2 Month Personal Training Update: Building Strength

Well then, I had planned to update you on my personal training journey every month but turns out these photos were taken at the start of May and here we are already at the end of June! Following on from my one month gym update, where previously my training was concentrating on getting my movements and form right, my second month was mostly focused on gaining strength and building up the weights I was using. I’m continuing my strength conditioning personal training with my coach Sarah of That Squat Bot and am seeing her three times a week (apart from when I’m on holiday – what a chore!).

Getting Strong

I guess it almost goes without saying that when you start lifting weights, you start getting strong, but I didn’t realise just how quickly I would be able to build up to lifting (what I consider!) heavy weights. My first phase of training was learning techniques and movements, how to properly do a deadlift, bench press, overhead press and squat. My second month has been all about strength training. Doing less reps but with heavier weights and testing my limits through these same four main lifts (amongst other exercises). Where as before I was doing reps of 8 in this phase I was doing reps of 4 but with more weight on. My favourite exercise, the ever sexy hip thrust, now can see me do a PB of 4 reps of 95kg.

Feeling Strong

Physically, I feel stronger in myself and can see small differences in the shape of my legs and arms. My tummy is now my main pain point and despite seeing a pretty significant loss of CMs in my waist and hips for my 1 month update, this has pretty much eased up now. I still feel self conscious of it but working out definitely gave me the confidence to wear a bikini on holiday for the first time in years and feel pretty damn sassy in it, too!

Over all, the main difference for me has been feeling strong and the self esteem that has brought with it. I feel more confident in myself and have been buying new clothes again when I went through a phase of avoiding doing it. In fact, even when I went on holiday I went to the gym on my own and, dare I say even enjoyed it! Before I would have been way too scared to step into a gym on my own.

It’s been a just over two months since I started strength training. I now can’t imagine not doing this and am still so grateful for Sarah’s patience and encouragement; even when I’m being a moany lil bitch!

Every week I make steady progress in terms of both strength and movement. Having previously not even been able to do a squat or a lunge on my own, I’m now comfortable with doing both of these and more with weights.