RECRUITING MUSCLE

So, I had this revelation. My body is not the problem. I am the problem. Now what? God knows I had tried everything short of surgery and Phen Phen. I am thinking: I have been fighting this since the second grade. I mean if mastering the calories in -calories out equation hasn’t happened since before I was allowed to write in pen or stay up past 8:30PM, what am I going to do now that I am 35 that’s going to make a difference?

In December, 2002 I walk into my friend Stephanie’s gym for the first time. I was so intimidated just crossing the threshold there was no way I could face the calipers and tape measure of the club’s initial health assessment. I decline the health screen and race through the orientation. Essentially I doom myself to the care of the least expert person in the building--me. I spend all of my time doing cardio and have no idea what to do for strength training. I saw the trainers working with clients every day; but considered this a service for “serious athletes” and an extravagance for someone like me.

One day, in passing one of the trainers asked me if I had any questions. “How bad is it that I never do any strength training?” was my reply. We talked about signing me up for 5 sessions so that I could at least get comfortable with the equipment, etc. After two sessions I recognized the huge benefit of working with someone who is simultaneously applauding your efforts and raising the bar. The impact went far beyond performing the prescribed exercises; so, I doubled my sessions. It was a major investment to me and still is today. But, if they offered me my money back in exchange for the education, motivation, and measurable results that personal training delivers, I wouldn’t take it. How much academic or professional training can you say that about? I would rather give up my college degree than what I have gained in personal training, because with every rep the person I want to be gets stronger (literally) and her opposition (doubts, excuses, and inertia) dims.