Monday 4 February 2008

Bending Over Backwards

Yoga. Heartcore/hardcore Pilates. Power plate. Swimming. Running. Body pump. Cross-trainer. I did them all this week – and to top it off, this morning I was at the gym at 8 a.m. to try Kettlebells. (I’m not sure I should be taking workout cues from Russia, a country that believes vodka is the cure for everything, but…)

I’m the sort of person who gets in grooves (or dare I say, ruts): doing the same workouts and eating the same things, because they’re familiar and comfortable and safe and easy. So I was amazed when I was ticking off this list of workouts in my head. Plus this week included a big yoga victory for me: a full backbend, which I’ve been trying to do for more than a year, but never quite had the arm strength to lift myself off the ground. Frankly, I was so despairing of ever being able to do one that it was my yoga goal for the whole year – so I guess now I’ll have to come up with a new one. Head stand, maybe? Maybe not.

But I digress. I think all the variety is paying off. It’s a lot of effort to organize all these workouts (and some will be short-lived only because I can’t really afford them), but I’m enjoying them all – and they seem to be working. This morning the Kettlebell class was just me and one other girl, tall and beautiful and slim; the sort who puts on her teeny weeny bikini to sit in the sauna at the gym. (I’ve only been to the sauna once, and it was in my Speedo.) The instructor had us take turns doing a series of 15 fast squats with a 16-kilo kettlebell.

My classmate looked at me after several rounds and said to the instructor: “How is it she’s not totally out of breath from this?”

I tried not to smile.

* * *

Has anyone else noticed yourself slowly becoming more assertive as you get thinner? (Yes, yes, I know one does not equate “journalist” with “shrinking violet,” but for me it’s always been one thing to ask for things because my job requires it, and another to ask for them because I need or want it. I usually, erm, bend over backwards to avoid calling attention to myself.)

Today’s Kettlebell instructor was a fairly smug male trainer who seemed to delight in showing us how easily he could pick up the really heavy weights, and kept making constant references to how well he does in competitions. Exactly the sort of instructor who would have made me very uncomfortable more than 70 pounds ago (or even 30 pounds ago), and in a way, still does.

One of the exercises he showed involved flinging the 16-kilo weight above your shoulder.

“I can’t do that,” I said.

He started to say something cutting, and I cut him off. Not rudely; just firmly. I’ve spent a year rehabbing my arms and shoulders after my fingers went totally numb – totally frightening -- while I was typing last year, and I’m not about to sacrifice that because some random Kettlebell instructor was making me squirm.

“I have bad shoulders, and my physio has said I shouldn’t lift more than two kilos. I have exercises from her that I do,” I said. “Could I skip this one, or is there another version of it I could do?”

He asked what had happened to me, and I explained.

“Well, I’ve had a shoulder reconstruction, which is pretty much the worst thing that can happen to your shoulders, and I’m fine doing these,” he said. “Yours sounds like a postural problem. I’m sure it’s fine.”

“I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel comfortable doing those,” I said for the second or third time, feeling a bit silly.

“Fine,” he said, and showed me a variation.

* * *

Yes, Bachelor No. 2 is still in the picture. I like that he wants to know all the little details. Last week, for example, we went to a Greek restaurant and were choosing mezze to share. “I’m allergic to that one, but that doesn’t mean you can’t order it,” I said.

“I should know that, but what are you allergic to?” he asked.

I liked the sound of that: I should know that.

3 comments:

  1. I can't believe the trainer was being such a douche. Well actually I can, because there is a trainer at my work who is exactly like that. Gross.

    That's awesome about all the varied workouts! I am not even sure what a kettle bell is! haha

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  2. Do you like the kettlebells? I just heard about them for the first time last week, and suddenly I am seeing them mentioned all over the place. That pretty girl from "Knocked Up" says that they totally reshaped her body, and she looks pretty darn good.
    Re: standing up for yourself - good work! I used to be so worried about what people would think of me if I disagreed with them. Then I started to wonder - why do I care if the check-out girl doesn't like me? I am reasonable, firm, polite, and pleasant and I ask for what I want with a smile on my face. I have been successful most of the time, and it makes me wonder why it took me so long to speak up for myself. Good for you for figuring it out so much sooner than me!

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  3. I've only tried kettlebells once, so hard to say if I like them. My traps are sore (think it's your traps that are the muscles behind your neck/shoulder), so I guess I did something. But I'm not really sure I want to work those muscles! Will report back after a couple of sessions... if indeed I make it to that many.

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