A Bad Case of the Noodle-Arms

Part of my half marathon training program involves stretching, strength training and cross-training. These activities are important for strengthening my muscles, preventing injury, and giving my body something different to do rather than just run all the time. This week is the first week I'm doing my full-blown workout plan, with all these components incorporated. Sunday was my first day of strength training, and it also marked a personal success for me.

Historically, I have been terrified of going over to the free weights side of the gym. Machines I can do, cardio I can do, but barbells and dumbbells baffle me. There are all these bros with biceps bigger than my head, wearing weird used-to-be-a-tshirt-but-cut-into-a-tank-with-giant-arm-holes shirts (why is this a thing?????) and lifting weights bigger than I am using only their pinky fingers. And grunting. SO MUCH GRUNTING! I feel like they all turn and stare at me when I come onto Their Side to lift tiny 5 pound weights. Especially when I clearly have no idea what I'm doing, which is all the time.

If I could exercise in an invisibility cloak, I totally would.

So on Sunday after church, I took my sorry self to the gym on campus. Sunday is my "stretch and strengthen" day, so after doing a nice yoga session, I eyed the free weights apprehensively. Thankfully it wasn't very crowded. There were maybe 5 or 6 guys over in that area at the time. I had designated Sunday as my arm workout day.  This is the workout I was doing.

Yes I know summer is almost over. And yes I did
have to google most of these exercises before I left the house.

I did the whole workout, with free weights, without dropping a single one on my head or foot, and without quitting halfway through! This may not seem like a big deal, but it was a first for me. The next day when I woke up, my arms felt like wet spaghetti. Hence the term "noodle arms." This was just wonderful since I had six hours of class Monday and had to write notes. I go back to the gym for strength training tomorrow (abs day). Hopefully it will be another success!