working out at gym

Six years ago today I started on my journey to become fit and stronger with Erik Fowler at Fitness 1031. I had never touched weights and knew next to nothing about exercise other than working out at home to a casette tape of a Jane Fonda fitness session. That’s right. A casette tape.

My motivation for seeking out a trainer came from facing a scary birthday and having just read Younger Next Year For Women. The author stresses the importance of working out with weights and cautions the reader to seek out a trainer to learn proper form. And so I did. Me who never did more than ride bikes and roller skate growing up. Who grew up in New Mexico where girls took took PE classes to learn a little badminton and volleyball but never had access to athletic teams.  (Title IX passed the year after I graduated from high school.)

I thought initially that I would pay for a few sessions to learn what exercises to do on my own, but I quickly learned that I need a knowledgeable, certified trainer like Erik who teaches me proper form and mixes things up each week so that I continue to make progress.

Six years in I’m still being challenged and learning new skills. Forty-five full minutes of strenuous exercise twice a week. For instance, a full minute on the battle ropes? Check. Three sets of 20 regulation push-ups? Check. Eight reps of Tabata sit-ups? Check. Row 300M as fast as possible; repeat twice? Check.

Stagger to my car? Check. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I will give up a lot of things if I have to in order to continue working out with Erik. I’ve learned the truth of this paradox: pushing myself to the point of exhaustion gives me more energy throughout my day. As Erik has taught me, I’m either growing stronger or weaker. There’s no standing still. I choose to grow stronger and feel even younger as the years pass. How about you?