(Untitled)

[plantmom]

As usual, I was the only woman in the free-weight area at the gym today.  There had to be at least twenty men there, so many in fact that there were no more stand-alone benches available.  I had to set up camp at one of the benches built into a barbell-lifting station, but no one seemed to mind, which was great

Comments

[firynze]

I need to start using weights and working my upper body. I've been doing pretty well with doing 30-40min on the elliptical 3-4 days a week now, but the rowing machine is now missing from my little gym, and that means I'm getting no upper body workout other than from holding the handles on the elliptical.

I should start by using cans of stuff at home and then working up. I'd be the twentysomething next to you whimpering at the 5lb weights...

[plantmom]

You make me laugh, even though I know you're serious. The thing about weight training for me is that it helps with joint pain (speaking of reefer, *snerk*) and helps prevent bone loss as we get older. I forgot to say, I've had tendonitis in my right elbow for months now, but since I've been working out again it hardly bothers me.
Back when I used to work with a trainer, mine was a linebacker/fullback for the arena football team here in Buffalo. Man, he used to push me. One thing I learned from Pete is that a lot of people sit around too long between sets of weightlifting, which cuts down on the effectiveness of their program. Which leads to no results and they often give up. I swing right from one set of say, shrugs, to back lifts to triceps, and it's not unusual for me to sweat from the effort. I get results fairly fast which is good, as I'm not the most patient soul when it come to this.

[nentikobe]

I loooooooooooooooooooooooove free weights. I had a delicious weight training session the other day with a trainer to learn some new things (hooray gift voucher!) - and today my quad muscles are still screaming, but at the time I felt so strong.

I cannot sing the free weights praises enough. Even through the pain, I just can't.

Meant to congratulate you on your other post, and I also note: I sweat. There is now "dew" as my Grandmother used to say - or "glow". I drip. Not as much at the drop of a hat as I used to (THANK YOU FREE WEIGHTS) - but it is so wonderful to feel those muscles working and see and feel the progress. I love the head space that free weights give me - I really would love to get in there today and have another session, but I think the fact that I am already wincing about having to stand up from this chair whenever it happens is a sign that I should probably just have a bit of a walk sometime.....

[plantmom]

Thank you. I will never be slim, but I can be strong and healthy. If you didn't see my reply to firynze's comment, please do.
Re: sweating. My father sweated readily, plus one of my medications makes me more likely to. I always carry a hand towel with me at the gym, for that reason. When I'm bent over a bench, doing my back muscles, it helps to have it there, because I do drip and probably always will.

[cmariewt]

YES! Working out is good for you. I can't wait to get back to it Monday. Having been sidelined for a whole week makes me feel like garbage. FAT garbage!