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| Not mine....taken from the internet! |
I think my first introduction to strength and conditioning was a physical fitness test I took when I was in elementary school, maybe 3rd or 4th grade. I remember going to another school's gym on a Saturday and having to do several exercises. I was told at the time the president wanted to know how fit I was compared to other kids. I remember feeling very proud that the president cared that much about me!! :D I don't remember doing anything prior to that test to get ready for it or following up on it afterwards. But I did play kickball or chase at recess twice a day every school day (unless it rained and we were forced to stay inside) until 7th grade when we exchanged recess for PE.
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| Not me...taken from the internet! |
I HATED PE. I hated changing, I hated sweating in the middle of the day (with my new 7th grade stink). The thought of showering was completely out of the question. I hated having to display my complete lack of athletic prowess in front of all the kids who just new how to hit a volleyball, throw a baseball or shoot a basketball with the ease of a professional athlete. I hated the oversized generic brand shoes my mom bought for me thinking I'd grow into them. I hated the polyester shorts they made us all wear. I did everything I could to get out of as much as I could, or at least do as little as I could get away
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| Really me! |
Fast forward to my senior year of high school. My parents were in the Arkansas Army National
Guard. As a senior, they convinced me enlisting was the route to take to have my college paid for so I signed up. I knew I would have to go to Basic training which would mean doing a minimum number of pushups and sit-ups and a timed 2 mile run, so I started going to the gym. I loved sit ups. I felt like I could do them all day long...so that's what I focused on when I would go. I would walk around the gym floor 13 times (that was a mile), and I would workout some on the machines, but I spend the better part of my time doing sit-ups. When I went to Basic training I might have been able to do about 25 pushups in the 2 minute time frame they gave for the test. Although that wasn't enough, we had to do enough pushups I didn't need extra practice for that! I was able to keep up in the short runs we did in PT (physical training) enough that I wasn't required to join in "remedial training". Naturally since I wasn't required, I didn't. When I took my final PT test, I passed the pushups with ease, came close to maxing on sit-ups and BARELY scraped by on the run (sort of).
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| I used the Video not the album... |
Fast-forward to when I got out of the military. I have talked before about how I would use physical activity to lose some weight here and there. I did step aerobics with Jane Fonda, I joined a couple of different gyms along the way, mainly doing group classes. I would work out on machines every now and then. I walked; every so often I would try to run. Sometimes when I got particularly motivated I would tear out the pages of a "SELF" magazine and say I was going to do the 10 minute strengthening workouts they advertised. (I didn't ever actually do them, at least not ever more than once!).
Fast forward to 2008. I got a flyer from my local gym advertising personal training. I went to see
Warren Martin who convinced me he could help me get in shape. And, he DID. It was amazing. I started out meeting with him just once a week, but after a couple of weeks stepped that up to twice a week. He pushed me even when I whined saying I just couldn't do what he was asking me to do. He also helped me morph my nutrition plan. In about 10 weeks I lost about 10 pounds and gained a significant amount of strength. After the 12th week I decided I could do what we were doing on my own and stopped paying for personal training....and very quickly stopped going to the gym.
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| I tell my husband he can't touch those arms or they'll deflate! |
Since I started running, and then triathlon, and then even coaching, I have tried on numerous
occasions to add strength training into my plan. I became a certified personal trainer and a certified TRX trainer. I have been a member of three gyms at one time (thanks to teaching and training I am not paying for memberships anymore). I, of all people, KNOW what to do. And, when I do it I really enjoy it, and make gains in strength quickly.
And...I don't do it.
I did PT for my shoulder longer than I've done anything, but I stopped even doing that a couple of months ago (and I can tell). I know I need to do it more now than ever. I preach all the time to other people that women over 40 NEED strength training to stay healthy. And I know I need strength training to prevent injury. And I know doing it will help me perform better.
And...I just don't do it.
So, when I was invited to try out the program at
Iron Tribe Fitness I jumped.
I jumped back actually. My mind started coming up with all kinds of reasons I shouldn't/couldn't do this thing. I told Blair (manager/coach) how scared I was and his response was something I'm totally going to steal. He said, "It's like attending kindergarten...everyone is nervous! Did you make it through kindergarten?" So I jumped...in this time. I will start "kindergarten" October 27th, three days a week for month long
101 Program. ((For the record, I OWNED kindergarten like BOSS!!! That was the very best analogy he could have used!!))
I have decided to be very bold and vulnerable and post about my experience here. I'm posting for two reasons. When (not if, but when) I get scared I know I will have this stake in the ground (((yes, I get scared to death even though I'm a coach...haven't you read my posts?!))) Also, I am positive there will be a major transformation in my body and my abilities; I want to be able to look back on this time and remember where I started. And IF I forget I will read this post and REMEMBER WHY I'M HERE!!
Until next time...
:D
