I don’t think me & exercise get along.
I like to exercise sure but I don’t have any gym/running friends so think that makes it harder for me.
Sometime in 2012 I joined the local leisure centre planning to use their gym & take classes. I never once stepped foot in the door. I cancelled my direct debit but a few months later re-joined. At this point I had no intention to use a barbell and thought that I needed a gym with unlimited class access. In January 2013 I joined a local (1 min from my door) cheap gym which again said it had classes. At first I loved going but I soon got bored & it felt like it was being run by kids so I left after a few months even though I had a 1 year contract. I joined another cheap local gym but again I just wasn’t feeling it. Again everyone looked like kids & I wasn’t given a workout plan just shown how to use the machines. I was looking at free weights at this point but the guy giving me the introduction couldn’t be bothered to show me that, maybe because I’m female?!
It wasn’t til I joined the local health club that I finally got into exercise. I was given a 12 week workout plan and a health screening & could do classes + it had a pool. I went to one classes but never the pool. I did however start using dumbbells and got into running. I would run outside on a Sunday morning (no-one was around) then use the treadmill every weekday I was off work. I saw an improvement in all around fitness but no so much in my weight.
May 2014 I moved to Worthing and quickly joined the local leisure centre, still thinking that I needed classes, I went to a few classes and went swimming with Keith but I really wanted to start strength training and the gym was just too small and only had a smiths machine! I joined a purely strength training/strong man gym in October 2014 and liked pushing myself but it was just too expensive & you had to book a time to workout. I moved to another gym January 2015 as it had a power rack (rare in UK gyms) but I never used it, I was focusing on running as I had my IOW challenge in May. Since May I haven’t been back.
I have since joined yet another gym right on the sea front, which has a power rack & classes. I have yet to try a class put I have been getting in 2 strength training sessions a week and I’m so far loving it. At present the barbell plates aren’t too heavy, the max I could lift is 170lbs I think and once it gets more popular (it’s just opened) I may find it hard to get on the power rack but I am finally sticking to something & I enjoy it.
On strength training days I do 4×8 of the following exercises – squat, bench press, deadlift, OHP, curls. I don’t always do deadlifts & OHP, it depends on time etc. I do a warm up / cool down of either 1 mile run or 500 meter row.
On cardio days I aim to run between 5-10k. I haven’t actually gotten further than 4 miles just but it’s a work in progress. I am looking to add a body weight / kettlebell / resistance routine to it also.
My plans for the future is to continue to do strength training, either at this gym or underground gym in Hove, with has a strength area, function area, cardio machine & function classes. I am happen where I am at the moment & I even enjoy my 40 min walk there & back.
A progression for me maybe to crossfit but it’s just so expensive!
Tags: beach fit, exercise
