Yesterday I Cycled Along the Beach of Palm Cove in Tropical North Queensland, Today I Am Walking Through Monte Carlo and Tomorrow the Cotswolds In The UK.
In my fantasies you may think. Well not totally. I have owned a Treadmill for many years. Occasionally looking at it and thinking yes, I must start an exercise program. A few fitful starts and stops but no meaningful commitment to improving my health through exercise. Over time an Exercise Bike joined the lonely Treadmill for company.
Due to health issues related to ageing developing over the past few years, I started tentative walks on the Treadmill. The problem I found was keeping my effort going due to boredom. I tried music, then reruns of tv on my Tablet. After initial attention keeping on the exercise at hand, the mind would soon wander and lose interest.
One day whilst searching ”You Tube” on the internet I came across videos about walking and cycling in places around the world. It is called Virtual Walking or Cycling. One viewing and my exercise activity underwent a total transformation.
This is how it works. I have placed my exercise equipment side by side facing and about 2 meters from the bedroom tv. With Chromecast on the tv and Bluetooth connection from my Tablet or Mobile Phone to the tv I simply play “You Tube” virtual walking or cycling videos on the tv.
There are a huge number of these videos on “You Tube” made by men and women walking/cycling with high quality video cameras. They travel to all countries and locations around the world, cities, towns, mountains, lakes, beaches cathedrals and historical places. You name it they have been there. All recorded in brilliant high definition colour.
Exercise is now a highlight of my day. I so look forward to 5pm Monday to Saturday. Being a Christian lad, Sunday is my day of rest. The feeling of participation as I walk for example, amongst locals, tourists and families, catching short snippets of their conversations as we pass each other along narrow European streets. Exploring the amazing architecture, perfect gardens and fountains, past shops and eating places of every description imaginable, is totally enveloping. Where once it was a struggle to maintain 15 or even harder to reach 20 minutes of boring Treadmill or Bike exercise, now it’s a case of “Oh my goodness, its finished that was 40 minutes”. Depending on the length of the video chosen that afternoon. Commonly they last from 15 minutes up to over an hour plus. Whatever time the chosen video plays for just passes unnoticed due to the interesting and varied places I find myself in. A few of the videos have background music but I prefer to watch those without so I hear the natural sounds of the environment and turn the volume up to about half full volume.
Whilst the videos are purpose made to match a walking or cycling speed, in reality for our purpose they can be interchanged and watched whilst on a Treadmill or Exercise Bike.
If you think you may like to experience this fun I suggest you start by searching “Virtual Walking“ or “Virtual Cycling” on “You Tube”. Here you will be offered a wide selection of amazing places around this beautiful world to explore and hey, all for free. Just had a thought. If the Community Centre had a few treadmills and/or exercise bikes the projection facility there could be used to replace a tv. Then the virtual travel experiences could be shared.
Happy Days
Gary
