Fitness is something that I'm very passionate about. I do daily exercise and one of my main areas of focus in my training is strength training. In the video, I explain some of the reasons why I love strength training.
I've always been into exercise, having grown up dancing. I was a serious ballet dancer throughout my childhood and through my first years of college (ages 3 to 20). My first foray into weights was when I joined the throwing team (discus, javelin, shot put). In High School, I'd use the occasional med ball and dumbbell, but had no idea what I was doing. I did whatever my brother would show me and that was about it.
Now with the plethora of high-quality and instructional materials out there fitness training is at our fingertips - literally a click away. Back then we didn't have YouTube or Fitness Apps to guide us. I had absolutely no guidance with strength training but was always keen on trying it.
It was Freshman year of college and I'm pretty sure it was the first time I started doing strength training a few times a week. Basic movements like lunges, squat and press, curls, etc. The girls on the team would show me what I needed to do so I'd do it. I'd still go to the gym on my own and one Fall day, Senior year of College I injured my back, having incorrectly used the back (sit-up) machine. Again, my point here is that there was no guidance, no instruction, no way of know how to use the equipment. You either knew what you were doing or you didn't. I didn't. I basically couldn't work out for the rest of that year. That was really disheartening.
Thankfully my back healed (sciatica nerve) and I could go back to the gym. This time I asked for help from trainers in the gym. But to them, it looked like I knew what I was doing and at this point, I had more knowledge.
It was sometime in 2010 that a friend of mine had downloaded the Nike Training App (NTC) and encouraged me to do the same. I did and it was a total game-changer.
For the first time in my life, I had instructions! I had my very own personal trainer! The best part was I could train with them at home (this was before home workouts were a thing) and at any hour I wanted! It was great.
I've been a huge advocate of the NTC app ever since. Their workouts are stellar. High-quality, fun, and give you the results you are looking for. I like the new format with the video playing alongside you because I like the feedback they provide during the workout. They also have whiteboard workouts, so if you're confident with the motions and familiar with the exercises then that's a great way to get your workout in.
For the better part of this year, since March, I've been doing a mix of NTC and YouTube workouts. YouTube is the other game-changer. I have tried so many different trainers and workouts and right now I am absolutely obsessed with Caroline Girvan. She's incredible. So inspirational and she creates high-quality, results-driven workouts that have you sweating and pushing yourself to your own limits. I'm doing her EPIC program, which is a free 10-week program with five workouts a week. Strength training is four times a week and HIIT is once a week. She incorporates two recovery days because we.really.need.them! Her workouts are very challenging and you feel so accomplished afterward.
While I enjoy plyometrics and agility, both of which are important for improving cardiovascular fitness, strength training changed my life. It empowered me. It made me appreciate my body more for being able to do what I'm asking it to do. Being strong is one of the best feelings in the whole wide world.
As a former dancer, I was strong, but not strong in the way that I am now. I also struggled a lot with body dysmorphia as any serious dancer or athlete would tell you. But strength training has helped shift the focus. Yes, it's nice to look a certain way, but strength training reminds you about functioning well. Can you lift heavy objects? Can you catch yourself mid-fall? Can you maintain an upright posture while at your computer? Does your body move the way you want it to? By focusing on functional training, strength training reminds you that it's so much more than aesthetics. It's about performance, high-energy, and functioning at 100%. And if we are talking about aesthetics, I personally like muscles so to me it's aesthetically pleasing. But it is so much more than that. So much more!
Strong is the new skinny.
So that's part of what made me fall in love with strength training. And now there's no excuse not to do it. We have the knowledge from the best trainers and elite athletes available to us thanks to YouTube and apps.
Building muscle is super hard but so so worth it. And it only gets harder as we get older. So, start today.
You'll be so happy you did! I promise :)
Here are some of my favorite fitness trainers:
(1) Nike Training App (iOS and Android)
(2) Caroline Girvan's YouTube channel
(3) Brent Bishop's YouTube channel
Here is a summary of what I share with you in the video.
- Feeling Empowered
- Having Energy
- Real-World Applications
- Health Benefits
- Ability to Improve Constantly
Thanks for reading this post. If you have any strategies for strength training, share them with me in the comments section of my YouTube channel under the video.
🌟Sparkle strong,
Mary Daphne
Thank you for reading!!
