I am a determined woman. Some may say stubborn, but I think that just reflects a lack of appreciation for my resolve. Though they may chastise me, there are several loved ones in my life who benefit from the fact that I am allergic to quitting. However, it seems that on occasion, it would be beneficial to follow the sage advice of Mr. Kenny Rodgers and, “know when to walk away, know when to run.”
In my case, it seems I need to know when to jog slowly because, apparently, I’m in way worse shape then I thought I was.
My crazy-generous employer offered gym memberships to the staff at a huge discount. It’s an amazing deal and I was super excited (and overly ambitious) when I signed up. Five a.m. Boot Camp? I’m in. Spin, even though it’s been nearly 20 years since my last cycling class? Of course.
And I have to give credit to Maximus; they rock. In my very short tenure, I have found that they exceed all my expectations. From the breadth and beauty of the facility to the caliber of the instructors to the friendliness of the floor staff, it’s been a pleasure. Well, mentally anyway.
I’m typing this with my arms bent at about 90 degrees, mostly because that’s normal, but also because I can’t straighten them out completely. My biceps are too sore. I’m also standing up because sitting irritates my strained groin muscle. Or hernia. Diagnosis depends on who you ask. But at least I can walk down stairs again without wincing. My thigh muscles seem to have finished being furious with me.
Essentially, my first week of gym membership left me feeling like I had been beaten by a medicine ball.
What I find most disturbing about all of this is that I’m thrilled. I love being sore — well, minus the hernia/groin strain. That sucks. I feel like it was not an effective workout if the next day – and the day after that – I’m not constantly reminded of the one hour I spent pedaling myself to nowhere.
I thought that I was alone in feeling this slightly masochistic joy and so I admitted it guiltily to my instructor. Turns out, she also feels that being sore means you really worked hard and welcomes the pain. I’m not the only freak. I find that oddly comforting.
When I was at the doctor’s office dealing with the injury sustained while trying to do plank mountain climbers on a yoga ball, she joked with me that this is why she doesn’t work out. I laughed along but it had me questioning my own motivation for leaving my house at 4:45 a.m.
There is no doubt that a certain (large) part is pure vanity. No woman that I have ever known enjoys having wings instead of triceps. It makes waving hello or goodbye to anyone, while wearing a sleeveless top, a depressing proposition. And though I try to tamp down that internal voice that cares too much about how I look, she has a pretty loud mouth and is sort of a bitch.
Thankfully, I’m able to put more focus on the health aspect. I eat pretty well and feel good about the food in my house. But, we all know that exercise is just as important for your overall well-being. I watched my grandmother end up in a wheelchair way before her time because she was too weak to use a cane or walker.
As women, we naturally have less upper body strength then men. I refuse to end up in a wheelchair simply because someone said women should be afraid of dumbbells. I embrace my linebacker shoulders and look forward to healing from this ridiculous injury and getting back to bear crawls, sumo squats and whatever other bizarre methods of torture my teachers can come up with.
I recently used this space to suggest natural remedies for sore and aching muscles. I don’t want to be redundant, so instead, I’ll offer an exercise for your triceps that will leave you needing those remedies.
Prevention magazine offers a good description of the classic chair dip exercise:
Chair dips: Sit with the heels of your hands on the edge of a sturdy chair seat. Slide your butt off the seat, and support your weight with your hands. Straighten your right leg; your left leg should be bent at about a 90-degree angle. Bend your elbows back, and slowly lower your butt toward the floor, keeping your elbows tucked in. Your body should just clear the seat. Push back up until your arms are straight without using your feet for help. Do one set, then repeat with your left leg extended. (Trainer’s note: Skip this one if you’re a beginner or have shoulder or back pain.)
If you’re just starting out, you can try it with both knees bent, like you’re sitting. Work your way up to both legs straight, and eventually move to the above, leg-up version. Don’t be afraid to push yourself a little. We are stronger then we allow ourselves to believe.
Do you have any suggestions for a great upper body exercise? Help keep me from spending my golden years in a wheelchair by sharing them at laurie@riverheadlocal.com.
