The Week I 'Speed-Dated' With Exercising

Jocelyn Stiebel attempted SEVEN DIFFERENT EXERCISES in seven working days after seven years of NO EXERCISE whatsoever

As I write this, every muscle I have is aching. In fact, I think my body is in a state of absolute shock. You see, I hadn’t exercised in many (many) years, until I agreed to take up the challenge for this article, and since then, for the past week, I haven’t stopped working out.

But firstly, let me explain my lack of exercise over the last few years. I used to be athletic – victrix ludorum in high school, first-team hockey captain, gymnast… You name it. But then university began and slowly my social life took over the importance of basic exercise, followed soon by a couple years of travelling to the US and Thailand. My mind-set regarding exercise changed from ‘Eh, I don’t need it right now’ to ‘Eh, I don’t want it at all’. Which brings us to the present.

Although of average height and weight, I am hopelessly unfit – and don’t even own any exercise clothing. My hope in this challenge was to not only find something that I enjoy, but also that the week of exercise experiments would change my attitude, increase my energy levels, as well as make me more supple (seriously, I can’t even touch my toes) and strong.