I’ve embarked on a new journey in my training career. No, I haven’t abandoned my half marathon
training. I couldn’t do that to what
will be the second biggest feat I’ve ever accomplished in my life! That’s if
you don’t count getting married. Finding
someone to put up with me is a feat all its own. I was actually referring to giving
birth. When I think about it running
isn’t near as traumatic to the body as pushing a kid out of parts of you that
just seem like they weren’t physically designed to do. (I often refer to my natural child birthing
experience because I’m frakkin proud of it!
I did what so many women today are afraid to do because we’ve trained
them to believe it’s the worst experience of your life when really it’s not
that bad. Women did it multiple times in
their lives for thousands of years. Stop
acting like pansies! ) Ok that’s out of
my system. I smiled at that last bit of
parenthetical anecdote. My humor isn’t
exactly normal.
My new journey entails that of a young woman desiring to be
strong and lean (with a little bit of skinny thrown into the mix just for grins
and giggles). Seriously, I’m striving to
rid my vocabulary of the word skinny because skinny and lean are two totally
different things in my book. I don’t
want to look like a toothpick and have flabby skin on my arms and legs. I want to be thinner than I am currently am
but have definition in my arms, legs and abs.
And because that’s my goal I’ve chosen to take on a personal
trainer. I meet with her on Mondays in a
group session to work on upper body and then I’ll work on lower body in the
Wednesday crossfit class.
That being said let me recap my 45 minute session. You may think it doesn’t sound hard but I
lifted weight in a way I’ve never done before and I lifted heavier than
normal.
Warm Up:
- · 30 open doors followed by 30 upright dumbbell flys – 5lb x 3 sets
o
Open doors consisted of holding my arms by my sides
as if I were holding a game controller and swinging them outward at the elbow
and back to the start position.
o
No, the open doors weren’t hard. It was the flys.
o
By the third set my right knee was shaking from
trying to push through the last of the flys.
Talk about feeling weak!
First Superset:
- · Horizontal Chest Press with nothing but my shoulders supported by an exercise ball – 15lb Dumbells – 20 reps
- · Ring Push Ups – Body Weight – 15 reps
- · Seated Cable Rows – 60lbs – 20 reps
o
Each exercise was done consecutively with the
set being completed four times with as little rest as possible.
o
I experienced rep failure on the chest presses
on the third round at rep 16. I expected
it and my trainer said that’s what they strive for then asked me if I was ok
with failure. That heifer! Lol!
o
However,
I completed all 20 (barely) on the last round.
Second Superset:
- · Barbell Curls – 20lbs – 15 reps
- · Lat Pull Downs – 50lbs – 15 reps
- · Standing Barbell Rows (or Barbell Pull Ups whatever you want to call it) – 20lbs – 15 reps
o
Each exercise was done consecutively with the
set being completed four times with as little rest as possible.
My arms were so tired at the end of my workout I could
barely hold the steering wheel on the way home.
It was an awesome feeling! I had
to take some quick breaks during the individual exercises because I’m no beast
but it was my first hardcore arm workout.
Ever. Well…except that time I
went to the Cave with my friend. So
really my second hardcore arm workout.
Ever. I was extremely proud of my
accomplishment and I left feeling like the strong woman I am.
Even if you can’t lift half the weight I lifted don’t let it
discourage you. And don’t let it
intimidate you! If you don’t know where
to start all you have to do is ask someone to show you, give you tips or go
online and search for weight lifting routines.
Many websites have videos showing you how to use the machines or do the
exercises mentioned. If not, do a quick
search for a video.
Please don’t let me catch you only using the cardio machines
because I will make your life hell. ;)
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