Back to the Gym at 5/6am after taking a solid 2 year break.... #OUCH


I've been 'meaning' to rejoin a gym for awhile now... like over a year. But I have a lot of excuses on why I didn't or didn't feel the need to. When in reality, I have felt like a sloth in recent months, my pants are slowly getting tighter, and I just miss having muscle tone. So excuses are not as easy to come by. And the kicker to forcing me back to the grind of working out was that my leathers are a little snug. And no one wants to a) have to buy new leathers $$$$ or b) break in new leather when old leather fits just perfectly and is comfortable. So... it was time. Time to face the facts and get my arse back to the gym. I know that once I am back in the routine for a couple weeks, it would be routine. I used to the go the gym daily at 5am 5 days a week and loved it. But, now I am out of shape and used to waking up just shy of having to hustle out the door for work. This 'wake up at 4:30/5am thing was gonna be the worst part. The gym I joined is operated and ran by a guy who has won American Ninja Warrior more than once. The gym switches up the workouts daily - there's kickboxing, punching, sparring, TRX, weights, kettlebells, sandbags, rowers, spin bikes, bosu balls, slam balls, sit-up balls, timers, and loud music to mix it all in. I love the variety as my ADD makes it impossible to do the same thing day after day with care and pride. I like that the exercises switch every few minutes because once one muscle group is on fire, its off to the next. We eventually return to the first burning muscle group, but there is an end in sight shortly after, so I can bare through it!  I showed up the first day at 6am nervous, feeling very out of shape, and out of place, but there to make the most of it. 

Well, I am happy to report that I have survived 3 days a week workouts for 2 whole weeks now and don't regret a minute of it. Every muscle in my body has had its own opportunity to throb and burn and ache in those 2 weeks. I have leaked out vats and vats of perspiration over 2 weeks time. But I find myself already feeling better mentally - more energy, feeling proud to be getting back into the groove, and looking forward to my muscles reappearing! The waking up in the morning thing is not yet the best part... I will keep working on that! I woke up REALLY wanting to return to my deep slumber in my comfy bed. But, because I signed up for the class, that meant I was responsible to attend the class. Even as I was walking out the door to get into my CAR FOR the class, I debated. But I forced myself to the car and well, there really is NO reason not to keep going now. Otherwise I just wasted energy to sit in a car. And everyone knows I don’t want to be in my car….ever… unless its below 40 degrees. So I begrudgingly got into my car and made the 2 mile trek to the gym. Even then, I looked around to see if anyone had seen me arrive.. thinking I would still have an OUT. But all in all, I made it. I am tired. I am sore. I am dreading today’s torture. But yet kind of curious to know what it might be. While I am glad that I made it to the gym today… today hurt me.  A lot… Today’s workout: 5 minutes rowing, 10 minutes kickboxing (variety of moves and punches and kicks and high kicks), 10 sit ups while passing a 14# ball in air between partners, 10 planks while rolling a 14# ball between partners, repeat. 10 burpees. 10 chest presses, 10 tricep pushes, repeat. 10 burpees. TRX: 10 chest fly’s, 10 tricep pulls; repeat. 10 burpees. Core Boards: 10 one leg lunges each side; 10 seconds swim pose on the core board; repeat. 10 burpees. 10 kettlebell swings, 10 tri bell moves, repeat. 10 burpees. 25 second lower leg lifts for ab work. 25 bicycle crunches. 25 V sit ups. Repeat. Done. Dead.  I spent 49 minutes within my target heart rate limits (out of a 52 minute class). I cant really turn to my left with my whole body (problem while looking for traffic while passing on the bike). I cant extend my leg all the way without little gnomes pulling my hamstrings the wrong way. My calves feel like they should resemble the HULK. (They don’t). (Yet). My shoulders feel lovely compared to yesterday. LOL. 

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