My first day working out! Again...

This year I've kept wanting to get back in shape. Over and over again I think about wanting to get back into shape and I've cleaned off my weight bench.

Exercise equipment has a way of getting covered in crap like towels that need to dry a bit or baskets sitting on the bench or other flat surface.

Today, once again, I cleaned off my weight bench, and actually used it...a bit. Though, after doing 20 curls at 20 pounds, plus my 8 pound steel bar, I realized that the majority of the exercises that I wanted to start with I actually just needed my little dumbbells for. So, after cleaning off my weight bench, and removing multiple weights so I could start with only 20 pounds, because I firmly believe in more reps at lower weights, I ended up breaking down my dumbbells from the 15 pounds that was on each from the last time I used them, then promptly said to myself, "Hey idiot, you also have those 5 pound dumbbells over there. Just use those.

Yeah...lots of wasted time. But you know what, now my weight bench is cleaned off for when I use it tomorrow for leg day. And my dumbbells are broken down from their weights for when I want to raise the weight a bit in the coming days. And until then, I can just put them in my storage bin disassembled.

For the first day, because I'm quite out of shape, I went down to 20+8 pounds for my bar bell to do curls with, and planned on possibly doing some bench presses, but haven't gotten to it yet. It's now dark, so I don't know if I'll get to it, but that's fine.

_{Bicep Curls With Barbell By Everkinetic 6 March 2016 (source via wikimedia)}

I then used my dumbbells to do 20 presses from my computer chair with probably about 6 pounds. They're 5 pound weights on an old bar and are kinda rusted on. I don't even know where I got them, but I use them as one of my sets of dumbbells that I often end up keeping next to my computer or some other place I sit occasionally. I clearly need to get back into doing that.

Then I did 10 front raises. Oh my god...that proved how out of shape I am. You wanna feel how out of shape you are, there are a few exercises like this that will really make you feel the burn. I also planned on doing butterflies, but I ended up taking a break after that.

_{English: an exercise of shoulders By Everkinetic 1 November 2010 (source via wikimedia)}

Yeah, my first workout, again, in quite a while, was pathetic. But I wasn't trying to kill myself. I wasn't trying to do super heavy weights. That's how you bulk up...that's not how you get strong. If you want to be able to work out all day, you don't do only a few presses at your max weight. You have to tire yourself out at a low weight.

My shoulders are feeling a bit of burn after even that low amount...which proves that I really need to get back into shape...

Nothing is built in a day though. I'm just getting started. I also might not even be done for the day. Just took a bit of a break...though it is late. But even if I don't do anything more today, it was a start. I don't want to wear myself out so much that I can't workout with no trouble in 2 days when it's arm day again. I need to build up a habit again.

But my arms aren't that sore really, and I've been looking up a few exercises, so I'll probably decide on another exercise or two to do, and what I'll do tomorrow for leg day. Maybe I'll get out the bike.

You don't have to make yourself so sore that you can't workout the next day though. That's how you break habits. That's how you injure yourself. You just have to work out however much you want to work out and take your own pace. Unless you're working with a trainer...and I still wouldn't suggest working with a trainer that pushes you beyond your limits. But, real professionals can push you closer to your limits and do so safely...hopefully.

Not that there aren't a fuckton of "professionals" out there that push people dangerously. Sometimes people die under the care of professionals because they push them too hard.

But I don't NEED to push myself that hard. In fact, it's better if I don't push myself too hard in some cases, because I want to get back into the habit of working out, and I don't want to end up with stretch marks on my muscles as they grow.

Now I'm gonna get back to looking up exercises a bit, do a little more, and decide what I'm gonna do tomorrow for my legs. I hope that I can keep it up this time.