eskwan:and where can you find the time to do extra workouts. I currently teach 4 classes and participate in 3 others getting one day off from the gym, don't see myself finding time to get in some weight lifting (as much as i want to)
This is what I struggle with too. I LOVE weight training. Every week I say to myself, "This week I want to get into the weight room, even just once." But it never happens. I teach classes pretty much every day of the week, and -
- I don't like to lift weights before class, because I want to save as much energy as I can for my class(es);
- I don't like to lift weights after class, because after a long day at work plus 2 hours of classes, I just want to go home;
- I don't lift weights when I have a day off because rest days are so few and far between, and;
- I also stress about muscle pain. What if I get so sore from my weight room workout that I can't properly execute the moves in front of my classes?
I only teach 2 Pumps a week (3 would be my ideal) and I use the heaviest, most obscene weights I can manage so that I feel like I am working my muscles to the limit each week. I think my muscles look and feel pretty strong, even though I'm "only" doing muscular endurance training.
A few months ago I hired a personal trainer, more than anything because I felt like if I invested money into it and had scheduled workouts planned with him, I'd be more inclined to follow through with weight room workouts than I'd ever be on my own. Major investment, but it definitely did the trick; I wish I was in a financial position to do it again, in fact. There were a few down-sides: my appointments with him were at 9:00 at night after all my classes were done. It made for a late night, and I was spending about 4 hours a day at the gym (which I personally think is ridiculous, but to each his own!). However I definitely saw incrdible results in my physique AND I increased *all* of my weights in BodyPump. Most excitingly: for the first time in nearly 9 years of BodyPump, I was actually able to increase my biceps weight! They say strength training can positively influence your muscular endurance, and the proof was in the pudding for me.
I wish I could justify a few hours per week in the weight room, but I don't want to run the risk of spending even more time at the gym than I already do.
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