The second week of February this year, we joined a gym. I battled bronchitis that first week, but started going to classes anyway. I am bound and determined to get into shape. The past 4 years have been bad for me, with my shoulder problems, and 3 surgeries. I am in pain while I work out... every part of my body hurts, it seems like! Here are the things I have to deal with: 1) Thoracic back pain. This is from injuries on the playground in grade school, and car accidents I have been in. My T4 vertebrae / rib pops out and causes extreme pain. I have been in physical therapy for this many times. This doesn't hurt bad while I am working out, except when I do anything requiring me to be on my back (like sit ups!) 2) My right heel near where my Achilles tendon meets it, has arthritis from an injury I sustained 15 years ago. This hurts to jump around on. I am thinking about getting some sort of support band for it, if there is one. 3) My hearing loss is in my inner ear, and with that, my equilibrium is so out of whack that I can't really do anything that requires standing or hopping on one leg or the other! (and I am very ungraceful just because I am a brute vs. a dancer!) 4) My left bicep has the tendon removed. As a result, my strength has been decimated. I am working slowly to build up my upper body strength. I am doing this mostly with the BodyPump class. But I won't ever have full strength of that arm,and my shoulders don't move normal anymore since both shoulders have had the bursa removed and the end of my clavicle cut off. 5) Both hips have bursitis. The actual joint of the right leg has inflammation of some sort due to #6 6) My arches fall when any weight is put on them. As a result, I finally have custom orthotics to wear, but the 33 years of not wearing any support messed up my feet and legs/hips. Sometimes my SI joint pops out of place and I am in extreme pain for a few days. This has been a LOT better since I started wearing orthotics. 7) My right knee sometimes just gives out due to a track (hurdle) accident I had when I was 16. I never know when this will happen but I am hoping to strengthen the muscles around the knee to prevent this (it mostly happens going down stairs or doing a squat). 8) I have exercise induced asthma, so when I do a lot of cardio, I have a hard time breathing.
So... all these issues sound like EXCUSES, right? WRONG!!! These issues make me more determined to get in shape. I am viewing them as obstacles I am going to overcome, though I don't overdo it. I don't want to cause more problems. I have been given the go ahead from my orthopedic surgeon to do whatever I want, no limits on working out (except be smart about it). I will do pushups until I can't anymore. I will rest and then start again. I will do as much as I can, and then take a 15 second rest and begin again, I am getting better each class, and already doubled my weight in BodyPump. Each week I feel like I can do a little more. How cool is that!? I am doing 4 classes a week now. I started with 2 a week, then 3 a week, and finally I am doing 4 classes a week: 1. BodyPump -- for strengthening (Monday)
2. TurboKick -- for cardio (Wednesday)
3. RIPPED -- for cardio, strengthening, endurance (Friday)
4. BodyCombat -- cardio, endurance, strengthening (Saturday) And, every day I play with my dogs or take them for a walk, clean the house, run errands, or all the other things that keeping up a household requires of you. Only when I am working or relaxing and reading a book do I sit down on my bum!! (and when I write in my blog!) If I can do it amongst all the pain I am in, then you can, too! In just 7 weeks I feel like I have much more energy (although my muscles seem to be sore after BodyPump and RIPPED). My legs feel almost solid muscle. I am getting more definition in my body. I still have fat on my mid section... but I am working on that!! You can actually see that I have a bicep muscle now, which is really cool! My shoulders are becoming more defined. I am sleeping a little better at night (I have sleep issues, so this is a big one for me). I also am a lot hungrier, but am trying to make wise food choices. (not always successful). So, again, if I can accomplish this, you can, to! I am the most uncoordinated, ungraceful student in my classes, but I don't care. The people are nice, they don't laugh at me (sometimes with me, though!). Take this as the encouragement you need to get started. Your health is so important. Don't delay!!
So... all these issues sound like EXCUSES, right? WRONG!!! These issues make me more determined to get in shape. I am viewing them as obstacles I am going to overcome, though I don't overdo it. I don't want to cause more problems. I have been given the go ahead from my orthopedic surgeon to do whatever I want, no limits on working out (except be smart about it). I will do pushups until I can't anymore. I will rest and then start again. I will do as much as I can, and then take a 15 second rest and begin again, I am getting better each class, and already doubled my weight in BodyPump. Each week I feel like I can do a little more. How cool is that!? I am doing 4 classes a week now. I started with 2 a week, then 3 a week, and finally I am doing 4 classes a week: 1. BodyPump -- for strengthening (Monday)
2. TurboKick -- for cardio (Wednesday)
3. RIPPED -- for cardio, strengthening, endurance (Friday)
4. BodyCombat -- cardio, endurance, strengthening (Saturday) And, every day I play with my dogs or take them for a walk, clean the house, run errands, or all the other things that keeping up a household requires of you. Only when I am working or relaxing and reading a book do I sit down on my bum!! (and when I write in my blog!) If I can do it amongst all the pain I am in, then you can, too! In just 7 weeks I feel like I have much more energy (although my muscles seem to be sore after BodyPump and RIPPED). My legs feel almost solid muscle. I am getting more definition in my body. I still have fat on my mid section... but I am working on that!! You can actually see that I have a bicep muscle now, which is really cool! My shoulders are becoming more defined. I am sleeping a little better at night (I have sleep issues, so this is a big one for me). I also am a lot hungrier, but am trying to make wise food choices. (not always successful). So, again, if I can accomplish this, you can, to! I am the most uncoordinated, ungraceful student in my classes, but I don't care. The people are nice, they don't laugh at me (sometimes with me, though!). Take this as the encouragement you need to get started. Your health is so important. Don't delay!!
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