A guest column- by Sam from the Y

Here's a few thoughts from one of the trainers at the Y.



Closing thoughts:


The comments at the end of this season that I appreciated hearing the most were not of numbers, pounds, and inches, but of confidence. Each of my players felt so much more capable, and even more important, much more willing to push themselves during each workout.

One of the rewards of exercise is a growing feeling of control. When you are feeling out of shape, you feel out of control of your own body. It's a strange and uncomfortable dis-connect that can permiate other aspects of our lives. Without stetching out on the couch for some analysis here, I am sure that we can all come up with examples of how this affects us. At every level, it is good to feel your body respond to what you are asking it to do; push ups, sit ups, dead lifts...and lo and behold, your body does it, albeit grudginly at first, but it does it. I was fond of reminding my players that the workouts didn't get any easier, they each just got stronger and more fit.

Each of them began to enjoy the feeling of overcoming the discomfort to finish the set, to add one more lift, to run just a little faster. In turn, they enjoyed pushing and encouraging one another.

As a self described gym-rat, my favorite aspect of a good workout is to know that most of my pains are self inflicted, and I wear them like trophies. I wish for each of you the same feelings of accomplishment.

Keep going. It doesn't get any easier, you just get stronger...and isn't that the point?


Sam