Ever since I started going to the University of Florida, I've been working out with fair regularity. It was mostly just dieting before that but, with a free gym in walking distance, suddenly the effort it took to start was significantly reduced. At first it was once a week, for about a semester, and then I began to increase sessions to several times a week (just last semester I was going to the gym two times a week and going to the martial arts club three times a week a night).
Over winter and summer breaks, I would work out at the Church gym with Andrew, who was more experienced than I was and all too happy to show me a few tricks I could fit into my routine. A year ago, he actually convinced me to start running in Germany. That didn't end up sticking, but I made it around Lake Hollingsworth once and--more importantly--I proved to myself that I could run if I wanted to.
So I don't want to lose all my progress going three months without working out, so I started looking for a gym as soon as I got to Quakenbruck. My good fortune is that DIL has a gym-->in my building-->below where I work, so I can start immediately after I'm done for the day. Unfortunately, it's not free. But it's cheap, which is nearly as good (something like 10 a month).
I walk in one day, after I'm established at my workplace, and talk to the person in charge. He fills out the paperwork, makes me a plan, and gets me started. Turns out, my trainer is (one of) the Artland Dragon's trainer. His English is excellent (better than most at DIL) because he trains so many American athletes, and he is often willing to give me his exclusive attention. He has me on the low-and-slow method of doing things slowly and with perfect form on low weights, and it's a lot more difficult than I thought it would be.
I've been working out by myself mostly for the last two years. I've worked out with Andrew before and, though he is good, he's not a professional trainer. I've also worked with a friend (Vernon) at UF a couple times, but it's the same kind of situation. I realize I've never actually worked with a professional trainer before, and my first is a German Athletic coach--how cool is that?
Kay Strong (from church) said she loved reading about your German Trainer. She has made a career out of teaching (preaching) fitness at Lakeland High. Her favorite part was the hearing he promoted the low and slow method. She said perfect form was vital!
ReplyDelete