Back to the gym

Today is my first day back at the gym for over a week from my feet incident. It feels to be back. I like the way I feel after I hit the gym. Lifting weights anyway. Cardio is another animal.

long time

So it's been a long time since I wrote in my blog.  Let me just say I've been crazy busy. Things were going great!  Sham worked me hard doing cardio stuff, and I've been religious about going to the gym and about morning core exercises.  That is until this past week.  It's been pretty stressful and I started smoking again.  Ugh, that has to stop.  I also injured myself so I haven't been able to do anything this week except for core exercises.  I went running last Saturday...and hurt my feet.  What the hell?  It's not like I've never run before, and I've used the same shoes to run before.  I ended up going to my doc and he didn't have a whole lot to say other than rest up.  Ugh.  So I did, and 1 week later I feel pretty good.  My confidence is kinda low since I haven't worked out at all for a week and I've tried to keep my cardio up by slowly riding a bike.  Kinda lame, but at least it's something. Anyway, this weekend is a nice weekend and I am ready to get back on the horse.  I'll finally be able to play volleyball again and work out again.  I think it might be time to change my routine, but that's up to Sham. Crazy times make it hard to work out, but I was religious about it.  I even made sure to book hotels when out of town for work with gyms so I could keep my schedule.  But I guess I wasn't meant to do much this week cause my feet were tore up and I could barely walk.  LAME!  Hopefully that's behind me.  I'm ready to move forward.

The busy week

I had a really busy and stressful week last week.  I started up smoking again and didn't go to the gym once...I was supposed to go 3 times.  I did play volleyball though on Saturday and every day, except for Saturday, I did the core exercises Sham showed me. On the bright side, I stopped smoking again on Monday.  I used the patch Monday and that was it.  And while I didn't go to the gym, I did my core exercises in the morning.  So it's not a completely lost week. Today will be my first real gym day in a long time.  Well it feels like a long time, it's been at least 3 weeks, if not 4.  Yesterday Sham showed me an exhausting cardio routine.  But even though it kills me, if I can do that for 10 minutes or so, and it would take the place of about 45 minutes of regular cardio like running (which I'm not a fan of), I'm in!! Sham also put the smack down on my snack downs (yeah ok, that was lame).  He regulated on my eating habits giving me the tools and info to really make better decisions and eat healthier. It seems like Sham has a bunch more stuff up his sleeve to keep me in shape.  I have a feeling this is only the beginning.

True to form

Well that's a catchy title isn't it?  Sham has told me how to walk, sit and stand *bark*.  I felt kind of weird doing it at first, but it's becoming habit.  I am a volleyball player and I've had loads of problems with my joints, mostly my knees.  Since taking Shams advice to correct my bad posture, I can't believe it, but my knees feel so much better.  I played volleyball Monday and I couldn't believe that my knees didn't actually ache like they usually do!!  I certainly hope this isn't a fluke and I'm going to believe that it's because Sham really helped me out here.  I am quite grateful and trust that he knows his stuff.  And if you act now, I'll throw in a second set for free!!!  hahaha.  I feel like I should be on an infomercial.  But honestly, I feel that Sham has already made a difference in my life.  With more time that goes by, I think that Sham will really kick me into great shape...with great form for healthy living. Cheers to you Sham. (with juice.  because Sham doesn't like it when I drink)

So I haven't really been doing any sort of exercise other than volleyball once a week and I think need a kick in the ass. This weekend is a pretty chill weekend and I can plan stuff out for the week. I probably should be going to the gym, but I don't want to lift as we will go over proper lifting techniques next session, and I need to know what to do and what not to do, so I'm kind of idle at the moment. I think I need Sham to tell me to do some stuff. I'm not really sure what I should and shouldn't be doing. This Sunday I should be going out to the sand to play some sand volleyball and start getting in out of indoor mode and into outdoor mode for volleyball. Plus sand is a workout.

The walking, standing, and sitting techniques that Sham has shown me are coming along nicely. It's an odd feeling and I have to keep it in the back of my head and remind myself regularly, but seems like I feel better. I noticed my knees felt better the other day, but I'm going to call it a fluke and wait another few days to make a real diagnosis. I haven't been using the roll of pain every day, but I did Wednesday and I will today (Saturday).

week 2 - introduction of the roll of pain

Today Sham showed me how to stand, sit and walk properly. It is really amazing how different it feels. After a few weeks this stuff will become habit and I won't think about how I'm standing, sitting or walking, but for now, I feel like I'm being prepped for a runway or a dog show. lol

Sham also had me do this exercise that I can't remember the name of. I think I will call it the roll of pain. It's just a styrofoam cylinder that you roll slowly under your muscles using your body weight to press the foam into your muscles. Doesn't sound too hard....but holy crap. It is painful. I went through this sort of therapy on my shoulder years ago when a chiropractor "straightened" out my muscle tissue because it was scarred and torn all over the place (I've been playing volleyball for years). It was extremely painful, but I am still playing volleyball thanks to him, so I'll take Sham's advice and use the roll of pain.

Looking forward to reading about eating healthy.

the first step

So my first "workout" with Sham wasn't really a workout, but a fitness test. He ran me through some tests to see where I am at...and for me, it gives me some motivation and a goal to surpass.

I have been keeping a food log and set up this blog at Sham's request to monitor my progress.

It's been a slow start for me, but I think this will be a great. I am excited and ready to start to change the rest of my life.

At Sham's request I will post some before pics of me.

the beginning

Our first meeting was to discuss if we were compatible as trainer/trainee. I was amazed at how together and organized Sham is. He doesn't just incorporate a workout routine, but a system of things to change your life. I was fully surprised, but it made me even more motivated to start.

I have been going to the gym for a while, but not religiously and I haven't seen great results. As a former competitive athlete, my days of constant exercise are over and I sit at a desk most of the time. But I want to have a better looking and healthier body.

I'm very excited to start working with Sham.