It’s confession time.
I hate strength training.
There. I said it.
OK, well maybe hate is a strong word, but I don’t particularly like it.
I find it boring, repetitive, and overall NOT fun.
For years I have been pretty much ignoring the research that says how important strength training is…especially for women of a certain age. And I am most certainly (and proudly for that matter) a woman of a certain age.
I mean, I have been paying attention to the research, but I haven’t actually DONE anything about it. So, in other words, I have been going about my business saying that I really “should” strength train at least once a week and then, well, just not.
I love moving my body, don’t get me wrong! But, what I love is a nice long bike ride outside. Or, a fun, short Peloton ride indoors. Or even a hike with my family and dog.
To be honest the only times I have ever really focused on strength training in the past were when I didn’t have a good indoor bike setup and it was too hot/cold to ride outside.
Now, I am guessing if you have read this far you are something like me and you would much rather be riding than strength training.
I will be very honest with you. I am in the middle of this. I am not on the other side or at a place where I can tell you all of the gains I have made by strength training…yet. BUT what I can do is tell you how I came about this decision, how it’s going, and how I am FINALLY able to be consistent with strength training.
How and why I decided to commit to strength training in this season of life.
My strength early on…
I have always wanted to be strong. Strength is a trait that was definitely emphasized in my family.
I remember cooking with my Grammy and watching how quickly she was able to stir cookie batter, mashed potatoes, etc. She had the strongest arms. I knew I wanted to be like THAT when I grew up.
My dad used to call me Hoss after the big dude in the show Bonanza. This nickname was NOT an insult. It was because for the same reason I was teased for being fat when I was younger, my stocky build meant that I was also sturdy and a freaking FORCE. He was proud of that, and so was I.
I was all sorts of cranky that my high school team didn’t have a Football team. I wanted to play and I didn’t care even a little that girls didn’t play football. I wanted to knock people over.
When I first started riding my bike my quads got bigger. They jutted out from my leg in a way they hadn’t before. I looked in the mirror and initially wasn’t sure about it but then decided…wait…I like this! I like being strong.
As a part of wanting to be stronger, I decided that I really couldn’t put off strength training any longer. I read Stacy Simm’s book, Roar, and that just solidified for me the importance and the desire to turn my “should” into a reality.
I want to be around a long time. I want to keep my muscles and bones strong. And I know the earlier I start the stronger I will be.
Why I chose to work with a coach…
If there was ever a time I needed guidance and accountability, I knew this was it. I have never worked 1:1 with a cycling coach before, but that’s mostly because I love riding and am intrinsically motivated to do it.
I do not love strength training. I am not intrinsically motivated. Despite having access to a bazillion Peloton strength workouts I never do them or follow the awesome calendar that the Hardcore on the Floor Facebook group puts out.
I needed someone to hold me accountable. Someone to help me hone in on what I am trying to accomplish and keep me on track.
I needed a coach.
Now, I know, not everyone can afford a coach or a personal trainer. It is definitely an investment. But after spinning my wheels with strength training after literally five years of feeling like it’s something I really should be doing, I decided to bite the bullet and hire someone.
My husband was working with a coach out of New England Functional Fitness in East Longmeadow, MA, so I decided to give them a try too.
I called, and my awesome coach, Natalie, called me back. We set up a time, I met her and went over my goals, forked over my credit card, and BOOM. I was on my path to meeting my strength training goals.
How Strength Training Is Going
Fast forward a few weeks (6 to be exact) and I am thrilled to report that I haven’t missed a single workout and am definitely getting stronger. I have been strength training 3 times a week and riding my bike whenever I can.
I decided that at least for the first 8 weeks I was going to get these three workouts in no matter what, and if something had to give it would be biking. This is not likely to be my outlook long-term, but in the world of body movement and weight loss you always need to have your number 1 priority. Right now, for me, that is strength training.
So here is what it looks like. I do a push, a pull, and a leg workout each week. I have been slowly increasing weight over the past 6 weeks.
I will be honest, the first time I did my leg workout I wanted to set my coach on fire.
Well, not really. But I was SORE. I was so sore that going up and down stairs was barely manageable for a week. I was angry because I wasn’t able to ride, haha or really walk much, because my legs hurt SO bad.
Fast forward to today, though, and I can do that same workout without trouble. Sure I am a little bit sore but not anything like I was. Clearly I am getting stronger.
Additionally, I have been able to up the weight on pretty much every single push and pull exercise that I have been doing these past six weeks. Again, I am getting stronger. The workouts are getting easier. I do something called a “suitcase carry” and now I can carry groceries into the house like a BOSS.
Last week I messed up, though. I went hard with my push and pull workouts back to back and messed up my back. I didn’t know it at the time, but later on day 2 I started to have spasms in the middle of my lower back.
Lesson learned. Don’t do hard workouts on back to back days even if they are using different muscles. If my schedule makes it so that I need to do back to back workouts, I can’t go all out on both without risking days of hobbling about, heading up my moist heat friend from amazon (you can find him here), or getting made fun of by my husband for using the heated seats in my car in 90+degree weather.
Why I am finally able to be consistent with strength training for the first time ever.
I credit a LOT of my consistency to my coach and my husband.
Here’s the deal. They both know that I am supposed to be working out three times a week.
They both will know when I don’t.
Just the fact that this is out there in the universe holds me accountable.
I have pretty much zero, nada, zilch internal motivation to strength train, so I have to bring in the external motivation.
I tell my husband when I am planning to workout and on what days. Just knowing that he will know if I don’t is enough to get me down there. He doesn’t even have to say anything (haha though he might!).
And then there is the cost. I am paying good money for someone to work with me 1:1 and put together these workouts. I have a little app that I enter everything into (and you all know how I feel about apps). If I don’t enter stuff in there she will know I didn’t do it. And so I do.
A Final Note
So yes, I am in the middle of this! I don’t have visible results yet, but I can feel my body getting stronger.
I have already screwed up, injured myself, and gone too hard.
And yet, I am sticking with it. Really, at the end of the day I know that the strength training is just so important to my overall health and it will help me maintain my weight loss.
I have made this my number one priority until it becomes a habit. It is more important than biking and weight loss right now for me.
What that means is that if something has to give it’s the bike ride or the scale.
I am not skipping my post-ride protein because I want to maintain my weight. There are other things that I can skip…you know like that second or third cookie, that are going to be more beneficial to me in the long run.
It also means that I am not skipping a leg workout because my legs might not be 100% to ride the bike next day. For now, strength training for me and using all of my leg muscles is more important.
Now, if I haven’t convinced you yet, and you are looking for a down and dirty run down of why strength training is important for women who ride you can go ahead and check that out here.
And, when you are ready to make this commitment, remember that the more people you have in your corner, the more accountability you work in, the more likely you are going to be able to stick with it.
If you need a little accountability partner or a little boost, remember I am just an email away. Email me at stacy@sascy.com. I am more than happy to be the person you check in with!
Ride on!
xoxo
Stacy
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