Building Strength at the Gym

I think it’s time for an update on how I’m doing building strength at the gym. In early September, I resumed going to my gym. I wrote a post about deciding to return to my gym and what I was doing. It’s now early November so a two month check in is a good idea, I think.

I’ve been working with a trainer twice a week. I decided that it was worth it to me to spend the money on personal training because it forces me to actually go and do a full workout. I know that when I’m left to  my own resources, I tend to think, “oh that’s good enough” and don’t do the extra set or knock off before doing all of the reps.

What are my favorite workouts? I really like deadlifting and bench pressing. I’m trying to improve my upper body strength.

I’ve noticed some definite muscle improvement. For example, I can see some definition in my biceps but I wish I could say the same for my triceps. I really need to work on tightening up that skin and getting some muscle.

The important thing for me is that I’ve taken this process slowly. Rather than going crazy with doing everything, I’ve been doing my strength workouts twice a week. I’ve tried to add in a class each week. Sometimes that focuses on strength. Sometimes it’s a yoga class. I also have gone swimming a few times and I try to get in a run once or twice a week.

I also am focusing on trying to get in plenty of protein on my gym days.

What I’m discovering is something that I already knew but it’s good to get a reminder. Consistency over time is what really helps show results. Doing my workouts every week is giving me more results than flitting from one thing to another. Also, forgetting about working out for a few weeks really sabotages your strength.

I still haven’t restarted attending my bootcamp class because I wasn’t feeling up to it. I finally am thinking that I can resume that class.

It will be the new year in a couple of months so that will be a good time to reassess how I’m doing with building strength at the gym. It will be a good time of focus on setting goals for 2024.