So here we are on Session 12 at The Western Health and Racquets Club, funny how time flies when you are, ahem, enjoying yourself!
Monday night’s session was a good one, mainly cardio work, running machine, cross trainer and, I think my new favourite, the roaring rowing machine!
Weird thing, on the cross trainer, GymGuyMark usually gets me to do the no hands thing, so just making the machine work using my legs, but tonight after about 5 minutes, he told me to slow down and then go into reverse. This was the strangest thing ever, it felt so unnatural and the muscles really didn’t like it, my balance was all over the place and it was very difficult not to hold on to the hand holds. Isn’t it strange that when we try to do something different not only does it confuse our brain but our entire being?
When I first started this whole getting over my Gymophobia thing, it all felt so unnatural. To be really honest every fibre of my being totally rebelled against it but my conscience overruled. Knowing that, in my heart of hearts, this was actually going to do me some good really helped me persevere, well that and GymGuyMark’s banter! I can genuinely see and feel changes happening to me, there is a rare sighting of a waistline and I am sure I can feel a slight reduction in the bingo wings but the biggest change of all is that I am not as out of breath as I used to be walking into and home from work.
Breathing, we do it every second of every day without even thinking but when we get stressed, agitated or exercise, it can be disrupted and, for some, stop. It is the one thing that I still find difficult to cope with during Gym sessions. When I lose my breath it takes me a second or two to get it back under control. I have taught myself to focus more and listen to GymGuyMark (I do sometimes) when he says when to breathe in and when to breathe out during particular exercises. You soon realise that actually the breath is part of the exercise and helps with the movements. Silly isn’t it how something we do naturally becomes unnatural when we have to think about it. Guess it is a bit like going to Gym, it felt totally out of my comfort zone when I first started but thanks to the encouragement of many and the coaching skills of GymGuyMark, it is starting to feel like part of my life. Like breathing, it is now just something I do, it fits in with the rest of my day just like eating, sleeping and working. The Gym no longer feels out of place but has there been a total Gymophobia cure? Good grief no …. Well maybe a little bit!
Till the next time, get out there and breathe the good air of life.
Gx