Lifehacker has an article today about a “fitness age” calculator webpage run by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim. According to the site:
Physical fitness is very important for longevity and good health. The maximal oxygen uptake (fitness) is the most precise measure of overall cardiovascular fitness.
Based on answers to several questions the calculator estimates the mean maximal oxygen uptake (VO2MAX) in mL/kg/min.
…the study indicates that cardiovascular fitness may be even more important for cardiac health than previously thought.
One of the variables that the user puts into the calculator is resting heartrate. Here is a page with tables of resting heartrate values for various age groups and classes.
I was very pleased to see that my resting heart rate value and fitness age were both excellent. There are many things in life beyond my control, but one thing that I can do is take care of myself and I’m glad to see in the results that it really helps. My fitness age is decades less than my actual age.
I find it sad that many or most people still do not understand the importance of taking care of their bodies. Our bodies are the temples of our souls and more precious than all the wealth in the world.
But its important to also not become too attached to our bodies. Buddha taught over and over the importance of sati – mindfulness. Caring for our bodies and for the body of the world that surrounds us is so important.
Being gentle, attentive, conscientious, and respectful is important to cultivate.
It may seem like a far dream, but I want to become enlightened. I want to become a Buddha. I’m happy – blessed actually – that I have this path of mindful practice of regular fitness as a ground to cultivate higher states.
But I want to keep going further. There is still more.
It is frustrating to experience the potential of what can happen but see everything setback because of carelessness and other things.
How do we create a world where people can fully realize their full potential and cultivate higher and higher states?
If the world won’t let me get to higher levels, if it keeps kicking me back to lower levels, then I will just try to gracefully abide in those lower levels and keep rising up even if I am just kicked down again and again.
Eilt, ihr Stunden, kommt herbei,
Bringt mich bald in jene Auen!
Ich will mit der heilgen Schar
Meinem Gott ein’ Dankaltar
In den Hütten Kedar bauen,
Bis ich ewig dankbar sei.
– from libretto to Cantata BWV 30 “Freue dich, erlöste Schar” by J.S. Bach
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.