Surprises at the Gym

One surprise:  I forgot how much I like weight training: it requires total mental absorption to make sure that my form is correct and I am getting the most out of each repetition.

You know what else is surprising?  Even though it’s too soon for my body to have actually changed, I feel stronger and fitter from starting a weight training program a week ago.

I am past the point in my life that I feel like an impostor when venturing to the “man” side of the gym with the free weights.  After working with two different personal trainers in my 20s, I feel reasonably confident that my form is correct and that I know how to use the equipment.  In fact, I feel better than just un-embarrassed:  I feel hard-core.

Although I am by no means immune to feeling self-conscious in the gym (like this day), I feel fitter and more confident by association when I’m over in free weights with the Meatheads.  It makes me feel like saying, “Sorry, 19-year old, Creatine-swilling, Body Builder Dude; you’re going to have to wait for this machine while I finish my second set of  split-stance cable rows using the 20 pound weights.  That’s right.  Twenty pounds.” I can envision myself looking physically like I belong there, too. One day maybe even I’ll be one of the cool chicks with weight gloves!  They’re fingerless!  Like Madonna’s!

One day I'll have workout gloves like these!

I’ve discussed how I’m following a very specific version of weight training: the program described by Rachel Cosgrove in her book, The Female Body Breakthrough. Aside from finding resistance training generally enjoyable and motivating, here are a few things I’ve found surprising from her program:

1)      It’s not for the faint-hearted. She is serious about working you hard, so that you get the most out of the limited sessions she recommends (2-3 a week at first).  Also, the moves are a bit complicated to learn at first, including a specific warm-up routine that’s part of the program and takes about 15 minutes to do (it’s like a mini-exercise class in its own right).  The weight training program itself consists of 6-10 different moves unique to 2 routines, done every other session for 4 weeks.  Then you learn two new routines for the next 4 weeks.  The idea is to keep surprising and challenging your body so that you continually improve.  It’s a lot, right?

That being said, she is very thorough and clear on proper form with pictures and verbal descriptions of what you should and shouldn’t do for every single exercise.  If a person had zero experience with weight training, it might be hard or intimidating to amass all this information without the help of a gym buddy or a personal trainer.  I have found it do-able; even so, I am still hoping to find a workout buddy to keep me honest and check my form, so we’ll see if that comes about.

2)      Foam rolling. I had never even heard of this before reading the book.  To me, the idea seemed nearly as Out of the Blue to me if she had recommended sleeping upside down like a bat to improve blood flow.

After reading more about it on the internets, it seems like it’s a totally legit thing used by plenty of trainers and physical therapists to reduce the risk of injury, to improve muscle recovery, to massage & work out muscle knots.  What is it?  Essentially, you lay on a hard, foam cylinder on the floor, and roll various muscle groups up and down over the cylinder.  Is it just me or did that last sentence sound vaguely dirty?  That’s to be expected, I guess: foam rollers are actual, real-life personal massagers .

In her program, it’s required along with regular stretching.  I bought mine from the sporting goods megastore for 20-something bucks.  It’s worth researching more if you’re interested, because it’s theoretically possible to injure yourself if you do something silly like foam-roll over joints or vital organs.

3) Recovery shakes. I always though that the smoothie bars at the gym were for, well, the Meatheads looking to gain muscle weight, not for us ladies concerned about extra calories.  Guess I was wrong.  Rachel Cosgrove is convincing that recovery shakes are important immediately following a workout to aid muscle recovery and rehydration.

Says trainer Matt on wellspring.com: “During this 30-60 minute post-workout window, your muscles are like sponges and take up nutrients — including protein — very quickly as part of the repair and recovery process. Your body also utilizes carbohydrates more efficiently during this period, due to increased insulin sensitivity, so drinking your protein shake with some simple carbs can help the body more efficient absorb amino acids and utilize them for ongoing tissue repair and growth.”

Since I’m trying to work out first thing in the morning, I’ve been doing what Rachel Cosgrove recommends: I’m making a big smoothie at home (with milk, yogurt, ice, vanilla whey protein powder, and frozen fruit), drinking about half before my workout, then bringing the rest with me to the gym in a to-go cup and finishing it during and after my workout.   Then when I get home, I can eat an actual (slightly smaller) breakfast.

This could be totally a placebo effect or otherwise unrelated, but might as well mention that I’ve felt less tired after my workout the days I’ve had workout shakes.

Okay—I’m off to do more work, but I’d love to hear more about other people’s experiences with weight training.  Specifically: How do you feel about yourself when you’re at the gym?  Am I the only weirdo that likes being in the free weight section?  What are other people’s experiences with my new discoveries: foam rolling and recovery shakes?