It only takes once...

[GoldLynx]

I always go on the treadmill when I work out.

 

I've given myself a variety of excuses. Family heart trouble means I should do cardio. I'll tone up when I lose weight. If I lift weights I won't burn as many calories.

When it came down to it, I was just plain scared--scared of making myself look stupid, scared of trying something new in front of other people. And then, yesterday, it happened.

 

My friend was at the gym at the same time as I was. "Oh my gosh! We can work out together!" she said.

"Ummm...I usually just run," was my timid reply.

"Ok, so let's run for a few minutes and then do weights?"

"Uh...sure." I was still hoping to get out of it later. We headed for the treadmills.

 

I walked for a minute or so to warm up, then cranked up the speed. And then I remembered the muscle. The thigh muscle I had pulled last week. The one I thought was healed. The one that was now stabbing my leg with a lightsaber with every pounding step. "Ow! My leg." I turned the speed down. "I can't run today." Friend was sympathetic. I wondered what to do. I had to log 45 minutes, and I didn't want it to be all walking. Friend came to the rescue. "I'm gonna run for a couple more minutes and then head over to the machines," she said. "Okay," I agreed.

 

"I'll come with you."

 

That was the crucial moment. I knew I had to work out, and it wasn't gonna be my legs. So off we went, and I started by sitting on a seat and using a pin to select 60 lbs. and pulling it down, letting it up. I don't even know what this machine is called, but at least I'm not making a fool of myself. Down, up. Down, up. I got this. Could I do 70 lbs?

 

Fifteen minutes later we're in the weight room giggling about how stupid we look trying out new exercises. I try a balancing board. Oops. Apparently this requires balancing. She takes it a step further. When I look up, she's talking to that girl...you know, the one in every gym who's ripped and lifts and stuff. She's asking Ripped Gym Girl how to freaking deadlift. Seriously? Wow. I hover nearby, but you know, I don't want to get in anyone's way. I don't have to try deadlifting. Hey, while you're doing that I'm going to, um, do some assisted chin-ups, okay?

Assisted chin-ups. Hm. I used to think that was wimpy, but come to think of it, I've seen Ripped Gym Girl using this thing. Sixty-pound assist. Let's try it. One, two, three...four......five. Whew. Take a break, do some more. Hey, how about assisted pullups? Worth a shot, right? This time I need a 75-pound assist. But...quick calculation...that means these pullups are about as hard as they'd be on Mars. I'm doing pullups on Mars. I'm like Matt Damon.

 

Dang, my arms are shot. Walk over to my friend. She's shakily doing deadlifts, and I advise her on her form based on what Ripped Gym Girl said. My friend gets tired, so I give it a shot. She's thinner than I am. If she can do this, so can I.

 

I do the first deadlift of my life. It's a wimpy little deadlift, just with the 45-pound bar, but it's a deadlift. And if I do one, I can do two more.

But there's one last thing.

 

I shakily set the bar back at chest height and walk underneath it. I position it across my shoulders, reach back, and grab it from behind. I know this move like the inside of my coffee cup. I've read about it in countless places, seen it demonstrated in several books, heard all the technique do's and don'ts's. I've practiced it my head so many times. I've never had the guts, though, to actually perform a barbell squat. Body-weight, dumbbell, goblet. But not the barbell squat. Now, I think why not? I back the bar out of the rack and drop my hips slowly. It's not that hard. Another. And another. I'm squatting. I look like a pro. I look like one of the models in fitness books demonstrating perfect squatting technique. My face is red by now, my hair is messy. I walk the bar back into the rack, panting.

"You about done?" asks my friend.

"Yeah, almost. I need to log a few more minutes."
"Okay. I'm done. I'm going to go change now." She heads off. I look around the gym I have just conquered. The same people, the same machines, the same weights are all there. Nothing has changed. Except me.

 

The clock tells me I have five minutes left. I consider my sore arms and aching butt and decide to finish up with a cool-down walk. I step onto the treadmill and set the speed to four miles per hour. And I smile..finishing off with a nice stroll.

 

Wouldn't want to get out of my comfort zone.

[Mike_d85]

That was the Lat Pulldown machine.  I freaking LOVE the lat pulldown machine.  I think it was the first thing I grabbed a hold of too and for the same reason.

 

I kinda wanna do math and see what planet I can do five pullups on... Maybe try to work my way up to Jupiter?  I saw a guy doing pullups holding a 100 lb dumbell with his feet so I guess it's not COMPLETELY insane.  He's past Neptune, anyway.

[GoldLynx]

That was the Lat Pulldown machine. I freaking LOVE the lat pulldown machine. I think it was the first thing I grabbed a hold of too and for the same reason.

I kinda wanna do math and see what planet I can do five pullups on... Maybe try to work my way up to Jupiter? I saw a guy doing pullups holding a 100 lb dumbell with his feet so I guess it's not COMPLETELY insane. He's past Neptune, anyway.

Wow, lat pulldown machine...sounds hardcore!!! (That's a pun)

[rogaecia]

Excellent job, GoldLynx! Excellent! 

[Ja_rossjr]

Heck yes! 
 

That is absolutely awesome! Are you going to lift again? Felt good didn't it?

[GoldLynx]

rogaecia: Thank you!!

Ja_rossjr: Thanks so much! Yes, I've continued to lift regularly since then, and it feels amazing. I did a 34 kg squat the other day, which isn't bad considering I'm not quite 60 kg. Newbie PR

[Ja_rossjr]

rogaecia: Thank you!!

Ja_rossjr: Thanks so much! Yes, I've continued to lift regularly since then, and it feels amazing. I did a 34 kg squat the other day, which isn't bad considering I'm not quite 60 kg. Newbie PR

 

Heck yeah! just keep it up and make yourself proud!