5 valuable lessons I learned from following my first strength training plan

5 valuable lessons I learned from following my first strength training plan

I was on the verge of a total breakdown.

With moist eyes, I stared at a silver hex bar (a hexagonal barbell that you stand in the middle of, also called a trap bar) at my feet, loaded with 125 pounds.

It was something I had raised several times before. Hell, I'd lifted heavier weights before, no question. But on this particular Thursday, things just didn’t click. My chest felt tight. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A tear rolled down my cheek. I felt like the last month of consistent programming fell by the wayside.

Hard stop for some, albeit important, background information: I'm a fitness journalist, which means I not only write and edit fitness content for a living, but I'm also constantly trying out the latest, greatest, and newest workouts out there. From HIIT to hot yoga, barre to Pilates, I estimate that I typically work out nine times a week and have been doing so for about four years. Some days it's a run in the morning followed by a hot yoga class in the evening. For others, it's Barre3 to quickly meet up with a work contact before taking a lunch break to rack up marathon training miles. And by the way, I'm a seven-time marathon runner. I can walk well. Most of the time it feels comfortable and effortless. Most of the time it is my chosen path to de-stress and relax.

To date, I have followed more race training plans that I can rely on every finger and toe. But until January 1, 2019, I had never followed a structured strength training plan.

After running the New York City Marathon last November, I knew I had to take a step back, even if only temporarily. I had a few injuries in the three months leading up to the race that weren't healing properly and my physical therapist stressed that I needed to take time to strengthen and improve my body. So I enlisted the help of Lacee Lazoff, a trainer and kettlebell specialist at Performix House in New York City.

We did an hour-long consultation where I told the pint-sized powerhouse (seriously, just look at her Instagram) that although I wanted to lose a few pounds, I felt in pretty good shape. We went through all the typical movement pattern assessments such as: B. a squat range of motion screening. We talked about my CrossFit history years ago and my affinity for running. On that first day together, she had me do a kettlebell circuit that included Bulgarian split squats. I remember thinking after the second round that maybe I wasn't that strong after all.

Lazoff worked with me to create a plan that allowed me to incorporate some running and my “work meeting” workouts. I would do strength training (and only strength training) three days a week. Otherwise, it would be a mix of activities that keep me sane, like running to my favorite hot yoga class or meeting a friend for boxing. The goal: For 31 days, I would get to know my body better, work on the wonky movement patterns we discovered in the initial tests, and get stronger along the way.

Thirty days later I had learned a lot.

1. I'm not as fit as I thought I was.

Just because I've been training like a crazy person for the last four years doesn't mean I'm in the running to be CrossFit's next Fittest Woman on Earth. Workout after workout, I found myself humbled by new movement patterns and challenged by weights. Workout after workout, I felt absolutely gassed from about 50 minutes of work that made me feel like a beginner again.

2. It's okay not to be great at everything.

That beginner feeling was hard to appreciate. The fact is: you only become a beginner once. During this time you have the opportunity (keyword: opportunity) to learn so much about a skill and yourself. Through all of this, I realize that it's easy to look past the days when I was a complete novice at running; the days when I would run (that's a friendly term) half a mile in 14 minutes. I remember how much I disliked it. I remember those sweat-soaked Target cotton tights that I've since traded in for the more high-performance Lululemon leggings. I remember thinking I would never complete a 5K and then crossing that off my list months later. Then half marathon. Then more.

3. Solo training is daunting.

But still, being a beginner is especially difficult when you're trying to do something primarily on your own. I felt really, really lonely doing this training plan alone, round after round. If someone else was using the dumbbells I wanted or I couldn't find the right kettlebell on the rack, it was easy to make excuses and walk away, but I kept reminding myself why I started. Get better. To stay informed, I reported to Lazoff after the sessions I completed on my own and submitted a full report. That way I was accountable and didn't let myself down.

4. Progress is success.

Thirty-one days later, I can say without a doubt that I have achieved my initial goals by committing to a strength plan. The anger over previous injuries - a weak hamstring and some sensitive nerves in my feet - is certainly improving. The movements that were overwhelming for me in week one felt more doable in week four.

5. Nothing worth having comes easy.

After I had my little meltdown with my friend at the Hex Bar, I basically went up to the treadmill on autopilot. I turned on my ever-evolving Run Your Mind playlist and ran two quick miles. Drenched in sweat, I got off the treadmill, exhaled, and remembered why I exercise in the first place: because it makes me happy. Like everything in life, hard work will make me better. Maybe one day I'll feel the same warm feeling throwing around kettlebells as I do during a 10-mile run on Saturday morning. In the meantime, it's time to continue to get comfortable with the uncomfortable and figure out the next phase of the training plan.