Precerpt from Grandma's Ninja Training Diary: The Dizzy Exit and the Lightning Pulse 🚶‍♀️💓🌪️

 

The treadmill starts. My heart rate leaps—108 bpm almost instantly. I run. It climbs. 183 bpm at peak. Then the machine stops. I step off. And in the time it takes my feet to hit the floor, my heart rate drops like a ninja smoke bomb—50 bpm in 30 seconds.

It’s fast. It’s dramatic. And it’s mine.

🧠 What’s Going On?

• Rapid heart rate rise: My body doesn’t ease into exertion—it launches. That’s not uncommon in highly responsive cardiovascular systems.
• Instant recovery: My parasympathetic nervous system (the “rest and digest” branch) kicks in fast. It’s like flipping a switch from battle mode to tea ceremony.
• Brief dizziness: I feel it for 5–10 seconds. Not alarming. Likely tied to sensory mismatch—my vision says “still moving,” my body says “we’ve stopped.”
  (I get carsick too. So yes, it’s probably a vestibular-visual disconnect.)

🧬 What My Doctors Say

• Postural hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure) can cause dizziness after exertion, but my heart’s structure and rhythm are normal.
• Motion sensitivity and visual-vestibular conflict are common in people who get dizzy from cars, treadmills, or escalators.
• My cardiologist finds it interesting—but not alarming. That’s a good sign.

🧘‍♀️ Ninja Strategy: Graceful Transitions

• Cool down gradually: Let the treadmill slow to a walk before stepping off.
• Focus your gaze: Look at a fixed point as you dismount to help recalibrate your balance.
• Hydrate and breathe: A few sips of water and a slow exhale help stabilize the system.
• Honor the pause: I take 30 seconds to stand still, breathe, and let my body catch up to my ambition. Well, probably not a full thirty, maybe more like 3. Standing still is not my forte -- but I try.

So yes, I get dizzy. Briefly. But I also recover like a warrior. Because Grandma Ninja doesn’t just train hard—she lands softly.

Grandma’s Ninja Training Diary is the inspiring true story of a 70-year-old grandmother who dares to dream big—by training for American Ninja Warrior. Teaming up with coach and trainer Brittany Renz, she embarks on a three-year journey to build strength, resilience, flexibility, balance, and endurance—starting from scratch.

Told in a dynamic mix of diary entries, coaching insights, and behind-the-scenes reflections, this book chronicles the ups and downs of late-in-life athletic training. From gym workouts to rock climbing, yoga to injury recovery, sleep to mindset—every aspect of the transformation is explored with honesty and humor.

Grandma shares what she’s learning; Coach Brittany explains why she’s right—or wrong. Together, they offer a realistic, encouraging look at what it takes to pursue an extraordinary goal at any age.

Part training manual, part motivational memoir, Grandma’s Ninja Training Diary is packed with practical tips for readers over 50 who want to improve their fitness, health, and confidence. You’ll also get insider insights into the world of American Ninja Warrior, strategies for balancing real life with ambitious goals, and hard-won wisdom about success, failure, and the joy of simply showing up.

To read more precerpts from Grandma's Ninja Training Diary, click HERE.

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