Beyond Reps, Sets & Weights: Why I Lift

Have you ever stopped to think about what your workout taught you today? Many of us don’t take the time to consider what we’ve learned from our workouts. We go through the motions of lifting one heavy thing after another and one sweat session to the next. But in between all of that, your workout was trying to tell you something. Were you listening?

Lifting for me is more than just building muscle. Sure, I like the look of toned arms and abs. I like fitting into my favourite pair of skinny jeans on a given day without any trouble, and sometimes I even find myself standing on the bathroom scale, feeling giddy when the number is lower than usual or remains unchanged. We all want to look good by whatever standards we set for ourselves.

I remember, in the past, not being able to keep up with my more athletic friends. I recall this one time, my (now) husband got his car stuck in the snow and I was of no help trying to get it out. I felt so weak. I remember joining a running group, getting about 1 km in and needing to take a break to catch my breath. It hurt so much to breathe. I also remember when 10lbs was too heavy for every exercise I tried. I spent many years disliking my body, always wanting someone else’s.

Sports changed this for me. Joining a gym changed this for me. Running, at one time, changed this for me. Weight lighting now changes this for me.

I lift to burn calories to enjoy chocolate.

I lift to be healthier than some people in my family.

I lift to relieve my stress, boost my energy and feel good.

I lift to be able to move with ease.

I lift to prove that I can and I will.

I lift to be a role model to others - to show them that it is possible.

Why do you lift?

Weight lifting can be so intimidating. Where to start? What to do? Sometimes we spend so much time trying to figure out the next plan, that we miss the fundamentals - proper movement in our squats, lunges, pushes and pulls, rotations, moving in different planes and building strength. After all, strength is where we will achieve our fitness goals, from fat loss to muscle gain, from endurance to speed, regardless of sex or gender. PERIOD! It seems so simple, yet we constantly search for the next new thing, shifting our priorities from one thing to another and get discouraged when we lack results.

My lesson to all my readers when it comes to weightlifting is this: keep your program simple. Stick to the basics and do what feels good for YOUR body. I know this can sometimes seem boring, but it is important to get the basics down solidly first before diving headfirst into the fancy stuff. It is not about how much you lift, but about getting better at lifting. Focus on lifting decent weights, progressing over time and shifting your attention to challenging your body. Honour where you are at right now, not where you want to be or where your friend is.

Become an expert at doing it right. Be consistent. Be patient. Robin Sharma said it best,

“Sometimes setting new goals is a way to escape

the accountability and discipline needed to do your old ones.”

At the end of it all, each time I lift I go back to my first question: What does my workout teach me?

It teaches me that it is more than just reps and sets, but engaging my inner strength and asking myself, What is possible today? Each session is a measure of what can be accomplished and negotiated. Every weight I lift prepares my mind to move one step closer to what is possible vs what I believe to be my self-imposed limits. I train so that I can do.

We have all been there - burning lungs, quivering legs, a racing heart and sweat dripping down our faces during a tug of war between the mind that wants you to rest and the one that drives you to push through. I love to test how much I can push myself through it, to achieve that invincible feeling every time and to reassure myself that if this is possible, anything is!