Don't Be Afraid Of The Gym!

 

Whether you have never been, or it’s been awhile. If you’ve lifted heavy iron or only done a few fitness classes. It doesn’t matter if you are overweight, obese, skinny-fat or underweight. If the most exercise you’ve gotten this year has been getting up off the couch to raid the fridge during commercial breaks; now is the time. If you look in the mirror only after getting fully dressed; go now. If you are exhausted, or burnt out, or depressed, or just feel that there must be more to life, there is: GO TO THE GYM!

There is nothing to be afraid of. If you want to be afraid, be afraid of where your sedentary life will lead you. Weakened, brittle bones and loss of muscle tissue as you age. A slowed metabolism, which can easily translate into 5-10lbs of fat gain for every decade past age 30. Poor posture. Decreased range of motion through joints. Higher incidence of diabetes, heart disease, stress related illness- have you heard enough, or shall I continue? A sedentary life is no way to live. It just isn’t. It is a sure ticket to an early grave and a lower quality of life on your way there.

Compare that to looking like an idiot. Or feeling out of place. Or being unsure of what you are doing. Who cares what anyone else may or may not think of you? Chances are most people are too busy thinking of themselves to pay much attention to what you are doing anyway. Besides, we were all beginners once. And we all have reasons for having taken time off from the gym too. Bottom line, it doesn’t matter a bit where you are starting from. Only that you start, that you continue, and that you find a way to fit it into your life and to enjoy it.  

As a Personal Trainer, I see people who only use certain pieces of equipment in the gym. They have no idea how or why to use most of it. They are doing imbalanced workouts, and frankly, “waste of time” exercises. Because of this and for several other reasons, I highly recommend hiring a fitness professional, who will  take you through developing a training program using proper form and range of motion for exercises. This will ensure that you make progress and are able to efficiently use your time in the gym. Also, it should help take the fear out of the daunting task of getting to the gym in the first place.

Amy Shaw,
BCRPA certified Personal Trainer

22 WEEKS!

I'm already getting excited about how my competition plans are formulating and progressing. I have been consistent with my nutrition and cardio & work-outs since I last blogged, and researching Women's Physique division as much as possible. There is loads to learn. And the time to begin learning my posing routine is now, before I become calorie or carb depleted!

I went to see my coach today and practiced the mandatory poses I will be executing on stage. Quite different from Figure! lol. It was awkward to pose in bare feet and when I am completely off-season (read: soft) but, hey, it is what it is and I gotta get started! It was fun/challenging. I will require a lot of practice :)

I have my music picked out, just need to get the song edited and recorded. I really like it, I think it'l be fun to pose to!

All is progressing as it should be at this point, just getting my head straight and focused and finding and harnessing my drive & determination again. I am really looking forward to overcoming all obstacles and kicking my own ass (again) this year.

**************************************************************************

On a bit of a rant, I have to say the following. I have heard a few people in the fitness industry who are either pro-level or hi-profile say variations of the following theme : " If you have to take 16+ weeks to prep, you are not staying lean enough in off season".

This completely infuriates me. What, Meso/Endomorphic body types shouldn't compete? What, women should constantly keep their bodyfat under 15%? What, I should feel like a fatty because I go up to 18-21%bf in the off season?

If someone wants to compete, and has the right work ethic and somewhat decent genetics and a great coach who is willing and able to get them to the stage, who cares how long it takes? I have tryed my damnedest to stay leaner in off-season. Many times! I have wrestled with feeling too thick and and not liking my off-season body. But finally this last year things started to change. I realised my off-season body is strong, it is healthy, it lets me eat a few more treats that I enjoy. I am more than my body anyway, and my self-worth is not completely attached to my physique (thank-god, can you imagine what 50+ y.o. would feel like?)

So yeah, bottom line, I just wanted to say that for me competing is about bringing MY best package to the stage, and enjoying my life outside of competing. And I wouldn't want anyone to think that 16 weeks is too long to prepare for a physique competition. We are not all natural-born attention-seeking glamour queens who feel comfortable posing and parading in front of an audience. We are not all able to stay ultra-lean 52 weeks out of the year. Some of us require more time and work to get onstage. Who gives a shit? End rant.