Dooley Noted: 9/8/2014
In college, I belonged to a local gym. A self-professed cardio queen, I was always treading away like a hamster on a wheel, chasing fitness with aerobic classes.
I even had a Stairmaster in my home.
I found myself in every class, from “sculpting” to “spinning” to whatever had a catchy name and an empty promise. And man, did I log some road miles jogging.
Cardio was fun. But something was missing.
I looked at the weights with a gleam in my eye. I somehow knew they were waiting for me.
But I had no idea what I was doing with them.
I heard myself say, “I’ll get hurt.”
The irony makes me shake my head, for the weights would soon give me injury protection from all that cardio I was doing.
I asked a friend to show me how to do some things with the weights. That progressed to me becoming a personal trainer, and then, a rehab-based chiropractor.
The weights are a huge foundation of my fitness, and they’ve seen me through many cardio-induced injuries. Weight training has also prevented injuries in a way I will never be able to appreciate.
If you haven’t approached the weights, I’m guessing you haven’t because you were like me.
You didn’t know what you were doing.
Cardio seems safer. But I have to train people how to not hurt themselves walking, running, sprinting, and biking, just as I teach them to properly pick up heavy things.
Technique is important with all movement.
Consider hiring someone to help you.
If you can’t afford it, barter. Or refinance somehow. Find the way.
Weight training has myriad benefits, from incendiary metabolic inductions to preventing bone loss to joint protection.
The weights are waiting for you.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley