For the first chapter of Sports for Introverts, we need to go back in time. Maybe five or six years. I was super not confident in any physical activity when it came to the gym. I hopped on the treadmill – stayed for 45 minutes on a zero incline and that was that.
You’d read in Dolly or Girlfriend – or any of those girl magazines about all these other HIIT programs and weights and all these other random things to improve your health – but I still stood there going “Nope. Not for me.”
So when a few later from that I decided to go see Liv at Liv Fitness – I was introduced to the wonderful world of weights.
Now, I had no idea how to hold a weight, lift a weight and I will 100% admit that I thought, as per most girls, that if you lift, you will get bulky. In my two years of lifting on and off – and strength training, let me implore the wisdom and knowledge that unless you are working out every single day, probably twice and extensively for hours – you are not going to look like Arnie. Seriously. After the effort you put in – you’ll probably want to hope that you do, but no.
I fell in love with dead-lifts. I was pretty sucky at first – (and if you haven’t lifted before, these stats may not mean as much to you) however I started with deadlifting 20kgs with a barbell.
Over the course of a few months (Read: Quite a few) – that was increased to my PB of 80kg.
aka: I could literally deadlift my whole body weight. Do you know crazy that was? INSANE.
Strength training is a necessity to get from the “Skinny” to “toned” look.
It’s great for you – it has lots of good benefits – and you also burn off a lot more calories than doing cardio.
It is also ridiculous fun once you work out what in the world you’re doing – and tracking your progress on seeing just how much you’ve improved.
Other unusual benefits
Let’s give you a few other awesome benefits that aren’t gym success related.
Do you like going to concerts?
Do you like being front row?
Are you kind of small and get pushed around?
(My hand is up!)
Having that improved muscle behind you comes in so super handy in a mosh pit. I went to go see Thundamentals last year, I was up the very front because otherwise, I couldn’t see – and this chick kept trying to push me out of the way to gain access to the front. I didn’t even budge from my spot just for the amount of stability and strength I had behind me, which was amazing. (Also, don’t do this. Especially if you’re tall. It’s not nice. Let us 5′ nothing people have our freedom to see.)
And look – that’s another thing.
Stability and strength, and we’ll also throw in posture for good measure.
Again – as always – I’m not a doctor.
But I am I OH&S representative and can call out bad posture when I see it.
I, 100%, have terrible posture.
If you have an office job, or anything that requires you to be leaning/hunching over on a daily basis, I can guarantee if you have not focused on it – you have an internal shoulder rotation. Outside seeing a physio – weight training is going to be one of the best ways of getting your posture back on track.
Weights. Are. My. Jam.
If I could never do another day of cardio – I’d be a happy chappy.
Weights will make you smash goals.
They will also freaking hurt. Callouses will be your friend.
Do weights. They’re not restricted to the big super heavy ones – you’ve got so. many. options.
I highly recommend seeing a PT to start with, learn the proper form – and go take on the world after that.
How did you like the with the first Sports for Introverts? Do you do weights? If not, is it something you’d consider?
Let me know in the comments ♥
Claire xo
