Many of those ripped gym bros or people who never skip an exercise day were the kids who hated PE while they were in school. Now, they get high on spending a small fortune on nutrition and spending hours inside a gym that smells like a mixture of strangers’ sweat and disinfecting chemicals. Back then, it was similar to hell when they spent the hour of exercise in the metal building with giant window air conditioners that conveniently blew your sweat off and made all the kids forget that they were actually baking inside a big oven while they fulfilled the credit for “Physical Education.” I not only disdained PE, I wasn’t allowed to do it. At the time, I looked physically capable, but I had a heart condition that would send adults into a frenzy if I had a sweat bead roll down my forehead. Now, I’m in the gym three times a week and I have a special love for dropping money on nutrition.
My trainer (Ben) and I have been training together for over three years so he essentially knows my routine and how my body functions. The first two days of the week are always dedicated to upper body exercises and the last day of training is dedicated as “leg day” even though, let’s be honest, my legs are not getting much use.
Friedrich’s Ataxia causes some fatigue and everyone is different, but personally, three days of the week in the gym helps me maintain strength and stamina. It is frustrating to try to gain strength while your body is actively and progressively destroying your strength and muscle, but it would be boring otherwise. Fighting is my second language back in the trailer-hood.
I can’t push the weighted sled; So I pull it with my arms because adapt the exercise to your functions and make it work for you. My squats probably take just as long to set up as I do actually squatting, but I don’t get to do standing movements often. So it’s a good excuse to make that happen.
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