I'm dreading my next personal training session.. Worst exercise nightmare coming true!

[Ava324 413]

I was pitifully weak when I started personal training 7ish months ago. I'm so much stronger now, and it feels great. I love lifting. I love lifting heavy. I love pushing myself and surpassing my personal bests. I love the results! I've felt like a million bucks and so proud of myself. Until today... All that momentum and excitement came to an abrupt halt... I hit a ceiling today during my weekly session.

Basically my targeted muscles are strong. My stability muscles are weak weak weak. I can't increase the weights any more, because I fall over. Once the light bulb went off for my trainer and he saw what was and has been holding me back, he had me do some test exercises to see just how bad it is. I can't do lunges. Like at all. I fall over to the side (weak hip flexors). He diagnosed the problem, and we're switching focus until further notice. Fun bad-ass lifting is on pause until my stability muscles catch up. And his solution is agility training. My worst freaking nightmare.

I've pretty much been sedentary my entire life. This is the first and only time I'd call myself "active" (I'm jogging almost every day and sometimes twice a day and weight-lifting 3 times a week). I avoided and hated playing sports. I move slow. Everything about how I move is slow, even after losing 113 lbs. For example, there's no way I could jump rope. My body and my muscles just don't move that way on mental command. I couldn't do it now any easier than I could before surgery.

Agility training... "Leg day" is music to my ears. "Suicides" makes me want to puke. I dread it beyond how hard and brutal it will be. I'll go from feeling proud and accomplished to being embarrassed by my unfitness.

Anybody else share this distaste and difficulty with agility? How about some other type of exercise? I'll have to keep telling myself "Everyone starts somewhere." Just like I made resistance training gains, I'll have to be patient with this. And it's a means to an end. If it improves my stability, then I can bring my strength training to the next level.

[erp 2,016]

Maybe you can propose a some short tabata style workout. Anyone can do anything for 20 seconds. Perhaps he can ease you into this. See how he feels about something like this:

Exercise:

1. Side To Side Run x 20 sec (10 sec break)

2. Seal Jack Plyometric Pushups x 20 sec (10 sec break)

3. Mountain Climbers x 20 sec (10 sec break)

4. Running On The Spot x 20 sec (10 sec break)

2 rounds for a total of 8 sets.

Remember: ONLY REST FOR 10 SECONDS between sets!

Good luck!

[BeagleLover 1,020]

I was pitifully weak when I started personal training 7ish months ago. I'm so much stronger now, and it feels great. I love lifting. I love lifting heavy. I love pushing myself and surpassing my personal bests. I love the results! I've felt like a million bucks and so proud of myself. Until today... All that momentum and excitement came to an abrupt halt... I hit a ceiling today during my weekly session.

Basically my targeted muscles are strong. My stability muscles are weak weak weak. I can't increase the weights any more, because I fall over. Once the light bulb went off for my trainer and he saw what was and has been holding me back, he had me do some test exercises to see just how bad it is. I can't do lunges. Like at all. I fall over to the side (weak hip flexors). He diagnosed the problem, and we're switching focus until further notice. Fun bad-ass lifting is on pause until my stability muscles catch up. And his solution is agility training. My worst freaking nightmare.

I've pretty much been sedentary my entire life. This is the first and only time I'd call myself "active" (I'm jogging almost every day and sometimes twice a day and weight-lifting 3 times a week). I avoided and hated playing sports. I move slow. Everything about how I move is slow, even after losing 113 lbs. For example, there's no way I could jump rope. My body and my muscles just don't move that way on mental command. I couldn't do it now any easier than I could before surgery.

Agility training... "Leg day" is music to my ears. "Suicides" makes me want to puke. I dread it beyond how hard and brutal it will be. I'll go from feeling proud and accomplished to being embarrassed by my unfitness.

Anybody else share this distaste and difficulty with agility? How about some other type of exercise? I'll have to keep telling myself "Everyone starts somewhere." Just like I made resistance training gains, I'll have to be patient with this. And it's a means to an end. If it improves my stability, then I can bring my strength training to the next level.

When you work out with resistance, are you using machines or free weights? Free weights would allow your stability muscles to engage.

[WhoKnows 288]

I have a similar problem. Luckily stability exercises are pretty well incorporated into the work outs my trainer plans. We mostly use free weights (otherwise just one machine with pullies) and do a lot of lifts "inline" or in a (I forget the technical term) a non-moving lunge position. I tend to have a lot of trouble with these! But I'm getting better. I too prefer dead lifting and bench presses, but I know it's good in the long run that I don't fall over all the time.

[NewSetOfCurves 1,555]

I know agility training can be gruesome. But, as you said in your post, everyone starts somewhere. When I first started I could barley get 4 lounges at a time in, 2 up downs, or complete things like plié jacks and mountain climbers...I could barely even complete 1 modified push-up! However, despite despising those workouts, I kept trying and pushing myself 2-3 times a week. Now, they are a part of my weekly cardio sessions. I had already been lifting and doing cardio, like you, but let me share with you that it definitely transformed my physique even more. It took it to the next level. In June of this year I couldn't complete the above mentioned exercises, but today I can not only do them, but I can do them fast. And modified push-ups? Pssshhh. I do full, regular push-ups!

You can do this! One day at a time, one session at a time, one exercise at a time. You'll get there, I promise, if you stick with it! Good luck!!!!

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

I had a similar experience yesterday. I've been working out with a trainer since March except for 1 month off for surgery. She did an assessment yesterday to see changes since March. While a lot of things have improved (especially upper body), I'm still tight in the hip flexors affecting lunges and balance. It's funny, she was so easy and gentle when we first started working out and now she gets tougher and tougher each time (because I'm stronger).

