How I Got Into Shape After Quitting the Gym

I've been a group fitness junkie for as long as I can remember. I seemed to need the competitiveness inherent in group exercise even in high school in order to keep me accountable and working hard. Group bootcamps, kickboxing and spin classes dictated my weekly schedule. By the time I reached my mid 30s, I sported several herniated discs, a knee that swelled from time to time and bursitis in my hip, which constantly threatened my kickboxing habit. Not only did I not listen to my body, but I didn't listen to several orthopedic surgeons who unanimously put a damper on my love for plyometrics and heavy impact. How was I supposed to get a workout? I just didn't know another way. Even when I embraced yoga and pilates, it was in addition to, and not instead of, my high impact antics. In spite of maintaining a dedicated room in my house and accumulating enough equipment to start a small studio of my own, I continued to depend solely on group fitness. I was convinced that I would only put forth appropriate effort in a group setting under the watchful eye of an instructor. Yet it was under the watchful eye of an instructor that one too many explosive squats resulted in a gluteal tear. It was then that I learned that a small tear diagnosis in the radiology world, can be synonymous with a huge pain in the ass in real life. Literally. I took months to heal and then swiftly renewed my expired gym membership. I was officially a dumb ass with a pain in the ass. When I returned to the gym,...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news