helloooo shoulders!

They're awake.  Or have been awoken.  Or something like that.   Whatever it is, I know they're there.  They're talking to me.  And they're saying "it's about time!" (or maybe they're saying get an ice pack...)

I have the WEAKEST upper body in the world (yes, I've been known to exaggerate, but in this case I think not).  Push-ups are my arch nemesis.  If I am ever able to do a full "real" push-up I will... actually I don't know what I'd do because it seems that unlikely - it's almost like the likelihood of winning the lottery. 

As a kid I swam.  And swam.  And swam.  I was the fish who would not get out of the community pool, pleading "one more, puulleease or I'll die!!!!" or something dramatic to that effect.  Our driving holidays included hotels with a pool because, well, it just wouldn't be fair if my brother and I couldn't swim at the hotel pool!  So thanks Mom and Dad for indulging us.  But I digress.  10 or so years later I started swimming again - I went once to swim laps and I thought my arms were going to fall off.  I left the pool, got in my car and could barely turn the wheel.  I laughed.  Mostly because my arms and shoulders were throbbing.  But also because it (and I by extension) felt ridiculous that my arms and shoulders were throbbing!  A week and a half later, after recovering, I ditched laps and instead signed up for aqua fit.  Fabulous exercise, but not exactly a strength builder. 

Fast forward another 15 years (you're starting to figure out how old I am aren't you?)   Introduce Cross Fit.   Sounds like a recipe for disaster, right?  I sure thought so.  WRONG!!!   SOOO wrong!  At CrossFit Conexus, the owner is committed to creating an environment focused on safety, learning, nurturing and growing.  And so I started out learning the basics (pretty similar to the stuff I did as an 18 year old at the gym with a personal trainer), repeating over and over until it was second nature.  And then came the weights.  And for the first time in a long time, I was comfortable, confident and more than anything not feeling like it was a chore to work on upper body strength!  Added bonus has been no throbbing or pain - I realize that's not really in the bonus category, but relatively speaking, it feels like it should be.  

Here's the mega-bonus though.  Every day things like lifting and picking things up, hauling myself into the truck (maybe we don't need running boards after all!), carrying heavy items and getting that 15L water jug into the water dispenser are all easier.    My posture has also started to improve which is already having positive impacts on my back health.  

So, those things from a fitness and health perspective that you might be reluctant to work on for whatever reason?  Throw those hesitations out the window and experiment (safely and by doing your research) - find the thing or the trainer that works for you and dive in - the water's warm!