I remember a long time ago, I went for a Body Pump class and I just about died. I think I spent most of the lesson standing there with just the bar (which alone weighs a lot – to me), un-weighted, looking at all the other participants.

Since then, my use of free weights has been limited to just the eensy dumb bells.

This session, I actually used what James, my California Fitness personal trainer, calls the Olympic bar. I’m guessing it’s because it’s the same bar that the weightlifters use in the Olympics. Alone, that bar weighs something like 18 kilograms, I think.

There’s a machine that holds the bar at a suitable height for you so you don’t have to do the “jerk” part of the “jerk and lift”, but you do need to lift it by yourself. (mehhh…) And then I had to do squats with it. With weights. At one point, my knees actually buckled but thankfully the trainer was there to grab the bar before it came crashing down on me.

Today, the fourth day after that session, my thighs still hurt. Not as bad as the first and second day after, but still! And all this because I said I hated my saddlebags. Next time, I think I’ll keep my mouth shut. =D

But you know, the cool thing about having a trainer is that you try all the things you never dared to, or never thought you could. And I’m kinda proud of myself! This whole thing about working out building self-confidence isn’t just limited to body-image, I think. It’s also a lot about testing your limits and realizing you can do what you never thought possible, and more…