I finally did it. I went into the women's locker room and TOOK A SHOWER. IN PUBLIC. And it was one of those "gang" showers, not nice little cubicles with doors or curtains. I've been avoiding this, and washing up in the sink in the bathroom at work, but that just wasn't enough anymore. I'm sweating more, and since I work out at noon, then have to go back to the office, something had to give. I think i dreaded that more than going into the gym with the guys!
This week I determined to make more than my best effort. I found out on Saturday that I had been doing two of the exercises wrong, and that I had misread the instructions on hitting my high point. I was starting out too low, weight-wise, because I was trying to go up in weight for my high point, instead of peaking on weight one notch below that, and then going for more reps with less weight for the high point. The upside is that I can use heavier weights for the earlier reps now. I like that! I have also experienced the high point as it was meant to be, so I do not feel bad for having done it a bit differently for two weeks. I was still lifting weight, so it's not like I didn't develop muscle, because I have. My biceps are standing out and I can curl more already.
I am smiling because I can drop words like "reps" and "curl" and know what I am talking about! There is great satisfaction in being able to flex my bicep and feel it getting bigger and harder.
More of my routine is using dumb bells, and less use of machines. I like the control I have with the hand weights. Had a great lower body (legs and abs) workout on Wednesday, with a surprising outcome. On Thursday, when I got on the bike to do my 20 minute aerobic challenge, my legs were not recovered enough from the day before to allow me to use the same settings I had used on Tuesday. I had to drop it down and make it easier, or I would not have mde the 20 minutes! At first I was upset, like I'd done something wrong, until i realized that no, I was doing something right!
Muscle is built on the days after a workout, not that day. On workout day, the muscle gets torn down by the effort. As it rebuilds during the following days, it comes back stronger than before. My legs were in the "building up" stage. Next week, they will be stronger.
There are 3 fitness centers I can go to here at Cornell University. Each has a different personality: students, aerobics/spinning/machine training, and serious weight-lifters. I go to the aerobics gym for my bike workouts and for lower body, but like to go to the serious gym for upper body. That way I can watch the technique of some of the more experienced lifters.
Wednesday I saw a woman at the gym who is older than me, and who had a great body -- muscled legs, definition in her arms. I made sure I told her on my way out how good she looked. She was an inspiration for me.
[fitness page]
[week 1]
[week 2]
[week 4]