#RESIST
At first I was going to write #RESIST2018 but that sounds all wrong: there’s no resisting 2018 – it’s happening. And thank goodness! 2017 was a shit show! Even if you walked away from that particular table "up," as they say in Vegas which, let’s be honest, is how the whole year felt: like an ongoing gamble in an overpriced casino run by a lunatic. However, some people seemed to do okay in 2017 and if that’s you? Well done. Or if you, like me, are excited at the prospect of a Force Quit and Restart in the middle of winter then here’s to us! We made it. To quote a poet who deserves much more than this blog, “And now let us welcome the New Year. Full of things that have never been.” Thank you, Rainer Maria Rilke.
And thank you, dear reader, for together we have an opportunity to make 2018 a comeback year. Dirty Dozen style, Seven Samurai strong, we find one another in the shadows and prepare to take on our challengers. For you, that might mean returning to that class you love or getting more sleep, but for me that’s pretty literal: I need to get strong again. Yep, that’s right, I’m talking about resistance training, people. Every GD pun intended. #RESIST
The body responds to feedback; feedback in the form of weights, bands, kettlebells, cable crossover machines, Pilates apparatus. Whatever you can get your hands on. The human race didn’t evolve without doing some heavy lifting and it shows by how intrinsically the body responds to varying loads. Our bones, connective tissue, and muscles are all more vital when engaged in some kind of physical conversation, as opposed to just receiving an ongoing lecture from gravity while sitting in front of a computer. Last year, in the midst of healing a foot injury, I decided to start weight training. For years I’ve watched weight training repair my clients but, in classic Do As I Say Not As I Do form, I often drop the ball on my own straight forward, precision based lifting. Well, not last spring. One of my personal wins in 2017 was finding the perfect weight lifting program. And even better? It's a book.
Knowing I wanted some inspiration I went on OverDrive (one of my favorite apps)* and searched the Los Angeles Public Library Database for books on lifting. Someone, somewhere, must have compiled all of the exercises I know and love and made them into three different weekly routines that I can either do 2 – 4 times a week to start feeling like a bad ass...FOUND IT!
LIFT TO GET LEAN by Holly Perkins
A dubious title, I know. I almost passed on it but as soon as I looked at the programming and read Holly’s intro I was on board. The content is pure gold. She’s legit: a trainer based in Los Angeles who has been doing this her whole adult life. She’s got all the degrees but, more importantly, when you look at how she structures the workouts and encourages detailed, specific movements, you can tell she’s worked with lots of real bodies and created results for folks. My only wish is that the book was called Lift to Get Strong and Feel Like a Badass because that’s how I felt after doing the Hard Gainer 90-Day Training Program.
Wait, so why did I stop? Why am I getting back to lifting as opposed to just upping my game? Well, like so many of us, my schedule shifted in the fall and I fell off the wagon. No excuses, just the facts. Sometimes it’s helpful to know that a trainer has to get inspired to stay motivated. So I’m climbing back up on my wagon, getting to the gym with enough time to lift, and returning to what makes me feel strong and keeps my joints whole while I bounce around the Bay.
Maybe a book isn’t the right fit for you. Perhaps there's a video, a class, a podcast, or even a trainer who keeps you motivated. It’s your call! But if you know your body could use something new and different consider resistance training.
And who knows? Maybe the more we lift in 2018, the lighter life will feel. Here's hoping, friends.
Let us sweat!
- P.
* Overdrive is a free app that allows you to borrow eBooks and audio books from your public library. All you need is a public library card and this magica is yours!
Lift to Get Lean is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and possibly at your public library. Get into it, friends!