Face agilities just like you did lifting for the first time... it's never fun to start but it's GREAT FUN to see improvement and feel your body getting stronger. We all have to just bite the bullet and DO IT sometimes!

Best wishes!

[Ava324 413]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words and suggestions!

We pretty much never use the weight machines in training. It's mostly free weights and kettle balls, then pulley cables, and TRX straps. I've certainly activated my stability muscles and balance muscles some, but I've mostly compensated up to this point with other muscle strength. I've reached the point where something has to give. In order to lift heavy, three things happen: I either go up on my toes, use bad form/round my back, or fall forward.

Where agility training fills me with dread, it's music to my mother's ears. She's an occupational therapist and has lectured me on poor balance forever. Apparently I had poor balance and stability as a little kid too. She works in geriatrics so she can go on and on about how important agility is for fall prevention. I've actually had a few bad trips and falls in the past that put both my arms in slings and I'm only 26..

[Ava324 413]

I had a similar experience yesterday. I've been working out with a trainer since March except for 1 month off for surgery. She did an assessment yesterday to see changes since March. While a lot of things have improved (especially upper body), I'm still tight in the hip flexors affecting lunges and balance. It's funny, she was so easy and gentle when we first started working out and now she gets tougher and tougher each time (because I'm stronger).

Face agilities just like you did lifting for the first time... it's never fun to start but it's GREAT FUN to see improvement and feel your body getting stronger. We all have to just bite the bullet and DO IT sometimes!

Best wishes!

Thanks, Ginger! I never considered weak hips could make such an impact! I'll definitely work on my mindset about agility, and try to spin it fun and take pride in it too.

Funny how your trainer has gotten tough with you. My trainer said to be ready to really work next week and warned that he's going to push to my limit. He said to have oatmeal and fruit before our session for fuel, but it has to be more than an hour in advance so I'm not throwing up. Eek!

[AvaFern 3,516]

If it makes you feel better, I love agility and hate strength training. I have no problem moving reasonably quickly, but make me carry heavy stuff and it's game over. To be fair though when I was younger, I hated agility as well until I was forced to do it in soccer and basketball. Ever since then, I still hate it, but when it's over I feel strong unlike after a lifting session when I feel like weak, wussy, spaghetti.

Also, everyone wants to puke when they think about doing suicides- they're not meant to be fun.

Good luck in your next training session- you might not hate it as much as you think!

[Texasmeg 568]

My balance is awful and my hip flexors are tight. My trainer has been trying to combine balance and strength training (e.g., one legged squat to row and rear lunges while he throws me a medicine ball from different locations). I do fall over sometimes - but I'm improving!

[Forsythia 882]

I have crap balance. Like, I could get arrested for failing a sobriety test when sober bad. So I had this trainer who knew it and used to make me do all sorts of balance exercises. It was brutal and I hated her but I was better for it. But that doesn't mean I didn't cuss her out under my breath.

You might also try doing something like pilates and yoga to work on those stabilizer muscles. They really might help you out.

[katesuccess 990]

When I started working with my trainer I told her I suck at lunges and hated them, because I fall over. Same thing with squats. That inner core stability strength just wasn't there for me. (years ago a previous trainer assigned lunges, and I just never did them! ) So this one had me start doing them using TRX straps, holding on and doing the lunges--amazing that after a few days it wasn't so bad. Then after 5 weeks of 3 times a week with that routine (including other stability stuff AND lifting) she shifted me to doing lunges using a Smith Machine - bar only, no added weights. Again, hard at first and awkward, and then great fun! After 5 weeks of that - i'm fine to do lunges with a 10 pound weight in each hand, doing a curl as I get to the lower lunge point, and alternate legs. And again - after three times, it's not easy! I completely agree with the use of free weights and kettle bells, and some cable stuff - trainers call it "Functional Training" because it uses movements your body does in everyday functioning. It's (as other posters said) the sort of thing that strengthens your core along the way a bit, even if you're more focused on lifting. So, you may already have begun working those muscles, but like you and your trainer discovered, they're in need of more work. Maybe ask about some combination of lifting and agility, so that you don't lose the lifting progress you've made? Good luck - I know how defeating it feels to find this sticking point. You can do it Ava!

[Forsythia 882]

Oh, I forgot about those. Those TRX straps are killer and work the stabilizers like crazy. I second Kate! If you have access to them with your trainer, maybe do some of that stuff! When I was using them I was over 300 lbs. I kept asking the trainer "ARE YOU SURE THESE ARE BOLTED TO THE STUDS?!"

She used to just laugh. I was never able to pull them out of the wall despite my fears.

[heartimpelled 2]

thanks for all posting this information is very important for my and help full

[Ava324 413]

Thank you all for your words of encouragement and advice. Seriously means the world to me.

My first cardio/agility day was yesterday, and I have to admit, I did a LOT better than I anticipated. I did a lot better than my trainer thought I would. I genuinely have always disliked sports and moving quickly, but I think most of my dread stemmed from the embarrassment of being so bad at it. I'd been overweight to severely morbidly obese since I was 8 years old, so I've spent pretty much all of my life ashamed by getting noticeably red faced, sweaty, and breathless at the slightest exertion.

Like so much of fitness, the mental aspect is super powerful. Once I realized I was performing better (daily jogging is paying off I think!), then I actually enjoyed parts of it.

I did cross jacks, stance jacks, 1-2-3 Heisman's, power squats, this box/step side hop thing, regular jumping jacks, and burpee lites. The burpees were the hardest for me. The best I could do was repeatedly step back one foot at a time into a plank and stand back up. My homework is to practice those.. Also the side step up hop thing was hard, I think because of tight hip flexors. Each interval was only 30 seconds with 30 seconds of jogging in place between each. I only saw stars for a second.

I built it up to much in my head. >< Now that the first time and anxiety is out of the way, I think I'm up for the challenge.