On Getting Someone to Beat Me Up

Confession time: I'm a huge slacker when it comes to lifting weights.  I think it's boring and, quite frankly, I'd rather spend my workouts running or doing other cardio.

This is not a healthy outlook on working out.  Regular strength training helps increase your bone density, decrease the risk of osteoporosis, raise your resting metabolism, and reduce your risk of joint injuries.  I have known all of this for years; however, I had trouble talking myself in to using weight machines and free weights.  Something had to change.

When I joined a "real" gym last fall I immediately got a trainer.  Yes, he's expensive, but he's worth every penny.  I meet with Rob once a week and, once a week, he beats the crap out of me for 50 minutes and spends the last 10 minutes foam rolling and stretching me.  Once a week I work hard, leave satisfied, and wake up the next morning with painfully sore muscles.

Please don't take that last sentence out of context.

One of the best things about training with Rob is that he's shown me a ton of strength training exercises I can do on my own and quite a few interactive exercises I can do with a friend (if I can ever talk one in to working out with me).  Would I have found these exercises on Pinterest?  Maybe.  But Pinterest can't check my form and make sure I'm doing them properly.  I can't stress enough how important good form is - if you are just starting strength training please schedule a session with a trainer or work out with a friend to have them check your form.  You can really hurt yourself if you're doing things wrong.

After six months of training with Rob (and, yes, doing strength training on my own) I'm slimmer, stronger, and, most importantly, faster.  While I could probably continue these routines on my own, I'd miss chatting with Rob about upcoming races and having him constantly push me to work harder and do more.

If you're thinking about working out with a trainer, go for it.  Even if you can only afford to do it once, it will shake up your regular routine and give you some new options for working out on your own.