Keeping Fit
When I was at school one of the lessons that I hated was sports. I was bored out of my mind playing football mainly because I was hopeless at it. I could kick a ball anywhere but where I wanted it to go and on top of that, if I had the ball and everyone’s eyes were upon me I just went to pieces and seldom made contact with that piece of leather with a pig’s bladder in it.
I developed a pretence that I was a long distance runner, anything rather than have to go onto that pitch. I wasn’t that good at running either but at least it got me out of the grounds and away from school. I did get to like it a bit but wasn’t going to make it a career.
I had jobs when I left school that were pretty physical so had no great need for sports.
It was when I first went into the army that I began to get interested in keeping fit, if you weren’t prepare to do your bit it wasn’t long before you lagged behind the others in the gymnasium.
I guess I must have looked pretty fit, well at least I was lean. I was waiting to go for an interview with the company sergeant major when the commanding officer of the unit came out of his office and on his return stopped and looked at me. ”you look fit young man” said he, “Yes sir” I replied, “Come into my office I have just the job for you”. Before I knew where I was I had been given the details of the PT Instructors course that I was attending in 4 days time. As the post was for lance corporals only, it meant that I had instant promotion and instant dislike from some of the chaps that I was serving with but everything has it’s price.
The course was tough and it proved that if you thought that you were fit it was just an illusion. I built up my fitness and stamina over the duration of the course with particular help from one of the instructors who I thought, felt I was a challenge.
PT tables to be learnt, rules of ball games to learn, boxing to take part in and to learn the rules of etc etc etc. I stuck with it and on the day of the practical exams I was amazed at the way in which I was able to do everything with ease and grace.
I was first up before the class to do the practical teaching and was asked to take the class through “Table 4”. I was presented with 24 medicine balls neatly placed in rows and stood before them waiting for the class to come out and stand behind them. Through the silence the instructors voice could be heard saying, “Table 4, Get on with it, take the class through table 4” I said back “Sergeant, what class” back came the reply “Can’t you see the medicine balls, well take them through table 4, that’s your class.”
I could hear the tittering of the lads and as I went through my routine they were getting louder and louder. There was I going round the gym telling medicine balls to bend their knees or to keep their arms straight or to get their shoulders back etc. When I saw the picture from the point of view of the class, I could stand it no longer and burst out into uncontrollable laughter.
When I returned to my unit the commanding officer complimented me on doing so well at my instructor’s course but felt it unfortunate that I had failed on “lack of leadership” I had been strongly advised to work on this and to return at some later date to try again.
I was made PT instructor for the Unit but before I was able to return to do the course the Unit was part of a shake up and was disbanded.
I was 22 years of age when I went on this course but it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I am now 68 years of age and pretty fit and healthy and I swear that it is all due to the Commanding Officer who was desperate to get someone to fill this vacancy.
I have exercised regularly and sometimes intensively and have occasionally suffered the consequences of niggling injuries such as strains and sprains but I have blessed the day that I was taught to look after my fitness.
I sometimes wonder when I see the runners of today if they will be able to benefit in their later life as I have done.
I think it is harder to get fit today than when I first started especially as much of the running is done on public roads and among traffic spewing out fumes and exhaust.
The point that I question is that if you are breathing deeper because of your running are you not reversing the good that you are trying to do because you are breathing these fumes deeper into your lungs than if you were just walking normally. Is it not better to do this running in a gym that is air conditioned and on a machine that is more forgiving than a hard road?
I get confused when people say that the operation to replace a hip or knee joint was caused by their training and taking part in some active sport. We are encouraged to keep fit and to exercise to keep the joints supple and the muscles strong so that they take the work from the joints, so where does the good end and the damage begin?
As we get older we are not able to exercise in the way that we could when we were younger but like all things in life you have to listen to your body and adjust accordingly. I really am grateful that I have reached the age that I am and have been so fortunate as to have had good health and mobility. Whether it is due to my efforts or to good fortune I do not really know but I still wonder if it wasn’t due to that Commanding Officer who just happened to see me.