For the past 2 months or so I've been training with a personal trainer. He's a very nice guy, but sometimes I think he forgets how fat I am. I guess this is good, but sometimes I feel like he expects me to do so much more than I think I can do.
Today during our session he once again directed me to the area of the gym I like to call the "jungle". This is the area where they have free weights and all sorts of contraptions for lifting weights which are completely foreign to me. This is where various large, muscled men and women hang out grimacing and grunting as they do whatever it is they do over there.
He says to me, "Today we're doing machine chest presses, weighted squats and bosu dead lifts with weights." Uh huh. Sure we are. I must have had the same look on my face some patients give me when I say something completely medical like "gastroesophageal reflux" instead of heartburn. And there I was, me with my sweating and huffing and puffing and fatness amongst all the "hard core" gym rats.
But, you know what? I did all that stuff and more! I did it without too much trouble. My body does things now I never dreamed. I bench pressed 75 FREAKING pounds. I stood on the bosu-the half ball thing that "activates your core by creating instability when you stand on it" according to my trainer. I like to lovingly refer to it as the ball of terror as it is scary AND one of the many devices he pulls out when it's "ABD TIME" (he says in a cheery voice which makes me want to slug him). While standing on this thing, I did waist bends while lifting a 35 pound weight!
I can do 15 REAL PUSH UPS now. In less than 30 seconds. I can confidently walk into the "jungle" even when my trainer is not with me and use these contraptions without hurting myself or others. This has actually gained a little respect from some of the "gym rats" as I have actually been on the receiving end of a respectful nod after a set or two.
These are the little victories I hang on to when this whole thing seems so hard. I know there is no one actually reading this, but on the off chance, I hope you can find your "little victories" too. If so, please let me know about them. Then we can feel awesome and powerful together!
Aren't trainers awesome? I've given mine that same look, but tried what he suggested, and what do you know, I did it. I think the bosu ball is tough to stand on...I usually get the giggles because my balance is so bad! So for you to stand on it, bend and hold a weight is great! Oh, and benching 75 pounds? Fantastic!
ReplyDelete