Stability what??

Ok, couple things here.

I kinda got into a sucky mood today...it was seriously the afternoon that would. not. end.!  Finally, 5:00 rolled around and I knew I needed to do something to pep myself up or I was liable to start throwing punches.  Cause I do that a lot... Anyways, I got home, ate a snack, and changed into workout clothes.  I headed up to the gym to get my frustrations out the healthiest way I know. 

Weights + Cardio

I lifted weights for a solid 30 minutes then headed upstairs for 15 minutes of treadmill walking.  I ended with 3 minutes on the elliptical...I had nothing more to give. ha.  It was a really good workout though.  I decided to do the weights first so I could put my energy into them.  Nothing makes me feel stronger than using my muscles to lift :)  Granted, I'm not throwing around a ton of weight but it still feels good.  I did:

lat pull downs, tricep push downs (?), step-ups, db shoulder raises, db squats, tricep extensions, bicep curls, shoulder raises, and modified push-ups

Ryan and I got home about the same time after that and while I washed dishes and started some laundry, he made us grilled chicken breasts and an asparagus frozen veggie mix.  Spinach salad too.

I love how a good workout can pull me out of a funk.  But speaking of, I've seen some FUNK-Y things going on at the gym.  I just don't understand some people.  Or some trainers.  I used to be a personal trainer, and while I didn't choose to stay in that position for a great length of time, there are some things I know just should't be done.  Such as.

Lat pull-downs BEHIND your head.  Don't do that.  I won't use the right terms from lack of use, but it's not good for your shoulders/neck and is in no way a natural movement.  Pull the bar down just to the top of your chest instead.

A standing chest fly, hunched forward like you're of Notre Dame descent.  These two guys tonight were working together and the one was guiding the other as he used the free motion machine to do a chest flye.  He was hunched forward, pulling on on the cables.  The only thing you're doing here is giving yourself a more hunched over appearance by pulling already tight chest muscles together.  STAND UP STRAIGHT, stick your chest out, and then with a slight bend in your arms, pull the cables in towards each other.  And then do a back exercise to counteract what you just worked.

Of course, there's the usual lifting weights that are way. too. heavy. for you.  Yes, you, muscle man. 

But this is what got me tonight.  This head trainer (I'm guessing) was working with this young girl who I believe was shadowing him, soon to be a trainer there herself.  They were working with a woman who was pretty overweight and clearly hadn't worked out in years, if ever.  Your typical individual who comes into the gym and decides to sign up for some training sessions.  They brought her up to the treadmill right next to me.  Head trainer guy started her off at a slow walk on the treadmill.  Apparently they were going to do some baseline testing with her during this first session.  So shadow girl brings up two sets of dumbbells.  They hand this woman a pair of 5's and from what I could hear, tell her that to test her stability, they will have her walk and do dumbbell shoulder raises at the same time, for 3 minutes.  If she gets tired, she can just hold the weights.  Really??  You're going to take someone who is clearly adjusting to even walking on this treadmill and hand her 10 pounds and ask her to lift them over her head while she walks.  And this will test her stability.?  I hope I heard wrong.  But still, I have never understood why you would combine weights with a treadmill! 

Why not have this woman walk, get used to the treadmill, feel her leg muscles starting to wake up, and THEN go down, have her stand, or sit on a bench, and then teach her the proper mechanics of a dumbbell shoulder raise?  Let her feel her core and arms working instead of her hoping she doesn't fall off the back of a treadmill as she lifts and walks simultaneously.

Interesting stuff I tell ya :>  It's kind-of a game I play sometimes...watching the trainers at gyms, and seeing whether they're going to throw some new-fangled bosu ball push-up at their client who can barely use their own body weight.  Start with the basics.  That's really all you need anyways!

Well, I've gone on long enough here.  I just found it humorous.  Do you see crazy gym people?  Or trainers?  Ryan says he just tries to let people be who they want to be at the gym :)

TGIF tomorrow!  I need some weekend.