What is a Workout?

I dare say that I think you could use a little refresher course. You may pontificate all you want regarding your preferred manner of exercise. In fact, you may extol the wondrous benefits of your favorite routine until you are blue in the face. However, I will stand my ground on this debate. I don’t mean to sound condescending, but I believe that you need to be enlightened. That  narrow-minded approach that you’ve clung to for twenty-five years has been detrimental to your physical well-being. And for goodness sake, there is absolutely no need to mock those who don’t choose your methodology. In the great big world of fitness, there is no singular activity that trumps all others. Subscribing to this philosophy leaves you woefully grasping for answers at this stage of your life.  How so? Well,  it’s time for a reality check. How many years have flown by since you last regularly participated in any exercise? So, it’s safe to say that you’ve missed more than a couple of workouts! Remind me again just how old are you now? Not exactly a spring chicken anymore are you? How about you rehearse that lengthy list of injuries with me once more. So, will you admit that you have limitations? This, my friend, is a reality of life. That stale, old way of viewing exercise has to be discarded for you to make progress in your journey.  Demonstrate pure conviction, yes, even stubbornness about achieving your gols, but grow in knowledge and flexibilty regarding your methods! While your previous exercise history is something that I like to be informed of when we first meet, I would prefer that you leave those ancient gym memories where they belong–in the past. It is my intention to clarify this terrible misconception that has plagued you for far too long. Since it is clear that you don’t really understand what constitutes a workout, let’s begin by defining it. 

“A workout is 25 percent perspiration and 75 percent determination. Stated another way, it is one part physical exertion and three parts self-discipline. Doing it is easy once you get started! A workout makes you better today than you were yesterday. It strengthens the body, relaxes the mind, and toughens the spirit. When you work out regularly, your problems diminish and your confidence grows. A workout is a personal triumph over laziness and procrastination. It is the badge of a winner–the mark of an organized, goal-oriented person who has taken charge of his or her own destiny! A workout is a wise use of time and an investment in excellence. It is a way of preparing for life’s challenges and proving to yourself that you have what it takes to do what is necessary. A workout is a key that helps unlock the door to opportunity and success. Hidden within each of us is an extraordinary force. Physical and mental fitness are the triggers that can release it. A workout is a form of rebirth! When you finish a good workout, you don’t simply feel better, you feel better about yourself!”-George Allen 

Do you know what it feels like to be reborn? It is liberating. It is breaking the chains of that which has bound you. A workout is awesome! Can we agree to begin with a cleansing of the mindset that dismissed anything but the usage of  free weights in Olympic style lifting? Biking, hiking, swimming, walking, yoga, Pilates, dancing, water aerobics, any group exercise class, circuit training, resistance training with bands or machines all qualify as excellent forms of working out. Of course, there are too many options to list them all. Age, in and of itself, is not a limiting factor. It does not automatically disqualify anyone from full participation in a specific fitness-related activity. But my assessment of your needs at present is spot on. In my gym, and under my guidance, you shall not do that which I deem to be both counterproductive and dangerous. An unrealistic view of one’s current physical conditioning can often lead to a desire to engage in high-risk exercise. A depressing self-analysis will often lead to doing nothing at all. So, we will exercise patience and take a much more balanced approach. Furthermore, your time is precious. Even if you could workout as you purportedly used to, the simple truth is that you do have the luxury of extra hours in a day to be a gym rat. So, I promise to make the best use of our time together.  Show me  just how determined you are today. We already know how much you sweat! Prove me wrong. “Believing in your goal is the most powerful weapon you have. No matter how tough it seems, if you believe in it, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.”-Andrew Gerard In six months, a year, or two years perhaps you will be able to turn back the clock. I’d love to see you lifting as you once did especially if that is something you truly wish to do. I ask that you trust me. You are not ready. So, we are not just going to sit around and wait are we? Remember that “life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”-Albert Einstein  That, my friend, is exactly what I shall help you do–keep moving in the right direction!