Curves Update


Yesterday, after dithering for a week, talking to friends - dithering some more - checking out the competition & just plain laying about, I decided it was in my own best interest to just give in & sign on for a year with Curves. And, I can hear the bell tolling in my head as I write this . . . I just spent too much time on the Cardiac & Stroke wards last fall with the BT to NOT sign on & get my butt moving. The monthly fee bothered me a whole lot. But I checked out the Rec Centre, which is half the price & knew I wouldn't go with all the 20 somethings in spandex & sweat pants . . . I've tried the Multi-Location spot that has all the frills but no instructors to help unless you pay $80 an hour . . . . the Women only local joint has no air-conditioning in the summer - ouch!! And I don't want to work out with the Testosterone crowd . . a l t h o u g h h h h . . NAAAAAA, I'd be too intimidated even though it sounds like fun . . . So I bit the bullet & signed on with Curves.

Yesterday, I went just after lunch to do the paperwork etc. And met the wackiest woman in the world. Apparently the place is dead from lunch to 3:00 - afternoon nap time, I'm sure of it!! So I decided to wander in when it was quiet. The Whirlwind takes me over, does the paperwork & leads me thru the optional computerized programming. Apparently Curves offers a whole lot more than just the circuit training! I'd been watching members insert these tags into the special equipment attached to the machinery & although they do the same circuit, they do it a little differently. So I made sure I got signed on for THAT too. They also have a walking club & weight loss club - I am NOT signing on for more than I can cope with right now.

So, I'm signed up for the Computerized Circuit. Apparently you have to do at least two weeks on the plain circuit before you can sign up for the computerized plan & I've now done my 30 days for the Study! So we sign on , transfer my sign up info & workout info from the study & it assigns me a TAG. We stuck my little tag into each machine, did three full movements, waited for the beep & did three more. After completing the circuit, we went back to the computer, inserted my tag & IT NOW KNOWS MY NAME & BODY. Sounds ominous, doesn't it??? It sets up a program for me. I have to stay within the Green zone as I work out. If I slow down or hesitate, it flashes YELLOW. It has determined that I have good upper body strength - must be all that knitting!!! - AND I am a lot weaker in my right leg - told ya - it targets my right hip, inner thigh & glut as needing work. It assigns me strength & endurance work on each machine according to my numbers. On some machines I have to do so many reps, on others I just have to go slowly & stay green. After my circuit, I'm to go back to the computer, plug in my tag & call up the information from the workout. The computer will show me a graph of how I worked, if I worked to program & where I exceeded or fell short of my goals.

I went back for another circuit as programmed. The instructor recommended that I only do ONE circuit my first time since I'd already done it once while programming. Well, I said, we'd see how it goes . . . and bit off more than I could chew! That computerized program really put me thru my paces, gang. I was stumbling with exhaustion at the end of that circuit - and YES, I only did ONE more! It pushed me to muscle exhaustion. I actually did smaller movements but more reps. Turns out that I have the strength to do the work but not the endurance. The machine is going to work on the Endurance part of exercise . . . . oh bloody!

And I found out why I've been in such pain & why I injured myself on the 30 day program. I was doing WAY TOO MUCH. I was using too much weight & trying to force my right side to keep up with my left. The Computer has changed my program so I work at the pace my right side can do instead of injuring it trying to keep up with the left. So I'm doing lighter work but for a longer time. I literally went home after that workout & crawled on the couch for a nap. And, nothing hurts today folks. NOTHING!