An Overlooked Secret to Sustainable Creation......and a Quick Intro
-
Yes, you read it right. I am a newbie and I have a secret to share. I know what it takes for artists to stay in the game for as long as they wish. But first, a short intro:
Hello my beloved SVS community. This is Claire. Like many of you, I am also on the journey to become a better artist.
In addition, I am a graduate student studying the effect of exercise on mice treated with gene therapy. Specifically, gene therapy aimed to ameliorate the symptoms of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). DMD is a lethal, genetic muscle-wasting disease that mainly affects boys.
During my study of this disease, I do my best to marry science and art. They complement each other nicely and help me grow as a person. I co-authored a review paper where I proudly incorporated some of my illustrations. Link to the paper and some of my figures are listed below.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03008207.2020.1810247?journalCode=icts20
Pursuing my research under the guidance of varsity student-athletes consultant and muscle physiology researchers helped me learn about the importance of physical exercise and activity. Maintain good physical health is my secret to sustainable artistic creation. Some of our most dedicated red rabbits might have overlooked it from time to time.
I noticed I became more and more sedentary over the years. Most artists enjoy solitude or are accustomed to it. A lot of us can sit for a really long time when we get into the zone. Covid and lockdown orders did not help with the situation. I wonder if the stay-at-home orders from 2020 changed anybody's exercise routine? Do you wish to be more active again?
I would like to use the opportunity to serve this wonderful community and talk about exercise guidelines suggested by the CDC. This is based on The Physical Activity Guidelines (newly updated in 2018). You can find a link to the full version at the bottom of this page. But most of us do not have the time to read all this, and some of us might need a little motivation (such as me). I made a promotional flyer to help us get started.
What do you think about this flyer? I welcome and greatly appreciate any critique of my art. Please comment if there is any way I can make this more interesting.
The main takeaway is: you can get started as simple as move more and sit less. Do not stress over any major fitness improvements in the beginning. You can gradually increase your exercise intensity level. The intensity level is absolutely relative to your fitness level. A talk test will help you determine what is moderate, what is vigorous.
In addition, there are recommendations in the guideline for resistance training. I will make a promotional flyer about that too. Will you be interested in seeing what it looks like?
I plan on updating this post about other aspects of physical activity and health. Some of the topics I have in mind include:
-
Since everyone is on a different fitness level. How can you estimate your maximum heart rate? How is this related to different exercise intensities?
-
What is the optimal rep and weight you should lift to increase muscle strength. What about optimal rep and weight for endurance training?
-
How to safely choose supplements in the US and what evidence-based ergogenic aid can enhance physical activity performance.
In the end, I would like to say: I found this place through watching Will's Youtube in 2018. Back then, I was lost and hesitant about whether art can be a viable career for me. I learned so much from Will. He taught me I do not have to choose one or the other. He also showed me an artist's scorching desire to create can not and will not be stopped by any uncertainties. Expression through art is part of who we are. So huge thanks to Will, Jake, and Lee for your encouraging words, for the wealth of knowledge you shared with us, and for building this healthy community.
So nice to meet you all, and look forward to seeing your replies.
Link to resources:
https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/adults/index.htm
https://health.gov/our-work/physical-activity/current-guidelines
-
-
Another way to gauge exercise intensity level is by monitoring your heart rate. This will help to make sure you are not pushing yourself too hard or too little. Everyone's max and resting heart rates are a little different.
Calculate a range of heart rates for exercise intensity level is easy. Step 1-3 will help you estimate your max heart rate and determine which range counts as moderate exercise intensity, which counts as vigorous exercise intensity:
Resources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise-intensity/art-20046887
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates
-
You put a lot of work into this! Appreciated!
