My job started a fitness challenge at the beginning of Sept, right after Labor day, running through Nov until just before Thanksgiving. Seeing as I’ve been slacking on my own health due to the Summer – it’s so hard to exercise in heat! – I thought this would be a good motivator. I need to get back into shape. So I upped my “daily” walks from 15 min to 30min, and started making them actually daily during the week (I have since failed that, but still on fitness track). That weekend I also started doing strength training again, as I know that’s good for you too.
And now we reach the point of my post. That first strength training session was HARD. Which was mostly expected. The BIG surprise was which parts were hard and which weren’t. I’ve always had most all of my strength in my legs and some in my back. And my upper body strength was always non-existent, until I started strength training the first time, about two years after Amber was born due to HealthMedia’s Fitness for Life program. So, I was pretty surprised when I found I couldn’t do more than one or two ab-crunchs! And then, it was much to my great surprise that I COULD do side planks!!
After telling Elizabeth this, she pointed out that I had (somewhat) recently had a baby – hence my lack of ab strength, and that I had been carrying said now 25+ pound baby around for months – hence my arm strength! Ah, wise woman.
As an update: I can now do the entire 19 minute Toning Fusion routine. Some if it is still hard, but I can do it all. :) Go me.