Giving in to the Gym

Thursday, 7 May 2009  |  Bullish Insights, Running + Triathlon

Still reeling from the five consecutive games I rolled out this week, I managed to find my way to the gym yesterday.  I have said it many a times that I have an aversion for the gym.  There’s just nothing motivating about working out within four walls when you’re used to running freely outdoors; half the time I’m thinking, I wish I was on the road instead.

But, yesterday, I forced myself to take on a new mindset.  I decided to give importance to gym work in order to provide my muscles, especially those in the legs, the much needed strengthening exercises that they’ve been asking for.  I figured that if I don’t do it know then I’m setting myself up for more injuries in the future.  Gotta nip this in the bud before I get any fractures or major problems.

I met with a gym trainer yesterday for an initial assessment before we start on regular one-on-one sessions for the next 1.5 months.  I chose this trainer after a “comprehensive” interview the day before, which he passed with flying colors by the way.  This is how it went:

ME: Can I possibly get one-on-one training with an instructor?

Instructor: Yes, of course.

ME: Okay. I want an instructor who runs since I want a program geared towards improving my performance in running.  Do you run?

Instructor: Yes, I do.  But right now I can’t. I have ITBS…

ME: You do?!  Great!  (Should I have said that?!)  You’re my instructor!  When do we meet?

So, I did get an assessment yesterday, which was partly disturbing and partly encouraging.  Bad news: my perenially injured left leg—the thigh to be exact—is half an inch smaller than the right thigh, I still haven’t lost the excess Christmas weight (as if I didn’t know that hehe), and I looked so much chubbier as I did my step test in front of the mirror (haha!)  Good news: my body fat percentage is ideal for my height (but I still aim for a runner’s lean body…don’t we all?) and my heart rate recovers fast (perhaps a sign that I haven’t completely lost fitness.)

With the results of the initial assessment, the gym instructor will now create a program and present it to me later this afternoon.  I’m pretty confident that the new program will provide good results, but I just have to remind myself to be patient.  I can’t count how many times Annie, my running buddy, told me that results from strength training don’t happen overnight; in fact, it usually takes over two months.  For now, I just hope this new program will motivate me to head for the gym even if my mind is on the road.