professor. She said it was funny to watch.
bikehikebabe,
I wish I could see that. 😉
I run everyday, does that count? I move my arms when I run!
Gail,
Of course it counts! As long as you enjoy it. 😉
great post, i haven’t heard of j’arming but i like the idea.
i will add j’arming to my daily fun! hadn’t heard about it.
i don’t call it exercise, but i stand in my kitchen and dance to jazz. i took ballet for years when young and so many of the moves are from that discipline. but i mainly just keep moving through many songs. i also do yoga each day.
i used to take at least 4 long walks a day with my beloved zeke. he died last year and silly as it probably sounds, i try to walk but it makes me terribly sad. his loss was like a person to me. but i will eventually be able to take our walks again.
when i buy groceries or park somewhere, i always park far, far away from the door, so i get walking in that way too.
a fun post!
go monk!
Tammy U R outdoin’ yerself with aw yer comments-I walk 2.