I Pick Things Up and Put Them Down

I started the workouts in the book, 'The New Rules of Lifting for Women' last week.  So far, I've only done two workouts (the plan takes six months to complete) and after the first workout,  I could honestly say, "Ouch," and mean it.  Oh, I wasn't in agony or anything, but yes, I did find some muscles I didn't know I had.  ( It probably didn't help that I've been transferring rocks from rotten pallets out in the Back Eight to new pallets so we can haul them up for Aaargh construction, either.)  Every pallet holds a thousand pounds (or more) and I've lost count of the pallets I've loaded this week.  Though I do a lot of lifting in my daily gardening life, the formal weightlifting bends my old muscles into new shapes or something.  I don't often press rocks up over my head or do rows with a hunk of limestone in each hand, so these new angles are good.   

I'm running into some difficulties substituting dumbbells for barbells and figuring out how to do a wide grip lat pull-down (good thing the book has pictures, or I would be forever wondering what that was) without gym equipment.  I bought some resistance bands in varying strengths which I can use together to get the same effect (hopefully) as the machines at the gym.  This is all a big experiment and I'm way out of my league, but so far, I'm enjoying the process.  One thing I found out the hard way: when the company who makes the resistance bands tells you to make certain the door you use to affix your bands to is locked shut, they aren't kidding.  Getting a resistance band in the face doing a lat pull-down thingie is not pleasant, ha. 

When I read the book through the first time, it became clear to me a gym membership would make the exercises much easier to accomplish.  But there's still that part of me (the miser) who would rather save money and work out at home.  So, I went in search of videos online showing various workouts with possible substitutions for equipment we don't own.

Happily, I found ways to get the job done without a gym membership.  Many of the videos I watched were informative and helpful with sincere athletes demonstrating proper form and useful information.  I was very impressed.   I was starting to think gyms weren't all full of stereotypical sweaty guys, grunting and prancing around trying to impress women.  Maybe, someday, I'll join one after all.

But then I found this video: 
 

P.S. I'm safe even if I did go to a gym though....I'm old and large.   It would take a really buff dude to get this unit airborne.  Oh, but that landing!  Ouch, again.