I don’t know if it’ll be like that every night, but last night, I used my elliptical trainer out on the balcony, and it was great! In the past, I used it inside my apartment, and usually had to have the air conditioner going full blast to compensate–and still sweat up a storm. But last night, because I’m high up and there are winds on the balcony, it was like having super-air conditioning built in.

Furthermore, it somehow made the exercise easier. Usually, if I don’t use the machine for several weeks, it’s hard to get my heart rate up to the right range (according to the Karvonen Formula). It’s a strain, and usually, I can’t keep it up for more than ten minutes without needing a rest. But somehow, the cool evening wind made it easy as pie; I found myself having to slow down so as not to exceed the limit, and wanted to go on beyond the time I had allotted (dinner was waiting, after all). Sure enough, when I tried it again in the daytime (with the wind on the other side of the building, and not helping me), it was much harder work.

Because of the wind, I hardly sweat much at all (before coming in, that is). But what made it really sweet was the view–looking out at the Tokyo nighttime cityscape was great, and listening to my iPod during the workout just completed the experience.

True, it’d be murder on a really hot summer day, and might be hard in the winter (even if I switch to daytime exercising). But in the end, I think the whole balcony exercising deal has a lot to be said for it.