Further to my new year’s resolution, I’ve been to the gym a few times now, and had my first evaluation and training session today. A personal trainer asked me a series of health questions and took some measurements. Then had me complete a pair of tasks. The results were pathetic.
First I was instructed to do as many pushups as I could. After just ten my arms were shaking so much I couldn’t continue. Then I was put on a treadmill (a first time for me — it’s a surprising disorienting sensation) and instructed to run a mile as fast as I could. It took me 9:11, and it was all I could do to complete the last fifth of the way. I was dead tired, actually nauseous with exertion. “You have,” my trainer told me gently, “lots of room for improvement.”
I go back on Friday for further evaluation and humiliation goal-setting.
I think it’s a good sign, Waldo, that in spite of feeling humiliated you still feel comfortable enough to post about it on your blog. Your long-term success improves if you’re capable of getting past the initial phases of feeling embarrassed and hopeless because those are two key reasons why some people quit after only a month. But since you’re willing to “own” it, I think you stand a good chance of being able to stick with it until you start seeing measurable improvement.
And I have a feeling measurable improvement is a great way to motivate you. I fully expect to see posts where you write things like “a month ago I could do 10 pushups in 45 seconds, now I can do 16.” When can we expect a spreadsheet breaking down the metrics for your exercise regimen? ;-)
Give that chicken fat back to the chickens, and don’t be chicken again
I would document the hell out of this if it wouldn’t make my wife crazy. It strikes her as exhibitionism. So I’ll just skate along that line and see how I do. :)
Waldo, I promise you that if you keep at it, you will be surprised at how rapid your improvement will be…that is if you survive the next few sessions.