I Took the Plunge

I know I've mentioned before about making time to begin at a gym to get my core strength up where it needs to be and to build up more strength in my legs. I think if my core strength had been where it belongs I never would have had that fall last November.

I just have too much riding on all my hopes and dreams to not pursue every avenue that might be helpful in getting this whole thing done. Working out on a regular basis can only make my riding better and better. So while exercises have never been my favorite thing I'm willing to overcome my discomfort and do this thing.

I must admit I have been taking my own sweet time in getting myself started on this project. There's been so much going on I decided to build up in stages. I finally decided that I've put this stage off about as long as I can. This week I finally did it. I started at the gym.

First off, I must tell you, I am NOT a morning person. Most of my life I've stayed up late and risen later. Even with children I've managed to hang onto my night person schedule. The only exceptions have been when jobs didn't allow.

However, I'm also a big coward. I don't go places I've never been before without going with someone. Going to a place like a gym on my own was a lot to ask. So I find myself getting up at 4:30 AM to meet Richard and Pam at the Graham Fitness Center by 5. That's right I said I'm working out at 5 in the morning.

I went in the first morning at 8 because I needed to get signed up. That turned out to be a wreck because I needed a manager to join. I did manage to get a complimentary visit escorted by a new manager without keys (so she couldn't sign me up) who showed me a few things I could do.

I didn't get signed up until the next day. I can't believe my membership that was supposed to be $18 plus tax (Thank you governor Gregoire) turned out to be over a $100 by the time they tacked on sign up fees and office fees and such........including more tax. Then they told me I needed to have an orientation which they did schedule for that following morning at 5 AM.

That turned out to be nothing more than a hard sell job to get me to take on a personal trainer. This woman who was supposed to be showing me the ropes, just kept telling me how nothing would work for me without a personal trainer. She didn't show me anything useful. She just kept pushing, pushing, pushing that I needed a trainer to be successful. After all, it only costs $1200 a month.

That made me laugh. I did laugh right out loud at her. That kind of money would feed my hole herd for a month. I told her she was wasting her time, you can't get blood out of a turnip and with 27 horses my money is already spoken for.

Talk about a joke! I came home from the gym and downloaded information on the internet about beginning exercises I can do on the stability ball. That's what I'm told I need to do for my core strength. So I printed out cheat sheets that I'm taking to the gym.

So it was actually Thursday before I ever really got to the gym with Richard and Pam. I was armed with my two pages of exercises for the stability ball and there are a couple of machines I know how to work. I won't say I'm off and running, it's more like a crawl........but at least I'm headed in the right direction. I'll let you know how it goes.

In the meantime getting up that early has really messed with my schedule. Between that and working six horses by the time I get done at night I am too tired to do much. I do manage to eat before I drag myself off to bed. I'm hoping my body adapts to this schedule change soon. Otherwise my posts might be getting a bit weird.

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