Lightening Online

During my training session yesterday we did some leg work. Not a lot mind you (unless you count the running as leg work as well). What I find interesting about strength work is the way a small amount of work at the right intensity can be extremely effective.

Have you ever been in a squat and wondered if your legs were actually capable of lifting your body back to a standing position? Neither had I until yesterday.

The other thing I found fascinating during our session yesterday was how much difference a 5kg medicine ball can make. At one point my trainer took pity on me and let me do a set without the medicine ball. Who knew squats could be so easy? At least that’s how they felt in comparison to holding the extra 5kg.

Speaking of medicine balls, I haven’t used the 5kg ball before. It’s black. Which has no real significance at all other than my to set you up for my next comment.

The next size ball after the black ball is PINK!!!!

My latest gym goal?

Get strong enough to use the PINK medicine ball!!!!

Interesting that Farmboy would choose this week to need my help with some sheep work. He doesn’t ask for my help very often so I try to be obliging when he does ask. And yesterday when I got back from the gym, he asked.

Drafting sheep is generally a job for 2 people. One person to push them forward into a narrow run and another person to operate the gate that sorts the sheep into 2 different pens. Farmboy needed the lambs separated from the Ewes ready for tailing today.

Unfortunately, afternoons are a bad time for working sheep. They tend to get cranky and cantankerous (a bit like me really).

So there I am, climbing up over sheep yard railing with my jelly legs. Twas quite the challenge I can tell you!

I had another first at my training session this week. An audience!!! Our local gym is quite small (well, tiny really - I must take some photo’s sometime to show you) . Often my trainer and I are alone in the gym. A factor I quite like. But every now and then you’ll get a few others using the gym at the same time.

So I get part way through a less than flattering exercise and look up to find two pairs of eyes glued firmly on me.

Thankfully I’m a little more comfortable in my own skin than I was when we first started the training sessions. I think back then I would have freaked out and not wanted to come back.

Instead I simply made a comment to my trainer about being watched. I’m not sure my audience realised they were staring. LOL. Then one of them made some comment about how they wouldn’t be so quiet trying to do what I was doing.

I’ve seen another person during a training session. I think I AM one of the quieter ones. Although I’ve noticed I’m getting louder and more vocal. I don’t always cover up the pain with a laugh or a smile.

That’s very good emotional progress for me.

When I started working my trainer, I figured it was all about physical strength and fitness.

But it’s so much MORE than that. It’s changing who I am and how I see myself. It’s a gentle and gradual process but it’s there.